Another week brings another instance of NASCAR needing to explain a controversial race finish, this time at the Brickyard 400. Kyle Larson emerged victorious, but his win has stirred dissatisfaction among drivers, fans, and teams.
The controversy unfolded during the first of two overtime periods. Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney lined up in the front row, with Keselowski controlling the restart. He had the option to start the race at any point within the restart zone or let the flagman initiate it at the zone’s end.
However, before the green flag dropped, Keselowski ran out of fuel and pulled onto pit road. Kyle Larson then moved into Keselowski’s position and appeared to jump the restart ahead of Ryan Blaney. According to NASCAR rules, once Keselowski exited, Blaney should have taken control of the restart.
Despite the apparent early start by Larson, NASCAR officials, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, maintained that Larson did nothing wrong and did not jump the start. An onboard video from Larson’s car, however, suggests that he did jump the restart. The restart zone is designed to give the control car the discretion to start within that zone, and the other front-row car, in this case Larson, must wait for the control car’s move.
NASCAR’s stance is that Larson’s actions were within the rules, and nothing significant occurred. Consequently, Larson claimed a significant victory with this crown jewel win. Nevertheless, this outcome leaves a bitter taste for many involved. Additionally, this wasn’t the only questionable decision in the final laps that seemed to favor Larson’s win, further fueling the controversy.
