3 veteran IndyCar drivers share advice for NASCAR's Kyle Larson as an Indy 500 rookie
What Kyle Larson is about to attempt this weekend — at both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway — surely makes race car drivers everywhere envious. It’s a dream race day for many drivers, and Larson is the latest to make a go at it.
Sunday at 12:45 p.m. ET, Larson will be behind the wheel of the No. 17 Chevrolet as the green flag flies in his first Indianapolis 500. By 6 p.m. ET, Larson will be with his No. 5 Chevrolet stock car in Charlotte and ready for the start of the Coca-Cola 600.
If all goes well, Larson will be just the fifth driver to compete in the pair of races on the same day — also known as “The Memorial Day Double,” or just “The Double” — and if he finishes both events, he’ll join Tony Stewart as the only two drivers to complete all 1,100 miles.
It’s a daunting challenge, especially considering the Indy 500 will be Larson’s first IndyCar Series race ever.
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Full-time racing in NASCAR, Larson is usually behind the wheel of a hulky stock car — a stark contrast to IndyCar’s lighter, faster open-wheeled ride. But the 31-year-old former NASCAR champ is one of the most versatile drivers in the country, maybe the world.
So before Larson’s first Indy 500 attempt, For The Win spoke with three IndyCar drivers — Team Penske’s defending Indy 500 champ Josef Newgarden and 2024 Indy 500 pole winner Scott McLaughlin and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, Larson’s temporary teammate — to see if they have any advice for the NASCAR driver joining them in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
These answers have been condensed and edited for clarity.