Kyle Larson became the fifth driver to run both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day in May 2025, one year after his Memorial Day Double attempt was derailed due to rain at both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Driving for Arrow McLaren, in partnership with his Hendrick Motorsports Cup Series team, Larson finished 18th after starting fifth in his first Indy 500 and was in contention for a top 10 finish before a late pit road speeding penalty.
But rain at Indy forced Larson's delayed arrival to Charlotte, by which point the NASCAR race had been stopped due to rain. It did not resume, so Larson became the first driver to attempt the Double and only actually compete in one of the two races since 1995.
Kyle Larson Indy 500 landing spot officially ruled out for 2026
Larson crashed out of both races in 2025, but he still became the first driver since Kurt Busch in 2014 to run both crown jewel races. The Indy 500 winner that year was none other than Ryan Hunter-Reay, one of Busch's Andretti Autosport teammates.
Now it's Hunter-Reay who is set to pilot a one-off entry in 2026, and it's the same one-off entry that Larson drove for Arrow McLaren in each of the past two editions of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing".
It has long been speculated that a 2026 Indy 500 effort was out of the question for Larson, and now Arrow McLaren have officially filled his seat. Hunter-Reay is set to join full-time drivers Pato O'Ward, Christian Lundgaard, and Nolan Siegel in the team's four-car lineup during the month of May.
Hunter-Reay, who has made 17 career Indy 500 starts, is set to use the No. 31, rather than the No. 17 that Larson used in both 2024 and 2025. Hunter-Reay used the No. 31 with American Spirit Team Johansson during his rookie Champ Car season in 2003, as well as during the 2005 season with Rocketsports Racing.
He led 48 laps around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Speedway, Indiana oval in 2025 and was in contention to win the 109th running before a late fuel issue doomed his final pit stop of the afternoon.
Fox is set to provide live coverage of the 110th running of the Indy 500 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway starting at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 24, 2026.