Despite Considering a Penalty for Kyle Larson, NASCAR Claims ‘It Just Didn’t Feel Right’

Since the double showdown on May 26th, Hendrick Motorsports fans have counted every single day with bated breath. Kyle Larson lay at the mercy of NASCAR’s playoff rules, as he prioritized the Indy 500 over the Coca-Cola 600. However, Larson and his supporters can finally relax as NASCAR has given way to popular demand.

Even though Kyle Larson flouted a playoff rule, he had some strong reasons. The notorious weather and soaring viewership stand foremost among them. Hence, a top executive claimed they barely had any legroom to rebuke Larson.

Kyle Larson’s predicament was too convincing

A couple of hours ago, the much-awaited news broke across NASCAR circles. The sanctioning body has decided to waive Kyle Larson’s Coca-Cola 600 absence. It prompted rounds of cheers on social media and sent ripples of relief through Hendrick Motorsports. However, the decision was still a tricky one.

Larson opted to run the Indy 500 although he knew that it flagged off barely 90 minutes before the Coca-Cola 600 began. The risk was writ large, as the NASCAR Rulebook states that a driver should run every race for playoff eligibility. It adds, “If a starting position was not earned, then the driver(s) and Team Owner(s) must have attempted to Qualify, at the discretion of the Series Managing Director, for the Race.”

Plus the facts remained that no precedent existed. Earlier, either physical injury or suspensions prompted waivers. So NASCAR considered all options, as Jeff Gluck updated on X. “Sawyer acknowledges all options were on the table, including some penalties, but ultimately the rulebook says NASCAR can either grant a waiver or not. So they viewed that as their two options in the end.”

Yet Elton Sawyer, Senior VP of Competition, clarified NASCAR’s stance toward the situation. Ultimately, Kyle Larson’s popularity convinced the higher-ups. “To not have Kyle Larson in our playoff and give our fans the opportunity the chance to see him race for a championship…at the end of the day, that didn’t feel like that was the right decision for us to make. We didn’t.”

This is bound to relieve both the IndyCar and NASCAR communities, which were rooting for Kyle Larson’s freedom. Now Larson has regained his 17 playoff points. He can gear up for a grand run in the playoffs, which begin on September 8 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

As NASCAR officially cites popularity as a driving factor, Denny Hamlin suspected that earlier. 

Hamlin correctly predicted NASCAR’s actions yet again

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Denny Hamlin has frequently doled out ideas that NASCAR has adopted as its own. For instance, his in-season tournament is already a work in progress. Given Hamlin’s status as a top motorsport statesman, his talk about Kyle Larson had added value. Barely a day before NASCAR dropped its waiver decision, Hamlin outlined a scary scenario for the sanctioning body.

After the Illinois race, the higher-ups gave hints about penalizing Kyle Larson. Denny Hamlin warned them of the viewership consequences if they took this approach. “I just think we got to be careful thinking that we don’t need you, we are the show. That is a very dangerous way for our sport to think because these teams and these drivers are the show. If you start dinking around with things like waivers and just stuff, then you’re not helping anyone’s cause. And certainly not your own.”

Hence, Denny Hamlin was proved right yet again as NASCAR yielded and saved the day for their TV ratings. Kyle Larson is now all set to burn rubber in the highest spirits again.