Larson leapfrogs Hamlin to give Chevy its first NASCAR championship lead of the season

The reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion is back at the top of the championship standings. Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports overtook Denny Hamlin after Saturday night’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

It is the first time all season that a manufacturer other than Toyota has led the standings. Furthermore, only two drivers have led the standings this season: Hamlin and Tyler Reddick. It’s also the first time Hendrick Motorsports has led the way since Larson won the title in November. But it is hardly a lead at all, with one point separating Larson and Hamlin.

READ MORE: Runner-up Larson leaves Bristol with Cup Series points lead

Larson has finished no worse than fifth in the first three Chase races, giving him an average finish of 2.66 and 224 laps led. Hamlin, meanwhile, has two top-10 finishes in three races for an average finish of 11.66 and 68 laps led.

“We just have to get to running a little bit better," said Hamlin. "I thought early on – in the first stage – I really liked my National Debt Relief Toyota. I thought we had a car that would contend for the win, and then second stage, when we took the stage points in stage one that put us to the back, and once we lost track position, it just wasn’t quite as good. I think the track changed on us as well. Then we got caught by that caution, so that was unfortunate. It is the way it is, but we move on.”

As in the first two weeks, the race winner was also the biggest winner in the standings. Joey Logano gained four positions to move within 16 of the lead. But the next three weeks on intermediates will show whether Logano and his team can truly contend for the championship.

The top seven drivers are separated by 61 points with seven races to go. It is notable because a maximum-point day for a winning driver is worth 76 points. And while there is still plenty of racing to go, it feels like the ticking clock is getting louder as to who the true contenders are, with the list likely to get smaller sooner rather than later.

Here are the updated Cup Series standings after the third Chase race:

1. Kyle Larson

2. Denny Hamlin – 1

3. Joey Logano – 16

4. Christopher Bell – 17

5. Ty Gibbs – 42

6. Ryan Blaney – 52

7. Tyler Reddick – 61

8. Carson Hocevar – 85

9. Chase Briscoe – 87

10. Bubba Wallace – 92

11. Austin Cindric – 116

12. Chase Elliott – 117

13. William Byron – 121

14. Ryan Preece – 124

15. Chris Buescher – 124

16. Daniel Suarez – 134

Kansas Speedway is the next stop on the schedule. It is the first of three weeks of racing on mile-and-a-half racetracks.

Chase Elliott is the defending winner of the fall race at Kansas.