Where is Kyle Larson on NASCAR Cup Series table after the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 at Martinsville Speedway?

Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson posted another ordinary weekend at the Martinsville Raceway on Saturday.

The Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 was the fifth event of the season in which Larson failed to make an impact. The driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 started the race from the 8th position and showed determination throughout the race to take a lead, but couldn’t succeed, ending the race in 19th place.

At one point in the 2022 season, Larson was placed in the top spot in the points table. However, after suffering three consecutive poor outings, he saw a steep decline in the points standings.

Following the recently concluded Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400, the Hendrick Motorsports driver now stands in 13th place with 201 points, adding only 18 points from Saturday’s race.

Having made an eighth-place start, Larson slipped back to 10th in the first 10 laps. But somehow, the driver managed to pass Kyle Busch for ninth place.

Despite getting close to Kevin Harvick for 10th, he was unable to crack the top-10 in Stage Two. Larson marched into the top-10 on lap 279 after passing Kevin Harvick.

Pitting on lap 302, Hendrick's driver was penalized for speeding on pit road and had to serve a pass-through penalty. From that penalty, Larson couldn’t climb back and finished in the top-20.

Meanwhile, his teammate Chase Elliott, who won Saturday’s pole, tops the points table with 288 points. He's followed by Ryan Blaney, who stands in second with 285 points. Meanwhile, William Byron, the winner of the race, stands 3rd with 276 points, two wins and four top-five finishes.

---

Kyle Larson's performance in the previous Cup Series races of the 2022 season

Kyle Larson has recorded three top-10 finishes so far this season.

Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief added another disappointing finish. His season has also featured subpar performances at the Daytona 500, Ruoff Mortgage 500, Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, and EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.

Kyle Larson was the winner of WISE Power 400, which marked his first win of the season. He continued his momentum, finishing as a runner-up at the Pennzoil 400, and was hoping to win his second race at the Richmond Raceway, but had to stay satisfied with the top-five finish.

The NASCAR Cup Series returns next week with the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 17. The action will go live at 7 p.m. EST on FOX and MRN.