“I had to cash in my chips”: Kurt Busch recalls his first Indy 500 x Coca Cola 600 double duty 

As Hendrick Motorsports ace Kyle Larson prepares for his historic "Double" attempt, Kurt Busch recently recalled his attempt at the feat a decade ago. Busch was the last NASCAR driver to perform a double duty on the Memorial Day weekend.

Double duty in motorsports involves competing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. The grueling schedule requires drivers to cover over one thousand miles with minimal rest, testing their limits akin to endurance racing but without the aid of relief drivers.

So far, only four drivers have attempted this demanding feat. John Andretti was the first driver to run a double duty in 1994. Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart was the second driver to attempt the double. His second attempt in 2001 was the only successful double duty by a NASCAR driver in the history of the sport.

Robby Gordon was the second-last driver to run a double shift in 2004 before former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kurt Busch attempted the same feat a decade later in 2014. Busch finished sixth at Indianapolis, earning the title of the fastest rookie, but his day ended prematurely at the Coca-Cola 600 due to a blown engine after completing 906 miles.

The 45-year-old driver, who retired in 2023, recently reminisced about his double attempt from 2014. Speaking to NBC Sports, he said:

"I show up on the race day, and it's the whole thing I watched as a kid on the TV. That's the most nervous I've been in a long time."

Busch vividly remembered the intense moments of the race, especially dodging numerous accidents that involved the likes of James Hinchcliffe and Helio Castroneves. He said:

"A couple guys had some problems. Hinchcliffe and Carpenter wrecked in Turn 1. Townsend Bell had a bit in Turn 2, and I was lucky enough to dodge all his shrapnel. (Helio) Castroneves was up there in the mix. Ryan Hunter-Reay and I had to run those last five, six laps I think, just trying to hold that position."

He added:

"Before that final run, we were supposed to take the downforce off and I said, 'leave it.' I had to cash in all my chips."

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Kurt Busch speaks about the quick transition between two races during his double duty

Reflecting on the quick succession of events, Busch noted how the transition between the two races left little time to savor his performance. The 45-year-old elder brother of Kyle Busch said:

"Took the checkered, finished sixth. I don't really remember even getting on the helicopter, or jumping on the plane. It happened just that fast. Like I wasn't able to absorb that finish."

Reflecting on the reaction of the fans when he arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Cup race, Kurt Busch added:

"When we landed, the crowd roared. That was really cool. Like I was their NASCAR guy going up against those Indy guys "

Kyle Larson now faces the daunting task of following in Kurt Busch’s footsteps. The HMS driver will compete in the Indy 500 race on May 26th at 12:45 p.m., then quickly transition to the NASCAR Cup Coca-Cola 600 at 6 p.m.