Kyle Larson qualifies for Indy 500, will try Indy-Charlotte Double

Kyle Larson will be the fifth driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 on the same day after qualifying for the Indy 500 on Sunday.

Larson, 31, will start fifth in his Indy 500 debut next Sunday and join John Andretti, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch as the only drivers to attempt the Indy-Charlotte Double, also called the Memorial Day Double -- the 108th Indy 500 during the day and then the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Larson will be on the second row of the starting grid at the Indy 500 after posting a four-lap average speed of 232.846 in qualifying.

"Just a great team, really, they prepared an awesome race car that stuck to the race track and also had speed," Larson told reporters. "Qualifying went a lot better than I could have ever hoped or anticipated."

After qualifying, Larson took a helicopter ride to Indianapolis International Airport and flew to North Carolina. He then took another flight to Wilkes County Airport and hopped in another helicopter to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the NASCAR All-Star Race, where he finished fourth.

Larson, who leads NASCAR's championship standings and posted a win at Kansas Speedway on May 5, will take the same route and transportation next Sunday to Charlotte, where he won in 2021.

Stewart is the only one of the four drivers to previously attempt The Double and finish every lap of both races when he achieved the feat in 2001.