Kyle Larson breaks down surprising similarities between NASCAR and IndyCar ahead of The Double

NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is challenging the traditional ideas on the differences between NASCAR and IndyCar, two of the United States’ greatest racing series. Talking on First Things First, he argues that the sports are more similar than fans realise. This comes as the driver prepares for The Double this Sunday. 

This will be the Californian driver’s second attempt at one of the most challenging weekends of his motorsports career as he takes on both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Only four drivers have been able to take on such a feat, which includes 1,100 miles of driving. Tony Stewart is one of these drivers, completing the task in 2001. 

The now semi-retired driver finished sixth at Indy and third in Charlotte. Larson attempted this last year, but poor weather ruined his efforts. 

Outside of the obvious differences between stock cars and open-wheel race cars, Larson admits the driving experience is surprisingly similar. 

“So, I’ll just start with the cars. You know, surprisingly to me, when I first got in it – like, you look at an IndyCar and you look at a NASCAR – they look completely different,” he said. “But the feel that I have between the two cars, it’s not that crazy different.

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

“We have in NASCAR now… in 2022 they designed the Next Gen car – so completely different than a stock car used to be. We now have independent suspension, we’ve got underbody aerodynamics that we’re relying on, the sidewalls of the tires are shorter, a lot like in IndyCar.”

These similarities continue into what he feels when behind the wheel. 

“So what I feel in the car is honestly pretty similar. You’re going a lot faster in the IndyCar. We’ll be 235–237 probably in the race at the end of the straightaways. NASCAR will, at Charlotte, be 195 maybe. But the sensation is still the same.”

The arrival of NASCAR’s Next Gen car in 2022 saw a significant departure from traditional stock car racing, with these new machines being much more sophisticated than their dinosaur counterparts.

“So the cars aren’t too different. And then the strategy of the two races is fairly similar, I feel like, too. It’s hard to pass. You gotta execute all the details: good restarts, pit stops, all that sort of stuff.

“So although I’m not experienced here in IndyCar, I feel like my oval experience in NASCAR should help.”