Kyle Larson has two new teammates for 2025

As a seasoned racing enthusiast with a soft spot for underdog stories, I can’t help but feel a mix of anticipation and trepidation for Kyle Larson‘s Memorial Day Double attempt in 2025. The NASCAR champ’s journey from the dirt tracks to the Cup Series has been nothing short of inspiring, but his double duty attempts have thus far proven to be more challenging than triumphant.

Kyle Larson chose not to participate in both crown jewel races during Memorial Day in May because he decided to stay at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and compete in the postponed Indy 500, which ultimately made him late for NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In other words, due to his participation in the Indy 500, he missed out on the opportunity to compete in both NASCAR races that weekend.

By the time he arrived in Charlotte, the Coca-Cola 600 had already been halted due to rain, and it was eventually decided not to restart the race, making Larson the first driver in almost three decades whose Memorial Day Double attempt only started in one of the two events.

But in 2025, Larson is set to try again.

Once more, Larson will take control of the No. 17 Chevrolet, this time under the alliance with Rick Hendrick, as he gears up to compete in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” with Arrow McLaren.

It is worth mentioning that the Coca-Cola 600 has been confirmed as his priority this time around, given the playoff waiver fiasco that transpired after he missed this year’s race. 2013 Indy 500 winner and Arrow McLaren sporting director Tony Kanaan is set to unretire and drive the No. 17 Chevrolet at Indy if inclement weather means that Larson can’t compete.

McLaren’s lineup looks much different

Next year, I’ll be joining forces with two new crew members for our 200-lap race on the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Speedway oval in Indiana. It’s quite ironic because these additions make me the IndyCar team’s driver with the second most experience, trailing only two-time Indy 500 runner-up Pato O’Ward.

In the year 2025, Nolan Siegel will be the permanent driver of car number 6, replacing Theo Pourchaire midway through the 2024 season. However, it was Callum Ilott who took the wheel for the Indy 500 in 2024, as the team sought a stand-in due to the injury of David Malukas. Regrettably, Malukas never got to race for the team before his release.

Regarding the No. 7 Chevrolet, the team has decided to part ways with Alexander Rossi, who was on track for a potential second win and ended up in fourth place in 2024. Christian Lundgaard will step into his shoes following his tenure of over three seasons with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

2024 saw O’Ward lead his team with a strong second-place finish, outperforming Rossi who ended up fourth and Ilott who placed eleventh. Larson, positioned fifth in qualifying on the second row, was on track for a top-ten placement ahead of Ilott. However, a late speeding penalty caused him to drop significantly in the race, eventually finishing 18th.

In his bid with Dale Coyne Racing, Siegel didn’t manage to make it to the race. On the other hand, Lundgaard achieved a career-best 13th position during the race after climbing up an impressive 15 positions from the starting point. Over three attempts at the Indy 500 with Bobby Rahal’s team, he successfully moved ahead in a total of 39 positions.

Since then, Rossi has teamed up with Ed Carpenter Racing, while Ilott has penned a deal with Prema Racing, making their debut on the IndyCar circuit in 2025.

On May 25th, 2025, the 109th edition of the Indy 500 and the 66th annual Coca-Cola 600 will happen simultaneously. Fox will air live broadcasts from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while Amazon Prime Video will do the same from Charlotte Motor Speedway.

2024-09-30 15:32