Double Duty history: Kyle Larson joins small club of Indy 500, Coca-Cola 600 drivers

The biggest motorsports weekend of the year is here. Memorial Day weekend mark two of the most prestigious car races in the world: the IndyCar Series' Indianapolis 500 and Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix. The NASCAR Cup Series rounds out the weekend with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Since 1993, the Coca-Cola 600 and Indianapolis 500 have been scheduled for the same day. Charlotte Motor Speedway organizers installed lights on the track a year prior and moved the Coca-Cola 600 to a night race. That opened the door for drivers to compete in both events thanks to the time difference.

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This year, Cup Series championship leader Kyle Larson is entering both events. He qualified fifth for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 and is the favorite to win the Coca-Cola 600, per the latest BetMGM NASCAR odds.

If successful, Larson will be the first driver since 2014 to pull "Double Duty" - competing in both events on the same day - and just the fifth driver to ever do it in the modern era. Here's how the other four drivers to complete "Double Duty" fared:

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Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 Double Duty history

Note: only drivers who competed in both races on the same day are included. Others entered but failed to qualify for both (Davy Jones in 1995) or raced in both events but not on the same day.

1994: John Andretti completes the first Double Duty

Andretti, part of the legendary Andretti racing family, didn't initially plan to race in both events in 1994. He was racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series and had a solid record in the open-wheel IndyCar Series. But former Charlotte Motor Speedway president Humpy Wheeler convinced Andretti to race in both after deducing it was possible for a driver to race the combined 1,100 miles in the same day.

Andretti entered the Indy 500 with A.J. Foyt Enterprises - backed by his godfather A.J. Foyt - and finished 10th. He rushed to Charlotte Motor Speedway via helicopter and private jet but arrived as the national anthem began. He'd suffer engine trouble in the Coca-Cola 600 and retired after 220 of 400 laps.

1999 and 2001: Tony Stewart sets the standard

Five years after Andretti's attempt, then-IndyCar Series champion and future NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart entered both races. Stewart won the 1997 IndyCar Series title and two years later was racing in NASCAR's second-tier series for Joe Gibbs Racing.

In 1999, he started the day by finishing ninth in the Indy 500, four laps down from winner Kenny Bräck. He made it to Charlotte Motor Speedway in time and finished fourth. His only problem was nutrition. He told ESPN he didn't eat much between races and his legs gave out after finishing the Coca-Cola 600 and he collapsed.

Two years later, Stewart attempted Double Duty again. This time, team owner and NFL Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs brought in a trainer to help Stewart make it through the grueling 1,100-mile challenge. He took that preparation and set what remains as the best Double Duty result to date: sixth in the Indy 500, third in the Coca-Cola 600, and all 600 laps completed.

2002 and 2003: Robby Gordon finally breaks through

Gordon holds the record for the most Double Duty attempts with five: 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004. He only managed to complete both events on the same day in 2002 and 2003. He even turned it into a marketing opportunity, selling Double Duty packages for fans to follow him from Indianapolis to Charlotte on race day.

In 2002, Gordon started the day by finishing eighth in the Indy 500 and followed it with 16th in the Coca-Cola 600. He couldn't match Stewart's lap total, though, with 399 out of 400 laps completed in the Coca-Cola 600.

In 2003, Gordon qualified for both events again to mixed results. He suffered gearbox issues in the Indy 500 and completed just 169 of 200 laps to classify 22nd. He managed 17th in a rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 later that day.

2014: Kurt Busch shines in Indy 500

For the first time since 1963, Indianapolis Motor Speedway organizers moved the Indy 500 start time from noon to 1 p.m. starting in 2009. This made the already tight window between the races too small for a driver to feasibly compete in both events. Eventually, organizers moved it back to noon, opening the door once again for a driver to complete Double Duty.

Busch was three years into his NASCAR Cup Series career when he participated in the then-Champ Car (now IndyCar) Series pre-season test in 2003 for Bobby Rahal. Ten years later, he drove in a test again for Andretti Autosport. That team that ended up backing him for the Indy 500.

The NASCAR regular ended up with one of the best Indy 500 results in modern Double Duty history. He finished sixth and earned Rookie of the Year honors. He didn't fare as well in the Coca-Cola 600 and engine problems forced him to retire after 271 laps.

Kyle Larson's Double Duty in 2024

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion is racing for Arrow McLaren in this year's Indy 500. It's his first race in a major open-wheel series. He's competed outside of NASCAR before in 2014-2016 when he raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Like others before him, Larson could face logistical issues with completing the Double Duty challenge. Weather and red flag delays during the Indy 500 could extend the end of the race. Because former President Donald Trump is attending the Coca-Cola 600, there will be heightened security at the track that will take more time than usual.

If he's able to compete in both, he stands a good chance of coming close to Stewart's record finishes. He'll start fifth in the Indy 500 and BetMGM's odds put him third in the best odds for victory. He also won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2021.

How to watch the 2024 Indy 500:

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana

When: Sunday, May 26 at 12:45 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Stream: Peacock

Stream the race: Watch the 2024 Indy 500 with a Peacock subscription

How to watch the 2024 Coca-Cola 600:

Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina

When: Sunday, May 26 at 6 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Stream: FOX Sports

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Larson just the latest driver to attempt Indy 500, Coca-Cola 600