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When Kyle Larson tackles his helmet and today gets into the cabin of his Arrow McLaren ride at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he will start his second attempt on the same day to run the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600.
But can that be his last attempt too? Or the last time by any driver still years?
“I hope this is not the last,” says Larson, who makes this effort as the Cup points leader after his victory this weekend in Kansas. “I hope this year isn’t the last time we ever see someone doing it because I think it’s big for motorsport. This is great for Indycar, probably even greater for Nascar. Hopefully the schedules will work out in the future and maybe the rules will change a bit as well. ‘
Kyle Larson achieved his third cup victory of the season.
What a formidable quest was in 1994 when John Andretti became the first manager to participate in both signature races on the Memorial Day weekend is now more difficult.
The starting times at Indianapolis and Charlotte are challenging, even without weather problems. Any cup manager trying to look for the double is looking for a team that can win the Indianapolis 500 and such rides are limited. A new Nascar rule is trying to make both racing risky for cup drivers.
Nascar’s actions came in response to Hendrick Motorsports held by Larson last year with Indy, despite four hours of rain -delay instead of sending him to Charlotte to start the 600. After arriving late to Charlotte, Larson never got into his car until rain ended the 600 early.
SECTION 12.4.2.1.A of the cup rule book states that “unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR, the manager (s) and team owner (s) must start and try to complete all championships to be eligible for the play -offs.”
A new part of the division reads: ‘If a driver does not start and try to complete a race and wants to be eligible for the play -offs, the manager must request a play -off match via the play -off game. Loss of play-offs is final and non-appealable. “
Larson leads the series with 23 playoffs in the next weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 on Charlotte via three wins and eight victories. He would lose all the playoffs and any he would earn in the remaining 14 ordinary seasonal races if he did not start the 600 because of his Indy 500 searches. Losing all the playoffs can take him the chance to progress in Nascar’s play -offs and race for a championship.
Hendrick Motorsports has already said that he will pull Larson of the Indianapolis 500 to ensure that Larson is in Charlotte in time to start the 600.
“It has always been difficult to get both races in, but I feel like they made it harder for someone to venture and compete in the double thing how much investment it takes from everyone’s side,” Larson said of the new rule.
With six of the 14 races on the way in the regular season on road courses or setting up, the standings can change dramatically by the end of August.
Larson is trying only to become the second manager since 2005 to run on the same day and the fifth overall in both races. Kurt Busch was the last to do this in 2014. Kyle Busch came close to making an effort. He said that Joe Gibbs entered into an agreement in 2017 when Kyle Busch was at JGR. Kyle Busch also said he was looking for the ride with Arrow McLaren before Hendrick Motorsports secured it for Larson.
There is no guarantee that the Hendrick/McLaren partnership continues. This is the second year of a two -year agreement to give Larson the chance to run both races.
‘I would say to do so with this kind of effort where your Cup team has and the Indycar team works with the paint scheme and sponsors and partners who crawl and document a kind of overseas on Amazon Prime, with the competition level, the capabilities on both sides of this with the Koppie and Indy car, and the driver can do it again. Hendrick Motorsports chairman, NBC Sports told NBC.
“But if you do, it will be a while, because it is a big, big business and a lot of coordination and resources to do so.”
Larson admits that he is not sure he would have done it again if he could compete in both races last year as scheduled. Gordon also said that Indy was doing well, Hendrick would not have chosen to make the effort this year.
A look at the winners and losers of Sunday’s cup race on Kansas Speedway.
One person who hopes to see that Larson and others try it in the future is Tony Stewart, the only driver who competes 100 miles in one day when he finished sixth on Indianapolis and third on Charlotte that night in 2001.
“There’s going to be that special person coming along, even after Kyle’s generation is over,” Stewart said. ‘There will be that one special person that the opportunity is realistic and deserving. Hopefully they will continue to have the opportunities to do the double. ‘
Larson finished 18th last year at Indy. Stewart is looking forward to what Larson can do this year and if Larson can end better than Stewart did in both breeds.
“He is more than able to defeat it,” Stewart said of his performance in 2001 in both races. “I think someone who has a record does not want it to be broken, but if it is broken, Kyle is the man I want to do. I think the world of Kyle Larson, we are good friends. I have so much respect for him as a manager. Every time he chases something on dirty, I love him.
“I’m going to draw during him, maybe just because I know his history, he’s an old man of heart. We have similar backgrounds therefore, and you always root for someone like that. ‘
