Kevin Harvick reflects on how Kyle Larson “penalized himself” last season despite the new playoff waiver rule

Kevin Harvick recently reflected on how Kyle Larson's last year’s playoff waiver to remain playoff eligible after missing the Coca-Cola 600 negatively impacted himself throughout the season despite NASCAR’s recent big changes to the playoff waiver policy for the 2025 season.

In the latest episode of the “Happy Hour” podcast, Kevin Harvick shared his thoughts on the new playoff waiver rule for missing a race and pointed out how Larson was affected last year without having that rule.

Former NASCAR driver turned commentator Kevin Harvick pointed out that missing the Coca-Cola 600 prevented #5 from accumulating enough points to win the regular-season championship over Tyler Reddick, who won the title with one point advantage. It also ultimately kept Larson out of the championship finale race.

Harvick said:

“It is a big change. Look, I'm of the win is the waiver. I'm still in that category. I just, I don't like rules to just have rules. I think NASCAR has to protect its turf. I love the double. I love what they did last year with Larson. I hate that it worked out the way that it did… It still was a detriment to him all the way to the end. Charlotte, regular season championship. It penalized him himself.”

“He didn't win the regular season championship. It kept him out of the end of the year, and basically it penalized Larson all the way through without having a rule.”

Last year, the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver attempted the “Double,” aiming to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Due to weather delays, Larson completed the Indy 500 but missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600, leading NASCAR to grant him a playoff waiver that restored his eligibility for playoffs.

Due to this, NASCAR has updated the waiver policy. Three weeks ago, NASCAR revealed that if a waiver is granted for missing a race for non-medical reasons (birth of a child, family emergency, age restriction included), the driver will lose all playoff points and will start with zero points.

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Kevin Harvick gives his prediction for Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium

The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick named Chase Briscoe as his favorite driver to win this year’s The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. Harvick believes that Briscoe, who is a two-time Cup winner, has something to prove in his first season at Joe Gibbs Racing and has all the equipment to reach the victory lane at Bowman Gray.

Further in his podcast, predicting the winner, Harvick said:

“Chase Briscoe, because I think that the Joe Gibbs cars have run well at these short tracks, and I think that he, along with a lot of other guys, has something to prove, and I think James Small is right there with him, so he has been good. He was very good as his teammate at SHR at this style of racetrack, and I just think that it could be a magical moment for him.” [56:33]

Catch the first race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season at Bowman Gray Stadium on Sunday, February 2, on FOX.