As Kyle Larson brought home another top-ten at Gateway Motorsports Park, the NASCAR community was left with one painstaking question. Will the #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver make it into the playoffs? Or are all his efforts after the Coca-Cola 600 debacle in vain? So far, there has been no official word from NASCAR other than their acknowledgment of the waiver appeal. However, there are many who think the 2021 Cup Series Champion getting an upperhand would be a stretch!

Case in point, veteran insider Jeff Gluck in a discussion with Jordan Bianchi revealed how a difficult situation is awaiting the former points leader. With many NASCAR fans criticizing Kyle Larson for prioritizing the Indy 500, the #5 HMS crew may not have a driver eligible for the playoffs at all.

Is NASCAR looking to make an example out of Kyle Larson?

After it was rumored that Rick Hendrick had an under-the-table deal with NASCAR over Kyle Larson’s waiver, many drivers and stakeholders highlighted how this would set a complicated precedent. According to Joey Logano, if Kyle Larson could take time off for the Indy500, why couldn’t another driver take time off to go do Late Model racing, or for that matter, a vacation? Calling the waiver rule “the grayest rule we have in our sport”, Logano had said, “He decided the Indy 500 was more important than the Coca-Cola 600. … That’s the facts.”

However, later in a tweet, he explained his earlier statements, mentioning how his words had been twisted while supporting Larson. If anyone listened to what I said yesterday, I never picked a side. I was pointing out the tough decision that NASCAR is in. Since words have been twisted yet again….here’s what I think… What Larson did for Motorsports was amazing, and he should get the waiver,” the social media update read.

With a lot of slack seemingly coming their way, NASCAR needs to ensure they do not lose control over the sport’s regulations in the eyes of fans.

Naturally, the officials are taking their time to make a decision. Whilst many have speculated that NASCAR will eventually grant Larson a waiver and are just feeding the hype, Jeff Gluck ‘factually’ believes that isn’t the case. The veteran insider shared on the Teardown, “The reason that this has not been announced yet, what they’re doing, is that they don’t know. And not only do they not know, but there is a serious consideration to not giving Kyle Larson the waiver.”

According to Gluck, though Larson deserved a waiver in the long run, not everyone at NASCAR believes in that notion. He added, “I would view it as cooler heads will prevail perhaps but there are factually, unquestionably, people within NASCAR in the competition department that are against the waiver for Kyle Larson.” With drivers raising concerns over what a waiver for Larson would entail, Gluck believes there is a real possibility that the sport may need to address these concerns.

Although discussions are still ongoing, Gluck emphasized the fact that NASCAR isn’t just trying to be dramatic. Instead, Kyle Larson could realistically lose out on making it to the playoffs this season, despite being second in regular season points. With Larson’s ability to race in any category seemingly biting back, it remains to be seen if the #5 HMS squad stands a shot at the final four, let alone the championship.

That being said, those eagerly waiting for NASCAR to come up with a decision on Larson’s waiver might just need to hold onto their horses for longer.

When will NASCAR finally spill the beans on Larson’s waiver?

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As things stand, we’re only halfway through the regular Cup Series season. Whilst Larson’s second position in the standings and 17 playoff points (now zero) could very well see him win the regular season, the waiver debacle could put unnecessary pressure. With over ten races to go before the round of 16 kicks off in Atlanta in September, NASCAR is in no urgency to decide on Larson’s waiver.

After all, if the sport aims to seriously consider whether Larson deserves a waiver or not, testing his patience in the long run could be what the officials have in mind. Jordan Bianchi shared his two cents on the matter and shared, “There isn’t a drop dead, ‘we have to have this done within a week or two’, like you can run this out for honestly the whole summer if you wanted to and as you said like there’s a genuine possibility that he doesn’t get a waiver, I don’t think people understand the severity of this.”

With Bianchi believing most fans are naive to shrug off the hesitation as ‘NASCAR being NASCAR’, the insider felt the need to warn those optimistic fans with a reality check. He concluded, “There’s a very real possibility that this could happen and I have an idea of what I think is going to happen, I think ultimately he will get a waiver but nowhere is that a guarantee. Nowhere even close, it’s very much up in the air and undecided at this point.”

Although there doesn’t seem to be an end date in sight for Larson’s waiver uncertainty, do you think the sport is trying to make an example of this situation so drivers like Joey Logano don’t have a reason to take ‘vacations’?