Rick Hendrick’s NASCAR Driver Makes Feelings Clear on Kyle Larson’s Indy 500 Return With Bold Claim

Few feats in motorsports capture the imagination quite like “Double Duty.” The ambitious challenge of racing both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Born from a blend of bravado and pure racing passion, this rare achievement has been attempted by legends like Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, and John Andretti, each hoping to conquer 1,100 miles of high-speed drama in a single Sunday. However, only Tony Stewart has completed both races, doing so in 2001.

In 2024, Kyle Larson put in his bid to join the storied list of drivers. However, his day was marred by bad weather, as the start of the Indy 500 was delayed by rain. Larson opted to stay in Indianapolis and ran the race before jetting to Charlotte, where Justin Allgaier had suited up as a replacement driver. However, Charlotte was doused with rain as well, and Larson failed to record a lap.

A playoff waiver saved him in 2024, but that won’t be the case in 2025 as Larson gears up for his second attempt. The HMS #5  has also stated he will prioritize NASCAR in such a scenario. Despite the task being as daunting as it is, Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Alex Bowman, is backing him all the way.

Alex Bowman hails Larson’s greatness

On May 25, 2025, Kyle Larson will attempt the grueling Double Duty for the second time running. He will be racing in both the Indianapolis 500 in the No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and the Coca-Cola 600 in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on the same day. Ahead of the Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway this weekend, fellow HMS driver Alex Bowman was asked, “Do you think Larson, how he does [at Indianapolis], can change the way people think of NASCAR drivers in general? Maybe open wheel fans who… don’t really watch NASCAR?”

Alex Bowman didn’t mince words about his teammate’s talent while speaking to Frontstretch, saying, “I think he’s kind of overall probably one of the greatest of our generation.” Larson’s résumé backs up the claim. He’s the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion. In his Cup Series career, Larson has won 31 races and has 190 top-10s and 22 poles. Larson’s a perennial threat on every type of track. Notably, he earned the Rookie of the Year honors in his Indy 500 debut, qualifying fifth and finishing 18th despite a pit road penalty. However, not all NASCAR drivers have displayed instant IndyCar prowess like Larson has.

Alex Bowman discussed the challenge of cross-disciplinary success, noting, “Jimmie [Johnson] went over really late in his career and struggled at times. Typically, when Indy car guys are coming over here, it’s been late in their careers and they’ve struggled.” However, given that Larson is just 32 and already dipping his toes into so many forms of racing, Bowman doesn’t see any cause for concern, adding, “Obviously, Kyle’s just going to be Kyle and be phenomenal either way.“

Jimmie Johnson’s move to IndyCar after retiring from NASCAR in 2020 was a reality check for the 7-time Cup Series Champion. He struggled to keep up with the pace and found himself battling lap traffic most of the time. After the season ended in 2022, Johnson admitted, “To make the switch now from the top of NASCAR to the top of open wheel, it’s a bigger gap that I first thought.” 

On the flip side, even IndyCar drivers have struggled to make the switch late in their careers. Take Juan Pablo Montoya, for example. The Colombian star joined NASCAR after a successful open-wheel career, including wins in Formula One and two Indy 500 victories. Despite his pedigree, Montoya managed just two Cup Series wins in ten years.

Bowman concluded, “Either way, I think there’s really great drivers on both sides of it.” From Tony Stewart’s Championships in IndyCar and NASCAR to Kurt Busch’s impressive sixth-place Indy 500 debut, history shows that elite talent exists in both NASCAR and IndyCar. Larson’s bold effort is the latest chapter in that ongoing story.

However, before Larson takes the trip to Indianapolis in the coming weeks, his focus will remain on his Cup Series ambitions. And going by his qualifying run at Kansas Speedway, Kyle Larson is locked in.

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Kyle Larson clinches Kansas pole after dramatic final lap

Kyle Larson delivered a statement performance in Saturday’s Cup Series qualifying at Kansas Speedway. He seized the pole position with a blistering lap of 29.391 seconds at 183.730 mph. This marks Larson’s first pole of the 2025 season, and the 22nd of his Cup Series career. This is an impressive milestone for the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

Larson was the final car to take to the track. He narrowly edged out Chris Buescher by just 0.057 seconds to secure the top spot for Sunday’s AdventHealth 400. The result was a familiar one for the Kansas crowd. Last year, Larson famously beat Buescher to the finish line by a mere 0.001 seconds, the closest margin in NASCAR history! “Pretty ironic, I guess. You know to have us both on the front row after our close finish a year ago,” Larson said after qualifying. “It’s cool to finally get a pole here, too, at Kansas. I feel like I’ve been just short a number of times, and I hope they still give out that pedal car,” he further added.

Buescher will start alongside Kyle Larson on the front row. They will be followed by the Toyotas of Christopher Bell in third and Tyler Reddick in fourth, with defending series champion Joey Logano rounding out the top five. Most teams managed to avoid the tire issues that disrupted practice. However, Kyle Busch and Josh Berry both brushed the wall during their qualifying runs, with Busch set to start deep in the field in 35th.

With momentum on his side and a front-row start, Larson is well-positioned to chase another Kansas victory and further cement his reputation as one of the sport’s elite. He’s led the most laps at the track in the Next-Gen car at 276 and is the defending spring Kansas Champion. He also has a stunning 6 top-10 finishes in his last 7 races at the track, including wins in 2024 and his title-winning year in 2021.

A solid performance this weekend would be just the confidence booster Larson needs heading to the Double on Memorial Day weekend. Do you think Kyle Larson will become only the second ever driver to complete ‘The Double’? Let us know in the comments!