"Goosebumps"; "What a RUN” - NASCAR fans react to Kyle Larson’s Indy 500 qualifying result amid engine hiccups

NASCAR fanbase lauded Kyle Larson's Indianapolis run after the Hendrick Motorsports driver executed a satisfactory qualifying result despite succumbing to engine problems in his Arrow McLaren Chevrolet IndyCar. The 108th edition of the Indy 500 is scheduled to commence next week, on Sunday, May 26 and this week's qualifying run will decide the lineup of the 200-lap dash.

During the four-lap stint of the first qualifying round, Larson stood the sixth fastest on the first lap, clinching a top speed of 232.719 mph. The next two laps witnessed the 31-year-old maintaining his speed above the 232 mph mark before lap four birthed an unwelcoming situation.

While maneuvering from Turn 1 to Turn 2, the high-octane engine of the #17 Chevy made a different-than-usual sound. Moreover, the power flow from the unit was drastically reduced, prompting Kyle Larson to call off his fourth lap and end his first qualifying round.

Nonetheless, the Californian re-emerged during the second qualifying round and stood sixth, locking his place in the Top 12 Shootout. He saved his Indy-Charlotte Double from suffering a setback and the fans adored his performance on the 2.5-mile oval (via IndyCar on NBC):

Several fans lauded Kyle Larson for his performance despite facing setbacks, with one fan saying:

"Goosebumps!"

"BANGGGGG," another fan added.

One fan congratulated their "favorite driver" for his performance at Indianapolis.

"What a RUN..Congratulations to my favorite driver ever with my other favorite driver watching..Gordon," the fan commented.

One fan shared an image wherein Larson's reflection was a goat, in a reference to calling him the greatest of all time:

Here are some more fan reactions to Kyle Larson's performance:

"@KyleLarsonRacin can drive anything. And do it great. 🏁," one fan commented.

"Sprint car, nascar, Indycar.. doesn’t matter. Larson by a straightaway," another fan concurred.

Kyle Larson weighs on his hindered but successful qualifying run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Kyle Larson is the fifth driver to attempt the Memorial Day Double and the first since Kurt Busch did a decade back in 2014. Unlike a NASCAR race, where the vast majority of tracks witness just two rounds of qualifying sessions, the Indy 500 has a more stringent process to decide the lineup of the annual event.

After the Full Field qualifying gets wrapped up, the top 12 drivers advance to the next round for deciding positions 7-12. From there, the fastest 6 proceed to the Firestone Fast Six round, where positions 1-6 are determined for the 500-mile race.

Kyle Larson's qualifying run was on the verge of slipping from his grasp as, with less than 2.5 miles worth of run left in his fourth lap, engine hiccups didn't let him proceed and shattered his first round. Nevertheless, after surviving the unfavorable odds, the double-header debutant detailed his engine trouble and said (via NTT IndyCar Series on X):

"There was some alarm that popped up on the dash and it cut a bunch of power. That sucks."I haven't talked to anybody, so I don't know what happened. But that sucks."

"I felt like off Turn 4 I got a little bit free once coming to the white [flag], and then, yeah, we didn't make an off Turn 1. I just got to catch up with them and see what the alarm was and what that all was. But yeah, that sucks,” Larson added.

So far, only Tony Stewart has completed the Indy-Charlotte Double, which came his way during the second attempt in 2003.