Is NASCAR or a Hidden Player the Villain Behind Coca-Cola 600’s Unexpected Washout?

What happened on Sunday was truly outrageous in every sense. From Kyle Larson losing his opportunity to race in the Coca-Cola 600 to unexpectedly ending the crown jewel race, the weekend was nothing but a disaster from a fan’s point of view. Was NASCAR the culprit, or was any other player responsible for this outcome?

The only person happy at the end of the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 race was probably the winner, Christopher Bell. While the Joe Gibbs Racing driver registered his second victory of the 2024 campaign, the inclement weather played a massive role in the outcome. More so, the authorities involved made a questionable call, much to the fans’ disappointment.

Did NASCAR make one of the worst decisions in the sport’s history?

It is no secret how NASCAR and its consistency have been in question time and again. Even with the handling of the scuffle involving Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Kyle Busch earlier this month, the governing body came into scrutiny. While fans moved on, what happened on Sunday remains an unforgivable decision in the eyes of many.

The weather was always going to be a tricky player on Sunday, more so for Kyle Larson who was attempting ‘The Double’. While he faced challenges from Mother Nature while competing in the Indy 500, it was no better during the Coca-Cola 600 either. In a rain-affected race, Christopher Bell came out victorious after leading a race-high 90 laps.

However, the problem came with the race being confirmed with 151 laps remaining. Following a constant downpour, the race was red-flagged for over two hours. While attempts were made to dry the track, NASCAR claimed the efforts to be unfruitful given the presence of heavy humidity.

Interestingly, this shocking decision came after drivers were to be called in 15 minutes. As Joe Gibbs confirmed, “I think, too, for me, I was in the motor home, and I was told that they’re going to call the drivers in 15 minutes, so I got my jacket on, I was going out the door.”

The legendary owner added, “But you’re never quite sure, too. I’d be willing to bet on the part of the track there was either weeping and a lot of things — that was a heavy rain, and I’d be willing to bet they concluded they weren’t going to be able to get it dry.”

Surely, something didn’t feel right. With Sunday nearing an end, officials concluded that the track would not dry up until or before 1 am EST. Also, it meant that the race wouldn’t have ended before 3 am EST at best. While NASCAR has conducted races late in the night before, it was difficult to understand what the hurdles were this time around.

Additionally, it only got more frustrating for the fans when images emerged showing the track quite dry in comparison to what NASCAR declared. Given that it was a holiday on Monday, many questioned the ruling body’s decision to not complete the balance race the following day. After all, it is the longest race of the year.

While the cost implications of conducting the race late on Sunday or on Monday would have been a factor for NASCAR, there could be another angle to the decision taken. Broadcaster Fox Sports could also have been the decision-maker on the weekend. Given its history of not broadcasting races late in the night, it is likely that the ruling came from Fox’s end to which NASCAR complied.

After all, this is the last Coca-Cola 600 race Fox Sports broadcasted until something changes drastically in the foreseeable future. It is also likely that both NASCAR and Fox combined to take a call on this. Regardless, it was a decision that didn’t go down well with the majority of the community, including drivers, crews, teams, and fans. More importantly, it changed the look of the Cup Series standings drastically.

Kyle Larson paid the price

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Safe to say, had the race continued later in the night on Sunday, the Coca-Cola 600 could have witnessed a different outcome. While Christopher Bell raced well, the crown jewel race could have ended with a different winner, especially with Brad Keselowski competing intensely.

Having started P30, Keselowski finished second when the race was confirmed. Understandably, he looked devastated by the race being discontinued. As reported by ESPN, he said, “We ran down the 20 car twice and didn’t get to see it play out. It slipped through our fingers. I think we would have won had we run the Coke 600, but we ran the Coke 350. I’m bummed for our team, but the weather is what the weather is.”

More importantly, this changes the dynamics of the points table standings significantly. With Kyle Larson unable to start the race, the Hendrick Motorsports driver lost a commendable lead. Before the race at Charlotte, Larson led the points standings by 30 points. However, after the end of it, he remained six points behind current leader, Denny Hamlin, who finished Sunday’s race at P5. Additionally, despite an ordinary race for Truex Jr last weekend with a 12th place finish, he stands second behind teammate Denny Hamlin.

While HMS faced disappointment with what happened with Larson, things turned out well for their other star driver, Chase Elliott. With a P7 finish, Elliott now remains 17 points behind the leader after being 49 points below at the start of the race on Sunday.

On the other hand, it even helped William Byron reduce the gap. With a P3 finish, the #24 driver now stands 31 points behind the leader despite being 86 points behind at the start of the race. While the HMS drivers have some catching to do, it turned out to be a great day for the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers on Sunday.

Now, it will be interesting to see if NASCAR grants Kyle Larson a waiver to be eligible for the playoffs. More importantly, it remains to be seen how the fans react to it given how highly disappointed they are with NASCAR and the other authorities for the Coca-Cola 600’s seemingly controversial call.