Bonus Edition Hy-Vee Race Weekend at Iowa Preview with 6-time Iowa winner Josef Newgarden, Hy-Vee driver Christian Lundgaard, Will Power, Bobby Rahal, Colton Herta and Penske Corporation President Bud Denker

ROGER:

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

BRUCE:

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 SportsTicker, Sports Illustrated, AutoWeek and SpeedSport. So let's drop the green flag on this episode of Pit Pass Indy. Welcome to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental and Hy-Vee 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 Hy-Vee have returned as Penske Truck Rental shares the show and the big build-up to the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race weekend at Iowa Speedway, July 12th through the 14th. This year's schedule includes a night race at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 13th, with another full race scheduled for Sunday, July 14th. Four of the biggest names in entertainment will perform before and after each race, including Luke Combs, Eric Church, Kelsey Ballerini, and Post Malone. From alone, it will be the first time the famed entertainer has performed in central Iowa. It promises to once again be the biggest racing weekend of the summer for IndyCar because of its big event status and the debut of the hybrid assist unit for the first time in oval competition, which will increase the horsepower along with the speeds and give the drivers another tool to work with in competition. It's such a popular event, Hy-Vee announced on July 11th it has signed a contract extension with IndyCar to remain a partner in the big race and with IndyCar for multiple years. When it comes to Iowa Speedway, there's nobody better in IndyCar than Team Penske's Josef Newgarden. He is a six-time IndyCar race winner at Iowa Speedway, including four of the last five and five of the last six contests on the 7.8 miles short oval located in Newton, Iowa. New Garden is this year's Indianapolis 500 winner for the second year in a row, but enters the weekend 10th in the standings, 143 points behind the leader Alex Pillow. That's because New Garden was disqualified as the race winner at St. Petersburg in March, losing an entire race worth of points. But with six of the final eight IndyCar Series races on the ovals, beginning with this weekend's Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend in Iowa, New Garden is prepared to make a charge. I had this exclusive interview with the Team Penske driver on Thursday, July 11th at the Hy-Vee corporate headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa, for this exclusive interview for Pit Pass Indy. Joining us now is a man who could either be called Mr. Indy 500 or Mr. Iowa. It's Josef Newgarden of Team Penske. He's very successful at both tracks. He's won the last two Indianapolis 500s. His record here at Iowa is so good I can't even recall all the victories, but they're really a lot. But here we are back at Iowa Speedway for the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa. or as I like to call it, the biggest race weekend of the summer. When you think of everything that's involved with this weekend, it really is a cool weekend for the series and for everybody in Iowa.

JOSEF:

It's a great weekend. You know, it's a great track. I've loved coming here since 2011, actually, back when I was in Indy Next. And I think it's a fan favorite with certainly our crowd and IndyCar. It's always raced great with our type of vehicles. And I think the drivers love it, too, because it's had that great raceability. So this year is going to be different. There's been a repave midway through the track, at least in the corners. The first couple of lanes are repaved. Obviously, the hybrid systems do. The weight of the car is different. Downforce levels are going to change. There's a lot of differences in 2024. I hope we retain that great racing that we've always had, like I talked about. If we do, then Iowa should put on a great show like always.

BRUCE:

Are the drivers going to be fighting for that lower lane where it's paved?

JOSEF:

I think so. Yeah. I mean, obviously lane one and lane two are, are repaved and I think lane one is going to be the primary lane of the weekend. I hope lane two comes in. I just, I don't know if that's going to happen yet. So we're going to have to see, you know, how the weekend transpires, but, but certainly the bottom lane is going to be a premium this weekend and we're just going to have to try and make it work.

BRUCE:

Is the higher lane that stole the gray old asphalt going to disrupt the handling?

JOSEF:

No one's going to be up there, Bruce. No one's even going to touch that lane. You know, the new pavement is very high grip, and it's just a matter of, you know, can you get the second lane working? But no one's going to touch the top lane. I can promise you that.

BRUCE:

So is that going to turn the race more into a one-groove race?

JOSEF:

could. I hope it doesn't. I really don't. I don't know. I mean, we're going to find out together, but I think the early indications are that the bottom lane is going to be a premium and we'll just have to see if, if that second lane comes to us or not.

BRUCE:

The track was changed because NASCAR raced here in June. Had they not raced here, would there have been any reason to have repaved the track?

JOSEF:

It's a hard question to answer. I think for us, we didn't need it repaved. The one issue that this track has had is weepers. It's an old track. The pavement is, I think, still the original from the early 2000s. So, you know, water retention and drainage has been the biggest problem from the, for this facility. And I think it's the reason why you would want to repave. And I don't know if they made progress at that or not. So yeah, outside of that, I don't, I don't think we needed to repave the track. It's, it's run really well the last couple of years.

BRUCE:

Hy-Vee is not a Team Penske sponsor, but Team Penske, Penske Corporation, Penske Entertainment are the promoters of the race. So how do you feel in regards to a certain level of, you always bring your A game, but the fact is you're representing Penske.

JOSEF:

Yeah, of course. Well, I mean, you know, I think we're here like any other weekend you want to perform at a high level. It doesn't matter the circumstances. So I don't really think that has a, you know, an impact on, on motivation or, or our approach, but yeah, it's a, it's a great weekend for us. I love Iowa. I love, you know, I love the track in Newton. It's, it's one of my favorites personally, but to represent you know, Hy-Vee really, we're all representing Hy-Vee in a lot of ways. They've been a great partner for the series and certainly for Penske Entertainment. That's, that's putting the event on. So we want to have a good show, but they've brought a lot to this event. They've really made it a great destination. I mean, we talk about that every year now, but they're, you know, building up a, they're building up an atmosphere that people want to travel to, you know, and I think people come to Newton on this weekend because of what Hy-Vee brings to it. So it's, it's really great to be a part of that. And Hy-Vee has been one of the best partners we could ever imagine.

BRUCE:

Hy-Vee is going to be the sponsor to Milwaukee Mile. Do you think what they do at Newton is going to help sell tickets for the race at Milwaukee on Labor Day weekend?

JOSEF:

Oh, I think so. I mean, I think, you know, they're certainly one of our premier partners. They're, you know, a group that we love working with. They've got a great organization, great business. They're expanding, you know, they're obviously very They're very well located within our demographic and certainly our areas. They're very Midwest in a lot of ways. So I think Milwaukee's another great addition for them and they'll bring a lot to that event like they brought here in Iowa.

BRUCE:

Nashville is one of the territories that they are moving into in the future. You live in Nashville. Are you and your wife and family really looking forward to being able to go to the Hy-Vee and support them and have another supermarket to discover?

JOSEF:

Oh, definitely. I mean, I like Hy-Vees. You know, I originally learned about them coming to Iowa here. They're all over the place, but It's a great store that they have. All their facilities are super well kept up. They're very clean. They're super well run. Love the employees. They're very passionate about the company itself, which always speaks volumes, I think, to an organization. And yeah, to have them in Tennessee is gonna be great for us. Obviously, we have our season finale now in Nashville for IndyCar. So it's a great fit all around. I think we have a lot of good markets that we share together.

BRUCE:

Six of the last eight IndyCar races of the season are going to be on ovals. You're extremely good on ovals. I'm sure you really like the fact that six of the last eight are going to be on ovals. Gives you a chance to really pedal your way back up toward the top, because after all, you did lose one race's worth of points. but you're still in it and you're still really in a great position to fight for a title.

JOSEF:

Yeah, it's been a tough year. Been been, you know, obviously the beginning was was the biggest hit for us and the summer has been really, you know, unkind in a lot of ways. I think we've had a tough run here. The last two weekends specifically, you know, Laguna ended up not shaping well and then, you know, kind of just the hits kept on continuing through mid Ohio. So I'm not excited just because we have ovals on the on the calendar. We've got to be really good in Toronto and we got to be great in Portland if we want to you know, succeed in the championship. And certainly we got to be good on the ovals, but I don't think that's a foregone conclusion. I don't think we're just going to rest on the fact that we've had good form on the ovals the last year. I did that just because you had good form one year doesn't mean it's going to translate to the next. So I think we got to keep that form up, but we've got to make sure that we have the road and street courses with it.

BRUCE:

Double the points this weekend because it's double the races. So this has to be a pivotal weekend in helping determine the championship.

JOSEF:

Yeah, I think it's going to be big, you know, here in Milwaukee is obviously really critical points for for both weekends. So we're ready to hopefully have our best foot forward and and and challenge, you know, well for some victories.

BRUCE:

Saturday night race. It's more like a Saturday late evening race, but the turnaround is going to be very, very quick because Sunday's race is going to start a little early. So how much strain is that going to put on preparation for the drivers and for the teams, the crews?

JOSEF:

It's the same as last year where it's just a lot of work back to back. I mean, you got to be physically prepared to do it. And the team's got to withstand the pressure of trying to keep the car in one piece. Hopefully, the drivers keep them in one piece, and then they got to keep them prepped for the next day. It's a lot of work for everybody. It'll be nice to go through the process. It's super fun to run back-to-back. You get two chances to have a good day, and you really want to have two good days at the end of the weekend.

BRUCE:

Were you surprised by the news that Alexander Rossi is leaving arrow McLaren and he's going to be replaced by Christian Lundgaard?

JOSEF:

I don't know that I have much to comment on. I mean, I, I don't know the situation, so it's, it's hard to, it's hard to weigh in on it. You know, I don't, I don't know the variables. I'm we're pretty focused in on our side and what's going on. So, you know, I'm sure, I think for Rossi's sake, um, he should have a good landing spot. He's a great driver. you know, super great competitor. And I think he's an asset to any group that would, you know, bring him on to the to the team. So I think for him, he deserves a spot at a great place. And yeah, as far as McLaren, I don't I don't have a lot of information on it, so I don't know how to weigh in on it.

BRUCE:

But it really has been a wild season in terms of driver movement. We I don't think we've seen it happen this early before.

JOSEF:

It's been very fluid for sure. You're seeing it up and down throughout the year. So Yeah, it's interesting watching everything, but I think it speaks to the series. It's very competitive now. There's a lot of interest. You're getting interest from all over the place, whether it's overseas or domestically here. We've got great championships now. Indy NXT has grown tremendously. We got a lot of talent being brought through that pipeline. I think it's just the health of the series. There's a lot going on.

BRUCE:

And finally, it's going to be hot this weekend. It always is hot in Iowa, but it's going to be pretty hot on one of those days. It's going to be heat index is going to be over 100. So how well are you going to prepare for that?

JOSEF:

Yeah, just trying to stay hydrated. I mean, you can't hydrate right before the race. It's got to happen a week before. So tried to do that. And then, you know, trying to stay cool through the weekend. It is going to be hot, like you said, but just going to survive it.

BRUCE:

He's a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner. Josef Newgarden, good luck at the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. We'll catch up with you later in the season. Good luck in your battle for the championship. And thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy, presented by Hy-Vee. Thanks, Bruce. Thank you. Christian Lungard drives the number 45 Hy-Vee Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and enters the weekend as the poster boy for Hy-Vee. His face is on display at Hy-Vee stores including life-size cardboard cutouts. Although Lungard is leaving Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing at the end of this season for Arrow McLaren in 2025, he remains loyal to the brand that helped put his career on the IndyCar map. Lungard joins me for this exclusive Hy-Vee interview for PitPass Indy. Joining us now is Hy-Vee driver Christian Lungard. Christian, you've had a lot of great times representing Hy-Vee. This is going to be the last time that you'll represent the brand at the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, because you're going to be moving on to Errol McLaren next year. But is there a little bit of bittersweet feeling, because you've had a great relationship with the sponsor?

CHRISTIAN:

No, I think absolutely. I don't think that's a secret. Everything Hy-Vee's done for me is something that I'll always remember, and vice versa. It's been a great partnership. We still have another eight races, but as you said, this is the last one here in Iowa, and we want to make it the best one yet. We didn't have a very good 2022. We didn't have a great 2023 here. The new paved, not track corners, seems to be a benefit for us as a team. I think we'll be much stronger this year than we've been in the past, which is really ideal for closing that chapter.

BRUCE:

Josef Newgarden believes everybody's going to be fighting for the lower lanes, where it's been repaved. He says nobody wants to go up into the grey. So is that going to turn this into the possibility of a one-groove race?

CHRISTIAN:

I think that's what it's looking like. I know that we're going to do high-lane practice. We're going to do groups in terms of trying to run the second groove in. We've done that at other tracks before as well. We've done it here before. We've done it at Gateway. We've done it at Texas. I think it's going to help. I don't think it's going to fix it. If people don't run there in the beginning of the race, I think it's just going to be a one-lane race.

BRUCE:

So Hy-Vee keeps you busy. They keep you busy all season. But leading up into the race, what are you going to be doing in terms of dropping in on some stores? Do you have any cool promotional things planned?

CHRISTIAN:

I have plenty of things to do. I'm not going to be bored this weekend. I never am around Hy-Vee. Yesterday, we were out with Meals on Wheels, Wesley Life, delivering food to people. I did it last year too and it's just a great concept where you really get to appreciate the privilege of life and how privileged I think most of us are. that we get to be able to do that ourselves. It's great to make people smile and make their day. And it's just important to think about when fans come up to you that those 20 seconds of my life is not going to change it for me, but it might change their entire year. And that was the entire day yesterday. We do have some shoots later today. But I think once we get into race weekend, that's really what the focus is on.

BRUCE:

When you come to Iowa, you really are seeing what a lot of people think of as America. This is middle America. This is the way the country really started. Cornfields, the hard work, the dedication of the farmers, you know, to feed the world. So how much, to see that in person and experience that for yourself, how valuable has that been for you?

CHRISTIAN:

It's very valuable, but at the same time it's fun to walk into a Hyvee and see yourself. I've seen... I've been here for a little over 24 hours now and I've seen two trucks with my own face on it. And that's just not something that I think you will ever get used to in whatever industry you're in. It's cool, it's fun. But again, I think that just again shows the commitment by Hy-Vee. And I think that's what it needs to be remembered for.

BRUCE:

As you said last week when you made the announcement, business is business, you have to make a decision for what's good for your business and your career, but when you reflect back on the fact Bobby Rahal and David Letterman and Michael Anikin helped you get into IndyCar, how special will that always be when you look back?

CHRISTIAN:

It's something that no one can ever take away, that Bobby, Mike and David gave me the opportunity from the beginning, and that's something I'll always be grateful for. I wouldn't be here without them. And it's not something that I'll ever forget. It's a next chapter. I'm not disappearing. I'll still be around, obviously. I'll still be here. But again, we have another eight races to go. We have another... eight races to make sure that we make up for the mistakes that we made in the past two years and make sure that we finish on a high. And I think that's been the mindset for me from the get-go. I haven't changed focus. My focus is where it needs to be. It's here, it's the middle of the season and I think Also showing Bob, Mike, and David that I think is gonna be the most important thing that, you know, we're not done yet.

BRUCE:

We'll have plenty of time to talk about the future at Arrow McLaren throughout the season, and even during the off-season. But as far as the Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa Speedway, how many life-size cutouts of Christian Lungard do you expect to autograph this weekend?

CHRISTIAN:

I mean, I guess it depends if they're stolen or not, because I don't think you can actually take them.

BRUCE:

Well, you're not supposed to.

CHRISTIAN:

Exactly. I do have one at home that Ed Sheeran actually signed last year on my birthday, which was kind of cool.

BRUCE:

Well, now you have to get one in the post Malone.

CHRISTIAN:

Exactly, exactly. Got to get them all.

BRUCE:

Once Iowa is over, and this is a big weekend for you because you're the Hy-Vee driver, but once Iowa is over, you're going back to the streets of Toronto where you're the defending race winner. You've had an excellent weekend last year, every practice, every qualification, and in the race. So do you feel like you have a leg up on the competition heading back to Toronto next week?

CHRISTIAN:

I mean, potentially, yes and no. I think with the hybrid now having been implemented, made its debut last weekend in mid-Ohio, I think going into Toronto, sure, we know that the base of the car is good. We know that it's been done before, but again, there's additions to the car this year that we need to deal with as well, and we need to make sure that we're on top of that. I think we were the highest qualifying car that didn't do any hybrid testing or didn't test at the track, but also the highest finishing car at Mid-Ohio that didn't do any hybrid test or test at Mid-Ohio. So, I think we're there if we put the pieces together. Obviously, it does put a little bit of pressure on me going into Toronto that I know it's been done before. There'll always be that pressure to do it again, to do it back-to-back, but I'm going to go there and just enjoy. I have a lot of friends and family that's going, so it's going to be a special weekend.

BRUCE:

And then my final question with Christian Lugar, driver of the number 45 Hy-Vee Honda at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Hy-Vee is going to expand into Indianapolis in the next couple of years. You may not be their driver anymore, but if they made you a shopper for life when that store opens up in Indianapolis.

CHRISTIAN:

I think no matter what really happens, I'm confident that I'll be going to Hy-Vee's for the rest of my life of wherever they are in the States or in the world.

BRUCE:

Is it going to be weird to see another life-size stand-up driver that's not you?

CHRISTIAN:

I've seen it before, so it's for sure gonna be weird for the first couple of years, just knowing that that used to be me. But at the same time, you know, it's... It's a memory that I'll always carry with me. It's not something that's just going to disappear. It's something that will always be a part of me and them.

BRUCE:

Christian Lundgaard, driver of the number 45 Hy-Vee Honda at Ray Hall Letterman Lanigan Racing. Good luck in this weekend's Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa Speedway. Good luck the rest of the season with Ray Hall Letterman Lanigan Racing. Good luck next week at Toronto. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy presented by Hy-Vee. Thank you. We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

JOSEF:

Hey, everyone, this is two time Indy 500 winner, Josef Newgarden, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

BRUCE:

Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy. Our next guest has quite a record at Iowa Speedway, but has never scored a victory at the 7.8-mile short oval. It's Team Penske driver Will Power, who has started on the pole eight times in his career, but is credited as a seven-time pole winner after the fastest qualifier in 2013, Elio Castroneves, had an unapproved engine change and incurred a grid position penalty. That gave the pole the power, but he was not awarded as the pole winner. Power has started the last four Iowa races on the pole. Beginning with the second race of a doubleheader in 2020, Power finished second. In 2022, he finished third and second in a doubleheader, and was fifth and second in last year's Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. There was no race at Iowa in 2021. Let's hear from the two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion in this exclusive interview for PitPass Indy. He's back. It's Will Power of Team Penske. Will, here we are at Iowa Speedway for the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa. To me, it's one of the great weekends of the summer. From a competitor, how much do you look forward to this weekend?

WILL:

Well, yeah, I have been trying to win this race for a long time. It's changed significantly, so I don't know what to expect. Track being resurfaced in the corners has created a lot more grip, and I think it's really, everyone's much closer together, so if you had a bad car, it sort of masks the problem because of the grip level.

BRUCE:

When you look at the paving job that was done for the NASCAR race that was here in June, with the lower lanes in both turns, turns 1 and 2, 3 and 4, being repaved, are you afraid that it may turn it into a one-groove track?

WILL:

It's definitely the potential for that if you go off what the test day was like, but As you saw in the NASCAR race, it can definitely be two lanes. We can make the second lane work. We just got to go up there. So we're going to have a second lane practice leading into practice. And so hopefully that starts to get it going.

BRUCE:

There's always second lane practice. The key is to try to get anybody to go up there. So how difficult is that?

WILL:

Yeah, I think the second lane practice, people will go up there. There's no question. Because that will be the rule. You have to go up there or they'll make you pit. That will rubber that in. And then, you know, when it leads into the actual practice, you know, people will know what it feels like up there and see that it has actually quite a bit of grip. We can go up there, so.

BRUCE:

Barely any talk this weekend about the hybrid assist. It was the topic of conversation last weekend on the road course at the Mid-Ohio sports car course. I've been told by some people the difference on an oval is only about six one-thousandths of a second extra speed, whereas it's more dramatic on a road course. Will we even see the hybrid assist come into play in the two races this weekend?

WILL:

It will matter more in the race because you're going slower. In qualifying, it will also matter because the time is going to be so close in qualifying. You're going to have to really nail qualifying and get it right. It will assist in a pass. It will. I think with the downforce taken out, you're going to lift more, so it will come into play a bit more.

BRUCE:

But will it assist as much as the push-to-pass will?

WILL:

No, it's not as much power as a push-to-pass, or not as long as a push-to-pass.

BRUCE:

So one of the confusing things that I, following last Sunday's race, was, when's the best time to use the hybrid? When's the best time to use the push-to-pass when you're on a road course?

WILL:

On a road course, you're actually doing both at the same time. You're like almost, yeah, you're doing both at the same time.

BRUCE:

So does that train your discipline? Does that train the way you approach the driving discipline inside the cockpit?

WILL:

I mean, it's basically on the straights pressing buttons. That's what you're doing. It's not really a true skill. It's just a boost in power.

BRUCE:

That's it. Josef Newgarden has been the king of Iowa in the race, but you've been the king of Iowa in qualifying. What is it about this track why you're so good in qualifications?

WILL:

Well, yeah, the old track, you had to really lay it out there for a couple laps, but the new track, it's poor. It's on the edge, like a lot of grip. Yeah, I don't know how it's going to play out. I have a feeling it will be very tight at the front. And track position will matter. Track position will really matter.

BRUCE:

Do you think that because the track has been changed that we might see a few names up in the qualifying order that we're not used to seeing?

WILL:

I think you'll be quite mixed up. I think you'll be very mixed up to what it normally is. You couldn't even predict how it's going to play out, this thing.

BRUCE:

Ivey is not a Team Penske sponsor, but they are a sponsor for Penske Entertainment, which promotes this race at Iowa Speedway. When you see their level of activation and what they do for IndyCar, what do you think?

WILL:

Yeah, I mean, we're lucky to have Hy-Vee. We're very lucky. I mean, these guys have turned this event into a real destination to go to during the season. So, we're lucky to have them. We are very lucky to have a sponsor that activates as much as they do.

BRUCE:

What do you think of the musical lineup this year?

WILL:

Yeah, musical lineup, once again, is top level. Top level group, you know. four acts that are all big-time stars.

BRUCE:

Anybody out there that you want to personally meet?

WILL:

I'd probably meet Post Malone, get a picture with him. That'd be nice.

BRUCE:

Have him come by the motorhome?

WILL:

I could do that. Maybe he'll, you know, be like Flava Flav, end up being good mates with him.

BRUCE:

Bring him into the motorhome, he could have the ice bath, could have the whole nine yards. But to get a name like Post Malone to play at Iowa Speedway, I mean, that's... really huge when you think about it.

WILL:

That is huge, you know. I think the last couple of years, some of the acts we've had are amazing. I'm giving a shout to Alex Rossi. He's been very consistent and threatened the championship. We'll see. And he just says we'll see.

BRUCE:

Well, you heard it straight from Alexander Rossi, too. Anyway, willpower. It's always a great weekend here at Iowa Speedway. It really has become one of the biggest events on the schedule for IndyCar. Good luck in the number 12 Verizon Chevrolet for Team Penske. Good luck the rest of the season. You're right there in the battle for the championship again. And thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy. Thanks, Bruce. Colton Herta is another IndyCar star driver at Andretti Global. He arrives at Iowa 5th in the IndyCar Championship and tells me in this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview his thoughts on what will happen in this weekend's doubleheader at Iowa Speedway. Joining us now is Colton Hurd of Andretti Global. I asked you last week what you thought of the debut of the Hybrid Assist. You said it was electrifying. What did you learn at Mid-Ohio last week that was a little bit different about the Hybrid Assist that maybe you didn't realize going into a race?

COLTON:

You know, I think it was pretty similar to the winter testing program that we did. Obviously, Andretti was one of the teams that did many miles on the hybrid system, and I think it worked to a T. You know, I think the relatively clean rollout for IndyCar with this, and it's an exciting time. It's exciting. It's going to be a whole new game here on a short oval this weekend with how it works. I think all the guys are kind of uncertain about what's going to be the best strategy. So we'll have to play around a little bit.

BRUCE:

How will it work on a short oval like Iowa Speedway?

COLTON:

I mean, obviously, on a short oval during the race, you're having quite big lifts. You're sometimes touching the brakes. That'll give time for the engine to regen or the hybrid unit to regen. And similar to road courses, you use it off the corner. You know, obviously, higher speed, so it won't have quite as quick of an effect of torque as some of the road courses where you're coming out of a slower turn. But nonetheless, I think it can be something where if you're making a pass, it could help you quite a bit to complete it.

BRUCE:

I think the advantage that we were told last week is it could be 1.5 to 2 tenths of an improvement per lap on a road course, but on a short oval like here, 6 one thousandths of a second. Does that sound about right to you on an oval?

COLTON:

Um, I'm sure it's going to be somewhere around there. So it's a very minor gain, but that's when you're in qualifying trim, right? That's when you're not, you're barely lifting and you're also not rejetting because you're barely lifting. So it has a much smaller effect when you get into like the dog days of a stint and the tires are wearing out and everything's kind of going, going off. Um, that's when it'll have more of an effect than that six thousands.

BRUCE:

But also the paddles and the buttons that the driver can manually regen with is going to be used more here than probably you did last week in mid-Ohio.

COLTON:

I think it depends how much the drop-off is on the tires. You know, it might be a case where you don't really need to manually regen. It's doing it naturally because you're having such big lifts. But if we're not, then you're going to have to do it manually.

BRUCE:

The track has been repaved to a degree in the corners. Turns 1 and 2, the lower two lines have fresh pavement. The lower two lines on 3 and 4 have fresh pavement. That was done for the NASCAR race in June. How much is that going to affect IndyCar?

COLTON:

Um, I think we'll have to wait and see. Um, you know, I think it was going to be hard to open up a second lane based off of the test, but the car is very different than what we ran the test with. It's a lot less downforce. Cars are sliding quite a bit more, um, and the tire compound is different. And so we're expecting possibly a little bit more wear. So that should open up the second lane.

BRUCE:

Are you going to expect everybody's going to be battling to get to that lower lane?

COLTON:

Um, I think it depends. You know, on restarts, I think the top lane might be the way to go because people will want to go to the bottom. Um, but also if there's tire wear, you're going to want to stay up top. So I think it depends what the tire wear looks like. Obviously, the higher you run, the less wear you're doing on the tires, the less load they're getting inside the corner, and you can take care of them a little bit better.

BRUCE:

Isn't the grip level up top going to be less than on the fresh pavement?

COLTON:

Um, I... In... Theory, possibly, but if people are running up there, then no, it shouldn't, it should be the same.

BRUCE:

Now, of course, you're a big musician yourself. You've been involved with some bands, including your own. What do you think of what Hy-Vee does for the Iowa Race Weekend by bringing out four huge entertainers to perform during the two days of racing?

COLTON:

I think it's exciting. You know, I think it's people that love IndyCar racing, they'll enjoy it. And people that don't know about IndyCar racing, they can come to the concerts and then find out what IndyCar is all about and enjoy it. So, I don't see any negatives from what Hy-Vee's done to this and to the series. And I think it's just been an incredible partner for for IndyCar, obviously for RLL also, but everybody in the IndyCar series feels special about Hy-Vee and when we come here it kind of shows it's always a great event and looks fantastic.

BRUCE:

Is there any of the four entertainers that you want to meet or are a fan of?

COLTON:

I mean, Post Malone's cool, obviously. I think he's the biggest act internationally. That would probably be well known. Probably in the Midwest here. A lot of the country artists are bigger, but it's going to be super neat to see that. I probably won't get to see them, but hear them. I'll for sure hear them from the inside of the track.

BRUCE:

And finally, you've had a pretty good season at times, performance wise. You've had a little bit of a run of luck. Do you really feel that when the luck turns around for Colton Herta, you're going to really start winning and winning a lot?

COLTON:

I mean, I hope so. We've been so close so many times this year. A couple of second place finishes, quite a bit of top five. So it gives me confidence that, you know, once we kind of get everything together, there's no reason why we can't win.

BRUCE:

Well Colton Hurd, a driver of the number 26 Cambridge Honda for Andretti Global. Good luck in the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. Good luck the rest of the season and thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. Thank you. Now let's catch up with IndyCarSeries team owner Bobby Rahal who helped bring Hy-Vee into the NTT IndyCarSeries in 2020 and has seen it develop into a major sponsor of his race team and IndyCar. Here's my exclusive interview with Bobby Rahal for PitPass Indy. Joining us now is IndyCar legend Bobby Rahal, the 1986 Indianapolis 500 winning driver and the owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing along with David Letterman and Michael Lanigan. This has to be one of your favorite racing weekends on the schedule. It's the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway because in a lot of ways, you helped create this to some degree.

BOBBY:

Well, I think Mr. Edeker was a little, he was flattering for sure. Clearly, I've always, you know, when I drove, I guess my favorite ovals were the short tracks, you know, Milwaukee, Phoenix, New Hampshire, Nazareth was a short track. And so to come to these kinds of tracks, I think is really fun because the racing is unbelievable. And, you know, the ability to take multiple lines is the tires where it just really, a really good driver can really make a difference on these ovals. And so, Love coming here, love what Hy-Vee has done with this weekend. I mean, it's phenomenal. As I've said many times, and I've said it to you, Bruce, you know, every promoter ought to see what, ought to come here and see how it's done. And, uh, cause it is fantastic. So, uh, great racing, great crowd, a lot of, a lot of stuff, a lot of stuff going on, musical acts, you name it. And, um, yeah, it's, um, it's just, uh, It's just a kind of a thrill a minute because you're not quite sure where to look because there's so many things going on at the same time.

BRUCE:

But it was 2020 and we were in the middle of COVID and a lot of the races you couldn't have fans or you couldn't have many fans and IndyCar had to survive on double headers back then. Right. And we had a Friday night, Saturday night double header at Iowa Speedway in 2020 for the second race of that double header was You'd gotten this company, Hy-Vee, to be a sponsor of the back end of the double header in 2020, which meant your crew had to spend all night re-wrapping the car out of the Hy-Vee color.

BOBBY:

Yeah, I was not popular. But, you know, Graham drove a great race, ended up third. And Randy, I invited Randy Edeker, who still is, but the chairman of the board of Hy-Vee, and at the time was the CEO. And I invited him, but he said, no, I can't make it, but I'll watch it on TV. And of course, got a lot of airtime. for Hy-Vee and being running up front like that. And that just kind of ignited the fuse, so to speak. And next thing you know, the beginnings of our relationship with Hy-Vee, you know, we grew from small, you know, small program to a big program. And of course, last several years, it's been an all season long program.

BRUCE:

But it was that second race of the doubleheader that not only ignited with Randy Edeker, but at Hy-Vee, but he also started getting phone calls from vendors and suppliers and people who sell their product at Hy-Vee stores about, that's cool, how can we help?

BOBBY:

For sure. And again, it kind of just, as they would say, organically grew. People took notice, and next thing you know, oh, it's getting a little bigger, a little bigger, a little bigger. And it's been great to be a part of the Hy-Vee story. Of course, now they've expanded into Wisconsin, where we have two races, Road America and now Milwaukee. Or it expanded into Indiana, right? Right outside Indianapolis and in northwestern Indiana. And of course, now Nashville. So it's kind of, It's kind of growing. Hy-Vee's reach is growing, not based on, but following the schedule of IndyCar racing. So that's exciting. And as I say, just exciting to be a part of it.

BRUCE:

Last year you were able to take Hy-Vee into victory lane with Christian Lungard at Toronto. Huge day. It was also great because it was the week before coming to Iowa. Christian is back this year. He's going to be leaving at the end of the season. I know that we discussed that on last week's show to a degree. Whoever ends up in the Hy-Vee car is going to be a driver that is going to be a guy that can go out there and race. hit the throttle and run hard. And how long are you taking your time to look over the list of people? Because you told me last week, there's a lot of people interested in that ride.

BOBBY:

Well, you know, I don't think we're going to make any decision on anything in that regard until, you know, probably frankly, late August, which is when it's usually been done in the past. It's kind of a little bit earlier this year, where people are announcing changes here at the end of June. That never used to be the case. But there's a lot of good people out there, veterans and rookies. And so all I know is we have an obligation to Hy-Vee to make sure that they have a strong guy in the cockpit, and we'll do that.

BRUCE:

You said last week, including one Formula One drivers inquired.

BOBBY:

Yeah, yeah, one has. But, you know, that almost that's happened every year. But over the over the years, we've certainly, you know, entertained, you know, ex Formula One drivers or our guys who had been running around the back of the pack, not because they were necessarily bad, but just because they were in the wrong teams. And, you know, but we've never really I mean, again, we've had people who have run Formula One, but we tend to look within North America as to where we should, who we should look at closely.

BRUCE:

But Yuri Vips has also been part of your program. You put him in the cart last year for a couple of races. He does your simulation program. He's always there in the pit box, always willing to help. So when do you start taking a serious look at him?

BOBBY:

Well, we've been taking a serious look at Yuri. He's very, very good. And I think he'll have a place for us. He's probably gonna do one race this year, but we don't want him to lose his rookie status, because if he runs more than four races, he's no longer a rookie. And there is value for a rookie in the series, extra time, practice time, extra tests, what have you. But as I say, we're gonna know in 30 to 45 days probably where we sit.

BRUCE:

One of your partners is David Letterman, and when he was going to Broad Ripple High School, he worked at the Atlas supermarket as a bag boy. Last year, out in Iowa, he returned to his roots by spending part of a day as a bag boy at a local Hy-Vee. I'm sure you saw the videos of it. Do you think that, in many ways, you want him involved with the race team, but do you think he could still get back there and sack him with the best one?

BOBBY:

Well, he looked like he knew what he was doing. And he really likes the Hy-Vee relationship and the people at Hy-Vee. And he got a big kick. In fact, he's the one that said, hey, I want to go to the store and beg. It was his idea. And he'll be here this weekend for the race. God knows he might find a store to bag a few groceries.

BRUCE:

Not only will he be back this weekend, but we're going to be back with Hy-Vee in the seasons to come after it was announced today. An extension of their relationship with IndyCar and with... Penske Entertainment to continue the Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa Speedway. And that's great news for the entire series.

BOBBY:

I think so. As I say, Hy-Vee does. And again, this year Hy-Vee is going to be one of the sponsors in Milwaukee. Right? So they're expanding their commitment to the series. And that's big. For a series to grow, obviously it needs that kind of commitment from its sponsors. And so this is a good sign. And as long as we keep producing good races and good racing, I think they'll stay.

BRUCE:

And finally, you've worked with a lot of sponsors through your day. Some were great image builders. You ran the Budweiser car for Jim Truman. You ran the Miller car. with your own operation, but when you work with Hy-Vee, what are they like? It seems to me that it's not a sponsorship, it's a partnership.

BOBBY:

Oh, for sure. No, for sure. I mean, because they really work hard at it with us. It's not like we're doing everything and they're doing nothing. I mean, both of us together, you know, create the plan and and then you know go forward and yeah they're just the people that we deal with here with our dream to deal with just just good people.

BRUCE:

Well Bobby Rahal good luck at the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race weekend at Iowa Speedway. Good luck the rest of the season. I know that you'll find yourself a top-notch driver to put in the number 45 Hy-Vee Honda for next season and thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. Thanks Bruce. We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

WILL:

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

BRUCE:

Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy. Our next guest is heavily involved with the plans and promotion for this weekend's Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. It's Penske Corporation President Bud Denker, who oversees the big event, as well as other key areas of IndyCar, the Indianapolis 500 and Team Penske. Entering its third year, the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa is a festival-like event that combines two IndyCar Series races on back-to-back days and four major entertainment acts around both races. According to Denker, ticket sales for the two days are up 32% for Saturday and 32% for Sunday. Let's go into the details of this year's Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway with Bud Denker for this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. We're just a few days away from the biggest IndyCar racing weekend of the summer, the Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa. And today we're joined by Penske Corporation President Bud Denker, who is in charge of putting that program together along with Michael Montry out at Iowa Speedway and also with the help of Hy-Vee. Bud, we're just a few days away from the first of two races. What can you tell us so far about what we can expect this weekend?

BUD:

Well, thank you, Bruce, for having me on. And we can expect some large crowds. Our ticket sales are up over 30% for both Saturday and for Sunday, which is fantastic. The excitement on the racetrack is going to be very interesting because it's the first time we've ever used the hybrid system on an oval. And also, of course, the entertainment lineup that Hy-Vee has provided us is just incredible. And I think the combination of those two events have got the opportunity for us to have our best crowds we've seen yet.

BRUCE:

And what do you see as the reason why the crowds are up this year? The first year there was a lot of enthusiasm and demand for the tickets, especially with the four big name concert acts that you've had. Last year, I don't think the tickets quite met up to what your expectation level was. It was still a very, very good crowd and a very good weekend. But what do you see as the reason why in year three there seems to be renewed interest?

BUD:

Well, it's interesting question because, um, frankly, I thought we'd see some cannibalization of ticket sales because of the NASCAR race there for the first time ever. There's a cup race just a month ago at the Iowa Speedway. And, um, once again, first time ever, and they filled the stands up, they sold the place out and just a couple of days, I believe it was. And on top of that, now we've seen 30% increases in our events. I think, you know, I think the motor sports having these kinds of events raises all boats, number one. But I would say number two is people are now catching on to the excitement and value of this music festival and race that goes on that weekend. It's kind of like Lollapalooza. Lollapalooza didn't take off, neither did South by Southwest the first year or first or even the second year for that matter. And now we're seeing this become known across the country. We're now having artists who are calling Hy-Vee saying, can we come perform there? Because we've heard so much about the other artists who had such a great time there. And I think all those factors are adding up to it becoming a big weekend at Iowa. Very, very affordable weekend to see two incredible acts plus a race each day. And for all those variables, I think it's added up to be increased attention.

BRUCE:

Do you think that some people had a little bit of a wait and see attitude about whether this type of event would work?

BUD:

I'm sure it's the case, but you know, word spread quickly. And I met a lot of people last year from outside the state of Iowa. In fact, more people were at the event from outside the state of Iowa than were at the state who bought tickets. That shows you the draw that this entertainment lineup and the exciting IndyCar racing has. for our series now and for this weekend. So I think it's taken a little bit of time. Word has now traveled. People that were there are telling other people it's spreading. And like I say, these things take time to build. And now we're seeing the results of that build with the incredible attendance we're going to have this weekend.

BRUCE:

Last year you had high hopes because Ed Sheeran was one of the entertainers and he very popular internationally, sells out huge stadiums. This year you have Post Malone. What is the excitement level been like for Post Malone to show up in Iowa for a lot of people in that part of the country where maybe he doesn't get a chance to perform very often?

BUD:

I think you're, it's a good, it's a good point. I think it's his first time that Post Malone's performed in the state of Iowa. So I think he brings an alternative type of fan to our event. I think these fans are going to see IndyCar perhaps for the first time, which many fans in the last two years also have witnessed. And I think they come to it and see these acts before and after our concert and say, oh my gosh, this racing thing is pretty darn cool and very exciting. And last year it showed because we had over 1,200 passes in one race and 1,500 passes And the next race, I mean, where else do you see that kind of action on a racetrack? Your head's on a swivel. There's so much action going on on the racetrack. So I think Post Malone, Kelsey Valerini, and Eric Church was a huge draw for us, of course, and Luke Combs. These are four massive acts, some who sell out arenas and some who sell out stadiums. So we're so proud of Hy-Vee being the partner we have and allowing us that opportunity. And they're the ones investing in these artists, and we're the ones putting the event on.

BRUCE:

It's going to be a little different this year. We're going to have a Saturday night race. In the past, it was a Saturday afternoon race followed by a Sunday afternoon race to make up the two races of the double header. This year, it'll be a Saturday evening race followed by one of the concerts. There'll be a concert before the Saturday evening race and then one immediately afterwards But everybody's going to have to get up early on Sunday because it's an earlier start than normal to the Sunday race. You're going to have both concerts following that race rather than one before and one afterward. Does that create any type of challenge that you're going to be interested in seeing how that plays itself out?

BUD:

Well, we've been asking for have an evening race now for a couple of years with our partners in NBC. and now we've got it, the opportunity to have that. We're excited about that for Saturday night, because as you know, it gets pretty hot in Iowa this time of year. However, the forecast coming this weekend looks pretty darn good. And then on Sunday, you're right, the TV windows are what dictate those starting times. I would prefer to have that race a couple hours after what it is this year. That's dictated, again, by the TV schedule and the TV windows we had. So it is what it is, and it's going to put some impression on the team. We know that well because we're so attached to obviously the Team Penske organization. And it's going to be a challenge, especially for those people that have a problem perhaps with their car on Saturday evening, but also for the drivers. I mean, physical demands of this race track are going to be just that. The other thing about it is, as you know, we have new paving that NASCAR put down for their cup race. and the G-forces and the speeds are gonna be what we haven't seen in the past before. So there will be some extreme challenges for the drivers. That's why these guys are the best athletes in the world and we're gonna put on a great show for them.

BRUCE:

Do you think the Saturday night race brings out more of your hardcore grassroots type race fan?

BUD:

Well, we're seeing it evenly split. I would say not necessarily so. Our ticket sales for Saturday are almost identical to our ticket sales on Sunday, which leads us to believe that the people are buying the two-day combo. So, I mean, they're almost identical, Bruce, in the number of people that have bought tickets for both events, both days. So I would say that fact leads me to believe that most people are buying both days because they want to see all the entertainers and they want to see both races. So I wouldn't necessarily say so it's all tied to the hardcore fan.

BRUCE:

How much do you think the debut of the hybrid engine on an oval is going to create interest among the hardcore grassroots fan?

BUD:

Well, you're definitely going to have that. There's no doubt about it. And I'm interested in seeing what that's going to mean in this track. Now, is it going to be a lot of usage of this? Remember, in the test we had just a few weeks ago, the returning laps is 17 seconds. 17 seconds when last year I think our qualifying speeds were more around 18 seconds and the race speeds were in 19 and 20 seconds based on the tire degradation. So you're going to be seeing such incredible speed because of the traction of this racetrack. The driver is going to be able to have enough, you know, uh, knowledge in their hands and in their heads to be operating that gen and regen and deployment strategy on a 17 second lap. So it'll be very interesting to see how it's going to work out from the hybrid situation. But I tell you, we couldn't be happier with what we saw this past weekend in mid-Ohio when 27 of the 27 cars finished the race with our new hybrid system. That said something. It really does.

BRUCE:

One of the things on the street courses and the road courses is you have the hybrid system along with the push to pass, which gives the drivers two options. How do they figure out when to use either?

BUD:

Well, it's really up to the teams and the drivers. I mean, it's, um, you know, these guys are in the simulation and computer modeling ahead of the races, driving the Ohio racetrack, for instance, they were all doing that. I'm sure at the simulators. deciding when to deploy, when to region, out of what turns. It really suits the driver's style and suits the driver's strategy. I think there'll be a lot of debriefing going on this week from the mid-Ohio race, by driver, by team, to say when various teams were deploying, and when various teams were regenerating. So it's going to vary by racetrack. I think that is what's cool about this new hybrid system is that it's going to give a lot more tools to the driver and to the teams and create a lot more interest in our fans. and something we've never had before. So, as I mentioned, what an amazing deployment of this ERS system this past weekend in Iowa. Think about what happened at the end of the race. Rochon went off in a spin. The car stalled with three laps to go. That race would have ended under caution any other year except this year because he was able to restart the car and get back on the racetrack. That's something that's very significant for our sport.

BRUCE:

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

SCOTT:

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:

Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy. And now here's the rest of my exclusive interview with the Penske Corporation president, Bud Denker, for Pit Pass Indy. Six of the final eight races of the season are going to be determined on an oval, beginning with two races this weekend at Iowa Speedway. How do you see the championship playing in itself out in terms of, can we expect some drivers that maybe haven't been at the top of the standing suddenly leap into contention because they're great oval drivers?

BUD:

Well, I think it's going to be just a toss up because there's so many interesting variables leading into the end of the season. Number one, the Iowa Speedway turns one and two and three and four have been repaved. OK, what's that going to mean for these drivers? What's that going to mean for the strategy? You know, Josef Newgarden's had an amazing record there, hasn't he, the last couple of years there, few years there. But is that thrown out the window now with all new strategy and new capabilities of drivers coming online? So I think the playing field is very much level now for Iowa. Then we go to Milwaukee. We have a race there in nine or 10 years. We've tested there, and now we're going to see a brand new racetrack twice over Labor Day weekend. And because we haven't been there, I think the playing field is very level as well. Then you go to Nashville. which just had a tire test, they're going to have another one coming up here on the 7th of August, I believe it is. Another new variable. So there's so many things that are new for the end of the season. As you said, the number of ovals coming up, Iowa's newer, Milwaukee's brand new and Nashville's brand new. So I would think that the playing field is much more level than ever before because of all those activities that are new that we didn't have before.

BRUCE:

And also Iowa has double the points because you've got double the races. And that has to really be something that these teams have to really focus on as being very important because there's over 100 points available for the weekend.

BUD:

No doubt about it. And same thing is true for Milwaukee, which is the penultimate race, right? You're heading into the the last weekend before the final race and a hundred points are available. Milwaukee, a hundred points are available to Iowa. Does someone get caught there in terms of, uh, uh, figures it out and figures out the setup for the car and has the opportunity to use the region properly. The same thing is true for Milwaukee. Um, huge opportunity capitalized a lot of the points. And I think Pelosi's lead right now, of course, over will powers is, is quite a few points, but you know, one bad event or one strong weekend could have a real impact on how that race is going to end up at. And so I think I get back to my point before that so many new variables online here that who knows what's going to happen over the course of the next, you know, eight races.

BRUCE:

Of course, you can't have this race happen without the help of several other people that you work with. One is Michael Montrey, the other is Anne Fishgrund. We'll talk about Hy-Vee in a moment. But the fact that you're able to depend on these two key people in your in Penske entertainment to help put this together. They both spent an awful lot of time living in Iowa to help make this event happen. So what's it like to have that deep of a bench?

BUD:

Well, I'm glad you brought that up, Bruce, because, you know, Michael Mantra is is a man of many skills and working at our dealerships in the past, starting his career at the MIS Speedway some 20 some years ago as an intern. And now he's the president of the Detroit Grand Prix. He's helping lead up the efforts there in Iowa, as you mentioned, he's leading up the efforts on top of that in Milwaukee. So his reward of putting a great event on in Detroit is he has to go to do a great event also, hopefully in Iowa and Milwaukee and, and, you know, we, we assumed her obviously when we bought Penske entertainment and she's just been a great assistance and a great leader for what's happening there in Iowa with Hy-Vee working with the Hy-Vee team and Anna Stormer and Matt nickel and Don and Randy and Jeremy, all the team there that they have is so strong at Hy-Vee. Roger says it's all about human capital. Human capital is the most important asset we have in our company. 74,000 people at Penske Corporation and such great people at Penske Entertainment that help us do what we do. And they're the ones that are the heroes every day. And yeah, I get to do the interviews, but they're the ones behind the scenes doing all the work.

BRUCE:

There's human capital. There's also market capital. And Hy-Vee comes in and provides the market capital and the market skill. You two work so well together with that company. How do you even begin to describe that?

BUD:

Well, first of all, we're grateful for the Ray Hall organization, you know, bringing them into our sport. If you remember, I think it all started with Graham having them on the car, um, for a race back several years ago. And I think you've got a podium with them at the time. And Randy Edeker, you know, the chairman of Hy-Vee who's retiring here soon, um, has just been an, uh, an incredibly innovative leader. not only for the grocery industry but for our sport. And what he brought to the Iowa Speedway I think has blown people away. And I hope people don't take it for granted when they show up there this weekend and see the infrastructure from their suites to the big screen TVs and of course to the entertainment. Don't take that for granted because it doesn't happen as you know. many places around the world, if not just in the US. So we're blessed to have the partnership with Hy-Vee. And the best thing about it for me is not only have they been great partners in the IndyCar series, they've also become great personal friends of mine as well along the way. And that, for me, is the most rewarding part of our relationship.

BRUCE:

And they've also got more involved in racing in general. They sponsored the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway in June. They are sponsoring the Milwaukee Doubleheader for IndyCar Labor Day weekend. They seem to continue to branch out and get even more involved in IndyCar. And how valuable is that?

BUD:

Well, you know, it's interesting if you count the number of races that we have in Hy-Vee market. When we started the relationship, you know, it was several. Now it's many, many more, because as you know, Hy-Vee's expanding into Indy, Indianapolis. Hy-Vee's got a footprint already now established recently in Wisconsin. And Hy-Vee's now branching out into Tennessee. So when you think about the markets that we've grown into, now into Wisconsin with Milwaukee, now into Nashville, of course, with the races there. Of course, in Indianapolis where we've been for decades, they match up quite well to our marketplaces and to our demographic and their demographic as well. So it really works for them. And of course, it works very well for us. And who knows where they're going to expand to next. And so, but as a result of that, our blending of marketplaces with their customer base has worked very well. And hey, we're very lucky to have them as a partner. We're very fortunate again to Bobby and his team and Graham for bringing them aboard our sport. And from there, we've just kind of grown it from, from what they had and what they still have today and what we're going to have next year and beyond.

BRUCE:

And when anybody gets the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, they're going to see an army of people wearing the red Hy-Vee shirts that are there to help assist the customers and the people that come to the races there. It's a lot of the store employees basically taking their weekend to help make the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway go successfully. And when you see that army of people that get involved, that's pretty impressive in itself.

BUD:

It really is. And I'll be there on Thursday. And I love going on Thursday because I see all the people from Hy-Vee cleaning and getting prepared for the weekend for the fans, but also for their employees and very, very importantly for their sponsors. Remember, you know, Hy-Vee brings in the likes of, you know, PepsiCo and Frito and Budweiser and all of their various partners that sell products in their stores. And these are the folks that really help them support the event and put the event on. So, they really do a great job of ensuring that they're taken care of. And, of course, as you mentioned, Ann Fischrun and Michael Mantra and our team ensuring we walk hand in hand together to achieve their objectives, but also to achieve their customer objectives and their partner objectives at the same time, not only the fans, but also Hy-Vee's partners.

BRUCE:

And when you also just look at the loyalty factor, it seems like when it began, it was to Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa wanted to save Iowa Speedway. And it's grown from that into basically a partnership. If I talk to some of the Hy-Vee people, they talk about how great it is working with the Penske Corporation and vice versa. And how often in your business career have you seen two corporations, two companies come together and mesh as well as these two?

BUD:

Well, you know, it is unique. And I think one thing that we take pride in is finding partners and aligning with partners who have shared values. Integrity, honesty, credibility, customer facing, customer service, loyalty, innovation. These are all things that we think that we provide to our partners in business, but also try to align with them, partners in racing, but also partners in business, whether it be capital partners in banking, technology partners, service partners. We can't do it alone. And neither can Hy-Vee, of course. And I think that the relationship that we've established with them goes back to those core values that we have along with Randy and Jeremy and their entire leadership team and and because of that I think our companies have worked well together and our relationships have grown and and for that I'm very grateful.

BRUCE:

The footprint of the facility is going to look a little different this year than it did last year. Last year you had those big pit road suites that were right there, very impressive. I believe he had 33 suites, very impressive structure. This year, you're not putting those up in that location, but you are adding some of that structure to other parts of the track. If you could explain how that's all going to look.

BUD:

Yeah, I think this is all Hy-Vee's doing, obviously, as they get partners. that wraps themselves to our event, they need suites. And they're now putting those people that were behind that lane up in the Turn 1 suite areas, but also in Turn 4. And when you see it on TV, you'll understand what I mean. These are massive structures, right? Massive structures, double-deckers that we have in Turn 1 that are just incredible. And much of that infrastructure, by the way, comes from Detroit. and our structures behind Pit Lane as well. So we utilize them. Much of the structure in Turn 1 was already up for the NASCAR race. The NASCAR had a NASCAR use some of that structure as well. But I think what's impressive about it is when you arrive to that racetrack and you see the 24,000 grandstand seats that are bookended by this beautiful Hy-Vee branding that's on both the left and right side of the grandstands, it's pretty darn impressive. And when you arrive there, You know who the sponsor is.

BRUCE:

Well, that's one of the key things that helps everybody involved in the IndyCar series is when you get active partners such as Hy-Vee. But Bud Denker, the president of Penske Corporation, the big weekend is finally here. Good luck. We all look forward to seeing it and experiencing it. Good luck with the event. And thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy.

BUD:

Thanks, Bruce. And look forward to seeing a lot of people at the racetrack, more than we've ever seen before there. supporting the event, supporting Hy-Vee, supporting the IndyCar series as well, and our new hybrid area. So I look forward to seeing you there as well. Thank you.

BRUCE:

And that puts a checkered flag on this edition of Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental and Hy-Vee. We want to thank our guests, six-time Iowa Speedway Race winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske, Hy-Vee driver Christian Lungard of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Will Power of Team Penske, Colton Herta of Andretti Global, Bobby Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and Bud Denker, president of the Penske Corporation, for joining us on today's bonus edition of Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental and Hy-Vee. Along with loyal listeners like you, our guests help make Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental and Hy-Vee, 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. And for all your shopping needs, be sure to visit your local Hy-Vee, where there is a helpful smile in every aisle. For more IndyCar coverage, 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 Bridget Coyne and Gerardo Orlando. Recordings and edits were done by me, Bruce Martin, and final mixing was done by Dave Douglas. Learn more at evergreenpodcast.com. Until next time, be sure to keep it out of the wall.