Hy-Vee Race Weekend at Iowa Preview with Pato O’Ward, Graham Rahal, Colton Herta, Alex Palou, Marcus Armstrong, Alexander Rossi and race general manager Anne Fischgrund

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. For Malone, 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 that will increase the horsepower along with the speeds and give the drivers another tool to work with in competition. One of the stars that will be on the track at Iowa Speedway this weekend is Pato Award of Errol McLaren. The 25-year-old from Monterey, Mexico, drove to a brilliant victory in the July 7th Honda ND200 at mid-Ohio when he timed a run out of turn 13, just as Alex Pillow was making his final pit stop. After a momentary delay for first gear to engage in Pillow's Honda, the race for Pillow was to get out of the pits before a Wards Chevrolet intersected on the track. Award was at full speed while Palou's car was getting up to speed, and Award was easily able to take what proved to be the race-winning pass. It was Award's second IndyCar Series win this season, but his first where he was the first to the checkered flag. He was declared the winner of the March 10th Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg after the apparent winner that day, Josef Newgarden, was disqualified six weeks later after IndyCar officials discovered the push-to-pass system was used illegally. Award also became the first driver to win during IndyCar's hybrid era, as all 27 cars in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio were using the electrically charged hybrid unit along with the Chevrolet and Honda internal combustion engines in Sunday's race. From this point forward, the hybrid will be part of the IndyCar package. I caught up with the winning driver after his big win at Mid-Ohio for this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. Our next guest says Pato fans are the best. Well, today at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, he certainly gave him plenty to cheer about. It's Pato Award winner of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, your sixth career IndyCar Series victory, second of the 2024 season, but the first time you got to cross under a checkered flag first. How special is that feeling?

PATO:

It feels very good, man. Feels very good. And we were pushing so hard. I was pushing so hard to just get ourselves that opportunity to... to really win this race and earn it. And yeah, we did that today and great to be the first hybrid era winner.

BRUCE:

Not only did you earn it, but the way you won it, it was a hard fought victory. You tracked down and perfectly timed your pit stop at the end of the race. You pitted one lap before Alex Pillow, the leader, pitted, but you were able to come out of turn 13, nail it perfectly and get him for the race winning pass as he was leaving pit lane. And just the excitement level being able to win a race like that. set to a race track.

PATO:

It's awesome. It's one that you're always going to remember and that's how you want to win. You want to win with hard-fought races and with guys that you've been ultimately chasing the last few years. That's really what's been for the whole series. We've all been chasing the 10 car and that's who we're going to be fighting against the years to come. So, yeah, hope many more of these to come.

BRUCE:

And even though it was your second victory of the season, the first win of the year obviously came under unusual circumstances when Josef Newgarden was disqualified over the push to pass scandal. You were later awarded the victory a couple of weeks after that race ended at St. Pete. But to be able to get all the bells, the whistles, the podium celebration, hearing the fans, hearing all the Pato fans out there cheering you on, it's like you said earlier, this is a lot of the reason why race drivers drive race cars.

PATO:

Yeah, it's amazing. It's an amazing feeling and it really has been a special weekend. It's felt good and it felt good from the start. I've been saying it multiple times. I knew I had a car to win this race and I don't have that feeling very frequently, especially this year. It's been really, really tough. So going into this race, I was determined to make it happen.

BRUCE:

There was some uncertainty entering the race in terms of this being the first race of the hybrid engine, how it would perform, how drivers would utilize it, how teams would utilize it. You seem to have a really good handle on how all that worked. How would you assess the way that the season, the first race of the hybrid era worked?

PATO:

I think it worked fantastic. Was there any faults? I don't think there was. I don't know, I have to watch the race, but for us it was working phenomenal. Really, all weekend we haven't had an issue, so hats off to IndyCar, hats off to Chevy, Honda, everybody that's put a lot of time and money and energy into doing this. Hats off to the team. We've had a couple of test days and we've made the most out of what we've known and we maximized it.

BRUCE:

I believe the only failure was at the beginning of the race. Scott Dixon's engine had fully discharged and he had to be brought in and have it fully charged in order for the engine to fire up. But other than that, is it still kind of like playing with a new toy, trying to see how this works, how that works, all the different variables that can come from it?

PATO:

Yeah, a little bit like that. I would say, yeah, we, yeah, we're, we're playing with something new and, and we're going to see what it's all about.

BRUCE:

There was a lot of disappointment devastation by finishing second to Josef Newgarden in the Indianapolis 500. You were very emotional. Obviously the Indy 500 is the big one to win, but how cool is it to get this victory so soon after that?

PATO:

Ah, it's, it feels good. And it's, Oh, man, I've had a tough few races after the Indy 500, getting, you know, getting collected in all of the starts without actually being part of it, like just not being the chaos, but just getting caught with it. And it's just been nice to have a clean race and really maximize our potential.

BRUCE:

We're heading to the Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa, where you're a former winner there. You won there in 2022. You're good on the short ovals. You're good on the ovals, period. So what's your outlook heading into next weekend's doubleheader? A chance that you could really close the gap a little bit in the points race with Alex.

PATO:

I mean, it's not over until it's over, right? But I like Iowa. Iowa's been very good to me. And I've always looked forward to going back. I know the team does as well. It's a repave. It's going to be different. and we'll see what we got.

BRUCE:

Six of the last eight races will be held on ovals. The hybrid assist technology isn't as prevalent, or the advantage isn't as prevalent on the ovals as it is on the street and road course races, but what do you see the possibilities being of utilizing that on the short ovals and the other oval?

PATO:

We need more laps. In road course, it definitely does more than what it does in the oval, but yeah, we'll see how we can maximize it.

BRUCE:

And just the boost this gives to Aero McLaren. It's been, forgive the term, a little bit of a wacky season with some of the driver changes that have been going in and out and shuff on the deck for the future. Now here you've given the team something to stake their claim on. This is the 501st IndyCar Series race for McLaren. And when you think, here you are, you've kicked off the next 500 races for McLaren with a victory. How much of a stakeholder or a tent post holder is this victory?

PATO:

It's a true testament to all the hard work that I feel like hasn't really been seen in terms of results. I'm very happy that I can give them this, but this is not where we want to stop. We want so much more than where we are, but this is definitely a step in the right direction to getting where we want to go.

BRUCE:

And the final question for Paddle Award, Errol McLaren, you talked about your love of racing here at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, how great of a racetrack it is, and the satisfaction level of being able to win here. You said it was always a track that you wanted to be able to win.

PATO:

Always, always. I've qualified on pole here. I've, you know, I've had races where I've led here and then, you know, had an engine failure in one of them. And then in the other one, I spun out in qualifying where we really had a chance to get another pole. So it's been a roller coaster of a journey here at Mid-Ohio. And I was determined to have a good weekend here this weekend.

BRUCE:

Well, IndyCar's most popular driver certainly was able to hear the cheers from his fans. Pat O'Ward, congratulations on your win at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Good luck next weekend at the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. Thank you. The debut of the hybrid engine created a high level of anticipation for the IndyCar Series drivers leading into the mid-Ohio race. PitPass Indy interviewed Ohio's own Graham Rayall to get his thoughts on the hybrid engine and a look ahead to this week's Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. We're in the home of the Rahalls, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. So naturally, we're talking to Graham Rahall. Graham, it's the introduction of the hybrid and IndyCar. How do you feel about that?

GRAHAM:

Yeah, I mean, it's, you know, it's a new era for sure. I think there's gonna be quite a lot of changes, quite a lot of things to get used to over this weekend in particular. But, you know, I mean, I'm all about change and I think it's time that we evolve and look at what's next. It needs to be pretty interesting. Uh, this weekend, how do you utilize it in qualifying? How do you utilize in the race? Where, where is the most effective things like that? But, um, I mean, I'm, I'm excited for change. Obviously I wish, I hope before my career is done, I'll get to drive a new car too, but we'll see how that goes.

BRUCE:

It's actually a big couple of weekends back-to-back for Graham Rahal. We're here in Ohio, your home state, the state you love so much, the Mid-Ohio sports car course, kind of like your boyhood playground, but next week we're off to Iowa Speedway, very important place for one of your sponsors, Hy-Vee. Big time sponsor, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Third edition of this big blowout weekend, the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa. How excited are you to go back and especially with this year's entertainment lineup?

GRAHAM:

No, it's a great lineup. Every year has been a great lineup out there. They've absolutely killed it. But it's a huge weekend for Hy-Vee. And clearly, we as a team are heavily focused on that weekend to try to make sure it's as good as it can be and that we're very competitive. So that's what our focus is on. I'm excited for the opportunity ahead. I'm excited to get there. But obviously, this weekend is one that in my life and in my career is something that I've put a lot of attention to a weekend that you know cherished my memories winning here in 2015 and certainly hope that we can be up front and get another opportunity out of this weekend.

BRUCE:

When you see the success of the Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa, in a sense, you were kind of the spark of all of that, because you're the one who met with Hy-Vee back in 2020, 2019, 2020, got them involved at Iowa Speedway on the second race of a doubleheader during the COVID pandemic, and that went from that one-race sponsorship into this big... Well, involvement that they have with IndyCar.

GRAHAM:

You know, I always really enjoyed the Iowa race as well, and I thought Hy-Vee being involved in that market, their world headquarters there in Des Moines, you know, they were the perfect fit. So, yeah, I mean, sure, I was part of the spark that got it back going, but at the same time, you know, I think... You know, Hy-Vee's genuinely very involved in their communities, and they know, you know, Newton is, that tracks a place that, you know, really helps that community in a big way, and brings a lot of economical impact to the folks in Newton, and so, certainly wanted to be a part of that.

BRUCE:

Now, the fact they repaved the lower lanes in the turns at Iowa Speedway, that's new pavement. The upper lanes are old pavement. Is that going to be a little bit like Texas Motor Speedway was?

GRAHAM:

Well, but it's really two lanes wide. So, you know, we're developing a plan, I think, with IndyCar. They're doing a good job to come up with a plan to do a highline practice. And I believe that the second lane will come in. So, you know, it just it'll take a little bit of time to grip up, but I believe it'll get there. And from that point, you know, I think the racing will be will be a good show.

BRUCE:

Do you think the drivers, though, at the beginning are going to all try to battle each other to get to the low line?

GRAHAM:

Well, to be honest with you, I think we've got to see what the tire does. That was a big part of the test. That's a big part of all the short ovals this year. So I think before we say anything in that regard, I think we've got to see what the tire does, the degradation. But, you know, at Iowa, I think being on the high line, you always need the two grooves in order to pass. So if we can get the high line to work, people will run there.

BRUCE:

With the races that we've got for the rest of the season, how do you feel the season will stack up for you?

GRAHAM:

Well, you know, we've had just a year of misses and it's been very frustrating. I think we've had a year where we could easily have, I don't even know how many races that we've, we've, we've done, but you know, we've been in the top 10 all except for Laguna Seca at one point. And, uh, you know, yet we, we've seemingly thrown away almost every one of those results, whether it's, you know, issues on, on track issues in pit lane issues with strategy, um, you know, poor luck with yellows. So we, we just need to put our heads down and finish this year as best we can and, and reboot. I mean, I think there's still a lot of potential ahead. You know, clearly we're going to some tracks here, mid Ohio. I started on the front row, you know, Portland, um, you know, Portland being on pole there last year. Uh, so there are places that we know we can be very competitive to finish this year off and, uh, hopefully we can make that happen.

BRUCE:

And earlier this week, Christian Ludgaard announced that he'll be leaving to go to Errol McLaren. What was your reaction to that?

GRAHAM:

Well, I mean, Christian's got to do what Christian needs to do for himself. That's my reaction. You know, I focus on Rahal Letterman racing, Rahal Letterman-Lanigan, and my focus is to try to make our team as best as we can in the future. That's all I can do.

BRUCE:

But you got to feel you've got some pretty good drivers interested in that car.

GRAHAM:

Oh, there's plenty. There's plenty. I mean, I've heard from a lot already. I think there's a lot of people who would love to be in that seat. And I think the team's on the rise. I think, you know, we we while maybe the end results this year have not been what we expected, the competitiveness and the qualifying speed has been improved. And so, you know, look, I think we're in a better spot. So we're just going to put our heads down and focus on us.

BRUCE:

Well, Graham Ray Hall, good luck at Iowa at the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. And good luck the rest of the season. Thank you. Marcus Armstrong of Chip Ganassi Racing is the driver of the number 11 Honda. He is a big fan of the hybrid direction and believes it's just what the series needs, as he tells me in this Pit Pass Indy interview. Joining us now on Pit Pass Indy is Marcus Armstrong of Chip Ganassi Racing. Marcus, we're in the hybrid era now of IndyCar racing. What do you think of it and what do you think it will do the rest of the season?

MARCUS:

Yeah, it's cool. I mean, I'm quite... I'm excited for this new challenge. There's a new element to racing in IndyCar. You can obviously harvest and deploy the energy as you like during the race. You're quite free to do so. And it'll add a different component to race craft for sure, which will benefit the guys that have the capacity to be able to nail that straight off the bat.

BRUCE:

Of your previous racing career, whether it be in sports cars or anything else, have you had a chance to work with electrification?

MARCUS:

Yes, I drove the Formula One hybrids and... Is that it? That might be it, yeah. Only F1, so... Yeah, I can take that concept to this. It's obviously a bit different. You know, the battery size is different, but the concept is similar. So I feel like it's still a benefit to have driven it.

BRUCE:

How important do you think it is to the relevancy of IndyCar and the motorsports in general to bring this type of technology into auto racing?

MARCUS:

Yeah, it's important to be revolutionary. I feel like it's good for the fans, it's good for the show because, again, it adds a different component to the race craft. All in all, that's the ultimate goal is to be able to overtake more, right? This gives a good chance. It also creates a bit more tyre drag being heavier and rear weight distribution and all the rest of it, so it's a different challenge for the engineers too.

BRUCE:

Heading into the short oval portion of the schedule, the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa, what do you think the hybrid's gonna be like on a short oval?

MARCUS:

The battery deployment rate per lap is quite low, so you can only deploy it for around two and a half seconds a lap on short ovals, roughly, which is, you know, it is something for sure. So I feel like it's a bit more simple even on short ovals because you'll pick maybe one spot on the lap. Maybe you'll split the difference between the two exits.

BRUCE:

At the Milwaukee Mile, the hybrid test there, a lot of the drivers said nothing beats a good handling car. They'd rather have the car handle better than have more horsepower. Do you agree with that?

MARCUS:

I'd love both. I want more horsepower and I want a better balance.

BRUCE:

And speaking of having both, it's going to be like this now for the future and IndyCar has the ability to increase the horsepower on it. So how do you see going down the road the ability to get even more out of this hybrid?

MARCUS:

Well, I'm not sure exactly what the plan is for the next couple of years, but I think there'll be a learning curve for everyone on how best to optimize the baseline setup relative to the weight and the weight distribution. And then there'll also be a learning curve for the drivers, how to maximize the use efficiently throughout the race, because that's another factor that I'm sure is being underutilized, that will be underutilized in the first race.

BRUCE:

Well, Marcus Armstrong, Chip Ganassi Racing. Good luck now that we're in the IndyCar hybrid era and we'll catch up with you later this season. Thanks, man. 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. The big weekend is almost here. It's time for the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, July 12th through the 14th. Pit Pass Indy had a chance to talk to several IndyCar Series drivers about the big race at Iowa Speedway, where the hybrid engine will be used on an oval for the first time. Let's hear from IndyCar Series points leader Alex Pillow, driver of the number 10 DHL Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing. Joining us now on Pit Pass Indy is Alex Pillow, Chip Ganassi Racing. Alex, we're heading into a double points weekend at Iowa Speedway. Now, last year ended up being a good weekend for you because you took what appeared to be a bad type of track for you, got a third and an eighth place out of it, and you said that was the key to your championship. How do you view heading back to Iowa, your chances this year, maybe getting in the victory lane?

ALEX:

Yeah, I mean, we're we're excited. We've been working hard since last year. Last year was a good, as you said, a good result for us, a good race weekend for me. But we want we want more like we don't want only good points. We want to try and fight for the win. There's a lot of updates this year, the repave. Fatah Iowa, the hybrid short oval for the first time. So it's going to be a lot of work. We're excited. We feel that we're ready. Let's see how the new track surface races, if it's possible to overtake as much as we did before. But yeah, we're excited and hopefully we can fight for the first oval win.

BRUCE:

A year ago you were pulling away in the championship at this point in the season. This year it's a little bit tighter. How do you forecast the rest of the year in terms of your fight for a third IndyCar Series title?

ALEX:

I think it's gonna be tight as always. Obviously last year we were a bit lucky getting those. three wins in a row that kind of gave us a big cushion to lean on, while this year we don't have that. We're working towards, but it's a lot tighter, so we need to keep on working, try and keep on winning races, which that's what gives us the biggest cushion. We've seen how the points, they are so tight that now you can be from We were like 20 points back and suddenly we are 20 points in front. So there's still big swings to be made from myself and from all the drivers out there.

BRUCE:

And how much of a factor do you think it'll be now that IndyCar is in the hybrid era?

ALEX:

I think that's an add-on. That's just going to make the races a bit more difficult for all the drivers, for all the teams. I'm excited. I still don't know if that's going to benefit us, or if that's not going to benefit us, or it's going to still be the same. I think we will know by the time the first couple of weekends in the hybrid area are done. But we're excited. I think it's going to give us more tools during the races to try and make more passes or try and make different strategies. So, yeah, I think it's going to be a great show.

BRUCE:

And when you get to the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa, the entertainment is a big part of the weekend. Are you a big Post Malone fan? Are you a Kelsey Ballerini fan? Anybody that Alex Pillow wants to go out and see perform?

ALEX:

Not really. I'm just a Motorsport fan. Like, I obviously know who they are, especially Post Malone. I would be keen to try and Check it out for a couple of songs, just so I say that I've been there. But yeah, I'm not really a music fan.

BRUCE:

Well, Alex Flo, good luck in the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race weekend at Iowa. Good luck the rest of the season. Thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. Thank you. Colton Herta is another IndyCar star driver at Andretti Global. He gives his thoughts on the hybrid and how it will be used in this weekend's Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa. Joining us now is Andretti Global's Colton Herta. Colton, we're now officially in the hybrid era. As a driver, we're halfway through the season, we're changing the dynamic of the championship to a degree, but how do you feel about now IndyCar is going to be a hybrid series? It's electrifying.

COLTON:

That's right. Shockingly, it's electrifying. Shockingly, yeah. I am not sure, you know, what it's going to do to the racing. I don't think we're going to have a huge effect on things. I think we will end up seeing primarily similar racing. Obviously the car is a little bit heavier, but we have more horsepower, so how that's going to affect lap time is going to be interesting to see.

BRUCE:

And as far though as taking this on to an oval at Iowa Speedway, the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa may not be as apparent as we saw on a road course at MET Ohio, but what are some of the subtle nuances? A lot of drivers said at the Milwaukee test they'd rather have a good handling car than more horsepower on a short oval.

COLTON:

It'll definitely make more of a difference. I think, you know, the hybrids are going to make a lot more of a difference on the road courses than the ovals, primarily the short ovals. You know, so I think a place like Mid-Ohio, Toronto, Portland, looking at the end of the season, you're going to be factoring in a lot more of how you want to use the hybrid at those places rather than on the short ovals, not only for the fact that handling is so important at the short ovals, but also for the fact that you're so busy. It's hard when you're on a straight for three seconds to really get that much out of a deploy. Nonetheless, we'll still be using it, try to use it to our advantage, but it will definitely be more of a difference maker on the road courses and street courses.

BRUCE:

Over these last eight races that are left in the season, how does it stack up for you? It's still a pretty close points championship.

COLTON:

Um, yeah, you know, I think we just got to keep doing our thing. You know, obviously coming off a really good result Laguna, um, you know, our third, I think our third podium of the year. Um, still searching that win would be fantastic, but, um, we just got to keep doing our thing, get as many points as we can, have a good weekend, um, and really kind of ease our way into this, this hybrid technology. You know, I think there's going to be a lot of mistakes this weekend. Um, with it and and I think the guy that makes the least amount of mistakes and gets used to it quicker will be the biggest difference maker.

BRUCE:

But heading into Iowa is essentially a double points weekend because you're going to have back-to-back races Saturday night and a Sunday race twice as many points. So how important and valuable is that going to be and also the bonus edition later in the year when we go to Milwaukee for a doubleheader Labor Day weekend?

COLTON:

They're important races because you said it right, right? It's the same track and so it's the same setup, but It's it's double points. So Obviously, it's it's a crazy race there. Usually it's easy to shake things up But I think it's important that we we maximize everything, you know We've seen in the past that I was kind of in our Achilles heel and we struggled there But I think we had a really good test there with a repave it should help and so yeah, we should have a good one. I

BRUCE:

Well, Colton Hurley and Dreddy Global, good luck the rest of the year. We'll catch up with you later this summer. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. Thank you. Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske has a streak of three straight top five finishes at Iowa Speedway, including a third place in 2022, a second and a fifth, respectively, in last year's doubleheader at Iowa Speedway. Here is a quick interview of McLaughlin for Pit Pass Indy. Joining us now is Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske. Scott, after the Mid-Ohio race, we're going to be off to Iowa. Double points weekend because it's two races. How important is that weekend going to be for the season championship?

SCOTT:

I think both ovals at Milwaukee and Iowa is going to be hugely important. You know, amazing weekend for IndyCar in general, but like half the testing there and seeing how close it's going to be in times and qualifying and whatnot. Yeah, it's going to be important just to make sure you qualify well for both races because you get one shot at it and then hopefully end up there or thereabouts in the race.

BRUCE:

What's Iowa going to be like with the addition of the hybrid assist?

SCOTT:

It's because it's so quick now, it's harder to regen. So it's harder to it's not as useful as it is at Gateway or Milwaukee, but it will have its uses and probably come into fruition maybe in qualifying or in the starts of the race and whatnot.

BRUCE:

Now, Josef Newgarden, your teammate has figured out the secret to winning races at Iowa Speedway. Has he shared any of that secret with you? And how do you evaluate your game at Iowa?

SCOTT:

I think a lot of things have changed since, you know, obviously he's been very strong for sure, but now with the repave and stuff, it's certainly a different track to drive. So I learned a lot last year. I feel like we definitely were a lot closer to him. He is a wizard around there, but Yeah, I think we're getting closer and closer on ovals and that's my next goal really is to win an oval. So I'm really working hard to make sure that happens here in the end of the year.

BRUCE:

What are the two surfaces going to be like at Iowa? We saw what NASCAR did with that paving the lower lanes. Is that going to be a challenge for the IndyCar drivers to stay out of the grey and try to get into the black part of the track?

SCOTT:

Yeah, it's not a challenge to get there, you just can't run too high above it. It's sort of driving a lot like Gateway, where the lane is quite small on the outside, but you can make it work. It's just a matter of just trying to get up there, but definitely if you touch the old stuff, you're gone. So, yeah, it's a lot of fun.

BRUCE:

Now, we are officially in the hybrid engine era. Can't really draw a comparison too quickly off of it, but what do you think of the project?

SCOTT:

I think it's, I mean, it's something that had to happen. Hopefully draw some new manufacturers to the sport, but I think it's an exciting time. I think for Honda and Chevy both to collaborate was fantastic and, you know, very innovative for the sport. So I'm excited to be part of this new era. I was excited to drive an old IndyCar and now I'm excited to drive a new one and hopefully in the future and be pretty strong just as that.

BRUCE:

What do you think of a championship with two different types of formulas?

SCOTT:

Look, it's it's a big management thing. You know, you've got to be you've got to be on top of the game and a lot of things in a lot of ways. You know, it'd be silly to say that you just can't rest on your laurels at this point. I'm sure Alex is not thinking that it's all done yet. I think there's going to be a lot more probably mechanicals and a few other things that come into play. But that's just the nature of the beast. But we all knew that coming into the season it was going to be like this. So it's just a matter of just trying to manage it the best out of everyone.

BRUCE:

And in our final question with Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin, Hy-Vee is a team sponsor for Rahal Letterman Lannigan Racing, but in a lot of ways they're an IndyCar sponsor. They sponsor the series, do a tremendous job to help expose IndyCar. How big of a weekend is the Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa for you?

SCOTT:

Oh, it's massive. I think ultimately, The idea of having all the concerts and stuff was awesome, and that was a Hy-Vee initiative, and to have them a part of IndyCar and a part of what we're doing is pretty special. They're a midwestern group that puts a lot of energy and focus into their brand here in the IndyCar series, and we've got to be thankful for that. So, excited for it. Obviously, being a Penske driver, Penske-owned series, you're grateful for that. You know the behind-the-scenes more than most, so it's pretty cool.

BRUCE:

All right, Scott McLaughlin, good luck at Iowa, and good luck the rest of the season, and thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy.

SCOTT:

Thank you, Bruce.

BRUCE:

Our next guest is heavily involved with the plans of promotion for that big event, as well as other great initiatives for IndyCar. It's Anne Fishgren, the general manager of the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa, and the director of event promotion and operations for IndyCar. Along with President Michael Montrey, FishGrun is in charge of the day-to-day details of creating the big race weekend and works closely with officials from Hy-Vee. 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 Penske Corporation President Bud 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 Ann Fischgrund for this exclusive PitPass Indy interview. Joining us now on Pit Pass Indy is a person who's been very, very busy recently. It's Anne Fishgren, the general manager of the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. Anne, we're just a few days away from the big weekend. How busy have you been and what all should fans expect to see when they arrive at Iowa Speedway this weekend?

ANNE:

Well, thank you for having me, Bruce. I don't think fans want to know how busy we've been preparing this facility for their arrival. We're so excited for campers to start loading in here any day now, customers to join us for free family Friday, and then Saturday and Sunday, amazing races and amazing concerts. It has been all hands on deck trying to get everything ready for people to show up.

BRUCE:

With one of the races this year being a Saturday night race followed by a Sunday day race, how much is that going to put extra emphasis on preparation? Because you're not going to have extra hours in between the races to get ready. In fact, you're going to lose pretty much half a day to do that.

ANNE:

We are. And it's everyone thinking about the normal steps they would take to shut down the day on Saturday and have to reopen the venue on Sunday. and thinking about holistically how much can we do beforehand and prep for that because you're right. If we aren't prepared for it, people aren't going to be sleeping and we really want to make sure everyone's fresh and ready to go for Sunday because Sunday is just as important as Saturday.

BRUCE:

A lot of the fans in Iowa Speedway have wanted to see a night race. It's not going to be real dark because that time in Iowa it doesn't get real dark until after nine o'clock or so. This will probably be a earlier start than that but How big of an advantage is that to be able to give the fans what they've wanted to see at Iowa Speedway, which is a race under lights?

ANNE:

We are so excited to turn the lights back on here at Iowa Speedway for a Saturday night race. It's been way too long, five or six years maybe, and to do that hoping for cooler temperatures, amazing track racing, and then after that, welcome Eric Church under the lights too for a great concert.

BRUCE:

You're going to have four of the biggest names in entertainment performing once again this year at Iowa Speedway. When you look at the concert lineups that Hy-Vee's been able to provide to that event, how much does that really help your job as the general manager to be able to know that that part's taken care of and you can focus on making everything work at the track?

ANNE:

It's great. I could not thank our partners and Hy-Vee enough for helping us with this I would say small bit of the weekend, but it is truly the largest bit of the weekend. We have the NTT IndyCar series coming in, we have these amazing concerts, but it truly is a juggling act to make it all fit in this seven-eighths mile oval to make sure that the customers are safe and informed and to create this puzzle piece of a puzzle to put it all together. It truly is a lot of time and effort, but We could not do this without Hy-Vee and we're so excited to have these concerts to pair up with the NTT IndyCar Series races.

BRUCE:

Although you also work for IndyCar, you've spent an awful lot of time in the state of Iowa. When do you relocate to Iowa and when do you relocate back to Indianapolis?

ANNE:

Yeah, so in order to put on this event, I spend off and on about three months a year, if not a little more here in the state of Iowa. And then truly live here about consecutively about six or seven weeks before and after collectively of this event. So I'll finally make it home to Indianapolis. Hopefully, if all goes to plan, July 20th.

BRUCE:

You also played a role in the 108th Indianapolis 500 with a lot of the things that you have to do for IndyCar with that. So how difficult was that time frame getting ready to get Iowa started up or not really started up, but getting the kick in and the higher gear along with conducting the biggest race of the year, the 108th Indianapolis 500?

ANNE:

I'm lucky in the sense that I get to be a part of the Indianapolis 500 with my colleagues and my team. But really I was here during the week in Iowa, all month of May I was in Iowa during the week. And then I drive back to Indianapolis to help and support the team there because it truly is an all hands on deck. While I don't have a huge role in that day, I am there to do whatever the team needs, whether it's scanning tickets at the gate because we're down someone or welcoming guests to a suite because we don't have someone standing there that day, to really just standing around waiting for the next quote unquote crisis to happen. And after a three to four hour rain delay this past year, it definitely lent itself to some extra hands, making sure everyone was content and safe.

BRUCE:

Having been in Iowa for as much time as you have, when did you notice the buzz starting to pick up regarding this race amongst the local community out there in Iowa?

ANNE:

With the NASCAR event that the Speedway had in early June, it definitely was a little later in the game. We started to market this event at the beginning of October when we went on sale with tickets. And so we did see a few things earlier on, but really That 90-day window is really when you start to hear more and more in the community, right? Schools are out for the summer a bit closer to that date. People are starting to think about what's going to happen with their year come post-school. And so the 90 and 60-day window is really where we hear a lot lot of movement. But man, does that 30 day hit and we are just everywhere. You can hear us on the radio and TV and social media, driver appearances in market. Hy-Vee obviously does such an amazing job promoting in their own stores. So really that 60 to 30 day window is really where you feel the buzz in the community. But overall, we hear from fans and people are really starting to buy and think strategically about their summer about 90 days out.

BRUCE:

What are some of the comments you've heard about this year's concert lineup?

ANNE:

People are so excited that Post Malone is coming to the state of Iowa. Aird Church has been here numerous times and I think Fans are equally as excited to see the country acts on Saturday, but I think there's a little bit of an unknown with Post Malone and they can't wait to be here to see it all happen.

BRUCE:

And even though it'd be unfair to call her the opening act because she's a superstar in her own right, but what about having Kelsey Ballerini on stage right before Post Malone?

ANNE:

having her on stage for an hour before Post Malone's hour and a half show on Sunday, I think is a great way to close off the NTP IndyCar Series race Sunday afternoon, diving right into this musical fest. People are very excited. I think that Kelsey Ballerini and Post Malone maybe pull a little different demographic, and I can't wait to see that play out on Sunday afternoon.

BRUCE:

How much of your crowd would you say is there to watch two great IndyCar Series races back-to-back on a Saturday night and a Sunday, and how much of the crowd are there to see the entertainers?

ANNE:

It's so funny you ask it, that question, because we poll our customers after the event, right? What made you come to this event, or what did you like about this event? You know, did you buy a concert pass, or did you buy a ticket for the concert, or did you buy a ticket for the race, or did you buy a ticket for both? And I would say it's about a third equal. The last two years when we've pulled customers in this current setting of what Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend looks like, and I would say you'd have a third that are really just here for the concerts, a third that are really just here for the races, and a third that are here for both, which is really exciting.

BRUCE:

Bud Denker told me a story last year. Bud Denker, the president of the Penske Corporation, who's overall in charge of the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, about meeting a husband and wife who had come up from Houston, Texas. And they were originally up there because his wife was a big fan of Ed Sheeran and they bought the VIP package to be right up against the stage. But they really got into the IndyCar Series races. How many stories like that have you heard of people that came because their favorite entertainer was playing, but they saw the thrilling action that was on track before their concert and became IndyCar fans?

ANNE:

We have quite a few stories of that. When we're able to talk to our customers and hear one-on-one stories, we're so thankful for them coming no matter what. Whether you bought a ticket for the concert and have a great day with us. But hearing those stories do pop up every once in a while, and it is so much fun to hear them and interact with them. We want to expose people to the NTT IndyCar series, but we also want to expose people to these musical acts. So it is a win-win no matter what you come for that day.

BRUCE:

How cool is it for you as the general manager of that event to walk out in the grass infield park in front of the stage either before or after an IndyCar Series race and see IndyCar Series drivers and their crews and their families out there watching the concerts with the fans?

ANNE:

I think it means we're doing something right. It is so much fun. It's hard to take in those moments and see and witness everything going on because we'll have about 4,000 to 5,000 people on the infield that day for the concert specifically after the race. And it's hard to kind of get that aerial shot of what's going on. who you see out there, but it is fun. I remember last year I looked around and there was a big group of Firestone officials standing there in their jerseys and the polos. And to your point, drivers standing out there in their fire suits, just getting ready for the race on Saturday, but out there enjoying the concert on Saturday. So it is fun to kind of take in my racing community, my paddock community, and seeing them enjoy themselves. even taking that one moment to enjoy a concert before competition.

BRUCE:

You mentioned something earlier in that there was a NASCAR race this year exactly one month before the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. NASCAR Xfinity has raced there before in the past. The race this year, the NASCAR Hy-Vee Perks 250 was the 10th time the NASCAR Xfinity Series has raced at Iowa Speedway. But the following day was the first time in history there was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. How much did that either enhance your effort? How much did it have to be scheduled, your construction of certain things that goes on around the track? What were some of the logistics involved around having NASCAR there exactly one month before your race with IndyCar?

ANNE:

There were a lot of unknowns with NASCAR having that event a month before us. I will say that we worked hand in hand with the NASCAR team here at Iowa Speedway to work out build schedules to your point, whether it's a temporary street suite structure we were trying to build or painting of the greenhouse logos. All those small things had to be worked out in advance to make sure that everything could be done on time. And it's everything from you know, where NASCAR wanted to move employee check-in and parking to the credential office and making sure that we could accommodate that as well, because we want to make sure that anything we do, knowing that we use a lot of the same vendors and resources, feel like there's not a huge transition between NASCAR weekend and IndyCar weekend. And I think we were able to accomplish that goal. The NASCAR team did an amazing job. The weather held out for them, which helped everything else. We were in here the day it was over, starting to load in and switch the property to be ready for IndyCar weekend.

BRUCE:

What were some of the differences between the two events that you would have to wait for their series to conclude before yours can start?

ANNE:

Absolutely. The biggest difference is the track wall itself. The way that the Safer Barrier works with foam. NASCAR takes a different amount of foam in the Safer Barrier than IndyCar does for crash. for crashes. So that had to come out, which we couldn't do, obviously, until after NASCAR was done. Loading in our concert compound actually had to wait. We just had, two weeks ago, had the NTT IndyCar Series testing here at Iowa Speedway. So we had to wait until some of that was done before we could put up logos on the track wall. Loading in the concert compound, as I mentioned, all the series trucks had to load out from the test before we could load in the concert compound. You name it, tents up somewhere where we don't need them, TV compound moving. It was small things maybe we didn't know or didn't think about and how we can react to it. So it was really great to see how they set it up and how they envisioned their cup weekend and how we can either play off of it or make small changes to make it fit our weekend.

BRUCE:

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

SPEAKER_00:

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. And now here's the rest of my exclusive interview with the Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa general manager and fish ground for pit pass Indy. I talked to Bud Denker a few days after the Road America race, and that was at the test at the Milwaukee Mile. And he said that ticket sales were up 22% and 21% for the Saturday night and the Sunday races, which he was a little surprised about. He said he expected maybe with NASCAR being there a month before, it might taper off the tickets a little bit for the IndyCar race. But he said ticket sales were up. How surprised were you by that? And what do ticket sales look like right now?

ANNE:

sales are still up. We've been selling at a really great rate. I think that I joke, but I call it the post Malone effect. I think people are really excited to see post Malone and then Kelsey Ballerini on Sunday. And then I think not only do Luke Holmes and Eric Church bring that same excitement for Saturday, but the night race, I think really did draw back a few IndyCar fans. So while I want to say I'm shocked, I'm pleasantly thrilled and hope that keeps going until we you know, until we can't sell any more on Saturday and Sunday.

BRUCE:

There was a race out there a month before your race. Some people say when the focus is on Iowa Speedway and people see how good of a race the track put on for NASCAR, that that might get some other race fans excited about saying, hey, let's go back and see this IndyCar race. Those guys are going to be going a lot faster.

ANNE:

Absolutely. And we really did see some really just a week, week and a half ago. So yes, you're right. Someone had an amazing experience out here in June. I hope they come back and join us in July.

BRUCE:

You brought up another good point about the speeds that you saw there at the open test. It's also going to be the first oval that the hybrid power unit will be used on in an IndyCar race. It had debuted this past weekend with the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on a road course. This will be the first time it'll be on an oval. So how much intrigue does that add to the overall weekend from a competitive standpoint?

ANNE:

If you're coming because you want to dive into the NTT IndyCar series a bit more, absolutely. Why wouldn't you be intrigued by this new unit and what it can do and the performance the drivers will get out of it? Obviously, they've tested here with it, they've tested in Milwaukee with it, but from a competition standpoint, I'm very excited to see this come to life on the oval.

BRUCE:

Looking at the entire entertainment lineup plus the race, the fact that it's a doubleheader plus everything else that happens that weekend, there's a lot of things that go on behind the grandstands that maybe a lot of people in the paddock aren't aware of. You've got a fan zone, you've got autograph sessions, you've got a lot of exhibits set up there to help entertain fans. There's a lot of food in the food area and there's beer gardens and things of that nature. Of course, none of this could really happen without a key partner, and that key partner, of course, is Hy-Vee. And how important are they in making this not just a race weekend on the IndyCar schedule, but perhaps the biggest race weekend of the summer on the IndyCar schedule?

ANNE:

They allow us to make this event an event. It is everything is top of the top and thought through. To your point, Bruce, it's about the beer garden and keeping a full schedule of amazing entertainers on that schedule while the main stage on the track surface isn't active. It is thinking about what partners they have that can come in and create very hands-on experiential opportunities for our customers in the concourse. It's working on food trucks. Hy-Vee is bringing in their Hi-Chai and their Wahlburgers food trucks as an opportunity for customers to experience Hy-Vee at its finest. We have numerous partners coming in with full-size taste opportunities like Gatorade and C4, so perfect for a hot Iowa day. Fingers crossed we don't have a hot Iowa day, but odds are we might. But we have partners that are wanting to engage. We have electrolyte companies. We have local groups. We have all the great IndyCar traveling displays as well. There's literally something for everyone, whether you're sitting in the grandstands watching the race or watching a concert, or you need to walk and get some food and a drink, we have opportunities everywhere.

BRUCE:

And the fact that Hy-Vee IndyCar, the state of Iowa, helped revive Iowa Speedway, which had been dormant in 2020-2021. There was an IndyCar doubleheader there during the COVID year of 2020. The crowd was limited to 7,000 because everybody had to be spaced six feet apart. But then in 2021, it wasn't on the schedule, but between the governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds, and Hy-Vee's Randy Edeker, and Roger Penske, they were able to revive Iowa Speedway. And to be able to see what has happened since that announcement in 2021, to what it has become, how proud are you of what has transpired from all that?

ANNE:

I am so honored to be a part of this and feel blessed every day. But we truly could not do this without Hy-Vee's support. Hy-Vee is the promoter. Hy-Vee is the one wanting to do this for the customers of Iowa, their employees of Iowa. And to work through everything you just listed, right, how it's all transpired into what it is, it's truly remarkable. And I can't wait to show everyone this on Friday. I just can't wait.

BRUCE:

And the fact that IndyCar and Iowa have such a very unique connection, it's a sprint car racing capital of America. Knoxville Nationals are held every year, the largest sprint car race in the world. The Sprint Car Hall of Fame is at Knoxville Speedway. Just to be able to have that grassroots connection with IndyCar, how important is that?

ANNE:

It's really amazing for those individuals in the racing community to be able to have the opportunity, whether you're local and you are going to your dirt track sprint car racing, and take a weekend to come and see one of the highest levels of professional open wheel sport in the US, just down the road from your house, I think it's amazing. I hated that we couldn't come here in 2021. And then in 2020, it was very limited, to your point earlier. It's very unique in the fact that the state of Iowa does not have really a handful at all of professional sports, a lot of collegiate sports, or minor league teams. And to be able to bring not only the NTT IndyCar Series, but Iowa Speedway to bring the Cup Series, I hope that these local tracks take advantage of that opportunity because it doesn't get better than that. And it's so much fun to watch.

BRUCE:

And how much support do you get from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the use of their jet dryers, the use of a lot of their staff, a lot of the people that work at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, who will be wearing the red Hy-Vee shirts that weekend to help Iowa Speedway put on that race?

ANNE:

We do bring in a handful of our trusty crew from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We try not to bring too many if we don't have to, but you may see for those IMS fans, you may see a few familiar faces that normally wear a yellow shirt, maybe wearing a different polo come a high VD car race weekend.

BRUCE:

Now once the race is over, your job doesn't get easier because you're helping out the Milwaukee Mile. Hy-Vee is the sponsor of the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s, returned to the Milwaukee Mile for the first time since 2015. So how do you transition into that? I know that you're not the promoter of that race, it's the Wisconsin State Fair Board that is, but you will be assisting them in conducting that race on Labor Day weekend.

ANNE:

I just really love races on holiday weekends, apparently. We will. We'll close up here in Iowa, tie up loose ends, make sure we hand back the property the way we found it. And I will most likely be heading to Milwaukee to support that team. What I do that day or what that week, who knows? I'm kind of a wanna be a team player and make sure I can help and provide guidance or additional hands anywhere I can.

BRUCE:

This wouldn't be possible without is Roger Penske, the owner of IndyCar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500. Bud Denker, the president of the Penske Corporation, is a key figure in helping conduct this race. But what's it like for you when Roger Penske tells you you did a great job this year?

ANNE:

It makes you work harder. I already care so much about this company and the work that I do and the people I get to work with. reemphasizes everything. It's such a great company to work for and I have so much fun doing what we do.

BRUCE:

And one more question about Hy-Vee. It's not so much that they're a sponsor of the weekend, they're more of a partner with the entire Hy-Vee IndyCar Race weekend at Iowa Speedway. So how much more does that really raise the level of what can get done?

ANNE:

Hy-Vee and Penfee Corp definitely have very similar values and expectations. And it's amazing to work with a company that you're aligned with in the way something should look or feel or flow. Our customers always come first. We want to make sure you're safe and informed. And then everything else we put together and put a pretty great plan in place to make sure that you can't walk a second year without seeing the name Hy-Vee somewhere, or a friendly smiling face between volunteers and full-time staff. This place is hopefully covered head to toe in Hy-Vee red and making people's days a lot easier. So we could not do this without Hy-Vee.

BRUCE:

And there will be a few things a little different this year than last year, one of which is that large structure that was in the pit lane area, the suite structure. That's not going to be there, but some of that has been moved into Turn 1. And also Turn 4 is going to be utilized more as the suite area. So what else can you tell us about that and about what will look different this year than last year?

ANNE:

That's a really great question. You're right. We are not building a temporary suite structure in Pitt Lane. So customers from the grandstand can see the backstretch this year and not have anything in their way. But outside of that, we have built the same structures in Turn 1 and Turn 4 that we have the last few years. And everything else is really the same. Like we continue to build that every year up. We have amazing displays throughout the concourse in the Midway. We have food trucks, hopefully everywhere. So food should not be an issue, a point of sale everywhere you can go, beer, water, Pepsi, et cetera. And honestly, a great concert and race. Nothing has impacted our day except for maybe that view.

BRUCE:

Originally, it started as a revival for Iowa Speedway, but now it is beginning to look like a tradition, IndyCar at Iowa. And just how valuable would that be to turn the Hy-Vee IndyCar race weekend at Iowa Speedway into a full-time tradition that everybody in the Upper Midwest, Greater Midwest looks forward to every year?

ANNE:

you could only hope that, right? Having data equity and having customers know the experience and the expectations that come with the name Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend. We want customers to come back year over year. We know certain customers will only buy based on who the concert is. We understand that, but we hope you have such a great time that it doesn't matter what the concert is. We want you here. We want to have a great weekend and we hope everyone joins us this weekend.

BRUCE:

Well, Anne Fishkron, you're a very busy person, and I want to thank you for taking some time out of your busy schedule to talk to us here on Pit Pass Indy presented by Hy-Vee. Good luck with this weekend's Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, and thank you for joining us.

ANNE:

Thank you so much.

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. There was more big news in IndyCar last week. Alexander Rossi announced he was leaving Errol McLaren at the end of this season. He will be replaced by Christian Lungard, who currently drives the number 45 IV Honda for Ray Hall Letterman, Lanigan racing. Rossi is very optimistic about his future. However, as he told me in this exclusive interview for pit pass, Indy. Hey Alex, how are you? Fine. How are you? Not too bad. Getting ready for the big trip to mid Ohio.

CHRISTIAN:

Oh, Isn't that exciting?

BRUCE:

So, um, another chapter coming to an end, but I'm sure you have another chapter about to begin. So just how confident are you that you're going to land in a pretty good place?

CHRISTIAN:

Uh, very confident. Um, you know, it's exciting to kind of think about all of that, but that's also not the number one focus because we're in the middle of a championship. Um, So I think that the future is bright and that next chapter will come when it comes. But right now we're in the middle of a very strong season and we have the opportunity as an organization to put two cars in the top five in the championship and that's what we need to be doing.

BRUCE:

So to be able to put two cars into the championship would lead somebody to say, why would you leave?

CHRISTIAN:

Fair question. And I'm not saying to you, but fans and everyone often forget that this is much of a business as it is a sport. And you know, you gotta find, it's called contract negotiations for a reason, right? You gotta find kind of a middle ground and a space where everyone feels like they're meeting their obligations to their partners and the people they're responsible to. And this is something that we tried to come to terms on for several weeks and we just couldn't quite get there. And it became clear that we were gonna go our separate ways and that kind of all came became pretty clear in Laguna and then kind of officially on Tuesday after Laguna. So that being said, we've had two days on track since then. And as a team, we're moving past it. But yeah, I mean, it's just one of those things where we couldn't quite be in the middle.

BRUCE:

Is Prima the leader in the clubhouse?

CHRISTIAN:

There are quite a few teams we're talking to.

BRUCE:

Okay, but them included?

CHRISTIAN:

Actually, no, it's okay.

None:

A lot of people are thinking that.

CHRISTIAN:

But yeah, no, I've never driven for Perm. I know, I know Rene and I know his, some of his engineers just from the time that I spent over there. But no, I never drove for that organization.

BRUCE:

Okay, well, so how far away do you think Errol McLaren is from really becoming a power team?

CHRISTIAN:

Oh, that's a that's a tough question to answer. I mean, I think there's really if you look at it, there's there's only two of them. Yeah. And, you know, I think that Aaron McLaren is is close. You know, there's they're doing a lot of really good things. I think that, you know, last year was probably the biggest struggle and challenge they would have had as an organization. You know, when you think about When you think about the history of this team, McLaren as an entity has really only had kind of full control over it from what the previous ownership and the previous management since the beginning of 2023, right? You bring into that an additional car and all of the additional people and staffing challenges that come with that at the same time that they're having kind of control over the organization. and in a very competitive championship, like there's gonna be some growing pains and teething issues along with that. But we're through that. And I think 24 or everything has been kind of much more scientific and there's been much higher level of execution from everyone, myself included. And I think you're kind of seeing that on track. Now, the next step that they take in terms of, you know, being able to, you know, beat Ganassi and Penske is hard for everyone. Like we're all, trust me, we're trying. We're trying every day to figure out what we need to do to close the gap to those guys. So I don't have an exact timeline. We'd love it to be in 48 hours so that we can show up to middle high and kick their butt. But yeah, I don't know.

BRUCE:

Do you think in a lot of ways Gavin Ward's been trying to just get some stability going because there was a lot of Stuff that pretty much happened when Alex Polo decided he wasn't going to join the team and then all of a sudden that set in the motion a lot of moves and decisions that have happened since.

CHRISTIAN:

Yeah, I don't envy Gavin's position at all. Mostly because I don't even think that he asked for it. You know, you gotta remember what he was originally brought to the team to do and there's been a lot that's been thrown on his plate since then. his control, which has been very challenging for everyone involved. Obviously, the Alex thing is what it is, and then with David being very unlucky with his incident in the offseason, it just seemed to be one thing after another. It has been a massive challenge for the team and I've seen that internally and I think they've managed it really as best as they can through very unpredictable situations and circumstances. So yes, I think stability for Gavin is priority number one and you just gotta, I think you gotta cut everyone some slack because it's been kind of one thing after another.

BRUCE:

So before you get to your next opportunity, we've got the hybrid assist rolling out this weekend. And what are your thoughts on that? Some of the drivers I talked to at Milwaukee didn't think it really generated that much extra boost, but yeah.

CHRISTIAN:

Yeah. I mean, let's be honest. It, it doesn't, um, but that, I don't know that that really matters because it's not like some guys can get more boost out of it than others. It's the same for everyone. I just did a test in St. Louis yesterday and me and Will did 300 laps combined with zero faults. So I think that from a reliability standpoint, everyone's done an amazing job getting it to where it is now. So I don't think that's really too much of a concern. Obviously, you're going to have things fail, but it's not going to be this kind of mass casualty event of hybrids dying left and right. So I think that's really good and something that IndyCar obviously wanted to make sure of, which is why this was delayed in the first place. And then, yeah, I mean, I think you're gonna see people choose to use it different ways at different points in the weekend, but I'm not seeing it as something that's going to make or break someone's weekend, unless of course it fails. saying they all work, it's not going to be a game changer, if that makes sense and answers your question.

BRUCE:

So to the fan, they want to know what needed to be fixed, but in a lot of ways, probably relevancy is what needed to be fixed, because you can't buy a new car in 2024 that doesn't have some type of hybrid component in it, or it's difficult to find it.

CHRISTIAN:

Right. And that's what people need to remember. It's not so much about fixing anything. It's we have two very critical partners in this championship that give us engines, provide us engines, and a lot of support from that standpoint. And the consumer market is moving towards more efficient energy propulsion. And whether that's electric, whether that's hybrid, whether that's A combination of both, whatever, it's very difficult for an OEM to market a product at a racetrack and then sell a completely different product on Monday on a showroom floor. So it's important for all of us to understand that. And that's the way and the direction that the world is moving, whether you agree with it or not. And so the branding exercise and the marketing products that they put on display in IndyCars need to have some correlation to what they're selling. And for me, that is really all that needs to be said on the matter and makes a lot of sense.

BRUCE:

How much time will it take for drivers to really just get used to the environment? I know a lot of times when you rent cars, one brand to the next, just trying to find how to save a station on your Sirius XM gets to be a challenge because different manufacturers have different interfaces. Now you've got all these other different buttons and levers and knobs to care after inside the cockpit.

CHRISTIAN:

It certainly adds another element of things you've got to manage, but I think that I don't think there's any IndyCar drivers that are out there driving at their maximum capacity mentally. So I feel like everyone's got a bit of margin to adapt to all of this. And again, there are things that we can simulate and there are things that we have done to got figured out, but let's be honest, none of us have done a qualifying session. None of us have done a race with pit stops and in and laps, out laps, restarts, starts, all this sort of thing. So we don't, we're all going to be kind of learning this together. And there are going to be people that have a slightly quicker rated development than others on how to maximize it. But I think that all of us will be able to regen and deploy as we need pretty easily. I don't think that there's going to be guys that can't do it or forget to do it. It's just how does a team and a driver figure out the way to optimize it the most first will be the biggest thing.

BRUCE:

Is it a bigger challenge when you jump into a sports car because that is a completely new environment?

CHRISTIAN:

Honestly, yes. You know, there's a lot more to manage on the sports car side of things just because it's completely open electronics, right? So what each manufacturer can do from a traction control, that's the other thing, there are a lot of traction controls. So what each manufacturer can do from a traction control standpoint with their own hybrids and their energy management, like an LMDH car is more complicated by than what a hybrid IndyCar is. So yes, like I said, I don't think anyone's going to struggle kind of doing it and using it.

BRUCE:

And so far, what's your favorite memory of your time at McLaren?

CHRISTIAN:

Oh, that's a, I don't, I should probably, shoot, I should probably start thinking about that. This year has been really rewarding to be able to just see the, The efforts of everyone in the offseason and just the cohesiveness that exists at this team this year, despite all the chaos kind of surrounding it, has probably been really cool to be a part of. I mean, I would say for us, for me personally, probably this year's 500, like just the whole month of May, you know, was such a, was such an enjoyable process for me as a driver. And, um, you know, to have a car that was as strong as it was for the entire month. Um, it was just a really enjoyable time, uh, with some people that I love going to the racetrack with.

BRUCE:

And finally, how well do you think Christian will fit in with the gang at Arrow McLaren?

CHRISTIAN:

Well, they're all about the same age, so that probably helps. I don't know Christian that well. I know he has a very similar sense of humor to Pato, which will probably be great because Pato's sense of humor is very unique, let's call it. So I think Christian and him will hit it off pretty much instantly from that standpoint. And then I think everyone's still getting to know Nolan. Yeah, I don't have an opinion there yet.

BRUCE:

Well, but Nolan being 19 years old, I mean, do you guys play pranks on him? Do you pick on him a little bit?

CHRISTIAN:

Well, I mean, I've worked with him now for three days. So I don't, four days, sorry. We had an Iowa test. So I still, still learning things about Nolan. I'm not, not doing anything mean to him quite yet.

BRUCE:

But that doesn't mean that there isn't time to start.

CHRISTIAN:

You're not wrong. You're not wrong. We'll wait until the last race of the season when he can't rebuttal. Let's put it that way.

BRUCE:

Yeah. All right. Well, hey, good luck in your next endeavor. And I know that I'll keep asking where it's going to be and you'll keep not giving me an answer, but still have to ask.

CHRISTIAN:

All right. Yeah. Look forward to that.

BRUCE:

Thank you. And I'll see you this week. Sounds good. Safe trip. Bye. 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, Pat O'Ward of Arrow McLaren, Graham Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Alex Pillow of Chip Ganassi Racing, Colton Herta of Andretti Global, Marcus Armstrong of Chip Ganassi Racing, and Fish Grimm, the general manager of the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, and Alexander Rossi of Arrow McLaren 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 and Hy-Vee, your path to victory lane in IndyCar. Look for a special bonus edition of Pit Pass Indy later this week with even more details on the Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. 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's 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.