Kyle Larson has officially decided to stop pursuing the demanding Indy-Charlotte Double after two attempts that ended without success. Speaking on Friday, Larson explained that the logistical challenges, coupled with high costs and multiple setbacks, made continuing unfeasible. His most recent effort took place during the 2024 Memorial Day weekend, a race weekend fraught with difficulties including weather delays and crashes.
Larson told Marty Snider of TNT Sports,
“At least on the radar now, I would say no,”
and added,
“Logistically, it’s just tough. The two years I’ve done it, I’ve had weather get in the mix of it. Even this year, if I didn’t crash out of the 500, I wouldn’t have been able to finish it because of the rain delay we had. Just a lot of stuff, and money, and time and resources that goes into doing the Double. Just attempting it financially — millions of dollars. So, it’s just a big risk to do the Double.”
Challenges Faced During the 2024 Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600
Larson’s attempt at the Double in 2024 ended amid a combination of bad weather and unfortunate errors. The 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500, originally scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. ET, was delayed nearly an hour due to rain and eventually got underway at 1:35 p.m. Before the race even truly began, Scott McLaughlin crashed during the pace laps. On the first lap itself, Marco Andretti also wrecked, adding to an already chaotic start.
As the race progressed, rain began falling again around Lap 20, causing a caution period. Larson later crashed on Lap 91, forcing him out of the race and resulting in a 27th-place finish. Had he not crashed, Larson still faced the impossible task of making it to Charlotte Motor Speedway on time for the Coca-Cola 600, the second half of the Double. Rick Hendrick would have had to pull him from the Indy car to get him to Charlotte in time to start the NASCAR race.
Looking Ahead: Larson’s Future with the Indianapolis 500
Although Kyle Larson has ended his attempts to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same weekend, he has no plans to permanently step away from the iconic Indy 500. He expressed a strong desire to return to the event after his full-time NASCAR career concludes, motivated by his own unfinished business in the race.
Larson shared,
“I obviously wish it had gone better,”
reflecting on his recent experiences.
“I just made a lot of mistakes this May and crashed a few times. Put myself in bad positions. I’ll always be grateful of the chance to get to do the Double. You wish it would have gone better. But still, a lot of fun and a lot of stress throughout those couple of weeks, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
He added,
“… I would love to do the Indy 500 again someday when I’m done full-time racing, just because it doesn’t sit well with me that I made two mistakes in both of the years I’ve done it and didn’t get the finishes I wanted. Still, even if I don’t run the Indy 500 [again], I’m grateful to have gotten to do it. It was a fun experience, but we’ll see what the future holds.”
Significance of Larson’s Decision and Its Impact on His Career
Kyle Larson’s choice to step away from the Indy-Charlotte Double highlights the profound challenges of competing at the highest levels in both IndyCar and NASCAR on the same day. Financial strain, time constraints, and unpredictable factors such as weather all contribute to the difficulty of this feat. His decision underscores a shift in focus toward sustainability and success in his primary NASCAR career while keeping the door open for future Indy 500 participation.
As Larson continues his full-time stock car racing career, his expressed desire to return to the Indy 500 signals his enduring passion for open-wheel racing. Fans and teams alike will be watching closely for any future announcements that could mark another chapter in his impressive racing journey.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Kyle Larson better than Verstappen?
A. Larson may not be able to defeat Verstappen in F1, but he’s very adaptable across different racing styles. Bianchi believes Larson deserves recognition for his broad experience. He succeeds in driving many diverse types of cars.
Q. What caused Kyle Larson to crash?
A. Bob Pockrass from FOX Sports shared a day after the incident that Kyle Larson explained the crash resulted from a broken axle, saying, “The axle broke.”
Q. Asked about Larson’s claim on Thursday, he had just two coy words: Asked Max Verstappen for his response to Kyle Larson’s comments about being a better all-round driver – Max just smiled and said: \x26quot;That’s fine. Everyone thinks their own way, right?\x26quot; With a quick detour to another sport, let me put it this way.
A. What did Max Verstappen say or do in reply to Kyle Larson?
