Kyle Larson’s awkward media secret ahead of his 3rd title shot

Kyle Larson enjoyed an ‘awkward’ media day ahead of NASCAR finale and his shot at a 3rd title.

Larson was the lone Cup Series “contender” on hand for the event at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Thursday.

Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, both technically still in the mix for the title, were excused.

So Larson was alone on the stage, the first time that’s happened since NASCAR moved to a playoff format more than two decades ago.

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

“I like awkwardness.”

Larson holds a 67-point lead over Bell heading into the season finale at Homestead.

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

He will get one point for starting the race.

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

Even if Larson struggles — unlikely considering he has two wins and six top-five finishes in 12 starts at the track — 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’s still feeling some pressure.

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

“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 essentially could end up turning hundreds of “victory laps.”

Another Cup title would put Larson in an elite class.

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

That list includes seven-time champs 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 than have won three NASCAR Cup championships,” the AP noted.

The math is so far in his favor that the race for second is the only standings fight left.

Larson leads Christopher Bell by 67 points and Denny Hamlin by 70 with one race to run.

The betting markets settled this weeks ago.

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

A gambler would have to risk $10,000 just to win a $100 profit.

Asked by Kickin’ the Tires 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.”

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

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.

Larson spent Championship Media Day on Thursday in a position no other driver at Homestead shares.

The Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series contenders all arrived with rivals still in reach of them while Larson took questions alone because his points cushion made him a category of one.

Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin will take the stage for media questions on Friday.

“Yeah, it’s definitely been the most unique media day for me because in the past it’s been the Final Four and you’re there and you don’t really…” Larson trailed off.

Larson also revealed on Thursday 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.

That race runs 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.

Larson runs solo.

“Yeah, I like to run alone. 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,” Larson told Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass.

Friday brings a new wrinkle.