Larson’s whirlwind weekend turned into quite a success
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Kyle Larson drove in a prestigious sprint car event in Iowa on Saturday, then made it back to Michigan in time to win Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.
So the question team owner Chip Ganassi faced in the news conference afterward wasn’t all that outlandish: Could the Indianapolis 500 be a possibility in the future?
“See what you do to me?” Ganassi said to Larson.
Larson’s plan for last weekend was a bold one, and it required some leeway from his owner, but the victory at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday was all the validation he needed. His weekend itinerary was the type of adventurous effort that can help a talented young driver build his fan base, and that’s something Ganassi seemed to understand.
And when he won the most important race of the weekend, the 25-year-old Larson may have earned a little more latitude for the future.
“Indy 500 is definitely on my bucket list,” Larson said. “I don’t know if it is right now at this moment, but for sure some day I’d like to, and Chip knows that.”
Larson has four career Cup victories, and his rise comes at a time when NASCAR could use as many popular, young drivers as possible. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is following Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart into retirement, and recent champions Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick are in their 40s.
Stewart had a reputation for extending himself well beyond the basic NASCAR Cup schedule. In 2001, he ran both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-cola 600 on the same day, completing all 1,100 miles at Indy and Charlotte.
Kurt Busch tried that “Double” in 2014 and made it through over 900 miles before engine failure ended his bid.
Ganassi seemed to realize what this past weekend’s whirlwind could do for Larson’s popularity, and he publicly urged the sprint car fans to tune in for the NASCAR race Sunday. He said Sunday’s manageable start time — around 3 p.m. in Michigan — played a role in his decision.