The Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook and Picks

The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend for the Championship Race on Sunday, November 8, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Last season, Alex Bowman captured the pole with a lap of 168.845 MPH (31.982 secs), and Kyle Larson capitalized on teammate Alex Bowman’s late-race skirmish with the outside wall to win the Straight Talk Wireless 400 on Sunday, March 23, 2025.

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase Point Standings after Martinsville Speedway

RankDriverNoPointsLdrNxtRace WinsStage Wins
1Kyle Larson (C)524690039
2Christopher Bell (C)202402-676716
3Denny Hamlin (C)112399-70345
4Chase Briscoe (C)192385-841432
5Joey Logano (C)222366-1031937
6Tyler Reddick (C)452344-1252262
7Ryan Blaney (C)122336-133839
8Ty Gibbs (C)542309-1602725
9William Byron (C)242303-166615
10Chase Elliott (C)92268-2013522
11Austin Cindric (C)22263-206501
12Carson Hocevar (C)772259-210410
13Bubba Wallace (C)232257-212202
14Ryan Preece (C)602214-2554312
15Daniel Suárez (C)72210-259411
16Chris Buescher (C)172199-2701101

NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Winners (2004-2025)

DateTrackRace WinnerCrew ChiefOrganization
Sunday, November 21, 2004HomesteadGreg BiffleDoug RichertRoush Fenway Racing
Sunday, November 20, 2005HomesteadGreg BiffleDoug RichertRoush Fenway Racing
Sunday, November 19, 2006HomesteadGreg BiffleDoug RichertRoush Fenway Racing
Sunday, November 18, 2007HomesteadMatt KensethRobbie ReiserRoush Fenway Racing
Sunday, November 16, 2008HomesteadCarl EdwardsBob OsborneRoush Fenway Racing
Sunday, November 22, 2009HomesteadDenny HamlinMike FordJoe Gibbs Racing
Sunday, November 21, 2010HomesteadCarl EdwardsBob OsborneRoush Fenway Racing
Sunday, November 20, 2011HomesteadTony StewartDarian GrubbStewart-Haas Racing
Sunday, November 18, 2012HomesteadJeff GordonAlan GustafsonHendrick Motorsports
Sunday, November 17, 2013HomesteadDenny HamlinDarian GrubbJoe Gibbs Racing
Sunday, November 16, 2014HomesteadKevin HarvickRodney ChildersStewart-Haas Racing
Sunday, November 22, 2015HomesteadKyle BuschAdam StevensJoe Gibbs Racing
Sunday, November 20, 2016HomesteadJimmie JohnsonChad KnausHendrick Motorsports
Sunday, November 19, 2017HomesteadMartin Truex JrCole PearnFurniture Row Racing
Sunday, November 18, 2018HomesteadJoey LoganoTodd GordonTeam Penske
Sunday, November 17, 2019HomesteadKyle BuschAdam StevensJoe Gibbs Racing
Sunday, November 8, 2020PhoenixChase ElliottAlan GustafsonHendrick Motorsports
Sunday, November 7, 2021PhoenixKyle LarsonCliff DanielsHendrick Motorsports
Sunday, November 6, 2022PhoenixJoey LoganoPaul WolfeTeam Penske
Sunday, November 5, 2023PhoenixRoss ChastainPhilip SurgenTrackhouse Racing
Sunday, November 10, 2024PhoenixJoey LoganoPaul WolfeTeam Penske
Sunday, November 2, 2025PhoenixRyan BlaneyJonathan HasslerTeam Penske

Track & Race Information for the Championship Race

Season Race: No. 36 of 36 (November 8, 2026)
Track Size/Type: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Purse: $13,855,063
Banking/Turns (All four): 18-20 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch & Backstretch: 4 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  1,760 feet
Backstretch Length:  1,760 feet

Race Schedule, Length, and Stages for the Championship Race

Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Stage 1 Length: 80 Laps
Stage 2 Length: 85 Laps (Ends on Lap 165)
Finale Stage Length: 102 Laps (Ends on Lap 267)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5

6:30 PM – 7:20 PM: NCTS PRACTICE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM: NCTS QUALIFYING (IMPOUND)
4:00 PM – 4:50 PM: NOAPS PRACTICE
5:30 PM – 6:20 PM: NCS PRACTICE
7:10 PM: NCTS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
7:30 PM: NCTS CHAMPIONSHIP RACE (STAGES 30/60/134 LAPS = 201 MILES) ON FS1

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: NOAPS QUALIFYING (IMPOUND) TRACK HOT
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM: NCS QUALIFYING (IMPOUND)
4:25 PM: NOAPS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
5:00 PM: NOAPS CHAMPIONSHIP RACE (STAGES 45/90/200 LAPS = 300 MILES) ON THE CW NETWORK

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8

2:15 PM: NCS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
3:00 PM: NCS CHAMPIONSHIP RACE (STAGES 80/165/267 LAPS = 400.5 MILES) ON NBC

Who and what should you look out for at Homestead-Miami Speedway?

This weekend, six of the 18 NASCAR Cup Series race winners are active:

Active Homestead Race Winners (6)WinsSeasons
Denny Hamlin32020, ’13, ’09
Kyle Larson22025, ’22
Tyler Reddick12024
Christopher Bell12023
William Byron12021
Joey Logano12018

The deepest start by a race winner is 38th, by Denny Hamlin in 2009.

The first, second, and fifth starting positions are the most successful in the field, producing more winners (four each) than any other starting position (14.8%).

Ryan Blaney (2023, 2024) leads all active drivers in runner-up finishes with two second-place finishes, and Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in top-five finishes with seven top-fives and 14 top-10 finishes.

Tyler Reddick leads all active drivers in average finishing position with an 8.8 in six starts.

The Driver Picks for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway!

The Driver Picks for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Denny Hamlin has four wins, 16 top-fives, 23 top-10s, six poles, led 1033 laps, and an average finish of 9.0.
  • Chase Briscoe has three wins, 13 top-fives, 18 top-10s, one pole, led 668 laps, and an average finish of 14.4.
  • Kyle Larson has three wins, 15 top-fives, 21 top-10s, led 1238 laps, and an average Finish of 14.5.
  • Joey Logano has three wins, seven top-fives, 15 top-10s, two poles, led 832 laps, and an average finish of 15.9.
  • William Byron has one win, seven top-fives, 17 top-10s, led 540 laps, and an average finish of 15.6.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

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