Piloting one of Chip Ganassi’s cars, Tony Stewart was on his way to make history. Rounding out the final corner in the 2001 Indy 500, Smoke was about to create history. It was a lead lap finish! And just hours later, when he got behind the wheel of his Joe Gibbs Pontiac and finished in third place at the Coca-Cola 600, Stewart became the only driver to finish on the lead lap of the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. But that finish didn’t come without hardships, and Kyle Larson, making his second attempt at the Double, is learning from Tony Stewart to understand his failed attempts.

For Larson, every season means coming back stronger, be it a good or a bad one. And for Yung Money, in a season that had numerous wins and strong finishes, the glaring miss at the Indy 500 stood out. Determined to remove that blot, he’s back at the Indianapolis Speedway this weekend.

During Indy 500 practice back in April, Larson slammed into the wall after losing grip. And just recently during Friday practice, he struck the SAFER barriers coming out of Turns 3 and 4. But Larson has found the problems. “When it’s cooler, the track’s got more grip. The drivers make less mistakes, the speeds just kind of stay faster. So yeah, typically, I prefer warmer conditions. When the surface gets hot, your tires get hotter, and it just becomes slimy.” And just like he understood his errors here, Larson knows where to be careful, especially after last year’s problems.

Speaking to Bob Pockrass, he said, “Last year we had like one of the master cylinders bottomed out, so that’s why I was speeding. I got to the brakes a lot earlier than I had been in practice and stuff last year, but the pedal was next to the floor, so that was a bummer, but at least, with that I know now what that felt like, and if I have a similar feeling pedal I would probably take it even more easy, but my brakes have felt really good, and I’ve been able to tack, you know, coming in really strongly, so as long as our brake pedal feels fine I feel good about all that.” 

The incident goes back to the time Kyle Larson received a speeding penalty on the pit road during the 2024 Indianapolis 500 practice session, which resulted in him dropping to 18th place. This incident occurred during an in-and-out simulation where Larson was practicing full race-day procedures, including pit entry and exit at race speed.

In the post-race interview, Larson mentioned how he was shocked at the mishap, which wasn’t intentional. “I thought I slowed down enough,” Larson said. “It just caught me off guard. The braking was a little weird, and I didn’t want to over-slow.” But the mistake cost him a lot, with a longer brake pedal travel, he disengaged the pit limiter slightly early, causing the car to exceed the speed limit and earning him the time penalty.

But for this season, Larson remains determined. “If I have a similar feeling pedal I would probably take it even more easy, but my brakes have felt really good, and I’ve been able to tack, coming in really strongly, so as long as our brake pedal feels fine I feel good about all that,” Larson said remaining highly optimistic about his 1,100 mile Double Duty plan.

After weather derailed his 2024 plans, we will once again see the drive in his No.17 Arrow McLaren on the track this year. Hendrick Motorsports has been fully supportive of Larson’s IndyCar ambitions from the very beginning, going so far as to form a joint entry with Arrow McLaren specifically for his Indy 500 run. Rick Hendrick called the 2024 attempt “a legacy moment” for the sport and wishes Larson well on his repeated endeavor.

The Smoke himself took the stage to wish Larson luck, offering guidance and sharing insights on what it takes to succeed mentally and physically through such a demanding day. “Kyle’s got the talent and the team—if weather cooperates, he’ll make history,” said Tony. If Larson wants to succeed, he should study Stewart’s attempts from 1999 and 2001. As Smoke once revealed, “The first year it was terrible. It was a terrible experience. I had no idea what I needed to do, nutrition-wise. I’m not a workout guy. I’m not a nutrition guy. And I realized very, very quickly that day – I learned at the end of the 500, that I had a long day ahead of me still.” Perhaps for Larson, the second time will bring success!

There will be attempts to make this Memorial Day a success from Larson and the leadership of both the series to collaborate on scheduling flexibility and logistics to ensure the completion of the Double Duty, especially after last year’s rain issues and Larson rewriting his name in the history book.

What Might Be Different for Larson at the Indy 500 This Year?

After a promising debut at the Indianapolis 500 in 2024, expectations were high that Kyle Larson would enjoy a much smoother and confident return to IndyCar racing in 2025. But, as the stadium prepares for the 109th Greatest Spectacle in Racing, Larson has already encountered a more challenging road with only Friday’s Carb Day practice session remaining before the race on Sunday.

Two significant setbacks early this year, including the crash during open test and the Fast Friday practice, have disrupted Larson’s momentum. Unlike 2024, when he described his car’s setup being comfortable, the 2025 setup has required more adjustments. “I feel like last year we didn’t really have to mess with a whole lot,” Larson said. “I thought the balance was pretty comfortable, but it’s just taken a little bit more time to get to that comfortable spot this year. Happy with where we’re at now,” although his 19th-place start will demand a different level of execution on the race day.

A notable difference for Larson and the entire IndyCar grid this year would be the introduction of hybrid engines, adding a layer of extra complexity. Adjusting to the hybrid system has further complicated Larons’s preparation, requiring extra adaptability in an already nuanced environment. “The hybrid is, I feel like, hyped up as being this crazy new thing, but it’s really not a big deal either, I don’t think,” Larson said. “I don’t know what these guys think. But you just pull the paddle and go. When you want more charges, hit a button. It’s not really, like, a big deal.”

But based on what he learned last year, Larson expects restarts and pit stops to go smoother for him this time. So can Larson translate the lessons from his turbulent debut by charging through the field and proving himself as a true dual-discipline legend this year?