INDIANAPOLIS — The paint schemes for 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson's 2024 "double duty" attempt were revealed Sunday morning.
Larson, along with representatives for Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles, were all present for the unveiling.
Next year, Kyle Larson is set to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 (in Charlotte, North Carolina) on the same day. The last time a driver attempted to race all 1,100 miles in one day was Kurt Busch in 2014. Busch finished sixth in the Indy 500, but crashed out of the Coca-Cola 600 in the final stages of the race.
Larson will carry sponsorship on both cars from HendrickCars.com, his current sponsor in the NASCAR Cup Series, and Arrow McLaren. He will drive car No. 17 in the race, a continued tribute to Rick Hendrick's son, Ricky, who was killed in a plane crash in October 2004. Ricky ran the No. 17 during his career in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
"Obviously, I'm extremely excited, but at the same time, I'm so busy racing and trying to take care of my family that it hasn't really set in yet that it's truly a reality," Larson said during the press conference. "When you have days like today and you unveil the car, all those little steps, it definitely makes it seem more real."
This will be Hendrick's first attempt at the Indy 500 as a co-owner.
" I think Daytona and the Indy 500, and I got to do the 24 Hours of Le Mans, so I'm kind of getting my bucketful here," Hendrick said. "I never dreamed I'd go to Daytona in a stock car, so we're coming up on 40 years next year. This is such an unbelievable place, that and Charlotte, doing the 600 and this race. It's going to be unbelievable."
Larson has been getting time in a simulator in preparation for next year's marathon. He's had Arrow McLaren advisor Tony Kanaan as his driver coach.
"I didn't realize that Tony was sticking around to be a specialty adviser for Arrow McLaren," Larson said. "We have past experience working with each other, being teammates at the Rolex 24 Hour with Chip. Tony and I are the same size. We use the same insert. Well, he's got way bigger muscles than me, but besides that, we've got, I think, a lot in common."
While rare, driving 1,100 miles in one day in two completely different states isn't new. It's been done a handful of times before.
The late John Andretti first attempted the feat in 1994, a few years after Charlotte Motor Speedway installed lights at the track and moved the race to the evening.
Robby Gordon then made several attempts from 1997-2004. However, neither Gordon nor Andretti completed all 1,100 miles.
Then, in 1999, Tony Stewart made an attempt at the "double" after switching from the Indy Racing League to the NASCAR Cup Series. Stewart finished ninth in Indianapolis and fourth in Charlotte, but did not complete all 1,100 miles as he finished four laps down in the Indy 500.
Stewart attempted it again in 2001 and did in fact complete all 1,100 miles. He finished sixth in the Indianapolis 500 while driving for Chip Ganassi and then finished third at Charlotte, both lead-lap finishes.