IndyCar Clarifies Its Reserve Driver Policy For 109th Indianapolis 500

IndyCar has clarified its reserve driver policy for the 109^th Indianapolis 500, which would impact 2021 NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports if the race is delayed, or stopped, for rain.

Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren agreed that in 2025, the Coca-Cola 600 would take priority over the Indianapolis 500 for Larson to avoid last year’s situation when a four-hour rain delay to the start of the Indianapolis 500 kept Larson from competing in the 600.

Larson drives the full NASCAR Cup Series schedule and competes for the season championship. He is an Indy 500-only competitor in the Indianapolis 500.

IndyCar has informed race teams of a procedural update involving eligible drivers ahead of the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. During a recent Team Manager call, teams were made aware that a replacement driver would be eligible with the following parameters:

A replacement driver will only be considered if the primary (entered) driver also is participating in another marquee event with the driver’s principal racing series on Indianapolis 500 Race Day.

Currently, the only driver that meets that is competing in another marquee event is Larson.

If Larson has to leave the Indianapolis 500 before it starts, Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan would be the driver but would have to start at the rear of the field. Kanaan won the 2013 Indianapolis 500.

However, if the race begins and Larson starts the car but has to leave before the end of the race in order to get to Charlotte Motor Speedway on time, Kanaan, or any approved driver, will not be allowed to drive Larson’s car. That is for safety reasons because of the position of the seat, pedals and other key components in the cockpit are different for each driver. This is for safety reasons.

The IndyCar-approved veteran replacement driver is eligible for and passes the Indianapolis Motor Speedway refresher program in the entry during the first day of Indianapolis 500 practice.

Additional tires for the refresher program will not be allowed for the Indianapolis 500 entry. The tire allotment for each entrant is 32 sets for the event. Any tires used for the refresher program will be taken from the allotted tires to that entry.

During the refresher program, minimal setup changes will be allowed.

After the replacement driver completes the required phases of the refresher program, additional laps during the session will not be permitted.

Once IndyCar is notified that a team will use its replacement driver for the Indianapolis 500, the entry’s qualified position is forfeited, and the car will start at the rear of the starting lineup and ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.

A qualified driver, who is officially replaced by the team, may return and compete with that entry provided the replacement driver has not participated in a session other than the refresher program. The car’s starting position will remain at the rear of the field with the starting lineup ordered according to Rule 8.1.8.6.

The 2025 IndyCar rulebook will be updated to reflect these changes.