INDIANAPOLIS — Kyle Larson has been determined to absorb the entire Indianapolis 500 experience as NASCAR superstar is set to make his debut in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” over Memorial Day weekend.
He didn’t expect to be under the udder on Tuesday.
One of the the most accomplished riders of every generation still just rookies to the Indy 500. And one of the traditions that’s somewhat new in a place that’s steeped in them is that the rookies, after completing agonizing qualifying run And penultimate training session on Mondayreturned to the quiet Indianapolis Motor Speedway the next morning to try milking the cows.
“What? Is that a thing?” Larson asked when he first learned about this custom.
Was told that it was indeed the person controlling Arrow No. 17 McLaren asked: “Are we wearing gloves?”
So on a hot Tuesday on the highway, there was Larson – just as he promised – standing next to a black-and-white Holstein quietly munching away. Larson bent down, reached with her right hand – ungloved, to record – and brought out one of her breasts. a few test pulls.
“I grew up in a city,” explains Larson, who was born outside Sacramento, California. I’ve never really been around a cow.”
Everything Larson does with a wheel in his hand seems natural to him, but a cow’s udder? Quite amateur. Still, Larson has some milk to squirt, and really that’s the problem.
On Sunday, he hopes to bask in those.
Of course, that’s another Indianapolis 500 tradition, one that began when the 1936 winner, Louis Meyer, climbed out of his car and asked for a glass of buttermilk. These days, drivers are asked in advance which milk they prefer — Larson chooses whole, if he wins — and when they get to victory lane, they usually take a quick sip before dumping it on their heads.
However, there’s a lot on the horizon as Larson prepares for race day, including what will happen if he wins.
He qualified fifth in a joint effort between Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports, his NASCAR team, and plans to run the entire race before flying to Charlotte, North Carolina and driving in the Cup Series race on that night. Only five riders have ever attempted “The Double,” as it has come to be known, and Tony Stewart in 2021 remains the only one to complete the full 1,100 miles.
The schedule was tight: Larson would climb from his Indy car into an SUV, which would take him to a helicopter waiting at the speedway. That would take him to a nearby airport, where a jet would take him to Charlotte. Once landed, another helicopter will take him to the track, where he will climb into his Cup Series car to begin the race.
Any time spent celebrating an Indy 500 win will put Larson in the most difficult position.
“The pressure of going into the race and starting in a great starting position, and knowing that we have the Coca-Cola 600 to run — that’s going to be pressure,” said NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick. day”. “How did the race go? Is it going to rain? What time do we have to leave to get back to Charlotte? That will be a huge pressure.”
Ah, yes, rain. That’s also the forecast for Sunday, with a 50% chance of scattered showers early and becoming more frequent in the afternoon. If that happens, Hendrick said, some tough decisions will need to be made.
“We talked about it many times. We knew we needed to go to Charlotte to get points. We will let it play out,” he said, before adding: “It will be difficult (to pull the plug). It will be very difficult. It will be very disappointing given all the effort everyone has put in from Arrow McLaren. He’s in a good position. It will be extremely difficult.”
Speaking of positions, Larson has found himself with plenty of new positions in the run up to the Indy 500. He’s adept at driving everything from late models to sprint cars to classic cars, but driving an Indy car at about 240 mph was new.
So, crouching under a cow on a bright sunny day on the highway.
“It’s great,” Larson said, smiling. “It was really an interesting experience.”
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