How Kyle Larson’s Quest for the 2024 Memorial Day Double Ended in Tears: “I Was Never in the Right Mindset”

Everything that could go wrong went wrong for Kyle Larson at the worst possible hour this weekend. He spent over a year in preparation for the “Hendrick 1100” challenge in which he was expected to complete the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in a single stretch. When the thunderclouds blew past the race venues, he’d completed only 500 of the proposed 1100 miles.

The first hit came when rain delayed the start of the Indy 500 by four hours. Larson had immediately known that he would have to sacrifice the Coca-Cola 600 if he were to make his IndyCar Series debut. Though Hendrick Motorsports top brass gave him the authorization to miss the Cup Series race, he hadn’t been able to shake the feeling of guilt.

“I don’t know if I ever quite fully got in the correct mindset,” he admitted to NBC Sports. “I feel like I had a lot of weight on me and a lot of guilt of not being able to be in two places at one time. Just was never in the right mindset.” The feeling had persisted right from the moment the decision was taken till after the Indy 500 victory celebrations on Monday night.

With a stone weighing his soul down, he got into his Arrow McLaren ride on Sunday and completed his debut coming in at 18th place. Meanwhile, in Charlotte, Justin Allgaier had taken over for him in the meantime.

A couple of chopper rides and a plane ride later, he was at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ready to relieve Allgaier of his duties. The Coca-Cola 600 was in yellow when he came, rain once again being the culprit.

Larson is not sure if he will attempt the Double next year

Since NASCAR hadn’t called the race yet and the track was drying up, Larson had been under the impression that he would get to turn some laps in it and get out front. Unfortunately for him, the promotion decided to end the race with 249 laps. “It killed whatever good mood I had,” he lamented. 

He added, “The way the day went yesterday, it might take some convincing to let me do it again. Maybe Roger Penske can order up some better weather.” He does hope that he gets another chance to create history, one where the weather will not foil his efforts and plans. Larson will next race at the Worldwide Technology Raceway on June 2.