The Indianapolis 500 is a “priority” in his race plans on Sunday, NASCAR star Kyle Larson said on an NBC broadcast Sunday morning, as the prospect of Larson completing both legs of the vaunted “double” appears unlikely due to the weather. Stormy. Headed to Indianapolis and the delayed Indy 500 on Sunday.
“I think our plan is to keep that a priority, so I’ll be right here in the race,” Larson told NBC’s Marty Snyder during an interview outside his mobile home on NBC. “But I’m actually kind of upset about it. I want it to rain today, with rain. I’d prefer the storm to be bigger and last longer, but it looks like it’s going to be in that window where I think it will be.” “We might be able to dry it out and then race today.”
Just after 11:15 a.m. Sunday morning, IMS announced the start of the 500 would be postponed as stormy weather heads toward central Indiana and is likely to arrive early in the afternoon. With rain to clear the area by 3 p.m. or so, according to IMS President Doug Boles, race officials expect the 500 to start Sunday afternoon around 4:30 to 5 p.m., as long as no additional scattered showers pop up during the drying trail. .
With the Coca-Cola 600 of the NASCAR Cup Series starting at 6 p.m. at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Larson and the Hendrick Motorsports team said this month that they would need to leave IMS via helicopter by 4:15 p.m. or so in order to do so. The start of a Nascar race. With no delays expected at the start of the 600 Cup, Larson NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick has had to, or will soon have to, decide whether or not to keep the 2021 Cup champion in Indianapolis at the start of the 500 race. Both major races are likely to start within about an hour of each other.
Unless the 500 receives an additional delay in its start and is eventually pushed to run in full on Monday, or if the 600 starts delayed due to weather, Larson’s quest to complete “The Double” this year – as the first driver to attempt so in a decade – will end one leg short .
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“The weather is still bad, so you don’t know exactly what it’s going to be like,” Larson said. “I’d say the worst case scenario is happening, which is more unfortunate than anything else. We’re going to be able to get on track with something today, so that’s exciting.”
During a press conference earlier this week with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick indicated that it would be “very difficult” and “very difficult” to withdraw Larson from the 500 race – hinting at The way the team looks. Sunday bowed.
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“I think everyone within (the team), Rick (Hendrick), Hendrick Automotive Group, Hendrick Motorsports. I think we’re all part of the decision, along with (HMS Vice President) Jeff Gordon and (HMS President and General Manager) Jeff Andrews,” he told Larson Snyder when asked who will be in the finale will be involved in determining where they compete on Sunday. “It’s been a lot of time and investment to make Indy happen. It’s been a buildup for over a year. We need to get it running, and I want to, and I feel like I’ve got a really good chance to have a good run and possibly win.
“I just hope it all works out, and we can run both races over the full distance. I don’t care if it’s on the same day. I just want to be able to race both races over the full distance, but we’ll do it.” be seen.”
Earlier in the day on IndyStar’s Pit Pass Live pre-race show from Gasoline Alley, Arrow McLaren team principal Gavin Ward said Hendrick is “committed” to Larson driving the 500 in the No. 17 Chevy that races HMS and Arrow McLaren. Last weekend, Larson qualified fifth in his first 500, which was the second-fastest Arrow McLaren entry among his three cars that made it to the Fast 12. On Saturday evening, Larson qualified 10th in the Coke 600.
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Had weather delays not hampered his schedule and forced him and HMS officials to make a choice, Larson would have attempted to become the first driver in a decade to complete “The Double” by running both the Indy 500 and Coke 600 on the same day.
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