Kyle Larson Has Zero Sympathy for Denny Hamlin Over 2026 Championship Chase Choke

Reigning champion Kyle Larson’s impressive charge from P11 after losing lead on that lap within two corners at Talladega last Sunday changed the whole title picture. He now has 73 points lead of Denny Hamlin at P2, and is almost guaranteed to win the Bill France Cup, breaking the heart of the JGR driver for the second straight season.

On his appearance on the Happy Hour podcast, Bob Pockrass asked Larson what he feels about besting Hamlin a second straight year for the title. He admitted that though he felt bad for beating the JGR driver in the 2025 finale, this year is different. The veteran had no sympathy for his rivals struggles, considering he beat the racer that started the chase as top seed with three wins from eight weeks.

I don’t know. I mean, there was definitely an element last year in the race at Phoenix that I did feel bad for him. And that was such an awkward feeling. It was just an awkward position for me to be in and even have to feel that way, you know, but this year, you know, I don’t.

Kyle Larson said.

Further talking about the point, the Hendrick Motorsports champion driver pointed out that Denny Hamlin impressed the whole garage throughout the 2026 season, but the chase didn’t go out as planned for him, unlike his No:5 team. Kyle Larson doesn’t think the average results were the product of bad luck, unlike the 2025 season where the No:11 team did have the worst luck in the finale.

I feel like he’s performed really well. You know, he hasn’t, it’s not like he’s had– I mean, in his eyes, maybe there’s been some bad luck and things, but, you know, Phoenix (last year) is definitely bad luck. So, and when it comes down to one race, I mean, it’s easy to look at that.

Kyle Larson added via Happy Hour podcast.

Kyle Larson’s team is peaking at the right moment to win the championship

Talking about his impressive in the 2026 season, that has seen him secure four wins, Larson admitted that he earned the P1 spot in the table. Hence, he doesn’t feel bad about performing better than his main championship rival.

You know, this is us putting together 10 or eight really to this point, you know, great races. And so, no, I mean, I don’t feel bad, and I don’t want that to come across the wrong way either, but we’re competing and, and we knew the format, and he did as well.

Kyle Larson said.

Later in the same conversation, the champion driver asserted that the key to winning title under the chase format is peaking at the right moment and his team is doing exactly that. Them thriving while the No:11 team got stuck in mediocrity helped them thrive.

So yeah, it’s just your team’s got to peak at the right time. You see it in all forms of sport: football, baseball, hockey.  I mean, you name it, you know, there’s teams that have to peak at the right time. And that has been us so far this year.

Kyle Larson added.

The comments from the champion driver are on point and shows how he fought hard to be on the top in 2026, a year where the Toyota Camry’s clearly had the pace advantage. It would be intresting to how the next two week are going to playout for the HMS racer, considering he can still lose the title if he has two disastrous outings.

Also Read: Denny Hamlin Exposes “Master” Rick Hendrick’s Chevy Garage Hegemony After Kyle Larson’s Controversial Talladega win