​Kyle Larson could leave Martinsville Speedway on Sunday as the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series champion. But despite carrying a commanding lead into the Xfinity 500, the Hendrick Motorsports driver still has some work to do.Larson enters the penultimate race of the season with a 73-point advantage over Denny Hamlin, putting him within reach of securing his second Cup Series championship before next weekend’s finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.The math, however, involves more than simply finishing ahead of Hamlin.What Does Kyle Larson Need to Clinch the NASCAR Championship at Martinsville?Larson must meet all six of the following conditions Sunday to clinch the title, according to the championship scenarios outlined ahead of the race:Denny Hamlin: Larson must outscore Hamlin by at least three points.Christopher Bell: Larson must outscore Bell by at least two points.Chase Briscoe: Larson cannot be outscored by Briscoe by three or more points.Joey Logano: Larson cannot be outscored by Logano by 24 or more points.Ryan Blaney: Larson cannot be outscored by Blaney by 31 or more points.Tyler Reddick: Larson cannot be outscored by Reddick by 50 or more points.All six conditions must be satisfied. If even one falls short, the championship battle will continue to Homestead.To clinch the title, Larson has to beat Hamlin by three points today while also beating Christopher Bell by two points and not lose three points to Chase Briscoe, 24 points to Joey Logano, 31 points to Ryan Blaney and 50 points to Tyler Reddick.— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 1, 2026That makes stage points particularly important. Larson doesn’t necessarily need to win Sunday’s race, but his performance throughout the afternoon could determine whether he leaves Martinsville with the championship already decided.Larson Has a Chance to Finish the Job EarlyLarson’s opportunity comes one week after a remarkable victory at Talladega Superspeedway, where he emerged from a chaotic overtime finish to claim his first Cup Series superspeedway win.That result transformed the championship picture, giving Larson a 73-point cushion with just two races remaining.Now comes a very different challenge.Martinsville’s tight corners and heavy braking zones leave little room for mistakes, and several of Larson’s closest championship rivals have plenty of motivation to keep the title race alive.Hamlin, who starts Sunday’s race from the pole, is particularly well-positioned to make things difficult. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran enters the afternoon looking to close the gap at a track where he has six career Cup Series victories.Larson starts third, giving both championship contenders an opportunity to collect valuable points from the opening stage.If Larson meets the necessary requirements, he will clinch the championship Sunday. NASCAR’s official trophy presentation, however, would still take place at Homestead next weekend.For now, Larson has 500 laps at Martinsville standing between him and th