IMS’ Millionaire President Declares Hendrick Motorsports’ “Mount Everest of Motorsports”

2023 has been a banner year for Hendrick Motorsports’ ace, Kyle Larson. Not only has he secured his playoff berth with two regular-season wins, but the grapevine is abuzz with news of his anticipated appearance at the Indy 500 in 2024.

Following in Kurt Busch’s footsteps, Larson is now in the limelight, preparing to bite the bullet and tackle the herculean feat of racing both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Lending his voice to the conversation, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway recently weighed in, sharing his perspective on this audacious endeavor and Larson’s role in it.

“There’s a real chance this happens,” the IMS president says, being optimistic about Kyle Larson

The Double Duty challenge isn’t for the faint-hearted. Drivers must traverse over 1,000 miles, spend most of the day behind the wheel, and push through with barely a wink of sleep. It’s akin to the grueling world of endurance racing, but with a twist: no relief driver to share the burden. The Herculean task demands navigating both the exposed IndyCars and the sheltered stock cars.

John Andretti blazed the trail in 1994, becoming the pioneer of this quest. Fast forward to 2001, and Tony Stewart stands tall, being the sole driver to date to run the full 1,100-mile gauntlet in a single day. History has seen five daring souls—Mario, Robby Gordon (five times), Stewart (twice), Davy Jones, and Kurt Busch—take the plunge. Stewart’s 2001 attempt remains the gold standard, securing impressive third- and sixth-place finishes at Charlotte and Indianapolis, respectively.

In 2014, Kurt Busch made waves with a stellar sixth place in Indianapolis. Yet his Coca-Cola 600 journey hit a snag, ending prematurely due to engine troubles after 906 miles.

Enter Kyle Larson, the latest to don the double-duty mantle. Hendrick Motorsports unveiled Larson’s sleek designs for the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, a joint venture with Arrow McLaren, and the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for 2024’s Coca-Cola 600 in the NASCAR Cup Series. HMS has long been a juggernaut in NASCAR, casting a colossal shadow in its arena.

Echoing the excitement, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway president likened the union of Hendrick Motorsports to the double-duty challenge of scaling Mount Everest. As Doug Boles eloquently stated, “It is the greatest day of Motorsports; we were talking earlier if you think about this—this is the Mount Everest of Motorsports, right? Five of the drivers have tried this out, and with Kyle’s resources being with Aaron McLaren and then, you know, with Hendrick’s resources, all of that coming together, there’s a real chance this happens. What a greater day than to have you know say Kyle Larson win the Indy 500.”

Beyond the president’s enthusiasm, a former NASCAR driver opined that this move could be a gold mine for Hendrick Motorsports. Not that their coffers aren’t already overflowing, which is the primary push behind Kyle Larson trying his hands on ‘double duty,’ but there’s always room for more glory and gold.

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Kenny Wallace, a voice from the racing inner circle, shared a compelling insight. He believes that the support for the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 stems from HMS’s deep pockets. In Wallace’s words, “Kyle Larson next year is going to do the double. He is going to run the Indianapolis 500 with Mclaren, and their colors are orange. A lot of people say Larson does not have a sponsor, he really does! HendrickCars.com, even though that’s his owner, it does count; Rick Hendrick is printing money.”

Wallace adds clarity, noting, “Rick Hendrick is going to sponsor that Indy Car.”

Furthermore, Kyle Larson is buzzing with anticipation for this grand affair and is already setting the stage for the Indianapolis 500. His recent visit to Arrow McLaren for seating tweaks attests to this. While Stewart currently holds the dual-game crown, all eyes are on Larson to see if he can outshine the iconic Tony Stewart come 2024.

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