Larson takes a 67-point Cup lead into the Homestead finale

Kyle Larson finished ninth, a lap down, in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday and heads into the season finale with a 67-point buffer over Christopher Bell, NASCAR said. Denny Hamlin is 70 points back, and the two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers are the only ones with a mathematical chance of passing the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver.

The result did not secure a third Cup Series championship for Larson, but it kept his closest pursuers at a distance. The title will be decided at Homestead-Miami Speedway next Sunday, with a 3 p.m. ET start.

How Larson's day unfolded

Larson's No. 5 Chevrolet finished Stage 1 in 23rd after a no-stop strategy did not work, and he lost a lap to teammate William Byron's No. 24 car. Crew chief Cliff Daniels took responsibility for the call. Several quick cautions in Stage 2 then put Larson in better position to get back onto the lead lap.

Hamlin stayed out through Stage 1 on the same strategy and scored no early points. A collision with Joey Logano's No. 22 Ford sent both Bell and Hamlin spinning on lap 214 of 500. Both recovered, with Hamlin finishing sixth and Bell 10th.

What Larson and Daniels said

"The day could have been a lot worse, but yeah, I mean, it's not locked up either," Larson said. He added that he expected to feel pressure through the week.

Daniels said the team would stick to its planned preparation for Homestead rather than count the title early, and that Larson's comfort zone is still driving at 10 out of 10.

What we know so far

• Larson leads Bell by 67 points and Hamlin by 70 points.
• Bell and Hamlin are the only drivers who can still catch him.
• The finale is next Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.