McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has his hands full with the team's Formula One and IndyCar teams, but he also has an interest in taking on NASCAR's biggest race.
"It's funny, on the way over here, I was asked, 'Where might your relationship with Rick Hendrick go long term,'" Brown said during an appearance on "The Dale Jr. Download" podcast. "And I don't know the answer to that other than I'd like to have a relationship with his team forever because they're awesome.
"Would we maybe put out a car at Daytona with Rick Hendrick? Maybe. I could see something like that."
Brown noted that McLaren Racing isn't looking at a full-time move into NASCAR. The commitment would be too much at this point in time.
Arrow McLaren has already forged a relationship with Hendrick Motorsports while putting Kyle Larson in an entry for the Indy 500.
They did so this season and they will do so once again in 2025 as Larson attempts once again to complete both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
Based on Brown's comments during the podcast, this crossover could only be the start.
But which driver would Brown partner with for the Daytona 500 if he had the opportunity? That answer is simple. He would turn to a driver already in the McLaren lineup, Pato O'Ward.
The full-time IndyCar driver/F1 reserve driver has already expressed interest in competing in a NASCAR race in Mexico City. He is from Monterrey, the second-largest city in Mexico, and he is immensely popular.
O'Ward explained to Racer that joining the NASCAR lineup in 2025 is not a possibility. The IndyCar event at Gateway is the same weekend that the Xfinity Series and Cup Series teams will compete in Mexico City. However, the schedules could align the following season.
"If we can get (Pato) in the Xfinity race (in Mexico City), that would be cool," Brown told Earnhardt. "I love that stuff. So I'd love to see Pato do that. Right now it conflicts -- I don't know what the schedule will look like in '26 but maybe that.
"Talking through what else can we do with Hendrick Motorsports? Maybe there's something... Pato at the Daytona 500 -- how cool would that be?"