New Season, New Look: Defending Champ Larson Debuts Updated Valvoline Livery
It’s hard to mess with a classic, but sometimes a little refresh is exactly what the doctor ordered. For 2026, defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson and the No. 5 team are doing just that. On Monday, Hendrick Motorsports and longtime partner Valvoline pulled the cover off a sharp, updated look for Larson’s Chevrolet Camaro.
If you’ve been following the Elk Grove, California native since he joined the Hendrick stable in 2021, you’re used to seeing that familiar red-and-white dominated scheme. It’s a look that has visited Victory Lane plenty of times. But for the upcoming season, the design team is mixing things up, integrating heavy accents of both light and dark blue, colors deeply rooted in Valvoline’s brand history.
A Fresh Coat for a Proven Champion
This isn’t just a decal change. It feels like a statement. The new aesthetic captures the heritage of Valvoline while looking fast, standing still. Larson, who is entering his 12th full-time Cup Series campaign and sixth with Hendrick, has built a reputation as perhaps the most versatile wheelman on the planet.
When you have a driver of that caliber, someone with 32 Cup wins in 402 starts, the car needs to look the part.Fans won’t have to wait long to see the new colors on track. The redesigned No. 5 is set to debut early in the season, hitting the asphalt on February 22 at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at EchoPark Speedway.
It’s fitting that the new look drops at Atlanta, a track that demands both high speed and precise handling, traits synonymous with Larson’s driving style. This livery symbolizes days past and new beginnings.
Circle These Dates on Your Calendar
After the Atlanta debut, the Valvoline colors will return for two more key dates in the 2026 schedule. Larson will carry the scheme at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, always a white-knuckle affair where spotting your driver in the pack is crucial.
Finally, the blue-accented Chevy will make a late-season appearance at Phoenix Raceway on October 18, right in the heat of the playoffs. While Larson gets three races in the primary colors, Valvoline’s presence at Hendrick Motorsports remains massive.
They’ve been a primary sponsor on a Hendrick car 47 times since 2018, racking up six wins in that span, four with Larson, two with teammate William Byron. Speaking of Byron, the No. 24 will also carry the Valvoline banner in 2026, though the team hasn’t yet released which specific races those will be.
Chasing History in the No. 5
At 33 years old, Larson is in the prime of his career. He’s not just racing for wins anymore; he’s racing for a legacy. He’s already etched his name alongside the greats, but the hunger hasn’t faded. The goal for 2026 is clear: join the elite club of three-time champions.
We’re talking about rarefied air here. Only legends like Petty, Earnhardt, Johnson, Gordon, Stewart, and Yarborough reside in that three-plus championship tier. It’s a tall mountain to climb, but if anyone has the raw talent and the team behind him to do it, it’s Larson.
Seeing that refreshed No. 5 Valvoline Chevy on track is going to be a reminder that while the paint scheme might change, the expectation for the driver behind the wheel remains the same: to win.
