Kyle Larson Reveals an 8-Word Boost in His Pursuit of the Elusive ‘Double’

Kyle Larson is going to be a very busy man on May 26th. Of course, he is right in the mix of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series and battling for a second title. Aside from that, though, he also has a few side gigs. On May 26th, in particular, the NASCAR paddock makes landfall at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. However, on the very same day, the IndyCar paddock is at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the annual Indy 500.

Now, one would wonder what Kyle Larson has to do with IndyCar, especially since he is a full-time NASCAR driver. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would know that the NASCAR star is attempting the Coca-Cola 600 and Indy 500 double. Now, it takes 1 hour and 35 minutes to get from Indianapolis to Charlotte by air. The Indy 500 kicks off at 12:45 p.m. local time, and the Coca-Cola 600 takes place at around 6:00 p.m. This actually leaves a slim margin for tardiness, and driving is completely out of the question.

Larson’s been adjusting to the IndyCar machine well

He told Speed Street, “Everything I’ve felt so far, honestly doesn’t feel that different. I think the way the Next Gen cars are, I think they’ve transitioned closer to what an IndyCar is. Independent suspension, the tires and wheels that we have in NASCAR now, are shorter sidewalls. When I tested at Phoenix and made some laps. I was like, what I feel in my hands and my butt a little bit, but mostly my hands. With the front tires, it feels a lot like the Next Gen car.”

“At Phoenix, you had some moments where I would get loose or whatever. It felt like a stock car. Even at Indy yesterday, there was times when the tire was starting to wear out and I was getting tight like that. The moment of slip and the front tires felt very similar. I don’t think I could say the same thing four years ago. Right now, they seem to be more similar, which is good. I think it helps make the learning curve less steep.”

Larson has already been hard at work, practicing for his IndyCar debut. To be frank, he could have easily competed last year or the year before. However, the Hendrick Motorsports star likely did not want to make up the numbers. If he competed in one of the most famous races in the world, he would try to win it. His results have been looking competitive so far, and he could be a real threat for the regular drivers.

Does he stand a chance of winning the iconic race?

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If it were any other NASCAR driver, one would seriously be worried about them getting soundly thrashed in IndyCar. However, Kyle Larson just sees this as an average Tuesday, since he is well-known for having a busy schedule. This is because he has often juggled dirt racing alongside his NASCAR duties. The best part is that he is actually able to pull it off and make it in time for the NASCAR races.

However, the Coca-Cola 600-Indy 500 double is a unique challenge because both are on the same day. So once the Indy 590 concludes, Larson has to really hustle in order to reach the Charlotte Motor Speedway, four states away.