All the chaos surrounding whether or not Kyle Larson ought to get a playoff waiver for missing the Coca-Cola 600 is finally beginning to settle down. NASCAR said on Tuesday that he will be let off the hook and be given eligibility to race for the 2024 Cup Series championship. With the rule book still gray on the matter for such circumstances in the future, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wishes that it is made clearer.
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The racing icon was on an episode of “Dale Jr. Download” after the verdict was passed when he noted the inconsistencies in the book by comparing the waiver that was given to Larson with the one that was given to Chase Elliott last year. Elliott’s waiver was for a reason far more egregious than Larson’s. He’d been suspended for a race after an intentional wreck on Denny Hamlin.
Dale Jr. said, “If you get suspended and have to miss a race, that’s part of the punishment. Maybe instead of suspending Chase and knocking him out of the chance of competing every week – where they’re going to have to give a waiver, they should’ve probably suspended him points or something else or a monetary fine there.”
NASCAR granted Kyle Larson a waiver for missing the 600 – so what does this mean going forward? pic.twitter.com/hIvmeLDdBo
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) June 4, 2024
He also made a case for Larson by citing how he didn’t do anything that warranted a suspension and that he’d just had a bit of bad luck with the weather. Adding more weight to Dale Jr.’s contention is the fact that Larson made every effort he could to get to Charlotte even after the rain delay in Indianapolis to turn a few laps in the Coca-Cola 600.
“Every situation is different”: NASCAR reasons its decision to grant Larson a playoff waiver
NASCAR’s VP of Competition, Elton Sawyer, made the announcement regarding the waiver on a teleconference on Tuesday. He said that they did not want fans coming to see Larson race in the playoffs and ended up being disappointed. He believes that Larson missing out on the Coca-Cola 600 and potential playoff points was in itself enough punishment.
Sawyer reiterated that the promotion wants to see other drivers attempt the Double in the future and that Larson’s sincerity to get back to Charlotte aided in making the decision. He concluded, “I know it’s a little bit of a cliche, but every situation is different. And I feel like that we had the parameters in our rule book and the team here at the R&D Center to ultimately make the best decision and that’s what we were hired to do.”
