Kyle Larson completed his Indianapolis 500 rookie test on Thursday, and the excitement for Larson’s Indianapolis 500 run has intensified. The question becomes, just how good can Kyle Larson do in the 2024 Indianapolis 500?
Kyle Larson is far from the first stock car driver to take on the Indianapolis 500. Although, it has been since 2014 that a NASCAR driver attempted the Indianapolis 500.
Success has been there for stock car drivers who have attempted the Indianapolis 500. The best finish at Indianapolis for a stock car driver was Donnie Allison in 1970 who finished fourth. However, drivers like Tony Stewart, Cale Yarborough, and, most recently, Kurt Busch, all recorded top-10 finishes.
Now, the 2023 Indianapolis 500 will be a vastly different “500” than any of the races that these drivers competed in. IndyCar has an entirely new aero package today with a universal aero kit. It’s a similar concept in terms of being a spec series as the Next-Gen car is in NASCAR.
However, it shows that stock car drivers can drive in the Indianapolis 500. Larson also has the advantage of experience driving on the oval before. He participated in six Brickyard 400s between 2014 and 2019. He recorded three top-10s in those races with his best finish being fifth in 2016.
Being a stock car driver should not impede Larson that much at Indianapolis. He should be a competitive driver, but will he be in a competitive car?
Kyle Larson will be driving a car prepared by Arrow McLaren in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports. McLaren is relatively new to IndyCar, but they are a top team that absolutely can win the race. In 2023, their two drivers, Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist combined to lead 72 laps, which is the most of any race team in the race.
Those two drivers finished second and fourth respectively in the 2022 edition of the race as well. Long story short, Larson is in race-winning equipment, and he should have no problem running up front.
However, it is worth noting that IndyCar is a spec series similar to the Next-Gen car. Larson will not have much room for error when it comes to qualifying for the race as at Indianapolis, there are no locked-in spots, and the fastest 33 cars qualify for the race.
Now, Larson should have no problem qualifying for the race, at least in theory. Every year there is usually someone surprising who gets bumped from the field on qualifying day. Fernando Alonso was bumped from the field in 2019 while driving for McLaren.
He has the talent and the equipment to compete up front and potentially compete for the win. However, it will be his first race in an IndyCar at Indianapolis. To expect him to win the race right away is probably a bit too high of an expectation.
However, he is Kyle Larson, and he is very talented. Every race car you strap him into, he will be ready to win. Maybe at Indianapolis, he will surprise some people.
