"We live for this": Tony Kanaan pumped up for Indy 500 open-test at 'temple' of IndyCar

Although the 2025 Indy 500 open test just began a short while ago, Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan sounded extremely upbeat while looking forward to this year's event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Tony Kanaan, via Arrow McLaren's official X handle, talked about the Indy 500 in detail and added the following:

"Well, first day back. The feeling of coming back here, I don't think I can describe enough, every time I drive through that tunnel. This is the temple. This is the beginning of the month of May. We live for this. We exist because of this place. So, always a good feeling, and a little bit of a butterfly in your stomach, when you first come back."

The Indianapolis-based Arrow McLaren IndyCar team managed a second-place finish in last year's Indy 500. Its star driver, Pato O'Ward, missed out on the victory courtesy of Josef Newgarden's heroics during the closing stages of the 200-lap race.

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NASCAR legend Kyle Larson recalls highlights from Indy 500 stint with Tony Kanaan's team last year

Kyle Larson - Source: Getty

While Tony Kanaan has come up with an upbeat reaction at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his team will once again have NASCAR legend Kyle Larson in one of its cars sponsored by HendrickCars.com.

Larson competed in the Indy 500 last year with Arrow McLaren and will participate this year as well. In line with this, the 2021 NASCAR Cup series champion had the following to say ahead of the ongoing two-day Indy 500 test. He specifically shed light on his best moment from the 2024 event.

"I would say the first day of qualifying was really cool just with all the hype and pressure and people that are there. I didn’t expect our car to qualify that well to make the next day. I would say those two days were the highlight of my two weeks, along with the people and the atmosphere," Larson said via Arrow McLaren.

In the 2024 edition of the Indy 500, Kyle Larson was able to manage an 18th-place finish in the 200-lap race. He ended his outing ahead of former F1 driver and then Juncos Hollinger Racing driver, Romain Grosjean (P19).

Larson has a wealth of experience when it comes to racing, but the ongoing test around the Indy 500 oval circuit is quite crucial for him. It is his first opportunity to get a feel of the Tony Kanaan-led Arrow McLaren's 2025 challenger and to get up to speed with everything in the car.

During next month's Indy 500, several eyes, including Tony Kanaan's, will be glued on the NASCAR legend in his #17 HendrickCars.com Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.