Kyle Larson on Indy 500 experience: ‘Race day just sucked … I didn’t really enjoy any of it’

INDIANAPOLIS – Realizing a dream to race in the Indianapolis 500 turned out to be a bit of a nightmare for 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson.

Weather ruined any part of Larson’s chance to complete the “Hendrick 1100” as the first driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day since Kurt Busch in 2014.

But the weather forecast didn’t cooperate. When a lightning storm and heavy rain hit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after 11 a.m. ET, the start of the scheduled 12:45 p.m. race was delayed for four hours.

So much had gone into Larson’s first attempt at competing in the Indianapolis 500, it became the top priority of the day. NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick and Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon agreed because they had invested so much time, effort and resources into Larson’s Indy effort.

When Larson decided he would start the rain-delayed Indy 500, that meant he would not start the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.