There might not be a faster man alive than Hendrick Motorsports star Kyle Larson.
Driving the No. 5 car for famed owner Rick Hendrick, Larson is among NASCAR's greatest-ever talents. At the tender age of 31, he already has 25 wins, a Cup Series title and a spot on the list of NASCAR's greatest drivers. Of his 344 top-flight races, Larson has finished in the top-ten 170 times.
Open-wheel racing is a different story, however. Larson is one of stock car's finest-ever talents. It's not quite clear if those skills will translate to Indianapolis' oval, however.
Larson is not the first NASCAR driver to try his luck at the famous event. He is, however, one of just a handful to have attempted to compete in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR's crown jewel events.
Larson will be the fifth driver to attempt the Memorial Day weekend double, where racers attempt to drive both on the Brickyard and Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day.
MORE: Did Kyle Larson qualify for the Indy 500?
Here's what you need to know about those who preceded Larson in performing the Indy 500-NASCAR double.
History of the Indy 500-NASCAR double
Larson isn't the first person to attempt such a feat. Four other drivers have tried their luck in open-wheel racing's preeminent battle (which can see chariots reach speeds approaching 250 mph) and the Coca-Cola 600 (the longest race in the Cup Series calendar) on the same day. Of that trio, just one — three-time Cup Series winner and 1997 IndyCar champion Tony Stewart — completed all 1,100 miles of racing on the same day.
John Andretti (1994)
Andretti ventured into uncharted territory when he opted to participate in both races on Memorial Day 1994. An IndyCar veteran, Andretti signed to the Winston Cup Series full-time ahead of the '94 season, but still maintained an interest in participating in the Indy 500, too.
Andretti became the first person to successfully qualify for both events. He impressed at points during the Brickyard, climbing up the grid to as high as third before faltering late. Ultimately, he finished the race in 10th-place.
As soon as the race ended, Andretti made his way to a local airport, hopped on a flight, and headed for Queen City. He was able to make it to the Coca-Cola 600 on time and lined up with his competitors for green flag. However, he was forced to start the day in P38 after failing to attend the pre-race driver's meeting.
Andretti was unable to make his way through the pack at Charlotte. He was felled by a faulty engine, dropping out of the race on Lap 220 en route to a 36th-place finish.
Tony Stewart (1999, 2001)
Stewart is perhaps the closest thing motorsports has to a two-sport star, capturing championship titles in both IndyCar and NASCAR's top divisions. He blended both worlds together in 1999 — his first year as a full-time Winston Cup driver.
Driving a Pontiac for the Joe Gibbs' owned Tri-Star Motorsports, Stewart darted through the mire, overcoming a P24 starting position to finish the day in the top-ten. He then zipped his way to Charlotte and captured a fourth-place finish in his inaugural Coca-Cola 600. Pretty impressive, huh?
Well, Stewart took his racing career to new heights in 2001, the second year that he attempted the Double Duty. Despite driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Cup Series, Stewart took the reins for Chip Ganassi Racing at the Brickyard. He proceeded to pilot the open-wheeled carriage to a sixth-place, lead-lap finish at Indianapolis. A few hours later, in an entirely different state, Stewart trickled through the trenches for a third-place showing at Charlotte. He's the only driver to finish on the lead-lap of both races.
Robby Gordon (1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Gordon attempted to conquer the Brickyard and Charlotte five separate times. The former IndyCar veteran made the switch to the Winston Cup Series in 1997 and marked the occasion by attempting his first Double Duty. It didn't go quite to plan; a rain delay pushed the Indy 500 to Monday and Tuesday, nixing his opportunity to add his name to the record books.
No matter, though. Gordon proceeded to participate in the two competing races on four other occasions. However, he never was able to complete the full 1,100 mile pilgrimage.
Kurt Busch (2014)
Busch was the most recent Cup Series regular to attempt the feat, earning a sixth-place finish in Indianapolis despite falling as far back as 20th. He then hopped on a plane to Charlotte and made it to the Queen City with time to spare. Busch was forced to start the Coca-Cola 600 in the back after missing the driver's pre-race meeting. He showcased decent speed on the long-run and even flirted with a Top-15 finish. But a faulty engine doomed him in the end, knocking out of the lengthy race.
