Kyle Larson maintained his impressive performance in the 2024 Cup Series with a win at the Brickyard 400 on Sunday. This victory marked his fourth of the season, but it came with some controversy. Larson’s triumph at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was overshadowed by a contentious decision from NASCAR, sparking debate.
NASCAR has faced significant criticism recently for inconsistent decision-making. The perception that Hendrick Motorsports receives preferential treatment did not help the situation on Sunday, adding to NASCAR’s list of questionable calls.
Kyle Larson joins Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano in an unwanted list following the Brickyard 400 controversy.
In May, Kyle Larson’s attempt at the ‘Double’ ended in disappointment at Indianapolis. Fast forward to last Sunday, and Larson’s fortunes had changed dramatically. Climbing from P12 in the final 32 laps, Larson secured victory in the Brickyard 400.
However, his path to victory was mired in controversy. Before the penultimate restart, Larson was third behind Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney. When Keselowski ran out of fuel and pitted, Larson moved into his spot. Moreover, Larson appeared to jump the restart, dashing Blaney’s chances of winning. Despite this, NASCAR did not penalize Larson, asserting he hadn’t jumped the restart. This decision angered many drivers and fans, especially since Larson’s onboard footage suggested otherwise.
This isn’t the first time NASCAR has been accused of making such mistakes. In April at Richmond, Denny Hamlin secured his second win of the season by jumping a late-race restart, escaping punishment like Larson. Joey Logano had a similar incident in 2019 at Michigan International Speedway, where he seemed to jump the restart but was not penalized.
Ty Majeski experienced the opposite last week in the Truck Series. Dominating at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Majeski was penalized for jumping a restart and relegated to the back of the field. Despite this setback, he fought back to win the TSport 200, highlighting NASCAR’s inconsistency in enforcement.
These incidents underscore NASCAR’s inconsistent restart rulings, affecting race outcomes. While Majeski overcame his penalty, Larson faced no such obstacle in Indianapolis. It remains to be seen how NASCAR will address these inconsistencies, which could impact the championship race.
