CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson will make a second attempt at the Indy-Charlotte double in 2025 in a deal with Arrow McLaren.
Larson announced the news with the two teams at a media conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Tuesday. He will run the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on May 25, 2025, just as he attempted this year.
"My goals are to complete 1100 miles," Larson said. "We didn't get that chance this year due to weather. It felt like unfinished business."
Weather dampened Larson's first attempt at the double in May. The rain-delayed Indianapolis 500 pushed Larson's schedule back about four hours. He made it to the Charlotte track midway through the Coca-Cola 600, which was then halted and ended for rain.
"After it was raining and we didn't get to run Charlotte I thought, 'that's it we're done,'" Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, said. "But we loved the experience... so we thought 'let's go finish the job.' I don't think it can rain twice."
Larson finished 18th after starting 5th in the Indy 500. A pit road speeding penalty hurt his chances to contend for the win but he did manage to lead some laps during the race.
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Justin Allgaier started in place of Larson in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet in the Coca-Cola 600. Larson's absence from the race proved vital in the NASCAR points standings, as he lost the regular season title by a single point to Tyler Reddick. Larson was granted a waiver by NASCAR to still be eligible for the NASCAR playoffs despite missing a race.
Hendrick was adamant that NASCAR is the team's priority and they will leave Indy in order to not miss the Charlotte race. 2013 Indy 500 champion Tony Kanaan will re on standby in case Larson has to leave.
"We're going to run the 600," Hendrick said. "If that means cutting the race short in Indy we will. My commitment to NASCAR is that we are in NASCAR. That's where we run for the championship."
The concept of "the double" began in the mid-1990s when the two races were scheduled on the same day at different times. The endurance challenge of running 1100 miles in the two races drew interest from several drivers who have raced in both open wheel and stock car competitions.
Tony Stewart, John Andretti, Robby Gordon, and Kurt Busch are the four previous drivers to pull off the double.
Before the 1990s, some drivers would cross over to the other discipline for the events but scheduling conflicts prevented the run from being on the same day.