“Right now, I don’t really think about the legacy side of it. I just love to race, and I want to do both races.” Kyle Larson said these words recently, reflecting on his drive to attempt the historic ‘Double’. The Hendrick Motorsports ‘golden boy’ received a shower of praises from Chad Knaus, the team’s top executive, after winning the Kansas Cup Series race. Knaus also emphasized his ‘love for racing’ as the primary driving factor. However, fans want to see results outside of NASCAR, which do not look pretty at the moment.
For the second time in a row, Kyle Larson will attempt the ‘Double.’ On May 25th, he will compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, hoping to fetch good finishes in both prestigious races. But the first prestigious race is already showing a grim picture in a preliminary run.
Kyle Larson loses control again
Well, the motorsports cameras in both NASCAR and IndyCar are hugely focused on Kyle Larson. They are documenting his journey to the Double, but so far, they have been disappointed. During last month’s IndyCar Open Test, the HMS star was on his fourth lap when he encountered trouble. He crashed his No. 17 HendrickCars.com vehicle nose-first. It was a hard crash, but Larson was glad he got to experience it before the race. However, experiencing it again would not have been in his plans. In less than a month, Larson experienced a different kind of ‘double’ duty, as he damaged both ends of his car in yet another practice crash!
The Fast Friday practice was underway at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with high winds and unusually warm temperatures hitting the track. In the final 90 minutes, Kyle Larson crashed his No. 17 Arrow McLaren Racing Chevrolet into the Turn 3 and Turn 4 SAFER barriers. His car hit the walls of the 2.5-mile speedway twice before coming to rest.
Despite the consecutive wrecks, Larson was optimistic when he spoke to journalist Bob Pockrass, brushing off the mishap like dust. He said, “Bob, you see me crash all the time. I don’t think it usually affects me. We’ll see.” Larson further emphasized what his priorities are and mentioned that the track’s warm temperature is already falling. “I think the condition to be better tomorrow…I’m sure the track’s actually cooled down a lot now, more than what tomorrow would be.”
Kyle Larson goes around and into the wall at #Indy500 practice. pic.twitter.com/UjkHctURKk
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 16, 2025
The 2021 Cup Series champion managed to complete only three full laps at speed. With all the cars running extra horsepower on Friday, Kyle Larson did top the 230-mph mark, and his Arrow-McLaren Racing team quickly repaired the car with a new front wing and rear wing assembly. Then he went out in the closing minutes of practice just to shake it down in preparation for the weekend.
Larson reflected on his gains during practice: “But today, like, you know, when you turn the boost up for your speed lap, usually it’s like, oh my gosh, I’m flying. But that didn’t feel as crazy as the Open Test felt when I turned it up the first time. So I’m happy that the speed didn’t scare me or anything like that…As long as the car is okay, I think we’ll be fine.” Larson remains cautiously optimistic, but does the pressure of upholding his racing legacy faze him?
He told Bob Pockrass, “Say it doesn’t go good, say I DNF both races, I don’t think it hurts anything. But if you do good, it definitely helps. So that part of it’s cool. But it’s not really anything I think about right now. Maybe down the road, when you’re at the tail end of your career.” Kyle Larson is still 32 and in the prime of his career, and he doesn’t let negative results affect his confidence. A DNF would only motivate him to improve whenever he attempts this again, while a win would only add value to his already impressive accolades.
Nothing can stop Kyle Larson’s unbridled enthusiasm. The NASCAR community, on the other hand, was not so buoyant after seeing the star crash.
NASCAR fans raise their eyebrows at the champ
Last year, dark clouds huddled over Kyle Larson’s chances. The monumental logistical effort that goes into preparing for the 1100-mile feat was all for naught due to inclement weather. Larson reached Charlotte Motor Speedway during a red flag, and the Coca-Cola 600 never resumed due to rain. However, his Indy 500 situation was impressive, as despite a pit speeding penalty, Larson ended 18th.
However, in 2025, as well, his IndyCar chances seem to be fading. So, one fan dropped a jarring comment, sarcastically putting that Larson may be on time for the second event. “With how he’s driving, he’ll make it to Charlotte fairly early next Sunday.” What is more? This marked the second IndyCar wreck in less than a month after the Open Test debacle. This close pattern raised doubts in another fan, who posted a one-word comment: “Again.”
Then appeared the NASCAR-Formula One debate. Last year, Kyle Larson asserted that he was a ‘better all-around competitor’ than Max Verstappen. This sparked off a massive controversy with people taking sides behind either the 32-time Cup Series race winner or the four-time F1 champion. As Larson faces the doldrums in IndyCar, his detractors took this opportunity to reignite that old rivalry. Somebody threw a sarcastic jab: “Greatest driver on the planet”.
After winning the 2024 Knoxville Nationals, Larson stressed being more versatile than Verstappen. The F1 legend had let Larson’s comments slide, but his fans did not. One fan observed how that versatility factor is fading: “Lol. What happened to Larson being the greatest driver in the world??? Overrated.” Even a NASCAR-IndyCar rivalry sprang up in the comments. The difference between the two series mainly lies in the car make. NASCAR cars use 670 horsepower while IndyCar vehicles use up to 800 hp in 2025. So one fan said, “NASCAR drivers shouldn’t mess with indycar.”
Clearly, Kyle Larson is facing an uphill climb ahead to prove his worth. Will he be able to redeem himself after the 2024 disaster? We can only wait to find out.
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