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Just days after finishing fifth at the Busch Light Clash held at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Kyle Larson is switching over from NASCAR as he prepares for his first appearance at the Indianapolis 500 in May with Arrow McLaren SP.
The NASCAR Cup champion will drive Arrow McLaren’s No. 17 Chevrolet-powered entry in collaboration with Hendrick Motorsports.
Videos of Larson’s tests were originally shared by the Hendrick No. 5 Team and reposted by Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, explaining that Larson’s plans for a testing session in Phoenix were rescheduled a day sooner due to the weather conditions. He said:
"Kyle Larson was supposed to test Phoenix tomorrow in an IndyCar but the test was pushed to this afternoon because of possibility of rain."
The footage consists of two six-second videos that show Larson in his car performing what seems to be a pit stop with his crew.
The full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver is not new to IndyCar racing. According to Motorsport.com, Larson did well at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last October where he passed all three phases of the Rookie Orientation Program.
Larson plans to do the ‘Memorial Day Weekend Double’, i.e. competing in both the Indy 500 and the 600-mile Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day. It's something that only a few have accomplished and was last tried in 2014 by Kurt Busch.
This test serves as both a rookie evaluation for the team and an opportunity for Kyle Larson to learn more about IndyCar racing as anticipation builds up for his long-awaited debut in the Indianapolis 500.
Fans react to Kyle Larson's IndyCar test
Kyle Larson’s tests for IndyCar racing with Arrow McLaren SP drew many reactions from fans on social media.
The reactions revealed a general excitement about the 2021 Cup Series champion preparing for his debut in IndyCar racing. One fan expressed their joy on X (formerly Twitter):
"This makes my heart happy."
Another fan revealed a creative idea for an Indy 500 ad, incorporating the mixed-race experience of driver Kyle Larson. He said:
"That would be a cool Really ad to Indy 500 commercial. Have it start with Kyle in a midget to a winged sprint to an Indy car going from dirt oval to Indy oval.”
Many fans were looking forward to seeing how Larson would do as an IndyCar racer.
"Can’t wait to watch it."
"Holy cow it’s happening! Cant wait"
Here are a few other reactions:
The fans’ overwhelmingly positive reactions set the stage for Kyle Larson's stint in IndyCar racing.
