Why Kyle Larson could lose all his 23 playoff points during his Indy 500 ‘Double’ attempt

Kyle Larson will be attempting the historic Memorial Day Double for the second consecutive year. He will be running the IndyCar Crown Jewel, Indianapolis 500, and NASCAR’s Crown Jewel, Coca-Cola 600, on the same day. Only four drivers have ever done it, and the last one to achieve it successfully was Kurt Busch in 2014.

Kyle Larson faced an unprecedented development last year when he was attempting the same. Weather played a major role as rain delayed the start of the Indy 500, resulting in him missing the start of the Coca-Cola 600. He made it to the venue mid-race but wasn’t able to participate because the same rain shower shortened the race early, denying him the chance to become only the fifth driver to complete the Indy-Charlotte Double. He received a playoff waiver that kept him eligible to compete for the Cup Series, but that won’t be the case this year.

The 2025 Attempt and the new rule:

Kyle Larson is set to do the same schedule again, with weather being more in favour of the California native, but NASCAR has thrown a spanner in the works. The new rule for playoff waivers will, in essence, force Larson to choose the NASCAR race over Indy. NASCAR’s new playoff waivers mean that drivers have to attempt every race. NASCAR will be looking to punish all those who are seeking playoff waivers for non-medical reasons. Barring the birth of a child, family emergency, and age restrictions, the drivers are expected to compete in every race of the season.

What does it mean for Kyle Larson?

If Kyle Larson misses the start of the Coca-Cola 600 because of Indianapolis again, like last year, then he can still receive a waiver for the 2025 championship playoffs, but that comes with a catch. The catch being that Larson will have to forfeit all of his 23 playoff points (these are critical as they allow drivers to advance in rounds of the playoffs). Additionally, he will also lose the ability to acquire any future playoff points for the remainder of the regular season.

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Kyle Larson shares sneak peek into his mindset ahead of Indy 500 double

Kyle Larson has shared insights into his mindset as he prepares for a demanding weekend, attempting “The Double” by qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 and racing in the NASCAR All-Star Race. Larson’s primary focus is on securing a strong starting position at the Indy 500, dedicating his attention to the qualifying sessions at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He mentioned that, while he’ll receive updates from his NASCAR team if time allows, his priority is to immerse himself in the unfamiliar aspects of IndyCar racing and ensure he’s fully prepared for the 500.

"Cliff (Daniels) and I talked, maybe if there's time on Saturday during qualifying, we could get together and talk about how their practice went and stuff like that... get prepared for the race on Sunday," Larson said in a media event [via Bob Pockrass on X]

"I think it's nice that we are so kind of well organized over there that I can completely shut myself off from them for a handful of days to really try and learn this and get prepared for the 500 because there's just a lot that's a little bit unfamiliar that you got to get refamiliarezed with this week," he added.

However, Larson has made the strategic decision to skip the final Indy 500 qualifying session, known as the Firestone Fast Six, if it conflicts with the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.