Less than 300 days remain until Kyle Larson’s run at the 2024 Indianapolis 500, and in a fan-facing event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, McLaren Racing and Hendrick Motorsports revealed Kyle’s No. 17 Arrow McLaren HendrickCars.com Chevrolet alongside his No. 5 Cup Series car for the 2024 Coca-Cola 600. 

Next year, Kyle will race The Double, a racer’s challenge only four other drivers have attempted, through the support and partnership of Arrow McLaren, Hendrick Motorsports and HendrickCars.com. As the countdown continues to Kyle’s debut in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the anticipation continues to mount. 

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown is among those counting the days until Memorial Day weekend in 2024. As a racer at heart, he has been eager to show the racing world Kyle’s liveries for The Double, a historic event he’s proud to help bring to life. For today’s reveal, Zak shared his thoughts on the partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and HendrickCars.com, the livery reveal and more:

Question: What does it mean to you and McLaren Racing to work with Mr. Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, two iconic men in racing, along with Kyle Larson?

Zak Brown: Clearly, this is super exciting to be partners with Mr. Hendrick, who is an absolute legend and icon of motorsport. Maybe not that many people know this, but he’s not just a NASCAR guy; he loves racing. He has a cool IMSA program, he’s a true racer. To partner with his organization for his first attempt at the Indianapolis 500 is awesome. Likewise, we get to go racing along with another legend of the sport in Jeff Gordon, who I’ve known for quite some time. You couldn’t be dealing with two more first-class people and a first-class organization.

Q: Kyle has long expressed interest in racing the Indianapolis 500. How excited are you that he's joining the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team for his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut?

Zak: Kyle Larson is one of those rare drivers and champions that can race anything, so we’re super excited to have him in our race car. He reminds me of drivers like Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti who could drive anything on wheels as fast as anyone. To have him join us for the Indy 500 is extremely exciting. 

Q: What is it about the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team that helped land this partnership?

Zak: Not only can we give him race-winning equipment but also an environment where I think he’ll feel very comfortable with the collective efforts of Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports. There are relationships that have existed for some time between our two organizations and personal relationships between myself and Mr. Hendrick, and together we can provide race-winning equipment and environment.

 

Q: Mr. Hendrick will attend the Indy 500 for the first time in 2024. Do you think the event will exceed his expectations?

Zak: Absolutely. Mr. Hendrick has been to a tremendous amount of motor racing events, and the Indy 500 is a spectacle unlike any other. He clearly knows that, but now he gets to experience it. I think he’ll have a fantastic time at the race.

Q: What do you think of Kyle's liveries he'll race in for The Double?

Zak: I think the cars look fantastic, and the fans will love them. NASCAR kind of led the charge on special liveries, which is something we’re now doing more often in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Formula 1, so I think they will be fan favorites that stand out for people that see Kyle racing both cars that weekend.

Q: Not only will Kyle's Indy 500 livery feature papaya, but his Coca-Cola 600 livery will as well. How does it feel to see the iconic McLaren brand represented in NASCAR?

Zak: I think it’s an honor and a privilege to be associated with Hendrick Motorsports’ racing programs, and it’s flattering to see them embrace our colors in their racing environment. It’s deeply appreciated.

Q: Kyle is joining a strong lineup of Indy 500 competitors and will also work closely with Tony Kanaan over the next year. How important do you think that experience is for his adjustment to INDYCAR?

Zak: It’s critical that he has this experience around him and available to him as he prepares for the race. The Indy 500 is a special race. Obviously, this is a car that Kyle has never been in, but with Tony’s experience, we’ll be able to assist Kyle. Our job is to give him a fast race car and an environment to give him as much experience as quickly as possible. Tony will play a valuable role in helping Kyle understand how the Indianapolis Motor Speedway works in an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car. 

Q: An effort like this wouldn’t be possible without great partners like our teams have as well as a supportive manufacturer. What role has Chevy played so far in this? 

Zak: I would like to give a shoutout to Chevrolet, they are instrumental in both Hendrick’s NASCAR Cup program and our IndyCar program, and we certainly wouldn’t be doing this if we didn’t have the collaboration and support of Chevrolet.

Along with Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com and Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren will continue building a contending car for Kyle’s first leg of The Double that will compete with the strong full-time entries sporting the iconic papaya.