NASCAR.com's Alex Weaver catches up with Kyle Larson fresh off the announcement he will run the Indianapolis-Charlotte double again in 2025.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00We're here at Charlotte Motor Speedway with Kyle Larson just announced we are attempting the double again
00:04We get to go 1,100 miles with this driver right here for the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in 2025
00:11Kyle first and foremost
00:12Let's start with how 2024 went and did that impact you because it seemed the theme of this press conference was unfinished business
00:19So did it impact the decision to run it again?
00:22Definitely. I think you know
00:23Maybe if things went perfect this year and we got to run both and had a good finish in both
00:28You know, I could have been content with being one and done. But yeah, it didn't go that way
00:33So I you know, I feel like I've just always wanted to do the double
00:37Yeah, I've wanted to racing you 500 don't get me wrong. But like I'm just a racer
00:40so I wanted to do you know two races in one day and
00:43We just didn't get to do that this year
00:45So yeah
00:46It was very important for me to try and you'll get to do it again and thankfully to you know
00:51Rick Hendrick and Hendrick automotive group and Aaron McLaren were able to do that next year
00:55So the weather's gonna be great next year. I don't want to talk about bad weather and risk
00:59It's gonna be perfect weather in both spots
01:01for two weeks, so
01:03Yeah, I look forward to it you and your family and Hendrick and Aaron McLaren spent a ton of time in Indianapolis and flying back
01:10And forth between NASCAR events and indeed to make sure that you were getting the preparation that you needed
01:14What did you learn through this experience this year that you think is going to help you and make you stronger for 2025?
01:20Yeah, I mean I think for me on like the competition side of it
01:24I think just going through the race now once and like feeling my balance of what that was
01:30I
01:31would probably spend the days of practice a little bit differently and trying to you know adjust on the car to find a different balance and
01:38Try to be better in traffic where I think I was just so nervous of
01:42Getting my car too loose and like having a moment or crashing
01:46You know this past year that I just I think we just got our car to a comfortable position and that was fine
01:52you know I was probably gonna I ran around fifth most of the race once I got back up there and felt like I could
01:57Finish at best fourth and at worst eighth, and that's great, but it's not you the winning balance
02:02So I think that I would you know try and just work with the team a little bit more to get the balance
02:08You're turning better in dirty air to build runs. I just couldn't build any runs to pass so that made it difficult
02:15You mentioned in the press conference as well feeling like a fan favorite you had support
02:20Indianapolis Charlotte even at North Wilkesboro when we're running an all-star race
02:24How much does this feel like?
02:26Redemption for those fans that came along with you in 2024 that they get to go along again for 2025
02:30Yeah that that too. You know I think that that can't go you know you know it's forgotten either
02:36I think you know the fans. They were just as bummed as I was you know that we couldn't you know complete both races and
02:43Yeah, so yeah, I think this is a lot for them as well as it is for myself and mr. Hendricks
02:49so yeah, I look forward to hopefully having the same amount of fan support next year and
02:55Because it was really cool. It was just it was awesome. You know having the support especially in Indianapolis
03:00But then like I didn't get to spend much time
03:02You know at the NASA races like I flew in to the all-star race just in time to race
03:06But like hearing the crowd you scream and cheer when I rolled in on a golf cart and just having the competitors
03:14Who I never might talk to or or you know battle against every weekend?
03:19you know
03:21Congratulating me on qualifying and then asking me about the cars and stuff. It was all really cool
03:25So yeah, it's definitely as much for me as it is for everybody else
03:29We appreciate the time Kyle and we look forward to the prep for the 1100 next year