Getty Kyle Larson has success with the Valvoline scheme.
The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro will have a different look for the March 13 Ruoff Mortgage 500 Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX). Kyle Larson will head to the track with the fan-favorite Valvoline Oil scheme.
Hendrick Motorsports showcased the updated version of the No. 5 Chevrolet ahead of the trip to Phoenix. The Gen 7 version of the Valvoline scheme has several similarities to the vehicle that Larson took to Victory Lane at Nashville Superspeedway and Bristol Motor Speedway in 2021. Though the large Valvoline logo has moved from the rear fender to a prominent spot on the doors.
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The race at Phoenix will be the first of three featuring the Valvoline Oil scheme. Larson will defend his previous win on March 13 before bringing back the red and white stock car for the trip to World Wide Technology Raceway on June 5, 2022. The final race featuring Valvoline will be the October 23 trip to Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he will potentially fight for a spot in the championship four.
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Larson Remains the Favorite To Reach Victory Lane
GettyKyle Larson continues to be the favorite to win.
Larson will showcase the red and white scheme as he returns to the track where he previously became a champion. His last trip to Phoenix Raceway (November 7, 2021) capped off a memorable season in which Larson won 10 points-paying races and the All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Larson posted the fastest time during qualifying to win the Busch Light Pole before leading a race-high 107 laps and holding off Martin Truex Jr. on the final dash to the checkered flag. He capped off his first year with Hendrick Motorsports as a champion.
Based on his November win, as well as a win at Auto Club Speedway to start the west coast swing of the 2022 schedule, Larson remains the favorite to win his second race of the year. He enters the Phoenix weekend 4-1 odds, just ahead of Kyle Busch (7-1) and Martin Truex Jr. (7-1).
3 Hendrick Motorsports Drivers Will Debut New Schemes
Larson will not be the only member of Hendrick Motorsports showcasing a new scheme during the trip to Phoenix Raceway. Both Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott will do so while pursuing stage wins and playoff points.
Elliott has showcased one scheme during the first three weeks of the season. He took on Daytona International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, and Las Vegas Motor Speedway while working with NAPA Auto Parts as his primary partner. Now, however, he will head to Phoenix with a green and white UniFirst scheme.
Elliott has not won a points-paying Cup Series race with UniFirst as his primary partner. However, he captured the 2020 All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway while running undercarriage lights on the No. 9.
Similarly, Bowman has showcased the updated version of the Ally Racing scheme during the first three weeks of the season. He struggled to contend for top-10 finishes during the races at Daytona and Fontana, but he took the white No. 48 to Victory Lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Bowman, who hails from Arizona, will showcase a new scheme during the Ruoff Mortgage 500. He will still have Ally Racing on the No. 48, but Best Friends Animal Society will take a prominent part in the scheme. There will also be dozens of paw prints on the stock car, referencing Bowman’s support of the mission to save thousands of animals.
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