In 2024, Kyle Larson attempted a rare and ambitious feat, racing the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. It was a bold shot at motorsport immortality, dubbed “The Double.” He trained, prepared, and trusted a finely tuned team. But fate had other plans. Storms hit both Indianapolis and Charlotte, throwing his tight schedule into chaos. While Larson finished 18th in Indy, the rain hit Charlotte so hard that by the time he arrived, the Coca-Cola 600 had already been called off. He didn’t run a single lap.

Justin Allgaier, acting as Larson’s substitute, had started the Coca-Cola 600 in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. The team did everything they could, but Larson failed to make it in time. “I’m very, very thankful for the experience, obviously everything about the two weeks [at Indy] and all that was great until today. It’s just sad. Everything that could have gone wrong today went wrong,” Larson said in disappointment. But the biggest threat was his securing a playoff waiver from NASCAR as he missed a race without any prior information.

Despite having two wins and a shot in the playoffs, missing a race could have proved costly to him. Hendrick Motorsports scrambled to keep his championship hopes alive. After a week full of back-and-forth, NASCAR eventually granted him a waiver. However, the situation raised serious questions and sparked heated debates. Could it happen again? Now, in 2025, Larson is once more chasing the “Double.” But this time, there’s a new wrinkle, a fresh rule that could cost him more than a race. It could cost him his entire playoff momentum. The question now buzzing in garages and across social media: Will NASCAR ban Kyle Larson if he misses the Coca-Cola 600 again?

What’s new about the Playoff waiver in 2025?

In response to last year’s drama, NASCAR made big changes to its playoff waiver rules. They used to grant waivers to drivers for almost any reason, even suspensions. But not anymore. The new policy punishes drivers who willingly miss a race for non-medical reasons. That includes skipping a Cup event to run the Indy 500. The change hit Larson directly. If Larson misses the Coca-Cola 600 again in 2025, NASCAR may still grant him a waiver, but it comes at a heavy cost. He will lose all 23 playoff points he’s earned so far, the most of any driver.

Additionally, the No.5 Hendrick Motorsports team would also be blocked from earning any additional playoff points for the rest of the regular season. That means he’d start the playoffs with the 2,000 points, thus putting him at a major disadvantage despite his three wins and strong performances. This isn’t just a technical penalty. It’s a strategic blow. Playoff points are the cushion drivers rely on during each elimination round. Without them, one bad race could end a championship run. NASCAR has essentially drawn a hard line: choose the Cup Series or face the consequences.

Despite all the noise, Kyle Larson has made it clear where his loyalty lies. “Yeah, I mean it’s sure I wish it wasn’t there, but I think you know, had that new rule been in place or not. (0:14) I think our Priorities probably look different for this coming Indy 500 and double attempt anyways, so yeah, it just is what it is,” he had told Bob Pockrass. Recently, during the Indy practice event, he echoed the sentiments and said, “Always for me and definitely for Rick and Hendrick Motorsports, I think no matter through this whole experience, especially this year, Cup should be the priority. I just assume we’re going to run the All-Star Race, no matter what.”

The 2021 Cup Series Champion is even willing to skip a chance at pole position at the Indy 500 if it interferes with his NASCAR schedule. That’s no small thing, especially with a potential $4.2 million Indy win on the line. But Larson knows what’s at stake in the Cup Series. He doesn’t want to miss another critical race and risk playoff punishment. However, the All-Star race isn’t points-paying, so he is not compelled to start, but if he withdraws, HMS can’t start it with another driver.

Notably, the All-Star qualifying is about the driver, not about the car. For Hendrick Motorsports, the goal remains clear: win championships. But balancing that with landmark opportunities like the Indy 500 makes Larson’s path uniquely challenging. Even though NASCAR’s rules are tough, they aren’t the only hurdle Larson must clear. A new rule from IndyCar also adds serious pressure. And it could be the final nail in the coffin of his double-duty dream.

Trending

1

Richard Petty & Co. Declare Kyle Larson a ‘Problem’ for NASCAR as Yung Money Brings Back HMS Domination

2

FOX Broadcasting & Danica Patrick Face Brutal Backlash as America Props Up to Tony Stewart for Indy500

3

NASCAR Penalty: Brad Keselowski & Co. Slammed With $75,000 Fine & Points Deduction After Kansas Scandal

4

Chase Elliott Joins Hands With Tom Cruise, Seeking Help in $400M Venture Amidst “Days of Thunder” Rumor

5

Fans Panic Breaks Out as Roger Penske Gets Caught With Electric Car in Garage Amidst NASCAR’s EV Scare

A New IndyCar Rule Threatens Kyle Larson’s Double Bid

In 2025, IndyCar changed its guidelines in response to last year’s chaos, which fans now call the “Larson Rule.” The regulation targets exactly what Larson tried to do: start the Indy 500 and then fly to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600. The rule now requires any driver racing in another major event on the same day as the Indy 500 to have a backup driver already lined up. Larson’s backup? Former Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan.

But here’s the twist: if Larson starts the race and has to leave mid-way, Kanaan can’t take over. That car is done. No one can tag in mid-race due to safety and cockpit customization rules. The only way Kanaan can race is if Larson skips the start altogether, and if that happens, the car starts at the back, no matter its qualifying spot.

“The biggest question I had for Jeff and Mr Hendendricks is if I’m starting this thing, what am I doing? Am I parking? Or am I going to go for I know what I want to do. Jeff says you’re going to go try to win the thing. But if delays, I mean if he starts the race, and it gets delayed, by the rules, I cannot jump in that car, so that car is going to retire. If he starts the race and then it rains or gets out, and he needs to get out. That car is parked.” Kanaan said this on the Dale Jr. download. In simple terms, Larson has to choose whether, start the Indy 500 or not. There’s no halfway. But for now, Larson and Rick Hendrick are clear that they want to prefer the Coca-Cola 600.

In 2024, Hendrick had said, “We’re going to run the 600. We will be here for the 600 if that means cutting the race short at Indy because of my commitment to NASCAR. If the weather catches us, Tony (Kanaan) will get in the car.” But with the new rule in place, it won’t be possible. If Larson leaves the Indy 500 early, his attempt will count as DNF, and it won’t look nice. Overall, Larson is in a tight situation, but he knows how to overcome it. Fans would wish that he completes all 1100 laps and repeats Tony Stewart’s heroics.