Bob Pockrass
FOX Motorsports Insider
Kyle Larson is serious when he says his month of May isn’t as hectic as one might think.
Of course, Larson’s definition of hectic might be a little different from the average racecar driver.
Let’s take a look at Larson’s racing schedule for the first couple weeks of this month, which includes a second attempt at the Indianapolis 500 (Sunday, May 25 at 10 a.m. ET on FOX):
— May 1: Finishes ninth in the High Limit Racing sprint-car race (the series he co-owns) at Texas Motor Speedway dirt track
— May 2: Xfinity qualifying at TMS (rained out)
— May 3: Qualifies his Cup car in fourth, wins the Xfinity race for JR Motorsports as a substitute driver for the injured Connor Zilisch, and then finishes second in High Limit that night across the street
— May 4: Finishes fourth in the Cup race at Texas
— May 7: High Limit Racing at Park City, Kansas
— May 9: High Limit Racing at Kansas City, Kansas
— May 10: Cup practice and qualifying at Kansas Speedway (Kansas City, Kan.)
— May 11: Cup race at Kansas Speedway.
— May 12: High Limit Racing at Kokomo, Indiana
— May 13-18: Indy 500 practice and then Indy 500 qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
— May 18: Leaves Indy 500 qualifying for NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway (8 p.m. ET on FS1)
— May 19: Indy 500 practice
— May 23: Indy 500 carb day (final practice)
–May 24: Indy 500 drivers meeting and then NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 practice and qualifying at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
— May 25: Indy 500 and then Coca-Cola 600
“Everybody thinks it’s like back-and-forth every day, but it honestly is as easy of a schedule as I get all year because I’m never in a place for six days in a row,” Larson said. “So it’s honestly really nice.”
Larson, whose attempt at the Indy 500-Coke 600 double last year was spoiled by rain that delayed the Indianapolis race and resulted in him never making a lap in the 600, has already said that the NASCAR race will take precedence on Memorial Day weekend if there are any delays.
But one slight surprise in the scheduling is a possible conflict between Indianapolis 500 pole qualifying and the NASCAR All-Star Race.
Last year, the “Fast Six” session (where the fastest six drivers on pole day compete for their position in the first two rows) ended at 5:55 p.m. ET, giving Larson plenty of time to get to North Carolina for the all-star event, which NASCAR delayed the start by 15 minutes to 8:30 p.m. to make sure Larson had enough time.
The Fast Six session this year is an hour later, going from 6:25-6:55 p.m. ET, making it nearly impossible to make it to North Wilkesboro. If Larson makes the Fast Six — and that is a big if — he would have to choose between the all-star race (he isn’t required to compete in it, but the team likely wouldn’t be able to substitute a driver) or not posting a time in the Fast Six and starting the Indianapolis 500 in sixth.
“I think that I would miss the Fast Six and go to the All-Star Race,” Larson said. “It’s important to race it. It’s a lot of money on the line.
“Sure it’d be great if you had an opportunity to get the pole, but I’d rather race for a million dollars [at the all-star event], I think, and start sixth. You never really know how it’s going to go. We’ve got to make sure our car is fast enough to even worry about all that.”
Because Larson has a hectic schedule, he isn’t sweating any rigors from the logistics of the month.
“Nobody races as much as me, so I think there’s something to be said to that, being in great shape,” Larson said. “And also when I’m not racing, I try to stay physically active and working out, doing those things and try to eat somewhat healthy.
“That can be difficult at times. I feel good about where I’m at.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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