Hendrick Motorsports has been one of NASCAR’s top teams for more than four decades, with the most wins of any team with a total of 307 wins. And while they encourage their drivers to stay away from controversy, the team encourages them to explore their racing talents in different series, from dirt tracks to the High Limit series and now even the Indy 500. For example, this year , Kyle Larson is taking on the challenge of double duty, qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 108th Indy 500 and competing at North Wilkesboro.
However, there is a chance that Hendrick Motorsports’ Larson will be late to the start of the North Wilkesboro All-Star race. But recently, NASCAR made an announcement that seemed to benefit Larson, and the decision did not sit well with the NASCAR community.
Kyle Larson’s advance to the final round of the Indy 500
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The #5 HMS driver just arrived at the final round of qualifying for the Indy 500, scheduled for 5:25 to 5:55 p.m. ET, creating a tight schedule since he hasn’t even been in his NASCAR Cup Series car this year. weekend in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Instead, Kevin Harvick has been handling practice and qualifying duties for Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports car.
With the NASCAR All-Star race scheduled to start around 8:30 pm ET, and $1 million on the line, Kyle Larson’s participation is still up for grabs as he has to race against the clock from Indianapolis to North Wilkesboro.
However, the narrow window to get to the track with Indy 500 qualifying has led to a special adjustment by NASCAR. The organization has decided to delay the start of the All-Star Race until 8:30 pm ET, giving Larson and HMS some much-needed leeway to reach North Wilkesboro on time. The update was shared by NASCAR on Twitter, stating: “UPDATE: The green flag time for tonight’s #AllStarRace has been moved to 8:30 pm ET to allow @KyleLarsonRacin additional time to arrive at @NWBSpeedway.”
But the decision was unprecedented. In the past, drivers like John Andretti in 1994, Tony Stewart in 1999 and 2001, Robby Gordon five times and Kurt Busch in 2014 also juggled similar schedules, but never adjusted the race time for them. And well, that has led some fans to feel that NASCAR might be showing favoritism toward Larson and Hendrick Motorsports, sparking a debate about fairness in the sport.
NASCAR’s decision to delay HMS has caused a storm among fans
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On social media, Jeff Gluck’s tweet about the delay drew a lot of attention, with many expressing frustration. Fans appreciate Larson’s opportunity to make history by competing in both the Indy 500 and the NASCAR All-Star race on the same day. They recognize that participating in multiple racing series can improve a driver’s skills and attract more viewers to NASCAR. However, many fans see the delay of the race as unfair preferential treatment.
Reactions range from annoyance to outright anger. One fan pointedly commented: “Why does a driver get preferential treatment? If he can’t make it on time, that’s his business and not a reason to postpone a race,” while another said: “It’s silly for one guy to put up with it for everyone else. If he was there, I would be angry.”
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Accusations of favoritism were rampant, with comments such as “I’m not doing much to combat Hendrick (Motorsports) accusations of favoritism with this one 😂,” “Only for Hendrick,” and “Ofc. “This is Hendrick.”
On top of that, there seemed to be a palpable sense of disparity, as some recalled past instances where drivers like Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon were not given the same amenities. “They didn’t wait for Tony or Robbie. What makes this punk special?” asked one fan.
Another speculated: “I like Kyle Larson, but I’m not sure they would do it with anyone other than a Hendrick (Motorsports) car. All the other drivers are waiting for one to get there. Well, we better tune in to start with today’s good weather.”
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Some even suggested that the scenario seemed orchestrated, with one declaring, “THE SCRIPT HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND THE ARRANGEMENT IS INSIDE.” Another simply stated: “This is just wrong.”
What is your opinion on NASCAR’s decision to delay the race for Larson? Do you think it’s fair for other drivers and teams?
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