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…
On the latest episode of Denny Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental, Hamlin and his guest, two-time Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch, reflected on a moment of racing history that never was. Busch revealed that his former team owner, Joe Gibbs, did not allow him to compete in the 2017 Indianapolis 500.
There is a short list of NASCAR greats to compete in the “Double,” a day in which a driver races in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. This list is a mix of legendary and daring names. However, if you ask fans, one name shockingly missing from this list is Kyle Busch.
But on the May 12 episode of Actions Detrimental, Busch revealed that this was not for a lack of trying. When discussing Kyle Larson’s upcoming second attempt at the double, Busch revealed, “I had an opportunity done, sealed, signed, delivered… 2017, I had it. It was all done. M&M’s was going to do it. Guess who said no?”
Hamiln, quickly and sternly responded, “Joe Gibbs,” Busch’s car owner from 2008 to 2022 and Hamlin’s for the entirety of his career. As Busch recounted, Gibbs’ rejection was in spite of the fact that “Chevrolet was okay with it, Toyota was okay with it, [and] M&M’s was paying for it.”
Gibbs is known for his stern stance on outside racing. This included a ban on dirt racing, one that JGR pulled back earlier this year. Hamlin was quick to tell his history with such rejections.
“I had a 24-hour race deal that I got asked to do…. I was like, I want to do it,” Hamlin said. “And they didn’t want me to do that… The way they saw it, we can’t control the cars. We don’t know how safe they are.”
In the past, Busch was only allowed to enter the 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Lexus, a fellow car company owned by Toyota.
When NASCAR fans cite drivers they’d like to see attempt the Double, they often suggest who they think could win both races. For every Robby Gordon and John Andretti who have attempted the race, legends such as Tony Stewart and Kyle’s brother Kurt have tried their hand at the Double as well.
The younger of the Busch brothers has sat at the top of most fans’ lists for the better part of a decade. However, just getting into the 500 is about as hard as it gets. As Busch went on to reveal, 2017 was not the only time he came up short in finding a ride for the 500; his most recent shortcoming happened as recently as 2024.
As Busch told Hamlin, “I had it signed, sealed, and delivered again. And then Larson took it.” This is in reference to Kyle Larson’s 2024 attempt with Arrow McLaren, with Busch claiming that he came up just short of getting that ride. But, rather than the issue being his team owner, this time, it came down to a disagreement between Arrow McLaren’s CEO, Zak Brown.
“I won’t release the sponsor, but I had a sponsor talking to Zak Brown. The deal was done, and we were about ready to go to contract… Zak Brown told the sponsor. He was like, ‘Hey, I need you to buy the car.’ And the sponsor was like, ‘Why do I want to buy the car? I don’t want to buy the car, I don’t need the car. I want to sponsor the car. I’m sponsoring Kyle. He’s going to drive the car. I don’t want to buy the car.” — Kyle Busch
While this looked like a small hump in the road that could fix itself, the next development shocked Busch, when his alleged sponsor revealed to him that Hendrick Motorsport’s Kyle Larson was taking on the double in 2025.
“Well, it wasn’t two weeks later that then I’m talking to this sponsor guy, and he was like, ‘Yeah, I guess that we’re too late anyways now that the opportunity’s closed because Larson got it.’ And I’m like, ‘What do you mean Larson got it?’ And then I found out Larson signed a two-year deal, and we were only going to do a one-year deal.” — Kyle Busch
Though it is a bucket list, it pains fans to know that Busch came close twice to competing in the Indianapolis 500. By his tone from this episode, it seems as if Kyle’s window may be shut, but when it comes to Rowdy, he may surprise fans one day.
What’s Happening? Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson is attempting the “Double” for the second year in a row. While Larson’s schedule may…
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