NASCAR: Kyle Larson announcement could trigger another unretirement

As a seasoned gamer who has spent countless hours navigating the virtual tracks of racing simulations and the real-life circuits of NASCAR, I must say, the life of Kyle Larson is a rollercoaster of excitement and unpredictability. The Memorial Day Double attempt in 2024 promises to be another thrilling chapter in his already storied career.

Kyle Larson from Hendrick Motorsports aimed to join an elite group of five drivers last May, as he raced first in the Indy 500 for IndyCar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and then contested the Coca-Cola 600 in NASCAR at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Unfortunately, a rain delay at Indy prevented Larson from making it to Charlotte on time for the competition. Consequently, the Coca-Cola 600 had to be concluded prematurely because of the poor weather conditions as well.

In 2025, Larson will try for the feat once more. He’ll be joining forces with Rick Hendrick’s team and Arrow McLaren on the IndyCar side again. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series winner is all set to drive car number 17, the McLaren-Hendrick Chevrolet, in the renowned “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”.

As a dedicated gamer, this race weekend, I’ve got my eyes on the prize – the Coca-Cola 600. The reason? I learned from past mistakes and don’t want to find myself in another unnecessary NASCAR playoff waiver mess again.

However, the Coca-Cola 600 wasn’t the only race impacted by Larson’s 2024 Indy 500 commitment.

The qualifying round for the Indy 500 happens a week before the main event, specifically on its preceding Saturday. Moreover, the ‘Fast Friday’ practice session, where engines run at high revs in anticipation of qualifying, takes place on the previous Friday, as the name suggests.

On Fridays, preparatory activities and qualifying rounds happen for the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, while the heat races are scheduled for Saturdays.

Following his retirement from active Cup Series racing at the close of the 2023 season, Kevin Harvick transitioned to the Fox Sports broadcasting team, pairing with primary announcer Mike Joy and color analyst – and previous teammate – Clint Bowyer.

Since Fox Sports was handling the broadcast for the North Wilkesboro event, Harvick was already present. Consequently, Hendrick Motorsports requested his services to pilot the No. 5 Chevrolet in place of Larson during practice sessions and to qualify that particular entry.

Larson was guaranteed participation in the event given his past wins at the All-Star Race, his title as a former Cup Series champion, his victories in races held in 2023 and 2024, and his current status as a regular driver.

Despite being a past champion and victor of the All-Star Race, Harvick wasn’t allowed to participate this time around because he no longer raced full-time.

On Sunday, NASCAR was prepared to delay the start time due to Kyle Larson’s progress in the second and third rounds of Indy 500 qualifying, which required him to travel down to North Wilkesboro immediately afterwards.

Due to Harvick being ineligible for the qualifying races, Larson found himself at the rear of the starting grid for the main event. However, since car number 5 had qualified, Larson was still allowed to participate from a starting position.

It’s yet unclear if Harvick will return from retirement for another race in the No. 5 Chevrolet.

It appears that the All-Star Race is less important than the Coca-Cola 600 for the team, so if their schedules clash again, it’s likely someone other than Larson will drive the No. 5 Chevrolet in the lead-up to the non-points showcase event.

It’s not definite that Harvick will be there, but it’s important to note that even with the inclusion of Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports in the Cup Series broadcast schedule as part of a new seven-year media rights deal, the North Wilkesboro race weekend is still slated for Fox Sports coverage. So, Harvick might likely be present.

The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway has been planned for the weekend of May 16th through 18th.

2024-10-11 14:32

Date Everything! Launches for Xbox Series X|S on Valentine’s Day 2025