INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NASCAR star Kyle Larson will be taking
another shot at “the Double,”
one of the most grueling feats in all of motorsports, when he tries to complete every lap of
the Indianapolis 500
and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday.

Tony Stewart is the only driver to have successfully pulled it off, and that was nearly 25 years ago.

But while attempts have been scarce since John Andretti first tried it in 1994, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ambitious drivers interested.
Defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden
,
Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin
and reigning
IndyCar series champion Alex Palou
all expressed some desire to give it a go this week.

“Gosh, we could have a huge laundry list of people that should do it,” said Newgarden, who is aiming for an unprecedented third straight Indy 500 win. “You could ask the majority of the field (and they) would want to do the double. It’s so much fun.”

Yet it’s also a massive undertaking, which is why Stewart still stands alone, and not just on the driver who has to complete 1,100 miles around Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway — tracks
some 550 miles apart
. It also takes some serious financial support, the backing of teams in both IndyCar and NASCAR, tremendous logistical help, and plenty of luck that the weather cooperates, cars hold up mechanically and the driver is able to avoid any wrecks.

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, whose brother Kurt completed the Indy 500 in 2014 but failed to finish the Coca-Cola 600, is among those who have tried to put together a deal to attempt “the Double” but haven’t quite pulled it off.

“It’s just very difficult to get that lined up,” Newgarden said. “Doing what Kyle (Larson) is doing right now, it’s harder than it looks. What I mean by that is just putting the program together. You would have a lot of people doing it if it was simple, I can promise you that. I think Kyle Busch has spoken publicly about trying to get something off the ground. That’s Kyle Busch. It should seem like it’s pretty likely for him to put a program together. It was quite difficult.”

So who else could be in line to try?

Ryan Blaney has contemplated it, and he presumably would have plenty of synergistic support given that Team Penske has established NASCAR and IndyCar programs. But it would take the convincing of team owner Roger Penske, who also owns the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 — a race he has won a record 20 times.

“I would love to see Blaney do it at some point,” Newgarden said.

Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, was close to a deal years ago when that team still had a NASCAR program. Dixon pointed out that there are also conflicts of interest to overcome, such as when an IndyCar driver whose team is powered by Honda has the chance to drive a Cup Series car that might have a Chevrolet engine.

“It’s not an easy thing to do,” Dixon said. “Really admire the people that do it.”

Dixon paused, before telling Palou sitting next to him: “Alex, you should do it.”

“I would love to do it,” he replied. “I would do it.”

McLaughlin, another Team Penske driver with extensive stock car experience, was asked about trying to tackle both Memorial Day weekend races. Before jumping to IndyCar, McLaughlin was one of the most dominant drivers in the history of the Supercar Series in Australia and New Zealand, winning 56 races and three series championships.

Those races take place on road courses, though, and the Coca-Cola 600 is on the Charlotte oval. So, McLaughlin said, all those years of stock car experience Down Under might not translate so easily to a Cup Series car.

“The only reason you’d think that is is if it was road course-to-road course,” he said. “But I think the oval is a completely different kettle of fish. If I was to do ‘the Double,’ I would like to do an (oval) race before Charlotte.”

Larson’s attempt is once again a joint effort of Hendrick Motorsports on the NASCAR side and Arrow McLaren on the IndyCar side.

He had high hopes of completing all 1,100 miles last year, but rain wreaked havoc with his schedule. Larson managed to finish the rain-delayed Indy 500, then do the entire helicopter-plane-helicopter trip to Charlotte, only to be greeted there by more rain upon his arrival. It ultimately washed out the rest of the NASCAR race before he ever got a chance to turn a lap.

The forecast for Sunday? A bit chilly but most likely dry.

“I feel like the Hendrick aviation side does a really good job with logistics and working with motorsports to make sure all the timing’s right on everything and everything operates smoothly,” Larson said. “Yeah, we had the weather delay for the Indy 500 last year, but aside from that, the travel side of it was all smooth. So, as far as I know, nothing is different this year.”

___

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https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

CONCORD, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — What intrigues NASCAR fans is different depending on who you ask, but one fan experiences the sport in a way that is only unique to him.

Richard Kinslow and his wife have made a tradition of driving from Daytona Beach, Florida, every Memorial Day Weekend to feel the Coca-Cola 600.

“I feel like I’m in a racecar with a driver,” Kinslow said when describing his experience at the track. “It’s definitely an exhilarating passion to have.”

It’s been almost 12 years since Kinslow lost a majority of his vision due to retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disorder that causes progressive vision loss.

He said it’s like looking through the cylinders of two straws.

Despite his condition, Kinslow said he doesn’t feel like he misses a beat of the race.

“I don’t think I miss anything,” Kinslow said. “I can close my eyes and just hear and feel everything. It’s like I’m there in the car or in the crowd itself. I don’t feel like I’m isolated.”

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Larson is doubling down on “The Double.”

Larson is set to run both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, a task he set out to accomplish last year but never had a chance to complete after weather disrupted the NASCAR star’s plans.

A year ago rain delayed the start of the Indianapolis 500, putting Larson well behind schedule in his quest. He finished 18th in Indianapolis, and didn’t make it to Charlotte Motor Speedway until 249 laps had been completed. He was set to jump in the No. 5 Chevrolet and take over for replacement driver Justin Allgaier, but lightning and heavy rains forced NASCAR to call the race.

Larson never turned a lap at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“Last year wasn’t as fun and exciting as people might think,” Larson said. “I was super bummed because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to race in both. I didn’t get to enjoy the pre-race stuff or anything, but hopefully this year it goes better with the weather and I can just enjoy the whole experience.”

The forecast for Sunday in both cities looks a little more promising, although there’s still a small chance of rain.

If rain were to delay the start of the Indianapolis 500 again, Larson could face a tough decision. If he doesn’t make it back for the Coca-Cola 600 his playoff chances would be in jeopardy. Larson is considered one of the favorites to win the Cup Championship, having won three Cup Series races this year.

Hendrick Motorsports vice president Jeff Gordon said the team has a “concrete plan” to have Larson in Charlotte in time for driver introductions, about 45 minutes before the race.

“He will be here (at CMS) by 5:45 p.m.,” Gordon said emphatically.

Only a handful of elite drivers have dared to take on the epic motorsports crossover. Tony Stewart set the standard for “The Double” in 2001 when he finished sixth at the Indy 500 and third at the Coca-Cola 600, becoming the first driver to ever complete all 1,100 miles.

“I love to race,” Larson said of the challenge. “I love to compete in big events and I love to try new things to challenge myself,” said Larson. “I try to stay focused on making this the best experience I can and getting my car to drive the best it can while also enjoying the moment.”

Other things to watch at the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night:

Change in spotters

Christopher Bell and Brad Keselowski will have new spotters at the Coca-Cola 600.

Joe Gibbs Racing said Matt Philpott has replaced Stevie Reeves as Bell’s spotter. Reeves had been the spotter for Bell, last week’s All-Star Race winner and the defending Coca-Cola 600 champion, since he made his series debut in 2020.

“I was surprised as well,” Bell said of Reeves’ decision to leave the team. “It was all Stevie’s decision. He made the decision on his own to quit.”

Todd Brewer replaces T.J. Majors as Keselowski’s spotter. Majors will be out a month due to a medical procedure.

Byron’s extension

William Byron called it a “relief” to receive a four-year contract extension on Friday from Hendrick Motorsports.

The two-time defending Daytona 500 champion said negotiations were “amicable” and he anticipated they would eventually get done.

“I definitely wanted to be here and focus on winning races,” Byron said. “That’s what it’s all about at Hendrick Motorsports and what I want to do. … I felt like Hendrick was always my home.”

Gordon said “we think it’s a no-brainer. It’s worked and he has been a great fit. … We were going to make it happen one way or another.”

Johnson set for milestone

Seven-time Cup Series champion and Legacy Motor Club part-owner Jimmie Johnson will hit a career milestone at the Charlotte Motor Speedway with his 700th career Cup Series start.

For the 49-year-old Johnson it’s a poignant moment, returning to the venue where he began his Cup Series journey in 2001. Johnson’s first start came on Oct. 7, 2001 at Charlotte. He went on to dominate at Charlotte, winning the Coca-Cola 600 four times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2014), the Bank of America 500 four times (2004, 2005, 2009, 2016), and the All-Star Race four times (2003, 2006, 2012, 2013).

“This is my 700th start, but let’s be clear — it’s not my last start,” Johnson said.

The Coca-Cola 600 grind

The Coca-Cola 600 is the longest race on the NASCAR circuit, and it can often take five hours to complete the 400 laps on a 1 1/2-mile track. Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet formerly run by Dale Earnhardt, called it one of the most grueling races on the NASCAR circuit.

“The track’s not smooth. … It’s rough, so I think you prep your seat well for this race too,” said Dillon, who won the race in 2017. “I changed that two years ago when we went to this car. I remember the first time in the Next Gen car here, it was awful under caution, even just your head rattling around in there. So I tried to make our foam a little different around our head rest, which helps.”

Salute to service

Charlotte Motor Speedway has a long tradition of honoring the military on Memorial Day weekend as part of their “Salute to service.” There are flyovers, numerous military members on site, the playing of “Taps” and each driver carries the name of a fallen soldier’s name on their racecar.

“To have a name on the side of a race car, to share that with their family, it means more than motorsports,” said AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16 car for Kaulig Racing. “I’ll be 100% honest, I get lost. You know what our job is, you’re out there to win, and that’s all you focus on, but there’s a brief moment there of all the pre-race stuff at the (Coca-Cola) 600 where racing doesn’t mean anything.”

NASCAR on Prime

NASCAR on Prime is set to make its debut on Sunday.

Prime Video will exclusively stream five consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races to conclude the first half of the season. Adam Alexander serves as race announcer alongside analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte in the booth, with Trevor Bayne, Kim Coon, and Marty Snider patrolling pit road. Danielle Trotta hosts Prime Video’s on-site studio coverage, joined by analysts Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie.

Fans can watch NASCAR live at home or on the go, and across hundreds of compatible devices, streaming from the web, or using the Prime Video app on smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, game consoles, and connected TVs.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series regular season was briefly put on pause last week for the NASCAR All-Star Race, but they’ll dive back into the deep end on Sunday with one of the biggest races on the NASCAR schedule. Charlotte Motor Speedway will host the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, and NASCAR’s marathon race is considered one of the crown jewels for its drivers. Kyle Larson is the leader in the NASCAR standings and he’ll be pulling double duty on Sunday, as he attempts to race in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Larson is the +600 favorite in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600 odds, and he’s also priced at -130 for a top-five finish in the NASCAR prop odds.

The green flag drops at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, and the race is scheduled for 400 laps around the 1.5-mile quad-oval. Before entering any 2025 Coca-Cola 600 picks, NASCAR DFS lineups on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, or locking in NASCAR props on sites like PrizePicks, Sleeper Fantasy, and Underdog Fantasy, be sure to see the latest 2025 NASCAR at Charlotte predictions from SportsLine’s proven projection model.

Developed by daily Fantasy pro and SportsLine predictive data engineer Mike McClure, this proprietary NASCAR prediction model simulates every race 10,000 times, taking into account factors such as track history and recent results.

The model began its 2025 season by calling Chase Elliott to win for a +300 payout at the Clash at Bowman Gray and was also high on Byron as a +2000 longshot at Daytona. Then it predicted Kyle Larson’s win in Miami for a +350 payout and Christopher Bell’s +600 triumph in the NASCAR All-Star Race. In 2024, it nailed Larson to win in Las Vegas for a 21-5 sports betting payout and predicted Denny Hamlin’s wins in Bristol at 5-1 and Richmond at 17-4.

It also impressively nailed five of Larson’s wins during his historic season in 2021. All told, the model has nailed a whopping 20 winners since 2021, including nine in 2023 and three in the first seven races last season. Anyone who followed its lead on betting apps and sportsbooks on those NASCAR picks could have seen huge returns. New users also have the opportunity to take advantage of the latest FanDuel promo code, DraftKings promo code and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Now, the model simulated the Coca-Cola 600 2025 10,000 times. Head to SportsLine to see the complete projected NASCAR at Charlotte leaderboard.

Top 2025 Coca-Cola 600 predictions

For the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, we can tell you the model is high on Joey Logano, even though he’s an +2000 longshot in the latest 2025 NASCAR at Charlotte odds. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will celebrate his 35th birthday on Saturday, and the 37-time Cup winner would love to add a Coca-Cola 600 victory to his hall-of-fame resume. Logano won the 2015 Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was runner-up in the 2019 Coca-Cola 600.

He scored his first win of the season earlier this month in Fort Worth and is currently ninth in the NASCAR standings. He also ran top-10 at Kansas, another 1.5-mile oval, two weeks ago, so he should have his speedway setup pretty dialed in entering the Coca-Cola 600. FanDuel and BetMGM actually have Logano listed at +2000 for the outright win and you can build up your bankroll now with a BetMGM promo code.

The model has also revealed a surprising NASCAR prop for Sunday: Kyle Busch finishes top 10 for a -130 payout at the 1.5-mile speedway. The 40-year-old missed the NASCAR playoffs last year, and he’s currently 17th in the NASCAR standings entering the weekend. However, he’s still a 63-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series and two-time champion that is capable of putting a good run together any given week.

Busch had one of his best runs of the season on a 1.5-mile oval at Atlanta early in the year, leading 13 laps on his way to a seventh-place finish. He’s also had tremendous success at Charlotte, winning the 2018 Coca-Cola 600 and recording 16 top-five finishes on the 1.5-mile quad-oval. That includes top-six finishes in eight of his last 11 starts at Charlotte. See which other drivers to avoid and the rest of the projected NASCAR leaderboard at SportsLine.

How to make 2025 NASCAR at Charlotte picks

The model is also targeting three other drivers with Charlotte NASCAR odds of 12-1 or longer to make a serious run at the checkered flag. Anyone who backs these drivers could hit it big. You can see all of the model’s NASCAR picks, props, and projected leaderboard over at SportsLine.

So who wins the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 2025, and which longshots are must-backs? Check out the latest 2025 NASCAR at Charlotte odds below, then visit SportsLine now to see the full NASCAR Charlotte projected leaderboard, all from the model that has nailed 21 winners, and find out.

2025 NASCAR Charlotte odds, drivers, lineup

See the full NASCAR at Charlotte picks at SportsLine

(odds subject to change)
Kyle Larson +600
Christopher Bell +750
Tyler Reddick +750
Ryan Blaney +800
William Byron +800
Denny Hamlin +800
Chase Elliott +1800
Kyle Busch +2000
Joey Logano +2000
Ty Gibbs +2200
Alex Bowman +2200
Brad Keselowski +2500
Josh Berry +2500
Ross Chastain +2800
Bubba Wallace +3200
Chris Buescher +3200
Chase Briscoe +3200
Carson Hocevar +4400
Austin Cindric +4400
Ryan Preece +5500
Daniel Suarez +7000
Michael McDowell +8000
Connor Zilisch +8000
Noah Gragson +8500
Austin Dillon +10000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +10000
AJ Allmendinger +10000
Erik Jones +10000
Cole Custer +15000
Zane Smith +15000
Todd Gilliland +16000
John Hunter Nemechek +17000
Justin Haley +22000
Jimmie Johnson +32000
Shane Van Gisbergen +32000
Riley Herbst +50000
B.J. McLeod +50000
Ty Dillon +50000
Cody Ware +50000

INDIANAPOLIS — NASCAR star Kyle Larson will be taking another shot at “the Double,” one of the most grueling feats in all of motorsports, when he tries to complete every lap of the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday.

Tony Stewart is the only driver to have successfully pulled it off, and that was nearly 25 years ago.

But while attempts have been scarce since John Andretti first tried it in 1994, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ambitious drivers interested. Defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden, Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin and reigning IndyCar series champion Alex Palou all expressed some desire to give it a go this week.

“Gosh, we could have a huge laundry list of people that should do it,” said Newgarden, who is aiming for an unprecedented third straight Indy 500 win. “You could ask the majority of the field (and they) would want to do the double. It’s so much fun.”

Yet it’s also a massive undertaking, which is why Stewart still stands alone, and not just on the driver who has to complete 1,100 miles around Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway — tracks some 550 miles apart. It also takes some serious financial support, the backing of teams in both IndyCar and NASCAR, tremendous logistical help, and plenty of luck that the weather cooperates, cars hold up mechanically and the driver is able to avoid any wrecks.

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, whose brother Kurt completed the Indy 500 in 2014 but failed to finish the Coca-Cola 600, is among those who have tried to put together a deal to attempt “the Double” but haven’t quite pulled it off.

“It’s just very difficult to get that lined up,” Newgarden said. “Doing what Kyle (Larson) is doing right now, it’s harder than it looks. What I mean by that is just putting the program together. You would have a lot of people doing it if it was simple, I can promise you that. I think Kyle Busch has spoken publicly about trying to get something off the ground. That’s Kyle Busch. It should seem like it’s pretty likely for him to put a program together. It was quite difficult.”

So who else could be in line to try?

Ryan Blaney has contemplated it, and he presumably would have plenty of synergistic support given that Team Penske has established NASCAR and IndyCar programs. But it would take the convincing of team owner Roger Penske, who also owns the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 — a race he has won a record 20 times.

“I would love to see Blaney do it at some point,” Newgarden said.

Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, was close to a deal years ago when that team still had a NASCAR program. Dixon pointed out that there are also conflicts of interest to overcome, such as when an IndyCar driver whose team is powered by Honda has the chance to drive a Cup Series car that might have a Chevrolet engine.

“It’s not an easy thing to do,” Dixon said. “Really admire the people that do it.”

Dixon paused, before telling Palou sitting next to him: “Alex, you should do it.”

“I would love to do it,” he replied. “I would do it.”

McLaughlin, another Team Penske driver with extensive stock car experience, was asked about trying to tackle both Memorial Day weekend races. Before jumping to IndyCar, McLaughlin was one of the most dominant drivers in the history of the Supercar Series in Australia and New Zealand, winning 56 races and three series championships.

Those races take place on road courses, though, and the Coca-Cola 600 is on the Charlotte oval. So, McLaughlin said, all those years of stock car experience Down Under might not translate so easily to a Cup Series car.

“The only reason you’d think that is is if it was road course-to-road course,” he said. “But I think the oval is a completely different kettle of fish. If I was to do ‘the Double,’ I would like to do an (oval) race before Charlotte.”

Larson’s attempt is once again a joint effort of Hendrick Motorsports on the NASCAR side and Arrow McLaren on the IndyCar side.

He had high hopes of completing all 1,100 miles last year, but rain wreaked havoc with his schedule. Larson managed to finish the rain-delayed Indy 500, then do the entire helicopter-plane-helicopter trip to Charlotte, only to be greeted there by more rain upon his arrival. It ultimately washed out the rest of the NASCAR race before he ever got a chance to turn a lap.

The forecast for Sunday? A bit chilly but most likely dry.

“I feel like the Hendrick aviation side does a really good job with logistics and working with motorsports to make sure all the timing’s right on everything and everything operates smoothly,” Larson said. “Yeah, we had the weather delay for the Indy 500 last year, but aside from that, the travel side of it was all smooth. So, as far as I know, nothing is different this year.”

In modern-era stock-car racing, where you start isn’t nearly as big a deal as it was in your grandpa’s day.