When NASCAR’s hero Kyle Larson took up the challenge of doing the much coveted “the double” which only Tony Stewart has successfully attempted, it was bound to cause a frenzy. But this ambitious feat also started a controversy, a cold war of sorts between two racing giants of America. The actions of Roger Penske, a sports industry icon, and Kyle Larson have sparked a controversy that indicates a shifting relationship between NASCAR and the HMS driver. The hint?

NASCAR has not yet waived off the incident and they even posted an updated point standing with Larson’s playoff points at a 0! Historically, NASCAR has been more laissez-faire, readily granting waivers for various reasons, so the delay in Larson’s case raises eyebrows. Meanwhile, Freddie Kraft hints that Penske has a lot to rob from NASCAR!

Is Roger Penske strategically robbing NASCAR of its thunder?

Roger Penske is a powerhouse in the world of motorsport. He is the owner of Team Penske, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar, and other auto racing-related businesses. Hence, it won’t be far-fetched to say that he had a lot to gain from Kyle Larson’s attempt at doing the double. After all, he is the owner of the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis. The event is already a no-brainer, a crown jewel, and Kyle Larson acted as “the diamond” of the season there. In fact, in his own words, he said, “I think to have Kyle Larson and Rick Hendrick here is a super advantage for us as a track owner and the series. To see Kyle, what he has been able to do in every other type of race car will be a real journey for all of the fans here in Indianapolis.”

Now Larson had reiterated that for him the Charlotte race was a priority. But on the D day, he went ahead to race in IndyCar and missed out on Charlotte! He essentially prioritized the IndyCar…ouch that must not be sitting well with NASCAR.

And yes, even NASCAR had a lot to gain from the promotions and more, but Indy gained more. Because Kyle Larson’s entire audience, who might have never watched Indy, chimed in to watch the game. Freddie Kraft pointed out this in his podcast. He said, “IndyCar benefited way more. ….I think you had a lot of extra eyes on it due to the fact that Kyle Larson was running it.”

He further pointed out that NASCAR ratings are much higher than IndyCar, so they might be pulling on NASCAR’s audience. And the entire Larson debacle was a great way to do so. He said, “They’re trying to pull from our audience; we’re not ever trying to pull from theirs. I think Kyle Larson is the most stated name in all of motorsports in America.”  HMS’s actions might have hurt NASCAR. NASCAR might feel they were more of a stepping stone for IndyCar’s gain rather than an equal beneficiary. But is sentiment the right emotion to go by here?

Will NASCAR attempt the PR-killing move of excluding Kyle Larson from the playoffs?

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Kyle Larson is a superstar in NASCAR, the one who pulls in plenty of fans. Moreover, he has won two races this season and was in the lead in point standings till his “double” attempt. Now Denny Hamlin leads! So will NASCAR take the chance of removing their star driver from the playoffs is a more pressing question. Disappointed, yes they can be—but putting emotions in affront might not be in their favor. While it is understandable that NASCAR has a rule set in place. According to the rule, a driver has to participate in every point-paying race of the regular season to be eligible for the playoffs. But let’s face it—they have given waivers to others earlier and it wouldn’t be a big deal. 

Recently journalist Jeff Gluck and Jordon Bianchi discussed the repercussions of what exactly would happen if NASCAR didn’t grant Kyle Larson the waiver. Gluck opined that NASCAR would have a hard time explaining the situation to the fans and the views of the sport. Also now that more fans are joining in after NASCAR’s exposure with the Full Speed series on Netflix, the situation would be even tougher. Gluck said, “You’re talking about how this guy’s having perhaps the best season of anybody and is not gonna be a part of the playoffs. Good luck explaining that one to your new Netflix crowd. Good luck with that one.” 

Larson had collected 17 playoff points and the recent table posted by NASCAR showed his points as 0! While no official statement is out yet, this time is indeed turbulent for the HMS team.