We are just one day away from the conclusion of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, which also marks the conclusion of the first "Chase" postseason since 2013. Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson has all but clinched his third championship, which would make him the first to win titles in back-to-back years since Jimmie Johnson won five in a row to win from 2006 to 2010.
Saturday's Straight Talk Wireless 400 qualifying session is a single-car qualifying session, and each driver is set to turn one lap around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Homestead-Miami Speedway. There is no second round shootout for the pole position.
The qualifying order was determined by the qualifying metric (30% owner standings, 70% results of the most recent race), with the only caveat being that the 16 playoff qualifiers were not factored into the equation until all the other drivers were slotted in, guaranteeing that they're the last 16 in line to qualify. This remains the case even though only three of those 16 drivers are still mathematically eligible to win the title.
Aside from Larson, the remaining championship contenders include Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin. With 76 points up for grabs, Bell is 67 points behind Larson, while Hamlin trails by 70, meaning that they'll need absolutely everything to go right to have a shot at beating the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet to the title.
Follow along with our qualifying updates from the Homestead, Florida oval.
NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup at Homestead-Miami
Note that this starting lineup is not official until all 40 drivers on the entry list are included.
Sunday's Straight Talk Wireless 400 is set to be shown live on NBC from Homestead-Miami Speedway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any of the action from the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season finale!
