With Kyle Larson officially missing the start of the Coca-Cola 600, his spot in the playoffs is in jeopardy. Despite being the Cup Series points leader before his Double attempt unfolded, the #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver may not be eligible for the championship this season. According to NASCAR rules, a driver must start all 26 regular season races to qualify for the playoffs. This has led to some critics questioning Larson’s worthiness for a waiver since he prioritized the Indy 500.

That being said, almost every stakeholder in the community expects NASCAR to grant Larson a waiver owing to the benefits his Double attempt, albeit unsuccessful, brought to the sport’s viewership numbers. But unfortunately, recent revelations about the status of the #5’s waiver request raised concerns for most Hendrick Motorsport fans.

NASCAR adds further uncertainty to Kyle Larson’s 2024 championship hopes

Jenna Fryer from AP News verified what every NASCAR fan had been expecting in the past few days. Taking to X, the insider shared, “Hendrick Motorsports confirms it has requested a waiver for Kyle Larson from #NASCAR”. When Kyle Larson and HMS revealed their intentions to stick with the delayed Indy 500 over the Coca-Cola 600, there was the notion that a waiver deal was already in place for such scenarios.

However, another revelation from the inside turned things around completely. Fryer tweeted, “Update: #NASCAR confirms it has received a request for a waiver for Larson from Hendrick Motorsports and says no timetable for when decision will be made.” While NASCAR had finally reached out to comment on Kyle Larson’s waiver, this statement only complicates things further.

If Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR mutually understood their backup plans, why were the timings not aligning? After all, would Rick Hendrick have jeopardized their chances of winning the Cup Series championship without a guarantee from NASCAR? With Kyle Larson being one of the prime contenders for the championship, NASCAR’s uncertainty with a timeline could be their way of setting an example.

Recently, Joey Logano highlighted the implications of such a gray area. If a driver could sit out of a Cup Series race, let alone a Crown Jewel event, and still get a waiver, why wouldn’t other drivers follow suit? Perhaps, with this in mind, NASCAR wants to ensure drivers and teams understand the gravity of the situation.

Still, if there’s anyone who feels they know the situation better than NASCAR themselves, it’s the Hendrick Motorsports fans.

HMS fans highlight the hypocrisy in NASCAR’s contemplation

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With NASCAR giving the cold shoulder to those expecting an update on Kyle Larson’s playoff eligibility, fans felt the need to highlight contradictory decisions in the past.

When Chase Elliott intentionally wrecked Denny Hamlin out of the Coca-Cola 600 in the 2020 season, he was handed a race suspension. This suspension meant Elliott would not have been eligible for the playoffs, if not for the waiver NASCAR granted him. After reflecting on the officials’ leniency, fans couldn’t wrap their heads around why Kyle Larson’s attempt at the mighty Double didn’t deserve a no-questions-asked waiver.

One fan shared, “Bruh Chase Elliott Literally Got A Waiver After Wrecking Hamlin Last Year And Got Suspended For One Race, ” while another said, “This is crazy. I understand that @NASCAR doesn’t want to set itself up for later issues but it was Indy and the double. It’s not like he skipped Charlotte to run his High Limit Series race. He went to Iowa on Monday for a tire test and skipped a High Limit Race.” 

But that wasn’t all. Fans also highlighted how unfair all of this was to Kyle Larson. After boosting viewership numbers at the All-Star Race and Indy, it was evident that Larson’s Double Attempt was largely beneficial for NASCAR, even without the Coca-Cola 600. This prompted one fan to share, “Nobody loves self-sabotaging more than those in power at NASCAR.” 

Finally, the conversation arrived at the prospect of losing the previous championship leader. Was NASCAR really going to make the driver most capable of bringing home the championship this season sit it out? Not only would that spell disaster for viewership but also competition. With that said, an HMS fan highlighted, “This is hands down the simplest decision they ever need to make – he gets a waiver- there is no reasonable argument against not.” 

At the end of the day, even with Kyle Larson’s High Limit series and his interests in other motorsports, the #5 HMS driver had always prioritized NASCAR. So was one instance enough to call for such major repercussions? To conclude, a fan shared a major warning for NASCAR; “Might want to wake up. Kyle can drive in any motorsports series he wants. You want to lose one of your best drivers then you will regret it.”