CONCORD, N.C. — Kyle Larson said “completing 1,100 miles” is ultimate goal for running both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25.
Larson and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon visited the NASCAR Productions Facility on Wednesday and unveiled the paint schemes for the cars Larson will drive when trying to complete The Double on Memorial Day weekend.
Larson attempted to run both races for the first time last year, with Hendrick Motorsports fielding his Cup Series car, while Arrow McLaren supplied the Indy car in a partnership with Hendrick Motorsports.
However, when rain delayed the Indianapolis 500, which he completed all 500 miles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he was unable to make the start of the 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Larson, who earned rookie-of-the-year honors in the Indianapolis 500, arrived in Charlotte during a rain delay just past the halfway point in the race and never got in the car that was started by Justin Allgaier.
“Completing 1,100 miles is the ultimate goal, or at least the first goal in mind,” Larson said Wednesday. “Obviously, I want to run well in both of them. I feel there is a legitimate shot to win the Cup race that weekend. We are always good on mile-and-a-halfs. Our car was extremely good last year, so that was a bummer. On the IndyCar side of it, the Indy 500, I felt like last year I could have finished fourth to eighth if I didn’t speed on pit road, so somewhere in that window — obviously I would love to win the Indy 500, but I know how difficult that is.”
Larson believes he learned a lot from two weeks of practice, qualifying and the race at Indianapolis last year.
“I feel like the experience I had last year, living through it, I will be better prepared for this year,” he said. “I felt like the race was pretty straightforward. I didn’t think it was too different from a Cup race, especially at Indy. I think there was a lot I learned through the couple of weeks there last year, balance wise that I will be looking to be better in the race this year. There is definitely opportunity to do better than last year, and I thought last year went great.”
The paint schemes of the two cars are consistent for what the team, which partners with Arrow McLaren for the 500, is billing as the #Hendrick1100 presented by Prime Video.
