According to a regulation that NASCAR put in place this year, Kyle Larson cannot avoid the consequences of the Cup Series playoffs if he decides to finish the Indianapolis 500 by skipping the start of the Coca-Cola 600.
In order to qualify for the playoffs, a driver must start and make an effort to participate in every championship event, according to a regulation that NASCAR revised before the season began. According to the new regulation, a driver would lose all playoff points accrued before the playoffs begin if they request a playoff waiver, and it is approved for any reason other than a medical condition or an age limit.
With the opportunity to earn more, Larson would take his current 23 playoff points into the postseason.
To comply with the regulations, Larson's aircraft must depart Indianapolis by 4:15 p.m. on Sunday to ensure his arrival in Charlotte for the start of the Coca-Cola 600.
Rain caused the Indianapolis 500 to start later than planned last year. In the following day's Coca-Cola 600, Larson missed the start but led 4 laps and finished eighteenth overall. After starting Larson's Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Justin Allgaier came in 13th place. During a rain delay, Larson reached the 1.5-mile Charlotte Speedway. After completing 249 of the 400 laps, the race was never restarted.
In the 2024 NASCAR season, participation in all 26 regular season races was mandatory for playoff eligibility. However, NASCAR granted Kyle Larson a waiver due to his absence from the Coca-Cola 600, thereby preserving his playoff eligibility.
The 2023 championship run of Martin Truex Jr. demonstrated the value of playoff points. He had 36 playoff points going into the postseason after winning the regular season. He finished the first round in eleventh place, however he moved up to second place following the Round of 12 reseeding. Truex was ninth in the standings following the Round of 8 cutoff race, but his 36 playoff points put him back in second place once the rankings were reseeded.
That year, Truex did not qualify for the Championship 4.