SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Callum Illott and Louis Foster sat on stage in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway media center Thursday morning, one open chair alongside them. The two British drivers joked that they better answer any questions from the gathering group of reporters immediately.
“We agreed that we would start before Kyle gets here,” Illott said with a smile. “You can ask us some questions before the star arrives.”
Moments later “Kyle” arrived. NASCAR champion Kyle Larson took a seat alongside his fellow seventh row starters for Sunday’s 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. And sure enough, the questions came fast and often for the current NASCAR Cup Series points leader who — for the second straight year — is attempting motorsports’ Memorial Day weekend “Double,” the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Just back from a day of national media appearances in New York City, Larson could only smile receiving more questions about his “busy weekend.’’ But honestly, this once-a-generation talent doesn’t know any other way of operating.
A typical week for him during the season includes a dirt-track race — or two — at various locales in small-town America in addition to his duties competing — and winning — in NASCAR’s premier series.
The difference this week, of course, is Larson’s “extra” takes place at one of the most iconic racing venues in the world, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which will be filled to capacity — approximately 350,000 people expected to watch 33 of the most talented open-wheel drivers in the world contend for a long, sweet swig of Indy 500 winner’s milk.
Immediately after the checkered flag, Larson will fly via helicopter and plane to Charlotte Motor Speedway where he’ll climb into the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; attempting to be the fifth driver in motorsports history to compete in both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day — the first since newly named NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch did so in 2018.
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And it’s all in a day’s work for Larson.
“I travel around so much and race and fly in last minute for sprint car races and jump straight in and I think that will help the mindset of what it will be like for the 600,” Larson said.
“I think for sure, for me it’s not like a culture shock at all to be here and then traveling around to race. It’s what I do every week. Time windows are tight so often, so it doesn’t seem any different than a normal weekend for me.”
Larson has established himself among that elite group of racers who can drive anything, win anywhere.
In addition to countless wins at short tracks around the world, Larson won the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Chip Ganassi Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series. He has wins in all three of NASCAR’s major series with 32 Cup Series victories — including three through this season’s first 12 races. He hoisted the 2021 championship trophy and leads the standings this year by 35 points over Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron.
So it was of little surprise that last May, Larson secured a fifth-place starting position in his first Indianapolis 500 attempt and ran up front in the race, ultimately finishing 18th after a pit road speeding penalty.
However, because that 2024 Indianapolis 500 green flag was delayed due to weather, Larson arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway after the Coca-Cola 600 had started and stopped with its own rain delay. The race was called “official” before Larson got a chance to climb into his No. 5 Hendrick Chevrolet.
This year, Larson has high hopes of completing all 1,100 miles — something only three-time NASCAR cup Series champion Tony Stewart has done among previous drivers to run the “Double.”
Weather in Indianapolis is expected to be cool Sunday, but showers forecast earlier in the week are now supposed to stay south of The Speedway. Larson joked during Saturday’s drivers meeting that last year he looked at the weather and it rained race day, so this year, he isn’t monitoring the forecasts.
Larson completed 65 laps in final practice, his No. 17 HendrickCars.com Arrow McLaren Chevrolet placing 26th overall, but firmly among the six fastest in 10-lap and 20-lap runs. And all of Friday’s action took place in front of his NASCAR Hendrick Motorsports team that flew up for the day.
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“Our whole team is here, everybody, it’s just a big camaraderie thing for us and for Kyle just to be a part of it and show him support,’’ said Eric Ludwig, the jackman on Larson’s NASCAR crew. “We’ve got his back whenever we have the opportunity, and he does the same for us. It’s a really cool experience. Not everybody gets a chance to do it.”
“We see all the people wearing the HendrickCars.com hats and shirt out here. And it’s awesome to see how big a following he has outside of stock car racing.”
That No. 5 team was immersed in a sea of fans Friday donning Larson’s orange and blue, the colors on his No. 17 IndyCar. For a driver only competing once this year, the popularity, love and respect has been unmistakable at the Speedway.
Tyler Howard of nearby Noblesville, Indiana, was one of about 50 people waiting outside a McLaren Racing trackside meeting room Friday after practice. All the fans hoping for a glimpse, autograph, smile or a few words when Larson emerged after a meeting.
“I think he’s one of the faster cars in the field, even though he’s starting 19th,” Howard, 25, insisted as he stood alongside his full-size cardboard cutout of Larson outside the McLaren offices.
And the warmth and support shown him again in Indianapolis has not gone unnoticed, nor under-appreciated. He and his Arrow McLaren Racing teammate Pato O’Ward got the loudest cheers during the traditional public driver meeting trackside Saturday morning race-eve.
“I think everybody can respect somebody doing the double, I notice the support, and from the fans especially probably more than anything,” Larson said.
“It always makes you feel good that you feel like there’s a large amount of people cheering you on. So yeah, hopefully we can just make everybody proud this weekend and do a good job in both races and just try our best.”
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As with the fans, the NASCAR community has shown its support. Competitors say they will be watching the race even more closely than usual. A victory — even a good showing — from Larson is a positive reflection on the entire sport.
Stewart holds the best mark among the five — also including the late John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch — that have competed in both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champ Stewart is the only one to finish all 1,100 miles and finish on the lead lap, doing so in 2001 when he posted the best “Double” finish of sixth in the Indy 500 (he led 13 laps) and third later at Charlotte.
Stewart, who will be part of the FOX Sports Indianapolis 500 broadcast team on Sunday, said on Kevin Harvick’s “Happy Hour” podcast that “Every generation has that one guy that stands out above the rest. Kyle Larson is that guy.”
Fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. also has high expectations for Larson on Sunday.
“He’s a natural that understands four tires and momentum and point it in the right direction, no matter what kind of vehicle it is, no matter what the power, the weight or anything,” Earnhardt said of Larson. “He’s very adaptable, and we have a very small list of names that fit into that sort of mold between A.J. Foyt and Tony Stewart, Mario Andretti, maybe a few other drivers that were that dynamic and complex.
“I feel like much like when Jimmie Johnson was winning five championships in a row, and ultimately seven, I said this back then when he was on that little five-championship stretch, I said we ought to enjoy this while we have it, while it’s here, because you don’t see stuff like this very often, and I feel like that’s the same way we should be with Kyle Larson is to celebrate him.”
Larson smiles at the well wishes and acknowledges all the preparation is now complete.
“I’m as ready as I can be,” he said.
