NASCAR Insiders debate over Kyle Larson getting a waiver for missing Coca-Cola 600

NASCAR insiders have argued whether Kyle Larson should get a waiver or not after he prioritized the Indy 500 over the Coca-Cola 600, which proved costly for the Hendrick Motorsports driver. Larson's candidacy for the Cup Series Playoffs is in jeopardy, courtesy of the missed Charlotte race.

Kyle Larson became the fifth driver to attempt the double-header, but heavy downpours at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway delayed the race by 4 hours. The 200-lap dash was scheduled to kick off at 12.45 PM ET but took until 4.45 PM ET for 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' to go underway.

The Indy 500 wrapped up at 6.20 PM ET, 20 minutes later than the slated time of the Coca-Cola 600. This meant Kyle Larson missed the start and had to at least participate in Charlotte if he wanted to guarantee his spot in the playoffs.

Nonetheless, Mother Nature played the cards against the HMS driver. He made it to Charlotte Motor Speedway while the race was red-flagged and geared up to replace Justin Allgaier as soon as officials raised the green flag. However, that never happened as the race got called off and Kyle Larson couldn't participate in the regular-season race.

According to NASCAR's rule, a driver must attempt all 26 regular season races on the calendar to become eligible for the playoffs. However, there's a provision for a waiver. If unfavorable odds don't allow drivers to participate in the regular-season race, the governing body might grant them a waiver to race in the playoffs.

NASCAR insider Jordan Bianchi opined that Larson shouldn't be given a waiver as it was the HMS driver's choice to prioritize the Indy 500 over the Coca-Cola 600:

"I don't think he [Kyle Larson] deserves a waiver. I think it opens up a Pandora's box and it is a bad precedent to set," Bianchi said via Dirty Mo Media on X.

"You look at this scenario and this was a choice they made. You knew going to Indy brought risks and there was consequences. You just skipped which is supposed to be a marquee Crown Jewel Race. A race that awards more points so technically more important than any other regular season race," Bianchi added.(0.21)

"We didn't ask to be put in the situation. Why is it that we find ourselves without our star attraction, our championship points leader in a Crown Jewel Race? I don't like it," Bianchi continued (1.27).

After listening to Jordan Bianchi's rationale behind declining Kyle Larson's waiver, retired NASCAR legend Kenny Wallace expressed his views:

"I agree with him. However my ruling is to give @KyleLarsonRacin the waiver 🏁," Wallace wrote via X.

Kyle Larson gets dethroned as the Cup Series leader amid his absence from Charlotte

Larson entered the 2024 Cup Series season on a dominant note. After finishing 11th at the season-opener Daytona 500 and a dismal DNF at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the 2021 Cup Series champion geared up his on-track game and started churning the desired results.

The HMS driver bagged his maiden 2024 win at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After his Atlanta run, Kyle Larson resurrected his dominance, collected two wins, six top-5s, six top-10s, and placed his #5 Chevy at the pinnacle of the Cup Series standings.

Moreover, before the Double Duty misery, Larson enjoyed a comfortable 30-point lead over Martin Truex Jr. in the second spot. However, after missing out on the highest points-paying race, the HMS driver has fallen to third place in the standings.

Currently, Denny Hamlin leads the Cup Series charts. The #11 Toyota driver's three wins, six top-5s, and seven top-10s have placed him on top of the leaderboard. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has 492 points and savors a 6-point lead over Kyle Larson.

Meanwhile, Truex Jr. retains his second spot and is a single point ahead of the Hendrick Motorsports driver.