Kyle Larson simply can’t catch a break. Last year, he attempted ‘the Double’ but the weather thwarted his attempt. This time around, it was crashes, and ‘Yung Money’ can only blame himself for the heartbreak. Larson is a natural risk-taker and a versatile racer who enjoys testing himself. But mistakes are bound to happen when you’re pushing your car to the limit, a lesson he was forced to learn the hard way at Memorial Day weekend.

Now, it looks like his ‘double’ dream will go unfulfilled. What an anti-climactic end to what was looking like a bold and exciting attempt. Unsurprisingly, fans are weighing in and sharing their thoughts after Larson cast doubt on competing in the two races again.

Kyle Larson concedes defeat after failed ‘double’ attempt

The hype was real. Everyone expected Kyle Larson to follow Tony Stewart’s footsteps and complete 1,100 miles at the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600. However, as it happens all too often, great anticipation can sometimes lead to disappointing outcomes, and the 32-year-old ended up crashing in each race. At the Indy 500, Larson spun himself on a restart in Lap 92 and collected Sting Ray Robb and Kyffin Simpson as his day ended in Indianapolis.

Despite crashing out at Indy, he remained optimistic, saying, “So thankfully, I only have a few hours until I’ll be back behind the wheel. Once we crank the engines up there, I’ll forget about it.” Unfortunately for Yung Money, Charlotte didn’t go too well, either. He led for 30-odd laps, but after a couple of brushes with the outside wall, Larson spun out for the first caution of the race. A broken toe link put him a lap down, which he recovered from, only to get taken out inadvertently in a wreck involving Daniel Suarez and Ryan Blaney, ending his ‘Double’ attempt with a double DNF. Not the way anyone, especially Larson, expected the day to unfold.

Eager to move on from the setback, he said, “Try to just move on and get back racing and get back to doing your job. That’s one of the things that makes Kyle Larson unique. He doesn’t dwell on what went wrong, even though the outcome was truly heartbreaking. But he’s also realistic about his prospects for the future, and candidly admitted, “The double is just a tough undertaking. The window of time is too tight. Even if I didn’t wreck, I don’t think I would have made it here on time and probably would have had to end that race short anyway. So I don’t really think it’s worth it.”

Larson isn’t one to concede defeat too easily, but sometimes the wisdom lies in knowing when to give up. Attempting ‘the Double’ is a herculean task, and the physical, mental, and logistical demands can seem overwhelming. ‘The Brickyard’ and Charlotte Motor Speedway are two distinct tracks located across states, and two very different types of cars are used in each of the motorsports disciplines. There are plenty of factors that need to be taken into consideration to run the entire 1,100 miles.

While nobody expected Kyle Larson to actually win either of the races, fans hoped that he would at least have strong runs in each of them. It’s hard not to feel sorry for the 32-year-old, a sentiment that was echoed by Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks, who said, “My heart breaks for Kyle.” But now, it’s all in the past. Rick Hendrick had brokered a two-year deal to attempt ‘the Double,’ and that commitment is now fulfilled. Naturally, fans weighed in after his second DNF of the day, and many shared their thoughts on his failed attempt.

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Fans share their thoughts on Larson’s interview

There are no do-overs in NASCAR, a lesson Kyle Larson was forced to learn the hard way after coming out of the infield care center at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Uncharacteristically dejected, he admitted that he “hated the way it went,” and wished he could “just hit reset and try again tomorrow.” But reality doesn’t work that way, and fans were not surprised at the California-native ruling out the possibility of another attempt. One Reddit user even wrote, “Not surprised. Kyle Larson came across as being very exhausted in interviews promoting this year’s double attempt.”

He wasn’t the only one. Another fan felt sorry for ‘Yung Money’ but recognized the underlying reasons behind his comment, especially with uncontrollable circumstances coming into play for a feat as complex as ‘the Double.’ On that note, the fan said, “I hate it for him. He tried to do something cool, and it just didn’t work out. There is a reason only one guys has been able to complete all 1100. It’s tough so many factors at play.” Another motorsports enthusiast couldn’t help but observe that Larson didn’t seem like himself going into Memorial Day weekend, perhaps because he was being weighed down by the pressure. Writing on Reddit, he wrote, “I feel like the whole weekend something just seemed off with him.”

While Kyle Busch has expressed interest in attempting ‘the Double’ as well, one Reddit user feels Kyle Larson’s failed experiment may deter other teams from taking that risk. Surprised at how quickly the California native conceded defeat, the fan wrote, “I wasn’t expecting him to say that so definitively so soon, but I was expecting that decision. It could be a while before we see anyone try the double again.”

While Tony Stewart completed ‘The Double’ in 2021, becoming the only racer in history to do so, a Reddit user felt that the accomplishment was more difficult now because of higher standards. Writing on the social media platform, the fan said, “I think that both series and the drivers in both have gotten so much better that you’re just hurting yourself by not being committed to both 100%.”

What did you think of Kyle Larson’s ‘Double’ attempt? Should he try it again? Let us know in the comments!