“There’s always a chance to win”: Danica Patrick backs Kyle Larson to succeed in Indy 500

NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race
Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and crew celebrate after winning the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 21, 2023 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Kyle Larson is attempting to join a small group of drivers by competing in both the Coca-Cola 600 and Indianapolis 500 on the same day. However, there is a lengthy list of drivers who have transitioned from Indianapolis to NASCAR.

One of them is Danica Patrick, who competed with Larson in NASCAR and expressed optimism about Larson's prospects for success in the IndyCar series. Patrick feels that arguably America's most versatile racing car driver will be able to adjust to variations in both his cars and his team.

"With a guy like Kyle and a good team, there's always a chance to win the Indy 500, ... It is a tall challenge to feel really good in the car when it's not what you do because open-wheeled cars are very different than stock cars." Patrick told USA Today.

The Greatest Spectacle in Racing's next edition is already generating a ton of excitement. The anticipation for Kyle Larson's attempt at the Indianapolis 500-Coca-Cola 600 double has started a full year before it actually takes place.

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion has announced that he will run the 2024 Indianapolis 500 in a partnership between Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports.

Kyle Larson will be the fifth driver in the history of NASCAR to try the Indy-Charlotte Double, joining John Andretti, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Kurt Busch.


Kyle Larson is already preparing for the 2024 Indy 500

Kyle Larson observed drivers practice for the Indianapolis 500 last week and saw them exceed 240 mph on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway straightaways.

The 107th Running of Indianapolis 500
The 107th Running of Indianapolis 500

Larson has another year before competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day in May 2024. It is likely to be a crazy and hectic month. Through an agreement with Hendrick Motorsports, he will drive for Arrow McLaren.

"It's still so far away that it truly doesn't seem real. Until I get in the car on the ground and fire an engine up then I think I'm going to be scared," Larson said.

Larson simply doesn't know what to be concerned about right now. During his one day in Indianapolis, he just learned the fundamentals of the Indy car. No driver has done the double since Kurt Busch in 2014, who finished sixth in the 500 before retiring early in the 600 due to a blown engine.

Other drivers wanted to do both but couldn't secure all of the necessary approvals. Kyle Busch had funding for the 2017 races, but his Cup owner, Joe Gibbs, refused to let him compete. Despite the fact that Busch has received authorization in the last few years and now has it at Richard Childress Racing, another opportunity never occurred.

Quick Links