Kyle Larson might win 2024 Indy 500 with McLaren, claims Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick is the most successful female racer in the Indy 500 and the IndyCar series.
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Kyle Larson and Danica Patrick
The 2021 NASCAR Cup series champion Kyle Larson will mark his Indy 500 debut in 2024 with Arrow McLaren. He will be sponsored by his NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports, and will be the first NASCAR driver since Kurt Busch in 2016 to race in the event. Former NASCAR and IndyCar legend Danica Patrick says that Larson has what it takes to win ‘the greatest motorsports event in the world’.
Kyle Larson has always been fascinated with one-day racing in the iconic event, having raced around the brickyard in his junior years. For a NASCAR driver to race in Ind 500, a lot of factors need to come together. They need a team that offers them a car, proper sponsorship, and support their team. They must also invest time in mastering open-wheel racing prowess while racing stock cars. Larson has managed to get all these rights so far.
Danica Patrick, while talking to For The Win on Thursday, said that Larson, who is racing in most of the championships in the US, can win the event. She pointed out that uncertainty over the best strategy for the race gives Larson a shot at the win. But one thing Larson worries about is the double duty as he has to race in the Coco-Cola 600 on the same weekend as well.
“With a guy like Kyle and a good team, there’s always a chance to win the Indy 500. Especially because usually there’s a high chance of two strategies working: The fast strategy, the leader strategy, and then something off-strategy because there are so many pitstops and there’s so much that happens in the race,” said Danica Patrick.
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Danica Patrick says the Indy 500 will be a hard challenge for Kyle Larson
While she believes Larson has a shot at winning, the first female IndyCar race winner knows it will be one of the hardest tasks of his career. Patrick says that though Larson drives the open-wheel cars in dirt, it’s nothing similar to the struggle on paved tracks.
“But it is hard, no doubt. It is a tall challenge to feel really good in the car when it’s not what you do because open-wheeled cars are very different than stock cars. And I know he drives open-wheeled cars, but most of the time when he’s driving an open-wheeled car, he’s on dirt and not going 240 [miles an hour] on pavement,” Patrick said.
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