So, 2024 rolls around, and I kept hearing buzz about Kyle Larson doing the “Double Duty” thing – racing in the Indy 500 and the Coke 600 on the same day. Haven’t seen someone try that in ages, not seriously anyway. Got me thinking, you know? It’s not just flipping channels; it’s a massive undertaking. I decided right then, I wasn’t just gonna watch passively. I wanted to really track it, feel the effort involved, even from my couch.
Getting Ready for the Big Day
First thing I did was look into the history a bit. Remembered Tony Stewart pulling it off. Realized pretty quick how insane the logistics are. Flying between states, different cars, different teams… mind-boggling. Flying to Indy and Charlotte myself? Nah, forget that. Way too much money and hassle for me.
So, plan B: turn my living room into mission control. I decided I’d dedicate the entire Sunday to this. Made a list, checked it twice:
- Snacks: Had to be endurance-level stuff. Chips, jerky, soda, the works.
- Drinks: Coffee for the long haul, maybe something stronger for later.
- Gear: Dug out an old racing cap. Didn’t have specific Larson stuff, but wanted to get in the spirit.
- Tech: Thought about setting up the laptop next to the TV. Maybe one screen for Indy, one for NASCAR? Get the timing charts up? Seemed like a good idea at the time.
The weeks leading up, I kept checking the practice speeds, reading articles. Felt like I was part of his pit crew, almost, just without any actual skills or responsibility, haha.
Race Day… and the Weather
Then came Memorial Day weekend. Woke up ready to go. But almost immediately, the weather reports started looking grim for Indianapolis. Rain, rain, rain. You could just feel the tension building. All that planning, not just by Larson’s teams, but by everyone involved, getting threatened by mother nature.
The waiting was the worst part. Sat there, watching weather updates instead of race cars. Drank way too much coffee. Started wondering how Larson was handling it. Stuck in Indy, knowing the clock was ticking for Charlotte too.
Finally, the Indy 500 got going, hours late. It was good racing, intense. Tried keeping tabs on Larson. He ran pretty well, honestly. Solid debut.
The Mad Dash and the Aftermath
But then came the crunch. The Indy race ended way later than planned. Immediately, the news was all about the logistics again. Would he make it to Charlotte in time? Started the Coke 600 feed on the laptop while Indy was still wrapping up on the TV.
Saw the command was given for drivers to start engines in Charlotte… and Larson wasn’t there. Felt a bit deflating, gotta admit. All that build-up. Saw Justin Allgaier climb into the #5 car. Good for him, but still.
Larson eventually got there, mid-race, ready to take over if needed, but then the weather hit Charlotte too! Race got called early. Just like that, the Double Duty attempt was over, completely scrambled by rain.
What did I take away from it all?
Well, spent a whole day glued to screens, tracking something that ultimately got rained out of being the epic feat it could have been. Felt kind of drained, actually. But also, weirdly impressed.
It hammered home how much goes into something like this. Not just the drivers’ talent, but the hundreds of people planning, the sponsors investing, and then everything still hanging on something as unpredictable as the weather. You can plan all you want, but some things are just out of your control.
Made me respect the whole effort even more, even if it didn’t end like a movie script. Takes guts to even try it. Yeah, it was just watching TV and checking my phone, but following Larson’s 2024 attempt felt like a bit of an endurance event in itself. Glad I tuned in the way I did. Makes you appreciate the whole circus a bit more.
