On a day that began with high hopes, Kyle Larson faced a disappointing end to his ambitious attempt at the Double, competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Larson became the fifth driver in history to tackle this grueling challenge, but his efforts were thwarted as both races ended prematurely due to crashes. Following the events, Larson expressed doubts about attempting the Double again, citing the tight schedule as a significant hurdle for drivers.
Admittedly, Larson’s remarks came immediately after a frustrating day, yet his point resonates strongly within the realms of NASCAR and IndyCar. Responding to a question from NBC Sports regarding his future plans for the Double, Larson stated, “I don’t know. It’s so fresh right now I don’t really have a good answer for you. The Double is just a tough undertaking. The window of time is too tight.” Even if he hadn't experienced a crash, Larson believed he would have struggled to arrive on time for the Coca-Cola 600.
He continued, “So I don’t really think it’s worth it. But I would love to run the Indy 500 again. Just doing the Double, I think, is just logistically too tough.” Larson’s comments spark a conversation about the feasibility of the Double for future drivers, especially if the race start times remain unchanged.
The Indianapolis 500 was originally set to kick off at 12:46 p.m. ET, but rain delayed the start by 43 minutes, pushing it to 1:29 p.m. ET. The race concluded at 4:26 p.m. ET, after lasting 2 hours, 57 minutes, and 38 seconds. Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola 600 was scheduled to start at 6:27 p.m. ET, with the green flag actually waving at 6:30 p.m. ET. Unfortunately for Larson, he crashed before reaching the halfway mark of the Indy 500, which further complicated his transition to Charlotte.
Larson's helicopter touched down at Charlotte Motor Speedway at 5:16 p.m. ET, just nine minutes before driver introductions were set to begin. Jeff Gordon, vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, had assured fans that Larson would arrive on time, stating, “He is going to be here for driver introductions at 5:25 p.m. ET. That’s the call.”
This year marked the second of a two-year agreement between Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren for Larson to participate in the Indy 500, and there is currently no deal in place for the next year. Larson's experience raises questions about the viability of future attempts at the Double, especially given the logistical challenges and the significant investment required from sponsors. Even with the immense publicity generated by such efforts, they can be easily undermined by unforeseen circumstances like inclement weather.
Additionally, a new rule implemented by NASCAR this year states that if a driver misses a race for reasons other than injury or age restrictions, they will lose all playoff points earned before the regular season. This adds further complexity to the decision to attempt the Double.
Once Larson arrived at Charlotte, things did not go as planned. He hit the wall early while leading, which set him back significantly. “Mistakes on my end tonight just got me behind. I got loose in leading early and smacked the wall and just kind of got us behind,” Larson admitted. Although he made some progress and climbed to the middle of the pack, he ultimately became involved in a multi-car crash at Lap 247 of the 400-lap event, resulting in a disappointing end to his race.
After finishing 27th in the Indianapolis 500, Larson's day concluded with a 37th place finish in the Coca-Cola 600, leaving fans and analysts questioning whether the Double remains a viable goal for any driver in the future.
