Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren announced Tuesday that NASCAR Cup Series star and 2021 series champion Kyle Larson will once again race in the Indianapolis 500 in 2025, making a second attempt at running the Indy-Charlotte Double and completing 1,100 miles between the Indy 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte on Memorial Day Weekend. The announcement comes after Larson's first attempt at The Double this past May was ruined by inclement weather.
Driving the No. 17 for Arrow McLaren at Indianapolis along with his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in NASCAR, Larson qualified fifth for his first Indianapolis 500 and 10th for the Coke 600, but a long rain delay prevented the Indy 500 from starting on-time and also prevented Larson from being able to make it to Charlotte Motor Speedway in time to start his Cup car. Larson would finish 18th at Indianapolis and attempted to fly to Charlotte to at least complete the Coke 600, but the same rainstorm that had passed through Indy followed him to Charlotte, ending the race after 249 laps without Larson ever having gotten in his car. Relief driver Justin Allgaier finished 13th in Larson's stead.
This time around, car owner Rick Hendrick said during a press conference that Larson's NASCAR commitments would take priority over Indianapolis in the event inclement weather afflicts The Double again. Should those commitments prevent Larson from running or finishing the race at Indianapolis, IndyCar great and 2013 Indy 500 champion Tony Kanaan will drive Larson's car in his place.
"I wouldn't do it if I didn't feel like I had the opportunity to win both races," Larson said in a press release. "I know that's a very difficult task but I know it can be done, especially being with a team like Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports.
"I think with a year of experience, hopefully, we'll be even more competitive and I'm super confident in the NASCAR side of things that we can go (to Charlotte) and win. It's just going to be great to finally have that opportunity again and hopefully, the weather cooperates a little better."
While the rains ended up ruining his Indy-Charlotte Double, Larson did set an Indianapolis 500 rookie record qualifying time of 233.43 mph and was later named Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. In addition, he earned redemption when he won NASCAR's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in July, becoming the first driver to ever compete in the Indy 500 and win the Brickyard 400 in the same year.
Should his attempt at The Double prove successful this time, Larson will join John Andretti, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch in having raced in both the Indy 500 and Coke 600 on the same day. This past May marked the second time that a driver's Double attempt has failed, with Larson joining Davy Jones -- who failed to qualify for the Coke 600 before a 23rd-place finish in the Indy 500 in 1995 -- in that category.