The Arrow McLaren team want to host NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson for another run at the Indianapolis 500. According to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, the topic has already been raised with their co-entrants at Hendrick Motorsports.
“We have spoken about it, and we just want to give them a little bit of space to think it through,” Brown told RACER prior to the running of Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. “I would love to have Kyle and the Hendrick organization back next year. I think we can win it with him. Kyle Larson could stick the car on a pole and win the Indy 500. He was as strong as anyone all day and the drive he did, the way he conducted himself with the team, sponsors, media, fans, was just first class. Working with Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon and their whole organization was amazing. We’d love to do it again.”
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With NASCAR’s decision to grant Larson a waiver to compete in its playoffs, a positive resolution has been found to an uncomfortable post-Indy situation. The original intent was for Larson to complete the 1100-mile ‘Double’ by racing in the Indy 500 and jetting to Charlotte to contest that evening’s 600-mile NASCAR race. But with the long rain delay at Indy that pushed the finish to nearly 8pm, and subsequent weather delays at Charlotte, the 2021 Cup champion missed out on driving his No. 5 Hendrick Camaro after starting fifth and finishing 18th at the Speedway when a pit lane speeding penalty derailed his solid run.
If Arrow McLaren and Hendrick collaborate on another attempt to complete the double, Brown says they’ll start by taking what they learned on race day at Indy and apply the lessons and any adjustments to handling more delays if they occur.
“I think it’s unfortunate that it rained and it compromised their NASCAR race because that was the worst-case scenario for them,” he said. “I’d like to think the odds of two rain delays in a row are pretty small, but that’s me being selfish. We had a great experience and I’m so appreciative. Kyle did an unbelievable job and should be very proud of his efforts. And we should all be thanking him for the effort he put in.”