Kyle Busch, famous for his dominance in NASCAR with two Cup Series titles and over 200 national series wins, almost fulfilled his dream of racing in the iconic 2024 Indianapolis 500 with McLaren. Despite coming extremely close, he revealed on Denny Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental podcast that the chance slipped through his fingers at the last moment, after a frustrating turn of events and a sudden demand from McLaren’s leadership. Busch’s stunning admission came with mixed emotions, as he explained how Kyle Larson ultimately secured the seat, leaving him to face another bitter setback.
Busch explained that he was nearly ready to sign on with McLaren for the famed Indy 500, with a sponsor fully committed to backing his effort. However, at the crucial stage, McLaren CEO Zak Brown introduced an unexpected obstacle: he required Busch’s sponsor to purchase the car outright, citing concerns over potential crash damage and the financial risks of repair. Busch recounted,
“Zak Brown told the sponsor, ‘Hey, I need you to buy the car,’ and the sponsor was like, ‘Why do I want to buy the car? I’m sponsoring Kyle and he’s going to drive it.’”
Despite suggestions from Denny Hamlin to include a crash clause in the agreement, negotiations suddenly faltered. In the midst of these turbulent discussions, Kyle Larson seized the moment.
“It wasn’t two weeks later… [the sponsor] was like, ‘Yeah, we’re too late anyway now. The opportunity is closed because Larson got it,’”
Busch revealed, his frustration apparent. Larson accepted a two-year deal with McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports to do the Indy 500-Coca-Cola 600 double, while Busch only sought a single chance, making the situation even more exasperating.
This is not Kyle Busch’s first disappointment with the Indianapolis 500. Years earlier, he had a sponsorship agreement in place with M&M’s, only to have Joe Gibbs, his Cup Series team owner at the time, block the effort. Busch said candidly,
“It was all done. M&M’s was gonna do it. Guess who said no?”
Denny Hamlin quickly answered, “Joe Gibbs,” to which Busch confirmed. Even Roger Penske declined to add another car for him, stating they lacked the necessary resources.
Kyle Busch remains intent on crossing the Indy 500 off his bucket list, but after repeated failures and last-minute heartbreaks, uncertainty clouds whether he will ever get another opportunity. The loss of this deal to Kyle Larson leaves lingering questions about trust and timing in the racing world, casting doubt on whether Busch can realize his dream before time runs out.
