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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

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  Debate

Debate

Should Rick Hendrick let Kyle Larson chase his Indy 500 dream, or stick to NASCAR only?

How about we come back next May and try to kiss these bricks in an IndyCar?” said an elated Kyle Larson after winning the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was all smiles on a racetrack that had left him heartbroken just a few months ago after his Indy 500-Coke 600 double attempt was thwarted due to bad weather conditions. The possibility that he would return to complete the double, a feat achieved only by Tony Stewart in the past, has sent fans into a frenzy.

The ball is now firmly in Rick Hendrick’s court. When asked if he had signed off on another ‘double’ attempt in 2025, the Hendrick Motorsports owner smiled and replied, “Not yet”.

Kyle Larson isn’t giving up on his ‘double’ dream

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Driving for Arrow McLaren in the Indy 500, Kyle Larson finished 18th in his first ‘double’ attempt in May earlier this year. However, the weather played havoc on his plans, as it delayed the start of the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway by 4 hours. Despite leading four laps at one point, Larson received a speeding penalty on the pit road, which affected his final track position during the race. He rushed to Charlotte afterward, where the Coca-Cola 600 was already underway, with Justin Allgaier driving Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro. However, rain halted the Cup Series race as well, and Larson didn’t get to race a single lap.

Speaking after his Brickyard 400 victory, Kyle Larson was asked if he was expecting any hurdles in attempting ‘the double’ in 2025. The Hendrick Motorsports driver replied, “We have definitely been talking about it and I think weighing what’s important to everybody. It sounds good, I’ll say so far. Things could change. We’ll see. I would obviously love to do it. I think everybody knows I would love to do it because, in my mind, I did not get to do it this year. I didn’t get to, at least do ‘the double’. I hope that the pieces can fall into place and we can hopefully put things together and announce something.”

 

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The 31-year-old went on to say, “I’ve won on the dirt track at the BC39, got to kiss the bricks there, and now today, the 400. I guess there’s one more to check off, and that would be the Indy 500 which would be pretty special.” Despite Rick Hendrick not committing to the double yet, Kyle Larson’s original deal with Hendrick and Arrow McLaren was a two-year agreement. This means that once finalized, Larson could realistically attempt the double once again, hoping to race 1100 miles in a single day, under better circumstances.

With four wins already this season, Kyle Larson currently has 28 playoff points, four more than Christopher Bell and seven more than Denny Hamlin. Perhaps winning another Cup championship might do the trick to convince Rick Hendrick to sign off on another double attempt. Considering that the Hendrick Motorsports driver has reclaimed the top spot in the driver standings with just four races to go before playoffs begin, that isn’t a far-fetched possibility by any means.

Did Kyle Larson redeem himself after winning the Brickyard 400?

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The Brickyard 400 may have finished controversially, but Kyle Larson will take the victory with his both hands. Securing his fourth win of the season, and Rick Hendrick’s 11th at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the achievement will be right up there with one of Larson’s favorites. Moreover, the race was held 30 years after Jeff Gordon made history for Hendrick Motorsports by winning the inaugural race at the 2.5-mile oval.

His last visit to Indianapolis Motor Speedway was hampered by a speeding penalty and poor weather conditions. To redeem himself, Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet featured the same orange-white-blue paint scheme that his Indy 500 car sported, and victory at Brickyard 400 felt like the 31-year-old had finally come a full circle after suffering a heartbreak less than two months ago.

Speaking after the race, Kyle Larson’s crew chief Cliff Daniels said, “The paint scheme was almost the car that Kyle Larson never raced. So to be able to have that paint scheme and to race it, and then to bring home a win at the Brickyard makes it that much more special. I know that we have a very passionate team about big race events like this, and knowing that it’s a crown-jewel race and you’re back at the oval and we have Kyle Larson behind the wheel, it just makes it that much more special.”

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With Hendrick Motorsports turning 40 this year, Kyle Larson has given Rick Hendrick a very special gift indeed. The result also propelled him to the top of the driver standings, having secured 49 points with the victory. As things stand, Larson has reclaimed the top spot, and is currently 10 points ahead of teammate Chase Elliott, with just four races of the regular season remaining.

Do you think Kyle Larson will participate in the double in 2025? Let us know in the comments!

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