Kyle Larson is hoping to pull off a rare feat on Sunday, but he’ll need many factors to cooperate.
The NASCAR competitor is trying to become the fifth driver to successfully race in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Only John Andretti, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Kurt Bush have accomplished the feat.
Pulling off the double is incredibly challenging, given that drivers who attempt it have to race two different types of cars, but there’s something else working against Larson: The Indy 500 takes place in Indianapolis, and the Coca-Cola 600 takes place in Charlotte, N.C.
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Any kind of flight delay, of course, is going to put Larson’s attempt at history in jeopardy. Can he actually make it from Indianapolis to Charlotte in time?
Here’s a look at the flight time between Indianapolis and Charlotte.
Indianapolis to Charlotte flight time
On a commercial airline, the flight from Indianapolis to Charlotte takes about one hour and eight minutes to complete, according to Travelmath. Larson, however, will be flying on a private jet, meaning his trip will take between 55-60 minutes to complete, according to Forbes.
After the Indy 500 concludes, Larson will take a helicopter from Indianapolis Motor Speedway to a nearby airport and fly to Charlotte. When he lands, he will take a helicopter from a private airport to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The green flag at the Indy 500 will wave at 12:45 p.m. ET, and the race typically takes 2-3 hours to complete. Larson could leave Indianapolis around 4 p.m. ET to comfortably make the Coca-Cola 600, which begins at 6 p.m. ET.
What time does Indy 500 start?
As is tradition in Indianapolis, the festivities at the Indy 500 will get underway at 11 a.m. ET., and the race is set to begin at 12:45 p.m. ET.
What time does Coca-Cola 600 start?
The Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte will get underway at 6 p.m. ET. If it does take the full three hours to complete the Indy 500, Larson will have roughly two hours to get from Indianapolis to Charlotte.Â
How long is the Indy 500?
The Indy 500 is a 200-lap race that is expected to take between two and three hours to complete. The race becomes official after 101 laps.
How long is the Coca-Cola 600?
The Coca-Cola 600 is 400 laps, one of the longest races in the NASCAR Cup series. The event takes roughly four hours to complete.Â
Indy 500 weather forecast
The forecast in Indianapolis looks to be clear, according to Weather.com. There is a slight chance of some light rain after the race begins, but heavier storm systems should remain to the south and west of Indianapolis.
Coca-Cola 600 weather forecast
For Larson’s second leg of the double, things could get interesting. Weather.com forecasts a 38% chance of rain in the evening in Charlotte. Larson should be able to land at the airport, but the weather may impact the start of the race.
