Kyle Larson’s career is accelerating at a remarkable pace, and race fans will have plenty of opportunities to see him in action this weekend.
This Sunday promises a packed schedule for motorsports enthusiasts, featuring high-speed thrills and competitive racing from the glamour of Monaco to NASCAR’s home base, where pride is on the line.
The Memorial Day weekend festivities kick off early Sunday morning with Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix, shift to the U.S. for the Indianapolis 500 in the afternoon, and conclude with NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte in the evening.
Larson aims to participate in two of these events. Last week, he qualified fifth for the 108th Indy 500, then quickly traveled to North Carolina for NASCAR’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, finishing fourth.
Larson, 31, currently leads NASCAR’s top series in points, holding a 30-point advantage over Martin Truex Jr. He also ranks first in top-five finishes (six), laps led (649), and stage wins (seven).
The Elk Grove, Calif., native is one of three multiple winners in the series so far, with his two victories trailing Denny Hamlin and William Byron, who each have three.
Larson is known for his versatility and willingness to race anything. If it were possible to compete in the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500, and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, it’s likely the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver would attempt it.
For now, he’ll tackle Indy and Charlotte, covering a combined 1,100 miles of racing with 400 miles of flying in between to complete The Double.
Larson will become the 11th driver to attempt this feat. Only Tony Stewart has successfully completed all 1,100 miles, achieving this in 2001. Kurt Busch was the last to attempt it in 2014.
However, there is an 80 percent chance of rain in Indianapolis on Sunday.
“I think for me where I sit, if it’s going to rain, I hope it rains all day,” Larson said Thursday. “That way it can just get pushed to Monday or something, and then Charlotte is not going to rain, I just hope it doesn’t rain, and we can get (Charlotte) in on Sunday night and then come here Monday.”
While Larson and race-winner Joey Logano were navigating North Wilkesboro’s newly paved surface last Sunday, another altercation took place after the 200-lap short track event.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. waited until after the race to confront and hit Kyle Busch outside the No. 8 Chevrolet team’s hauler over two incidents on the first two laps. NASCAR fined Stenhouse $75,000, the largest fine ever for fighting.
The Olive Branch, Miss., native vowed to wreck Busch’s Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet this Sunday, while Ricky Stenhouse Sr. was suspended indefinitely for his involvement in the incident.
With Stenhouse and Busch having 400 laps in Charlotte to settle their differences, the NASCAR adage introduced in 2010 might still apply: “Have at it, boys.”