There are commitments involved in full-time racing that most folks on the outside are unaware of. Plus, for a driver competing at the highest level every week, they need to be extremely focused.
With so much at stake, most drivers stick to a single format of racing to give it their all. However, there are also racers whose passion and love for the sport go way beyond a singular format.
Among them is Kyle Larson. Deemed one of the most skilled racers of his generation by many, throughout the season, Larson drove more than just his No. 5 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports.
In his recent ambitious attempt at “The Double,” things did not go as per Larson’s plans. When NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon looked back at it, he revealed the key aspect for Larson to win the Indy 500.
Jeff Gordon Breaking Down the ‘Kyle Larson’ Mindset
Unlike his first attempt at ‘The Double’ in 2024, where Larson was unable to run at Charlotte due to the weather delay and schedule overlap, he made it on time at both venues this year.
However, as fate would have it, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was unable to finish both races and had a rather disappointing Memorial Day weekend after all the hype.
Larson quickly recovered from the blow and finished in the top 10 in both of his successive Cup outings.
Ahead of the race in Mexico, an icon of the sport, Gordon, appeared on the “Rubbin is Racing” podcast. The four-time NASCAR champion touched on several subjects, from the breakdown of last week’s Michigan saga to organizing the race in Mexico to the favorites for the race.
Brand new episode of @rubbinisracing just hit with NASCAR legend, Jeff Gordon in-studio. https://t.co/gNrJqspmnC pic.twitter.com/jF9zuJ071D
— Large (@LargeBarstool) June 13, 2025
Gordon spoke at length about Larson and his many racing escapades throughout the season.
While the NASCAR Hall of Famer was all in favor of Larson’s passion and wholeheartedly praised it, he highlighted the silver lining and the risks associated with it. He also mentioned his run in IndyCar and had some interesting thoughts about it.
After welcoming Gordon on the show, Large asked him “I’m going to actually have you educate me because one of the mindsets that I never really got and I still don’t get is, most recently, the Kyle Larson mindset of trying to do “The Double,” of trying to go and excel in other arenas, as opposed to just owning the arena that you’re in, the arena that pays your bills, the arena where you get cut checks.”
Gordon began his answer by specifying the roles that different racing backgrounds play for a driver. He said:
“Every driver comes from a different background of racing. Not everybody necessarily hops straight into a stock car and becomes a NASCAR driver. Not everybody hops in an IndyCar and becomes an IndyCar driver.”
He also added that when he rose through the ranks and excelled in the Cup Series, he wanted to focus on that solely. As he said that, he also added, “Not everybody is Kyle Larson.”
Larson’s Childhood Dream of Racing in IndyCar
Gordon then highlighted Larson’s passion for racing, which compels him to race in different formats. Following that, he reminisced about Larson’s early days at Hendrick Motorsports.
“When he came to Hendrick Motorsports, one of the very first things that he said to me is, ‘I would love to do Indy one day.'”
Gordon further revealed that running in the Indy 500 was as much a childhood dream for him as it was for Larson. He also revealed that while it was a long-standing desire of Larson, the team considered it for a while before Rick Hendrick and Co. gave it the green light.
While Gordon pointed out the difficulties of running in both competitions, he also commended Larson’s competitive spirit, calling it phenomenal.
Gordon’s Suggestion for Larson To Win the Indy 500
As both Gordon and Large agreed on the No. 5 driver being a “wheelman,” Large also expressed his desire to see Larson win the championship about six times.
Gordon then explained things from Larson’s perspective and added:
“You have to put yourself in Kyle’s shoes. He loves winning sprint car races, and he loves winning Cup Series races. I think he feels this way and wants others to recognize him as being one of the greatest race car drivers of all time.”
He further spoke about Larson’s perspective on winning and mentioned that since Larson has won races in several different competitions, he believes he can win the Indy 500 as well.
While Gordon himself believed Larson was capable of arriving in the victory lane at Indianapolis, he did not think ‘The Double’ was the way to go for it.
“I could see him [Larson] doing it someday down the road if he feels like he’s still in his prime. But not doing it as ‘The Double.'” the NASCAR Hall of Famer added.