On the final lap of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway, Kyle Larson entered Turn 3 in 11th place, but quickly raced through the field to snatch the victory from Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and William Byron.
However, some people raised questions about the crucial victory pass and whether Larson dipped his left-side tires below the yellow line as he tore into Todd Gilliland in the tri-oval. Chastain has faced similar scrutiny.
Earlier on the same lap, there was a completely different moment that called the rule into question when Austin Hill cut under Kyle Larson for the lead exiting Turn 2 and dipped his left sides below the yellow line. Hill ultimately finished at the end of the lead lap after losing power before the checkered flag.
The rule reads: “Section 8.3.2: Vehicles must race over the double yellow lines throughout the race track. If, in the judgment of NASCAR, the vehicle(s) passes under the double yellow lines to improve their position, the vehicle(s) will be black flagged. If, in the judgment of NASCAR, a vehicle forces another vehicle under the double yellow lines (in an attempt to stop the advance/pass), the vehicle may be black flagged.”
Here’s a look at the finish, including both moments exiting Turn 2 and into the tri-oval:
And an additional view from the edge of the Chastain:
These incidents sparked debate among fans and media after the race. The yellow line rule has been the center of countless controversies over the years. Most recently, Bubba Wallace was sent to the end of the first round for a yellow line violation while battling for the Cup victory in Atlanta last summer.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighed in on the debate, posting on social media in reaction to the widely circulated screenshot of the moment in question, and noting how Larson appeared to be outpacing Gilliland by the time he even entered questionable yellow line territory.
Cliff Daniels, Larson’s crew chief, had this to say about contacting the yellow line after the race: “I had no idea until Victory Lane. He said, I have to be honest with you, I started cheering before I even got close to the line. I took my hands off the wheel. That’s why I almost went under the line. I was like, ‘Bro, are you serious right now (laughs)?’ I haven’t seen this replay. I only heard him tell the story he told. I can’t wait to see it. Debrief sheet this week. Don’t party too early (smiling).”
Added Larson: “I knew it was close and I would have been really pissed at myself if I had gone below…To have it called back would have sucked…I knew it was close. I didn’t see a picture, a video. My momentum was getting me past the (Stenhouse) 47 (and) I was pumping my fist before I even got to the line. So yeah, it would have been embarrassing if we hadn’t won.”
On the track, reporter Jeff Gluck took a closer look at the area on the front stretch to try to determine whether Larson had actually gone underneath, offering the following breakdown:
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