NASCAR's New Rule Sparks Laughter as Gragson's Qualifying Effort Goes Awry

Noah Gragson gets hit with a NASCAR penalty at Daytona 500 qualifying. He becomes the first driver penalized under the new rule banning hand gestures out the window during qualifying. Gragson's lap time in the No. 4 Ford is disqualified after he uses his left hand to deflect air. "I completely forgot about that rule," Gragson admits. He fails to advance to the second qualifying round, losing his shot at the pole position. The starting order for the Daytona 500 will be set during Thursday's qualifying races. NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. jokes about Gragson's blunder, saying, "This is the most Noah thing ever." Kyle Busch secures the pole, while Chase Briscoe chuckles at Gragson's misstep. Teams had previously believed drivers could gain an aerodynamic edge with hand gestures before NASCAR stepped in. Gragson is still seeking his first Cup Series victory in his fifth Daytona 500 start.