NASCAR share update on Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney controversy in Brickyard 400

NASCAR has given their take on the controversial restart including Kyle Larson's #5 Chevy and Ryan Blaney's #12 Ford at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The officials believe the Hendrick Motorsports driver's maiden Brickyard 400 victory was clean, and he didn't jumpstart the second-to-last restart.

With no laps led until the closing moments of the 167-lap dash, Larson found himself in the front row moments before the first overtime restart on Lap 162, courtesy of Brad Keselowski's fuel exhaustion which paved the way for the former to place himself beside Blaney. Being the control car now, the #12 driver was supposed to accelerate first but it appeared otherwise.

Kyle Larson accelerated momentarily before Blaney did and entered Turn 1 as the leader, dominating the pack, and sparking controversy before the multi-car pileup brought him level with the Team Penske driver again for the final restart.

But the #5 Chevy didn't surrender his lead to the defending champion and gunned to the start/finish line for his third crown jewel race win after the Coca-Cola 600 in 2021 and the Southern 500 last year.

Taking to X, Bob Pockrass shared NASCAR's take on the controversial restart.

"NASCAR says in the situation where Keselowski, the leader, runs out of gas on the restart, Blaney was the control car since he was the first car in the other lane on the front row (not Larson who moved up). NASCAR said Larson didn't jump the restart," he wrote.

"I couldn’t believe they stayed out"- Ryan Blaney becomes vocal on his third-place finish as the unexpected green flag favored Kyle Larson

Though Ryan Blaney registered his seventh top 5 this season, he was on the brink of bagging his second consecutive win but Keselowski's fuel troubles turned the tables around. The RFK Racing driver was supposed to take the green flag as the leader which didn't happen, nor did the field stay under caution, gifting the front row spot to Kyle Larson which caught Blaney off guard.

Additionally, the final caution for Ryan Preece spinning out in Turn 2 was prompted not when the spin-off occurred but when the Stewart-Haas Racing driver's car stalled on the asphalt. But it was quite late by then and Kyle Larson stole the show with his triumphant run, which became another reason for Blaney's displeasure.

“It’s no fun, had a really good shot to win today. Our car was fast. Thought we had really good strategy. Kind of was the front guy having to save a little bit of gas. I thought we put ourselves in a great spot. I know the 6 [Keselowski] was probably going to run out if it went green," Blaney sai via NASCAR.

"Came to the restart, I couldn’t believe they stayed out. I knew there was no way they were going to make it. So, I obviously chose the top because he might run out in the restart zone. He runs out coming to the green so he gets to do to pit road and the 5 gets promoted," the displeased third-placed driver at IMS added.

With his Indianapolis Motor Speedway win, Kyle Larson emerged from his Indy-Charlotte Double disappointment when he finished 18th in the 2024 Indy 500.