Kyle Larson Breaks Silence On 'Very Aggressive' NASCAR Rule Change

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For better or worse, Kyle Larson's busy schedule during the 2024 season inspired NASCAR to make a change to its rules. 

Larson arrived late for the Coca-Cola 600 last May because he stayed in Indianapolis to complete the Indy 500, which was delayed by four hours due to a heavy thunderstorm. Unfortunately for the veteran driver, he didn't get to complete a single lap at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That's because the Coca-Cola 600 was shortened due to rain. 

NASCAR ultimately granted Larson a playoff waiver so he could compete for a championship. In an effort to make sure something like this doesn't happen again, NASCAR has changed its rules for drivers requesting a waiver for a non-medical reason. 

If a driver needs a non-medical waiver, they'll lose all of their playoff points for the entire season. This includes points they may earn in the future. 

Ahead of this week's Chili Bowl Nationals, Larson offered his thoughts on this massive rule change. 

"It is what it is," Larson told Sportsnaut. "It's probably going to come into play more for people getting suspended for doing stupid stuff on the track rather than a weather delay at Indianapolis. Hopefully the weather is better in Indy this year and it's other people getting in trouble and I won't have to worry about the waiver. Really, hopefully no one has to worry about that. 

"It's a very aggressive rule change. Yeah. Abide by the rules. Be a clean racer. Calm racer. Make NASCAR your priority and you'll be fine." 

Despite this aggressive rule change, Larson refuses to change his plans for the 2025 season. He'll make his second run in the Indy 500 this year before jetting his way over to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600. 

If there's any delay in the Indy 500 this year, fans should expect Larson to immediately hop on a flight from Indianapolis to Charlotte. 

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