Kyle Larson Grins Through Awkward Media Day Before Title Shot

Kyle Larson enjoyed an ‘awkward’ media day ahead of the NASCAR finale and his shot at a third Cup title.

He was the only championship contender on stage Thursday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, both technically still in the mix, were excused from the session.

That left Larson alone under the lights — the first time that has happened since NASCAR moved to a playoff format more than two decades ago.

“We’ve earned the right for it to be awkward,” Larson said.

“I like awkwardness.”

Larson holds a 67-point lead over Bell heading into Sunday’s season finale.

He needs only nine points to secure his second consecutive Cup title and third in six years.

He will get one point just for starting the race.

He could earn more based on where he finishes the opening stage.

Even if Larson struggles — unlikely, given he has two wins and six top-five finishes in 12 starts at Homestead — either Bell or Hamlin would need to accumulate significant points to catch him.

The maximum points for a race is 76.

That kind of cushion has removed most of the drama from the finale, which returned to Homestead this season after six years in Phoenix.

But Larson insisted he is still feeling pressure.

“Man, you’ve done such great work to this point to put yourself in position,” he said.

“I would just hate for something crazy to happen, to eliminate all the work that we’ve gone to get ourselves in a great position to where you don’t have to score a ton of points.

“I think that’s the pressure. Like, man, don’t (screw) it up at this point.”

He expects those butterflies to end once he slides into his No. 5 Chevrolet, locks in and forgets about what is at stake.

“I foresee my race looking like any other Homestead race for me: try to get to the front and manage the race from there,” he said.

“Hopefully the first stage goes well and then you can really just race free after that.

“I still don’t think it’s going to change the approach of the race, but you can race with less worry at that point.”

Larson could essentially end up turning hundreds of victory laps.

Another Cup title would put him in an elite class.

He is trying to become the 11th driver in NASCAR history with three Cup titles.

That list includes seven-time champions Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson.

Jeff Gordon has four.

Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Tony Stewart and Joey Logano have three.

“More people have walked on the moon,” Larson said.

A total of eight stage points on Sunday will settle the championship fight before the final stage even starts.

That means a Stage 1 finish of first, second or third makes him the champion.

Suppose Larson wins zero stage points throughout the entire race.

Then he only has to finish 28th or better to be the champ.

No driver has won back-to-back Cup titles since Jimmie Johnson.

Larson would be the one to end that wait.

The betting markets settled this weeks ago.

Larson has been the championship favorite and the most bet-on driver in the sport all season.

The price on him now is the kind that scares casual money away.

Odds-wise, Larson is a negative 10,000-to-1 bet to win the title.

Putting that into perspective, a gambler would have to risk $10,000 just to win a $100 profit.

Asked whether he keeps track of any of it or has let himself enjoy how done the deal looks, Larson said the numbers have never reached him.

“No, I don’t pay attention to gambling odds because I don’t gamble so I don’t even know what all that means,” he said.

“No, I don’t know.

“I just really mentally, I think us and our team have tried to block out the noise more than anything and just tried to stay focused on our goal.

“Yeah, not that any other team hasn’t done the same thing, but we’ve just stayed locked in and been able to execute.

“Hopefully I’ve made some people money here lately.”

Larson also revealed his unusual way of preparing for the big race.

He will run 15 miles Friday morning, just hours before Cup practice at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The run is part of his training for the California International Marathon on Dec. 6, a course from Folsom to Sacramento near his hometown of Elk Grove, California.

Larson has logged more than 40 miles a week, with no break planned for championship weekend, according to a report by Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass.

Larson runs solo.

“Yeah, I like to run alone,” he told Pockrass.

“I don’t feel like I’m a great runner, so I don’t want to feel like I’m limiting anybody that’s going with me.

“But no, it’s fun. It’s peaceful.

“I just put my headphones in and go log miles.”

Friday brings a new wrinkle.