Will Kyle Larson be eligible for the Cup Series playoffs? Why NASCAR driver will likely get waiver despite missed start

Kyle Larson's dreams of achieving the “Double” — competing in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 on the same day — were nearly upended by Mother Nature's miserable grip Sunday afternoon.

The Indy 500, originally scheduled for a green flag at 12:45 p.m. ET, was delayed as rain and lightning swept across the track. In the end, the weather held up just enough to allow the festivities to take place. However, it took time; Larson and his opponents were not able to take their respective cockpits until 4:45 p.m. ET.

As a result of the delay, Larson's chances of starting and finishing both races vanished. While he still plans to compete in both events, it could have serious implications on his playoff aspirations in his typical Cup Series attire.

Here's what you need to know as Larson prepares for a later-than-expected appearance in Charlotte — one that will likely prompt Hendrick Motorsports to seek special dispensation for Larson to compete in the playoffs.

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Will Kyle Larson be eligible for the Cup Series playoffs?

Before Sunday's race(s), Larson was a clear contender for the Cup Series playoffs. He entered the Coca-Cola 600 as NASCAR's leading points scorer and had already scored not one, but two victories – one at Las Vegas and one at Kansas. Drivers are guaranteed a playoff spot if they earn a win during the regular season.

Things changed, however, when the Indy 500 was delayed by four hours. Larson decided to stay on the hallowed grounds of the Brickyard as he prepared for his foray into the world of single-seater racing. However, this came at a cost. With the Indy 500 scheduled to run until 6:20 p.m. ET, the scheduled start time of the Coca-Cola 600, Larson passed up the opportunity to start Sunday's NASCAR race.

This is a no-no in NASCAR circles. Larson will still be allowed to participate in proceedings in Charlotte once the Indy 500 is over. Nonetheless, his No. 5 car was parked at the back of the field and was initially driven by Xfinity Series star Justin Allgaier.

LIVE: Follow updates and highlights from Kyle Larson's attempts at the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600

In addition to the racing consequences of Larson's decision, his playoff chances also suffered serious repercussions.

NASCAR rules state that drivers must start all 26 regular season races to be eligible for the playoffs. By choosing to compete in the Indy 500, Larson is unable to fulfill this requirement.

Currently, he is not eligible to participate in the Cup Series playoffs. However, all of that could change if his team, Hendrick Motorsports, requests a playoff waiver.

According to NBC Sports, Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR have already had preliminary discussions regarding Larson's playoff eligibility. They have not yet sent a formal waiver request – teams are not allowed to appeal until the driver misses the start. However, Hendrick is expected to submit a waiver whenever the opportunity presents itself.

The process of submitting a playoff waiver can seem like a daunting task. In reality, however, NASCAR has shown a tendency to hand it over to drivers in extenuating circumstances.

In 2023, fellow Hendrick Motorsports stars Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott suffered asphalt injuries that kept them out of the cockpit for four and six races, respectively. Both were granted an exemption despite their missed races. Elliott was granted another waiver despite being suspended one race for intentionally knocking Denny Hamlin out of a race.

All of this is to say that Larson will likely show his stuff during the playoffs, even if he's unable to start Sunday's NASCAR race for Hendrick Motorsports. He wouldn't get credit for a win if he raced to gold at Charlotte — the person who starts the race is considered the record driver, so such a result would go to Allgaier, not Larson. However, he will likely still have a chance to get some other hardware at the end of the season.