Kyle Larson’s win at the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway has reignited debate over NASCAR’s double-yellow line rule.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says the sport should review how officials enforce the rule after Larson’s final-lap move raised questions among fans. Kyle Larson secured the Talladega win with a last-lap charge from 11th place, but photos showing his left tires close to the double-yellow line sparked questions over a possible rule breach.
NASCAR reviewed the move and let the result stand, determining that his tires had not crossed fully below the line.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants NASCAR to reconsider its double-yellow line rule after Kyle Larson’s Talladega finish renewed scrutiny of similar incidents involving Austin Hill and Ross Chastain.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Urges NASCAR to Reconsider Its Double-Yellow Line Rule
Earnhardt Jr.’s push to change NASCAR’s double-yellow line rule dates back to the COVID-era races held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“And I said then, I think we should get rid of the rule,” Earnhardt Jr. said on his podcast.
The former NASCAR driver argued that the current rule does not reduce the number of damaged race cars at superspeedways.
“We’re not going to tear up fewer race cars or more race cars, and I do think that it might be time for them to revisit the spirit of the rule.”
“Do I have a problem with the 33 (Austin Hill) going below half a car right there? Does that give him a massive, unfair advantage over the rest of the field? No,” he said.
He compared the situation with Larson’s move and a previous incident involving Bubba Wallace at Atlanta.
Kyle Larson Explains Close NASCAR Double-Yellow Line Call
Larson’s final-lap charge at Talladega placed the double-yellow line rule under the spotlight. NASCAR reviewed the available evidence before confirming him as the winner.
Larson later admitted he knew his car had come close to the line but did not know how close until he saw images of the finish.
“Well, I do know that I got close to it because when I was mid-celebration, I was also like, ‘Oh, my gosh, please don’t say anything that they’re reviewing it or they called it back.”
“It’s always closer after you see it on film,” Larson said. “In the car, it happened so quick and I was like, ‘I think I was close, but I don’t know.’”
Larson also acknowledged the difficulty NASCAR officials face when deciding whether a driver crossed the line.
“It was so close that, like if I did get penalized, I could see like, ‘OK, I understand where they’re coming from,” he said.
NASCAR’s Double-Yellow Line Rule Remains a Source of Debate
NASCAR’s rulebook states that drivers who go below the double-yellow lines to improve their position could receive a black flag. At superspeedways, NASCAR checks a car’s left-side tires to determine whether the driver has crossed below the double-yellow lines.
Earnhardt Jr. wants NASCAR to ease its double-yellow-line restrictions or scrap the rule entirely.
“Those types of deals to me make me feel like it’s time to sort of revisit this, and see if we can’t do this differently,” he said.
He acknowledged that he didn’t have a complete replacement for the current rule, but wanted NASCAR to consider other options.
“I’m not sure that right here at this table, I know exactly everything that we should do, but I do feel like that we could certainly loosen it up a little bit, do away with it entirely. I’m not sure.”
Earnhardt Jr. wants NASCAR to change the double-yellow line rule so close calls do not decide race winners or overshadow the results.
“I just wish we could figure out how to do it differently so that those situations aren’t determining the outcomes of the race,” he said.
Past yellow-line controversies involving drivers such as Justin Haley and Regan Smith have also shaped debate over the rule. Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes NASCAR needs to rethink its double-yellow line rule after Kyle Larson’s Talladega victory reignited debate over its enforcement at superspeedways.
NASCAR Faces Fresh Backlash as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Questions Double-Yellow Line Rule