2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Preview with Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi, Bryan Herta and Hy-Vee’s Tina Pothook

Roger Penske:

This is Roger Penske, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy, sponsored by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin:

IndyCar fans, it's time to start your engines. Welcome to Pit Pass Indy, a production of Evergreen Podcast. I'm your host, Bruce Martin, a journalist who regularly covers the NTT IndyCar Series. Our goal at Pit Pass Indy is to give racing fans and insiders view of the exciting world of the NTT IndyCar Series in a fast-paced podcast featuring interviews with the biggest names in the sport. I bring nearly 40 years of experience covering IndyCar and NASCAR, working for such media brands as NBCSports.com, SI.com, ESPN Sports Ticker, Sports Illustrated, Auto Week and Speed Sport. So let's drop the green flag on this episode of Pit Pass Indy. Welcome to this week's edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental as we continue our fourth season of giving IndyCar fans a behind-the-scenes look at the NTT IndyCar Series and the drivers and teams that compete in the Indianapolis 500. Our friends from Penske Truck Rental are back, serving as a presenting sponsor of Pit Pass Indy for most of the year. Penske Truck Rental and Hy-Vee will share the show in April and June of 2024, gearing up to one of the highlights of the season, the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, July 12th through the 14th. The start of the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season is finally here, the March 10th Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. PitPass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental, is on the way to St. Petersburg, Florida to kick off the 2024 IndyCar Series season. We have a special season preview edition and we'll talk to three of the biggest names in the NTT IndyCar series, including Team Penske's Joseph Newgarden and Arrow McLaren's Patoo O'Ward and Alexander Rossi. But first, our friends from Hy-Vee are back with some more big news. On February 29th, Hy-Vee announced it will be the presenting sponsor for IndyCar's return to the Milwaukee Mile on Labor Day weekend 2024. The Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250's doubleheader is scheduled for August 30th and September 1st, 2024. The Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s represents the first IndyCar Series event hosted at the historic Speedway since 2015. It will also mark the first ever IndyCar doubleheader weekend at the Milwaukee Mile and the penultimate event of the 2024 season. Hy-Vee Senior Vice President of Communications Tina Potthoff tells us more in this exclusive pit pass Indy interview. Our friends from Hy-Vee are back and you're going to see even more of them during the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season as some big news was announced on Thursday. Hy-Vee is going to sponsor the IndyCar Weekend at the Milwaukee Mile on Labor Day weekend in 2024. Tina Potthoff, Senior Vice President of Communications for Hy-Vee is back joining us today. And Tina, this is really big news and a lot of people looked at this as a perfect fit for the Milwaukee Mile IndyCar, the Wisconsin State Fair Park and Hy-Vee. If you could just explain how maybe all of this came together and what it's been like now that Hy-Vee will be involved in two major race weekends in IndyCar in 2024.

Tina Potthoff:

Yeah, you know what? You are correct. It is the perfect fit because this is one of the states where we have a presence with our grocery stores. And so, as you know, you've been to our stores before. When you walk in, starting in March, we really do activate around the IndyCar season and what that holds. We have drivers that we showcase, our own driver. We showcase the season as a whole. We have IndyCar deals that we provide our customers. So, with having eight stores already established in the Wisconsin area. Now granted, none of those are in Milwaukee, but just outside of Milwaukee, it really did make a really good fit for us. It also follows our race that we're the partial promoter of, so we're happy to lend our name to the race in Milwaukee.

Bruce Martin:

The fact that Hy-Vee doesn't do anything in a small way, that it's got to really help with the promotion of bringing this historic race back to the Milwaukee Mile. I asked Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles yesterday, I said a lot of talk about the Milwaukee Mile is about IndyCar's history, but Hy-Vee is looking to IndyCar's future, and this seems to be a perfect way to converge the two.

Tina Potthoff:

Yes, it certainly is. And I also want to stress the fact that our race will still have the same type of presence that we've had in the past, right? So we're still bringing in the big name acts that will happen in July that takes place at the Hy-Vee Indica Race Weekend, the one that takes place in Newton, Iowa. The race in Milwaukee will be slightly different for our involvement with us just providing the presenting sponsor rides to it and, you know, basically having our name associated with it. But, you know, really, we're looking forward to everything that this season has to hold. And this does, not only does it elevate our presence in the area, but also it elevates IndyCar's presence. So it's exciting to work with them on an additional level.

Bruce Martin:

The fact that you have done such a great job at Iowa with the entertainment aspect as part of it, do you think that there's maybe an expectation level that might be attached to the Milwaukee race that maybe we should tell some of the spectators now? It's not going to be the weekend festival of speed and music that we might have at Iowa, but it's still going to be a really big deal.

Tina Potthoff:

Exactly. Exactly. And I think that's my main point. You know, we're excited to be able to sponsor another race and be able to lend our name to it. But I think the biggest difference is in Milwaukee, right? We're not the promoter for that race. And so we are the partial promoter for the race that you see in Iowa, which has a lot of the big name acts that come in and a lot of the festival-like atmosphere. So we're excited to see what gets planned for Milwaukee. We will have, you know, people that will be attending. We'll have a little bit of activation, but it certainly won't be the level that you see in Iowa.

Bruce Martin:

but yet you guys are great at getting the word out when an event is happening that Hy-Vee is involved with. And a lot of this is perfect to help sell tickets for the people at Milwaukee to go to the IndyCar race at the Milwaukee mile. And also the fact that once again, it's a double header race. So how important is that? A lot of times as you in the supermarket business, there's always a buy one, get one free. I'm not saying that this is a buy one, get one free, but you're going to get double the racing for the weekend.

Tina Potthoff:

Right, right. There's, there's a lot of truth to that, but it just builds on the intensity that we have for the entire season. So when we started March, you know, we look forward to not only our race that's in Iowa, but the entire schedule. And so, uh, to have, uh, this be on the calendar to bring back, uh, really kind of a, uh, race of a lot of history, um, with, um, a lot of people that are really dedicated to racing in Milwaukee and around the Wisconsin area. It's exciting. It also allows us to prepare for the end of the season race in Nashville. So we're looking forward to that one too. In addition, we'll also be able to talk about the Corvettes that we'll be giving away. So we'll be tying in our Corvette giveaways. That is a big promotion we have going the entire IndyCar season. We'll be giving one of those away to a lucky winner at Indy 500, at our race in Iowa, as well as the race in Nashville. The momentum just continues to build.

Bruce Martin:

And the fact that that will be the next to last racing weekend of the season for the IndyCar Championship really helps you round out a full season commitment to IndyCar.

Tina Potthoff:

Exactly, exactly. And you know, even the races that take place in Nashville will still have a presence down there too. If you went to the one last year, you saw that we had some signers that was up and you know, that is one of the places that we're targeting for future expansion. So it does all make sense that it fits our footprint really well.

Bruce Martin:

In the past, we've talked about your activation with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League, but Hy-Vee is also involved with the Green Bay Packers, so that also has to be a little bit of an added bonus, especially since the NFL season will be kicking off the following weekend.

Tina Potthoff:

Yes, yes. That's exciting too. It's always nice to be able to have professional sports in multiple areas around the state of Wisconsin. You know, we have done a lot of activation in several other states. And so being able to show our commitment to Wisconsin, be able to bring an event like this, in addition to our sponsorship of the Green Bay Packers is, you know, hopefully, hopefully it's speaking out to people and it's making a difference up there. So we're, we're thrilled with the upcoming season.

Bruce Martin:

And as far as bringing a historic venue like the Milwaukee Mile back into IndyCar, how important is that? Because that was pretty much what they wanted to do with Iowa Speedway when it was not being utilized earlier this decade. The fact that to bring these great venues back into IndyCar, how important is that from Hy-Vee's point of view?

Tina Potthoff:

Definitely that's important. I also think that the fact that it's a doubleheader is important too. It's nice to have an entire weekend of racing over a holiday weekend.

Bruce Martin:

And also if you add up the number of championship races that IndyCar will have, 17 races. There was an 18 race scheduled this year. One of the races is a special exhibition all-star race at the Thermal Club. But of the 17 championship points paying races, Hy-Vee's name will be on four of them. So that's a pretty good commitment to IndyCar.

Tina Potthoff:

Right, right. And I think the drivers like that, too. You know, they know that we can activate well and they know that we'll put a lot of time and energy into both races. And so to be able to show our support to the drivers and also to the fans is very important to us.

Bruce Martin:

And with Christian Lungard being the Hy-Vee sponsored driver at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2024, I'm sure that some of the people at the Hy-Vee stores in Wisconsin are going to really get a chance to get to know Christian Lungard in the days and weeks leading up to the Milwaukee race.

Tina Potthoff:

Yes, yes, absolutely. And we'll see if there's another David Letterman appearance at maybe one of our stores. We're trying to convince him to maybe come out again and make another appearance. That got a lot of hits on social media last year since he is an owner with Rahal Letterman Lanninger Racing. So not only the driver, but certainly the owners create a lot of excitement too.

Bruce Martin:

And also later this weekend coming up, is the start of the NTT IndyCar Series season, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, so I'm sure a lot of the folks at Hy-Vee are really excited about IndyCar now finally being back on track on the streets of St. Petersburg to kick off another great season.

Tina Potthoff:

Yes, absolutely. This essentially kicks off our season two when it comes to IndyCar and our stores and with the promotions that we do. We've been waiting for March. I think January and February, especially in the Midwest, it can get pretty long in days and also with the weather. So we're excited to see the sunshine come out and be able to celebrate the start to IndyCar.

Bruce Martin:

And what are some of the activation things that fans can expect to see at Hy-Vee stores?

Tina Potthoff:

Well, certainly you'll be seeing a lot of activation when it comes to our food service. We'll be doing some more meal deals as we head into the season. And as I mentioned before, I think the one that a lot of people even outside of our area, if they don't have a hike in their backyard, are most excited about is being able to put in an entry for that Corvette giveaway that we've been doing for the past couple of years. And so with the Corvette giveaway, all they need to do is just visit our website at hyvee.com. There is no purchase required to enter to win a free Corvette. And like I said, we'll be giving out three of those throughout the racing season this year.

Bruce Martin:

Well, fans, there's a lot of things that we've all been waiting for. The start of the season is here, and you're going to hear a lot more from the folks at Hy-Vee in 2024. Tina Podoff, Senior Vice President of Communications, congratulations on the big announcement at the Milwaukee Mile. And also, thank you for joining us today for Pit Pass Hindi. Thank you so much. On Thursday, March 7th, a special private screening of the HBO documentary series, The Lionheart, will take place in St. Petersburg, Florida, site of this weekend's Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The HBO original documentary will be released on HBO and streamed on Max beginning March the 12th. In 2011, two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Dan Weldon, nicknamed the Lionheart, died in a horrific crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, shaking the world of motorsports to its core. Ten years later, Dan's two sons, Sebastian and Oliver, follow in their father's footsteps as they work through their loss the only way they know how, getting behind the wheel to race. The Lionheart is directed by Laura Brownson and features Susie Weldon, Dan's widow, his sons Sebastian and Oliver Weldon, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, and Sam Schmidt. Brian Herta was the car owner for Weldon's last IndyCar Series victory, the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500 in 2011. Herta is an IndyCar team owner and an entry with Andretti Global and also owns a sports car team, Brian Herta Autosport. Herta was also one of Dan Weldon's closest friends and joins me to talk about the Lionheart in this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. Joining us now on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental is Brian Herta of Andretti Global. Brian, Later this week at the Firestone Grand Prix at St. Petersburg, HBO Sports Documentaries is going to have a pre-screening of the HBO original The Lionheart, which is the life and story of Dan Weldon, somebody who was very close to you, and also how his legacy will continue with his sons Oliver and Sebastian. How excited are you in this project, and how important is it to see Dan's life remembered in this way?

Brian Herta:

First off, it's a beautiful story. It's a beautifully told documentary. I'm really proud of what Laura Brownson and the team put together. I think Susie's courage in really kind of laying bare her own emotions and showing what she's gone through and what the boys have gone through, but the inspiration that they take every day from Dan and where they've brought their own driving careers so far. I just feel like Dan would be really happy and proud with the project. I think that's what we all wanted for it was something that, you know, Dan wasn't shy. He loved attention. So we wanted to tell his story in a way that would have made him smile.

Bruce Martin:

Dan was always one of your best friends that you've had in racing and probably outside of racing. But when you see the fact that his sons, a lot of people who've lost their father, the way they lost theirs may not really want to get involved in being a race driver, but these two kids are really committed to carrying on the Weldon legacy. And how do you even begin to describe just how heartwarming that can be?

Brian Herta:

You know, I kind of see it the opposite way. I feel like, you know, they must. long for that connection to their father, to Dan and really racing, I think connects them to him in a way that I think must be profound for them that, you know, they can experience and still do something that they know he loved and find their own passion and love and find their own way in the sport. Uh, I, I understand it because, uh, you know, if you knew Dan well, There's probably not many things they could do that would make them feel more connected to him than kind of following and trying to build on the legacy that he left behind in motorsport.

Bruce Martin:

You share a very historic connection also because Dan was your driver in his final IndyCar victory. the 2011 Indianapolis 500, which happened to be the 100th anniversary of the great event. And to be able to realize what you two achieved together that day in such a stunning and spectacular way the race was decided, that's always going to be one of the main storylines that people think about when they think about the Indianapolis 500. And how important is it for Brian Herta and Dan Weldon to be linked in Indianapolis 500 history in that way?

Brian Herta:

Uh, it's a great sense of pride for me, you know, to share that with. With Dan, with a friend, with, you know, one of the greatest competitors that ever competed at, at the Indianapolis motor Speedway. The fact that he showed enough faith in our little team to sign up with us. We had no business having a guy like Dan in our car, but he, he believed in us enough to really propel the whole thing forward. And it really was a Cinderella story. So, you know, lucky to. been a part of that with Dan and who shared really a lot of great memories with him over the years.

Bruce Martin:

And as far as the movie itself, it'll be on HBO later this year, but the private screening will be at St. Petersburg the weekend of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which is this weekend. From what you've seen of it, probably you've had some roles in helping with the documentary. How would you describe just what viewers can expect to see when it comes out and it's available for them on HBO?

Brian Herta:

Well, I think it's honest, it's real, it's raw. I mean, it shows the good and the bad of everything that motorsports is that Dan's life was. But I think, I think again, they did a beautiful job of balancing it out and, and Dan's boys really bring it to life and their energy and they're funny. They're so funny. And that's what Dan was funny. Uh, and they are funny and wild and crazy, just like he was. And, you know, for me to watch it, it, it, it just, it warms my heart because it reminds me so much of him again.

Bruce Martin:

Dan had such an impact on so many people's lives that I would say there's probably not a day that doesn't go by anybody involved in IndyCar that knew Dan Weldon doesn't think about him. And I'm sure you probably think about him a lot.

Brian Herta:

He was an iconic character and he was a character. And yeah, he was a such a unique individual. And the thing that I tried to learn and try to remind myself from him still today was the way he connected with fans and connected with people. He could meet somebody in passing on his scooter for 10 seconds at a racetrack and he didn't have much time but he would look them in the eye, he would talk to them, he would connect to them in a way that just made them feel important too. You know, I think that's a lesson that, uh, something that, you know, I'll never be as good as he was at it, but, but, uh, always try to do that better.

Bruce Martin:

Well, I'm sure it's going to be a tremendous documentary and I can't wait to see it. But Brian heard of Andretti Global, one of Dan Weldon's great friends, former teammate, former team owner with Dan Weldon. We all look forward to seeing the screening of HBO original, the Lionheart. And thank you for joining us today to reflect on Dan Weldon and what that documentary will mean. Thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy.

Brian Herta:

My pleasure, thanks Bruce.

Bruce Martin:

We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Joseph Newgarden:

Hey everybody, this is Joseph Newgarden, winner of the 107th Indianapolis 500, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin:

One of the leading contenders for glory in the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series is our next guest. It's two-time IndyCar Series champion and the winner of the 107th Indianapolis 500 in 2023, Team Penske's Joseph Newgarden. Although he won four races in 2023, including the biggest race of the season at the Indianapolis 500, Newgarden is hoping to rebound from a disappointing fifth-place finish in the championship standings. New Garden hopes to do this by bringing back the joy of racing. To do that, he's going to cut back on some of his off-track projects and focus on his ability as one of the best IndyCar drivers of his generation. I caught up with New Garden a few weeks ago for this exclusive PitPass Indy interview. He's back for another episode of Pit Pass Indy. It is the 2023 winner of the Indianapolis 500, Joseph Newgarden. A lot of the celebrating and everything for your victory in the Indianapolis 500 is last year. Now you start your quest for a third NTT IndyCar Series championship. I know that's very important to you.

Joseph Newgarden:

It's very important to all of us to be successful in the championship. It starts with Indianapolis. We, of course, always have this conversation of the priorities. And I think coming back to Indianapolis and having success is number one on the board. And then the championship is right behind it. So I'm excited. I feel really motivated, really excited to get back into the swing of a race season. We've been busy this off season. We're not just sitting around. I've been traveling a lot, working a lot in different areas of motorsports. ready for the regular week-to-week flow that the racing brings or the racing season, I should say.

Bruce Martin:

You mentioned earlier today that you're going to focus a little bit more on bringing the fun and the joy back to racing. If you could explain maybe what you mean by that and how much that focus and bringing joy back to racing can help you have a successful season.

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, it's always tough. We go through different stages in life, and life gets busy, and you try and refocus and reallocate your priorities. And racing to me is... It's a fun process to go through and one I want to put more emphasis back into. Not that I didn't... Racing has always been number one on my list and I've put everything I have into it, but you can change your perspective and your attitude and I think you're... your approach. And for me, it's about getting back to the fun of racing and why we show up every week and try and perform and be the best. So it's subtle things. This is not like a grand shift. It's just small personal changes. And I'm motivated. I feel really excited to get back to the track in 2024 and do a great job.

Bruce Martin:

And in a world where social media anymore is important to a professional athlete's career is what he does in the field of play. I know that you're going to scale back a little bit from that and your reasons behind that.

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, everything is noisy nowadays. There's just a lot of content and a lot of activity. And it's hard to keep up with all of it. I think at some point, you have to distill down you know, what you're looking at and what you're focused on. And for me, I'm definitely trying to focus on less, you know, and put more quality into less than more. So that's my goal is, you know, high quality, you know, more quality than quantity than anything. And, you know, I think that's, that's helpful in life, you know, can make things simpler.

Bruce Martin:

I think as you described it, the Bus Bros is going on hiatus. It hasn't been canceled, but it's going on hiatus. I guess that's the term they would use in network television. So I guess in the social media community, it would be pretty much the same thing.

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, look, if we didn't get canceled over the last two years, I don't know that we can get canceled. We were just as surprised as anybody that the show went on for as long as it did. But the Bus Bros, you never know. they can always reemerge, you know, just don't count those guys out.

Bruce Martin:

Back to racing, on January the 9th, you were part of a small group of five drivers met with IndyCar, had dinner with IndyCar senior officials and Penske Entertainment, Penske Corporation Management, as they laid out, answered a lot of your questions and laid out their vision of what they want to do in the future with IndyCar. What are some of the things that you learned and feel good about?

Joseph Newgarden:

I feel really positive about so much. I think IndyCar still, at its core, has an excellent product. It always has. It's just pure racing when you look at it, and that's the strength of the product. It's great competition, great teams, and it's always fierce every single year. It only seems to be getting more competitive year over year. At its core, that is the great strength of IndyCar, and I think we can build around that in so many ways. you know, marketing presentation, you know, our, uh, our reach that we have to our fans, the, you know, the engagement that they have, the opportunities they have at the track, you know, merchandise there's, there's all sorts of things that I feel are going to continue to elevate as far as the product of IndyCar racing. And so I'm excited to get back to the track. I think when we start racing again in 2024, there's going to be. Just great headlines to present throughout the year and it's gonna be a big challenge to you know We've got the hybrid coming online Midway through the year and that's going to provide a challenge for everybody and certainly going to be exciting to see

Bruce Martin:

Because of the hybrid assist testing and the fact that they proved proof of concept of it works, but making the parts, the production parts, having time to properly test those is the reason why they're going to delay it until mid-season. Graham Rahal told me earlier today that he actually would like to see it delayed until 2025. Do you feel the same way or do you think it's important to get it out in the middle of the 2024 season?

Joseph Newgarden:

Uh, no, I think it's coming. I think they've got a good timeline and works here. You know, I, I got asked about this last year and I think, you know, if push really came to shove, I think we, you know, we, we could have started the season with it, but I think they want to do it in the best way possible. And the timeline that they've laid out, um, is, is very reasonable. And I think they're going to hit the targets that they, uh, think is best for, you know, the, the sum of the championship, you know, looking at everybody, you know, and, and putting it in, implementing it in the best way possible from a championship standpoint.

Bruce Martin:

You're a Chevrolet driver, but in December, a Honda executive had made comments about cost containment needs to be addressed with IndyCar or they may consider leaving. Were you shocked by hearing that?

Joseph Newgarden:

I don't know much about the comments that were stated. I don't even know, you know, I don't know much about the individual. All I know is You know, from my understanding, anyone that I work with within the series or see there's great commitment from the manufacturers and IndyCar racing. And, you know, I think the conversations that they're having have been long standing, you know, I think. you know, good cooperation between the manufacturers and the sanctioning body of IndyCar are always trying to find, you know, the best formula to go forward. And I think they'll, I feel confident they will, they will find the next recipe that everybody, um, feels is most productive and that they'll continue to collaborate and be good supporters of, of the series. And we'll all be able to work well together. That's what I see. You know, when I show up to the track and I see these different individuals, I see people that are committed to the product.

Bruce Martin:

Did any of the people that you have dinner with from IndyCar senior management, Penske senior management, give you any ideas what they may be doing considering TB negotiations?

Joseph Newgarden:

Um, I don't have any concrete information to share. Um, you know, I think it's all really positive the direction we're going genuinely. We're not just putting a blanket statement out there. I think, you know, I'm, I'm excited to get back racing because the product will speak for itself. I think some of the developments and advancements that we'll have not only through this year, but going into 2025 will be excellent. And I just think there's so much potential here that is in a good spot. It's in a really good spot to grow. IndyCar has a tremendous amount of growth potential, and I think we can start to unlock a ton of that in 2024.

Bruce Martin:

Would you like to stay with NBC and all the different platforms they have? Or are you interested in maybe trying somebody new?

Joseph Newgarden:

Look, I'm not. Fortunately for me, I get to drive the car. I'm not involved in negotiations. I think IndyCar has had a tremendous partner with NBC. I think they've been incredibly loyal and they've given us, you know, everything that they've got and they continue to do so. So, if anything, I've just been really pleased with the support that they have given us and continue to give us.

Bruce Martin:

And with some of the new combinations that are going to be rolled out in 2024 with drivers and teams, are there any that particularly stand out to you as being a real threat?

Joseph Newgarden:

I mean, it's an ever-evolving championship, you know? I thought Rahal turned into a real competitor towards the end of the year, particularly on road and street courses, so it just, you never... You know, you can never get too comfortable in this championship. I think Ganassi is clearly very strong. They were strong throughout last year. They'll probably continue to be so. But, you know, all our other competitors, McLaren and Dreddy, even the small teams, you just can't count anybody out. You know, and year over year, it's never the same challenge. So, you know, 2024 is still a little bit of a mystery of who's going to be, you know, top of the pack.

Bruce Martin:

What are some of the things that you've been able to do to get ready for the start of the season, which will be the March 10th? Firestone Grand Prix St. Petersburg.

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, I've been busy. I'm headed to Daytona next week. You know, I've been part of the Porsche program driving the 963. So that's kept me really busy on top of hybrid testing and everything else on the IndyCar side. So yeah, I'll be running a lot. It starts with Daytona and then, you know, we'll get prepared for St. Pete to start in the first week of March.

Bruce Martin:

I know it's been a very long day for you, so we're going to let you go. But Joseph Newgarden, two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion and the winner of the 107th Indianapolis 500 in 2023. Good luck in the 2024 IndyCar Series season. And thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy. Thanks, Bruce. We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Will Power:

This is Will Power of Team Penske, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin:

In this segment, we will talk to two of the three drivers at Arrow McLaren, including star driver Patoo O'Ward of Mexico and Alexander Rossi of California. Arrow McLaren announced last week that O'Ward has signed a contract extension. Although the team did not release financial terms of the contract, court documents and the ongoing lawsuit between McLaren Racing against Alex Pillow and his Alpha Racing USA LLC entity in UK Commercial Court revealed O'Ward will get $10.2 million. The two-year contract extension runs through 2027. The court documents revealed the 24-year-old Mexican driver will be paid $4 million in 2026 and $4.2 million in 2027. In addition, O'Ward received a $2 million uplift to his current contract, potentially representing his payday for serving as McLaren F1's reserve driver for 2024 and 2025. With his future secure, at least for the next two seasons, O'Ward can hit the throttle in 2024 to become a big winner in IndyCar. Last season, O'Ward had seven podium finishes and was fourth in the standings, but did not win a race in IndyCar. Before the contract was announced, I had an exclusive interview with O'Ward several weeks ago to discuss a variety of topics for PitPass Indy. It might be the off-season at IndyCar, but that's always a great time to talk to Pato O'Ward, Errol McLaren. I'm sure you got plenty going on. If you could bring us up to speed, some of the things you've been doing this off-season and how excited you are heading into 2024.

Pato O'Ward:

Absolutely. I had a very busy off-season, a lot of Formula One commitments. And when I got downtime in December, I definitely took full advantage of it. Spent time with my family, ate well. and kept up with my trainings. And yeah, just really happy to be back in Indy. Excited for the 2024 season. You know, it's still a few weeks away, but it definitely is going to come quick.

Bruce Martin:

In 2023, Errol McLaren had some high hopes going into the season. Didn't quite achieve those. The result, you were very competitive in a lot of the races throughout the year. What do you see as being the big difference that needs to turn that around in 2024? get some victories and fight for that championship.

Pato O'Ward:

Yeah, just cleaning up the bad stuff is, I'd say, the main focus. DNFs are very costly in this series. And as we saw last year's champion, his worst Race was eighth, so it speaks to how good you have to be in terms of consistency, but how consistently good you have to be on like podiums and race wins, not just top fives, that's not good enough anymore. So yeah, I'd say just cleaning up the bad stuff.

Bruce Martin:

The lineup's a little bit different this year in the fact that you now have David Maloukas as a teammate, and he was saying about how well you guys, you and Alexander Rossi, have welcomed him to the team, and he really thinks the three of you are really going to hit it off well. What is it about that dynamic of personalities that seems to work very well with you guys?

Pato O'Ward:

I think we have a very different atmosphere to a lot of other teams, and David will be able to to grow and to really enjoy that type of atmosphere, I feel like. I certainly have and it's good to have a good mix. I'm not the baby anymore, which feels odd. But, you know, he's fast. He's smart. And, you know, Rossi's got a lot of experience. I've got a fair amount of experience now. So, I think it'll be a very good combo.

Bruce Martin:

Even when you were the baby of the team, though, it seems like a lot of drivers in the series would come to you for speed advice because you've always been fast. Rick Mears told me earlier this week the best race strategy he ever had as a driver was a fast race car. So you as a race driver, how important is it to, first and foremost, you have a fast race car if you're going to have the right strategy to win a race?

Pato O'Ward:

Yeah, no, absolutely. you know obviously the fast race car is always important and that gets you out of the bad situations in a lot of the times but then it's so competitive nowadays you will there will only be very limited amounts of times where you'll have the best car And you need to learn how to extract results that maybe the car isn't capable of with other factors like strategy and, you know, the management of the race and everything. So, yeah.

Bruce Martin:

One of the great things about being part of Aero McLaren is it's also part of McLaren Racing, which includes the Formula One team. which you have a role in and you got to go to some Formula One races at the end of 2023. And what's it like when you get to experience and see some of the things they're doing over there and maybe coming back to the United States and thinking about some of the things that could be added to IndyCar that could maybe help improve their racing?

Pato O'Ward:

Yeah, I mean, I think in terms of the racing, Formula 1 keeps getting closer to what the product in IndyCar is like, to be honest. And, you know, the biggest differences are that they are two very different beasts. They're cars that are meant to be driven in very different ways. The budgets aren't even close to each other. So there's a lot, a lot of differences and the magnitude of one to the other is completely different. But at the end of the day, they're just race cars and you're trying to take it to its limit and extract the performance out of it.

Bruce Martin:

The budgets may not be close to each other, but it seems like with Zach Brown, the CEO of McLaren, that he is improving the budget of a lot of the IndyCar teams. He's not afraid to spend money on areas to help improve the team. And how big of an asset is that to a young driver such as yourself?

Pato O'Ward:

It's very important and, you know, it goes to the saying of, you know, You can't expect to get more out of it if you don't put in a little. And I think that goes a long way.

Bruce Martin:

As a driver from Monterey, Mexico, I don't know how much interest you had in NASCAR, but you're going to have a teammate at the Indianapolis 500 in May who is one of the greats in NASCAR, if not one of the greats in terms of being versatile in all forms of racing. He's at the Chili Bowl. He runs sprints in the middle of the week. He runs NASCAR Cup Series on the weekends. We're talking about Kyle Larson. who's going to have his first attempt at running in the Indianapolis 500 for Errol McLaren in 2024. And did you start watching a little more NASCAR just to kind of get to know this guy a little more?

Pato O'Ward:

I don't watch much of anything, actually. I like to spend my time outside and not in front of a TV. I think I already spend too much time on the phone and having work through there. I think he'll enjoy it. I think it'll be something completely different to what he's used to in NASCAR, definitely. But, you know, he's very, very talented and I don't think he'll have an issue with it.

Bruce Martin:

What do you think of a driver such as him being so diverse, running sprints and midgets? whatever in the middle of the week and running late models, running stock cars and NASCAR, running the Indianapolis 500. It's kind of like what A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney and Parnelli Jones used to do.

Pato O'Ward:

Yeah, I mean, I have massive respect for everybody that not just wants to race where they race, whether it be F1 or IndyCar or NASCAR, but really try all forms of racing because when you grow up as a racing driver, you like driving pretty much anything. So I feel like, in a way, it kind of brings you back to being a kid and just jumping in on anything and just trying to find the limit of it.

Bruce Martin:

Two of your victories have come on ovals. IndyCar's heading to the Milwaukee Mile or returning to the Milwaukee Mile on Labor Day weekend. It's going to be another doubleheader. So in a lot of ways, you look at that and say, great, I get another chance to run on ovals where I've shown that I can win at at Texas and at Iowa.

Pato O'Ward:

I've never been to Milwaukee. I do hear it's a bit of a mix of, I believe, Gateway and Gateway turned three and four, but just two of those. Very fast racetrack, very flat. And I'm excited to go there. I heard it's a high commitment racetrack. I like those. So, yeah.

Bruce Martin:

Do you also like the idea of finishing the season at a big entertainment market like Nashville, as opposed to the last couple of years we finished the season at a very nice road course at Laguna Seca, but it just didn't really seem to draw that many fans?

Pato O'Ward:

Yeah, I think it'll be a great time, and Nashville is center of the party, so why not finish the season there?

Bruce Martin:

Well, you always seem to be the life of the party. I know that a lot of the tracks we go to, you're easily the most popular driver amongst the fans, especially the female population. So how cool is that to know that when you go to an IndyCar race that there's a lot of people out there that just get attracted or gravitated toward Padua Ward?

Pato O'Ward:

It's awesome to see all the number five jerseys walking around, the caps. And I get to see a lot of fans that you know, that I first met maybe three years ago, four years ago. And then I see a lot of new faces and people get excited, people get pumped. And that's, you know, it's a big part of why we do this. We're in entertainment and we're here to not just celebrate our victories within our teams and within ourselves, but with, you know, with the people that follow us around during the year. And it's cool to be able to share that experience with them.

Bruce Martin:

How much has it changed for you when you return to Monterey?

Pato O'Ward:

It's still quite quiet. I mean, I don't really have a big issue with it. I'm always very low key, so it'll be, you know, do I get swarmed? No. I, you know, I obviously will take pictures, you know, at the airport or at restaurants or something, but I think it's cool. Like I, I definitely don't feel out of place doing it, if that makes any sense. I enjoy to meet new people and they've always got cool life stories that they'll talk about to me and, you know, just like they're doing their life, I'm kind of doing mine, you know, and it's cool to, you know, to feel like I'm not the only one kind of going through this, you know, the fans and the very passionate people that support you kind of, you know, go through it with you.

Bruce Martin:

Do you get an extra sense of pride every time you go to a track and see the Mexican flag waving in the stands?

Pato O'Ward:

Absolutely. I've always said my fans are the best all year, all year round. And there's specific race markets where it really has boomed. And it's really amazing to see everybody that comes out and supports. My biggest goal going into those markets always is, you know, I want to give them something good to celebrate and one of those is being Long Beach, where I have yet to have a good Long Beach race. You know, I've had a top five there, but you know, I'd love to win. I'd love to win there. Obviously, I'd love to win in the 500. You know, I'd love to win everywhere, but there's a lot of very specific markets where I think it would be really, really cool to share that with a big group of fellow countrymen.

Bruce Martin:

He's popular in the garage area and he's fast on the racetrack. Pato O'Ward, good luck in that quest to win some more races in 2024. Good luck in the championship, Chase. Thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass, Indy. I appreciate it. Thank you. Next up is an interview with another Arrow McLaren driver, Alexander Rossi. The winner of the 100th Indianapolis 500 with Andretti Global is beginning his second season at Arrow McLaren. Last season, Rossi was winless with just one podium and finished ninth in the final IndyCar Championship standings. Rossi joined me for this exclusive interview for PitPass Indy. Joining us now on Pit Pass Indy is the family man, Alexander Rossi. The last time we interviewed you, you weren't married, but now you are. So I'm sure life is just great, all roses and picket fences and everything. But congratulations on getting married, by the way.

Alexander Rossi:

Thank you. Yes. I mean, I feel like there's better examples of family men, like, I don't know, Ed and Scott, who have multiple children. But yes, I'm making a step in that direction. And it was a very nice way to start the offseason.

Bruce Martin:

Definitely was, and they said congratulations, but now it's back to racing. I believe you did do some of the hybrid testing, but that project's been delayed until mid-season at the earliest. So, during this time of year, what all are you doing at Arrow McLaren to help prepare for the start of the season, which is the March 10th Firestone Grand Prix at St. Petersburg?

Alexander Rossi:

Well, as you said, you know, there's been quite a bit of, um, testing since Laguna with the hybrid program. Um, so that's kept us fairly busy. December was a, was a quiet month, but it was nice to give, um, especially all those crews that were doing a lot of work, um, you know, at Sebring, at Homestead, at Indianapolis, um, a bit of rest. because it was, like I said, a lot more testing than we usually get in the off-season. So it's actually been very busy from a testing standpoint, which has been good for us to kind of continue the workflow and the process and continuing to build together as a team. So, yeah, I mean, we haven't had much downtime at all. Yeah, I mean, any day on track is very valuable just because usually the testing is so limited. But like I said, you know, we've been fortunate to to be one of the teams that's been working with Chevrolet to make sure the hybrid is ready to go when it's rolled out later on in the year. So yeah, we've been able to tick a lot of boxes so far.

Bruce Martin:

You're starting your second season with Errol McLaren, and how long did it take for you to really fit right in and feel right at home with that operation?

Alexander Rossi:

Honestly, not long at all. I think the thing that took a little bit of time was just getting all of the new people used to their jobs and their roles and how everyone worked together, but in terms of the the feeling that I got, you know, everyone was incredibly welcoming from the beginning. So that was a very easy transition. But certainly throughout the year, having, you know, switched manufacturers and seeing different types of tracks for the first time with a Chevrolet engine and its own characteristics, there was some learning that came from that. But that's all behind us now. And the team is in a really good place. You know, it's fully, all three cars are kind of operating at their peak level, and everyone's gelled really well, and David's been a great addition so far, so I think the team's in great shape.

Bruce Martin:

It also seemed like you and Pato O'Ward really meshed quickly. You hit it off right off the bat, and how important was that?

Alexander Rossi:

I was, it was really important. And I give, I give a lot of credit to him and Felix, you know, they are obviously, um, you know, aside from being teammates for quite a few years, you know, they're very close friends off track and, um, they were, they were incredibly welcoming to a newcomer. Um, you know, they had always been just the two guys at the team and I kind of came in as the third wheel, if you will. And, um, It was it was never any sort of issue or weird dynamic that existed there. So obviously with Felix, you know, moving on, you know, Padua and I still have that relationship.

Bruce Martin:

But as I said, David's been been fantastic to work with so far to get a driver like 22 year old David Lucas to join the team. Now, in a lot of ways, he's coming along. What's that like now to have another new face on the team?

Alexander Rossi:

It's been pretty seamless. You know, there was a lot of new faces in 2023. So I think One to five new faces going into 2024 is pretty easy for everyone. But, um, you know, we haven't really, because the way the testing program has been structured through this off season, none of us have all been at the track together at the same time. Um, so we won't really start working together from a competition standpoint until that open test in February. Um, but. You know, there's a lot of things that we're going to be doing as a, as a team between now and then.

Bruce Martin:

I've seen you at several NASCAR races before. And in May, you're going to have a NASCAR driver as a teammate, Kyle Larson. But you're also going to get Rick Hendrick as part of the McLaren program at the Indianapolis 500. And in a lot of ways, is that cool for you, being a student of racing, to kind of get to know Rick Hendrick because of all that he's the most successful team owner in NASCAR history?

Alexander Rossi:

Yeah, I mean, it's amazing to be able to be a part of what Kyle and McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports is doing in terms of attempting to double. It's something that is a very big challenge. And I think that of all drivers that I can think of, he's the one that probably should be doing it. So to have him and Mr. Hendrick and Jeff Gordon there will be a very cool thing for all of us at our own McLaren. And yeah, certainly we'll be in the presence of greatness and we'll want to do a good job for all four cars and make sure everyone's represented well.

Bruce Martin:

And as far as entering the season, half the season is going to be done with the current set of rules. And if things go well, the second half of the season will be with the hybrid assist. So to have a new part of the formula be introduced halfway through the season, you as a competitor, I know it's going to be the same for everybody, but in a lot of ways, is that just a totally different dynamic to have two different types of formula in the same championship season? Yes.

Alexander Rossi:

I mean, there's, yes, it's very strange, but it obviously wasn't anyone's first choice, but it seems a necessary thing to have happen. And as you said, it's the same for everyone.

Bruce Martin:

Graham Rahal actually told me earlier he'd like to have it delayed till 2025. Do you believe that would be advantageous or do you think that IndyCar is just pretty much determined they're going to do it in 2024?

Alexander Rossi:

There's pros and cons to every argument the way you look at it. So I can understand why he feels that way, but certainly I know how important it is for the series and the manufacturers and the partners to have the hybrid program in place. And at this point, I know it's a 100% full focus on getting OnTrack in 24.

Bruce Martin:

On January 9th, you were part of a small group of drivers that met with IndyCar Senior Management, with Penske Corporation Senior Management, as they laid out a lot of their vision for the series and where they want to take it in 2024 and beyond. What were your reaction? What were your recollections of what went on? Some of the things you can share with us.

Alexander Rossi:

Um, nothing, but, uh, I think, I think it was, it's, it's really nice to have that open dialogue. Um, you know, these are, these are pretty high level businessmen and very important people in, in the sport, um, the decision makers at the end of the day. So to be able to sit down with them and to have the open dialogue and for them to understand our concerns as drivers and for them to be able to address that and also to share with us their vision going forward and the good and the bad and what they want to see and what their expectations are. It's really good to have everyone on the same page. Ultimately, we're all working for the same thing. We all want the series to accomplish the same thing. And there's not a lot of productivity if people are having differing viewpoints and opinions on the direction of where the series is going.

Bruce Martin:

Did you leave that meeting with a renewed sense of confidence?

Alexander Rossi:

Um, yeah, I mean, certainly I think that what everything that they said, um, you know, some of it was guarantees of what's going to happen and some of it still, you know, has some work to do. So as always, it's, it's an evolution and it's a target that doesn't remain constant and you got to keep pushing forward and continually to grow the sport, um, from not only the on-track product to, but to the fan experience and to the, The way that people consume the product, it all has to be improved and evolved, as I said. So yes, I mean, it's positive, but we all have a lot of work in front of us.

Bruce Martin:

And it's one of the cool things about driving for Arrow McLaren and the fact that it's a McLaren operation is McLaren doesn't do anything unless they do it big. That seems to be Zach Brown's modus operandi of thinking big outside of the box. And is that exciting for you to be involved with?

Alexander Rossi:

Yeah, I mean, from the very beginning, you know, when I had the opportunity to come here and join the team in 23, like, it was very clear, you know, the potential that they had, especially with, you know, growing from two to three cars and McLaren taking kind of full control of the program at the start of 23. And, you know, last year, despite, you know, having two cars in the top 10 you know, fighting for wins every single weekend. It was viewed as a disappointment. And that just goes to show the expectations that the entire organization has. And, you know, we need to meet those expectations going into 24. So there's pressure on all of us. But ultimately, you know, Zach's passion for the sport and for the series translates through all of us. And it's a pretty big opportunity and honor to represent the brand.

Bruce Martin:

Alexander Rossi will always be remembered as the winner of the 100th Indianapolis 500. He would like to add NTT IndyCar Series Champion to that list of accomplishments. Good luck in that quest in 2024 and thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy. Thank you very much. We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Scott McLaughlin:

Hi, I'm Scott McLaughlin, driver of the number three team Penske Chevy, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin:

And that puts a checkered flag on this edition of Pit Pass Indy. We want to thank our guests, Hy-Vee Senior Vice President of Communications Tina Potthoff, Andretti Global Partner Brian Herta, Team Penske driver Joseph Newgarden, and Arrow McLaren drivers Patoo O'Ward and Alexander Rossi for joining us on today's podcast. Along with loyal listeners like you, our guests help make Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental, your path to victory lane in IndyCar. On the highways, the raceways, and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward. Gain ground with Penske. For more IndyCar information, follow me at Twitter at BruceMartin, one word, uppercase B, uppercase M, underscore 500. This has been a production of Evergreen Podcast. A special thanks to our production team, executive producers are Brigid Coyne and Gerardo Orlando. Recordings and edits were done by me, Bruce Martin, and final mixing was done by Dave Douglas. Learn more at evergreenpodcasts.com Until next time, be sure to keep it out of the wall.