Okay, so you wanna know if Kyle Larson actually raced in the Indy 500 this year? Let me tell you, it was a rollercoaster, and I followed it pretty closely.
First off, I heard the rumors swirling around for months. Larson, the NASCAR champ, trying to do the “double” – running the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Sounded insane, right? But Larson’s a beast, so I figured if anyone could pull it off, it’d be him.
Then came the official announcement. He was in! Driving for McLaren, no less. I immediately started tracking everything. Practice sessions, qualifying… I was glued to the screen. He was fast, really fast. Looked like he had a legitimate shot at a good finish, maybe even a win. He qualified 5th! Seriously impressive for a rookie.
The day of the race, I woke up early, got my coffee brewing, and settled in. The Indy 500 is always a spectacle, but this year had extra buzz because of Larson. The start was clean, he held his own, and then… disaster struck. Rain. Freaking rain. The race was delayed, and delayed again. My heart sank. The whole “double” thing was looking less and less likely.
Finally, they got the race going again, but the delays had screwed everything up. Larson ran well, was consistently in the top ten, but then more rain came! This time it was the final nail in the coffin. The Indy 500 was shortened, and he HAD to get to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600.
Here’s where it gets rough. He flew to Charlotte, but the weather there was even worse! The Coca-Cola 600 was also delayed, but they eventually called it altogether. And since Larson didn’t start the 600, he got zero points in the NASCAR race and finished 34th in the Indy 500.
So, did he race in the Indy 500? Yes, he absolutely did. But did the “double” work out? No way. Weather completely ruined it for him and the entire team. I felt gutted for him, honestly. He had a real shot at something special. But hey, that’s racing. You can’t control the weather.
Would he try it again? I sure hope so! Larson’s got the talent, and I’d love to see him conquer both races one day. I’ll be watching for sure.
