In motorsports, there are few challenges as daunting as “The Double”—1,100” miles of racing across two iconic events in a single day. Kyle Larson’s 2024 attempt to join this exclusive club was derailed not by mechanical failure or driver error, but by Mother Nature herself. After a strong showing in his Indianapolis 500 debut, Larson never even got the chance to climb into his NASCAR Cup Series car at Charlotte as rain plagued both venues. With the playoff waiver drama that lasted a whole week or so, there was no clarity on whether or not he would have a second bite at the cherry. But Larson couldn’t hide his emotions after winning the Brickyard 400 last year: “I know you guys love me, too. How about we come back next May and try to kiss these bricks in an INDYCAR?”

Even team owner Rick Hendrick couldn’t turn down the request; after all, he made amends with a win. The stage was set: Hendrick Motorsports announced Larson’s second attempt at the historic “Double,” with the condition of prioritizing the Coca-Cola 600 race. Now, preparing for the Indy 500 race in itself is a huge deal, and Larson, along with the rest of the competitors, lined up for the testing laps. For a driver who is used to stock cars, getting friendly with the system on the open-wheel IndyCar is a bit of a challenge. But, for some reason, the HMS Star couldn’t get going as the testing laps were put on hold by the officials.

As it turns out, the WiFi issues at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway stalled the action on the racetrack. Teams and drivers had issues with communication, and even the caution lights were not running in sync. The testing was scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ET, but no cars were up to speed on the track past noon. With rookies, veterans, and refreshers lined up to test on the single day, it made things tricky for Larson to get his first dose of open-wheel experience. After a three-hour delay, everything worked out, and the track officials extended the testing period until 7 pm.

IndyCar also issued an official statement over the blackout and technical glitch: “This morning, IndyCar identified a connectivity issue with the series’ upgraded software, which temporarily limited the series’ timing and scoring and communications capabilities.” Well, the NASCAR fans who were glued to their screens to catch a glimpse of their star driver were not impressed, and they took to social media to share their two cents over the delay.

NASCAR fans raise questions over IndyCar’s new system

“People wonder why IndyCar struggles against Nascar and F1. This is the kind of Mickey Mouse sh– that makes it look like a minor league series. It’s like they can’t get out of their own way,” a fan ranted. Ideally, the software and the key functions, like scoring charts and communications lines, need to be tested in advance of a major event. Now the Indy 500 testing session is a big deal, and fans were fed up with the delay. “Perhaps testing systems the day before could have prevented this…. 🤔,” stated another fan.

“How do we blame this on FOX? 🧐” Well, the media partner does get the bitter end of the stick, especially from the NASCAR fans. However, on this occasion, they had no involvement or say over the streaming of the test session. It was being broadcast on YouTube. Clearly, the timing and the scoring data are within the control of the IndyCar officials. What if the blunders that happen on race day are not entirely under the control of FOX? Well, this was one of the few instances where FOX had some backing, and at least today, they were not to blame.

Some fans were glad that the miscommunication didn’t lead to a major accident. Caution lights flashing green and yellow on the same track isn’t the ideal condition, even for test lap runs. If anything, a delay prevented any potential mishap or a crash that could’ve happened with systems going down mid-session, when there were cars on the racetrack. “Definitely not something you want to get mixed messages on at 220+.”

Meanwhile, another fan added that this is what the testing session is for. Imagine the wifi systems and communications going dark during the Indy 500 race. Now that would be a huge embarrassment for the series, and not to forget the broadcasters, FOX. Clearly, they do not have all the control when it comes to technical infrastructure. “This is testing, it’s when they do…testing. That includes a whole heap of stuff beyond just the cars.”

With another day of testing left, Kyle Larson will look to get up to speed with the Arrow-McLaren team before the mega event that is scheduled exactly one month later.