Column By: DERICK KRINER / RPW – SPEEDWAY, IN – Those who have been around the NASCAR and dirt track world for the last several years, have grown accustomed to the phenomenon that is the “Larson Effect.”
Fans flocking to the track and to streaming sites, just to get a peak at Kyle Larson competing, whether that’s in a sprint car, late model, or NASCAR.
May of 2024 adds another chapter to a book that is already filled with accolades. The road to the Indy 500 might be the biggest and most pivotal of all.
The world got to see the beginnings of this journey this past week, with Larson completing his rookie test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with Arrow McClaren. Now all the anticipation turns to qualifying weekend at the 500. Without a doubt, the most important qualifying session of Larson’s career awaits him in 7 months.
Fans of the Elk Grove, California driver have been used to seeing Kyle make impressive moves and have overwhelming speed against the competition, at times. The Indy 500 is a different ball game, from anything Larson has done. With less practice in other classes and cars, we’ve seen impressive results and wins.
The luxury of having an entire test session over half a year in advance gave Kyle and his team a chance to learn each other. More tests will occur and the team should be well versed with the habits of the 31-year-old come showtime in May.
What will a run in arguable the biggest race in the world mean for the other facets of racing that Larson competes in? As we’ve seen with his dabbling in dirt late models, more fans are attracted to watching other types of racing because they want to see him.
NASCAR has been similar for fans of the Hendrick 5. They have made it a priority to watch or attend a dirt race to see their Sunday hero compete at his roots. It would seem logical to predict a similar result with IndyCar. The Hoosier state’s long history of open wheel racing, coupled with Kyle’s background in USAC make a perfect combination.
Dirt track and NASCAR fans will be tuned in to see one of their sport’s flagship drivers compete, and new eyes will be exposed to the accomplished driver potentially for the first time.
Some fans eye a win as the only option for the rookie runner, while others see just making the race as the goal. One thing is for sure, come May 26th, all eyes will be on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, to not only see who the 108th champion is, but also to see if one American driver can live up to the hype of all of those Larson fans.
Those behind the scenes in the racing community will be interested to see if the world is captured by the “Larson Effect” and what that looks like for the future of their businesses, tracks, series, and fan bases.