NASCAR got Kyle Larson’s waiver choice appropriate, however not without aggravation

NASCAR made the right choice in approving a waiver for Kyle Larson to stay playoff eligible. In truth, it appeared to be a no-brainer.

Which is why, while it took NASCAR 8 days to get to the right choice, the entire scenario still leaves a stickingaround, tired sensation of disappointment amidst the relief.

The guideline needing a chauffeur to start every race to be playoff qualified, at least from what was interacted when it was setup in 2014, was for 2 main factors:

–Competition: To keep a motorist who makes or advances through the playoffs with a win from avoiding a race or to keep chauffeurs from avoiding races to be well-rested or more focused on a particular race to shot to make the playoffs.

–Fans: To make sure that fans see the motorists they purchase tickets for, much like more justrecently executed NBA load management guidelines.

There was neverever anything interacted that it was carriedout to keep other series from possibly tempting a NASCAR star for a weekend.

So when Kyle Larson decided to stay in Indianapolis for the rain-delayed Indy 500 and missedouton the start of the Coke 600, there shouldn’t haveactually been anything more than an instant “don’t concern about it, you’ll get a waiver.”

He wasn’t doing it to take a break duetothefactthat he currently had 2 triumphes or to enhance his possibilities of making the playoffs.

His fans in participation mostlikely comprehended the circumstance. Larson’s fans love him since of his capability to race a range of automobiles. His mission to do the double had captivated race fans as he tried a task no motorist consideringthat 2014 had achieved and just 4 motorists hadactually done because lights at Charlotte made the Indy 500-Coke 600 “double” possible. It was a favorable story for the 2 weeks leading into the occasion. If anything, more individuals viewed the 600 hoping Larson would get in the carsandtruck.

Larson currently was taking a regular-season points hit and a prospective playoff-point hit by not making it back and not making a possible 70 regular-season points and 8 playoff points on the day.

What about Larson and Hendrick Motorsports stating that the 600 was the toppriority in the weeks and months leading up to the occasion? That constantly appeared as a public face to program regard to NASCAR in hopes that there was neverever a choice to be made. Anyone who hasactually been to the Indy 500 understands simply how huge an occasion it is and how unique it is and no one would believe that a chauffeur would willingly leave unless, as Robby Gordon when had to, his NASCAR sponsor dedications needed him to forego a shot at an Indy 500 win. 

There is no method Hendrick idea the choice would be rejected when it chose Larson would stay at Indianapolis. Whether Hendrick or Chevrolet or Larson himself would have lookedfor a legal difficulty is unidentified, and even if NASCAR dominated in court, it no method would win in the view of public understanding, in addition to the PR problem of this being a possible story through the occasion.

NASCAR states it couldn’t guideline on the waiver before Larson really missedouton the start of the race. And while it is easytounderstand it doesn’t like to guideline on hypotheticals, this is a uncommon circumstances — the Indianapolis 500! — where a policy oughtto haveactually been set ahead of time with clear criteria of what gets a waiver and what doesn’t. That method the group, the motorist and the fans all understand the choice (either method) without 8 days of angst and concerns.

Moving forward, NASCAR would be finest off to simply ditch the waiver guideline and state a chauffeur loses playoff points (somewhere inbetween 2 and 5) if the chauffeur doesn’t contend in a regular-season race and should contend in every playoff race. 

Anything would be muchbetter than going through this week of unpredictability onceagain.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has invested years covering motorsports, consistingof over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene publication and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.