Kyle Larson eyes Indy 500

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kyle Larson began what will become a busy month of May on a small dirt track nestled in a crook of the Missouri River, where he started outside of the top 10 in his sprint car Friday night and managed to climb to third place by the finish.

By the end of the month, Larson hopes to have made some history.

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion is trying to join Tony Stewart as the only drivers ever to complete “the double,” finishing every lap of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Several have tried over the years, most recently Kurt Busch in 2014, but the task has proven to be among the most grueling in all of motorsports.

“I mean, for sure I’m excited,” Larson said Saturday, shortly before hopping into his No. 5 for Hendrick Motorsports and qualifying for the Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. “I’m not like, overly anxious at the same time. I think I’ve known it’s been coming for a couple of years now, and just, you’ve got to be ready to get out there and get going.”