Bubba Wallace jokes he won’t give Kyle Larson GOAT title after failing to win pole at Indy 500

“People can make up all the stories they want about me and Larson — I respect the hell out of him and if he would have gotten the pole, I would have given him the title of the greatest of all-time,” Wallace said, via Matt Weaver of Sportsnaut. “I’ll save the title for maybe next weekend when he wins it. But I was sitting in the lounge pulling for him. He made the Fast 6, so it’s just cool watching him… We’re not surprised by it.”

Bubba Wallace pulling for Kyle Larson in Indy 500

Larson is not only making his first career IndyCar Series start but is attempting to become just the fifth driver to complete the Indy-Charlotte Double — race in the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. Should Larson pull it off, it’ll be yet another accomplishment in a career full of them.

In addition to being a 2021 Cup Series and 25-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series, Larson is a highly decorated driver in dirt track racing. And after the conclusion to the race next Sunday, perhaps he’ll be able to call himself Indy 500 champion.

“I think just a great team, really,” Larson said after qualifying fifth, via Toby Christie of Racing America. “And they’ve prepared an awesome race car that is stuck to the racetrack, and also has speed. Qualifying went a lot better than I ever could have hoped or anticipated. Just proud of everyone at Arrow McLaren, and proud of everybody at Hendrick Motorsports that has been involved in this. Huge thank you to Rick Hendrick, Linda, the Jeffs — Jeff Gordon and Jeff Andrews — Cliff Daniels, Chad Knaus. Everybody involved to make this possible.”

As for Wallace personally, his focus now shifts to the All-Star Race, a chance to win a $1 million prize.

“We’re in the show,” Wallace said. “Let’s go get it.”