Kyle Larson has reaffirmed that the NASCAR Cup Series remains his top “priority” as he gears up for a second attempt at “the double.” The one-time Cup Series champion and Hendrick Motorsports star will look to run both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25 after his effort last year was scuppered by bad weather.

Rain caused a four-hour delay in Indianapolis, and the race in Charlotte was cut short, preventing Larson from completing the race. Larson quickly made his intention at a second attempt this year, and he will get behind the wheel of an Arrow McLaren, with the possibility of President Donald Trump being in attendance.

Larson participated in the first day of practice for the Indy 500 after suffering a horror crash in open testing, but says NASCAR’s All-Star race at Wilkesboro next Sunday will take “priority” over going for pole in the open-wheeled spectacle. “I think just always for me and definitely for Rick and Hendrick Motorsports, I think no matter through this whole experience, especially this year, Cup should be the priority,” Larson said.

“I just assume we’re going to run the All-Star Race no matter what. Hopefully, we run into that predicament because that means our car is fast and, two, yes, it would be extremely nice to go for the pole at the Indianapolis 500, but, at the same time, it’s hard to turn down an opportunity to race for a million dollars (in the All-Star Race).”

Still, Larson will give Indy Car his best shot in the build-up to the Indy 500 later this month. “It’s nice that we are so well organized over that I can completely shut myself off from them for a handful of days to really try to learn this and get prepared for the 500,” Larson said. “There’s just a lot that is a little bit unfamiliar that you’ve got to get re-familiarized with this week.”

Sign up to our NASCAR newsletter here.

As for practice, Larson was pleased with how he and the team performed. It was the first time Larson got behind the wheel of the Arrow McLaren since open testing last month, which saw him smash into the wall.

“Our day was good. Kind of took it easy to start in clean air, made sure our balance was comfortable, which it was, so was happy about that,” Larson said.

“Just there at the end (of the session), kind of finally got in some traffic and, as normal, kind of had some understeer. Just happy with the first day.”

DON’T MISS:

Larson heads into his second attempt at “the double” off the back of a Cup Series win in Kansas in the AdventHealth 400. It was the 32-year-old’s third win of the 2025 season, placing him top of the Cup Series standings.

Last year, Larson recorded six wins across the campaign, but he was unable to reach the Championship 4 race in Phoenix last November.

• Nascar averaging largest cable audience in past five seasons
• IndyCar suffers lowest viewership for IMS road course since its debut in 2014

The Nascar Cup Series averaged 2.32 million viewers on FS1 for Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway.

This represents a marginal one per cent increase on last year’s race, which drew 2.30 million viewers on the same channel.

After 12 regular-season races, Nascar is averaging 3.31 million viewers, the lowest figure in Cup Series history and an eight per cent decrease compared to last season.

However, the 2025 campaign has seen the highest percentage of races broadcast on cable so far, which ultimately has less reach than commercial TV. In fact, compared with the last five seasons, Nascar’s underlying viewership figures are promising.

The series averaged 4.52 million viewers for its races on the main Fox channel, which is only lower than the 2022 season (4.59 million), while it is averaging 2.52 million viewers on FS1 with one race to go, the highest figure across the same period.

Related posts

IndyCar, meanwhile, continues to have a solid, if not spectacular, start to its 2025 season.

On the surface, last weekend’s average audience of 710,000 on Fox at the road course variation of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) will be disappointing. It is a 19 per cent decrease on last year’s audience of 875,000 and the smallest viewership figure for the race since it debuted in 2014.

However, IndyCar is bouncing back from a particularly poor final season with its previous broadcaster NBC. After the first five races, IndyCar’s viewership is actually up 15 per cent on last year, with the series averaging 859,400 viewers in 2025 compared to 747,200 in 2024.

The series is also currently experiencing unprecedented domination from reigning champion Álex Palou. The Spaniard has won four of the first five races which, while historic, is not an attractive proposition for casual viewers.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 13, 2024) – Spire Motorsports and Gainbridge® will partner with the WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee and feature the “Indy25” logo in recognition of AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025 taking place in Indianapolis on Carson Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 for this weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Race festivities at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Fever, will be the site of the 21st edition of the WNBA All-Star Game, as well as the WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest and WNBA Skills Challenge July 18-19.

“Carson (Hocevar) driving a WNBA All-Star paint scheme is an opportunity to cross promote two properties in our sponsorship portfolio,” said Mike Nichols, Chief of Sponsorship Strategy and Activation at Gainbridge®. “The scheme highlights our commitment to investing in women’s sports and we look forward to welcoming the best of the WNBA to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in two months.”

Much like the love of basketball displayed by Hoosiers of all ages, North Carolinians are often recognized as motorsports devotees. After its founding in 1948 in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR’s popularity quickly spread as the sport ventured to tracks throughout the southeast.

North Wilkesboro Speedway was built by Enoch Staley in 1946 as a dirt oval for whiskey runners to showcase their skill behind the wheel and their abilities to build cars to outrun revenuers. It became a mainstay on the circuit hosting 93 Cup Series races beginning with the 1949 season.

The last points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race to be contested at the venerable Wilkes County oval took place in September 1996 when Jeff Gordon beat Dale Earnhardt by 1.73 seconds before a 25-year hiatus.

While Indianapolis will host the WNBA All-Star game for the first time, North Wilkesboro Speedway is the current site of NASCAR’s All-Star weekend after the division made its lauded return to the .625-mile track in 2023.

Similar to the WNBA All-Star Game, the NASCAR All-Star Race has taken place at several venues since the first event was held in Charlotte on May 25, 1985. Atlanta hosted the 1986 race before activities returned to Charlotte for a 33-year run.

In 2020, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway hosted the events marking the first time the race wasn’t held at a 1.5-mile oval. The race returned to a different intermediate track, Texas Motor Speedway, for a two-year stretch, before moving to its current home.

Hocevar’s first NASCAR experience with All-Star activities came just one season ago. The eventual Cup Series Rookie of the Year started and finished 10th in the 100-lap All-Star Open qualifying race, the precursor to the All-Star Race, but came up short in his bid to battle his way into the fabled event.

Following the 2024 All-Star contest, Hocevar closed out the season with a total of one top-five and six top-10 finishes, including a third-place result, last August, at Watkins Glen International. The Portage, Mich., native has collected one top five and two top 10s through the first 12 races of 2025 and earned his first career Cup Series pole award at Texas Motor Speedway May 3.

“It’s really cool to showcase the WNBA All-Star Game on our car for the NASCAR All-Star Weekend,” said Hocevar. “I had the chance to visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse in January and it’s definitely worthy of hosting the game. The Indiana Fever have a really dedicated fanbase and Indianapolis is such a big market for basketball.

“We see it when we visit Indianapolis every year – the community is so welcoming, and they’re very proud of their sports teams. Gainbridge® has been a great partner for Spire Motorsports and done a lot to promote and expand women’s sports, so it’s exciting to see that support open new doors for those teams and athletes.”

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Spire Motorsports and Gainbridge® to highlight AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025 during NASCAR’s All-Star Race,” said WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee Founding Chair and Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines. “We hope to connect with new audiences and fans while continuing to build excitement for the much-anticipated WNBA All-Star weekend at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis this summer.”

Hocevar will once again compete in the 100-lap All-Star Open hoping to be one of two drivers to race their way in. One driver will also advance through the NASCAR All Star Fan Vote, totaling three Open drivers who will transfer to the 250-lap feature.

Qualifying for both the NASCAR All-Star Open and NASCAR All-Star Race will take place Friday, May 16, when drivers from both races will take to the track for three timed laps with a mandatory four-tire pit stop.

The total time will set both the field for the All-Star Open and the starting grid for Saturday’s 60-lap heat races that will determine the starting lineup for the All-Star Race.

Live coverage of NASCAR’s annual All-Star Race will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, May 18, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Both the NASCAR All-Star Open and the NASCAR All-Star Race will broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Heat races will be televised live on FS2 Saturday, May 17 beginning at 5 p.m. EDT.

When Kyle Larson puts his helmet on and climbs into the cockpit of his Arrow McLaren ride today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he will begin his second attempt to run both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

But might it also be his last attempt? Or the last time by any driver for years to come?

“I hope it’s not the last,” said Larson, who goes into this attempt as the Cup points leader after his win last weekend at Kansas. “I hope this year is not the last time we ever see anybody do it because I think it’s huge for motorsports. It’s huge for IndyCar, probably even bigger for NASCAR. Hopefully the schedules will work out in the future and maybe the rules will change a little bit, too.”

Kyle Larson earned his third Cup victory of the season.

What was a formidable quest in 1994 when John Andretti became the first driver to compete in both signature races on Memorial Day weekend is now immeasurably more difficult.

The start times at Indianapolis and Charlotte prove challenging even without weather issues. Any Cup driver who would attempt the double seeks a team capable of winning the Indianapolis 500 and such rides are limited. A new NASCAR rule makes an attempt to run both races riskier for Cup drivers.

NASCAR’s action came in response to Hendrick Motorsports keeping Larson at Indy last year despite four-hour rain delay instead of sending him to Charlotte to start the 600. After arriving late to Charlotte, Larson never got into his car before rain ended the 600 early.

Section 12.4.2.1.A of the Cup Rule Book states that “unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR, driver(s) and Team Owner(s) must start and attempt to complete all Championship Races to be eligible for The Playoffs.”

A new part of that section reads: “If a driver does not start and attempt to complete a Race and wishes to remain eligible for the Playoffs, that driver must request a Playoff waiver via the Playoff Waiver Request. If a Playoff waiver is granted for anything other than a medical reason or age restriction, the driver will forfeit all current and future Playoff Points earned prior to the start of the Playoffs. NASCAR’s decision to grant or decline a Playoff waiver request and subsequent loss of Playoff Points is final and non-appealable.”

Larson leads the series with 23 playoff points heading into next weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte via three race wins and eight stage victories. He would lose all those playoff points and any he would earn in the remaining 14 regular season races if he doesn’t start the 600 because of his Indy 500 quest. Losing all those playoff points could cost him a chance to advance in NASCAR’s playoffs and race for a championship.

Hendrick Motorsports already has stated that it will pull Larson from the Indianapolis 500 to ensure Larson is in Charlotte in time to start the 600.

“It’s always been hard to get both races in, but I feel like they’ve made it more difficult for somebody to want to go risk that and compete in the double with how much investment it takes from everybody’s part,” Larson said of the new rule.

With six of the 14 races left in the regular season on either road courses or drafting tracks, the standings could change dramatically by late August.

Larson seeks to become only the second driver since 2005 to run in both races in the same day and the fifth overall. Kurt Busch was the last to do so in 2014. Kyle Busch has come close to making an attempt. He said that Joe Gibbs nixed a deal in 2017 when Kyle Busch was at JGR. Kyle Busch also said that he sought the ride with Arrow McLaren before Hendrick Motorsports secured it for Larson.

There’s no guarantee the Hendrick/McLaren partnership continues. This is the second year of a two-year deal to give Larson the chance to run both races.

“I will say to do it this way with this kind of effort where you have your Cup team and the IndyCar team kind of collaborating with the paint scheme and sponsors and partners that are kind of crossing over and documenting it on Amazon Prime, having the level of competition, the capabilities on both sides of this with the Cup car and Indy car as well as the driver being able to be capable of doing it, I don’t know if you’ll ever see that again,” Jeff Gordon, vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, told NBC Sports.

“But if you do, it’ll be a while because it’s a huge, huge undertaking and a lot of coordination and resources to be able to do it.”

Larson admits he’s not sure he would have done it again this year had he been able to compete in both races last year as scheduled. Gordon also said that had things gone well at Indy, Hendrick might not have chosen to make the attempt this year.

A look at the winners and losers from Sunday’s Cup race at Kansas Speedway.

One person who hopes to see Larson and others attempt it in the future is Tony Stewart, the only driver to compete all 1,100 miles in one day when he finished sixth at Indianapolis and third at Charlotte that night in 2001.

“There’s going to be that special person that comes along, even after Kyle’s generation is over,” Stewart said. “There’s going to be that one special person that that opportunity is realistic and deserved. Hopefully, they will continue having those opportunities to do the double like that.”

Larson finished 18th last year at Indy. Stewart is looking forward to what Larson can do this year and if Larson can finish better than Stewart did in both races.

“He’s more than capable of beating that,” Stewart said of his 2001 performance in both races. “I think anybody that has a record, in the back of their mind doesn’t want it to be broken, but if it’s going to be broken, Kyle’s the guy I want to do it. I think the world of Kyle Larson, we’re good friends. I have so much respect for him as a driver. Anytime he’s racing anything on dirt, I’m a fan and love watching him drive.

“I’m going to be pulling for him during May just because I know his history, he’s a dirt track guy at heart. We have similar backgrounds because of that and you’re always rooting for somebody like that.”

kAm!=6?EJ @7 E:>6 E@ DBF66K6 2?@E96C C246]k^Am

kAm$@ 6G6? 2D @?52J ?:89E[ 2?5 @?=J E96? EFC? 9:D 7@4FD E@ E96 “vC62E6DE $A64E24=6 #24:?8]”k^Am

kAm“w6 ;FDE 8@6D 2?5 8@6D 2?5 8@6D[” >2CG6=65 r925 z?2FD[ E96 G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 4@>A6E:E:@? 2E w6?5C:4< @] d 42C E96 rFA $6C:6D 2?5 H@C<:?8 H:E9 pCC@H |4{2C6? E@ 7:6=5 {2CD@?VD 42C 7@C E96 x?5J d__]k^Am

kAm%96 C62=:EJ E92E {2CD@? H@F=5 C2E96C 36 369:?5 E96 H966= @7 2 C246 42C E92? 369:?5 2 %’ D4C66?[ @C 2 32C[ @C ;FDE 23@FE 2?JH96C6 6=D6] w:D AC:@C:EJ 6G6CJ J62C >2J 36 E96 rFA $6C:6D[ 2?5 H:??:?8 2 D64@?5 492>A:@?D9:A[ 3FE E92E =62G6D A=6?EJ @7 @A6? 52E6D @? E96 D4965F=6 H96C6 96 42? DAC:?<=6 2? )7:?:EJ $6C:6D C246[ @C %CF4< $6C:6D C246[ @C CF? 2E 2 =@42= 5:CE EC24<]k^Am

kAmw6 92AA6?65 E@ 5@ E92E uC:52J ?:89E 2E {2<6D:56 $A665H2J[ ;FDE 5@H? E96 C@25 7C@> z2?D2D $A665H2J[ H96C6 9:D w:89 {:>:E #24:?8 D6C:6D H2D CF??:?8] {2CD@? ?62C=J 925 2 DAC:?E 42C =2?5 9:D =2A 5FC:?8 2 D42CJ HC64< E92E E@C6 FA 9:D 42C] qFE 96 D:>A=J D9CF8865 :E @77 2D A2CE @7 C24:?8[ 2?5 96 H2D 324< 2E E96 EC24< E96 ?6IE >@C?:?8]k^Am

kAm“%96 E9:?8 E92E xVG6 2=H2JD 366? :>AC6DD65 H:E9 zJ=6 D:?46 96 D9@H65 FA 2E w6?5C:4< |@E@CDA@CED E92E 96 F?72K65[” z?2FD D2:5] Q{:<6[ ?@E9:?8 86ED F?56C 9:D D<:?] w6 5@6D?VE 86E H@F?5 FA] w6 5@6D?VE 86E 6>@E:@?2= 23@FE >2J36 D@>6E9:?8 E92E 92AA6?D @? E96 C246 EC24<] w6 5@6D?VE 86E 6>@E:@?2= 2?5 42CCJ H6:89E @? 9:D D9@F=56CD]k^Am

kAm“w6 ;FDE C@==D H:E9 :E[” z?2FD D2:5[ “2?5 96 8@6D 2?5 96 4@?E:?F6D E@ 5C:G6]”k^Am

kAm%92E AC6E6C?2EFC2==J A=24:5 56>62?@C H2D DEC6E4965 ?62C=J E@ 2 3C62<:?8 A@:?E 2E =2DE J62CVD x?5J d__[ E9@F89]k^Am

kAm{2CD@? H2D E2<:?8 9:D 7:CDE D9@E 2E “E96 s@F3=6[” ECJ:?8 E@ CF? 6G6CJ =2A @7 E96 d__ 2?5 E96 r@42\r@=2 e__ r92C=@EE6 E96 D2>6 52J |6>@C:2= s2J H66<6?5] |2?J 92G6 EC:65 3FE @?=J %@?J $E6H2CE `hhh 92D >2?2865 E@ AF== :E @77]k^Am

kAmqFE H9:=6 2CD@? H2D 23=6 E@ @G6C4@>6 6G6CJ AC@3=6> =@3365 2E 9:> @? E96 EC24< — 2D:56 7C@> 2 DA665:?8 A6?2=EJ @? A:E C@25 E96 d__ E92E E@@< 9:> @FE @7 4@?E6?E:@? 7@C E96 H:? — 96 H2D A@H6C=6DD H96? :E 42>6 E@ 562=:?8 H:E9 E96 H62E96C]k^Am

kAmw6 5@6D?VE =:<6 36:?8 A@H6C=6DD]k^Am

kAm~? C246 52J[ C2:? DH6AE E9C@F89 x?5:2?2A@=:D 2EFC6 DE6AA65 :?[Q z?2FD D2:5[ QH6 5:5?’E 92G6 2 H9@=6 =@E E92E H6 4@F=5 5@]”k^Am

kAm%96 =@?8\C2?86 7@C642DE 7@C E96 x?5:2?2A@=:D d__ =@@F49 36EE6C E9:D J62C]k^Am

kAmp?5 @?46 282:?[ {2CD@? 9625:?8 :?E@ A6C92AD E96 3FD:6DE >@?E9 @7 9:D 42=6?52C J62C C:5:?8 2 H2G6 @7 @?\EC24< >@>6?EF>]k^Am

kAmw:D 5@>:?2E:?8 G:4E@CJ 2E z2?D2D $A665H2J[ H96C6 96 =65 aa` @7 aef =2AD @? $F?52J[ H2D 9:D E9:C5 rFA $6C:6D H:? @7 E96 D62D@?[ 2?5 :E >@G65 9:> :?E@ 7:CDE A=246 E96 A@:?ED DE2?5:?8D] {2CD@? 2=D@ 92D H@? EH@ @7 9:D E9C66 )7:?:EJ DE2CED[ @?6 @7 9:D EH@ %CF4< C246D[ 2?5 96 92D 2 H:? 2?5 E9C66 E@A\7:G6 7:?:D96D 7:G6 DAC:?E 42C 762EFC6D E96 w:89 {:>:E D6C:6D]k^Am

kAm%96? 282:?[ 2== E92E DF446DD 5@6D?VE D66> E@ >2EE6C >F49 E@ 9:>]k^Am

kAm“x 5@?’E C62==J =6E 2 C246 27764E E96 ?6IE 52J @7 >J =:76[” {2CD@? 6IA=2:?65 $F?52J ?:89E] “x H@F=5 C2E96C H:? =625:?8 :?E@ E96D6 ?6IE 4@FA=6 @7 H666E9:?8] qFE x 5@?’E C62==J E9:?< :E >2EE6CD]”k^Am

kAm(92E 92AA6?D E96 ?6IE 4@FA=6 @7 H662EE6CD 2 =@E[ E9@F89] w6VD 366? H2:E:?8 2 H9@=6 J62C E@ ECJ “E96 s@F3=6” 282:?]k^Am

kAm“*629[ :E’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 7F? EH@ H66[ pCC@H |4{2C6?[ 2?5 =62C?:?8 E96 42C >@C6[ ECJ:?8 E@ ?2CC@H @? @FC 32=2?46[ 2?5 ;FDE ECJ:?8 E@ 92G6 2 D>@@E9 4@FA=6 H66

k9C ^m

kAmp! 2FE@ C24:?8i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^2FE@\C24:?8Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^2FE@\C24:?8k^2mk^Am

Kyle Larson denied Kyle Busch his lifelong dream of racing in the Indianapolis 500, as his NASCAR rival prepares for his second opportunity in the annual race held on May 25.

Larson’s attempted doubleheader last season was dampened by severe weather, as it saw him miss the Cup Series race later in the day. Missing out on those points may have cost him the regular-season championship, but it turns out that he only had a seat in the Indy 500 because of Busch.

Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion, has achieved almost everything possible in NASCAR, ranking first in overall wins between the top three NASCAR divisions. The two remaining goals on his to-do list are to win the Daytona 500 and race in the Indy 500, and he was moments away from doing so until Larson stepped in.

The NASCAR veteran is winless in 20 attempts at the Daytona 500, but a more achievable goal is simply competing in the Indy 500. Busch has attempted to do so for his entire career, but saw his dreams crumble in 2024 when Larson ended up racing instead.

In a recent episode of the ‘Actions Detrimental’ podcast, hosted by fellow driver Denny Hamlin, Busch told the story of his near miss with McLaren. “I had it signed, sealed, and delivered again, and then Larson took it,” Busch said.

“I won’t release the sponsor, but I had a sponsor talking to Zak Brown (McLaren CEO). The deal was done, and we were about ready to go to contract, and Zak Brown told the sponsor ‘Hey, I need you to buy the car.’

Sign up to our NASCAR newsletter here.

“And the sponsor was like, ‘Why do I want to buy the car? I don’t need the car. I want to sponsor the car. I’m sponsoring Kyle [Busch] and he’s going to drive the car.'”

Busch was respectful when keeping the details anonymous, but did reveal that his entry was halted due to fears he could wreck the car. Busch then added: “It wasn’t two weeks later that I’m talking to this sponsor guy, and he was like, ‘Yeah, we’re too late anyway now. The opportunity is closed because Larson got it.'”

Larson ended up signing a two-year deal, despite Busch making it clear that he only wishes to try the Indy 500 once. Busch has now turned his attention to Team Penske, but is facing another issue.

DON’T MISS

“We were talking to Roger “(Penske),” Busch said. “The sponsor is close to Roger and we were talking to Roger about doing it and he says ‘I can’t get you the right people to be able to do another car.'”

Busch did have one other opportunity in 2017, but his dreams were blocked by Joe Gibbs, who he was racing for in NASCAR at the time. Back then, the team owner was strict when it came to his drivers racing elsewhere, and Busch was denied.

“It was all done,” Busch said when explaining his attempt in 2017. “M&M’s was gonna do it. Guess who said no?”