Kyle Larson is determined to compete in the Indianapolis 500 again next year.
Larson confirmed on Wednesday that the option year for 2025 in the deal he and Hendrick Motorsports signed with Arrow McLaren Racing is still being finalized, even though it was originally a two-year deal.
If he had his way, a decision would be made sooner rather than later.
"I would love to. We're still working on it," Larson said. "It's progressing. So I like that, but obviously, things can always change."
Larson was a star at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May, qualifying fifth, but a late-race speeding penalty took him out of contention, and he finished 18th. Plus, there was an hours-long rain delay in Indianapolis, and the Hendrick camp, after pouring millions of dollars into the effort, decided to leave him at the 500 and deal with the Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, North Carolina, later.
Right after the conclusion of the Indy 500, Larson hurried to North Carolina, only to encounter more rain. He dashed for his car just as the race was halted due to the weather conditions. Unfortunately, the race never resumed, depriving him of the opportunity to participate in the 600.
This caused a stir in NASCAR, as several senior leaders believed that Larson and Hendrick had favored the Indianapolis 500 over the 600, resulting in the opinion that he was not entitled to an automatic waiver to compete in the playoffs.
Despite lasting for more than a week, the Hendrick camp was increasingly frustrated by the excessive scrutiny of the situation, especially considering that other drivers had been granted waivers for non-racing incidents. For instance, Matt Kenseth, who missed a significant portion of the 2018 and 2019 seasons and the first four races of 2020, received a playoff waiver when he replaced the suspended Larson.
Kurt Busch was granted a waiver during his suspension amid a domestic assault investigation, while Tony Stewart received a waiver following a mental health hiatus.
Although NASCAR eventually granted Larson the waiver, allowing him to start the playoffs as the points leader at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, it is doubtful that Rick Hendrick will approve another Indy 500 participation without assurance from NASCAR.
Regardless, Larson is most intrigued by the opportunity to finish the 1,100-mile race in a single day. Prior to Larson, drivers such as John Andretti, Stewart, Busch, and Robby Gordon have tried to accomplish "The Double," but only Stewart has successfully completed both races on the same day.
This year, the Indy 500 went the full distance, whereas the Coca-Cola 600 only finished 249 out of 400 laps and was effectively concluded due to rain when Larson reached North Carolina.
Larson expressed his desire to participate because he missed out on doing 'The Double' this year. He emphasized that while he was keen on competing in the Indianapolis 500, his primary goal was to attempt 'The Double' and vie for victory in one or both races. He felt disappointed as he believed he was not given the chance to pursue this opportunity.
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