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“It was Bad” – Kyle Larson Reveals the Unpleasant Problems His IndyCar Practice Gave Birth To

Published 02/14/2024, 7:56 PM EST

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Now that the Super Bowl is over, American sports fans have turned their attention toward NASCAR’s upcoming big event, the Daytona 500. And while many drivers are hoping to break their losing streaks at the Great American Race this year, Kyle Larson is aiming for far more.

Joining an elite group of drivers that have taken part in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, Kyle Larson is not only preparing for the season opener but has also been hard at work for the double challenge. However, now that Larson is training for two fairly different cars, there are certain problems arising from the IndyCar regiment that revealed itself during the Arrow Mclaren test run at Phoenix Raceway just last week.

Kyle Larson shares details about his Indy500 and Coca-Cola 600 Double preparations

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Throughout the off-season, Larson has been preparing for the double challenge he’s about to face on May 26th. And while that date is still miles away, the preparations for the Indy500 and the Coca-Cola 600 seem to differ from his usual routine for the Cup Series. Now that Kyle Larson is living in Arizona for the winter, his workouts consist more of strength training than the usual mobility and endurance exercises.

Speaking to Bob Pockrass for Fox Sports, Larson shared, “Right now, this time of the year, I live in Arizona, so the gym that I workout at there is more strength-based. Whereas Josh, I feel like, It’s a little bit of strength for sure, but it’s more like mobility and mental stuff and all of that”. Larson will not only run the longest race in the Cup Series but also the Indy500. This makes the switch to strength training vital to prevent soreness and failure during the races.

He concluded, “And you know, in Arizona, it’s more like all strength training, so. Not that I’m like, because I did that last year too, but I don’t know, I enjoy it. It’s something different, and I’m trying to get a six-pack. Honestly, after that test in Phoenix, I didn’t notice my neck being sore in the car at all, but the next day it was bad.” While the training seems to have worked in pushing the limits of his body before it gets sore, the onset eventually left Larson perhaps regretting the new regiment after all.

Even though the Phoenix test proved to create discomfort for Kyle Larson on the following day, the situation could have been far worse during the test as the Hendrick Motorsports driver endured a scary moment in the Arrow McLaren.

Did Larson just save the Arrow McLaren from imminent danger?

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During the four-hour-long test run, Kyle Larson was testing the limits of the Indy Car when the rear end kicked out. This caused the HMS star to almost bin the Arrow McLaren into the wall, coming out of the corner. Fortunately, Larson caught the car just in time to avoid any damage. While this was certainly a ‘heart in the throat’ moment, the experience only helped him understand the limits of the car better.

Kyle Larson shared with AP News, “It’s always good when you can, as a driver, put yourself in new situations where you’re challenging your brain, you’re challenging yourself to evolve and learn something new, figure out the differences or similarities between race cars. I think there’s still a ton for me to learn and a ton left out on the table for me to get comfortable.”

So with all the preparation Larson has been doing during his time in Arizona helping him save the Arrow Mclaren from imminent damage, Larson now turns his attention to getting up to speed with the finer details. He concluded, “The more reps I get with everything, not just making laps around the track, but in and out of the box as I mentioned, exiting pit road hard, stuff like that is going to be important.”

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WATCH THIS STORY: Kyle Larson Confesses Bubba Wallace’s Continuous Shenanigans Drove Him to His Limits

So with the training for the Indy 500 proving to be a double-edged sword for Kyle Larson, do you think his new IndyCar regiment will help out at the Daytona 500 and subsequently the Coca-Cola 600 as well?

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Written by:

Kabir Bajaj Ahmed

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Kabir Bajaj Ahmed is an F1 & NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. Known for his storytelling and extensive research skills, he has covered multiple stories on Dale Earnhard Jr and his legendary dad, allowing readers to relive the thunderous days of 'The Intimidator'. Being a racer himself, Kabir can resonate with the motorsport world better than most.
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Edited by:

Shivali Nathta