Larson’s historic “double-duty” day in potential weather trouble 

Kyle’s Larson’s attempt at the historic Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 double could be in jeopardy owing to Indiana’s forecasted Sunday rain, with the 2021 NASCAR champion poised for a second row start.

It was a remarkable feat that Larson made the Firestone Fast-Six in one the world’s toughest qualifying formats, finishing behind Penske’s “Thirsty Three” and Alexander Rossi, by posting a four-lap speed average of 232.856 mph.

But with inclement weather on the radar for Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his double-duty attempt may yet hit a wall on what is arguably America’s biggest day of motorsport in its calendar year.

The Arrow McLaren ring-in and current NASCAR points leader will not only be be attempting the three hour Indy 500, but will also be hoping aboard a plane to cross to another state entirely and attempt to take out the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway a little over two hours later, making it roughly 1,770 km’s of racing, and 643 km by aeroplane in the one day.

Aside from the absurd complications and logistics of completing both of these races, the weather is another spanner in the works.

If the Indy 500 is delayed (12:45pm local start time), which it looks likely it could be, Larson would be unlikely to compete in the 500 unless it was rescheduled to Monday, while the race will be deemed official after 101 laps are complete.

Kyle Larson has his eyes on history. Photo by LAT Images

He essentially has to be out of the open wheeler by 4:15pm US time, which would be the cut-off for him to make it to Charlotte for the 600’s 6pm starting time.

If the Coca Cola 600 is then also delayed called off for weather, with there also being a 50% chance of rain in Charlotte, then on Monday he’d attempt to do the whole thing again

If Larson can start the Indy 500 on Sunday, he will become just the fifth driver in history to achieve the double.

Only four other drivers have completed what in American motorsports is known as doing the “Double-Duty” on Memorial Day, with Kurt Busch the last to have done so in 2014.

Kurt Busch was the last to do the double back in 2014. Image: Phillip Abbott

The only others John Andretti (1994), Robby Gordon (1997, 2000, 2002-2004), Tony Stewart (1999-2001), and the aforementioned Busch.

Of those drivers, Stewart is the only one to have actually finished on the lead lap in both races (2001), and in his two attempts finished 9th and 10th (1999), and 6th and 3rd (2001).

Though Larson has had a stellar lead-in with the engines regularly tuned up in intervals over practice and qualifying, it will be race day itself (should he make the start time) that will pose his biggest and yet unseen challenges.

Kyle Larson celebrates a famous win in Kansas. Image: Supplied

Fighting for track position on pit entries and re-entries is a massive factor in the conga line of cars, and he’s not yet experienced being in a flood of Indy cars from a potential back-of-a-pack position.

Passing is notoriously hard in dirty air and thick traffic, and with the “Thirsty Three” in a good position to control the race from the outset and draft together, Larson will be quickly fighting in the dirty air, and only has the comfort of fellow teammate and fellow second row started Alexander Rossi around him to begin with.

He has thus far done little pack running through the practice sessions, which could prove a questionable ploy from Arrows McLaren in the lead-in.

But Larson is true oval racing superstar, having won 25 career NASCAR wins to date, as well as having taken out some of the biggest events in Sprintcars (not to mention having an outright victory at the Daytona 24 to his name).

Photo by Michael L. Levitt / LAT Images

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