When the 33 vehicles roll off the road for the beginning of the 109th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, Kyle Larson will start a journey that he hopes will cowl 1100 miles, contain a pair of checkered flags, and place him in rarified air in motorsport historical past.
For the second consecutive season, Larson is making an attempt “The Double,” which means he’ll first race within the Indianapolis 500, then make the journey to Charlotte to run within the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600. As with final 12 months, Larson is driving for Arrow McLaren, alongside their full-time trio of Pato O’Ward, Christian Lundgaard, and Nolan Siegel.
Forward of his try, let’s dive into the historical past of “The Double,” what occurred final season, simply what the schedule is perhaps for Larson, and what may throw a wrench into his plans of constructing motorsport historical past.
What’s “The Double?”
Let’s begin with a primary query: What, precisely, is “The Double?”
The Double is, as outlined above, a driver making an attempt to race in two of essentially the most prestigious races in all of motorsport on the identical day: First, the Indianapolis 500 after which later NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600, held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Indianapolis 500 is without doubt one of the three races — together with the Method 1 Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans — that make up the “Triple Crown of Motorsport.”
The Coca-Cola 600 (previously the World 600) is the longest race on the NASCAR schedule and is taken into account one of many largest races of the season, together with the Daytona 500.
The Double is a bodily and psychological problem, requiring drivers not simply to deal with 1100 miles at two totally different race tracks, but in addition to grasp two totally different race vehicles: The IndyCar single-seater and the NASCAR inventory automobile.
Has anybody ever accomplished “The Double?”
14 drivers have tried The Double in motorsport historical past, with Larson’s try final season the newest.
Nevertheless, solely a handful of drivers have made the try when each occasions had been on the identical day and just one driver, Tony Stewart, has managed to finish each lap.
Junior Johnson was the primary to strive The Double, again throughout the 1963 season. Nevertheless, whereas the NASCAR Cup champion accomplished the World 600 that 12 months, he didn’t qualify for the Indianapolis 500.
That 12 months the 2 races additionally fell on totally different days, and whereas different drivers tried The Double in subsequent years, the races had been both on totally different days or scheduling points when the NASCAR race was moved to the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend together with the Indianapolis 500 prevented any makes an attempt.
That modified when lights had been put in at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1992, permitting for night time racing. The 1993 Coca-Cola 600 was moved to a 4:30 p.m. begin (Jap time), and the 1994 race was pushed again much more, opening up a journey window.
That allowed for the primary true try at The Double the next season.
The primary driver to aim a “same-day” double was John Andretti, again in 1994. He certified for each occasions and completed the Indianapolis 500 tenth earlier than flying to Charlotte. He missed the drivers’ assembly and began on the again, and dropped out on Lap 220 with engine failure.
In 1995 Davy Jones tried The Double, however he didn’t qualify for the Coca-Cola 600.
Robby Gordon was up subsequent, in 1997. He certified for each races, however the Indianapolis 500 was rained out that Sunday, so he went to Charlotte the place he completed forty first within the Coca-Cola 600. A crash noticed him end forty first, and he went again to Indianapolis for the five hundred. That was began on Monday and ultimately completed on Tuesday because of extra rain within the space, and Gordon ultimately dropped out because of a fireplace, ending twenty ninth.
Tony Stewart’s first try at The Double got here in 1999, the place he certified twenty fourth for the Indianapolis 500. He completed ninth in that race, finishing 490 of the five hundred miles. He then flew to Charlotte the place he completed fourth within the Coca-Cola 600.
Nevertheless, Stewart made historical past in 2001, turning into the primary driver to finish all 1,100 miles of each races on the identical day. He completed sixth within the 2001 Indianapolis 500 and on the lead lap. He made it to Charlotte for the beginning of the Coca-Cola 600, and whereas he began behind the sector for lacking the drivers’ assembly — and spun on Lap 2 — he completed third, and on the lead lap.
He stays the one driver to have accomplished all 1,100 miles of each races on the identical day.
Gordon in addition to Kyle Busch have tried The Double within the years since then, however neither driver was capable of full all 1,100 miles.
What occurred within the first “Hendrick 1100?”
Final 12 months was Larson’s first try at The Double, which has been dubbed the “Hendrick 1100” by Hendrick Motorsports. He certified fifth for final 12 months’s Indianapolis 500, however heavy rain in Indianapolis on race day delayed the beginning of the five hundred by 4 hours. He determined to remain and drive the total Indianapolis 500, the place he completed in 18th due partly to a pit highway pace restrict penalty, that took him out of rivalry.
In the meantime in Charlotte Justin Allgaier was on the prepared as a reduction driver, and he ended up driving the primary 249 laps of the Coca-Cola 600. Larson arrived in Charlotte as a climate delay hit, halting the race.
The race was ultimately known as by NASCAR officers as a result of lengthy delay and problem drying the monitor.
Larson is now again for his second crack at The Double, and he’ll begin twenty first in Indianapolis.
Throughout Thursday’s media day Larson admitted the buildup has drained him a bit, however he might be able to go.
“Exterior the automobile, it’s been crazier this 12 months logistics-wise. Going to New York and having a full day of media there after which flying again right here. Going to the Fever sport was enjoyable,” mentioned Larson to the media, together with SB Nation. “Then yesterday had much more type of media stuff to do, after which you’ve got media day right now. It’s like three days of — don’t take this the incorrect manner — however answering the identical questions. It type of drains you a bit of bit.
“I might be completely satisfied when right now is completed.”
He additionally admitted that with this being his second try, there was much less consideration, and he’s been capable of fly “below the radar” extra.
“Yeah, I really like that loads. I really feel like I get quite a lot of consideration in every part that I do and race, and I don’t actually like that as a result of I really feel prefer it takes away from the highlight of others. This 12 months has been higher as a result of I really feel like I’ve type of flown below the radar a bit of bit extra. Probably not below the radar, nonetheless clearly an essential factor, and I’ve nonetheless gotten quite a lot of protection,” added Larson in a Friday press convention. “However final 12 months I felt, like, loopy.
“It’s been good. It’s been extra regular, and I prefer it that manner.”
Why Larson is perhaps pressured to depart the Indy 500
There’s an added wrinkle to this 12 months’s try at The Double.
NASCAR modified the foundations concerning “playoff waivers,” which might enable a driver who missed a race a waiver into the playoffs, offered they certified. Waivers will nonetheless be obtainable for drivers who missed a race to get into the playoffs, nonetheless, they are going to be required to forfeit any playoff factors amassed earlier than that time within the season, and they won’t purchase any future playoff factors.
This rule change signifies that the Coca-Cola 600 might be Larson’s precedence, and if climate causes a delay in Indianapolis, he’ll have to move to Charlotte.
In that situation, Arrow McLaren has a Plan B, and an incredible one at that.
They’ll name on a former winner of the Indianapolis 500 to take his place.
That may be none apart from Tony Kanaan, Arrow McLaren’s Crew Principal and the winner of the 2013 Indianapolis 500. Kanaan completed a veteran’s refresher check earlier this month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and is able to go if the crew wants him.
