NASCAR April rankings: Momentum for Cindric, Gibbs
Connor Zilisch wants to 'see team do well' with Larson at Texas
Connor Zilisch provides an update on his back injury that sidelined him for this weekend's Xfinity Series race and reacts to Kyle Larson subbing for him in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet at Texas.
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Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Analysis: 'The Double' is hard because it's supposed to be hard
Since rain wrecked the well-laid and meticulously constructed plans of Kyle Larson for the second consecutive year, there's been an outcry of how to make 'The Double' logistically easier. Earlier and later start times! Greater collaboration between IndyCar and NASCAR leadership! Souped up planes, helicopters and golf karts! Advertisement All this misses the point of the most Herculean quest in motorsports: Racing the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day is supposed to be extremely hard to accomplish. Its demanding appeal stems from overcoming an inherent nightmare of logistics. Making a 600-mile commute between the Midwest and Southeast enough times to earn Admirals Club access. While also turning thousands of laps in practicing and racing two wildly different cars at top speeds over 235 mph. RELATED: Larson's 'Double' fallout; fresh playoff contenders emerge 'The Double' is underpinned by its degree of difficulty — starting with the fact it was a literal impossibility for decades. Advertisement The Coke 600 didn't exist until 1960 (49 years after the inaugural Indy 500). For its first 14 years, NASCAR's longest race ran once on the same day as the Indy 500, which was annually held on May 30 until 1974 (when Memorial Day permanently moved to Monday). For the next 20 years, the signature races were held on the same day but often concurrently and with no window that allowed for racing in both. Until Charlotte Motor Speedway added lights and moved the 600 to a nighttime finish in 1993. In the second year that 'The Double' as we know it was possible (there were four drivers who ran the Indy 500 and Coke 600 on separate days in the same year from 1967-71), John Andretti made it a reality in 1994 (and with much less buffer than Larson was scheduled to have with no delays). Advertisement It's been a hit-or-miss opportunity that four more have tried since. From 2005-11, the race shifted to a 1 p.m. EDT start that essentially made completing 'The Double' impossible. In the 14 years since moving to a noon EDT start in 2012, there have been three attempts — Kurt Busch in 2014 and Larson in 2024-25. Those are two NASCAR Cup Series champions who had a legitimate shot to win one or even both races. That's a select list. This isn't open to anyone, nor is it an annual guarantee. Again, 'The Double' is hard because it should be. After Larson's meteorological misfortune the past two years, it's logical to address how to minimize a 45-minute rain delay negating months of careful coordination and preparation. Advertisement There might be wiggle room on the start times of both races. RELATED: Delaying start of Coca-Cola 600 was considered for Larson Until 2005, the Indy 500 started at 11 a.m. during an era when the Indianapolis area didn't observe Daylight Savings Time as it does now. Surely it's possible to get the same crowds of 300,000-plus through the gates before noon now with modern technology. Until Larson crashed Sunday on Lap 91 of the Indy 500, NASCAR was considering a delay of the Coke 600 from its 6:27 p.m. ET start. But there are natural limits to how much 'easier' it can be to attempt 'The Double' — which is good. Advertisement As Trackhouse Racing co-owner Justin Marks alluded to after Ross Chastain's Coke 600 victory, there's an aspirational side to watching a versatile superstar such as Larson take on a challenge that can inspire the general populace to do the unthinkable. Who's building Hoover Dam, digging out the Panama Canal or laying the Transatlantic cable anymore? When the country made an 11-figure investment in space exploration in the 1960s, it was as much about getting the youth of America interested in math and science as putting a man on the moon. That's the limitless value of 'The Double.' If Larson somehow were to win both races, imagine trying to attach a price tag to the resultant exposure and sponsor interest that likely would follow for IndyCar and NASCAR. People want to see the seemingly improbable happen, which is why 'The Double' needs to remain very hard to do — even if that compromises the frequency with which it occurs. Advertisement Greatness is harder to witness if it happens every year. Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 while working at the San Bernardino Sun, Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA TODAY and for the past 10 years at NBC Sports Digital. He is a contributor to the 'Hauler Talk' show on the NASCAR Podcast Network. He also has covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.
NBC Sports
18 hours ago
- NBC Sports
NASCAR Friday schedule at Michigan International Speedway
The ARCA and Truck series are on track Friday at Michigan International Speedway, which will begin its first NASCAR weekend in June since 2019. The Craftsman Truck Series will begin its lone session with a 50-minute practice starting at 1 p.m. ET. Dustin Long, ARCA cars are on track with a 50-minute practice at 2 p.m., followed by qualifying at 3:05 p.m. A 100-lap race will begin at 5 p.m. Connor Zilisch is the defending winner but absent from this year's entry list. Michigan International Speedway schedule (All Times Eastern) Friday, June 6 Garage open 12:30 - 5:30 p.m. — Cup Series 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. — Truck Series 6:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. — ARCA Track activity 1 - 1:50 p.m. — Truck Series practice 2 - 2:50 p.m. — ARCA practice 3:05 - 3:25 p.m. — ARCA qualifying (FS1) 5 p.m. — ARCA race (100 laps, 200 miles; FS2, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) Weather Friday: Cloudy with a high of 74 degrees and winds from the east-northeast at 5 to 10 mph. It's expected to be 73 degrees with a 6% chance of rain at the start of the ARCA race.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
North's Larson having sensational track season
Josie Larson has been a gift that just keeps giving for the Eau Claire North track and field team. In her junior year, Larson already holds two schools records and is on her way to breaking a third. On May 9 at the Stan Bar Relays, Larson set her personal record in the shot put after throwing a distance of 38 feet, 6 inches. Advertisement Larson holds the school record for the both pole vault and discus. The discus record is now 134 feet, 2 inches. The Big Rivers Conference Championship took place at Chippewa Falls High School on May 19. Larson pole vaulted 11 feet, 6 inches. She was named the field MVP for the meet. Breaking the school record at the conference championship meet is something Larson said will forever be a core memory. 'I came into this season thinking it was definitely in reach,' Larson said. 'I continued to just practice and gain more confidence. When it finally happened I was kind of just stunned, but the environment and the emotions were all there. It was awesome.' Advertisement She said the motivation to get into track and field came from both of her grandfathers. 'My grandpa was a pole vaulter and when I was younger he would always say, 'You're gonna be a pole vaulter one day,' and now I'm here,' Larson said. 'Throwing was just one of those things that I tried and enjoyed. I knew I was I on the muscular side, so I gave it a shot and it turned out to be something good.' Larson is an all-around athlete. She is a competitive gymnast for the Huskies and she is also a member of the volleyball team. North coach Adam Sturgis has a list of compliments dedicated to Larson. 'She truly is a generational talent in a number of different ways,' Sturgis said. 'And what kind of separates her is that she outworks everybody, there's no doubt about it. And I am not talking about just on the track, but in the classroom as well.' Advertisement Sturgis said Larson has truly had an influence on the team. 'She's in a zone when she's here and that picks up all the kids around her,' he said. 'She has upped the level of intensity from practices to competitions.' Sturgis may be the head coach, and the team may have top-notch coaches for Larson's events, but he said Larson is not a product of him. 'I almost feel more like an orchestra director where she's producing the music. I can't take credit for most of what she's done because she's done all the work,' he said. Sturgis was impressed by the countless hours of work Larson put in during the offseason. Advertisement 'She does a lot of work with pole vault camps and clubs. There's a private pole vault club in Menomonie that she's a part of and that's where she's really grown,' he said. 'It's so vital to take that time when you have the opportunity to really make some improvements outside of the season.' Larson does not get to practice sprinting often because of her shot put and discus practice, but she does a great job in balancing all three events. 'She's going to continue to improve, and the stronger she gets the more explosive she gets,' Sturgis said. 'She has that type of talent where it is very realistic to see her on the podium at state.' Larson's plan is to take her track and field talents to the collegiate level. Advertisement 'I know that I am capable of so much more and there's always something I can do better. There's always room for improvement,' she said. 'Nothing is perfect.' The Huskies are heading into regionals on Tuesday and Larson said there are some nerves but she is not new to this. 'I have the ability and I've been gifted the ability to be able to move my body efficiently,' she said. 'I have the energy, I have the strength, I have the people to support me, so why not push myself to my full potential.'
