NASCAR star Kyle Larson won't run dirt race ahead of Brickyard 400

Jim Ayello | IndyStar

INDIANAPOLIS — One of the headline attractions for the first-ever dirt track race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is taking his name off the entry list.

NASCAR star and Kyle Larson told IndyStar on Wednesday that a scheduling conflict will keep him away from the Driven2SaveLives BC39..

"It looks like it's not going to work out for me this year, just the way my schedule is working out," Larson said while in Indianapolis to promote the upcoming Brickyard 400. "I wish I could make it here for that. But I'll definitely be tuned in watching. The track looks really good. I think it will be a great race."

BC39: Race honoring Bryan Clauson at Speedway is highly anticipated

IMS track president Doug Boles said he was disappointed to learn that Larson won't participate, but he remains excited about a stacked field of more than 90 entrants (so far) that includes Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell, as well as USAC powers Chris Windom, Logan Seavey, Spencer Bayston, Brady Bacon, Tyler Thomas and David Prickett.

"We'd love to have Kyle Larson compete," Boles said. "You think about all of the short track racing that Kyle has done over the past few years even when he's running the NASCAR Cup Series at the highest level. He's probably the most high-profile Cup driver that does it regularly.

"But I almost liken it to that conversation we always have ahead of the Indy 500, which is, who are the NASCAR drivers crossing over and doing the 500? While you love to have those folks, at the end of the day, the Indy 500 field with just the Indy car drivers is really strong. The same thing with this USAC field. I don't think it will have a material impact on attendance or on the racing. It just takes away one more really cool talking point."

With the BC39 closing in on 100 cars and seeing the teams and drivers from all over the country entered is making this event what it is. From the bottom of our hearts Thank YOU to every car owner and driver who is making this event so special. #BC39 — Tim Clauson (@timclauson) August 21, 2018

Boles added that he hopes if IMS decides to host this race again in the future, Larson would be able to participate.

Larson didn't commit to anything for the future but talked as though he absolutely would. He said he was thrilled not only that IMS was hosting a dirt track race but doing it right. He highlighted the big purse (more than $70,000 with $15,000 for the winner) and the fact that the race is named in honor of his former friend and competitor Bryan Clauson, who died of injuries suffered in 2016 at the Belleville Midget Nationals in Kansas.

"I hope it's an event that can stick around for a long, long time," Larson said. "I think this race could turn into something massive, so I hope it goes good and they can honor Bryan with it forever.

"I think that it's so important for it to be at nice venue like that. And it's not an exhibition race. They did that deal a few years ago with Bryan and Tony (Stewart) and got everyone's hopes up there. So for them to actually pull the trigger and do something nice with nice dirt, awesome wall, catch fence, grandstands, the O'Connors are doing the track prep, and they're the best in Indiana at that. It's going to be an amazing event."

The Driven2SaveLives BC39 presented by NOS Energy Drink is scheduled for Sept. 5-6, ahead of the Brickyard 400 weekend. The quarter-mile dirt oval is inside Turn 3.

Follow IndyStar Motor Sports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter and Facebook: @jimayello.