Kyle Larson’s decision to opt for the Indianapolis 500 over the Coca-Cola 600 has not fared well. Larson, driving the Arrow McLaren No. 17 car, has received a speeding penalty while making a pit stop, thus virtually ending his chances to win the historic race.
On the other hand, given that he missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600 race, Rick Hendrick and his team are expected to ask for a waiver for Larson. So that he is eligible to be part of the playoffs. However, till now, there hasn’t been any official word by NASCAR on the waiver.
The speeding penalty proved costly for Larson, as he finished 18th
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Kyle Larson came down the pit road on Lap 132 for a green flag stop and locked up his tires. He even tried to control the speed of his race car to evade any potential penalties, but the damage was already done. He was soon asked to come down the pit road again to serve the drive-through penalty.
At the time, he was racing inside the top six places, but the penalty saw him fall to the tail end of the field. This eventually ended his chances to script history to become the first rookie driver to win the Indianapolis 500 race. The only silver lining from today’s run was that he managed to lead 4 Laps during the race.
Speaking of results, it was Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden who emerged victorious, becoming only the sixth driver in the Indy Car series to have back-to-back Indy 500 wins. He had to battle it out hard against the Arrow McLaren driver, Pato O’Ward. Both the drivers did trade the leads in the closing laps of the race, but Newgarden came out on top in the end. This was also Roger Penske’s 20th Indy 500 win.
BACK-TO-BACK like Helio in '01-'02!@josefnewgarden wins the 108th Running of the #Indy500!#INDYCAR // @Team_Penske pic.twitter.com/XNhHGn0uUm
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 26, 2024
For all the hype surrounding Kyle Larson’s attempt at the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing’, NASCAR fans wanted to see a better outcome. Especially after he decided to snub the Cup Series event at Charlotte. Unimpressed by his run at the Indy 500, many took to social media platforms to express their unapologetic views and reactions aimed at the HMS star.
Fans react to Larson’s failed Indy 500 attempt
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Kyle Larson fans certainly weren’t pleased to see his gamble go off the track and were quick to bash the driver on social media. Taking a jibe at the HMS star, a user wrote, “Sure hope that middle finger to his NASCAR fan base was worth it.”
PENALTY: Kyle Larson, speeding on pit road. His chances of winning the Indy 500 are over.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) May 26, 2024
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Given that Larson was touted to be a serious contender to win the 600-mile race, some fans were also disappointed to see him prioritize the Indy 500 for a mediocre result. “Might as well fly to Charlotte to choke again”.
Some even trolled those fans who wanted Larson to get a waiver. “Lmao “GIVE HIM A WAIVER HES GONNa WIN”.
Given that a lot of resources, planning, and big decisions went into making his Indy 500 run possible, the bitter end wasn’t something fans were ready to accept. “And just like that the whole d*mn thing was a waste. D*mmit all”.
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Ahead of his Indy 500 run, Larson was compared with some of the big names in the racing world. But this mistake allowed some to make a mockery of his title as one of the best drivers in the world. “best driver in the world” speeds on pit road 😭”.
The month of May certainly started on a good note for Larson, but it certainly didn’t end well for him. Unable to make the most of the Indy 500 opportunity, and missing out on the points race at Charlotte, this wasn’t the double result he was hoping for.