Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren Racing have scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon, where it is anticipated that Kyle Larson will be announced to run the Indianapolis 500 again in 2025. Larson expressed his desire to participate in the race again, with ongoing discussions leading to an imminent decision. The original agreement was for two years, with 2025 being an optional year, and Hendrick Motorsports had a three-month window to finalize the decision.
Larson's motivation to run the Indianapolis 500 stems from his aspiration to complete 'The Double,' a feat he missed out on this year. Despite qualifying fifth at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May, a late-race speeding penalty hindered his chances, resulting in an 18th place finish. Due to a rain delay, Larson was unable to participate in the Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, North Carolina, upon his return from Indianapolis.
Following the rain delay, Larson missed the 600 race, receiving zero points and requiring a waiver from NASCAR to continue in the playoffs. This setback proved costly, as Larson fell just one point short of clinching NASCAR's regular-season championship, a title that carries 15 additional playoff points. An early crash in NASCAR's playoff opener further impacted Larson's standings, dropping him to 10th place.
The upcoming NASCAR race at Watkins Glen, New York, will be followed by the news conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Larson, Hendrick team owner Rick Hendrick, and McLaren CEO Zak Brown are expected to participate. In negotiations for Larson's return to Indianapolis, Hendrick Motorsports assured NASCAR that the Coca-Cola 600 would be the priority event, ensuring Larson's participation.
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