Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson might not be “bummed” about the fact that he hasn’t won in over a year.
With his winless streak stretching to 39 races after the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, the Hendrick Motorsports star once again found himself answering the familiar question: how is he handling the drought, and is it starting to wear on him?
The answer, according to Larson, is simple. He does not see himself or the No. 5 team as being stuck in a “slump.” But, post Sunday’s race, during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR, the 33-year-old did offer an honest assessment of where Chevrolet currently stands against its biggest rival, Toyota.
“I don’t feel bummed or sad or anything of that nature that we haven’t won in over a year now because we have been consistent,” Larson explained.
For a driver who built his early reputation at Hendrick on winning, it may sound like an unusual consolation prize. Yet Larson believes there is a difference between underperforming and maximizing what is available.
While he admitted there is always room for improvement, the Californian suggested that the opportunities to win have simply been harder to come by this season, pointing directly to the pace of Toyota’s top two Cup Series teams.
“I just think that we’ve had less opportunities to win just because the Gibbs, the Toyota cars are so fast,” Larson said. “But I feel like, ‘Man, we’re doing a good job with what we have.'” — Kyle Larson
That statement speaks volumes about the current state of the manufacturer battle in the Cup Series. Toyota has been the benchmark for much of the season, with Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing consistently placing cars at the front of the field.
Larson’s assessment is not entirely new. Earlier this season, HMS vice chairman Jeff Gordon also acknowledged that the Chevrolet team still had room for improvement, admitting there were several areas teams continued to fine-tune in their pursuit of Toyota’s pace.
Week after week, the OEM has shown race-winning speed across superspeedways, road courses, and short and intermediate tracks, forcing Chevrolet and Ford teams to chase rather than dictate the pace.
Larson, however, stopped short of sounding defeated. Despite not visiting Victory Lane since the 2025 season, Larson remains firmly in the playoff conversation. He sits sixth in the championship standings, 261 points distancing him from the leader, Tyler Reddick.
More importantly, the No. 5 team has continued to accumulate points through solid finishes rather than experiencing the dramatic swings that often accompany a prolonged slump. “We’re sixth in points, we’re not too far out of fourth,” Larson added.
In fact, the numbers support his argument. While wins have been elusive, Larson and crew chief Cliff Daniels have continued to put together competitive weekends.
“Sure, I want to be winning right now and all that, but I’m not going to stress myself about it either because I understand that there’s still work to be done to get to where we need to be,” he said, reinforcing his belief that the results will come if the team continues to trust the process.
Whether that breakthrough arrives next week or later in the season remains to be seen.
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