Mark Martin lauds Kurt Busch’s ‘underrated talent’ after Kyle Larson’s second crash ahead of Indy 500 

Mark Martin recently shared his honest thoughts about the "underappreciated" talent of Kurt Busch in light of Kyle Larson's second Indy 500 attempt this year. The Hall of Famer Martin candidly highlighted the former NASCAR driver Busch's "spectacular" racing prowess to drive an open-wheel car even after coming from a storied background of stock-car racing series.

The crown jewel of the NTT IndyCar Series, the Indianapolis 500, is around the corner, and Hendrick Motorsports star driver Larson will make his second Memorial Day Double on Sunday, May 25. With the open-wheel series leading up to the main event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Larson, in his #17 Arrow McLaren, faced another setback during his Indy 500 practice by getting spun and hitting the wall during the session. The 32-year-old had previously crashed his machine during an open test session.

This news prompted NASCAR legend Mark Martin to bring former NASCAR champion Kurt Busch's name to the table. In a post on X, Martin wrote:

"I think we all forget how hard it is to drive a @IndyCar FAST. I think what @KurtBusch did is extremely under appreciated. Kurt was spectacular. His talent is underrated."

Kurt Busch, the older brother of Kyle Busch, was the last person before Larson to attempt the Double in 2014. Kurt managed an impressive sixth-place finish in the Indy 500 but failed to complete the Coca-Cola 600 race due to an engine failure and didn't complete the whole 1,110 miles.

Nevertheless, Kyle Larson, another NASCAR champion driver, is making headlines for the second year in a row in the state of Indianapolis for the esteemed Indy 500 races. While uncontrollable weather conditions derailed his hopes to start the Charlotte race after the open-wheel, he will again attempt to complete those miles and etch his name in the history of motorsports.

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What Kyle Larson said after his Indy 500 practice crash

In a partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, Arrow McLaren will take part in the prestigious Indianapolis 500 race with Kyle Larson behind the No. 17. As the team prepares for the 'greatest spectacle in racing,' the NASCAR star faced a big crash in the recent practice session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In a conversation with renowned journalist Bob Pockrass, Larson shared his optimistic thoughts:

"Bob, you see me crash all the time. So, I don't think it usually affects me... We'll see, but today, when you turn the boost up for your speed lap, usually, it's like, ‘Oh my gosh, you're flying.’ But that didn't feel like as crazy as what the open test felt like when I turned it up for the first time, so I'm happy that speed didn't really scare me of anything like that."

“I think as long as the car is okay, I think we'll be fine," added Kyle Larson.

Whereas on the NASCAR front, Kyle Larson sits comfortably at the top of the points table. So far this season, the #5 Chevy driver has won three races and finished five times inside the top 5.