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NASCAR insiders talked about Kyle Larson's comeback win surrounding the playoff waiver saga after the Sonoma race weekend. Larson's hopes were in limbo before the governing body granted the #5 team the waiver request.
In a recent episode of The Teardown podcast by Dirty Mo Media, NASCAR insiders talked about the 'what ifs,' in case Larson wasn't granted a waiver for the playoffs. Jordan Bianchi, the podcast's host, claimed that he didn't agree with NASCAR's decision on the waiver request but believes that "it was the smart decision".
According to Bianchi, the storyline of the championship would have followed with an "asterisk" had NASCAR not granted the waiver. He said [at 10:02]:
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"If NASCAR doesn't give him(Kyle Larson) a (waiver), the rest of the year every time Larson does something, every time he wins the race, he wins the stage or if he wins the regular season championship or anything that really involves him in the playoffs. Honestly, even whoever wins the championship. There's gonna be an asterisk....It's gonna be a black cloud that follows the sport around through November."
"But they(NASCAR) made the decision, it is what it is. It's in the big picture from a 30-thousand-foot perspective, this was the right decision and that's that. I don't agree with it but from a PR side 100% the right decision." Bianchi added [at 10:39]
2021 Cup Series champion Larson secured his third win of the season recently at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma. With the win, Larson took over the Cup Series points standings lead.
The 31-year-old's future to qualify for the playoffs was in the air for the last couple of weeks, as he missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte. However, after a lot of speculation and delay, NASCAR's sanctioning body granted a waiver to the #5 Chevy driver.
Kyle Larson unbothered amid the playoff waiver fiasco
Recently, Kyle Larson shared his views surrounding the playoff waiver debate that took place in the last couple of weeks.
On the Memorial Day Double, Larson missed his opportunity to start the Charlotte Motor Speedway race due to a rain-delayed start at the Indy 500 earlier that day, which made him ineligible for the playoffs. As NASCAR's rulebook suggests- all drivers must start the 26 regular season races to take part in the season's playoff.
Yung Money bounced back with a win on the second road course of the season at Sonoma Raceway on June 9 after NASCAR officially granted the request earlier this week.
In a press conference after his Sonoma triumph, Larson said:
"It was always kind of focused on executing and winning the regular season Points, you know whether that be on the owner side or whatever, you know, it didn't really my mindset has not changed at all so, you know, just Every I raced to win every single race. So yeah, I haven't really thought any differently since missing Charlotte," [1:25]
Currently, #5 Larson sits at the top of the regular Cup Series table with three wins. He also has seven top-fives and eight top-ten finishes after 15 starts in the 2024 Cup Series season.
