Larson double quest exemplifies NASCAR, IndyCar cooperation
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Ryan McGee, ESPN Senior Writer
Please excuse Kyle Larson if he looks a bit distracted this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. No, his mind won’t be occupied with his upcoming run at a second NASCAR Cup Series title, with the postseason only weeks away. No, it won’t even be occupied with concern over how his teammates will recover from last week’s debacle in Michigan.
During the Saturday-Sunday IndyCar-NASCAR doubleheader, if we catch Larson dreamily staring off into the skies of Speedway, Indiana, like Luke Skywalker looking toward the sunset, it’s because he is already thinking about the next time he will be at Indy with a helmet in hand. He will be there to make his long-sought first start in the Indianapolis 500 … all while commuting back and forth to his stock car day job in Charlotte.
“Of course, I am excited, so excited,” the 31-year-old said. “But ever since we announced that I would be doing to the Indy-Charlotte double back in January, I have also been constantly thinking about the logistics of it, how we are going to pull it off. Especially when I am in Indianapolis, and that’s been a lot.”
Anyone who has had their eyes open over the past eight months knows that. He’s popped into town a couple of times for seat fittings and meetings with Arrow McLaren, the team that will field his 2024 Indy 500 ride. And amid the hundreds of thousands who packed the Brickyard over Memorial Day weekend, Larson was spotted strolling Gasoline Alley, the pit lane and, perhaps most importantly, the roads around the Speedway and the helipads located in and around the Racing Capital of the World.
“We are here just to check it all out, because as a racing fan I have always wanted to see this, I’ve just been a little busy racing somewhere else,” Larson explained, laughing, on Sunday morning, May 30, sneakily working his way through the race-day crowds. “But really, this is about getting a feel for this place today. What are the crowds like? What are the roads like? How amped up am I going to be and how am I going to navigate getting out of here? We don’t want any surprises a year from now. At least not that we can avoid.”
Soon after that conversation, Larson ran a de facto dress rehearsal. He bolted via golf cart to that helipad, where a chopper carried him to the Indianapolis airport, where a plane flew him to Concord, North Carolina, where an SUV took him to Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he ran up front in that night’s Coca-Cola 600 before spinning off a restart, wrecking and finished 30th.
Of course, the real deal in May 2024 will feel much different than that. And there will most definitely be surprises. Any of the other five drivers who have taken their swings at the double could tell Larson about that.
John Andretti, who died in 2020, was the first to pull it off way back in 1994, when Larson was not yet 2 years old. The following year Davy Jones failed to qualify for Charlotte. Rain literally dampened Robby Gordon’s first attempt in ’97, and rain delays caused him to be late to Charlotte in 2000 and to leave Indy early in ’04, but he successfully did it twice, in 2002 and 2003. Tony Stewart did it twice, finishing top-10 in both races both times, and Kurt Busch finished sixth and 40th in 2014.
“It is way more physically demanding than you think it’s going to be,” Stewart said. “The first time you think, ‘OK, it’s just racing, so give me some lunch on the plane and I’ll be fine.’ But the next time you do it, it’s like, ‘No, get me a doctor and some damn IV bags and whatever else you think might help,’ because it kicks your ass.
“But the big thing that is different now, what’s going to be great for Kyle, is the schedule and the cooperation. Back in the day there were times when you’d look at NASCAR and at IndyCar and ask, ‘Do y’all actually want me to do this or not?’ Because getting them to play ball could be hard. They didn’t want to.”
His dream came true ❤️
In 2005, @TonyStewart FINALLY won at #IMS when he scored his first Brickyard 400 and delivered one of the best celebrations in all of sports.
Nearly 20 years later, we still get chills.#TheBrickyard | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/YcALs3ZoSI
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) August 9, 2023
They do now. See: this weekend, the third straight summer of an IndyCar-NASCAR doubleheader at IMS. Any old-school garage or paddock veteran will tell you that for most of their lives, the idea of America’s two premier racing series sharing the same facility on the same weekend was as expected as the Red Sox and Yankees sharing the same team bus.
It’s a rift powered by corporate rivalry that goes way back. According to legend, more than a half century ago, Tony Hulman, the man who saved the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, spotted Bill France Sr., the man who founded NASCAR, snooping around Gasoline Alley and promptly had him tossed out. In 1959, when France christened his new Daytona International Speedway, among the first cars to roar around that high-banked facility was an IndyCar driven by Marshall Teague, who was killed while attempting a closed-course speed record. Later that spring, 1958 Indy 500 runner-up George Amick was killed in an IndyCar race at Daytona.
Decades later, IndyCars had never run on another NASCAR-affiliated racetrack, and when asked when it might happen again, France replied, “When hell freezes over.”
Indy loyalists were angered by the arrival of “taxi cabs” and the Brickyard 400 in 1994. NASCAR’s devotees reluctantly watched Indy Racing League doubleheaders with the NASCAR Truck Series in the late 1990s. When asked if he would ever consider driving for boss Roger Penske at Indy, Rusty Wallace famously replied, “I wouldn’t get out of an electric chair to drive one of those things.”
In the past decade, though, the cross-pollination between Indy and NASCAR became too frequent to not begin changing the culture of both worlds, especially how they viewed each other. IndyCar president Jay Frye moved to open wheel racing a decade ago after years in NASCAR team front offices, from MB2 Motorsports to Dale Earnhardt Inc. to Red Bull. When the Indy 500 celebrated its 100th running in 2016, Frye invited NASCAR brass, including then-CEO Brian France, to have a VIP experience of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. That group included then-NASCAR CMO and now-president Steve Phelps.
And anyone who knows American motorsports history should not be surprised that Larson’s boss at Hendrick Motorsports greenlit the idea of the double. Because that same boss has always wished he could have attempted it himself.
“I am excited for Kyle, I am excited for us and I am excited for both NASCAR and IndyCar,” HMS vice chairman Jeff Gordon said in May. Gordon famously tried to land an open wheel ride as a youngster but was rebuffed by Indy’s teams at the time for his lack of sponsorship, which forced him to look south to NASCAR. The five-time Brickyard 400 winner didn’t attend his first Indy 500 until 2015, as the honorary pace car driver. “But if I am being honest, I am also super jealous. In my world, this just wasn’t really possible for me. I just hope he lets me ride along with him next May.
“We’ve all competed in this motorsports space for so long. I’ve always wondered, it would be something to see what might happen if we finally worked together, wouldn’t it?”
Now they do.
Competition for ticket sales and television eyeballs is never going away, but when the pandemic forced everyone to reexamine how they did business and how they stacked their schedule, NASCAR and IndyCar conjured up their first top-shelf IMS doubleheader in 2020. While other out-of-the-box ideas from that summer have faded from memory, this one has continued, for now.
There are no crossover moves being attempted this weekend, but those on the world’s most famous racetrack, racing with or without fenders, hope that the concept keeps sticking around. Especially the guy who will be attempting to run both series on the same day a little more than nine months from now.
“I just think that if you are a racing fan, then you are a racing fan, and that includes those of us who are driving,” said Larson. “The chance to see as many different cool cars at once, who wouldn’t want that? I know I do. Clearly, right?”
With less than two months left before college football is back in full swing, we’re taking a look at players who could be considered sleepers — under-the-radar players who could make a big impact — on each team in our post-spring top 25.
From true freshmen who could make a name for themselves to players coming back from injury to transfers looking to make an immediate impact, there are plenty of players to watch for this fall.
Our reporters break down the potential sleepers they’re keeping tabs on.
Sleeper: C Nick Dawkins
Offensive linemen naturally get overlooked, and Dawkins is no exception, but he once again will occupy a vital role as Penn State chases its first Big Ten title since 2016 and its first national title since 1986. Dawkins is at the heart of an offensive line that has stabilized and excelled in recent years. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors last fall, when he served as a captain, started all 16 games and allowed only two sacks. The 6-foot-4, 297-pound senior has drawn excellent reviews from the staff and will lead a line protecting quarterback Drew Allar and creating space for running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. — Adam Rittenberg
Sleeper: WR Tyler Brown
One of the reasons Clemson is expected to compete for a national championship this season is the return of its stellar receiver group, which made vast improvements a year ago to help the Tigers offense rediscover its footing. Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore have received the bulk of the headlines nationally, but don’t forget about Brown, a freshman All-American in 2023 who was forced to take a redshirt last season with an ankle injury. Coach Dabo Swinney spoke highly about Brown during spring practice and is expecting him to have a big role in the offense. Adding depth to a position that had been a weak spot until last season is crucial. — Andrea Adelson
Sleeper: TE Jack Endries
Endries had a breakout season at Cal last year, catching 56 passes for 623 yards and two touchdowns, making him less of an off-the-radar prospect. But the former Golden Bears tight end signed with Texas in April and slides into a talented Longhorns offense. With star recruits Ryan Wingo and DeAndre Moore returning at receiver, 1,000-yard rusher Quintrevion Wisner back at running back with Cedric Baxter and Christian Clark returning from injuries alongside him, Arch Manning will have weapons. But Manning singled out Endries, a former walk-on, as someone who could emerge as a household name by season’s end as he solidifies a position of need after Gunnar Helm, who caught 60 passes for 786 yards and seven TDs last year, developed into a fourth-round pick of the Tennessee Titans and Amari Niblack transferred to Texas A&M. — Dave Wilson
Sleeper: RB Bo Walker
Walker wasn’t the most heralded prospect in Georgia’s most recent recruiting class, but he turned some heads in spring practice with his physical style and speed. Walker ran for more than 2,000 yards as a high school junior before spending his senior year at a smaller private school. Nate Frazier and Illinois transfer Josh McCray will probably be the top two backs entering preseason camp, but Walker has a chance to earn playing time. Would you expect anything less from a tailback named both Bo and Walker in the SEC? — Mark Schlabach
Sleeper: WR Carnell Tate
Tate was overshadowed by first-round pick Emeka Egbuka and true freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith last season. But Tate still played a key role for the Buckeyes, starting every game for the national champions. In the playoff semifinals against Texas, he made the Longhorns pay for their coverages taking away Smith by hauling in a game-high seven passes for 87 yards. With Egbuka gone to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tate is set to play an ever bigger role for the Buckeyes as a junior. He could easily surpass the 52 receptions and 733 receiving yards he had last season, and he should be a valuable wingman to Smith in yet another talented Ohio State receiving corps. — Jake Trotter
Sleeper: WR Barion Brown
If you’re familiar with Brown from his high school days, you may not consider him a sleeper. But the Kentucky transfer could finally reach his full potential in Baton Rouge. After a standout freshman season in Lexington, he never made the big statistical leaps many expected. But with Garrett Nussmeier at quarterback and other talent at receiver (Aaron Anderson, Oklahoma transfer Nic Anderson) and tight end (Trey’Dez Green, Oklahoma transfer Bauer Sharp), perhaps Brown can break out in 2025. — Harry Lyles Jr.
Sleeper: DL Bryce Young
With Rylie Mills and Howard Cross III leaving for the NFL, the Fighting Irish are looking for another player who can rush the quarterback. The answer might be sophomore Bryce Young, who certainly looks the part at 6 feet, 7 inches and 273 pounds. Last season, he played in all 16 games and had 23 tackles with a team-high three blocked kicks. Young has the right potential too. His father, Bryant Young, was an All-American at Notre Dame and a Pro Football Hall of Famer after a standout career with the 49ers. His mother, Kristin, ran track and field for the Fighting Irish. — Schlabach
Sleeper: WR Malik Benson
It’s difficult to call a four-star wide receiver a sleeper, but given the kind of season Florida State had last year, Benson was not exactly the talk of the sport after putting up 25 catches for 311 yards and one touchdown. Now in Eugene, Benson has the tools to be exactly the kind of wideout that flourishes in Will Stein’s offense. With a new quarterback in Dante Moore taking the reins and Evan Stewart dealing with a serious injury, I wouldn’t be surprised if Benson becomes Moore’s top target this coming season. — Paolo Uggetti
Sleeper: S Bray Hubbard
Now in his third season in the program, Hubbard is poised to be an All-SEC caliber player and will team with a healthy Keon Sabb to give Alabama one of the best safety duos in the SEC. Hubbard, who chose Alabama out of high school over Mississippi State, Navy and Tulane, started the final six games a year ago after Sabb suffered a season-ending injury against Tennessee and made a name for himself with three interceptions. Look for Hubbard in 2025 to be one of the top names on Alabama’s defense. — Chris Low
Sleeper: RB LJ Martin
After rushing for 518 and 718 yards in the past two seasons, Martin has steadily become a key player for BYU, but he hasn’t quite broken out nationally. He already figured to see his role grow as a junior in 2025, but with quarterback Jake Retzlaff set to transfer, Martin could be relied on more heavily — especially early in the season as the QB situation gets settled. Martin had a pair of 100-yard rushing games last season and finished with a strong performance in the bowl win against Colorado, with 88 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. — Kyle Bonagura
Sleeper: S Miles Scott
Miles Scott isn’t even the most decorated Scott in the Illinois secondary — Xavier (no relation) earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 — but contributes to a unit that could be among the Big Ten’s best this fall. Miles had two interceptions last season and finished fifth on the team with 55 tackles (33 solo). The team captain also forced and recovered a fumble last fall. Scott has played in all 38 games during his Illinois career, starting the past 25, beginning his career as a walk-on wide receiver before moving to safety. He joins his roommate Xavier Scott, leading tackler Matthew Bailey, cornerback Torrie Cox Jr. and others in one of the nation’s most experienced secondaries. — Rittenberg
Sleeper: CB Nyland Green
The Arizona State defense returns eight starters, including both cornerbacks (Keith Abney II and Javan Robinson) — the Sun Devils are blessed with continuity on that side of the ball that most top-25 teams don’t have. But that makes cornerback Nyland Green one heck of a luxury add: The Purdue transfer, who started his career as a blue-chipper at Georgia, was an all-or-nothing playmaker with an overwhelmed Boilermakers defense last year, but in more select roles, with better experience and talent around him, he could turn into a major difference-maker for the defending Big 12 champs. — Bill Connelly
Sleeper: Edge Bryan Thomas
Much of the attention within the Gamecocks’ pass-rush depth will be centered on sophomore phenom Dylan Stewart and Charlotte transfer Demon Clowney, cousin of former two-time All American Jadeveon Clowney. But as South Carolina works to replace the production of 2024 SEC sack leader Kyle Kennard, fourth-year edge Thomas will have an important role to play as well. The 6-foot-2, 247-pounder logged career highs in sacks (4.5) and total tackles (23) a year ago, and he’s poised to step into a starting role opposite Stewart this fall following Kennard’s jump to the NFL. If the Gamecocks are going to feature one of the nation’s fiercest pass rushes again in 2025, Thomas will have to be a big part of it. — Eli Lederman
Sleeper: DL Elijah O’Neal
O’Neal turned in a productive 2024 season, finishing with four sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss in what was expected to be his final season in Tempe. However, as a former junior college transfer, O’Neal benefited from the ruling that granted juco transfers an extra year of eligibility and will return for his final season with a chance to develop into a more well-rounded pass rusher. He started six games last year, and with the strong possibility of an expanded role, it wouldn’t be a surprise if O’Neal chases double-digit TFLs or sacks. — Bonagura
Sleeper: RB Derrick McFall
Aside from SMU’s game against FCS Houston Baptist, McFall got just eight carries as a true freshman in 2024, but he flashed a skill set that could make him an apt replacement for Brashard Smith in the Mustangs’ backfield. A four-star recruit, McFall is quick, elusive and versatile — a lot like his predecessor at SMU. At 5-11, 183 pounds, he’s still looking to fill out his frame a bit, but his explosiveness and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield figure to be serious weapons. More importantly, with Smith on to the NFL and LJ Johnson‘s transfer, McFall is the clear favorite to fill a major hole on SMU’s offense. — David Hale
Sleeper: DL Romello Height
A transfer from Georgia Tech, Height is not necessarily an unknown. But for as bad as the Texas Tech defense was last season (only Tulsa allowed more passing yards, and the Red Raiders allowed 35 points or more eight times), Height could play a massive role in Lubbock if he’s able to help fix what was a painful watch for Texas Tech fans at times in 2024. The more high-profile transfer on this defensive line unquestionably is David Bailey, who comes in from Stanford, but Height could very well become a name that Red Raiders fans will become familiar with given his potential. — Lyles Jr.
Sleeper: RB Roman Hemby
Stepping into a Hoosiers backfield without a settled returning starter, Maryland transfer Hemby has the opportunity to emerge as Indiana’s leader on the ground in 2025. Hemby hasn’t matched the 989-yard, 10-touchdown production he delivered in 2022 in either of his past two seasons, but the 6-foot, 208-pound rusher has averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry in each of his past three seasons and can be a threat in the passing game as well. Indiana spread its carries nearly evenly between top rushers Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton a year ago, and will likely do the same again with upperclassmen Kaelon Black and Lee Beebe Jr. also vying for carries. But Hemby has the potential to break through in a big way in 2025. — Lederman
Sleeper: Edge Tobi Osunsanmi
Kansas State returns four starters from last year’s defensive front six, but the Wildcats will need someone to replace the lost production of sacks leader Brendan Mott (13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks). Enter Tobi Osunsanmi. The converted linebacker played a backup role last season, averaging about 22 snaps per game, but he actually averaged more havoc plays (TFLs, forced fumbles, passes defended) per snap than Mott — a 3.0% rate to Mott’s 2.5%. Between Osunsanmi and sophomore Chiddi Obiazor (2.5% havoc rate at 23 snaps per game), K-State has a couple of exciting options on the edge up front. — Connelly
Sleeper: LB Myles Graham
We saw what Graham was capable of as a freshman for the Gators with 30 tackles. He also had three tackles for loss, one sack, an interception and a forced fumble. With a line that should only be stronger in front of him, along with playing next to Grayson Howard, Graham has the potential to take another step in 2025. The great Florida teams of the 21st century have all had good linebacker play, and it feels like Graham could play that part for this team as it looks to rise again. — Lyles Jr.
Sleeper: CB Zeke Berry
From Mike Sainristil to Will Johnson, Michigan’s dominant defenses in recent years have featured a big-time cornerback. Berry is primed to become the next one, on the heels of a breakout junior season. After starting the year at nickelback, Berry slid to the outside following an injury to Johnson and thrived. Berry finished the year with 37 tackles and a team-high 11 pass breakups. He also forced a fumble to go along with his two interceptions. If Berry can take another step forward as the leader of the Michigan secondary, he quietly figures to be one of the top corners in the Big Ten — if not the country. — Trotter
Sleeper: S Zechariah Poyser
You may have heard of Poyser, one of the top available players in the transfer portal this past season. But he should still be considered a sleeper because of the impact he is projected to have in his first year with the Hurricanes. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound safety played his first two seasons at Jacksonville State, earning Freshman All-America honors as a redshirt freshman this past season with 75 tackles and three interceptions. His addition gives the Hurricanes an instant upgrade at safety, where they struggled at times last season. Miami made other additions at defensive back in the portal, but safety was the most glaring area of need and it appears to be filled. — Adelson
Sleeper: S D’Angelo Hutchinson
The Cardinals struggled against the pass last season, and they’ll enter 2025 with a markedly different secondary that comes with its own share of questions. But one carryover from 2024 could help provide some answers. Hutchinson, a 6-foot-3 senior, saw action in all 13 games last season and came on strong down the stretch, including a standout performance in a win over Clemson in which he racked up nine tackles, two pass breakups and a blocked kick. Hutchinson brings length and speed to the back end, and head coach Jeff Brohm said he thinks the veteran could be in line for a breakout campaign. — Hale
Sleeper: CB Tyreek Chappell
Chappell returns after missing almost all of last season with an lower leg injury suffered in a non-contact setting in practice, making just three tackles. The Aggies’ secondary play was particularly frustrating to Mike Elko as last year wore on, and the return of Chappell, a former starter who was a three-star recruit and the team’s top defensive newcomer in 2021, is a key to the Aggies’ hopes of bolstering that unit. With the return of Will Lee III and the addition of Georgia transfer Julian Humphrey, Chappell, who had 88 tackles in his first two seasons, but just 24 in the past two, might be overlooked by fans. But inside the program, Chappell is expected to have a big year at the nickel spot. — Wilson
Sleeper: WR Cayden Lee
It’s odd to classify Lee as a sleeper following his breakout sophomore campaign in 2024, but hype around the third-year pass catcher has been buried this offseason amidst the Rebels’ additions of five transfer receivers, headlined by De’Zhaun Stribling and Harrison Wallace III. Lee finished second among Ole Miss receivers a year ago with 57 receptions, which he converted into 874 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. As the Rebels enter a new era at quarterback in 2025 with first-year starter Austin Simmons, Lee has the potential to become a critical, go-to target, particularly if he can find the end zone more. — Lederman
Sleeper: WR Zion Kearney
The Sooners were besieged with injuries at the receiver position last season, and some of their more talented pass catchers hit the transfer portal, including Nic Anderson. With new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and his Air Raid offense coming to Norman, that means Oklahoma will utilize even more receivers. Kearney, a true sophomore, has a chance to make a big jump after playing as a backup in 11 games as a freshman. He has the size (6-1, 207 pounds) and speed (4.28 40-yard dash in high school) to be a staple in the Sooners’ passing game, especially with John Mateer stepping in at quarterback. — Low
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Kristen Shilton
The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.
Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.
Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.
The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.
Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.
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