The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series regular season has delivered a sobering reality check for Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports. With only two races remaining before the chase begins, Larson is sitting eighth in the standings with 660 points. But unfortunately, he is still searching for his first victory of the year.

Overall, HMS as a team has only got two wins so far this season, both with Chase Elliott. HMS built its reputation on dominance. This season, it’s chasing answers. Yet Larson and crew chief Cliff Daniels refuse to view the season as a lost cause. They are still maintaining the faith that team No. 5 will retain its capacity to alter its trajectory for a meaningful Chase run.

“When things don’t work out and you’ve gotta have the mental toughness and resilience to keep coming back, keep showing up, keep fighting through that and that’s where we are and we’re confident that even though the top end of the performance hasn’t been there we are capable of running top five, top ten every week.” No.5 crew chief, Cliff Daniels said on SiriusXm NASCAR radio. 

He also explained how the No.5 team has identified specific areas that require improvement. One of the big changes the team had to undergo this season is the new Chevrolet body. And the constant changes in track packages has made their job somewhat difficult.

However, this measured outlook is in total contrast to the positivity that had surrounded the No. 5 team at the start of the season. Larson entered 2026 as the Cup champion, having secured his second title in 2025. He and Daniels were eager to defend a crown and pursue back-to-back championships. Something no driver had achieved since Jimmie Johnson’s historic five-year streak for HMS from 2006 to 2010.

“I think from all of the team standpoint, our pickers have been doing great. Our shop crew, our road crew have been prepared every week, and now we’ve just gotta, like I said, be ready when it turns; it’s gonna turn and make sure we’re ready to execute when the time comes. So we’re looking forward to the chase ahead, and I think you’re gonna see us building forward for here,” Daniels added.

Larson’s not been bad, he just hasn’t reached the victory lane so far. And for a championship winning team, that does stick out. With eight top 5 finishes, Larson has shown he’s got the speed in the No. 5 car, but now the entire team needs to convert on the racetrack. Tracks like Bristol, Kansas, Charlotte are coming up ahead in the Chase, and this could prove to be the turning point for the team in their bid for a championship run.