Major relief for Kyle Larson as HMS driver escapes Indy 500 qualification scare after engine check clears concerns

Former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has escaped a massive scare in his Indy 500 quest. The 31-year-old, making his IndyCar debut later this month at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, abandoned the first qualifying session on Saturday (May 18).

Larson, piloting the No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, had completed two high-speed laps at over 232 mph when disaster struck. A sudden issue with the car's powerplant cut the engine's output, forcing Larson to pit before completing his qualifying attempt.

Speculation arose that the incident was linked to a plenum fire—an "engine event" often triggered by a backfire during gear shifts, igniting fuel in the intake plenum and resulting in a significant loss of power.

However, Arrow McLaren quickly addressed the concerns, releasing an official statement:

"Kyle’s engine has been fired up and no issues have been found. Will attempt his second run after the first round is complete."

Larson qualified sixth in the second qualification round. He averaged a speed of 232.563 mph in his four-lap run.

The Indy 500 qualification process is notoriously demanding, with the session running until 5:50 p.m. The top 12 finishers advance to the pole shootout on Sunday, while positions 13-30 secure their starting spots. Those who place 31-34 must compete in the final row shootout, where only three will make the race, and the fourth will be eliminated.

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What did Kyle Larson say after qualification scare?

Following the incident, Larson told the NTT IndyCar Series:

"There was some alarm that popped up on the dash and it cut a bunch of power. That sucks."

Despite the setback, he remained cautiously optimistic. The 31-year-old HMS driver stated:

"Yeah, an engine event and we’re still investigating. They’re still diagnosing the engine. We should be out there later and playing the two line strategy. We have good speed and these things sometimes happen. We should be back out there by 2.”

Kyle Larson's initial scare came shortly after Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus Veekay, a consistent top qualifier, experienced a dramatic moment. Veekay snapped loose in Turn 3 during his four-lap run. Meanwhile, another top contender, Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing, was also dealing with an engine change.

Larson's IndyCar debut comes side-by-side with his attempt to complete the coveted "double" by finishing both the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 race the same weekend. Combining the Indy 500 and the Charlotte Motor Speedway races, Larson will run 1,100 miles.

So far, only five drivers have attempted the double. NASCAR Hall of Famer and team-owner Tony Stewart is the only driver to successfully complete this remarkable feat. He achieved this feat in his second attempt in 2003. Kurt Busch was the last driver to run the double back in 2014.