Would Josef Newgarden do the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 double? 'I would love it'

INDIANAPOLIS – Kyle Larson hopes to make history May 26 when he looks to become one of the handful of drivers in history to pull double duty on Memorial Day weekend. The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series leader is set to compete in the first IndyCar Series race of his 12-year career when he competes in the 108th annual Indianapolis 500, beginning at 12:45 p.m.

As soon as the biggest race on the IndyCar calendar finishes, Larson will fly straight to Charlotte for NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600, which is set to begin at 6 p.m.

If Larson competes in both races, he will join John Andretti, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch as the fifth person to do so. However, he has already accomplished the feat as a fan.

In 2013, Larson joined the Chip Ganassi Racing team at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a close-up look at the Indianapolis 500. It was his first time he remembers seeing the iconic event in person.

“It was incredible,” Larson said. “I knew how big the event was already, but like getting to experience it was crazy.

“Chip and the whole team walked through Gasoline Alley together, and they let me be a part of that walk. I was a nobody then, but I remember fans yelling my name, and I thought that was cool.”

Once Tony Kanaan crossed the finish line in victory, Larson and members of his team rushed away from IMS to fly to the Coca-Cola 600. Despite winning that race in 2021 and competing in it nine times, Larson is completely new to IndyCar racing aside from a handful of practice sessions within the last year.

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Graham Rahal believes the opportunity to compete in a double race day is not as common as it used to be. The numbers back his theory up, as all nine attempts took place within a 20-year window from 1994-2014.

As Larson looks to be the first driver in a decade to complete the feat, Rahal said he actually reached out to him four or five years ago, encouraging him to compete in the Indianapolis 500. Now, Larson approaches his first official IndyCar Series race of his 10-year career.

Rahal said he knows Larson won’t have any trouble with speed, as the NASCAR mainstay is joining Arrow McLaren SP for the Indianapolis 500, and Rahal believes 90% of success in the world’s biggest race is having a fast car. However, where he feels Larson may struggle is the technical differences between IndyCar and NASCAR.

“If you’re a racer, you’re gonna know what to do in the moment,” Rahal said. “Would it be a challenge to go fast at Charlotte? Probably not, to be honest, but to the race craft side, it is a whole different deal.”

Josef Newgarden described his first Indianapolis 500 in 2012 as a whirlwind. However, he was a rookie while Larson has more than a decade of experience. When asked if he would ever consider jumping into NASCAR for a one-off, Newgarden responded with a resounding, "Yes."

“How could you not? I would love it,” Newgarden said. “Probably half the grid would love to go the other way, including myself. I hope at some point we could get more of those efforts.”

Helio Castroneves of Meyer Shank Racing considered qualifying for the Daytona 500 in 2023, but eventually ruled out competing. The four-time Indy 500 winner said he is still pushing to compete at Daytona, and if all goes well, he may consider attempting double duty some May in the future. In fact, he said it’s on his bucket list.

Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske felt the same way. Only competing in the IndyCar Series since 2020, the New Zealand native remembered how excited he was to master the road course after his years of experience in kart and circuit racing before turning his focus to competing in oval races like the Indianapolis 500.

“I’ve always wanted to challenge myself,” McLaughlin said. “It was the same thing when I jumped to IndyCar. But at the same time, I’ve got to make sure I’m fully cemented here because this is absolutely Plan A.”

Plan A for Larson is still to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series full time. He said since he still doesn’t even know how it will feel to participate in an official IndyCar Series race, he hasn’t even considered future IndyCar races.

However, he said the door is always open for future racing opportunities, whatever and wherever those may be.

“If I enjoy it, and if it doesn't scare the (expletive) out of me, then maybe I would like to do it again,” Larson said. “I’m excited. It’ll be a different feeling – a different experience – being suited up, getting in the car and driving around the track and seeing the sold out crowd.”

Contact Kyle Smedley with comments via email at kmsmedley213@gmail.com or on X @KyleSmedley_.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Kyle Larson is doing The Double, would an IndyCar driver?