Indianapolis, IN
Kyle Larson hopes rain and his daughter's misgivings don't ruin Indianapolis 500 debut
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Audrey Larson, all of 6 years old, is rooting for Alexander Rossi to win the Indianapolis 500. And if her dad doesn’t flip his car — she is pretty convinced he will — then maybe he can finish second.
That’s some kind of cheering section that Kyle Larson is taking into “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Yes, the daughter he just whisked to Paris to see Taylor Swift as a birthday gift has chosen a rival over her father in his Indianapolis 500 debut on Sunday.
The 31-year-old Larson, a father of three, is trying to become the modern-day version of Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Juan Pablo Montoya and Tony Stewart by showing once again that he is capable of winning in any kind of car. And the latest challenge for the sprint car superstar-turned-NASCAR champion is to become just the fifth driver in history to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in North Carolina on the same day.
Stewart in 2001 is the only driver to complete all 1,100 miles. Kurt Busch in 2014 is the last to even try.
Larson hasn’t asked for much advice — mostly because he doesn’t even know what to ask about driving an Indy car — but the greats who came before him aren’t too concerned with how he will perform starting fifth in a joint effort between Arrow McLaren Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, his NASCAR team.
“He has the potential to do what’s never been done and win both of these races,” Stewart said. “He’s just one of those naturally talented guys that you can put him in anything and he can drive it.”
The list of drivers who try both open-wheel racing and stock car racing is long and the differences are stark. Stock cars can take a beating and contact is part of the deal; Indy cars are far more fragile, and contact with a competitor or wall can end someone’s race immediately.
Robby Gordon attempted “The Double” five times ,with his 2002 showing of eighth at Indy and 16th at Charlotte his best attempt. He too believes Larson can win both races; Larson already won the 600, NASCAR’s longest race, in 2021.
“Kyle has a shot, a legitimate shot,” Gordon said. “We may look at him as a stock car driver, but he knows where his wheels are, he’s not worried about clipping wheels with anybody or getting tires tangled. We all know he’s not scared, and he’s also light, that’s going to help him. He’s got a lot of advantages, and Kurt Busch did a great job, but I think Kyle will do a better job.”
The deal between Hendrick and McLaren is for two years, which could be the smart play if the Indy 500 gets rained out Sunday. The forecast is iffy at best. Rick Hendrick has indicated he would have a hard time pulling Larson out of Indy to get to Charlotte, but it is a possibility the NASCAR team owner holds Larson to his day job.
McLaren boss Zak Brown said the decision will be left to Hendrick, who brought Larson’s entire No. 5 crew to Indianapolis on Friday for Carb Day to give those employees a chance to experience the Indy 500 atmosphere.
Larson has been working on the project for more than a year, but he has truly embraced the past two weeks at the historic speedway. Rain washed out a bunch of track time the first week, but since then, he has milked a cow, participated in community day at a local elementary school and was set to lead the annual driver parade Saturday through downtown Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials are allowing Larson to be first in the parade to shorten his time in the city, giving him a buffer in getting to Charlotte later Saturday for qualifying for the 600.
Larson, who runs the Daytona 500, some of the top sprint car races in the world and won the sports car showcase Rolex 24 at Daytona, thinks many big events can learn from the pomp and pageantry of Indianapolis.
“This is like Disneyland or the Disney World of racetracks. It is the nicest facility,” he said. “Two weeks of stuff, buildup to the race — there’s so many things that make this event feel different and bigger. But yeah, there’s no other event I’ve been a part of to this point, and I haven’t even gotten to race yet, that’s felt quite as big as the Indy 500.”
Larson said his 9-year-old son, Owen, has grasped the magnitude of the Indy 500. Audrey remains unimpressed, while 17-month-old Cooper is just along for the ride.
“Audrey thinks I’m crazy. She’s said it multiple times, ‘Why are you going to get in a car that you are going to flip?’” Larson said. “Every time we’ve talked about it, she says it. I don’t know where she’s seen it. Owen, I think he gets how cool the cars are and how big the space is, and I hope Audrey does once the race gets here.”
Audrey seems to be alone in her opinion about dad, given that some of the best drivers in motorsports history seem to be in Larson’s corner. McLaren is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first of its two Indy 500 wins with Johnny Rutherford this year, and “Lone Star JR” went to Kokomo Speedway last week to watch Larson race a sprint car.
“He’s a racer,” said Rick Mears, the four-time Indy 500 winner, who downplayed Larson’s lack of IndyCar experience. “I’ve said for years that I can come out here or anywhere and test for three weeks and I will learn more in the first 30 laps of the race than I learned in three weeks of testing. Because in testing and practice, you don’t get put in positions that you do in the race. And that’s when you start learning.
“That’s where his learning curve is, right? He’s dealt with similar stuff through the years. He’s going to have his work cut out for him, but if he does the job I think he will, he’ll have an opportunity.”
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We have had an active Tuesday that started as early as before sunrise. Then, showers and storms rolled in through the afternoon hours.
We will continue to see some storms over the next day before we briefly return to pleasant weather.
Tuesday night: Additional activity may fire off and slowly move into central Indiana tonight. There does remain a lower risk for severe storms with damaging winds being the primary concerns.
Due to slower moving rain and storms from Tuesday morning-afternoon, we will also have to monitor the potential for some flooding.
Lows will only fall into the low 70s.
Wednesday: Expect on and off showers and storms for Wednesday. There will be concerns for some flooding along with a low threat for severe storms.
This severe risk is south of Indy, and the primary hazards will be wind and some hail.
Highs look to be a little cooler with numbers in the low 80s. It will be a bit humid as well.
Thursday: Pleasant conditions are set to return Thursday with lots of sunshine and less humid air. Highs will be near normal in the low to mid 80s.
8-Day Forecast: It won’t take long for the heat to return going into the final weekend of June. Friday will see highs push into the mid 80s with the muggy meter turning back up. Saturday looks to be a hot and muggy day with highs nearing 90. A few showers and storms will be possible late Friday with better storm chances Saturday. It is too soon to tell if we’ll have a severe threat Saturday. Temperatures turn back closer to normal going into the start of July next Monday.
The family of the late Indiana broadcaster and community activist Amos C. Brown, III is proud to announce the inaugural Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards. This prestigious event will honor six outstanding individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the media landscape and the community fabric of Indianapolis.
The honorees for the inaugural Amos C. Brown, III Legacy Awards are:
CHANGE MAKER: Tina Cosby, Host of Community Connection and Community Public Affairs Director, Radio One Indianapolis
VISIONARY: DuJuan McCoy, Founder/Owner, Circle City Broadcasting
INNOVATOR: Shannon Williams, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, The Mind Trust
TRAILBLAZER: Rafael Sanchez, Multimedia Journalist and Voice of the Indianapolis Airport
LEGEND: Derrik Thomas, Broadcaster and Member, Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame
ICON: Barbara Boyd, Journalist, Member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Philanthropist, Socialite, and Community Advocate
These remarkable individuals will be honored during a special presentation on Wednesday, June 26th, at the Amos C. Brown, III Scholarship Fundraiser. The event will take place at the Hirons Agency, located at 422 E. New York Street, Indianapolis, Indiana from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Esteemed Radio One Indianapolis personalities Tony Lamont and Karen Vaughn will serve as the masters of ceremonies for the evening.
“We are thrilled to recognize these incredible individuals whose dedication and contributions have left a lasting imprint on our community,” said a family spokesperson. “Their achievements not only honor the legacy of our beloved Amos but also inspire future generations to continue making impactful contributions to our society.”
The Amos C. Brown, III Scholarship Fundraiser and Legacy Awards aim to celebrate and perpetuate the spirit of community service and excellence in media championed by Amos C. Brown, III.
For more information about the inaugural honorees and event details, please visit Amos C. Brown Legacy Awards.
Indianapolis, IN
Looking to watch the fireworks this Fourth of July? Here’s where you should go in Indy
More than 10 sites around Indianapolis will set off fireworks to celebrate this Fourth of July and many of them are accompanied by festivals. The holiday falls on a Thursday, so some events span several days into the weekend. Here’s what you need to know:
Indianapolis Fourth of July fireworks and festivals
July 4, Downtown Indy: Indy’s Downtown Freedom Fest will have a 20-minute fireworks show that can best be viewed from the Indiana War Memorial grounds and the American Legion Mall. The street festival will have live performances and food trucks and starts at 6 p.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. The festival takes place on North Street between Meridian Street and Pennsylvania Street.
July 3, Broad Ripple: The White River Yacht Club will perform the Meredith Smith Memorial Fireworks Show over the White River. While the club hasn’t announced this year’s launch times, in 2023, the fireworks show started at 9 p.m..
Fireworks and festivals in Hamilton and Boone Counties
July 3 – 4, Carmel: CarmelFest ends with a 30-minute fireworks culminating in a fireworks display launched from the Carmel Ice Skadium at 9:45 p.m. on July 4. The festival is two days long, starting July 3. On the 3rd, the hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on the 4th noon to 10 p.m.. The festival will have a beer garden, a talent show, live performances, caricature artists and food trucks.
July 4, Fishers: Fireworks will be launched at 10 p.m. from Cyntheanne Park and the Geist Reservoir. They can be seen from Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate & Jr. High School and on the water.
July 4, Noblesville: Fireworks start at 10 p.m. and can be viewed from Federal Hill Commons or Forest Park. A Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks Festival will kickoff with a parade at 4 p.m. followed by the festival in Forest Park from 6 to 10 p.m. The 2023 festival had inflatable bounce houses, bungee jumping, a rock wall, ax throwing and a beer garden.
July 4, Westfield: Fireworks will start at 10 p.m., following a festival at Grand Park Sports Campus. The festival will have live music and games and goes from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
July 4, Zionsville: A Fourth of July celebration will be held at Lions Park starting at 5 p.m. and fireworks will begin at 10 p.m.. There will be children’s bounce houses, games and festival food for sale. Miss Indiana and Miss Teen Indiana will sing the national anthem at 7 p.m..
Fireworks and festivals in Hendricks County
July 3, Avon: The town of Avon’s Night at the Park starts with food trucks, a petting zoo, a concert and pony rides, and ends with a fireworks display. The free event goes from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Avon Town Hall Park.
July 4, Brownsburg: Brownsburg’s July Fourth 2024 Extravaganza will begin at 7:30 at the Town Hall Green. There will be a performance from the Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra. A parade through town will begin at 10 a.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m..
June 29 to July 4: Poor Jack’s Carnival will be at Arbuckle Acres Park from 6 to 11 p.m. each night. Carnival wristbands are $25, but the rest of the festival, which includes yard games and food trucks, is free.
Family friendly entertainment
June 30-July 3, Conner Prairie, Fishers: The focus of the Star-Spangled Symphony at Conner Prairie is the music, but the finale will be accompanied by fireworks for these four. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concerts. Gates open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at indianapolissymphony.org.
July 4, Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site Independence Day Social: From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the home of America’s Hoosier President will have free first-floor tours and patriotic activities. There will be live jazz music, balloon artists, crafts and visiting animals from Indianapolis Care Services. Hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn will be available. The event is free but registration at bhpsite.org is required.
July 4, Indianapolis Indians vs. Louisville Bats: Tickets are available for the 6:35 p.m. baseball game at ticketsonsale.com. The Indians will play at Victory Field and fireworks will follow the game.
Out to the bars
July 4, Metazoa Brewing Company 4th of July Party: Metazoa Brewing, 140 S. College Ave., will unveil their new beer at their free block party. The event goes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and will have live music. The brewery is dog-friendly and the Downtown Indianapolis fireworks will be visible.
July 6, Red, White and Brew Bar Crawl: For $25, crawlers can dress up in red, white and blue and explore multiple Indy bars. The event goes from 4 to 6 p.m. and starts at the Saint Shack, 250 S. Meridian St. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com.
July 5, Red White and Brew Party: Hosted by Howl at the Moon, 20 E. Georgia St., there will be dancing and deals on drinks all night to celebrate the Fourth. Howl at the Moon is open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.Alex Haddon is a Pulliam Fellow. You can email her at AHaddon@gannett.com.
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