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) — On Sunday’s edition of “All INdiana Politics,” WISH-TV Government Reporter Garrett Bergquist weighs in on Max Engling winning the nomination for secretary of state from Indiana’s GOP.
Later, Bergquist breaks down United Way’s 2026 ALICE report, which found that 40% of Indiana households can’t afford cost of living.
Last but not least, Bergquist sits down with Democrat Lindsey Haake and Republican Whitley Yates to discuss the race for Indiana secretary of state, the ALICE report, and the fragile peace deal between Iran and the U.S.
“All INdiana Politics” airs at 9:30 a.m. Sundays on WISH-TV.
CINCINNATI — The Savannah Bananas are back in Cincinnati, but this year they face a new opponent: the Indianapolis Clowns.
The Clowns were implemented into Banana Ball this season to honor the original Negro League team that played from the 1930s to 1989. The team also had stints in Miami (Florida) and here in Cincinnati as the Ethiopian and Cincinnati Clowns.
Rashawn Merchant
So, when 93-year-old West Chester resident Myra Merchant heard the Clowns were coming to town, she said she was shocked.
“It brings back a lot of beautiful memories,” she said.
Merchant’s husband, Henry Lewis “Speed” Merchant, was an outfielder for the original Clowns team. He coined the nickname “Speed” because of his pace on the bases.
WATCH: Meet the family of Indianapolis Clowns legend Henry Lewis “Speed” Merchant
The Savannah Bananas are back in Cincinnati, but their opponents hit home for one family
In 1950, he won the title for most stolen bases in a single season with 45 bases stolen in 80 games.
“(He) was a hell of a ball player,” Merchant said of her late husband. “He could run, he was a beautiful runner.”
“Speed” died of prostate cancer in 1982, but even four decades later, at the Merchant family’s table, sit dozens of photos and memorabilia — a physical record of a legacy Merchant refuses to let fade.
Noelle Blumel
“I can’t help it, it’s part of history,” she said. “I thank God he had a chance to prove himself in the Negro League.”
Their three children, Charisse, Herma Jean and Rashawn Merchant, still live in the Cincinnati area as well and remember the tricks he used to do as a player.
“They came up with tricks (like) hiding the ball and digging into the dirt and coming up (with it),” Charisse said.
Charisse added that even after his time as a player, their father would still perform the tricks from time to time.
“He just knew how to do so many things,” Rashawn said. “He could take the baseball and roll it down his shoulder… could catch the ball behind his back, over his head.”
Myra Merchant
Myra said the tricks, in addition to the baseball, made the games a joyful spectacle.
“There was laughter and fun in the game, the way they played it, and it was enjoyable,” Merchant said.
That enjoyment, however, came with adversity. The Clowns often had to perform in the face of open discrimination.
“It was rough,” Charisse said. “(Going to) certain places to eat, they would send whoever was the lightest-skinned guy on the team. He would go to the back and get the sandwiches or whatever to eat.”
The hostility didn’t stop there.
“Players being thrown ice, (patrons) would throw the bottles at them,” Charisse said. “But (the players) kept going and they would win the game and hurry up and get on the bus.”
Charisse added that sometimes the players could not change out of their jerseys after games because they had to leave the hostile environment immediately to avoid things escalating.
Myra described the era with unflinching clarity.
“Prejudice, back in the, the ’30s and ’40s, and even a lot of times in the ’50s, that prejudice was still there,” she said. “And you had to endure it, take it, smile and keep going.”
When asked what made the players want to keep going, Myra’s answer was immediate.
“I’ll put it this way, our Lord came here, and he knew what he had to endure,” she said. “He kept going, and that’s what the Black man has done. He kept going. Because had he stopped, where would he have been today?”
Charisse and Rashawn echoed that sentiment.
“He loved the game. It was just in his blood, and that’s what he wanted to do,” they said.
Now with a new generation of the Clowns making headlines, the Merchant family said their hope is that the fans and players know about the pioneers who wore the name first.
Rashawn Merchant
“I thank God because it lives on. He’s part of history. And it lives on through the children and every Black player. Every Black man that came through hell,” Myra said.
Charisse and Rashawn said they want that history to be part of the celebration.
“Just remember that it started through a lot of hardship, that it wasn’t all fun and games,” Rashawn said. “There’s a history there and all of it’s not the best, but they made the best of what they had.”
Myra said the struggles they went through, though grueling, are part of what makes America a great country.
“They were part of America. That’s what makes America great, and it is a great country,” she said. “This is a melting pot of beautiful colors. She have her problems — What country has none? But we can solve them together, united as one.”
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
2026 Pro Swim Series – Indianapolis
Finals Heat Sheet
Six women opted not to swim the 50 fly tonight, with Torri Huske, Erika Pelaez, and Liberty Clark all choosing to swim the 100 free A-final instead. They are the 7th, 8th, and 5th seed, respectively. Kristina Paegle and Anna Peplowski have likewise chosen the 100 free over the 50 fly, where they’re the 9th and 12th seeds for tonight.
On the men’s side, the only scratches come from the 100 breast, where American record holder Michael Andrew has decided to swim the 50 fly. He’ll be in lane 5 for that event tonight. Charlie Egeland has also scratched out of the 100 breast, which means his meet has come to an end.
Top – 16 SCRATCH REPORT
Women’s 800 Freestyle
Men’s 800 Freestyle
Women’s 50 Butterfly
Men’s 50 Butterfly
Women’s 100 Breaststroke
Men’s 100 Breaststroke
Women’s 100 Freestyle
Men’s 100 Freestyle
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