Kyle Larson prepares for Indy 500, leans on Tony Kanaan's advice and anticipates guidance from Jimmie Johnson

Hendrick Motorsports ace Kyle Larson is gearing up for his Indy 500 debut with the Arrow McLaren team on May 26. It will be a part of his double duty during the Memorial Day weekend, as he'll also be entering the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

Larson completed the rookie orientation last season and recently participated in a private test at Phoenix Raceway. The 31-year-old is being mentored by the 2013 Indy 500 and 2004 IndyCar series champion Tony Kanaan.

Kyle Larson elaborated on his preparations for his IndyCar debut in a conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Larson said that he is leaning on advice from Kanaan and his former Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kurt Busch, who last attempted the double in 2014.

Larson said on Dale Jr. Download:

"I really haven’t talked to too many drivers yet. Tony Kanaan has been the guy you know, when I’ve been at these tests, that’s been the one that really you know, point things out and help me. As it gets closer, you know, I really foresee myself kind of leaning on Kurt Busch a fair amount, if he wants me to."

Kurt Busch made his IndyCar debut in the 2014 Indy 500, fetching a sixth-place result. Later that day, he ran into mechanical issues and failed to finish the Coca-Cola 600.

Although Kyle Larson expressed his wish to glean insights from any experienced driver, he added he doesn't want to confuse himself with too much input. However, he said that he would seek advice from Jimmie Johnson, who recently completed a two-year stint in the open-wheeler series.

"You know, I don’t want to confuse myself with things. I don’t want to have to filter through what everybody’s saying. So, you know, Jimmie [Johnson] would be a good guy to talk to, just because he’s done it most recently," Larson said.

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Kyle Larson looks forward to practicing with IndyCar drivers

The #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver has previously participated in private tests and is looking forward to spending time on the track with other drivers to learn how the car works in traffic.

Kyle Larson mentioned that he will participate in a two-day open test in April, and hopes to learn more about the car's behavior. He said in the aforementioned podcast:

"I really want to get on track with other drivers, and get behind them, see how they do things, feel how the car feels in traffic, the runs that are made in the traffic - all those things."