[autotag]Kyle Larson[/autotag] will attempt “The Double” with Arrow McLaren Racing and Hendrick Motorsports on May 26. Larson will try to attempt the 2024 Indianapolis 500 with McLaren and fly to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 that night. This has not been accomplished since Kurt Busch in 2014, but Larson is the perfect driver for this challenge.
On Monday, Larson strapped into an IndyCar at Phoenix Raceway and performed a 172-lap test, which was moved up one day due to the weather. The Hendrick Motorsports driver discussed the challenge and how it compares to a NextGen car at Phoenix in an IndyCar media availability.
“Honestly, though, nothing about yesterday felt way different than what a Cup car, Next Gen car, feels like,” Larson said. “That was good for me. I think the characteristics of the Indy car versus the Cup car, at least at Phoenix, felt very similar. You’re just going a lot faster in an Indy car.”
In-n-Out. pic.twitter.com/06gqjvRVhl
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“The moments happen a lot quicker. The edge of good versus not good feels a lot sharper. Yeah, it didn’t feel way, way different than what I was, I guess, used to. Even with those moments of getting sideways, it didn’t feel way different.”
The NextGen car hasn’t raced on the oval layout at Indianapolis Motor Speedway yet, but Larson has completed a rookie orientation program for the NTT IndyCar Series at the venue. It will be a challenge for Larson, who has never competed in an IndyCar race, but he is the perfect driver to strive for “The Double” in late May.
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