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    Kyle Larson’s Historic Double Duty Feat: Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600

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    IndyCar News: Kyle Larson Prepares for Historic Double Duty Feat in Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600

    As the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson is no stranger to the world of motorsports. However, his upcoming attempt to compete in IndyCar’s Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day will be a historic feat, marking the first time since 2014 that a driver has attempted to do so.

    Larson’s Preparation for the Indy 500

    Larson will be driving the McLaren-Hendrick entry in the Indy 500, and his preparation has been surprisingly smooth so far. “I thought it would be a full-day process, and it was like an hour,” Larson said, referring to his introduction to IndyCar and the seat fitting process. The 31-year-old driver has also been getting accustomed to the IndyCar simulator, although he faced some challenges applying the brakes. Engineers told him he needed “…a thousand more pounds of brake pressure,” which may not be a surprise, given that full-time McLaren IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist posted a much faster time later on.

    Unveiling of Larson’s Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 Liveries

    Despite the challenges, Larson’s IndyCar debut is highly anticipated, and the two liveries for the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 were revealed on Sunday morning in Indianapolis. The #17 IndyCar will feature a blue and papaya orange scheme, while Larson’s usual NASCAR ride, the #5 Chevy, will don a revised blue and orange scheme for the second half of the double at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Larson’s Background and Experience

    Larson’s experience in racing series beyond NASCAR is extensive, with a strong background in dirt racing in sprint cars, midgets, and late models. In fact, he recently won on the dirt at the Knoxville Nationals in Iowa the night before Sunday’s Cup race at Indianapolis. However, driving an IndyCar around the oval at Indianapolis is a new challenge for Larson, and the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team is focused on building up his prep and seat time to ensure he is as prepared as possible come May.

    “…our goal is just to build up and get as much prep and seat time as we can, just to hit the ground running and be as prepared as possible come May,” said Gavin Ward, Racing Director of the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team.

    History of the IndyCar-NASCAR Double Duty Attempt

    Larson’s attempt at double duty will be the 11th in history, with the last being Kurt Busch’s in 2014. Here’s a look at how the previous 10 attempts panned out:

    | Year | Driver | Indy Result | Charlotte Result |
    | — | — | — | — |
    | 1994 | John Andretti | 10th | 36th |
    | 1995 | Davy Jones | 23rd | DNQ |
    | 1997 | Robby Gordon | 29th | 41st |
    | 1999 | Tony Stewart | 9th | 4th |
    | 2000 | Robby Gordon | 6th | 35th |
    | 2001 | Tony Stewart | 6th | 3rd |
    | 2002 | Robby Gordon | 8th | 16th |
    | 2003 | Robby Gordon | 22nd | 17th |
    | 2004 | Robby Gordon | 29th | 20th |
    | 2014 | Kurt Busch | 6th | 40th |

    According to Rick Hendrick, Larson will likely go through IndyCar’s rookie orientation program on the oval at Indianapolis in October, which is split into three phases requiring drivers to run 10 laps between 205-210 miles per hour, 15 laps at 210-215 mph, and 15 above 215 mph.

    With the IndyCar 2023 schedule and Indy 500 preparations underway, Larson’s historic attempt is sure to be an exciting one to watch. Stay tuned for more IndyCar news and updates on Kyle Larson’s journey to the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

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