Kyle Larson needs a waiver from NASCAR to remain eligible for the Cup Series playoffs after missing this past Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to race in the 108th Running of the Indy 500.
Whether Larson gets that waiver from NASCAR is the big question. Some within the sport believe he should 100% get the waiver. Others, maybe not so much. During a recent episode of his “Dale Jr. Download” podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. argued for why Larson should get the waiver, regardless of the reasons for why he missed one of NASCAR’s premier events.
“I feel like that NASCAR has been so loose with these waivers at this point, I never doubted him not getting a waiver, or getting a waiver. I thought he’d get one,” Earnhardt said. “Really don’t know how NASCAR feels about Kyle Larson going to race at Indy and missing the 600, do they care? Does that make them mad? Are they frustrated with Larson for choosing the 500 over the 600 in that moment? I don’t know.
“Even if they were a little, you know, annoyed, I doubt that it’s moving the needle much, and they would withhold the waiver. I think he gets the waiver. I mean, I don’t think that we should be debating whether Kyle should get a waiver or not. Kyle Larson will do enough this year as a driver, you know, in terms of wins and success and performance, to deserve an opportunity to race for a championship. If you missed a race, missed a couple races, whatever. Why you missed them? I don’t care.”
Kyle Larson’s Indy-Charlotte Double attempt falls short
Larson, who slipped to third in the points standings after missing the Coca-Cola 600, has yet to file a playoff waiver request, NASCAR senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer said Tuesday. The 2021 Cup Series champion did have every intention to race in the Coca-Cola 600, but Mother Nature had other plans. The Indy 500 got underway four hours later than it was originally scheduled due to storms in the Indianapolis area. That wiped away Larson’s chances at making it in time for the start of the Coca-Cola 600, as well as his quest to race all 1,100 miles and complete the Indy-Charlotte Double.
Larson finished P18 in the Indy 500 before jetting over to Charlotte. He arrived with 151 laps to go, but also at the same time that lightning and rain halted the race. Larson wouldn’t get the chance to run a single lap at Charlotte, with NASCAR calling the race before midnight.
As for the waiver system, which NASCAR put into place in 2014, Earnhardt believes it’s time to retire it for good.
“I think having the waiver is more annoying to me than anything,” Earnhardt said. “Because every time this comes around, every time a driver gets hurt and misses a few races, why they got hurt, whether they were racing or skiing or whatever, right, we have to debate it. And I’m really sick of it. I’m sick of it. I’m sick of the next waiver conversation we’re gonna have to have. I just assume, get rid of the waiver. Let’s not have it.”
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