Kyle Larson’s pursuit of completing the grueling “Double” in auto racing came to a disappointing end on Sunday. He crashed out on lap 91 of the Indianapolis 500 and later faced further misfortune at the Coca-Cola 600, where he also failed to finish, ending in 37th place after completing 245 of the 400 laps.
In his second attempt at the challenging double-header, Larson finished 27th in the IndyCar race. Following the NASCAR event, he expressed uncertainty about attempting the double again. Last year, he didn’t have the opportunity to try as rain cut the Coca-Cola 600 short before he could even take a lap.
“It’s fresh right now, so I can’t give a definitive answer,” Larson said after the races. “The Double is a tough challenge. The timing is too tight, and even without the crash at Indy, I likely wouldn’t have made it here on time. It might not be worth it.”
Larson, who drove for Arrow McLaren in IndyCar, emphasized his desire to compete in the Indy 500 again, but acknowledged the logistical difficulties of the double endeavor.
His crash at Indianapolis occurred as he entered Turn 2 following a restart. Larson lost control while downshifting, resulting in a spin and collision with Sting Ray Robb’s car. Despite the crash, he managed to exit his vehicle independently. Earlier, Larson’s race had been hindered when his car stalled during a pit stop, costing him valuable time.
“I got loose and lost control,” Larson explained during the Fox broadcast. “I got a bit overzealous on the restart and caused that crash. I’m disappointed for everyone involved. I’ll try to move on quickly and focus on Charlotte.”
After the Indy 500, Larson traveled by helicopter to Charlotte to participate in the NASCAR race. He started in the second position and briefly led for 34 laps but struggled with his car and hit the wall hard on lap 42, necessitating a lengthy pit stop for repairs. Unfortunately, he was later caught in a multi-car incident that ended his race prematurely.
Larson is one of only five drivers to compete in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, joining the ranks of John Andretti, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, and Kurt Busch. Only Stewart has completed both races, finishing sixth at Indianapolis and third at Charlotte in 2001.
