Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Chip Ganassi Racing w/ Felix Sabates
Kyle Larson
- 2015 – 0 wins, 2 top-five’s and 10 top-10’s. Finished 19th in the standings.
- 2014 – 0 wins, 8 top-five’s and 17 top-10’s. Finished 17th in the standings.
The Sophomore slump is a real thing for Kyle Larson and the No. 42 team. After a rookie season that made everyone take notice, Larson struggled in 2015. Not only did Larson not truly contend to win a race in 2015 but the consistency and speed that he had in 2014 also took a hit. In the end Larson who was predicted by many to win races and make the Chase ended up being nothing more than an afterthought. Larson hopes that 2016 will bring better fortunes.
Final Grade: D+
Jamie McMurray
- 2015 – 0 wins, 4 top-five’s and 10 top-10’s. Finished 13th in the standings.
- 2014 – 0 wins, 7 top-five’s and 13 top-10’s. Finished 18th in the standings.
For Jamie McMurray 2015 was another example of a driver who dipped in stats from the season before but was able to make the Chase, unlike their previous season. Despite making it into NASCAR’s version of the playoffs this season McMurray had less top-five and top-10 finishes. While the ultimate goal is to make the Chase and win a championship, getting there with less quality finishes might be a difficult task. McMurray set himself a solid foundation in 2015 and he now needs to improve on that in 2016.
Final Grade: C+
Next: Joe Gibbs Racing