Kyle Larson gives visceral response to future Indy 500, Coke 600 double attempt

Kyle Larson is batting .000 in two attempts of completing the Indy-Charlotte Double. They say third time’s a charm, but will Larson give it another go?

Larson, admittedly, doesn’t have a definitive answer right now. Speaking after a P37 finish in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Larson called the Double a “tough undertaking,” adding he doesn’t “think it’s worth it.”

“I don’t know,” Larson said, via Dustin Long of NBC Sports. “It’s so fresh right now I don’t really have a good answer for you. The Double is just a tough undertaking. The window of time is too tight. Even if I didn’t wreck, I don’t think I would have made it here on time and probably would have had to end that race short anyways.

“So, I don’t really think it’s worth it. But I would love to run the Indy 500 again. Just doing the Double I think is just logistically too tough.”

Mother Nature thwarted last year’s attempt. This Memorial Day weekend, it was a combination of that and his own mistakes. The 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500, scheduled for a 12:45 p.m. ET start time, did not get underway until 1:35 due to rain.

Even that was a delayed start, as Scott McLaughlin crashed during the pace laps, ending his day before it truly began. Then, on Lap 1, Marco Andretti wrecked. If that wasn’t enough, it started drizzling around Lap 20, bringing out the caution. Larson then crashed out on Lap 91, ending his race. He was credited with a 27th-place result.

Kyle Larson’s Double attempt goes sideways again

Even if he hadn’t crashed out of the race, Rick Hendrick would have had to pull him out of the race car. Larson had to leave by roughly 4:00 p.m. ET to make it to Charlotte. There were still 50 laps to go less than 10 minutes away from the top of the hour.

If Larson didn’t arrive to Charlotte in time to start the Coca-Cola 600, he would have forfeited all of his playoff points for the entire season. That would have ended his chances of competing for a Cup Series Championship. Beyond the logistics of getting from one place to another, the new rule doesn’t help a driver’s chances of completing the Double.

Despite the Indy 500 disappointment, Larson still had a shot to salvage the day at Charlotte. Salvage the day, Larson did not.

Larson started second in the Coca-Cola 600 and looked to have a strong car. Leading the race on Lap 42, Larson spun out on his own. He was involved in the Lap 245 caution, ending his race for good.

“Hate the way that the day went,” Larson said. “I wish I could just hit reset and try again tomorrow, but reality is that’s not going to happen. Feel terrible for everybody, Rick Hendrick, especially.”