Larson disappointed to miss the double

CONCORD, N.C. — Kyle Larson spent a year preparing to achieve the double.

Instead, he was only able to run one single, leaving the NASCAR star more than disappointed.

Larson's quest was to complete – if not win – the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, joining Tony Stewart as the only driver to complete all 1,100 laps in a single day. But then the rain came not once but twice, and a rookie mistake at the Indy 500 cost him a chance to compete in the only race he ran.

“What I thought would be one of the best days of my life quickly turned into one of the most disappointing days I have ever experienced,” Larson said on social media Monday, about 12 hours later that the storms in Charlotte prevented him from going up to his apartment. Car #5 to finish the NASCAR race.

When rain pushed back the start of the Indy 500 by four hours, Larson's team made the decision to stay and run the race. He made a mistake while shifting at one point, costing him 10 places, and his penalty for speeding in the pits ended any chance of victory. He finished 18th.

Larson, 31, tried to make the best of a bad situation, taking two helicopters and a private jet to reach Concord with the Cup Series race just past the halfway mark. The crowd cheered as he arrived on pit lane, and Larson put on his racing helmet and prepared to climb into the No. 5 Chevrolet.

It was at this point that the race was cautioned and a steady downpour forced the red flag. Two hours later, NASCAR declared race leader Christopher Bell the winner with 151 laps remaining, saying there was no way to dry the track and resume racing before 1 a.m. due to humidity.

Larson has never taken a ride in Charlotte.

“So much time, money and effort went into this experiment and it kills me to see it all end like this,” Larson said. “I feel like I've let so many people down. We knew all along that the weather could turn things upside down, but seeing it come true is a horrible feeling.

Larson said he was disappointed for the car's owner, Rick Hendrick, apologized to his racing team in Indianapolis for their mistakes and expressed frustration with the documentary crew that followed his eight-month journey but which had been deprived of a great story because of storms in two different states.

Larson's attention now returns to NASCAR and trying to win his second Cup Series championship.

NASCAR rules state that a driver cannot enter the playoffs without running all races. That means Hendrick Motorsports will have to file a waiver on Larson's behalf, requesting special permission for the 2021 season champion to participate in the playoffs.

It hasn't happened yet, but given the attention Larson has brought to the sport in recent weeks, it's almost inconceivable that the governing body wouldn't grant it.

Last year, NASCAR gave Chase Elliott the opportunity to make the playoffs after he was suspended for intentionally destroying Denny Hamlin in the Coca-Cola 600.

Despite rain washing out much of Indy 500 practice, Larson said attempting “the double” was one of the best experiences of his life – until Sunday. And afterward, Larson expressed his desire to try again; Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren have a two-year contract to field one car.

“I can’t describe how much I appreciate everyone’s support in living my dream,” Larson said. “I hope this isn't the last opportunity I have to try 'The Double,' but if it is, I guess it was memorable.”