“He and Kyle are very similar in size”: What Kyle Larson’s crew chief said after HMS revealed the star driver's Coca-Cola 600 replacement

Kyle Larson’s absence from early All-Star Race activities has sparked discussion after Hendrick Motorsports announced his temporary replacement. With Larson committed to the Indianapolis 500 preparations, the team turned to a familiar name, Justin Allgaier, to step in for him during practice and qualifying.

Allgaier will again fill in for Larson at North Wilkesboro Speedway ahead of the All-Star Race and possibly the Coca-Cola 600. According to Cliff Daniels, Larson’s crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports, Allgaier is a good fit physically and technically.

“He and Kyle are very similar in size, so there’s a lot in the cockpit that’s common between the two,” Daniels said (via Hendrick Motorsports).

“That makes the handoff a lot smoother and lets us focus more on setup and performance instead of making big adjustments just to get someone comfortable in the seat,” Daniels added.

Larson’s decision to attempt the Indy 500–Coca-Cola 600 doubleheader for the second time means he’ll be unavailable for NASCAR All-Star Race prep sessions. As a result, Hendrick Motorsports has brought in Justin Allgaier, who races full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports, to handle practice and qualifying duties for the No. 5 Chevrolet. Allgaier will also be on standby for the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600, scheduled for the following weekend.

Justin Allgaier has filled this role before. In 2024, poor weather forced Kyle Larson to miss the start of the Coca-Cola 600; Allgaier drove in his place until Larson arrived. He’s familiar with the No. 5 car and understands the dynamic of temporarily stepping into the seat.

Allgaier plays a central role in Chevrolet’s testing operations as a wheel-force test driver. He also has experience running laps at North Wilkesboro in the Cup Series test setting and simulators. This familiarity with the car and track makes his feedback especially important for the Hendrick Motorsports team as it works on setup heading into race day.

The NASCAR All-Star Race weekend will kick off with practice on Friday, May 16, at 5:05 p.m., followed by qualifying and the pit crew challenge at 7:05 p.m. As Kyle Larson won’t be present for qualifying, he’ll start at the back of the field Sunday, May 18. However, Allgaier’s performance in the pit stop challenge will still determine pit stall selection for the race.

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Kyle Larson focuses on the Indy 500 with support from his NASCAR team

While Justin Allgaier handles practice and qualifying duties in North Carolina, Kyle Larson will be in Indianapolis preparing for his second attempt at the Indy 500. On Wednesday, May 14, Larson told the media about balancing both challenges and how Hendrick Motorsports helps him stay focused.

During the press conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Larson said (via Bob Pockrass):

“Cliff and I talk, you maybe if there is time on Saturday… we could get together and just talk about how their practice went and stuff like that, and get prepared for the race on Sunday.”

Kyle Larson added that during critical Indy 500 prep, the Hendrick Motorsports team's organization allows him to disconnect from NASCAR.

“It’s nice that we are so kind of well organized over there that I can completely shut myself off from them for, you know, a handful of days to really try and learn this and get prepared for the 500,” he added.

This will be Kyle Larson’s second shot at the Indy-Charlotte double, where a driver attempts to complete the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He will drive the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet with Arrow McLaren in the 109th running of the Indy 500.

In 2024, Larson qualified fifth but finished 18th due to contact with Ryan Hunter-Reay. He won Rookie of the Year honors and was the third-fastest among Arrow McLaren drivers. Larson is only the fifth driver in history to attempt the double, joining names like John Andretti.