Kyle Larson conflicted after failing to clinch NASCAR title at Martinsvile

Kyle Larson had an opportunity to clinch the NASCAR Cup Series championship at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday and save himself from a week of sleeplessness before the Nov. 8 finale at Homestead.

And while he holds a commanding 67-point lead over second-place Christopher Bell and a 70-point advantage over Denny Hamlin — the max points a driver can score in a race is 76 — the championship fight is not officially over yet.

Larson finished Sunday's race in ninth but did not score any stage points after a strategy call to stay out for the entirety of Stage 1 put him, along with Hamlin, outside of the top 10. Larson then had to get back on the lead lap and didn't have impressive speed over the second half of the race.

The good news for the two-time champion was that Bell and Hamlin didn't have race-winning speed, either. Bell appeared to have a great car early, though Larson's Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, proved to have the dominant automobile and led 362 of 500 laps to score the win.

For either Bell or Hamlin to win the championship next week, a race win, along with double-digit stage points, is necessary. Provided that Larson's car remains intact and on the racetrack, a third Cup Series title will be his.

But it's not over until it's over.

Kyle Larson not celebrating yet

"I'm surprised that it's that good," Larson told NBC of his points lead. "I'm happy, but I'm also bummed because there's a lot of opportunity there in the stages. We were just on the wrong side of the strategy. Just kind of playing off Denny, mostly Denny, the 19 I'm sure as well. 

"Just struggling for grip about the last 50 laps. Unfortunately, went down a lap at the end. Thankfully we were able to get back on the lead lap [in Stage 2]. Other guys spent longer a lap down. It all could've been a lot worse tonight. Go to Homestead next week with a comfortable gap but still not locked up."

Larson said he will "absolutely" feel pressure in the week leading up to Homestead despite his sizable gap.

"Crazy things can happen," Larson said. "Just gotta go there and execute like we have all Chase, be ready to capitalize."

Had Larson scored just nine stage points on Sunday, he would've locked up the title — but he only needs nine points at Homestead next week to win the championship. Even if Larson scores zero stage points, he only needs to finish 28th or better to claim his third Cup Series crown.