NASCAR wants to see Kyle Larson attempt the Indianapolis/Charlotte double and will try to be as accommodating as possible Sunday night for the start of the Coca-Cola 600.
“We’re going to work closely with the people at Speedway Motorsports, our television broadcast partners, the people at (Hendrick Motorsports, to do everything we can to make sure Kyle can get there, within reason,” said Elton Sawyer of NASCAR to SiriusXM. “We have some minute-by-minute (schedules) and when we make our order and when the green flag (waves), but we’re going to work closely to make sure our fans get to see one of the best drivers in the world. our sport to be able to participate in our Coke 600 on Sunday night.”
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Larson qualified fifth for the Indianapolis 500 with Arrow McLaren last Sunday and flew to North Wilkesboro Speedway to compete in the NASCAR All-Star Race that same night. Although the Hendrick Motorsports driver arrived in plenty of time and landed at 7:15 p.m. ET, NASCAR had delayed the start of the race by 15 minutes.
The Indianapolis 500 has a green flag time of 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday. Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on the NASCAR calendar, goes green after 6 p.m. ET.
“If you go back to what we just had in All-Star weekend and obviously what happened in Indy with Kyle, it’s a great motorsports story for this young man to be able to do the one-two,” Sawyer said. “I think President Steve Phelps said it this week: He’s a generational talent, and there was an opportunity to do the triplet where he could lead Monaco (with Formula 1), then he could get to Indy, and then he could get to the 600, Kyle Larson is the guy who could do that.
“Obviously, that’s not going to happen; Logistically it doesn’t work. But as far as the sanctioning body, the industry, our fans last weekend, seeing the helicopter go down there in (North) Wilkesboro and Kyle walk out, it’s a great story.”
It is estimated to be between 50 minutes and an hour by plane from Indianapolis to Charlotte Motor Speedway. The plan is for Larson to leave the Brickyard by helicopter, get on a plane and fly to Concord Airport before flying by helicopter to the runway. For drivers who have competed in the doubleheader, most recently Kurt Busch in 2014, the helicopter landed on the grass on the frontstretch.
However, another variable NASCAR must consider is that former President Donald Trump is expected to attend the Coca-Cola 600. Logistically, it could affect Larson’s trip if the area falls under a no-fly zone.
It’s also worth noting that the forecast for Sunday in Indianapolis calls for thunderstorms and heavy rain. Rick Hendrick said this week that they will “let everything happen” on race day before making a decision on where Larson will compete.
The forecast for Sunday in Concord is partly cloudy and 87 degrees.
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