Larson: Teams may use new Camaro as "excuse" for poor performance

That’s a possibility, according to Kyle Larson, whose No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team has been the most consistent performing Chevy team so far this year.

While he hasn’t won a race this year, Larson has three runner-up finishes and led the most laps at both Bristol and Kansas. He is currently ninth in the series standings.

“I have never felt like Chevy’s have been at a disadvantage this year. Our team has been pretty solid every race. I think some of the teams maybe just use it as an excuse where we don’t do that,” Larson said Friday at Michigan International Speedway.

“So, yeah, I mean obviously I don’t think we are as fast as what we were at this point last year, but I don’t think we are that far off either. Honestly, I think maybe we are kind of where we were at last year, just other teams are a little bit better.”

Austin Dillon is the only Chevy driver to win this season, which was on a restrictor-plate race in the season-opening Daytona 500.

But on the tracks that make up the bulk of the Cup schedule, aside from Larson – and at times his teammate Jamie McMurray – the remainder of the Chevy teams have had difficulty contending for wins.

Again last weekend at Pocono, Larson ended up at the end of the race in contention for the win with Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. – the three driver will multiple victories this season.

“We are making our cars better every week. The guys in the shop are really excited about every car that we have been bringing to the race track because there are little things that have made them better each week,” Larson said. “That is exciting.

“I feel like the engine department with Hendrick Engines – I don’t feel like we are lacking there at all. They are doing a really good job.

“We’ve just got to get probably some more downforce and overall performance and at least the No. 42 team will be right there competing for wins every week.”