Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 NASCAR Chevy Camaro ZL1 in the Cup Series, tried his hand at IndyCar racing this year. His initial plans were to complete the Indy 500 before traveling to Charlotte to race in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600, but thanks to weather delays at both tracks, Larson was unable to turn a single lap. As per NASCAR rules, Larson is technically ineligible for the Playoffs due to missing the race at Charlotte, but his team, Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) has now applied for a waiver to give him a shot at the championship.
According to a report from The Racing Experts, NASCAR confirmed that it received a Playoff waiver from HMS, but has yet to announce a decision either way. While Larson didn’t actually race in the Coca-Cola 600 – Justin Allgaier drove the No. 5 Camaro in the 249 laps that were completed – he did qualify and practice in the race car.
In regard to Playoff eligibility, the NASCAR Rule Book states, “Unless authorized by NASCAR, drivers and Team Owners must start all Championship Events of the current season to be eligible for The Playoffs. If a starting position was not earned, then the drivers and Team Owners must have attempted to Qualify, at the discretion of the Series Managing Director, for the Race.”
In the past, NASCAR has granted Playoff waivers to drivers and teams following injuries that forced them to miss races, such as Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman. If the sanctioning body elects to grant Larson a waiver, it will be the first time a driver has been cleared for the Playoffs after voluntarily missing a race to compete in another series. Note that Larson’s two victories so far in 2024 earned him a spot in the Playoffs already, but it could be taken away from him, depending on NASCAR’s decision.
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Comments
NASCAR can’t afford to not let him race. Once Tony is gone it’s all over for them
I agree. Plus you can’t or shouldn’t punish him for the rain delay.
I believe that they let him drive for the championship. It is not his fault the rain came when it did and he made it to the track in time to finish the race but nascar called the race instead of letting Larson complete a couple of laps.
No waiver. They (HMS and Larson) made the call. They gave the finger to NASCAR fans.
Dear reactor! Oh piss!
It was a valiant effort and he made it to the track before the red flag was thrown. He’s been the dominant driver and points leader all season. They could award him zero points and he’d still make the playoffs on points alone not to mention wins. Seems to me that nascar probably won’t give larson a waiver simply because it will create controversy and that seems to be the common theme with all major sports these days. Larson is one of the if not the best driver to ever get behind the wheel and everybody knows it, even Denny Hamlin. Will nascar punish larson for doing more for the sport then anyone has done in years past? Probably because they are fake corporate sellouts with an agenda. I’m done being a loyal fan to nascar simply for them making us wait on a decision. Next year they’ll probably have Dylan Mulvaney as a sponsor just to follow suite with budlite.