NASCAR is heading into the 2025 Cup Series season with a few new rules. Most notably, NASCAR changed its playoff waiver policy, which will take away all of a driver’s playoff points for the 26-race regular season if they miss a race for non-medical or family reasons. According to one NASCAR executive, this rule didn’t necessarily need to go into place.
Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon joined SiriusXM NASCAR Radio for an interview last week and talked about the latest rule changes by NASCAR, including the playoff waiver policy that could be connected to Kyle Larson’s situation in 2024. Needless to say, Gordon isn’t a big fan of the new policy.
“That’s obviously the Kyle Larson rule,” Gordon said with a laugh on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “The one comment I’ll make about that is there’s a lot of debate over this, right? Last year, I was right there the whole time. I flew on the plane with Kyle from [Indianapolis] to Charlotte, and I personally don’t think NASCAR needed to take any further steps. Here’s my reason why: I saw the hurt on Kyle Larson’s face, and I could feel him letting his team down. I had the conversations with [Rick Hendrick] and the conversations he’s having with NASCAR, Chad Knaus, and Jeff Andrews. I heard it from fans and sponsors.”
“If you’ve never owned a team or driven a race car, then I understand why you feel like you need to take extra action. But if you ever have, there is nothing harder than making that decision and dealing with the consequences of not being in that car, Kyle not getting those points, and having the opportunity to win that race because the car was great. Justin Allgaier did an amazing job but to let down the team, to me, that’s what drives the decision of why you do it or don’t do it in the future. Not necessarily whether you get a waiver or not. But hey, I understand. NASCAR, that’s their decision, and we’ll go by that.”
Larson missed the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 in favor of the Indianapolis 500 after weather impacted the start time in Indiana. It took NASCAR a few days, but it eventually gave Larson a playoff waiver. NASCAR’s new playoff waiver policy can be directly attributed to Larson’s situation last season, and Gordon respectfully believes the rule didn’t need to be extended.
More:Hendrick Motorsports will return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025
In a surprising turn of events, NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon has publicly voiced his disagreement with the league’s new ‘Kyle Larson Rule’ in 2025. The rule, which was implemented in response to Kyle Larson’s controversial comments made during a virtual race in 2020, prohibits drivers from using any form of hate speech or derogatory language while representing the sport.
Gordon, known for his clean-cut image and professionalism both on and off the track, has always been a strong advocate for sportsmanship and fair play in NASCAR. However, he believes that the new rule goes too far in policing drivers’ speech and could potentially infringe on their freedom of expression.
In a recent interview, Gordon stated, “While I understand the importance of maintaining a positive image for the sport, I believe that penalizing drivers for their words, no matter how inappropriate, sets a dangerous precedent. We should be focusing on educating and promoting inclusivity rather than punishing those who make mistakes.”
Gordon’s comments have sparked a heated debate within the NASCAR community, with some fans and drivers supporting his stance, while others argue that the ‘Kyle Larson Rule’ is necessary to protect the sport’s reputation and ensure a welcoming environment for all participants.
It remains to be seen how NASCAR will respond to Gordon’s criticism and whether any changes will be made to the controversial rule. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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