The official practice week for the 109th running of the Indy 500 is scheduled to get underway on Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Though Kyle Larson took part in last month's open test, his Memorial Day Double attempt is really set to get underway this week.
But this year, things look a bit different for Larson after last year's ill-fated attempt.
Rain at the "Racing Capital of the World" forced the 108th running of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" to be delayed, and instead of flying to Charlotte Motor Speedway to run the Coca-Cola 600, Larson opted to remain at Indy, where he competes for Arrow McLaren through a partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, his NASCAR Cup Series team.
By staying at Indy, Larson opted to forego the opportunity to score points at Charlotte, as Justin Allgaier replaced him. And by the time the Indy 500 ended and he did end up flying to Charlotte, the Coca-Cola 600 had been red flagged due to rain. It did not get restarted, and Larson did not get to compete.
For the next week-plus, there was debate over whether or not Larson, who had already technically locked himself into the Cup Series playoffs with two wins earlier in the season, should be given a playoff waiver, thus preventing his missed start from counting against his playoff eligibility. He was granted the waiver, but NASCAR's rules for such a scenario have since become much stricter.
As a result, the Coca-Cola 600 is Larson's priority this time around.
And as a result of that, 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, who now serves as Arrow McLaren's team principal, is Larson's official backup for the Indy 500.
Kanaan did not take part in the October test at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Speedway, Indiana oval, and he did not take part in last month's open test either. To be eligible to compete, the 50-year-old Brazilian is required to take part in a veteran refresher test this week.
So Kanaan, who has ironically competed in four Indy 500s since announcing his initial "Last Lap" tour in 2020, is set to unretire as Larson's replacement this week so that he can return the required number of laps behind the wheel of the No. 17 Chevrolet.
Will Kanaan actually get the chance to compete in the Indy 500 again after "retiring" in 2023, or will the weather hold out so that Larson can actually turn the "Hendrick 1,100" into a reality this year?
It ironically marks the second time in 12 months that Larson has caused a former champion to unretire.
Last year, it was Kevin Harvick.
Larson prioritized Indy 500 practice and qualifying over NASCAR All-Star Race practice and qualifying at North Wilkesboro Speedway. So it was Kevin Harvick whom Hendrick Motorsports called upon to practice and qualify the No. 5 Chevrolet at the historic venue.
Harvick was ineligible to compete in the qualifying heat races, since he no longer competes full-time in the Cup Series, and Larson had to start the main event from the rear anyway.
In fact, with Larson running a few minutes late that Sunday evening after advancing to the Firestone Fast Six at Indy, NASCAR actually pushed back the start time to make sure he could compete.
Larson is once again set to prioritize Indy practice and qualifying over North Wilkesboro practice and qualifying, as you'd expect.
But it is Allgaier, the reigning Xfinity Series champion for JR Motorsports, who is set to practice and qualify the No. 5 Chevrolet at North Wilkesboro this year. Harvick is set to remain in the NASCAR on Fox broadcast booth, and though Larson did try to convince Carl Edwards to unretire to replace him, Edwards once again opted against a long-rumored return.
Catch live practice action from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Fox Sports 1 this week. Start a free trial of FuboTV now if you have not yet had the chance to do so!