NASCAR.com goes 1-on-1 with Rick Hendrick after announcing Kyle Larson's second attempt in the 2025 Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 double.
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00:00Here at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the owner of Hendrick Motorsports, Rick Hendrick,
00:04Mr. H, it was just announced that you guys are making a second attempt at the Hendrick
00:081100.
00:09It'll be the Coca-Cola 600 and the Indy 500 for Kyle Larson again.
00:13As far as 2024 and what we saw this season, how much did that impact how it ended with
00:18you guys wanting to run it again?
00:20Well, I feel like we had a great effort, qualified better than I thought we would.
00:27And he raced so well.
00:29And we got it all cut short and we wanted to come to Charlotte and have a chance to
00:33win this race.
00:35And we just didn't get to do it.
00:37So it's kind of like unfinished business.
00:41So the fans have been phenomenal.
00:44The excitement from NASCAR fans and IndyCar fans, I think it just felt like we didn't
00:51finish the deal.
00:52So we're looking forward to coming back next year and making it right, doing it good.
00:58You mentioned in the press conference that the commitment would be the Coca-Cola 600
01:02this year or next year for Kyle.
01:03Can you walk through that decision and why you guys are picking the Coke 600?
01:08Well, because we're a NASCAR team, we're running for the championship.
01:14But in fairness to NASCAR, ourselves, our fans, that's our priority.
01:20So we have to make a decision that we can't show up late again.
01:25We've got to be here on time to start that race, no matter what.
01:28I think we've got plenty of time to run the Indy race and get here.
01:33But if weather or whatever happens, NASCAR has priority, the Coke 600 has priority.
01:40We're celebrating the 40th season of Hendrick Motorsports this year.
01:43And no doubt that Kyle Larson is one of the top motorsports talents of all time in the
01:47world.
01:48But as you look ahead to 2025, how important seeing what you saw in 2024 and for next year's
01:54running of this 1,100 miles for the crossover between NASCAR and IndyCar and to showcase
01:59our top talent in the sport?
02:01Well, you know, I didn't expect us to be as good as we were.
02:07You know, you'd like to think that you're going to be competitive, but I never dreamed
02:11we'd be that competitive.
02:13And so we know how he runs here in Charlotte.
02:16And you know, so we're we're super excited to that.
02:21I think we can run well and could win both races.
02:24So you know, it's like when you got a guy that talented as Kyle is a team as good as
02:32McLaren is.
02:34And we're just very fortunate that we've meshed so well together.
02:38It was a big disappointment for everyone and mostly the fans, you know, because we won
02:44the brickyard this year.
02:46All these fans had on the 1,100 shirts.
02:49So I feel like let's go do it again.
02:54I'm excited about it and kind of I'm really looking forward to it because I love seeing
03:02Kyle run this track here in Charlotte because I'm on this home track for me and Charlotte
03:08Motor Speedway.
03:09So you had a lot of wins here.
03:11So I feel real good about this race.
03:14And so I'm looking forward to it.
03:16And it's exciting.
03:17I mean, we sold out of merchandise up there, just a fan favorite.
03:24You could see at the end of the NASCAR race how the fans reacted.
03:28So it's opened the doors to people from all over the world that followed open wheel to
03:36NASCAR to sprint car.
03:37So it's exciting.
03:39Finally, it was your first Indianapolis 500 last year.
03:43So do you get to take off the rookie stripes for twenty twenty five?
03:46Yeah.
03:47What a way to go to Indy.
03:48Right.
03:49Well, you know, I remember when I went to Daytona for the first time, I only had been
03:57to Daytona one other time and I couldn't get in the garage or I was standing on a motor
04:01home outside the garage area.
04:04And then the next year I was there racing.
04:06So I'm really excited about it.
04:10And I just pinched myself because I didn't realize then I never thought I'd be doing
04:17it.
04:18Right.
04:19Never thought I'd be owning an Indy car and running that race.
04:23So the thrill is there.
04:25I saw my my wife and all excited.
04:29But the neat thing today on our conference calls with all our dealerships announced that
04:33we were having this today and the phone started ringing.
04:37People want to go to Indy.
04:40So that's good.
04:41Motivate them.
04:42It'll be a hot ticket for sure.
04:43Thank you so much for the time.