NASCAR News: Kyle Larson Shocked By Pocono Penalty - 'Didn't Push It'

Kyle Larson's recent performance at the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway was met with unexpected challenges, culminating in a 13th-place finish largely affected by a controversial pit road speeding penalty. Larson now falls behind in the driver standings, trailing Chase Elliott by three points after 21 races.

The Pocono pit road penalty, in particular, delivered a significant blow to Larson's campaign. Facing a critical phase in the championship with only five races remaining, Larson described the penalty as an unfortunate surprise. He commented, as quoted by Essentially Sports:

"I'm not sure yet. I'll have to talk to, I guess the team. I think it sounds like, yeah, section 7 is different maybe than it was in the past. Bit of a bummer, just cause, I didn't push it. I didn't push it over our max. Like I never thought I would be speeding."

Larson revealed the impact of the penalty on his race strategy and potential outcome, adding:

"So when they came on the radio and said that we would be speeding, I was surprised. So yeah, just unfortunate you don't know how the race plays out. You're going to restart the leader there, clean air is very important here. I don't know if I would have won but obviously, I would have finished better than 13th. Unfortunate but it is what it is."

With the playoffs rapidly approaching, each race and every point become pivotal. The penalties issued, especially in Section 7, have sparked discussions and speculations within the NASCAR community about potential issues with speed measurement, possibly hinting at broader technical recalibrations that might be needed.

As Larson looks to rebound, he also keeps a keen eye on his competitors, including the quietly rising Tyler Reddick.

"[Reddick] has surprised me where he's at currently because I feel like he's just been quiet, which is odd for Tyler Reddick. I was surprised [because] before Chicago, I looked and was like, 'Man, he's actually within range.' I've just been so focused the last four or five weeks on the No. 9 [Chase Elliott] and the No. 11 [Denny Hamlin], and then it was like, 'Wow, he could easily steal this thing.'"

The Great American Getaway 400 at the Pocono Raceway Results

1. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
2. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
3. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
4. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
5. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
6. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
7. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
8. Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
9. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
10. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
11. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
12. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
13. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
14. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
15. Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
16. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
17. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
18. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
19. Corey Lajoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
20. Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
21. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
22. Justin Haley, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
23. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
24. Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
25. Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
26. Cody Ware, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet
27. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
28. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
29. Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
30. Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
31. Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
32. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
33. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
34. Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
35. JJ Yeley, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet
36. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
37. Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford