All eyes will be on Kyle Larson May 25 as he attempts to complete one of the most difficult feats in all of sports: running all 1,100 miles of the Indianapolis-Charlotte Double, comprised of the Indianapolis 500 in the NTT IndyCar Series and the Coca-Cola 600 for the NASCAR Cup Series.
Provided that Larson actually gets to turn laps at Charlotte this year — rain prevented him from both starting and getting into his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the 2024 Coke 600 — he’ll join an illustrious list of drivers that have attempted the Double. That list includes names such as John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch.
But only one esteemed driver has ever completed all 1,100 miles that make up the full Double. To the surprise of absolutely nobody, that man is Tony Stewart, who did so in 2001.
Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s class of 2020, initially rose through the ranks of open-wheel racing before embarking on his legendary stock car racing career. In 1996, Stewart made his first start in the Indianapolis 500, finishing 24th after an engine issue derailed his day.
By 2001, Stewart was one of the brightest young drivers in all of racing. In 1999, Joe Gibbs had tapped him to drive the No. 20 for his Cup team after Stewart put together a string of impressive races for Gibbs’ NASCAR Xfinity Series team. It was in 1999 that Stewart attempted the Double for the first time, though he came four laps shy of completing all 1,100 miles.
In 2001, however, the story would be different.
Chip Ganassi fielded Stewart’s car for the Indy 500. Unsurprisingly, Stewart was fast, turning the quickest practice lap of the month. That speed would translate to qualifying, where Stewart put his No. 33 on the inside of row three, qualifying seventh.
The 2001 running turned out to be quite chaotic. Polesitter Scott Sharp crashed in turn 1 on lap one, while Scott Goodyear suffered a career-ending crash just a few laps later. When the checkered flag flew, it was Helio Castroneves, who was then just a 26-year-old rookie, who won the Indy 500.
Stewart, meanwhile, finished sixth. But unlike at Indy, he’d have to start at the rear of the field in the Coke 600. This was because Stewart missed the drivers’ meeting, which relegated him to a 43rd-place starting spot when the green flag flew.
But Stewart, in what had to be one of the most underrated performances of his career, staged a charge to the front that forever etched him into history, despite an early spin. While he didn’t win the race — that honor went to Jeff Burton — Stewart finished third, becoming the only driver to pull off the true Double as of this writing.
Weather permitting, Larson seems to have a strong chance of making some history for himself. He finished on the lead lap in 18th in the 2024 Indy 500 and could’ve finished better if not for a pit road speeding penalty. He’s one of the favorites to win the Coke 600, and even if he’s not in the mix for the win, it’s hard to imagine a world where he doesn’t finish on the lead lap, barring a crash or mechanical issue.
Larson will be able to practice and qualify for the Coke 600, but even if he starts at the back of the field, he’s capable of making a Stewart-esque run to the front.
The fact that only one driver has ever completed all 1,100 miles of the Double seems hard to believe, but it’s only a better incentive to take a step back and appreciate Larson’s effort. If he can finish on the lead lap at both Indianapolis and Charlotte, he’ll join Stewart in the history books.
A member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), Samuel also covers NASCAR for Yardbarker, Field Level Media, and Heavy Sports. He will attend the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2025.