Kyle Larson, with high hopes and growing skill, continues to make his mark at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, becoming increasingly confident behind the wheel of his Indy 500 machine as practice week intensifies. After a challenging open test in late April that ended in a crash, Larson has re-emerged this week, completing more laps than ever and showing notable improvements in car control. Yet, even as Wednesday’s sessions pushed his confidence higher, lingering issues with traffic remain a hurdle, threatening to complicate his ambitions for a strong race performance.
On Wednesday, Larson demonstrated clear progress, telling the FOX Sports broadcast team,
“As far as confidence and whatnot with the car, I’m more confident after (Tuesday) than I was at the open test. I feel like my balance is better this time around.”
This upswing in confidence is tangible, with Larson logging 148 laps across two practice sessions—well above last year’s rain-shortened efforts—and running strongly among the field, finishing the day 13th-fastest overall.
Despite these promising trends, Kyle Larson openly acknowledges his ongoing struggles when it comes to navigating dense traffic at the daunting 2.5-mile oval.
“I still don’t know how to necessarily time”
passes and runs, he admitted. Larson explained his current predicament succinctly:
“I try to build that run and have to bail out of the throttle. All of that momentum you’re trying to build is stalled out. Then you get in the tow, and then it’s too late by the end of the straightaway. Just have to get our car, and I don’t know how to do that, but get our car handling better, you know, closer within that three- to four-car-length gap of the guy in front of you.”
In pure speed, Larson’s Indy 500 effort showed tangible gains. He climbed from 24th-fastest on Tuesday, up the ranks with laps reaching 223.985 mph on Wednesday—his fastest session at the event to date. Larson credited his team and recent set-up adjustments, stating,
“Better handling in traffic for me means you can build that run and then make passing a little bit easier.”
Still, he emphasized that managing the car’s balance in traffic is a key priority for the remainder of practice, adding,
“That’s what my goal is the next few days, and then get to qualifying and hopefully have a good balance there. And qualify toward the front like we did last year.”
Kyle Larson’s drive to master the complexities of Indy 500 traffic led him to shadow Josef Newgarden, the reigning two-time race champion. During a stretch of Wednesday’s practice, Larson attempted to keep pace with Newgarden, lauded for his adeptness in traffic, in hopes of gaining crucial insights. Ultimately, it proved difficult to keep up, as Newgarden’s Penske car sliced through the pack with remarkable precision.
“If we can get our balance as comfortable as it is in clear in traffic, I can be a little more confident I feel like and build some runs,”
Larson remarked.
“Because right now, I feel like I’m stuck wherever I’m at. Just have to work on that.”
Adapting to changing conditions is also part of the challenge. Larson described one moment during his early afternoon run, saying he was
“a bit understeery (tight) into turn three,”
while also noting how shifting winds influenced the car’s feel. He acknowledged that both car set-up and track conditions would require close attention as the field prepares for the critical qualifying sessions ahead.
A highlight of the afternoon came as Joey Logano, a respected three-time NASCAR Cup champion and fellow competitor, joined the FOX Sports booth during Larson’s mid-afternoon interview. In a light-hearted exchange, Logano and the broadcast team quizzed Larson on how the open-wheel IndyCar racing experience at IMS contrasted with NASCAR’s stock cars.
“He’s in a Penske car, so he has that easy,”
Larson joked about Newgarden’s advantage.
“Just hold it, (the throttle), flat (to the floorboard). Honestly it’s nothing too crazy… when I came back here for the Brickyard, I was surprised the sensation felt as fast, or faster, than the IndyCar here.”
Reflecting on the sensation of speed and the unique demands of IndyCar, Kyle Larson elaborated on the increased challenge presented by dirty air and the car’s handling in traffic.
“The Cup car, you’re sliding around a little bit more. You have less, kind of, (grip) to lean on. I think the IndyCar, when you look at the wall, you feel like you’re hauling ass. But you know, before that, you’re pretty stuck. But then traffic, it’s all similar, it’s just more magnified. The dirty air is just more magnified. The affect of it is similar, but it’s the wash you get with the front (of the race car that) is more (pronounced).”
Larson expressed appreciation for the opportunity to take on the challenge of the Indy 500, highlighting his gratitude for the support from Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports.
“I wish more (NASCAR) guys would try it, (IndyCar), because I think they’d be surprised with how similar it all really is. I enjoy it, with a great team here with Arrow McLaren and having Hendrick Motorsports involved in it again is cool. Just having fun. Thankfully the weather is good right now and hopefully we can get our car dialed in a little better and have a decent shot come next week.”
The coming days will be critical for Kyle Larson as he and his crew chase the elusive combination of raw speed and traffic handling that separates contenders from the rest. As qualifying approaches, expectations remain high, with every lap and adjustment crucial in tightening the gap to the front of the field. If Larson and his team can unlock the balance and confidence required in packed race traffic, his growing poise and determination may well translate into a legitimate challenge for Indy 500 glory.
