“We’re Gonna Play That Card”: Rick Hendrick Doubles Down on Kyle Larson’s Confidence to Reveal His ‘Double’ Contingency Plan

The feat of the decade is about to unfold as Kyle Larson gears up to burn his tires around 600 laps this Sunday. Being only the fifth driver to ever compete in The Double, Larson will try to break the winless streak in the last nine attempts. A tedious year of strenuous efforts went into Larson’s Indy 500 pursuits, as a lot of motorsport entities are invested in his event. But one glaring hiccup lies in the road ahead.
The weather.

Although NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, and the speedway owners are cooperating to smooth out all sorts of technical ripples, they cannot forestall Mother Nature’s whims. Yet, the HMS owner is confident to take on whatever challenge emerges.

Kyle Larson’s boss is keen on smooth sailing

Inclement weather threatens to topple Kyle Larson’s and his hardworking crew’s aspirations. Sunday’s forecast at Indianapolis is dire, as there is an 80% chance of rain. The likelihood of severe thunderstorms in the area has exacerbated the situation even more. This would be extremely disappointing news for the team that hopes to accomplish one of motorsport’s most difficult feats.

Yet team owner Rick Hendrick chooses to look at the glass as half full. Talking to Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, he recently let slip his confident approach: “Well, you know, we’re leading the points in NASCAR. That’s our primary job. And we have to focus on that. But we’re gonna play that card when the time comes. And we are prepared for just about anything and everything.”

Yet, preempting the weather is impossible. While there’s a slim chance that the forecast could be incorrect, Kyle Larson’s Indy 500 (scheduled at 12:45 PM) majorly lies in danger. Rains could delay the race, jeopardizing his plans for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, set to be held later at 6:18 PM. Options of a replacement driver like Tony Kanaan or rookie Nolan Siegel were floated, but they seem unlikely.

However, Mr H dropped a hint on how he plans to make the best of the situation. He joked about the uncertain nature of his plans as well: “I say we have a plan, but you know how plans work. They change … So I am not gonna tell you that we have an iron-clad, this-is-it, kind-of a decision, but actually we’re gonna talk about it tomorrow. So anyway, we’re gonna have to play it by the ear as the day unfolds.”

Given Hendrick Motorsports’ stellar position in the sport, Rick Hendrick’s approach to “play it by the ear” could be a life-saver. Saving this historic attempt would mean a lot to Kyle Larson, Cliff Daniels, their crew, and many other experts.

Several experts are invested in Larson’s attempt

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Dubbed as the “H1100,” the Double project of Hendrick Motorsports is a grand one. Many people shed their sweat, tears, and blood for it. About a year back, the grand plan of scripting Larson in the annals of NASCAR history started. Some experts associated with this effort include Arrow McClaren sporting director Tony Kanaan. The 2013 Indy 500 winner is helping Larson sift through which data and information are most important for adapting to an Indy car.

Brian Campe, Hendrick Motorsports’ technical director, is spearheading Larson’s Indy 500 effort. He ensures good communication in the fresh marriage of Larson and Arrow McLaren. These are just two names in a long list of crew members, engineers, and other employees who are supporting Larson in his efforts. 

After all that, actually driving the car may be the easier part for the ever-talented Kyle Larson. The sole finisher of the 1100-mile Double, Tony Stewart, agreed. “For him to be in the car is where he’s going to be the happiest,” Stewart said.

We are keeping are fingers crossed about Rick Hendrick’s mysterious plan, and wish Kyle Larson and his perspiring team the very best on Sunday.