NASCAR: Kyle Larson has led more laps than all other Chevrolet drivers combined
By Nick Tylwalk
Without Kyle Larson, the Chevrolet Cup Series season would go from depressing to abysmal.
You’ll never hear Kyle Larson whine about his misfortune or the bad hand he’s been dealt by the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this season. Yet it’s safe to say that after bursting onto the scene with four NASCAR Cup Series victories in 2017, this is not what he expected entering August 2018: No wins this year and just six top-5 finishes, or the number he had by Dover last season.
It could be worse, though. Larson could be literally any of the other Chevrolet drivers, as only Austin Dillon has won a race, and that was at the season-opening Daytona 500. Not only are Chevys having trouble finding their way to Victory Lane, unless they’re sporting the No. 42, they’re barely even leading laps.
A dive into NASCAR’s season to date statistics shows just how noncompetitive the entire Chevrolet camp has been. Larson has led 365 laps, a good if not spectacular total. It’s sixth among all Cup Series drivers, trailing Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney and Kurt Busch. To put it in perspective, though, both Harvick and Kyle Busch have led more than 1,000 laps each, so Larson isn’t exactly threatening to turn the Big 3 into the Big 4 any time soon.
That said, his lap-leading statistics make him the Big 1 of the Chevrolet contingent because of this sobering fact: Larson has led more laps than all other Chevy drivers combined. In fact, Alex Bowman is second among the Chevys, and he’s led just 67 laps. Seven-time champ Jimmie Johnson has been in front for only 15 laps, and Larson’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Jamie McMurray, almost incredibly, has led only two laps through 21 races.
Stats don’t tell the entire story in any sport, and certainly not in NASCAR. What they do help to explain in this case is just how far off the mark the Camaro has been, because literally no one except Larson has been able to run up front.
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(As an aside, we’ve also talked about how many cars Larson has passed under green in 2018, so he’s wheeling it at every chance.)
It’s difficult to put into words how dreadful this season has been for Chevrolet, but it would be absolutely embarrassing if not for Larson. Here’s hoping that he doesn’t spend the remaining 15 races daydreaming about driving a Ford or Toyota, and that someone at Chip Ganassi Racing or Chevrolet in general figures out how to give him the kind of car his talent deserves for 2019.