Kyle Larson has decisively ruled out attempting the demanding Indy-Charlotte Double for a third time. Speaking to the media before the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, Larson expressed his reluctance to take on the challenge again, citing the logistical difficulties and his recent setbacks as key reasons.
Why Kyle Larson is stepping away from the Indy-Charlotte Double
Larson admitted feeling some disappointment at missing out on the Indy 500, but he made clear that he has no intention of running the Double again after his experiences in the last two years. His most recent attempt at the Double involved the iconic Indianapolis 500 followed by the grueling Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, but both efforts in 2023 and 2024 were marred by issues beyond his control and personal mistakes.
The 2024 Indianapolis 500 was delayed by nearly an hour due to rain, pushing the start time from 12:45 p.m. ET to 1:35 p.m. ET. Even before the green flag, Scott McLaughlin crashed during the pace laps, eliminating him early. On the very first lap, Marco Andretti suffered a wreck, further complicating the race. Rain began again around Lap 20, causing caution periods, and Larson eventually crashed on Lap 91, ending his run and placing him 27th.
Risks to championship contention and race timing pressures
Beyond the race incidents, the Double’s biggest challenge remains the scheduling. Had Larson not crashed at Indy, his team owner Rick Hendrick would have been forced to remove him from his car early to get him to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 start. Missing the Charlotte race’s start would have meant forfeiting all his playoff points for the season, devastating his hopes for the NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Setbacks during the Coca-Cola 600 and logistical challenges
Starting second at Charlotte, Larson initially showed promise, even leading the race on Lap 42. However, he spun on his own, which undermined his chances. Later, during the caution on Lap 245, Larson’s race effectively ended. This marked the final year of the two-year partnership between Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren, adding further complexity to Larson’s situation.
The Double is just a tough undertaking,
Larson said. 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 anyways. —Kyle Larson
So, I don’t really think it’s worth it. But I would love to run the Indy 500 again. Just doing the Double I think is just logistically too tough.
—Kyle Larson
The future outlook for Larson and the Double challenge
Larson’s decision to move away from trying the Indy-Charlotte Double brings an end to a particularly intense and stressful chapter of his career. While he remains open to competing in the Indianapolis 500 again in the future, the difficulties involved in managing back-to-back endurance races across two venues in one day have proven to be overwhelming. With this strategic withdrawal, Larson can now focus fully on his Cup Series season, protecting his chances for a championship without risking the costly penalties that come with missing a race start.