"The best I’ve seen": Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan heaps praise on Kyle Larson ahead of NASCAR Cup champion's rookie test

On Thursday, October 12, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson took a monumental step towards achieving the elusive feat known as 'The double'.

The 31-year-old completed the rigorous Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program and underwent successful hybrid engine testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday.

With his participation in the Indy 500 race in 2024, Kyle Larson is set to etch his name in the history books by competing in both the iconic Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 races on the same day. The Hendrick Motorsports driver will be the first to achieve this feat since Kurt Busch in 2014.

Serving as the guiding voice throughout the testing phase of Kyle Larson's Rookie Orientation Program was none other than Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 victor and newly appointed sporting director of Arrow McLaren.

Kanaan, impressed by Larson's prowess, shared his sentiments from the IMS media center. He revealed:

"But it does make my life a lot easier when you have a superstar (driving for you), so that does make me look good. He’s a complete race car driver. Probably out of his generation, the best I’ve seen.”

Kanaan's admiration for Larson's talents extended beyond the track, emphasizing Larson's ability to master a diverse range of cars. He stated:

“He tries different cars – as I have been lately, and I know how much I struggle – and he wins in everything. I think he’s just one of the best race car drivers in the world right now.”

Tony Kanaan helps out an overloaded Kyle Larson

Kanaan, in his inaugural day at the racetrack as the team's sporting director, recognized the potential pitfalls of information overload that the Cup Series driver faced during a morning engineering debrief.

With an array of controls and data to sift through, Kanaan's revealed counseling to a burdened Kyle Larson about soaking in the moment. He said:

“I let them all talk, and then when he went to change, I went into the drivers’ lounge and said, ‘Don’t worry about that. Just enjoy the racetrack.’”

Reflecting on the significance of Larson's initiation, Kanaan emphasized the feeling of experiencing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time. He said:

“I didn’t want him to miss that first moment. It’s extremely special. I still remember my first time here. And also – he’s here to pass the ROP.”

Drawing from his own memories of the occasion, Kanaan urged Kyle Larson to savor the moment, unburdened by unnecessary complexities. The 48-year-old stated:

“There’s too much we can overthink, so why are we going to feed him all of that right now, when we’re going to come back here in April.”