Despite being the reigning Cup Series champion, it has been a full calendar year since Kyle Larson has won at the top level of NASCAR. He last won at Kansas a year ago, in an absolutely dominating performance. Since then, he has come close, but failed to seal the deal.
On top of that, Larson's teammate, Chase Elliott, has been doing very well. He has two wins and appears to be one of the championship favorites early on in the season.
So, how does Larson handle that winless streak? Is it eating away at the No. 5 team? Well, the driver addressed that on Saturday while speaking to the media at Watkins Glen.
Kyle Larson during driver introductions at Las Vegas. Sean Gardner/Getty Images
"I mean I think you guys pay attention to it way more than I pay attention to it," Larson said when asked about the winless streak. "Yeah, obviously I would have loved to have won to this point, but we just haven't been good enough. I feel like at times we're really close to getting a win and then at times I feel like we're far from getting a win. So it just kind of shows how tough the series is. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, we're working really hard, I say the same thing every time you guys ask. It's not like we're not trying to win.
"We're just, yeah, we're just kind of searching how to be better and sometimes maybe search too much and get off track a little bit. Chase has had a good start to the year, but the rest of us have been kind of off. So, still trying to work through it. Yeah, I don't know. Just keep fighting. We've made this sport, the Cup Series look easy at times, and I've never thought it was. So, I'm glad that we can show you that it's not easy."
Since winning at Kansas last spring, Kyle Larson has finished runner-up four times. He did go on to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship over Denny Hamlin in Phoenix. That didn't require a win, though.
Something else to note, that race last year at Kansas wasn't just his last win, it was the last time the No. 5 team won the pole award. Perhaps a lack of high-end speed consistently? Or is it a coincidence? Larson usually wins more races than pole awards, 32 vs. 22 in those categories, but it is a noticeable stat missing from his record in the last year.
Is Watkins Glen the weekend that Larson sets it all back on track and breaks the winless streak?
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
