Arrow McLaren has announced that 2021 NASCAR champion Kyle Larson will contest the Indianapolis 500 with the team in 2024.
The drive is expected to be in addition to his continued full time stock car participation, meaning the plan is for him to run both the Indy 500 and the Coca Cola 600 on the same day.
Commonly referred to as ‘The Double,’ only five drivers have attempted to run both races on the same day. Competing for 1,100 competitive miles in two different cars at two different tracks across the country from one another is a daunting task to say the least.
Kurt Busch was the most recent driver to run The Double in 2014, finishing sixth at IMS driving for Andretti Autosport before racing for Stewart-Haas Racing a few hours later in Charlotte.
“I’m super excited,” related Larson in the announcement. “Competing at the Indianapolis 500 is a dream of mine and something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time – since I was a child before I ever began competing in sprint cars. To do it with Arrow McLaren and Mr. Hendrick especially is a dream come true.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity and am really looking forward to it even though it’s still about a year-and-a-half away. I’m really looking forward to competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 and maybe even get a win or two that day.”
The IndyCar entry will be a new partnership and will be co-owned by Arrow McLaren and Rick Hendrick, who is the owner of Larson’s current NASCAR team.
It is the first time Hendrick will be involved with the Indy 500, although his teams have recorded a record 10 NASCAR victories at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in years past.
Larson has a wide-ranging racing resume, and often races on dirt as well as pavement. At 30 years old, he has logged over 400 wins in all forms of racing.
“Adding Kyle Larson with a HendrickCars.com partnership to the Indy 500 lineup in 2024 is exciting for our Arrow McLaren team as well as for race fans,” said McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown.
“He’s a complete driver, known for racing anything on wheels, so I’m looking forward to seeing what Kyle can do in an NTT IndyCar Series car.
“It’s been great working with Rick Hendrick and [Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman] Jeff Gordon to pull this together, so a big thank you to them for what’s to come in May 2024.”
The 2024 Indy 500 will be exactly 500 days after the announcement, bringing extra significance to the date.
Arrow McLaren’s plans for this year’s Indy 500 are unchanged, with Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, and Alexander Rossi being joined by Tony Kanaan in a one-race deal.
