Kyle Larson’s Double effort cost Hendrick Motorsports over $3,000,000 - Reports

While Kyle Larson's Double effort was a big feat, the amount of money it cost was also reportedly a pretty big number. In a joint effort between Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren, Larson was all set to run the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

Running two prestigious events in two different cities with one followed by the other takes quite a bit of money, talent, and overall teamwork. The Sports Business Journal recently reported the dollar figure that supported Larson's Double effort.

According to Adam Stern of the SBJ, Hendrick Motorsports spent over $3 million to help Kyle Larson run the Double. Stern also mentioned that it normally costs a team $1 million to $1.5 million to run in the Indy 500.

The SBJ also mentioned that Kyle Larson's foray into the Indy 500 was because of an effort from HMS Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon 'to turn its drivers into bigger stars.'

According to Google Trends, Larson attracted a lot of buzz following his strong showing in the prestigious race and in the build-up to it. In the last month, Larson was searched more than ever except for May 2020.

While running the Indy 500 cost HMS a lot of money, it could've cost them dearly in the Cup Series if not for the recent playoff waiver decision by NASCAR.

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HMS could've lost a lot if NASCAR hadn't granted Kyle Larson a waiver

After Kyle Larson finished in 18th place in his first-ever Indy 500, the HMS driver gave his interviews and rushed to the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. Despite reaching in time to replace Justin Allgaier behind the wheel of the #5 car, Larson couldn't run a single lap in the race.

This was because rain forced NASCAR to stop the race. Kyle Larson waited but the track didn't get dry enough for the race to continue. The race was eventually called off and Larson didn't get to run the Coca-Cola 600, which led to the Hendrick Motorsports driver needing a waiver to continue as a championship contender.

Many wondered if the #5 driver even deserved a waiver considering he made a choice by prioritizing the Indy 500 over the Coke 600. Some were of the opinion that Larson not getting a waiver would be illogical and hurtful to NASCAR's own image.

The speculation over Larson getting or not getting a waiver continued on for days until Tuesday, June 4, when NASCAR announced that they would be granting him a playoff waiver. This meant that Kyle Larson was once again a contender for the NASCAR Cup title in the 2024 season, which would've come as a relief for Hendrick Motorsports.

If Larson hadn't gotten the waiver, it would have cost HMS a lot in the long run given his importance to the team and his sponsors. Perhaps even more than the $3 million they spent on his Double effort.