IndyCar News: If rain delayed, Larson will blow off Indy 500

Should weather delay the start of the Indianapolis 500, Kyle Larson will ditch his IndyCar Indy 500 effort and head to the 65th running of NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

That means Tony Kanaan will drive in place of Larson in the Indy 500 and start 33rd.

Hendrick Motorsports has made it abundantly clear that Kyle Larson’s top priority on Memorial Day weekend will be NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 over the Indianapolis 500.

Larson confirmed Saturday that if rain delays the start or interrupts the Indy 500, he’ll leave the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to make it to the Charlotte Motor Speedway in time to start the 600, a far more important race.

“Hopefully, that (weather) situation doesn’t arise,” the Hendrick Motorsports star at Darlington Raceway, where he qualified sixth for this weekend’s Goodyear 400. “I’m not sure who’s the one to make that call. I’m sure there’s a window that when it gets to a certain point, I have to leave because the 600 is the priority and chasing another championship is the priority.

“I just hope that doesn’t come about. Tony Kanaan is there for reserve, if something like that does happen, to fill in for the (Indy) 500. But we’ll just pray that that doesn’t happen.”

“I think I stay prepared for things like this because I race all the time,” said Larson, already a two-time winner this year. “These next two weeks, honestly, are simpler than most of my weeks. I’m in Indiana (next week) for a full week, and I’m behind one certain type of car (his Hendrick McLaren Arrow) for the majority of that week.

“A lot of times my summer schedule will get crazy, where I’m racing on a Sunday and then flying to go race a Sprint Car one day. And then I’m driving three hours to go race a dirt Late Model and then something else that weekend. So, times like that probably prepare me for the month of May more than anything. I think having good people around you too; having good, organized logistics helps, as well.”