NASCAR and IndyCar: Memorial Day Double history

By Asher Fair | May 22, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 28: Scott Dixon of New Zealand, driver of the #9 Camping World Honda, leads the field during the 101st Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 28, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

This season, there are no drivers who are set to drive in what is known as the Memorial Day Double in IndyCar and NASCAR. Have a look at the history of this historic feat.

Driving in the Memorial Day Double is not something that many drivers have done. Driving in the Memorial Day Double involves driving in the Indianapolis 500 in IndyCar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana before flying to Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 in the NASCAR Cup Series later on Memorial Day Sunday.

For the fourth consecutive season, there are no drivers who are set to attempt the Memorial Day Double.

Four drivers have driven in both races of the Memorial Day Double on the same day, and they have done it nine times combined. Most recently, Kurt Busch did it back in 2014. John Andretti also did it back in 1994, while Robby Gordon did it in back in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004, and Tony Stewart did it back in 1999 and 2001.

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Davy Jones also attempted the Memorial Day Double back in 1995, but he failed to qualify for the Coca-Cola 600. He failed to finish the Indianapolis 500, as he completed just 161 of the race’s 200 laps en route to a 23rd place finish, so he would not have had the chance to complete all 1,100 miles of the Memorial Day Double had he gone to Charlotte anyway.

Tony Stewart, who attempted the Memorial Day Double twice, is the only driver to finish all 500 miles of the Indianapolis 500 and all 600 miles of the Coca-Cola 600, meaning he completed all 1,100 miles of the Memorial Day Double. He pulled off this historic feat in 2001 when he finished in 6th place in the Indianapolis 500 and 3rd in the Coca-Cola 600.

Stewart’s 6th place finish in the Indianapolis 500 in 2001 is tied for the highest in Memorial Day Double attempts with the 6th place finishes of Robby Gordon in 2000 and Kurt Busch in 2014. His 3rd place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2001 is the highest in Memorial Day Double attempts.

Next: 5 NASCAR drivers who should attempt the Memorial Day Double

Next: 5 IndyCar drivers who should attempt the Memorial Day Double

With no driver set to attempt the Memorial Day Double for the fourth consecutive season, we can only wonder when another driver will attempt to do so and who that driver will be. Will a driver ever one of the two or perhaps even both races of the Memorial Day Double?