NASCAR addresses controversial overtime restart decision between Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson

Another week and NASCAR is explaining themselves following, yet again, a controversial finish. This time in the Brickyard 400. Kyle Larson came away with the win, but not without a bit of discontent from drivers, fans, and teams.

Going into the first overtime of two, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney made up the front row. Keselowski had control of the restart, choosing when to take off at any point in the restart zone, or allowing the flagman to start the race at the end of the zone.

Keselowski pulled onto pit road before the green flag as he ran out of fuel. Kyle Larson then snuck into his spot, and it appeared he took off on the restart before Ryan Blaney.

According to the rules, once Keselowski dipped out, Blaney gains control over the restart.

NASCAR says Larson didn’t do anything wrong and did not jump the start, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.

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.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 21, 2024

From the onboard shot from Larson’s car, it appears he did jump the restart. The race does not restart at the first line in the zone. It is a zone for a reason. The control car can choose to takeoff at any point in that zone, and the other car on the front row, this time Larson, has to wait for that.

NASCAR doesn’t believe much happened, or anything for that matter. Larson walks away with a crown jewel win. But this one isn’t going to sit right with many. It also wasn’t the only decision in the final few laps that helped Larson to win this race.

RFK Racing cries foul on Kyle Larson overtime win

A bit of controversy at the end of today’s Brickyard 400. Brad Keselowski’s RFK Racing team didn’t like what they saw. NASCAR held off on throwing a caution flag for Ryan Preece on the backstretch until Kyle Larson had taken the white flag.

Brad Keselowski had to pull off onto pit road before the first overtime. The 6 car had run out of fuel and wasn’t going to survive another restart.

When the race went to double overtime, Kyle Larson had taken the lead. Tyler Reddick was trailing him when Ryan Preece went around on the backstretch. No caution flag. Preece couldn’t get the car fired up again. Still no caution.

As Larson entered Turn 1 on the white flag lap, the caution flag came out. The No. 5 won the race. RFK Racing’s No. 6 Team thought it was hilarious that the caution didn’t come out until the white flag.

“Hahahaha that’s a caution any other week,” the team updates account posted.