Full Transcript for Curt & Kevin Talk About the 2027 IndyCar Schedule, Josh Pierson to Foyt, and Jamie Little Joins!

success I do still think they're in a bit of a transition period they are still tweaking and looking for the right opportunities and looking for the next Arlington and So let's just start with this the anger probably starts with the lack of ovals and losing another oval race in Nashville and I do think that people that listen to our show, were they not warned? I didn't know anything. I didn't know definitively. And I still held out hope that my original thought was wrong and that Nashvilleville would find a spot. But I've been saying since we left that event, I don't know that it's coming back. 00:06:53 Speaker 3: We want it back. You could argue you need it back. But can you afford. 00:06:59 Speaker 4: To have an event that looks very empty, which is what I think that would have been, and if financially it just doesn't work? You just can't keep losing money on events. It has to make sense for the local promoter, for the series, and it probably has to look like you have some popularity on television, too. 00:07:21 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm always– that last point, I'm always a little skeptical of how much I'm influenced. I mean, I watched the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks last night. There was virtually no one at the game. Now, everyone was– Because they were all away watching the World Series. 00:07:37 Speaker 3: Oh, World Series is going on. 00:07:39 Speaker 4: But just because there was– That's also one of 82 games– one of 41 games in a market. 00:07:43 Speaker 1: But my point is, it didn't influence me whether there were people in the stands or not. 00:07:47 Speaker 3: I don't care. 00:07:49 Speaker 1: I was intrigued by the game. So I'm not sure that's a huge deal. I get the point. 00:07:55 Speaker 3: I do think you're in the minority on that. 00:07:57 Speaker 1: I might be. 00:07:58 Speaker 4: I think the series and all of the other partners and the sponsors care about that. You're a hardcore sports fan. 00:08:04 Speaker 3: You're different. They're trying to reach. 00:08:07 Speaker 4: Non-hard cores and i think that is one of the things it's honestly it's just one of the reasons why they're not going to these ovals so 8 000 people in a 50 000 seat stadium does not look good. 00:08:19 Speaker 1: I agree with that i just don't think people spend an extraordinary amount of time looking at the grandstands trying to decide how many people are there or not there and does that look good or look bad i'm watching the action and i think I think a lot of people are watching. You know, I see a lot of baseball games on a Tuesday night. Tampa Bay was always one that... It's not the same. 00:08:42 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:08:42 Speaker 3: Okay. 00:08:42 Speaker 2: Anyway. 00:08:43 Speaker 3: They play every day. 00:08:44 Speaker 1: The lack of ovals is obviously concerning and disappointing from all of us, honestly. And Doug Bowles mentioned that... You know, in his remarks that he personally is disappointed because he's an oval guy. I'm an oval guy. But,

you know, you got to have the right oval. I keep wishing that we'd see we'd see Richmond. Mark Miles in the past has said no Richmond. We'll see. Who knows? There had been some scuttlebutt about returning to Texas. I don't know. I don't know where the next oval comes from. And I do understand and appreciate, if that's the right word, the challenge of getting an oval on the schedule. It's tough. 00:09:30 Speaker 4: And I think some of the disappointment was you started hearing rumors about Texas. And that's partly my fault. And mine wasn't any sourcing. I never had anyone tell me. There was a consideration. I mentioned Kansas and Texas because they were both Fox races and they were in open weekends where that might possibly fit. But then you had others saying, I'm hearing that's a possibility. So I don't know how far along it got. My best guess is. was there would be real concern about the proximity date-wise, proximity location-wise, and then date-wise within two months of Arlington. Arlington is really important. So that probably is what I think would have kept that from getting too far along in the discussion. 00:10:18 Speaker 3: I hope it can be resurrected, though. I'd love to go back to Texas. 00:10:21 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was one of my favorites as well, even though we've seen some big accidents there that impacted people's lives. But it's a thrilling place to watch a race. It's a thrilling event to watch on television. And it's some of the best racing IndyCar I've seen in the last 25 years. 00:10:43 Speaker 4: I saw a note on racer.com that they're looking like the Barcelona race start could be around 6 p.m. 00:10:51 Speaker 3: Local. 00:10:51 Speaker 4: So, you know, at 11 or noon Eastern time here. So if it's noon, that means you're talking about 9 o'clock on the West Coast. So that at least is something to keep in mind. I wondered if maybe this was a plan to maybe try to get two or three races, and maybe two, and just kind of combine the trip. Mark Miles last week said right now they have no other plans to race anywhere in Europe. 00:11:15 Speaker 3: No plans is kind of a broad thing. 00:11:17 Speaker 4: You know, somebody else could come along and say, hey, we want to pay you $ 10 million to come, and then there would become a plan. They are still looking at other international opportunities. I'm glad this is a points race. There was talk about off-season races. I don't know how much traction that has. I think that's difficult for the teams. It's a lot of expense if it's not going to be part of your championship. 00:11:36 Speaker 1: I agree. Couldn't agree with you more. And I think everybody feels that way. So it's just a matter of, you know, when do you stage that race? It's going to be challenging, honestly, for the teams and so forth to take time away and load up and go to Europe in the middle of the summer. It just is. I know Formula One does it on a regular basis. They just have a little more... You know, they do it all the time.

So that's helpful, but it's still difficult. One thing I did like about the schedule is that once you get past, you know, the heavy dose in May and so forth, it starts to be about every other week. And I think that is a good cadence. I'd like to have some back-to-backs, but every other week's a nice cadence, not to have a three-week break. We've seen that, obviously, World Cup caused some issues, and there have been some other instances where that's happened. But, you know, once you get past May, the every other week has a nice cadence. 00:12:35 Speaker 4: It's a great start to the season again with back-to-back-to-back weekends, then one weekend off, which I think is Easter. It's Easter, the last weekend of March, and then Barber. So really, the first four weekends you could race, you are racing, and then four out of five, one weekend off in Long Beach. The only negative is the gap between... Long Beach, April 18th to the Indy road course on Saturday, the 15th. That's why another reason I was hoping either Kansas or Texas could be slotted in. You will have the Indy 500 Open Test, so that is essentially another event right in the middle of that, so that's going to help that. And then after that, you never have more than one weekend off, which is good. I think it's the two weeks off that becomes a little bit of a problem there. You still have a doubleheader at Milwaukee, and if that's what it takes to race in Milwaukee, or if Iowa could come back, all for it. Sign us up for it. Don't love doubleheaders, but if that's what it needs... If that's what the business needs to make that happen. And also it helps get you to five ovals. 00:13:38 Speaker 3: So that helps out as well. You're still, is it? Five ovals, five road courses, maybe it's five street races, eight road courses. The disparity is. 00:13:50 Speaker 4: Not too far off if you break up all the different categories of racetracks. I know some would say there's only oval. 00:13:57 Speaker 3: And non-oval, but it is what it is. It's business. It comes down to money. 00:14:01 Speaker 4: If they can find places that want to pay a sanctioning fee or if IndyCar feels like they can raise the money to not lose too much, they'll go to more ovals. 00:14:11 Speaker 1: I guess the one question I'd have, I'd love to sit down with Bud Denker and Roger and Mark Miles and get a real answer on this one. Did they ever really have any traction to go back to Washington, D.C.? Was that anywhere in the cards or was it? Was it just the expense was too great? I mean, and it doesn't really matter what the answer is. I'm just curious, you know. 00:14:37 Speaker 4: How much time did they spend trying to find the $ 30 million to cover that? 00:14:43 Speaker 3: That's a lot of money. 00:14:45 Speaker 4: That is a lot of money to be able to cover that and also a lot of time. And then even if you do cover it, is it going to be as big and as impactful and as shiny the second year around? I think I had a chance, but it's not

going to be America 250. I think it still could have been good, but that's awfully expensive. If you're going to spend a lot of money, you know, maybe you argue. I still think if they could find an oval event they thought would be really successful, they might invest in it. But we haven't had an oval race where just say, man, that was awesome. 00:15:22 Speaker 1: Well, Phoenix, Phoenix. 00:15:24 Speaker 4: Phoenix was really good, but you didn't do that on your own. 00:15:27 Speaker 3: No, I agree. 00:15:28 Speaker 4: Gateway has been good. Milwaukee has been good, but would just spend $ 10 or $ 15 million to do that. I don't know that it would cost that much. 00:15:40 Speaker 1: I actually wonder how you get to $ 30 million for a street race, but Well. 00:15:45 Speaker 3: That's the numbers that Bud Denker talked about. 00:15:47 Speaker 1: I know. I'm not doubting Bud Denker. He's a smart man and a kind man. But really? 00:15:56 Speaker 3: It does seem like it should go down in year two. 00:15:59 Speaker 1: It does seem like that. And it does feel like the line items must have been pretty large. 00:16:05 Speaker 4: So he did say that a little bit would go down because they would store the big concrete blocks. But he said most of the things you are going to have to do again and it was going to be expensive. Whether it's $ 20 million, $ 30 million, you know, anything over. 00:16:20 Speaker 3: About $ 5 million is a big expense for IndyCar. 00:16:23 Speaker 4: And that's the other thing I wonder about the Kansas-Texas thing could have come into play. Maybe NASCAR said, you're welcome to join us, but we're not giving you any sanctioning money. We already are paying for a cup race. We're paying a lot of money for a cup race, and we have television for that. If you want to come, come along, but we're not giving you a million dollars. And then IndyCar may have thought about it well. That means we're going to lose money because we still have to pay to bring the circus in town. That can be debated whether that expense would be worth it or not. But there are always things that we don't fully know. 00:16:59 Speaker 3: Back to Barcelona. 00:17:00 Speaker 4: One of the things I said on Friday's Trackside Extra, and this was from our friend Arnie Schreiber, who posted something about, hey, come on over and join us, Fernando Alonso. You have the weekend off in Formula One next year. And my response was, yeah, that'd be great, but he's not invited because... Currently, as I understand it, IndyCar has no ability for a team to add an extra entry unless you yank someone out of their seat and put him in the car. So then shortly after I recorded that. I think Doug Bowles in the conference call with certain media. How do we get on that list? Why aren't we on the list to be able to listen to these calls? Maybe I would have gotten that right the first time if I would have been invited. But anyway, they may make a provision and bravo. 00:17:46 Speaker 3: That needs to happen. 00:17:48 Speaker 4: And I still would contend there needs to be a promoter or series option available. I don't like just making up rules on the fly for special people. There needs to be a provision where it can be discussed at any event, if there's pit space available, if the team... can convince the series that we have a competent driver and it is going to be good for all. Maybe that good is just they're going to write us a check for a million dollars to go run this race. It'll help our team's bottom line. And this might be someone that can be somebody in the future. I'd like to see that a first come, first serve to add one or two entries at select events throughout the year. And then you're covered if Alonzo wants to race or something else comes along that's really interesting. 00:18:35 Speaker 1: Well, I liked it until I just considered the possibility that let's say two teams both wanted to run a driver and there was really only space for one. You said first come, first serve. What if it's like the NFL's waiver wire? You start with the lowest ranked team and they get first choice and it kind of moves on up toward the top ranked team. And then if they pass, they get, you know, whoever gets to choose will be, you know, whoever takes them up on it. 00:19:03 Speaker 4: If somehow the email is time stamped at the exact time, we will go with highest in the championship gets to choose. 00:19:12 Speaker 3: OK, something to that. 00:19:13 Speaker 4: Because the point is, Fernando Alonso is entering. We want him in a good car. We want him in with one of the strong teams to show well. 00:19:21 Speaker 3: But I think it's whoever shows us the money first. 00:19:24 Speaker 1: Do other strong teams want to see Alonso in a strong car? I mean, I'm not sure I do. If I'm Aaron McLaren... If you're the strong team, if you're. 00:19:33 Speaker 4: Aaron McLaren, why would you not want a fourth car with Fernando Alonso in it? 00:19:37 Speaker 1: I would, but what if I'm Chip Ganassi and I'm trying to beat Pato Ward for the championship? 00:19:44 Speaker 4: Then he should have invited Fernando Alonso to his team and offered him more money. 00:19:47 Speaker 1: It's an interesting prospect. I mean, I think it can be done. I do wonder about doing it just in Spain and not being able to do it at another venue. 00:20:00 Speaker 3: Agreed. 00:20:03 Speaker 1: So I do like that aspect of the discussion. 00:20:04 Speaker 4: If Fox agrees to it, and Andretti wants to enter James Hinchcliffe in Toronto, and James wants to do it and feels like he can be competitive, they should be allowed to do that. That would help the events. So I would like to see something like that, and I'm glad that it sounds like they're open to try to figure out. There are always unintended consequences of that, and it's harder than the simplicity I make it to be, but I'm glad to see they're at least thinking about that because, you know, I am. 00:20:35 Speaker 3: Curious to see what Alex

Pillow could do for the event. 00:20:38 Speaker 4: And I think this is going to be great for Alex Pillow. But man, if you want to make that event to be guaranteed successful, you get Alonzo in that race and you have no problem selling tickets, I think. And you get him in a good car because he would have a chance to not finish 17th, which is pretty much all he does. 00:20:56 Speaker 1: I think Alex Palou's NIL money in Spain could go up. He may have a chance to pick up some endorsements locally that he isn't getting otherwise. So it could be good for Alex. Yeah, absolutely. 00:21:08 Speaker 4: I've had a few people here in Fort Lauderdale tell me, hey, I see that IndyCar is talking about the Gold Coast in Australia again. 00:21:15 Speaker 3: And my response has been, that report comes out at least yearly, does it not? 00:21:19 Speaker 5: Yeah. 00:21:20 Speaker 4: You're going to have to show me. But when this happens, I hope, because I've never been and I'd love to go. Interest is one thing. Making it happen and the money that it takes, plus all of the other scheduling challenges, finding the right track. I think the track they used to run isn't available anymore, but I hope that would. 00:21:43 Speaker 3: Be, that'd be a home run. People would love to see that. 00:21:45 Speaker 4: And then even we say that, then your challenge is you're going to have a hard time putting that at a time where people can watch live on television or many people will watch live on television in America. 00:21:56 Speaker 1: Well, it's no different than it ever was. I mean, Australia has been in that time zone, even when we raced there over the years so you can work around that it may not be a great television number but uh it's certainly a an important race uh it was an important event to the uh cart schedule and and we'll see if they ever end up there i've been there several times um it's a great place to go it's a long way to go uh yeah i'm okay if i don't have australia on my travel budget travel schedule in 2027 or eight or nine but uh it is it is good. 00:22:32 Speaker 3: To see We have news this afternoon. We assumed this was coming. 00:22:37 Speaker 4: AJ Foyt Racing has completed their lineup by announcing Josh Pearson to drive the number four car. 00:22:44 Speaker 1: Yeah, that makes Josh and Dennis Hauger a partnership in the Foyt operation in 2027. Hauger in the 14 and Pearson in the number four. So, yeah, as you mentioned, they did announce that as a multi-year deal for Pearson. So we'll see how long that lasts. 00:23:04 Speaker 4: The release says Hauger is in the 14 representing homes for our troops. Pearson will drive the number four Chevrolet with a new sponsor spotlighting a complimentary program. So I don't know exactly what that means. Is that something associated with the homes for our troops initiative through the Hendricks family? So we shall see on that. But It's been a weird trip for Josh Pearson from it looking like there was a rule specifically enacted with a week left in the season to keep him out to then winning a race, which moved him up a level to be evaluated and then everything going. 00:23:48 Speaker 3: Fine in the test. 00:23:49 Speaker 4: As we said, we thought once he got the chance to do that, he would be approved. Financially, it's going to be good for AJ Foy Racing. He is said to be the driver that is available and qualified that brings the most amount of budget. So good for AJ Foy Racing. They've got a second year driver in Dennis Hauger. And Josh Pearson's 20 years old. I know it didn't go fantastic in Indy Dex this year, but he was sixth in the championship last year. 00:24:17 Speaker 3: He's now won a race. He's finished on the. 00:24:19 Speaker 4: Podium multiple times. He has a lot of potential. Is he a future champion? Chances would say no, but you just don't know. He's 20 years old and he gets a go at it. And if it works out, it's going to be great for AJ Foyt Racing because they have a driver with some upside and that brings a lot of budget. 00:24:38 Speaker 3: So what's left at this point? 00:24:40 Speaker 4: So a little more on this. We don't have an answer on Nikita Johnson signing with Dale Coyne Racing, but he was in. 00:24:48 Speaker 3: Their car yesterday. 00:24:49 Speaker 1: He was at that test. I would just get back one final point on Foyt. I just hope this story ends with Santino Ferrucci running the Indy 500 because right now they need a competitive potential winner in their program for Indy. I don't know that Dennis, however, is ready to win the Indy 500. No disrespect to Dennis. I think he's very talented. I just don't know if he's ready to win the Indy 500. Santino would continue to give you that. 00:25:18 Speaker 4: I'm standing by for that announcement. Because I do think there is a chance that others might be interested in offering Santino something. I would think other teams are seeing if he makes sense for them. So there could be a little competition there. for Santino. So I can't put that down as, yeah, let's just, it's assumed it's happening. 00:25:41 Speaker 3: I think it's happening. Both sides have talked about it. 00:25:44 Speaker 4: But somebody else might make a better offer that includes some other opportunities. 00:25:49 Speaker 3: But I still expect that he's going to be up for it. That makes the most sense. 00:25:52 Speaker 4: He can help mentor younger drivers there a little bit as well. Oh, Nikita Johnson in the car yesterday. 00:26:00 Speaker 3: We had what? four different drivers five different drivers and four cars. 00:26:04 Speaker 1: Is that how it worked out yesterday yeah i don't have barber i don't have it right in front of me i do know connor daly got got his first seat time with uh with dry and reinbold uh and nikita you got it right there in front of. 00:26:17 Speaker 4: You yeah so nikita johnson shared the car and here's a new name dale coin said i might have a surprise for you Might that surprise be Alex

Dunn, 20-year-old Irish driver who has won an F2. I think maybe he's third in the F2 championship. Very well regarded. One of those on the brink. I think he's done some pre-practice ones in Formula 1. So Nikita was in the car. In the afternoon, Alex Dunn was in the car in the morning, and when he got out, he was P1 over Connor Daly, who is joining a new team, and Hunter McElroy, who's done one IndyCar race and a little bit of testing. McIlroy got his best time in the afternoon, so I think they made some improvements. With ECR, he was. 00:27:06 Speaker 3: In Alexander Rossi's car, and it was all really tight. 00:27:09 Speaker 4: 107.5 for McIlroy, Dunn 107.6, Conor Daly 107.8, and then Nikita Johnson, who only got a half a day, 108.0. So all within four and a half tenths. Dunn was only, he was a little more than three tenths faster than than Nikita Johnson. And I think this was also Nikita's first time. 00:27:32 Speaker 3: In an IndyCar. 00:27:33 Speaker 4: I would say an F2 car is probably a teeny bit closer to an Indy car than an Indy next car is from that standpoint. And we've seen what the F2 drivers that come over, whether it's Callum Eilat or Christian Lungard or whoever, that come in and get after it pretty quickly. So no announcement on Nikita Johnson. That's one of those where I'll be very surprised if he's not slotted into one of the coin cars. 00:27:56 Speaker 3: The question marks remain. The second coin car. 00:28:00 Speaker 4: If Alex Dunn wants to do this and he has significant budget, I would think it's going to be his. If not, then you're back to, you know, can they make it work financially for a Callum Eilat? Is Callum Eilat a possibility for Junkos Hollinger? I think those are two seats available. The second Junkos Hollinger car and the second coin car. We're still waiting for an announcement on Renus VK. 00:28:23 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I think that's the essence of the. I don't like the word silly season this deep into the year. Silly season is for June. That's a good point. Driver lineup for 2027 is nearly set, and then we've got to figure out some Indy 500 deals. And you're right about Santino. If I had a car, he'd be in my first couple conversations. 00:28:47 Speaker 4: I want to go back to things from the test. I think this is a very positive start for Dreyer and Reinbold. This is a program that's done nothing but the Indy 500, and here's where the partnership with Rahal Letterman-Lanigan can work out. Their challenges have been on ovals, but they've been strong at places like Barber, so that's where they can work together better. 00:29:07 Speaker 3: Quite well. 00:29:08 Speaker 4: So I think that's a nice positive step for them. And it's also, it's notable. It's dry and Reinbold back, you know, really for the start of the program. I'm sure that felt really making it real and verifying everything, being on track outside of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 00:29:23 Speaker 1: Am I mistaken or did they run some Sancio Grand

Prix's or any road courses? 00:29:30 Speaker 3: They have. 00:29:31 Speaker 4: So it's not the first time they've done it since 2013. And there was one year Was it with Sage Karam? 00:29:38 Speaker 1: Yes. 00:29:38 Speaker 3: Where they ran... they ran somewhere. Oh, actually, I think it was COVID year. 00:29:43 Speaker 4: They were planning on running a decent schedule and COVID kind of bucked things up. 00:29:47 Speaker 3: And maybe they did like two other races. 00:29:49 Speaker 4: So, no, it's not the first time, but it's the first time they've stated their intentions, their full go. It's not we're going to do the first three races and see. 00:29:59 Speaker 3: How it goes. No, they're all in. They have paid. 00:30:02 Speaker 4: Reportedly $ 12 to $ 14 million for this charter. They have the budget all aligned. They have one car sorted for the 500 and we'll wait for an announcement tomorrow. Or for the full season. And we'll wait for a second car for the Indy 500. 00:30:15 Speaker 3: So that's one. 00:30:16 Speaker 4: The other thing, I just wanted to mention Hunter McElroy. Continues to impress. Hasn't driven the Indy car since probably sometime in the off-season. He did one of these evaluation days. That's where it's beneficial to the team. They can learn something. Hunter is doing. 00:30:31 Speaker 3: Their simulator work. He's at every race. He's sitting up there. He's helping. He looks pretty bored, honestly. But you're just kind of waiting for a chance. 00:30:41 Speaker 4: And he shows that he's worthy. He just brings his helmet at this point. But if an opportunity arises, that's another reason why I would love if a sponsor came to that team and said, we want to be a primary sponsor on a car. We want you to run an extra car. here for this weekend and they want to see what hunter mackleray can do i'd love for them to have the opportunity i think it should only be held for teams that are charter teams you can't come in off the street yeah but if you have already paid for your charter i'd love there to be an opportunity maybe you have to write an extra check that gets split up amongst all the extra teams that could be something too. 00:31:23 Speaker 1: Yeah it would be a it would have to be a charter program I mean, it just would. That's that's how that. 00:31:28 Speaker 3: Team that has a charter. 00:31:28 Speaker 4: Correct. 00:31:29 Speaker 1: Correct. 00:31:30 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:31:30 Speaker 3: So I thought that was cool. 00:31:31 Speaker 4: I just wanted to give them a mention for that. Other nuggets I've seen. 00:31:38 Speaker 3: So we saw Formula One at Circuit of the Americas this week. 00:31:41 Speaker 4: Did you see any of the shots of the Kota Land, the new amusement park? 00:31:44 Speaker 1: I did from this weekend. 00:31:47 Speaker 4: And then that massive facility at the top of the hill in turn one where they had gondolas taking guests from the paddock over there. 00:31:55 Speaker 3: That's pretty cool. 00:31:56 Speaker 4: And then I read that they are planning to build a second smaller racetrack nearby. to accommodate car clubs and smaller events. I'm told that it was already really expensive to rent. Like if you're club racing to go run Circuit of the Americas, that's kind of going away at the end of the year. This is kind of morphing into a combination, big event track to a bit of a country club that's going to be private, but they may do something for, you know, people that don't need a three and a half mile course. 00:32:25 Speaker 3: So I think that's cool. 00:32:26 Speaker 4: And I thought they were in trouble seven or eight years ago and then drive to survive and everything. And Formula One is strong in America and Koda is doing quite well. 00:32:39 Speaker 1: Agreed. And I was with you on that. I feared that it might be troublesome for for the track, but they've it's a fabulous place. If you haven't been there, it's fabulous. 00:32:52 Speaker 4: All right, coming up in a moment, I'm going to bring in, we'll go outside and make it a true Dockside segment if you're watching on the YouTube channel. And another reason to watch, staring at us is not that great. Would you rather see Jamie Little? She's going to join us here on Trackside. Dockside coming up in just a moment. 00:33:10 Speaker 3: Stick with us. More to come. This is 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan. Hi, this is Kyle Kirkwood, and you're listening to Trackside. 00:33:17 Speaker 4: Trackside is Dockside today at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. 00:33:22 Speaker 3: And we've got Jamie Little from Fox Sports. 00:33:24 Speaker 6: We're here taping the piece that will air, I think, December 12th. It starts on FS2 and 13th on FS1. We'll talk about that in a moment. But let's talk about IndyCar. You joined us a few times this past year. 00:33:36 Speaker 3: You seem to only make the really cool big events. So are you coming to Barcelona with us? Oh, my gosh. 00:33:42 Speaker 5: I hope so. How cool was that? Big news for IndyCar. We've heard about it. There's been rumblings about it for a while. So excited for Alex. And he's talked about it. He did a ton of media this week. So I hope I get to share it. I'm excited for you guys. 00:33:55 Speaker 6: It'll be awesome. We're going to see the Penguins, the Indy 500, St. Pete, and some of the other scenics. 00:34:00 Speaker 3: We've got another chance for that. 00:34:01 Speaker 5: That was so much fun last year to be part of both of those events. I know the Cup Series, those drivers were in awe. The crossover was awesome. So we're going to do it again. We had so much fun. 00:34:10 Speaker 6: I'm still hoping that we can compare with NASCAR a little bit more just to get IndyCar and some markets, some events they would like to be. 00:34:17 Speaker 3: Maybe we can strengthen both a little bit. 00:34:19 Speaker 6: So you've been around the sport, whether it's NASCAR or IndyCar, everything for a little while. 00:34:23 Speaker 7: And we talked a lot about momentum.

Does the momentum feel real to you for IndyCar? It absolutely does. You know, I've been NASCAR most of weekends. That's my normal job. And you just hear it. You hear people talking about it. Living in Indianapolis, I hear people talk about it. People are asking me about racing that don't normally watch racing. 00:34:42 Speaker 5: So you know... People are getting behind it. The buzz is real. I think it showed up in the viewership again this year, Kevin. We had a huge gain. I mean, it's the fastest growing upward trend motor sport for us right now. Fox is doing the right things. It's so much fun to be part of it. And then off-season, I mean, the sponsors that want to be part of this for you, drivers that are working to get involved more so, it's at a great price. 00:35:07 Speaker 6: So one thing that's just happening this week, and a team that you're very close to will explain, Dreyer and Reinbold is back on track. They tested with Connor Daly on Monday at Barber Motorsports Park. Explain the connection, because this is definitely a family. You're a reporter, but when you cover Dreyer and Reinbold at the Indy 500, that's a little bit different. 00:35:26 Speaker 3: Yes. 00:35:27 Speaker 5: Gosh, it was so special this year, just with Dennis being there. We didn't know at the time that he was as sick as he was, and that was since the last Indy 500. But my brother-in-law, Chase, he's the boss man over there. He runs the team, and they're so excited. It's been quite a while, as many of you know. since they've run full-time. So they're coming back in full-time. They're finishing the job for Dennis. This was his dream. He loved racing more than anything. The family is continuing on. And Connor Daly, America's favorite, IndyCar's favorite boy, the favorite child, the poster child, as you will. He is their full-time driver. So the team couldn't be more excited. Is your husband, Cody, going to brew the car again? Is he going to work today? You know, he's been doing it for like 28 years. He says he's retired every year, but every year his brother asks him back. Yes, he has to put it off to the Indy 500. 00:36:16 Speaker 3: And those in the IndyCar paddock will know Wayne Selman. Yes, my dad-in-law, he's... He's supposedly retired. He's not retired. 00:36:24 Speaker 5: He's far from retired. He's a truck driver, but he does so much more. He's been a staple in IndyCar forever, as you know. He's like the mayor. So, yeah, I'd love to see Wayno out there. 00:36:35 Speaker 6: Speaking of your family, Cody, when he's not changing tires, he's actually helping run the family business. 00:36:42 Speaker 3: We talked about this before. Protein Bar and Kitchen, downtown of West Washington. Open, what, about three, four months ago? 00:36:48 Speaker 5: Three months ago. You were there in the opening. Thank you for supporting us. We're right downtown, right by the circle, a couple doors down from the Conrad Hotel. It's going awesome. 00:36:57 Speaker 3: Fast, casual. Healthy food. They needed it. 00:37:00 Speaker 5: I'm so happy that we were able to bring it to Chicago. It started in Chicago, so if you've ever been there, you're familiar. But we are the first franchise in Indy. And we're looking to grow. We're moving up to Fishers in the next few months and the new IU Hospital downtown. 00:37:15 Speaker 3: Avon, maybe? 00:37:17 Speaker 5: Avon? 00:37:17 Speaker 3: Plainfield? Great place. Plainfield, Avon? 00:37:19 Speaker 5: People are liking it, Kevin. So we need to get more people in there, find those lunches, find that amazing food, and we'll grow all over the city. 00:37:25 Speaker 6: All right, let's talk NASCAR for just a second. You'll be back on DePaul for the truck series for the final two weekends. Yes. 00:37:31 Speaker 3: For a cup. Kyle Larson, is this lead insurmountable at this point? He's up 73. Yes. Two races to go. This is a different system. So it's not the winner take all. It rewards... It is the chase. 00:37:44 Speaker 5: It's back to the way it used to be. And it's been very exciting because as many of you in Indianapolis know, you've kind of heard, Kyle Erickson came over. He did the double, but he was on a dry spell. I mean, Jay had not won a race, Kevin, in a year and a half, which was unprecedented for a talent like Kyle. And then all of a sudden, when it matters most, they have come out swinging. Three wins in the last couple of months. And he's leading by such a large margin, as you mentioned, over Denny Hamlin. And to top it off, he wins at Talladega. The guy has never won on a super speedway. He's tried to do that. 00:38:17 Speaker 3: He got it done. 00:38:18 Speaker 5: It's hard to say he's not going to win his third championship. 00:38:21 Speaker 6: Have you heard any chatter in the NASCAR garage? Is there anyone interested in trying to get the double? Or when you see someone like Larson not only have challenges at Indy, but then did that have an impact on his confidence moving forward? 00:38:34 Speaker 3: Probably unrelated. 00:38:35 Speaker 6: But is there anybody, other than maybe Carson Hosobar, that you just raised your hand saying, I'd like to give it a go? 00:38:42 Speaker 5: I would say Carson Hosobar is the one. We saw him in some of the practice sessions. He was taking it all in. I don't know if Carson is ready for a task like IndyCar. Obviously, he got the win at Talladega this year and became a man of the people. But I haven't really heard so much. I'd love to see, like, a Christopher Bell or somebody give it a whirl. I think that would be exciting, but... You know that Kyle Busch talked about it for years and years and years. He really wanted to do the double. I'll never get that chance, but gosh, I just wonder what he could have done. 00:39:11 Speaker 6: Okay, after we finish up the boat show here, which opens to the public on Wednesday going through Sunday, you will head off to the Martinsville race. 00:39:19 Speaker 3: Is that Friday evening on FS1? 00:39:21

Speaker 5: Yes, 6 o'clock, I believe, FS1. Two races remain in the chase, and it's coming down to it. It's pretty much a two-man race right now. and we knew that was coming in we knew it was going to be late breaks we knew it became honeycutt became money cut doing exactly what that 11 team did last year um it's been exciting very exciting but yes we've got the race martinsville and then next week homestead we're going. 00:39:43 Speaker 6: To wrap it all up And then we'll start getting ready for it all to begin again. Very short off-season in NASCAR. A little longer for us in IndyCar, but we'll be ready for it once we get to 2027. 00:39:53 Speaker 3: Jamie Little joining us here. Look at the views that we have. It's been raining a little bit. Not raining right now. 00:39:59 Speaker 5: Helicopter right over our shoulder here. 00:40:01 Speaker 3: That's how Jamie will get out of here on Thursday. 00:40:03 Speaker 5: Lifestyle is a rich thing. It's been an only dream. 00:40:06 Speaker 3: You don't get to. All right. What we missed coming up. Stay with us here on Trackside. Hi, this is Connor Daly, and you're listening to Trackside. 00:40:12 Speaker 4: All right, final segment, time for what we missed. I think I've missed what we missed because I'm not seeing a whole lot. We actually had to also move from boat side and dock side to inside because it's raining in South Florida. 00:40:27 Speaker 3: Here's one thing that we didn't mention. I saw on social. 00:40:30 Speaker 4: Media that Max Pappas, former IndyCar driver, former F1 driver, longtime steward for IndyCar, announced that he's not returning as a steward for next year. Max is very busy. very successful in the steering wheel and safety business. So looking forward to still seeing more of Max, but that means there'll be a new steward, I presume, joining Ari Leyendeich, and we'll find out more about that in the coming weeks and months. I found this nugget interesting. As we look to IndyCar going to a new track in Barcelona, about a third of the field has raced there before. I saw Derek Daly post something of... One of Conor's wins in F3 was at that track in Barcelona. The list includes Alex Pillow. I would hope he has been there at some point. Christian Lungard, Kiffin Simpson, Joseph Newgarden, Marcus Ericsson, Felix Rosenquist, Marcus Armstrong, Mick Schumacher, Louis Foster, Alexander Rossi, Dennis Hauger, and Conor Daly. So obviously the Formula One ladder people. And yeah, pretty much Louis Foster was on that path at one point. as well so that'll be cool i'm i'm excited um you know i don't know how much of a splash this makes in america but it has the opportunity to look like a cool event and i think that's kind of the idea in a perfect world you come up with an arlington or do something that people have been asking for, like going back to Phoenix or the Washington DC race, which is kind of a once in forever type of thing, but you'd love to have something like that. And I think this was the opportunity. Could there be something more again in 2028? I'm sure that's the plan, but this is the opportunity for, I get it. Not everybody's going to get to go, but it can be a TV event. It can be something that makes IndyCar look desirable and look like a good event and I do think some people in America are going to say you know what I've always wanted to go to Barcelona why not combine it with an IndyCar event plus that means Maybe some friends will go along or I'm more likely to meet some other people there that I know and that speak English and so on and so forth. So always open to looking for new things. Next episode of the radio show is going to be next Tuesday night at seven o'clock. Once again, as always, check your local listings. I may do a track site extra on Friday, a little TBD. I'm working here at the Fort Lauderdale International International Boat Show. We finished that up on Thursday night. I may drive to Daytona on Friday. So here's a story to add to Jackson's last car report that we talked about on last week's show, where he did really well at Phoenix. But because he had a puncture and there were no mechanicals and no cautions, he finished last. Well, turns out he was lucky to be coherent because he had mononucleosis disorder. He was first, he was feeling poorly that day, but kind of pushed through it. Then had to go straight to Sebring to coach. Just felt miserable. Finally went to the doctor, diagnosed with strep, but didn't get any better. Went back again. It's mono. which means it's going to be a long haul. He was supposed to be driving in the Zenith Racing Series in sort of an LMP4. It's called a Sebaco. It's a prototype car. He's been doing some of that in a 12-hour race on Saturday. He was coaching, engineering. It was a job. 00:43:54 Speaker 3: Good job. Good opportunity. 00:43:57 Speaker 4: But apparently your spleen becomes enlarged if you've had mono and physical activity, especially anything where there could be any kind of contact is a major, major no, no, no. So he can't drive. He's still going to be there coaching and engineering. And I'm in Florida, so I may go up and maybe just make sure he doesn't get in the race car as well. So if I do get there by Friday and anything else develops this week, and if you have any questions, send those along. I'll either do that on Friday for a Q & A and breaking news, and then otherwise we'll chat next Tuesday. And time to start getting some guests. I'm going to start working on that as well. Thank you so much for joining us on the show. Thanks to Landon Coons back in our studio. Podcast posted in all usual outlets, including YouTube. Please subscribe if you can to Trackside Extra is the page there. And I put a few graphics in there. If you want to stare at me and Kurt, if you want to see Jamie out on the dock or see the inside of my hotel room for this final segment. And we'll see you next time here on Trackside.