Should NASCAR Issue Kyle Larson a Waiver for Coca-Cola 600 Absence?

The greatest day in motorsports was a roller-coaster of emotions this past weekend. A huge lap 1 crash in Monaco, followed by virtually no passing, to one of the most iconic moments on the final lap of the Indianapolis 500.

While the Coca-Cola 600 had great racing, its anti-climatic finish left many fuming – among them, Kyle Larson, who showed up late due to a rain-delayed Indy 500 and never got the opportunity to get back into the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

While we can’t control the weather (…or can we?), should that preclude Larson from being granted a championship waiver like many drivers before him? This week Trenton Worsham and Vito Pugliese present a stark differing of opinion in 2-Headed Monster.

No Waiver, No Cry

Things were looking good for Kyle Larson at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the rains moved out, running in the top seven – before a botched pit entry put him behind for the rest of the day. Upon his arrival to Charlotte Motor Speedway, Justin Allgaier was doing yeoman’s duty, bringing the No. 5 from dead last up to 16th before Concord received its end of a storm system that extended from the Carolinas to Hudson Bay. Despite a track that appeared raceable by midnight, NASCAR abruptly called an end to the race and deemed Christopher Bell the winner, with Larson waiting in the wings to relieve Allgaier and complete the kind-of-a-double.

Should the effort alone warrant a championship waiver? In short – no.

I know that’s going to anger a lot of not just NASCAR fans, but motorsports fans in general.

He’s drawing more attention to the sport! It was a great story! What about what Hendrick did for NASCAR at LeMans!

All fair points. Let’s debunk them in order.

Since when does a “story” translate into “OK to blow off a crown jewel race if it gets wet?”

Last week, we announced the newest group of drivers getting into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Let’s reflect on some of those who are already in there and their heroic exploits:

• Richard Petty – racing with half a stomach following ulcer surgery and a broken neck.
• In case you didn’t read that the first time, RACED WITH A BROKEN NECK.
• Newest inductee, Ricky Rudd, raced in the Daytona 500 with his face tapped together so he could see after almost flying out of the car in the Busch Clash. Won the next race at Richmond.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. – is on camera burning alive in an ALMS race, still starts the first…