Kyle Larson Returns to Indy 500 After NASCAR All-Star Race
INDIANAPOLIS – Around noon on Monday, Kyle Larson arrived at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ready for the full-field practice session ahead of the Indianapolis 500. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion had just flown in from the NASCAR All-Star Race held Sunday night at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina, eager to resume his pursuit of a second consecutive Indy 500 appearance.
Larson noted the ease of his weekend compared to what it could have been had he advanced to the Fast 12 and then to the Fast 6 during Indy 500 qualifying. That process wrapped up late Sunday, which would have made his travel schedule tight. Still, he said he would have preferred the busier day.
“I like hectic,” Larson said while walking down pit lane. “I race all the time, so I’m used to it.”
Because his Indy 500 schedule conflicted with the All-Star qualifying races, Larson had to start last in that event. Despite that, he worked his way up to third after a two-tire pit stop on Lap 178. However, while pushing hard near the end, he got loose and hit the wall on Lap 214, ending his night in 21st place, three laps down.
“It was a really fun race,” Larson said. “Definitely the best short track we’ve got in NASCAR—lots of grip and multiple racing lines. I was ripping the top and just got loose into the wall.”
By Monday, it was back to IndyCar business. Larson, driving for Arrow McLaren, had qualified 21st on Saturday but was bumped up two spots after penalties were issued to Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Will Power for unauthorized modifications to their cars. As a result, they were moved to the back of the grid, promoting everyone behind them.
Larson wasn’t too concerned with the penalties. “I really don’t have an opinion,” he said. “Even in NASCAR, stuff like that happens. It doesn’t affect our team, so I don’t pay much attention.”
Asked if Newgarden would still be a factor in the race, Larson chuckled. “Did you guys see Josef out there today? He’ll be just fine,” he said, noting Newgarden’s 225.597 mph lap—the eighth-fastest of the day.
Alex Palou led the session at 226.764 mph, followed by Helio Castroneves, Takuma Sato, Jack Harvey, and Ryan Hunter-Reay. Larson’s best lap ranked 11th at 225.056 mph. In total, all 33 drivers completed 2,067 laps during the two-hour session.
“I thought the car felt decent,” Larson said. “Everyone looks pretty equal out there. I tried to get a bit racy to learn for the race. It’s different in practice though—more movement in the pack, which helps passing. The actual race makes that tougher.”
Larson, who started near the front last year, now faces the challenge of navigating traffic from mid-pack. But as the NASCAR Cup Series points leader, he’s not one to shy away from a challenge.
