Kyle Larson definitely wants to race in the Indianapolis 500 again next year.
The agreement he and Hendrick Motorsports made with Arrow McLaren Racing was always planned as a two-year deal, but 2025 was an option year that Larson mentioned on Wednesday is still being worked out.
If it were up to him, a decision would be reached sooner rather than later.
“I would love to. We’re still working on it,” Larson said. “It’s progressing. So I like that, but obviously things can always change.”
Larson made a strong impression at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May, qualifying fifth. However, a speeding penalty late in the race took him out of contention, and he finished 18th.
Additionally, there was a long rain delay, and since Hendrick Motorsports had invested a lot of money into the Indy 500, they decided to leave Larson at the race and handle the Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, North Carolina, later.
As soon as the Indy 500 was over, Larson flew to North Carolina, where he encountered more rain. He rushed to his car just as the race was paused for weather, and because it never resumed, he didn’t get to participate in the 600.
This led to some controversy in NASCAR, with many senior leaders feeling that Larson and Hendrick prioritized the Indianapolis 500 over the 600, and therefore, Larson wasn’t automatically granted a waiver to compete in the playoffs.
The issue continued for over a week, with Hendrick Motorsports frustrated by the intense scrutiny, feeling that other drivers have received waivers for non-racing reasons.
For example, Matt Kenseth missed half of the 2018 season, all of 2019, and the first four races of 2020 but still received a playoff waiver when he was hired to replace Larson, who was suspended.
