Kyle Larson Replaced For NASCAR All-Star Race Qualifying

Kyle Larson is going to be a little busy in Indianapolis at the Fast Friday practice session head of this weekends Indy 500 qualifying sessions, so he won’t be able to get to North Carolina to qualify for the NASCAR All-Star Race.

Instead, reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier will drive the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for All-Star Race practice and in the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday night.

Qualifying is different this year and will included three laps followed by a four-tire pit stop. The total times will be used to set the field for the All-Star Race heat races on Saturday night, while the pit stop times will determine the order of pit stall choices.

Neither Larson nor Allgaier will compete in the heat race on Saturday, which means the car will start from the back of the field in the All-Star Race.

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE FREE AMERICAN CARS AND RACING NEWSLETTER FOR UPDATES

“I think no matter what there’s going to be a general progression of balance from Friday through Sunday,” Larson’s crew chief Cliff Daniels said. “The track is going to take more rubber. Friday, the groove is going to be a bit more narrow and Sunday I think it’s going to open up a bit. So, there’s still some changes regardless of Justin or Kyle that we would plan to progress through throughout the weekend.”

If Larson does well during the first round of Indy 500 qualifying, he’ll have to hang around for Sunday’s Top 12 session that runs from 4:05 p.m to 5:05 p.m., but he won’t get a shot at pole position.

Read Also: KYLE LARSON SAYS HE WAS ‘HAPPY’ TO CRASH HIS INDYCAR DURING INDY 500 TESTING

That’s because the Fast Six session that determines pole position is scheduled for 6:25 p.m. to – 6:55 p.m. and even with helicopters and a private jet at his disposal, Larson would have no chance of competing in that and making it to North Wilkesboro in time for the start of the All-Star Race at 8:00 p.m. He said the team has already decided that the $1 million winner-take-all All-Star Race will take precedent. The schedule was slightly different last year, which allowed Larson to qualify fifth for the Indy 500 and make it to North Wilkesboro, where the race was slightly delayed to accommodate his arrival.

That definitely won’t be the case for the Coca-Cola 600 the following Sunday this year. Hendrick Motorsports has confirmed that if the Indy 500 is delayed by weather, as it was in 2024, Larson will skip it to compete in the NASCAR race instead of trying to complete “The Double.” Rain caused him to miss the Coca-Cola 600 last year, which led to NASCAR giving him a playoff waiver, but he won’t get one again this time around. If the start of the Indy 500 is delayed or racing is suspended mid-race, Tony Kanaan will take over for Larson in his Arrow-McLaren.