Kyle Larson off to wet and rocky start in quest to complete Indy 500 and NASCAR double
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kyle Larson’s final tune-up before he began his Indianapolis 500 preparations ended with him rolling his sprint car five times in a crash at Kokomo Speedway.
The NASCAR star brushed himself off and made the 65-mile journey back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway eager to forget a Monday night he called “probably the worst night I think we’ve ever had sprint racing.”
The change of scenery wasn’t much of an improvement.
Opening day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was essentially washed out Tuesday and Larson was able to turn only two laps before the session was halted. He’s the fifth driver in history to attempt to run the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, but first since Kurt Busch in 2014.
Tony Stewart in 2001 is the only driver to complete all 1,100 miles.
It will be Larson’s debut Indy 500 in a joint deal struck between Arrow McLaren, which is fielding a fourth car for Larson in conjunction with Hendrick Motorsports.