“We Are Still Pretty Slow”: Kyle Larson Blurts It All Out as Problems Mount One by One at Indy 500

Is the No. 17 Arrow McLaren any good in terms of speed for the 109th running of the Indy 500? Kyle Larson hasn’t had the best of starts to redeem himself after a disappointing debut last year. He has crashed his car not just once but twice; the first incident was a month ago in the early goings, and the second one came during the mock-qualifying session. It is rare to see Larson miss his markers twice. Is he trying too hard to get the speed out of the race car?

Given that last time around, Larson started the Indy 500 in sixth place, many believed that this strong run would continue in 2025. But, for some reason, the car isn’t at it’s best and the HMS star didn’t mince words in pointing out the core issue with his mediocre qualifying run on Saturday.

Kyle Larson isn’t in the best spot to complete his historic Double

The qualifying process for the Indy 500 is a little different. All drivers get four lap runs each, and the average speed across these laps determines the qualifying position of the driver. After all cars complete their runs, teams can make additional attempts until 5:50 pm. After fighting his car and crashing out during the mock qualifying run, Larson ran clean laps, and he clocked 230.053 mph as his best speed, which wasn’t good enough, and he finds himself in 16th for now. Remember that drivers will have another shot for an extended time. Larson is going to do that to try and improve his position.

“I mean, we will definitely get back out there. I think we’re pretty slow. Good to finally get the qualifying run, that’s the first of our month we’ve gotten, it’s just been hectic in qualifying. So good to get those four laps in and now we’re trying to maintain that balance and trying to find some speed. Qualifying last year was pretty simple, but I think my car balance was good and we had the speed to go along with it.” Larson said this in an interview after the qualifying runs.

As it turns out, Kyle Larson couldn’t get much out of the No. 17 Arrow McLaren machine as he tumbled down the order after getting back out again. Five drivers knocked him down the leaderboard. Larson wasn’t content with the position, and he went for the third attempt in the non-priority lane. But the session had expired. The 32-year-old will start the 109th Indianapolis 500 in the 21st position on the outside of row seven after failing to advance into the Top 12 by nearly half a mile per hour. His Arrow McLaren teammate Christian Lundgaard was 12th with 231.809 mph.

“We’re still pretty slow…” @kylelarsonracin “definitely going to get back out there” after making his first Indy 500 qualifying run. #Indy500 pic.twitter.com/Gl56mF9vaQ

— Frontstretch Open Wheel (@FSOpenWheel) May 17, 2025

While Larson is a talented driver, he is a newbie to IndyCar racing. The biggest difference this year in the car is a hybrid system, which adds about 100 pounds to the rear of the car. It has made the car tougher to drive, and this could’ve led to a balance issue for the driver when he crashed twice. But unlike NASCAR, Larson isn’t worried about his legacy and wants to enjoy himself. “Right now, I don’t really think about the legacy side of it. I just love to race, and I want to do both races and try to do a good job and have fun with everything.” However, this time around, he will need to be on his toes when it comes to deciding between the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600.

NASCAR and Indy 500 rules are acting as a major roadblock for Larson

Last year, NASCAR gave HMS a tough time in handing their driver the waiver to participate in the playoffs. After a rain delay at Indy, Larson opted to stay and ditch the start of the Coca-Cola 600. This wasn’t taken well by the governing body, and they brought in the “Kyle Larson” rule. No waivers will be handed out for non-medical reasons. Drivers are free to race in other series, but there’s a catch, which now takes NASCAR out of the equation from making tough calls.

The new policy is clear: miss a Cup race for non-medical reasons, like running the Indy 500, and you lose all playoff points earned so far, plus the chance to earn more for the rest of the regular season. For Larson, with three wins and 23 playoff points, that’s a devastating blow. Starting the playoffs with just 2,000 points, he’d be at a major disadvantage, one bad race away from elimination. It’s not just a technicality; it’s a strategic gut punch, a rule that says choose the Cup Series or face the consequences.

We have heard Hendrick make it clear that Larson will prioritize the 600 in case the Indy 500 start is affected by the rain. It has to be noted that a driver who starts the 500 will have to complete it. In case Larson opts to ditch the race, his replacement driver, Tony Kanaan, won’t be able to replace him. There are a lot of things the HMS driver needs to get right to complete the historic double; one bad move or a change in weather could foil his plans entirely.

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