NASCAR Cup Playoffs Point Standings and Updated Schedule After 2026 Talladega Results

Kyle Larson used an incredible run down the bottom of the track at Talladega Superspeedway to win the YellaWood 500 and open up a huge advantage in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings.

Larson is now up 73 points on Denny Hamlin in second place with two races remaining in the Cup Series season.

Updated NASCAR Cup Series Standings

1. Kyle Larson - 2,441 points
2. Denny Hamlin - 2,368
3. Christopher Bell - 2,367
4. Chase Briscoe - 2,362
5. Joey Logano - 2,341
6. Ryan Blaney - 2,334
7. Tyler Reddick - 2,315
8. Ty Gibbs - 2,258
9. Austin Cindric - 2,258
10. Carson Hocevar - 2,243
11. William Byron - 2,227
12. Chase Elliott - 2,223
13. Bubba Wallace - 2,223
14. Daniel Suarez - 2,201
15. Ryan Preece - 2,192
16. Chris Buescher - 2,186

Larson's remarkable surge at the end provided him with a massive cushion in the NASCAR playoff standings.

The No. 5 car driver picked up 71 points with his victory. He finished seven spots ahead of Denny Hamlin, who is his closest competitor in the playoff hunt.

Larson's massive lead is significant because the standings were so congested before the race. The top five drivers in the points standings were separated by 75 points going into Talladega.

Larson now has a big enough margin for error in the final two races to still win the playoff championship with a pair of decent finishes.

Hamlin, Christopher Bell and the other title contenders have to be near perfect and get some help from low finishes by Larson to take over from the No. 5 car.

Bell, Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney were among the playoff drivers that finished beneath 30th place on Sunday due to a handful of accidents.

Bell, Briscoe and Blaney were in close range of Larson going into the race, but now it feels like a near guarantee that Larson will win the title.

The Cup Series heads to Martinsville next week before the season finale at Homestead-Miami on November 8.