The hot topic around NASCAR in recent days has been the status of a potential waiver for Kyle Larsonwho missed a start at last week’s Coca Cola 600 due to weather delays at the Indy 500.
NASCAR rules require drivers to start in all championship events in order to be eligible for the playoffs.
Opinions vary widely on whether Larson should be granted a waiver and whether another NASCAR driver Joey Logano gained attention earlier this week after making comments that a decision is not as simple as many would like.
Logano specifically called it a “gray” area.
But he has since clarified his comments after receiving backlash from many of Kyle Larson’s supporters and even an Associated Press racing writer.
“If anyone listened to what I said yesterday, I never took sides” Logano tweeted. “I was pointing out the difficult decision that NASCAR finds itself in. Since the words have once again been twisted…here’s what I think…
“What Larson did for motorsports was incredible, and he should get a waiver.”
Kyle Larson currently sits third in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, just six points behind the lead currently held by Denis Hamlin (492). Martin Truex Jr. (487) is sandwiched between the two with a one-point lead over Larson.
The talented driver of the No. 5 car has made 13 starts this season and has won two races, as well as six top-five finishes. He leads the circuit with seven stage victories, as well as a total of 649 laps led.
Needless to say, he has an excellent chance of becoming Cup champion…if NASCAR grants the waiver. Mark an extra driver in his corner, with Logano offering support on the waiver.
Joey Logano calls waiver issue a ‘gray area’
The following is what Logano had to say on Sirius XM radio about Kyle Larson’s waiver situationin its entirety:
“This is the grayest rule we have in our sport,” Logano said. “It may be black and white, but it’s not. And so, it’s pretty gray. It’s one thing if you get hurt in the race car. It’s black and white, in my opinion. If you drive a Cup car and get injured in a NASCAR Cup car, the waiver makes sense to me because you can still make the playoffs if you make it. If you have a car accident on the road, does this deserve an exemption? Maybe, if you didn’t speed on the highway and drive like an idiot. The scenario that happened last year, Chase Elliott gets injured while snowboarding. Do you get a waiver there? Rather gray, rather gray. I don’t know. I don’t know the right answer, but we all know what happened.
“This scenario – let’s be honest here. Very cool. What Kyle Larson did in making the double – awesome. He found himself in the worst possible position for the scenario that happened, didn’t he? Because of the rain and the Indy 500 delay, all that. But he chose – he decided that the Indy 500 was more important than the Coca-Cola 600. He made that decision, or his team, whatever, he’s a part of it. He put IndyCar ahead of NASCAR, those are the facts, true or false. I don’t know. Waiver or not. I don’t know. I’m not here to make that decision, but the facts are that he thought the IndyCar races were a more important race than the NASCAR races that day.
“I don’t know where you’re going with this. I don’t know where you’re going. I also don’t know where to add anything. I don’t want to make anyone angry here. I’m just spitting out the facts here, which is what happened. I’m not taking anything away from what Larson did. I thought it was the most badass thing you could do, trying to run those two races in one day.
