Jeff Gordon Warns Kyle Larson of Impending Doom as NASCAR Sets One Big Condition for His Indy 500 Run

Kyle Larson is no stranger to high-stakes in motorsport races, but this season’s Indianapolis 500 holds a different level of intensity for the driver. Larson aims to etch his name in the record books once again by trying to complete the iconic Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 Double Duty, two of America’s most difficult, but prestigious races, separated by hundreds of miles and just a few hours.

The buildup to this moment has been months in the making, with Larson balancing his NASCAR Cup Series duties while also diving deep into the open-wheel world of IndyCar. From simulator work to practice runs at the Indianapolis Motor Superspeedway, every lap and detail has been a part of a greater plan to prove that Larson belongs in the same spot in the Hall of Fame as many other legends like Tony Stewart. The only driver who completed running 1,100 miles in 2001.

Despite the preparation and confidence, executing that feat requires more than just talent. It demands perfection in timing, weather, logistics, and mechanical knowledge. Last year’s storm might have impacted Larson’s dreams and hopes, but Larson and his team are all set to orchestrate the crossover once again. Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon himself have learned from that experience, helping them shape their approach for this year into something more calculated, but can they change the ‘what-ifs’ to ‘absolutely’ with the plans they’ve made this year?

Hendrick Motorsports is aware of the Kyle Larson rule

Last year’s double duty was a nightmare for Larson and his team. Opting to stay at the Indy 500 despite a rain delay, the HMS driver missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s very own crown-jewel race. What happened next was chaos. NASCAR delayed the playoff waiver, and this year, they’ve made a change to this rule. Only medical reasons and family emergencies will warrant a waiver. NASCAR won’t ban or suspend the driver for missing a NASCAR race, but in doing so, they will forfeit all playoff points. Knowing that NASCAR is the primary series, HMS’s vice-president once again reassured that their driver will be at Charlotte in time.

“He is going to be here for driver introductions at 5:25. That’s the call, right?” said Gordon. “The call is we know exactly how to back it up from there. What time he has to be leaving, taking off from Indianapolis to get here? That’s all that, and at this point, we can’t predict red flags, caution flags, anything else other than that time.” The message here is clear, NASCAR race will be the priority over the Indy 500, and they wouldn’t want to risk their chances in the title race by losing all the playoff points. For context, Larson has 23, the most points earned by a driver after 12 races.

While the action plan is clear this time around, why didn’t HMS act similarly last year? To which Gordon responded.  “Everybody’s worked so hard for their one and only shot of racing in the Indy 500, especially now that the track’s starting to dry and it’s starting to clear up, and we kind of took into account at that point, yes, he’s gonna miss the start of the 600, but we still had the plan to get him here and get him in the car and finish the race, and that’s what bit us.”

Kyle Larson and his entire fan base will be hoping for clear skies and smooth racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend. A slight hiccup or a delay could foil the entire double-duty plan, and it will be a bitter blow for the HMS driver, who is trying to recover from last year’s disappointment. It’s not just NASCAR, it seems IndyCar has also deployed a certain set of rules that will keep its competition fair and intact in case Larson opts for a replacement driver.

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IndyCar might prevent Larson from completing the Double

Veteran driver Tony Kanaan is named as the substitute driver for the No. 17 Arrow McLaren team if Larson is forced to fly back to Charlotte in time. It sounds simple, right? If Larson feels he won’t complete the race, he can hand the reins of the car and go about his business. But in reality, things are far more complex than they look. The rules by IndyCar state that a driver who starts the race has to finish it, so Kanaan won’t be able to hop in and replace Larson; rather, they will have to retire the car.

“The biggest question I had for Jeff and Mr Hendrick is if I’m starting this thing? Am I parking? Or am I going to go for it, knowing what I want to do. Jeff says you’re going to try to win this thing. But if it delays, I mean if he starts the race, and it gets delayed, by the rules, I cannot jump in the car. If he starts the race and then it rains or gets out, and he needs to get out. The car is parked,” Kanaan said this on the Dale Jr. Download.

So, a slight weather delay or streak of caution at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can foil Larson’s hopes of completing the Double. And given the clear message from the Hendrick Motorsports camp, their star driver is likely to ditch the Indy 500 race over the Coca-Cola 600.