In the 109-year history of the Indianapolis 500, only a few drivers have tried “The Double” – racing in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. From John Andretti starting the tradition in 1994 to Tony Stewart being the only driver to complete 1100 miles in 2001, these attempts have excited racing fans for years. Now, Kyle Larson, the versatile 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, has shared that his second try at this tough challenge will likely be his last, at least for now–unless he wins, which would give him the perfect ending to this chapter.

The 32-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver is at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week testing before next month’s race, getting ready for what he sees as the end of his IndyCar journey. While Larson has shown great skill in many types of racing, his recent comments during testing hint that he’s changing his racing goals.

Larson is committed to the Cup Series for now

When asked about racing in the Indy 500 again, Larson was honest about his unsure plans. “I don’t know. I haven’t really had like a sit-down discussion with anybody about that,” Kyle Larson said after testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 23. “So I don’t know. I can’t really fully answer that.” Despite this uncertainty, the California-born driver made his current thinking clear. “In my head, yeah, I’m going into this thinking it’s at least for the time being in the near future, the final Indy 500,” Larson confirmed. This is a big change for a driver known for racing everything from dirt tracks to NASCAR’s top level and now open-wheel cars.

Larson’s first Indy 500 last year showed his natural talent, earning him Rookie of the Year after starting fifth and finishing 18th after a speeding penalty put him in a tough spot. The race left a strong impression on him. “It’s such a cool event,” Larson said. “I think once you run it enough, I think, and you don’t, you’d probably have a lot of FOMO and want to come back.” This shows how strongly the historic race pulls at drivers who have experienced it.

While this year’s Indy 500 seems to be a temporary goodbye for Larson, he hasn’t ruled out a comeback under different circumstances. “I mentioned on Dale Junior’s download thing that, you know, maybe someday, when I’m not full-time Cup, and I can really devote all my mind to Indy, I’d like to do it again,” Larson explained. But then he added the dream scenario: “If I happen to win the Indy 500, I probably just ride off into the sunset, too.“

Balancing the Cup Series schedule with IndyCar is no easy feat, and Larson almost risked his playoff spot in the 2024 Cup Series while trying to do so! While his Indy 500 run was a dream come true, rain marred the race and caused it to start hours late. Larson chose to stay in Indianapolis as the Coca-Cola 600 was green-flagged. By the time the HMS driver made it to Charlotte, rain destroyed his hopes once again as it poured down on the tracks, depriving him of running a single lap. A playoff waiver saved him in 2024, but that would not be the case in 2025.

In what Kevin Harvick dubbed the ‘Kyle Larson rule,’ NASCAR drivers will be stripped of all their playoff points accrued during the regular season if they miss a race. The rule specifically states reasons such as committing to other series like IndyCar, which was seen as a clear attempt at stopping drivers such as Larson from getting away with missing a race. So, it’s no surprise that this year might be his last, and his priority is undoubtedly making it to Charlotte on time, as he remains determined to bring Hendrick Motorsports back to the pinnacle of NASCAR following three years of Team Penske dominance.

Trending

1

Fueled by Immeasurable Loss, Kyle Busch and Samantha’s Over $2 Million Donation Slowly Building the USA

2

Ex-NASCAR Champion & Motorsports Hall of Famer’s Death Leaves Racing World Mourning

3

Michael Waltrip Reignites His NASCAR Legacy Returning to Talladega in a Special Way

4

Richard Childress Racing Caught Again by NASCAR as Jesse Love Fails to Get Rid of His Stereotype

5

The Voice of NASCAR Reveals Michael Jordan’s Insane Reaction After Being Forced Out of the Booth

IndyCar to Supercars?

The Indianapolis 500 has always attracted NASCAR’s most daring drivers. Racers like Kurt Busch, who finished sixth in his only Indy 500 start in 2014, have proven that success in both types of racing is possible but very hard. Larson understands how difficult it is to balance two completely different types of racing at once, especially given how different stock cars and IndyCars are. And in 2025, IndyCar’s new hybrid power unit has been an interesting challenge for Larson.

“It feels a little different, handling-wise wise because of the Hybrid and the weight of that,” Larson noted about his testing this year. “It was good to work on that today.” These adjustments show why Larson thinks focusing only on IndyCar in the future might lead to better results. His honest comment about feeling “a little rusty on things – hitting buttons and getting the dash set up” shows how complex it is to switch between racing styles. However, the versatile racer isn’t just thinking about his IndyCar future.

Larson has recently expressed interest in adding yet another motorsport discipline to his impressive resume. According to ESPN and Road & Track reporter Marshall Pruett, Kyle Larson has the Repco Supercars Championship on his racing bucket list, specifically mentioning a desire to compete at the Adelaide event. “Kyle Larson’s racing bucket list: ‘I’d like to race a @supercars at Adelaide.’ I love it,” Pruett shared on social media.

The timing could work perfectly for the Hendrick Motorsports star, as Adelaide will host the Supercars season finale from November 26-30, well into NASCAR’s off-season. This would give Larson enough preparation time to adapt to yet another racing format. With experience already spanning NASCAR stock cars, IndyCars, sprint cars, and midgets, adding the Australian touring car championship to his repertoire would further cement Larson’s reputation as one of motorsport’s most adaptable and ambitious talents.