Indy 500 2024 rookies include NASCAR Cup star Kyle Larson, a couple of 19-year-olds

Seven drivers are seeking their first Indianapolis 500 start in 2024. They include a NASCAR star, a couple of teenagers and a full-time Indy NXT driver.

This is the largest class of rookies since seven competed in 2014. That class included the last driver to complete the Double, NASCAR veteran Kurt Busch. NASCAR's Kyle Larson is among this year's rookie class.

With Texas Motor Speedway off the IndyCar schedule this year, the Indy 500 will be the first career superspeedway race for most of these drivers.

Marcus Armstrong

Age: 23

Nationality: New Zealand

Team: Chip Ganassi Racing

Despite running only on road and street courses for Ganassi last year, Armstrong rolled to the IndyCar Rookie of the Year title. He watched Takuma Sato take over the car in May and learned a lot. But he acknowledges there's nothing like driving the oval.

“I enjoyed (observing) a whole lot more than I expected – and that’s not to say I didn’t expect to enjoy it, but the intensity of it, it’s pretty special,” Armstrong said last October after completing an IMS test session. “Watching onboards and TV is one thing, but feeling how the car moves and how the wind affects you, and just the tiny details around this place, it’s special."

Armstrong is 11th in IndyCar points this season.

Tom Blomqvist

Age: 30

Nationality: England

Team: Meyer Shank Racing

Blomqvist replaced the injured Simon Pagenaud late last season and earned the full-time job. He stands 23rd in points. Blomqvist has extensive sports car racing experience.

“I’ve still got so much to learn, and I still feel like I’m a novice, which I basically am, right?” Blomqvist said after testing at IMS last October. “But it was so important and fortunate to get these laps under my belt. Now, we’ve got a lot of time to process things.”

Kyle Larson

Age: 31

Nationality: United States (Elk Grove, California)

Team: Arrow McLaren

Larson will garner the most attention among this year's class. The NASCAR Cup star is attempting double duty on race day, competing in the Indy 500 and Cup's Coca-Cola 600. Larson won the Cup championship in 2021 and has two race wins this year and 25 in his career. This is his first IndyCar race.

“I definitely learned some stuff (today), but when the packs are that small, you don’t know if what you’re learning is reality or not, so I just need to get more laps behind people – as well as in front of people,” Larson said after testing at IMS in April. “I need to get familiar with my mirrors and communication and then tying all that together, seeing runs develop behind me and knowing when I need to lift to tuck in line.

“All that race craft stuff I feel like I still have room to learn, but I did learn quite a bit there today.”

Linus Lundqvist

Age: 25

Nationality: Sweden

Team: Chip Ganassi Racing

Lundqvist won the 2022 Indy Lights championship and ran some IndyCar races for Meyer Shank Racing in 2023. He finished 3rd in Alabama earlier this season and stands 14th in points.

"It’s a place you spend so many years on the sidelines, watching this race and dreaming about driving around (IMS) and to finally be able to do it in my first outing with CGR, that’s very special. I feel very fortunate to be in this position. I thoroughly enjoyed today,” he said after his first IMS test last fall.

Christian Rasmussen

Age: 23

Nationality: Denmark

Team: Ed Carpenter Racing

Rasmussen won last year's Indy NXT title and drives on road and street courses, as well as the Indy oval. He's 25th in points.

Nolan Siegel

Age: 19

Nationality: United States (Palo Alto, California)

Team: Dale Coyne Racing

Siegel was named as a part-time Coyne driver shortly before the 2024 IndyCar season opener. He finished 20th in his only points-paying start, at Long Beach. Siegel is currently competing full-time in the Indy NXT championship, where he sits 2nd in points.

Kyffin Simpson

Age: 19

Nationality: The Bahamas

Team: Chip Ganassi Racing

He was a Ganassi development driver in 2002-23, competing in Indy NXT. He also competed in IMSA. He's 18th in IndyCar points, improving at least 7 places from his starting position in each race.

Indy 500 rookie winners

1911: Ray Harroun

1913: Jules Goux

1914: Rene Thomas

1926: Frank Lockhart

1927: George Souders

1966: Graham Hill

2000: Juan Pablo Montoya

2001: Helio Castroneves

2016: Alexander Rossi

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy 500 2024 rookies include NASCAR star Kyle Larson, 19-year-olds