Larson Chases Hamlin for NASCAR Cup Championship

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, the two-time NASCAR Cup champion who died suddenly in May. A long-time driver for M&Ms at Joe Gibbs Racing, Ty Gibbs will carry an M&Ms tribute scheme to Busch for the race Saturday night.

" came to me wanting to run it and the family wanted to run it, too, and Mars did, too. There were a lot of people wanting to do it, and I was the one chosen to do it," Gibbs told me a couple of weeks ago.

"No," Gibbs told me, then paused, and said,"Maybe a little bit. ... What is pressure? I never heard of it before.

"Bristol was one of the places where Busch had some of his greatest accomplishments, including two triple-header weekend sweeps. Busch won nine Cup races at the track , nine O’Reilly races and five truck races.

"Bristol was always such a special place for Kyle, and M&Ms was such a huge part of his life and career, so seeing everyone come together again to honor him means more to our family than I can put into words," Busch’s widow, Samantha Busch, said in a news release. Ty Gibbs knows it will be a cool moment to carry the scheme.

"Going back with the M&Ms tribute is really cool for Kyle Busch," Gibbs told me. "Obviously, I think we’ll have a great shot to win it. ... But also have a great shot to win the rest of them, too.

", 51 points behind leader Denny Hamlin. He has won since that victory as he took the checkered flag at Iowa. The 23-year-old Gibbs said he doesn’t watch highlights of that first win.

"I probably watched some things on that we looked at that the team thinks that I can do better," Gibber said. "But not much. I don’t sit there and fantasize over myself winning. Denny Hamlin is favored to win The Chase, but one driver is closing in on the NASCAR Cup Series title oddsboard.

Here's the latest.2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Blaney, Logano & Bell Tied On Board For Gateway2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin Tied On Board For DarlingtonNASCAR Contender Rankings: Which Driver Takes Top Spot Ahead Of The Chase?2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Blaney, Logano & Bell Tied On Board For Gateway2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Blaney, Logano & Bell Tied On Board For Gateway2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin Tied On Board For DarlingtonNASCAR Contender Rankings: Which Driver Takes Top Spot Ahead Of The Chase?2026 NASCAR Chase Odds: Blaney, Logano & Bell Tied On Board For GatewayFOX SPORTS™, SPEED™, SPEED. COM™ & © 2026 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC.

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