“This is a new precedent”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to Kyle Larson getting a waiver

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently shared his thoughts on what NASCAR giving a waiver to Kyle Larson could mean in the future. After many days of waiting and speculating on whether a waiver would be granted to the Hendrick Motorsports driver for missing the Coke 600, NASCAR announced their decision on Tuesday.

Kyle Larson got the waiver and was back in contention for this year's Cup championship. However, speaking on the "Dale Jr. Download", Dale Earnhardt Jr. claimed that going forward, things should be handled differently in such situations.

"The one that I hope is that NASCAR makes it a little clearer what happens going forward. This is a new precedent. What does this mean if this happens again? Is NASCAR going to say, 'Alright man, we're giving him his waiver but listen everybody, these are literally for injuries and unusual circumstances' and they need to define what that is. I feel like if you get suspended, you might not should get a waiver," Earnhardt said.

This led to his co-host adding that what Chase Elliott did last year, got suspended for, and was granted a waiver for, was "more egregious" than Kyle Larson missing the Coke 600. Earnhardt Jr. agreed and claimed that Larson got unlucky with the weather and did nothing that warranted a suspension.

The former NASCAR driver added that even in situations such as Elliott's last year, being suspended for wrecking another driver, could be handled differently in the future.

"If you get suspended and having to miss a race, that's part of the punishment. Maybe instead of suspending Chase the race, and knocking him out of the chance to compete every week, where they're then having to give him a waiver, they should probably have suspended him points or something else or a monetary fine there," Dale Earnhardt Jr. added.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. defends Kyle Larson's decision to run the Indy 500 despite the weather delay

Speaking on "The Teardown", NASCAR expert Jordan Bianchi said that Kyle Larson shouldn't get the waiver as he doesn't deserve it. Bianchi claimed that if NASCAR were to give Larson a pass, it would be "a bad precedent to set."

According to Bianchi, the #5 driver made a choice and took on a risk by going to the Indy 500, which meant there were consequences.

However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. believed Kyle Larson's decision to run the Indy 500 despite the weather delay was the right call. Junior backed his opinion by claiming that a lot of money, preparation, and effort had already gone into making Larson run the prestigious race.

"The way I feel about it is this. Kyle Larson has to run the Indy 500. They have so much invested in that race. They’ve prepared all month, practicing, qualifying. Money has been spent. There’s no way he can back out of trying to run that event. So all right," Earnhardt said on the Dale Jr. Download [at 43:00].

Junior added that Larson running the Indy 500 had to "move forward", which was a choice they made, and that it was fine with him.