Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, is set to take on a historic challenge on this year’s Memorial Day Weekend – the “Hendrick 1100.” This daring feat involves racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, more than 400 miles apart, on the same day.

Larson’s attempt at the May 26th “Double Duty” will see him join a prestigious group of only a handful of drivers. Kurt Busch, in 2014, was the last driver to chase the accolade. While Busch secured a respectable sixth-place finish at the Indy 500, a blown engine ended his Coca-Cola 600 run prematurely.

Kyle Larson Aims for Memorial Day Double Duty Glory in “Hendrick 1100”

This year, Larson hopes to rewrite NASCAR history and become only the second driver after Tony Stewart in 2001 to complete the double race and potentially even challenge for victory at the Indy 500. However, before Larson tackles the monumental 1100-mile challenge, he has a chance to build momentum this weekend at the all-familiar Phoenix Raceway. The 1-mile oval track, where he participated in his inaugural Decree test session with Arrow-McLaren last month, his team for the infamous “open-wheel 500” at IMS.

On Dirty Mo Media’s Speed Street podcast, IndyCar veteran Conor Daly shared his thoughts alongside NBC’s play-by-play commentator for IndyCar and F1, Leigh Diffey.

Daly acknowledged the obstacles Larson has at hand as a rookie at Indianapolis. “There’s going to be moments though that he does not know yet and that is the difficult part about you know being a first-timer at the Indy 500,” Daly said. However, Daly believes Larson’s incredible talent and the potential speed of the Arrow McLaren car could position him for a strong finish. “But without a doubt, depending on the speed of McLaren… I think he’s running in Top-5, Top 8-ish in that lead pack for sure towards the end of the race.”

Diffey, famous for his captivating commentary on IndyCar, drew comparisons to another familiar name’s experiences at the Indy 500.

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The Australian-American broadcaster brought up his interaction with Kurt Busch during the Cup Series veteran’s solo run with Andretti Motorsports in 2014.

“One of the things that intrigued me,” Diffey recounting his previous encounter with the 2004 Cup Series champion during the Indy 500. “I said ‘What was the biggest hurdle that you had to overcome?’ Thinking that he (Busch) may have been talking something about the driving, the surrounds, or how it was different.”

However, the answer surprised Diffey. “And he said the biggest thing was the buffeting,” Diffey revealed. ‘Buffeting’ is the violent turbulence a driver experiences in an open-wheel car’s cockpit due to dirty air coming off of other cars. Before the introduction of the Aeroscreen in 2020, IndyCar drivers were introduced to this phenomenon, a significant physical challenge to manage a car for long stretches at high speeds.

Diffey explained, contrasting the current IndyCar scenario with Busch’s disadvantage a decade ago. “And this was pre-aero screen… Well now, no more buffeting, so how big an advantage is that for Kyle? Or maybe it isn’t gonna phase him. I don’t know…”

The innovative aero screen could potentially help Larson fight fatigue throughout the 12 hours of May 26, a crucial factor in managing 1100 miles as he will have to navigate a strenuous team handoff between Arrow-McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports for the Coca-Cola 600.

While the Indy 500 has been a notoriously unpredictable race, Larson’s 2024 form and meticulous preparations for an Indy debut, paint a picture of a driver ready to make history. Can he overcome the unique challenge of the Memorial Day double and rewrite the record books for NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports on its 40th anniversary?

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