When NASCAR hero Kyle Larson attempted to achieve the coveted “double” that only Tony Stewart has achieved, it was bound to create a fuss. But this ambitious feat sparked a controversy that could be considered a kind of cold war between the two giants of American racing.
The actions of sports industry icons Roger Penske and Kyle Larson sparked a controversy that suggests a change in NASCAR’s relationship with HMS drivers. A hint? NASCAR has not yet resolved the case, even announcing the latest points tally that Larson has zero playoff points.
The delay in Larson’s lawsuit is surprising, as in the past NASCAR has been more laissez-faire and has been quick to grant exemptions for various reasons. Meanwhile, Freddie Kraft suggests Penske NASCAR has plenty to steal.
Is Roger Penske strategically robbing NASCAR of its thunder?
Roger Penske is a powerhouse in the world of motorsports. He owns Team Penske, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar, and other auto racing-related businesses. So it’s fair to say he benefited greatly from Kyle Larson’s double challenge.
After all, he owns the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis. The event has already proven a surefire success, becoming the crown jewel, and Kyle Larson was the “diamond” of the season there. In fact, he himself said: “I think having Kyle Larson and Rick Hendrick here is a big advantage for us as track owners and for the series. It will be a real experience for all the fans here in Indianapolis to see what Kyle has done in other types of race cars.”
Larson reiterated that racing at Charlotte was a priority. But on decision day, he was driving an IndyCar and missed Charlotte! He basically prioritized IndyCar… Oh, no need for NASCAR to like that.
And yes, even NASCAR could benefit a lot from promotions and the like, but Indy benefited even more, because all of Kyle Larson’s spectators, who may have never seen Indy, tuned in to watch the game. Freddie Kraft emphasized this on his podcast.
He said: “Indycar benefited even more. … I think with Kyle Larson overseeing it, it got a lot more attention.”
He also pointed out that NASCAR has a much higher viewership than Indycar, so they could attract the NASCAR crowd. And the whole Larson fiasco was a great opportunity to do that. He said: “They’re trying to attract our audience. We’re never going to attract theirs.” “I think Kyle Larson is the name most often mentioned in American motorsports.” HMS’ actions may have hurt NASCAR, which may feel more like a stepping stone to give IndyCar an advantage than an equal beneficiary. But is sentimentality the right emotion here?
Will NASCAR attempt the PR-killing move of excluding Kyle Larson from the playoffs?
Kyle Larson is a NASCAR superstar who attracts many fans. He also won two races this season and was leading the points standings until the “double” challenge. Now Denny Hamlin is leading! So the more pressing question is whether NASCAR will risk taking their star driver out of the playoffs.
They may be disappointed, but letting their emotions show may not do them any good. It is understandable that NASCAR has set a set of rules. According to the rules, a driver must compete in all points-earning races in the regular season to qualify for the playoffs. But to be honest, they’ve given exemptions to others before, and it’s not a big deal.
Recently, journalists Jeff Gluck and Jordon Bianchi discussed what would specifically happen if NASCAR didn’t grant Kyle Larson an exemption. Gluck said it would be hard for NASCAR to explain the situation and the sport’s view to fans.
And now, with even more fans following NASCAR, made famous by Netflix’s Full Speed series, the situation will be even more difficult. Gluck said, “They’re talking about this guy having his best season and still not making the playoffs. Hopefully I can explain that to the new Netflix viewers. Good luck.”
Larson had 17 playoff points, but NASCAR recently released the standings, showing Larson with 0 points. There’s no official announcement yet, but this is certainly a turbulent time for the HMS team.
