Nope. Forget about it. Absolutely no way. NASCAR Cup Series star Bubba Wallace made it crystal clear that he has no aspirations to follow in Kyle Larson’s footsteps and make a bid at qualifying for and racing in IndyCar’s Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 – otherwise known as “The Double.”
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Wallace told reporters at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday in preparation for this Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race — with its $1 million prize to the winner — that he had a text exchange last week with his friend, IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin.
“I told him it looked easy,” Wallace said of watching McLaughlin driving an Indy car. “Obviously, I was kidding.” But what if McLaughlin was serious and challenged Wallace to put up or shut up?
“He knows my road course expertise isn’t that good and I damn sure ain’t getting in one of those (an Indy car) on an oval, so I’m good where I’m at,” Wallace told Frontstretch.com.
Even so, Bubba Wallace will be paying attention to Larson’s exploits in the coming Memorial Day weekend, as well as McLaughlin, who will compete in the 500.
“I definitely will be paying attention, it’s cool to see,” Wallace said. “I’ll be paying attention to (McLaughlin) as well. You want to have some skin in the game, you feel like. You want to see how Larson is doing because that stuff is wild. I think there’s no better person that could represent our sport in running The Double right now than (Larson).”
Larson’s Running Ahead of the 2025 Indy 500 Hasn’t Been All Rosy Either
The Fast Friday practice session ahead of the 109th running of the famed race at ‘The Brickyard’ saw Kyle Larson also have a slip-up on track while the Hendrick Motorsports regular built up to his second straight ‘Memorial Day Double’ appearance.
Larson, driving the #17 Arrow McLaren, was seen spinning on turn four of the quad oval, pounding the wall head first before backing into the barriers again with the rear of his car.
Slow-motion replays seemed to suggest a puff of smoke from underneath his car before he went around. This indicates a probable chance of the machine bottoming out, and hence the Cup Series champion losing control.
Despite his session being cut short, Larson did not seem fazed after the incident.
“I’m not too worried about it. I think we’ll be fine. We’ll adjust on it a little bit and track conditions will be better tomorrow. We’ll still be fast,” he said after he got out of the car.
Meanwhile, ahead of the Indy 500 later this month, both Bubba Wallace and Larson get ready to compete for a chance to win $1 million this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
