NASCAR formally announces Kyle Larson's playoff waiver approval
The decision is officially in, NASCAR has granted Kyle Larson an approved waiver for playoff eligibility after he missed the Coca-Cola 600 for the Indianapolis 500 over Memorial Day weekend.
NASCAR announced the news on Tuesday, after a little over a week of discussion on the matter. Evidently, the sport’s governing body didn’t find enough of a reason to keep arguably their most talented wheelman from participating in the playoffs.
Check out the official announcement below, as Kyle Larson fans can now rejoice at the fact that their driver won’t be denied a chance to race for the championship.
“NEWS: @KyleLarsonRacin has been granted a waiver and maintains his eligibility for the #NASCARPlayoffs,” NASCAR’s official account posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Moreover, it’s the second waiver of the season that NASCAR has granted, as Erik Jones received one following his back injury stemming from a wreck at Talladega. Now, Larson will finally be granted one, although his reason for missing the race at Charlotte did not stem from an injury, as we all know.
Some believed Larson may not receive the waiver, as the Hendrick Motorsports star chose to race in the Indianapolis 500 instead of the Coca-Cola 600. While he made it to Charlotte with enough time to finish the race for the No. 5 team, Mother Nature had other plans, and Larson didn’t get to run any of the race as he had originally planned.
Additionally, Hendrick Motorsports is no stranger to the playoff waiver situation, as Chase Elliott received one for his off-track injury that forced him to miss multiple races last season. However, it didn’t end up making a difference, as Elliott missed the playoffs anyways.
Larson on the other hand, he has a win already in 2024, which locks in him into the playoffs for this season. He’ll still have a shot at the championship after being granted the waiver, and he’ll look to lift the trophy at the end of the season after not running the full schedule, like Kyle Busch did in 2015 when he broke his leg earlier in the season.
Regardless, Kyle Larson is one of NASCAR’s biggest stars, if not the biggest. The playoffs wouldn’t be complete without him, and now we won’t have to worry about that possibility, as Larson has been granted the waiver by NASCAR.
More on Kyle Larson, playoff waiver
At the least, Kyle Larson earned the respect of his peers for attempting the double, and he can always try again in 2025. Of course, it’s a ton of work and preparation, but the way things worked out in 2024, he may be motivated to give it another shot.
Regardless, nobody was more disappointed than Larson himself, who penned a heartfelt letter to his fans on social media earlier on Monday morning.
“What I thought could be one of the best days of my life quickly turned into one of the most disappointing ones I’ve ever experienced. I hate it for Rick Hendrick, Jeff Gordon, HAG, Hendrick Motorsports, everyone a part of the 5 team, everyone on the 17 IndyCar for speeding, my family, my friends, my fans, and the documentary crew that has followed along the journey the past 8 months. So much time, money, and effort went into this experience and it just kills me to have it all end the way it did. I feel like I let so many people down. We knew all along weather could throw a wrench into things but seeing it come to reality is a horrible feeling,” Larson wrote. “Up until Sunday it was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. I can’t describe how appreciative I am of everyone’s support of me to live out a dream. I hope it’s not the last opportunity I have to try the Double but if it is I guess it was memorable.
“Thank you to everyone at Arrow McLaren, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and all the competitors there for making me feel welcomed. Ready to get back on track now and get refocused on winning a 2nd championship for our team.”
Mother Nature had other plans for Kyle Larson, but he’s still proven he’s one of motorsport’s greatest talents, and the sky will continue to be the limit for him moving forward.