Christopher Bell’s blown opportunities are giving away the NASCAR Cup championship

Beyond the Flag's Ryan McCafferty argues that Christopher Bell's self-inflicted mistakes have effectively handed the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship to Kyle Larson. Heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Larson holds a commanding 67-point lead over Bell, putting Larson in position to potentially clinch his third title before the final race concludes.

According to the writer, Bell's recent errors include crashing while entering pit road at Talladega and a pit-road speeding penalty at Martinsville Speedway. McCafferty notes that despite driving competitive equipment for Joe Gibbs Racing, Bell's repeated missed opportunities and single win versus eight runner-up finishes this season have kept him from claiming his first championship.