Kyle Larson’s 2025 Indianapolis 500: Schedule, Where to Watch, and Everything Else You Need to Know

What’s Happening?

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson is attempting the “Double” for the second year in a row. While Larson’s schedule may be packed with his duties in both NASCAR and IndyCar, for those trying to watch his second shot at glory, here is everything you need to know.

Larson’s IndyCar and NASCAR Schedule – May 13-25 (All Times ET) Per IMS and NASCAR

Wednesday, April 23

• Indianapolis 500 Open Test 1 – 4:00 PM

Thursday, April 24

• Indianapolis 500 Open Test High Boost Session – 9:30 AM
• Indianapolis 500 Open Test 2 – 2:00 PM

Tuesday, May 13

• Indianapolis 500 Practice 1 – 2:15 PM

Wednesday, May 14

• Indianapolis 500 Practice 2 – 12:00 PM

Thursday, May 15

• Indianapolis 500 Practice 3 – 12:00 PM

Friday, May 16

• Indianapolis 500 Fast Friday – 12:00 PM
• NASCAR All-Star Race Practice – 5:05 PM – on FS1
• NASCAR All-Star Race Qualifying – 7:05 PM – on FS1

Saturday, May 17

• Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Day 1 – 11:00 AM

Sunday, May 18

• Indianapolis 500 Top 12 Qualifiers Practice – 1:00 PM
• Indianapolis 500 Last Chance Qualifiers Practice – 2:00 PM
• Indianapolis 500 Top 12 Qualifying – 4:05 PM – on FOX
• Indianapolis 500 Last Chance Qualifying – 5:15 PM – on FOX
• Indianapolis 500 Fast Six Qualifying – 6:25 PM – on FOX
• 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race – 8:00 PM – on FS1

Monday, May 19

• Indianapolis 500 Practice 4 – 1:00 PM

Friday, May 23

• Carb Day Practice – 11:00 AM

Saturday, May 24

• Coca-Cola 600 Practice – 1:35 PM – on Amazon Prime Video
• Coca-Cola 600 Qualifying – 2:40 PM – on Amazon Prime Video

Sunday, May 25

• 109th Indianapolis 500 – 12:45 PM – on FOX
• 66th Coca-Cola 600 – 6:00 PM – on Amazon Prime Video

Where to Watch

On the IndyCar side, the 2025 Indianapolis 500 will be broadcast live on FOX, with Will Buxton, James Hinchcliffe, and Townsend Bell in the booth. The broadcast will begin at 10 AM and include over two hours of pre-race coverage.

While the TV schedule is not set in stone just yet, per their new deal with FOX, all IndyCar practice and qualifying sessions will air on either FS1 or FS2. We do know, however, that both Saturday and Sunday qualifying will air on “Big” FOX.

For NASCAR, things are a little more complex. The May 18 NASCAR All-Star Race will air live on FS1 alongside its qualifying and practice sessions. However, the 2025 All-Star Race is the final race of FOX’s coverage, as the May 25 Coca-Cola 600 will air on Amazon Prime Video alongside its qualifying and practice sessions.

What Key Dates Should I Mark on My Calendar?

The listed schedule is obviously overwhelming. If you want to get the full Indianapolis 500 viewing experience, watching as much as possible is an option. However, if you want the key moments, Friday, May 16, Fast Friday as it is called, alongside the May 17 and 18 qualifying sessions, are must-watch, as Larson is not guaranteed a starting spot. In the past, outsiders, like Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso, have missed the main event during those three days.

What Number Is Larson Driving, What Team Is He With, and Who Are His Teammates?

Larson is once again racing for Arrow McLaren, the team owned by McLaren Racing and chaired by Zak Brown. He will also once again drive the No. 17, a number long used by Hendrick Motorsports at the Cup Series level and still used by HMS in the Xfinity Series.

However, compared to last season, Larson is seeing a shakeup with his Arrow McLaren teammates. Last season, his teammates included Callum Ilott, Alexander Rossi, and runner-up Pato O’Ward. This year, only O’Ward returns to his spot on the team, as Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard take over the reins of the No. 6 and No. 7.

What’s the Double, How Did Larson Do Last Year, and Who Has Done It Successfully?

The Double is a term used to describe a driver’s attempt at racing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day. Not only do the two races combine for over 1100 miles of action, but they take place in two different states, allowing for little wiggle room between them.

Last season, Larson fell short of his goal of racing in both races thanks to the weather. After starting fifth in a rain-delayed Indianapolis 500, Larson would finish 18th on the lead lap. However, as he arrived late to take over for Justin Allgaier in Concord, damp conditions prevented him from ever getting behind the wheel of his No. 5.

From 1994 to 2004, four drivers made nine attempts at the double; since 2004, only two drivers, Larson and Kurt Busch, have entered both races. Of these six drivers, Tony Stewart’s 2001 outing had the lowest combined finish, after Stewart finished sixth at Indianapolis and third at Charlotte.

Who Will Fill in For Larson if He Needs Misses Something?

While Larson left Indianapolis late last season, this year, HMS is focused on getting him to Concord on time thanks to NASCAR’s new Playoff Waiver rules. While Larson received a waiver last year, under the new rules, he would have to forfeit all current and future playoff points for a waiver.

Should he miss Practice of Qualifying for the All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 weekend, HMS Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon told the media, the driver would be a “JRM driver and somebody that fits in his seat.” Most assume this will be Justin Allgaier, who filled in at Charlotte last year.

On the IndyCar side, IndyCar veteran and Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan will serve as Larson’s reserve driver. Some notable rules in IndyCar regarding replacement drivers include:

• A replacement driver will only be considered if the primary (entered) driver is also participating in another marquee event with the driver’s principal racing series on Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
• The INDYCAR-approved veteran replacement driver is eligible for and passes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway refresher program at the entry on the first day of Indianapolis 500 practice.
• Once INDYCAR is notified that a team will use its replacement driver for the Indianapolis 500, the entry’s qualified position is forfeited, and the car will start at the rear of the starting lineup and be ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.
• A qualified driver, who is officially replaced by the team, may return and compete with that entry provided the replacement driver has not participated in a session other than the refresher program. The car’s starting position will remain at the rear of the field with the starting lineup ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.

This article will be updated week to week as we draw closer to the 2025 Indianapolis 500.