"Can't believe they enforced that penalty" - Fans demand protests against NASCAR's decision affecting multiple drivers including Kyle Larson at Pocono

Drama ensued during The Great American Getaway 400 race when Kyle Larson and three other drivers were penalized for speeding on the pit road's section 7. This move by NASCAR officials has resulted in an uproar from fans on social media.

Todd Gilliland's crash on lap 115 set off a caution period, which saw 13 drivers rushing into the pit lane for fuel and tires on the next lap. However, in an attempt to gain position in the race Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs, and Daniel Suarez were unable to reduce the speed below the 55 mph pit road speed limit in the infamous section 7. This resulted in penalties for the four drivers, which they served on lap 118.

The penalties saw Larson, Elliott, Gibbs, and Suarez finishing in 13th, 9th, 27th, and 16th positions, respectively (Gibbs ended the race on lap 133 due to an engine issue). The move by NASCAR to penalize the drivers upset the fans, resulting in a protest on X.

Several expressed their displeasure on the X post by senior journalist Jeff Gluck, captioned:

"Crucial pit stops to get fuel. Race off pit road: Larson, Blaney, Elliott, Hamlin, Bowman, Logano, Byron, Truex (4), Bell, Keselowski BUT -- Section 7 on pit road STRIKES! Suarez, Elliott, Larson, Gibbs ALL get penalties!!"

"Can’t believe they enforced that penalty with the shit show they had for pre race in that section," wrote an angry fan.

"That section is messed up. Teams need to be protesting to NASCAR," commented another one.

"Ain't no freaking way that many drivers get caught in one section without something being off," said one fan, raising concern on section 7.

As of now, there has been no comment from NASCAR regarding the penalty on Larson, Elliott, Gibbs, and Suarez.

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A speeding penalty and a late-race multi-car tangle at Pocono Raceway saw Kyle Larson lose the championship lead to Chase Elliott by a small margin

Consistent performance from race one saw the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson take the lead in the 2024 driver's championship early in the season. With three wins, eight Top 5s, and ten Top 10 finishes, the California-based racer was among the first few to secure the Playoff seat.

Throughout the season, Larson faced stiff competition from the likes of Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Tyler Reddick. Although he managed to hold them off, the recent race at Pocono Raceway saw the Hendrick Motorsports driver lose the lead to Elliott.

This change was the result of the penalty imposed on Larson for speeding in section 7 of the pit road. Interestingly, Elliott was also penalized for the same, however, a better pit strategy saw him end the race in the Top 10s, gaining the crucial 3 points over Larson.

As of now, Chase Elliott leads the driver's table (703 points), with Kyle Larson at a close second (700 points) and Tyler Reddick in third (688 points).