Kyle Larson had barely processed the news of his third NASCAR Cup Series championship when he gave himself something else to be unhappy about. The title was already secured at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was still on track. Instead of simply enjoying the moment, Larson pushed too hard and made a mistake that damaged his race. He was celebrating a championship while criticizing his own driving.

“I just got the word that we had clinched it, and I started driving like an idiot, so I’m more mad at myself,” Kyle Larson admitted during his post-race interview.

The confession came after a championship that had looked unlikely for much of the season. Larson went through all 26 regular-season races without a victory. Ten Chase races later, he had secured back-to-back titles and joined NASCAR’s three-time champions. The way he got there made the achievement even more significant.

Larson entered the finale with a 67-point advantage over Christopher Bell and 70 over Denny Hamlin. He needed only nine points to make the championship mathematically unreachable. Finishing fourth in Stage 1 earned him seven, with the guaranteed finishing point putting the title beyond their reach. Chase Briscoe’s engine failure brought the stage to an early end, and Larson had done enough.

Crew chief Cliff Daniels confirmed the news over the radio. The celebration followed, with Larson’s wife Katelyn, daughters and son Cooper joining the team. Yet the driver still had two stages left to race. The championship was settled, but the afternoon was not.

That distinction quickly caught up with him. Kyle Larson made contact with the outside wall after the celebration and suffered a right-rear flat tire. He lost track position and eventually finished 12th. Ryan Blaney went on to win the race, passing Tyler Reddick on the final lap. Larson had his third championship, but his attempt to finish the finale strongly had taken a hit.

His frustration was not with the car or the team’s decisions. He specifically blamed himself, even while acknowledging how much work had gone into securing the title.

“Yeah, I mean, you definitely think about it, but try not to. I’m just so proud of my team, first and foremost,” Kyle Larson said.

There was a reason this championship meant so much to him. Hendrick Motorsports had endured a difficult regular season, and Larson entered the Chase without a single victory. The turnaround came through three wins and eight top-10 finishes across the 10-race championship stretch.

“This was statistically probably one of our worst years, and to still come away with a championship just shows how resilient everybody at the race shop is,” he explained.

Larson also credited his teammates, Chevrolet and the people working behind the scenes. He singled out Daniels and car chief Jesse Saunders for their contributions.

“That’s what this championship is, makes it so meaningful, is just the teamwork, which all of them took teamwork, but this one more than any of them.”

He had admitted before the finale that he struggled to see a championship path earlier in the year. The speed was inconsistent, and execution had not always been where the team wanted it. However, the No. 5 group found its rhythm when the Chase began.

“We just made no mistakes, really, until tonight,” Kyle Larson said.

That last admission says plenty about Larson’s competitive nature. Even after becoming an 11th driver to win at least three Cup championships, he was more concerned about a mistake he made after clinching. His third crown was secure, but Larson still wanted to finish the job on track.