CONCORD, N.C. — One of the world's top race car drivers was visibly displeased, his silence speaking volumes.
With his head down, Kyle Larson briskly walked down pit lane, eager to leave Charlotte Motor Speedway as quickly as possible on Sunday. His frustration wasn't due to a race lost, but rather one he never had the chance to start.
lost a race. In fact, this race was one he never officially started.
While Larson can perform incredible feats behind the wheel, he can't control the weather—that's Mother Nature's domain. Unfortunately for Larson, inclement weather thwarted his attempt at the “Double,” competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
“Disappointed,” Larson said. “It just sucks.”
Since announcing 16 months ago that Larson would race in two marquee events in two states back-to-back, Hendrick Motorsports had meticulously planned every detail. Larson’s NASCAR crew chief, Cliff Daniels, mentioned that contingency plans were in place. Everything that Larson, Daniels, Hendrick, and the entire team could control was thoroughly managed.
Then it rained—not just at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but also at Charlotte. All those well-laid plans went awry.
Hard rain and heavy winds delayed the start of the Indy 500 by four hours, forcing Larson and his team to make a tough decision: he would race the entirety of the Indy 500 and miss the start of the NASCAR Cup Series race. Reserve driver Justin Allgaier stepped in to fill Larson's seat in the No. 5 Chevrolet.
After finishing 18th in the Indy 500—despite a penalty for speeding during a green-flag pit stop—Larson quickly departed Indianapolis. He took a helicopter to a nearby airport, flew to an airport near Charlotte, and then hopped into another helicopter for a quick flight to the track.
Everything proceeded as planned following the four-hour delay.
Meanwhile, Allgaier kept the No. 5 team competitive in the Coca-Cola 600, moving from the back of the 40-car field to 13th with lap times comparable to the leaders. At one point, he told crew chief Cliff Daniels, “I know Kyle is going to get in the car and blitz through the field, the car is that good.”
“To have all the staff, the logistics, all the things worked out the way we did to get (Larson) here as quickly as we did was great,” Daniels said. “We had a lot of good people do a lot of good things right to make it happen quickly.”
Everything seemed aligned for Larson to salvage a challenging day. He arrived at the Charlotte track to loud cheers from a sold-out crowd and quickly suited up to take over from Allgaier. Daniels remarked on the team's optimism: “The guys at the front of the field are really strong, but I think you could see the speed and potential in our car for sure with the way Justin was able to get up in there the last run or two. We were certainly optimistic about having Kyle in there, about having the balance in the car close, get a couple good pit stops and restarts, and then you’re in the mix.”
However, Mother Nature had other plans. Just as Larson arrived, rain began to fall, accompanied by lightning. The NASCAR race was put on hold, and with more than half the distance completed, there were no guarantees it would resume.
The grand idea of doing the Double—in any form—was in jeopardy. A little over two hours later, NASCAR called off the race.
“It’s sad,” Larson said.
The Double wasn’t supposed to end like this. This was meant to be the Month of Larson, his chance to prove his generational talent alongside legends like A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, and Tony Stewart.
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