Kyle Larson has unfinished business in the Indy 500. But how long can he keep at it? Two years, two attempts, and two losses. Last year, he qualified for the race in 5th place and managed to finish a respectable 18th after being found guilty of speeding on the pit road. And it was certainly taking a toll on him. “I saw the hurt on Kyle Larson’s face, and I could feel him letting his team down,” Jeff Gordon had revealed. And this time around, he was forced to retire early after crashing out. With a commitment to Hendrick Motorsports’ NASCAR program, it looks like Kyle Larson might just have to give up on his ‘Double’ dream. But hold on, is there a twist from the driver?

Well, speaking about his experiences, the driver got candid and hinted at a return to the event. “Yeah, it’s been a bit emotional. I feel like with the weather, this year was pretty hectic with a lot of challenges. Me crashing multiple times now. But overall, my experience was overall amazing. I just really love the speedway. I love the event, and the atmosphere is incredible. What Roger Penske has done to the facility, the series, and the event is just amazing. I love it.”

For Larson, the Indy 500 kicked off with crashes in practice and in qualifying. But despite this, he started in 19th place. Everything was lined up perfectly. Kyle Larson even got a rare pass to skip the drivers’ meeting and intros for the Coca-Cola 600. But just when it looked like ‘Yung Money’ might finally replicate Tony Stewart’s historic achievement, it all unfolded rather disastrously. On Lap 91, a tough restart saw him lose control of his No. 17 Arrow McLaren, collecting Sting Ray Robb and Kyffin Simpson before slamming into the Turn 2 wall. And in the blink of an eye, it was game over at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

And while the weather held on, the crash at the Indy 500 had left Larson wanting more from the race. After the crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he got out of his vehicle and stood in silence, seemingly stunned at wasting his only remaining chance of competing in the event. Afterwards, the California native couldn’t help but take blame in the post-race interview, going on to say, “Hate that I caused that crash, hate that others got collected in it, and really just hate it for Arrow McLaren and Rick Hendrick, everybody that put a lot into making this effort possible. Just bummed out, really.”

Left with a bitter taste in his mouth, Kyle Larson couldn’t help but say, “I’m sure if I don’t get to do it again next year, then I’m gonna have massive FOMO  watching it on TV. Hopefully, someday I’ll love to run the Indy 500 again and solely focus on that. Soak up all the atmosphere with just the Indy 500. You don’t want to leave on the hook, as Marco said, too. Hopefully, it’s in my cards again someday in the future.”

What Kyle Larson means is the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) of racing in the open-wheel series. To watch it unfold every year knowing how close he was to finishing, will be painful for the driver. Perhaps when Kyle Larson finally closes the curtain on his NASCAR career is when he can attempt the Indy 500 and only focus on the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’ Considering how challenging attempting ‘the Double’ is, mentally, emotionally, and logistically, it’s unlikely that Rick Hendrick will let him compete in both races next year. However, stranger things have happened in NASCAR, and the 32-year-old might be able to convince his employer, especially if he lifts the Cup Series title at the end of the year.

But the Double might be out of the question. As Kyle Larson explained after the race, “‘The Double’ is just a tough undertaking. The window of time is too tight. If I didn’t wreck, I don’t think I would’ve made it here in time, and probably would’ve had to end that race short anyway. I just don’t really think it’s worth it. But I would love to run the Indy 500 again. Just doing ‘The Double’ again I think is just logistically too tough.” 

And he’s not wrong. Tony Stewart, the man who attempted the Double twice, once in 1999 and then in 2001, talked about the effects on his body. “The first year in ’99, my girlfriend drove me home and every time she turned the corner or got on the gas or got on the brakes, I thought I was going to puke,” he said at the time.

However, if this HMS legend is to be believed, the double attempt may happen again for Larson.

Jeff Gordon refuses to rule out another ‘Double’ attempt

After a disastrous Indy 500, Hendrick Motorsports hoped that Kyle Larson would fare better at the Coca-Cola 600. That certainly appeared to be the case when the green flag dropped, but things quickly took a turn for the worse as the race unravelled. The No. 5 Chevy was pushing hard, and it hit the wall early on before spinning out of the lead on Lap 42. It only went from bad to worse from that point on, as Larson was then caught up in a multi-car accident that forced him to retire early once again.

Sharing his thoughts on ‘the Double’ attempt, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon didn’t mince his words and admitted, “Wasn’t meant to be. It was a rough day.” Visibly upset at how the Memorial Day weekend had played out, he went on to say, “It’s hard to even get your head wrapped around it. I mean, right now, we’ve tried it twice and it hasn’t gone the way we hoped. So, never say never, but I don’t think it’s on our radar right now.”

Had Kyle Larson performed well at Charlotte Motor Speedway, team owner Rick Hendrick may have been convinced to give his driver another shot at the Indy 500. But a 37th-place finish at the Coca-Cola 600 was his worst result of the season so far, and one can’t help but feel it might have something to do with running the Indianapolis 500 as well. While Jeff Gordon hasn’t ruled out the possibility, it’ll take a lot for Mr. H to take that sort of gamble once again. Do you think Larson will attempt another ‘double’ in 2026? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!