Rain Postpones Indy 500 Start; Tense Wait for Kanaan

INDIANAPOLIS — Unfavorable weather conditions led to an interruption in the opening day of rehearsals for the 109th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Rain significantly altered plans for Tuesday, forcing delays in the scheduled activities.

A crucial two-hour slot was planned for Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan to undertake a veteran refresher course. The allotment was set aside just in case Kanaan needs to step in for NASCAR star Kyle Larson, who is ambitiously attempting to participate in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25. This was supposed to be Larson’s second venture to complete the strenuous feat of 1,100 miles in one day; his initial attempt the previous year was thwarted by inclement weather in both Indianapolis and Charlotte, North Carolina, which hindered him from competing in the 600.

Despite the rain Tuesday making all track activities impossible, there’s optimism that IndyCar will proceed with a full-field practice session if the weather eventually permits. Kanaan’s refresher course, on the other hand, must be rescheduled for another date.

Kanaan’s participation is critical since NASCAR has made it clear that Larson must prioritize the Coca-Cola 600. Last year’s rain-induced delay at the Indy 500 led Hendrick Motorsports to keep him at the speedway before making a delayed arrival in North Carolina. Unfortunately, by the time Larson reached Charlotte Motor Speedway, the race was halted by rain, never to resume.

NASCAR took a considerable amount of time to decide on granting Larson a waiver to maintain his playoff eligibility. This year, NASCAR was decisive, making it clear that failing to participate in the 600 could have severe repercussions on his quest for a second Cup Series championship.

Despite the rain on Tuesday and a long-range forecast hinting the inclement weather might persist, Larson remains enthusiastic. He downplayed the current setbacks, expressing contentment with his ongoing racing schedule and NASCAR achievements. Notably, Larson is tied for the Cup Series points lead this season and shares three wins with Christopher Bell.

Labeling the 500 as the “biggest event of the year,” Larson maintains a positive outlook, saying, “Every day is something really cool and just being part of it is special.” He is keen on excelling on the track and making upcoming events, including the All-Star race and the 600 next week, memorable. Confident about his team’s preparedness for the NASCAR races, Larson stated, “I know we’re going to have good cars for (the NASCAR races), so good times to be Kyle Larson.”

Out of his varied racing pursuits, Larson regards IndyCar as the most demanding, primarily due to the intense cockpit requirements. He noted, “Everything besides the Indy car is really easy because I do it often,” but “IndyCar is difficult to drive because there’s so much more going on in the car.” Emphasizing the greater complexity, he confessed that the need to quickly adapt or recall commands makes it challenging.

On the other side, Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 victor, last competed in the race in 2023 for McLaren. Now in a management position with the team and serving as the team principal, Kanaan humorously recounted his wife’s reminder of his on-track commitments. Upon receiving a grumbly response to her morning greeting, Kanaan’s wife, Lauren, acknowledged the reemergence of the race car driver within him, quipping, “I guess the race car driver is back.”