IndyCar Hybrid Assist Testing with Colton Herta, Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson

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Speakers: Bruce Martin & Colton Herta & Alex Palou & Marcus Ericsson

Roger Penske:

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

[Music Playing]

Bruce Martin:

IndyCar fans, it's time to start your engines. Welcome to Pit Pass Indy, a production of Evergreen Podcasts. 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 an insider's view of the exciting world of the NTT IndyCar Series in a fast-paced podcast featuring interviews with the biggest names in the sport.

I bring nearly 40 years of experience covering IndyCar and NASCAR, working for such media brands as nbcsports.com, si.com, ESPN Sports Ticker, Sports Illustrated, Autoweek, and Speed Sport.

So, let's drop the green flag on this episode of Pit Pass Indy.

Welcome to this week's edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Testing of IndyCar's Hybrid Assist Unit is well underway, and Pit Pass Indy was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway several weeks ago to check in on the progress of the unit that is scheduled to be deployed on all cars in 2024.

The Hybrid Assist Unit will store up electrical energy that drivers can utilize to boost the horsepower on the engine.

On today's Pit Pass Indy, we talked to three of the top drivers in the NTT IndyCar Series to get their thoughts on the Hybrid Assist Unit and other topics in IndyCar.

First up is Colton Herta of Andretti Global, who walks us through the Hybrid Assist project for Pit Pass Indy.

Colton Herta:

We're not really into the more aggressive settings so it's hard to say, but yeah, I mean, you can feel it working for sure.

Bruce Martin:

What's the paddles like to regenerate the system on the oval?

Colton Herta:

I mean, it's pretty simple. You're just pulling the paddle. It obviously, pull speed out of the car to regen it and then therefore you can deploy it again.

Bruce Martin:

How often do you need to regenerate?

Colton Herta:

It depends on how aggressive the settings are for regen and whatnot. And we're still working with finding the most efficient way of using it and where to use it. So, it's not really sure of the moment.

Bruce Martin:

So, when you deploy it, does it throw you back in the seat or is it more solid?

Colton Herta:

No, I mean, it's less than push to pass. So, it's not as big of a difference as that. You feel it for sure. And it does make a difference, but it's not like you're adding 400 horsepower as soon as you push the button. No.

Yeah, it pulls you back for sure. It feels like you're kind of dragging a little bit of break. That's what it's doing. It's just cutting a little bit of power to refill the battery.

And yeah, I mean, ideally in the race, you would use it to create gaps going into the corner so you're not entering the corner right before somebody and you use that instead of lifting.

But it would be a combination of both because the regen isn't powerful enough to just really pull you back and really slow the car down. So, it'll be a mixture of both lifting and using the regen to kind of set your gaps.

And then most likely deploying kind of like push to pass at the exits of the corner to get runs. Although it could be used in the short shoots and whatnot to get a little bit closer, you could play with it a little bit.

I mean, it can change balance of the race car too, depending on how much region. We haven't felt that at a place like this yet, just because we haven't kicked it up really aggressively. But so, there's a lot of different things that can change the way the race goes and the way that you can control the race also.

Bruce Martin:

When IndyCar has projects like this in the off season, does it rejuvenate the drivers because it gives you a project to work on as opposed to private team testing, which is very limited.

Colton Herta:

Yeah, I mean, we wouldn't be doing anything right now. Maybe have a couple of sim days and no on track days till the next year. So, it is nice that we kind of get this and we get to understand it a little bit more and very fortunate that be part of the Honda teams that got to be part of this kind of early testing with it.

Bruce Martin:

And is there a reason why you're not testing on Friday?

Colton Herta:

Well, I think the team just decides it's best to kind of split the days. So, everybody can get the most amount of days. I think it equals even days for me, Kyle, and Marcus. Especially at a place where we're going to race.

I'd be upset if one guy got to run both days at a place that we have to race rather than if you get two days at Sebring, you're not really losing much from a driver's side of things. But if you're getting hosed out of an extra day at Indy, could make a difference.

I mean, we try to learn as much as we can, but it's still unclear exactly how the system's going to work. That's going to be a decision that the engine manufacturers and IndyCar will make whether it's an automatic deploy or not. So, that'll change what we do a lot.

For me, personally, I would love to see it be more in the driver's hands because it could be more of a difference maker. And like I said before, like we're just kind of getting into it on the oval stuff and this is my first day with it on an oval. So, not really sure what to expect.

But for the road course for sure, there's things that you can do to kind of change the fate of the race or how much lap time you can get out of it each lap.

Bruce Martin:

With the extra weight on the car with the Arrow screen and now, with the Hybrid Assist device, are you getting a net gain in horsepower or is it just getting the horsepower back to what it was without those two?

Colton Herta:

I think it's a net gain in horsepower. Yeah, I mean, it's kind of unclear. I mean, horsepower is horsepower. Weight won't lower the actual horsepower number, but it'll lower how fast you can go your top speed and whatnot.

So, as far as that, yeah, we were pushing out more horsepower. But yeah, it adds weight and so, it's still kind of unclear to me on if it's going to be a quicker car or a slower car especially early on before we really know how to take advantage of it. It's obviously slower right now, but we still got a lot of work to do with it.

Because we rebalance it, so it's the same as when we added the Arrow screen. It moved 75 pounds of weight forward and higher, and in turn made the cars a little bit slower. But we found a ways to kind of get around that and make the cars fast again.

So, obviously, right now, the performance isn't there, but we still need to have some time with it.

Bruce Martin:

And do you expect any type of supply chain issues? I know we're five, six months away from the start of the season, but anytime there's a new project, whether it be the Arrow screen or different parts on the car, there's always getting the supply chain up to speed so that everybody has the equal amount of parts. Are you confident that that will not be an issue?

Colton Herta:

I'm not sure. That's probably a better question for IndyCar or Honda. I don't really know where they're at, so I have no clue.

Bruce Martin:

And also, as far as Andreia Autosport in 2024, as of now, it's a three-car team with the additional of Marcus Ericsson. How do things look?

It seems like the atmosphere and the mood seems to be a lot better and that Marcus is all anxious to be a really good teammate with you guys.

Colton Herta:

Yeah, I mean, I like Marcus. I've enjoyed racing with him. He is been very fair to me in the past. So, just as a person, he seems really nice as well. Good guy. So, yeah, we'll have to wait and see.

This is his first time driving with Andretti, will be tomorrow. So, he hasn't done any testing or any sim days or anything prior.

So, this would be his first time actually with the team. So, it'd be interesting to see what he sounds like on the radio. I'll be here tomorrow too, so I'll be able to see what's going on with him and kind of gauge it off that.

But obviously, he's done well here in the past. He has an Indy 500 win and he is done well at a lot of places. So, we are excited to have him for sure.

Bruce Martin:

Herta explains his thoughts on the special non points race at The Thermal Club in March that will pay the winner $1 million. Also, his first experience next Labor Day weekend at the Milwaukee Mile.

Colton Herta:

It is cool to add more races. I wish they were for points but it's nice to win money at least. If you're not going to give us points then give us money.

Bruce Martin:

I'm sure your dad's got some good Milwaukee stories because he raced there plenty of times.

Colton Herta:

He would've raced there a few times. Yeah, so it looks cool. It's a cool oval just looking at it. And it's up to the fans now. They really wanted this place here, now we've got it. They need to keep it there.

So, hoping that everybody can kind of come together and come to this race and make it a good thing because everything I've heard about the place is it's awesome to drive. So, I hope we get to stay there for a while.

Bruce Martin:

From a championship standpoint, do you like the fact that there's going to be a lot of ovals in the second half of the season leading into the series finale?

Colton Herta:

Definitely be interesting. Like we're in a point in IndyCar where ovals haven't been like a huge primary focus and it's going to turn into it at the end of the year when it's kind of crunch time.

So, yeah, it will be cool. I like the addition. Obviously, it sucks that we lost Texas, but we gained another oval, which is nice. And I'm sure IndyCar's working on that to get that back.

Bruce Martin:

And finally, Herta explained one of the more interesting things he has done in the off season.

Colton Herta:

I became a carny for two days. I worked in an Elephant ear booth Topsfield, Massachusetts, and yeah, it was good. I worked 27 hours and I made $400. I've never had a job before, so it was … never got to work at Subway or Taco Bell or anything. Not to me, no. And so, it was interesting making $16 an hour and working.

It's what my girlfriend's family does, they don't do that, but her family's … I don't know how to explain it, but they're carnage, basically.

Bruce Martin:

After making that many elephant ears, I'm sure the last thing you want is something that's fried dough.

Colton Herta:

Yeah, I know, I know. It's so hard to make elephant ears too. I don't know if you guys have tried, but I couldn't make a circle to save my life. Always making damn rectangles the whole time. I couldn't figure it out. Two days, 25 hours, couldn't figure it out.

Bruce Martin:

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

Josef Newgarden:

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

Bruce Martin:

Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Alex Palou scored his second NTT IndyCar Series Championship in 2023, but he was back on the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in October to participate in Hybrid Assist testing.

Palou and his wife, Esther, are expecting the couple's first child later in November, close to the Thanksgiving holiday. Let's catch up with the two-time IndyCar Series Champion with this Pit Pass Indy interview.

So, Alex Palou, your thoughts of the Hybrid Assist testing and how does it feel to you?

Alex Palou:

Yeah, it's interesting. Lots of work since I first got in at Gateway. I did Barber and then this.

This morning we couldn't really try much. It was just more getting everything ready. But I was doubting a bit at the beginning. I start to think that it might be good enough for passing and making the racing even a little bit better, especially on traffic here at IMS.

Bruce Martin:

Palou was asked if he noticed any difference in the hybrid between testing on the road course at Barber Motorsports Park and the big oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Alex Palou:

No. So, it's more like how we regen and how we deploy. Let's say when we are not using it, it doesn't really feel much difference.

And actually, at Barber, for example, the car balance mechanically felt different. Like it felt a bit tougher, the steering wheel was really heavy. Newgarden said the same thing.

Here, it didn't make a difference. Like if you're not using it, you don't even know if you have like that added weight or stuff like that. So, it didn't change.

And then the only issue I saw this morning is that obviously when you recharge alone on clean air, like you lose a lot of speed. You gain it back, but let's say that if I recharge here, I'm losing a ton and then I gain it back there.

But when you are in traffic that we normally like start, let's say coasting from like the start finish line, I think it's a moment where you recharge and hopefully if you are third, you can still overtake to the second that it's not recharging and stuff like that.

So, we need to see in traffic it might change. But I think it's actually going to be better here at IMS than in other places.

Bruce Martin:

Does it make timing that much critical?

Alex Palou:

Yeah, I think the timing is still going to be really critical. Like we don't get the huge jump and I think you cannot get a huge jump, otherwise it would be actually like a bit dangerous when you like get a big, big difference.

But timing is still going to be, I think, more important probably than having the push to pass or the like deploying the hybrid system.

Bruce Martin:

Palou discussed if the regeneration system on the hybrid will be automatic or manual.

Alex Palou:

That's not how I left Barber. So, when I left Barber, we were doing everything. Like I think we are at the stage that we're trying to do automatic everything, manual everything, automatic deployment, but manual regen.

So, I think we're experiencing, as far as I know, we still don't have like the formula that works best. I prefer if we can have, I think the best in my mind to what we tried is to have an automatic, really low regen, so at least the balance of the car is consistent.

But then to have like a big add up that you can say, “Okay, I'm going to regen in this lap or these couple of corners so I can deploy here.”

So, just to have like something to the driver that we can make a difference. And I think it's what IndyCar wants. I don’t know if maybe changes now, or.

Bruce Martin:

Do you like these project years in the off season where you have a project to work on, such as a couple of years ago with the Arrow screen and now, with the Hybrid Assist Unit because it allows you extra time on the racetrack.

Alex Palou:

Oh yeah, I love it. I've been in the car three times already since we finished the season. Otherwise I would've been just at home playing simulator or just with the family, which I love. But I still can do those kind of stuff, but still be at the track and just be with the car. So, yeah, I love it.

Bruce Martin:

But you have a nursery to set up, so there's probably some projects to do at home.

Alex Palou:

Yeah, which it's been a bit much because I went back to Spain to prepare as much as I could and then here for this week and then I'm back there and hopefully I can advance as much as I can. But I think it's more myself than preparing stuff.

Bruce Martin:

What is it, a month or six weeks?

Alex Palou:

It's what?

Bruce Martin:

Is it a month or six weeks before the due date?

Alex Palou:

I hope it's six weeks, I hope. Just so I can get those two more weeks of sleep. Yeah, I hope. It's planned into in six weeks, but who knows. Hopefully it's six or seven.

Bruce Martin:

Palou explained what he thinks the most significant element will be when next season rolls around and IndyCar starts to use the Hybrid Assist.

Alex Palou:

Oh, I mean, it's a complete different thing. Like it doesn't look like that from the outset. But it's actually a lot of things that we're implementing and it's a lot of things that the driver needs to think and stuff.

Like now, I never had to think about regening at IMS. It's already a lot of work by trying to be on track, weight jacker, bars and now, you need to regen and deploy and you still have the weight jacker on bars and you have normal driving.

So, it's a lot of stuff that we are adding, which hopefully, it's not too much. At the moment I feel good. Let's see with traffic if it gets too much. But I think it's super exciting even for the teams, for the drivers, especially that we get more stuff to play with. And new things are always fun.

Bruce Martin:

There is no push to pass at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but will the Hybrid Assist in a way, be the push to pass device in some ways?

Alex Palou:

Yeah, I think that's the idea. And honestly, it's what I'm looking forward to this afternoon because I think it can play a big role because if you're leading, let's say you cannot regen as soon as you regen, you're going to get passed.

If you're second, you can regen a bit, but not too much, so the third doesn't overtake you. And the third that normally this past two years, it's sit and back and it's just waiting. You can regen aggressively and hopefully deploy aggressively as well and hopefully overtake and be from third to second and then have more movement.

Which is what we want, I think. We want to be able to be in the pack and overtake slowly, like one by one and have more chances. Which I think we will be able to get that. Let's see this afternoon, but I think so.

Bruce Martin:

Marcus Ericsson made a big move in the off season when the 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner departed Chip Ganassi Racing and joined Andretti Global. Pit Pass Indy was there when Ericsson drove the Andretti car for the first time during the Hybrid Assist test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in October.

Let's catch up with Marcus Ericsson.

Ericsson was wearing an all black uniform without a sponsor. The 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner was asked when he will have his sponsorship settled for 2024.

Marcus Ericsson:

I don't know about that yet. I think that's nothing decided there, so I don't know how the car's going to look yet, but yeah, we'll figure that out in a couple months.

Bruce Martin:

Ericsson's previous team at Chip Ganasi Racing is located just around the corner from Andretti Global's race shop on the northwest side of Indianapolis. He was asked about the convenience factor of his former team with his current team.

Marcus Ericsson:

Yeah, it was close enough to Ganassi, so it’s on a street away. But I just started going this week, so it is all very new, but the team is welcomed me super well, and everyone is really nice and very excited.

So, it feels like there's a lot of optimism in the organization, and they have a lot of things going now. A lot of big ambitions and the potential is really big, I think, in the team. So, yeah, so far, it's been really good.

Bruce Martin:

On a new team, Ericsson was asked if he will be involved in some additional testing so that he can quickly adapt to the new team at Andretti Global.

Marcus Ericsson:

So, I think the plan is to do a few more tests here before the new year, but it's still a bit up in the air because of all the stuff with the hybrid and it's all the manufacturers and IndyCar I think is sort of deciding how every test is going.

So, I'm available, so I'm hoping to be in the car as much as I can. So, that's basically what I've said to the team that I'll be around and I'm ready to drive whenever you need. So, yeah, hopefully I'll be in the car a few more times before the new year.

Bruce Martin:

Who is your engineer, your crew chief, those guys? Are you working with Josh, or do you have other guys that … have they decided yet who your crew is?

Marcus Ericsson:

So, Olivier is so I'm working with as a engineer. I think the rest is still a bit up in the air. Obviously, Josh is here today. But yeah, as far as I know, I only really know Olivier is going to be like my engineer. The rest is I think is still in the sort of process of deciding how they're going to put the whole team together.

Bruce Martin:

And also, with after being at Ganassi for as long as you are, what do you think of the team dynamic at Andretti where it really seems like there's a lot of camaraderie probably for right now, amongst you and your fellow drivers?

Marcus Ericsson:

Yeah. I think to be honest, I just started this week, so it's still very new, but it's a similar feeling within the team. I think straight away, it's easygoing. You go into the shop and everyone is — it's just easy to get into the group.

And that was the sort of same feeling I had at Ganassi when I went over there, so I don't think it's much different so far that I've seen. So, it seems to be a great group of people that I kind of get to work with.

Bruce Martin:

Plus, your IndyCar career is far different than the last time you joined a new team at Ganassi. When you look at what you were able to accomplish there and what you may be able to accomplish with Andretti.

Marcus Ericsson:

Yeah, I mean, it's true. When I came to Ganassi, I think there wasn't maybe as much excitement in the building. I hadn't really shown what I can do.

And then now, coming from being a 500 winner and then winning multiple races, I think you can definitely feel that excitement from the organization and the team for me to get there. And I'm excited to get going and get to working.

I think, like I said, potentially it's really big in the team and they're ready to really push hard to be at the top. So, I'm excited to be part of that journey that we're going to do together.

Bruce Martin:

But you come from a Formula One background as Andretti Global moves toward a Formula One team. Can you help guide him through, give your advice on some of the things to get through that process?

Marcus Ericsson:

I don't really think so. I think it's been a while since I was there and then all the conversations I've had with Michael and Dan and all them, it's only been IndyCar focused. So, that's sort of where I'm focused on. But of course, if they need my help in any shape or form for the Formula One stuff I'm happy to do that.

Bruce Martin:

Ericsson was among several drivers that took part in a test with IndyCar's new Hybrid Assist device. He was asked if he noticed any substantial changes.

Marcus Ericsson:

No, I think the car itself, you don't really feel a huge difference. Obviously, it's a bit more busy on the steering wheel.

I think that's going to be the biggest thing that on an oval you have the weight jacker, you have the front and rear bar, and now you have the region and deploy as well. So, it's getting busy in the cockpits. I think that's the biggest thing.

And then we're still working on different things with how much regen, how much deploy and all that is still a process that we're going through.

But I think it's exciting, it's exciting for the series. It's a really cool new feature that we're going to have, and I'm hoping it's going to be a way where you can, as a driver, be smarter than your competitors and do it better than your competitors.

And that for me, excites me with the whole system that it's as it seems going to be quite manual and that I think will be really cool.

We've been doing a bit of everything, so I think we're still in a sort of testing process where we try different things and for the manufacturers as well, they want to try different strategies and different ways of doing this. So, I think that's good.

And I have some experience from F1 when we introduced that. Was my first year in F1 was when they introduced the hybrid there. So, it sort of reminds me a bit of those days where you sort of try different things and it's a bit of an experiment, but yeah, it worked well so far.

Bruce Martin:

Ericsson had to balance the test between adapting to his new team and testing the Hybrid Assist device for Honda and IndyCar. He explained how he did that.

Marcus Ericsson:

Yeah, I think first off, it was just for me to get comfortable in the car and get a read on the car. But I felt happy with that pretty much straight away. So, I think the car was feeling nice to drive.

And then of course, we're focusing mainly on the hybrid stuff today and then sort of helping Honda to really get on top of those things and trying whatever they want. So, that's the main priority.

But of course, for me, being in a new team, with new people is a great way to also start interacting and sort of building that relationship with the Olivier and the other people in the team.

So, that's obviously what I'm already working on and my way of saying feedback. Every driver is different there, how they talk about the car. And that process is obviously great that we can get started from today onwards.

Bruce Martin:

It seemed like a lot of the guys at Andretti sport are really happy to see you join the team. And how much do you just sense the rejuvenation that a new face brings to the operation?

Marcus Ericsson:

Yeah, I feel really welcomed and really, like I said, it feels like it's a lot of excitement in the building not only for me coming there, but hopefully I'm a part of that excitement, but just everything that's happening in the team and the ambitions, the goals the team has, I think it's a lot of good things happening there.

So, it's cool for me to join at a time where I feel like there's a lot of potential there. And over the next few years it's going to be really interesting to see where that sort of takes us. So, it's going to be really cool to be part of that.

And like I said, I felt already from my first day there this week there's a lot of excitement and a lot of people are excited I'm there. So, that's super cool.

Bruce Martin:

And is it cool to get to know people like Colton Herta? I mean, you've raced against him, but now he's a teammate and you're going to get to know him a lot better than you did when you were over in Ganassi.

Marcus Ericsson:

Yeah, and I mean, I know Colton and Kyle a little bit from before. Both great guys and extremely good drivers. So, I think the lineup we have with us three is super strong.

So, it's going to be fun to start working with them and sort of start learning from them and hopefully, the three of us can push each other to be better and better.

Bruce Martin:

It had been a full month since Ericsson had been in an Indy car when he participated in a test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He filled us in on what he did during his break.

Marcus Ericsson:

I did go back to Sweden and race in that Porsche and my brother beat me again for the second year going. So, I'm a bit pissed off about that still. But that was a good time.

Yeah, apart from that, I went back to Sweden and Denmark for the last sort of three or so weeks for thinking it was going to be holiday, but pretty much every day was filled with different things to do. So, it was nice to be back today in a race car and yeah, felt at home straight away.

Bruce Martin:

The last time Ericsson changed teams was in the 2019 off season when he left Arrow Schmidt-Peterson to join Chip Ganassi Racing. Is this team change any different?

Marcus Ericsson:

I think the biggest difference is just that I'm in a very different place as a driver now, being a 500 winner and championship contender for the last three years, I think you come in with a different kind of respect from the people.

And not that I didn't have that in Ganassi, but of course when I came to Ganassi, I was more like a green card no one really knew what I was going to bring and what level I was going to be at. So, I think there was more of a question mark there.

Whereas here I'm coming into the organization that's really excited that I'm coming there and they're listening a lot to what I have to say already. And I think they're very keen to sort of yeah, see what I can do in my role in the team.

And that's one of the big parts that I'm excited about to be a leader and come into the team and help them move up and compete at the very top. It's always fun to get paid.

Bruce Martin:

Ericsson explained his thoughts on the hybrid will change the strategy in IndyCar.

Marcus Ericsson:

I think it's going to come down to what the IndyCar decides, and then how much manual it's going to be, how easy it's going to be to regen, how easy it's going to be to deploy, and the length of all that.

And it might be a case where we start off at some point, it's some level and then we have to tweak it throughout the season. I think it's going to be hard to sort of nail it from the first go.

I think it's going to be a little bit moving around with that throughout the season is what I'm thinking because there is a lot of power in that and we want to make it so it's not like everyone is doing the exact same thing because then I think it sort of, that would be a shame, I think.

I think it would be really cool if there is a tool where you can stand out compared to your competitors.

Yeah, I mean, the hybrid is very new, so it's something that you have to get used to. But for me, I'm quite happy that we have the hybrid now, because it means that hopefully I can get a few more days testing. If it was a normal year, it would not have been much testing at all for me with the new team.

So, I think in that sense, it's, yes, the focus here is to on the power unit, on the hybrid, but still like I said, I can start that process of getting to know the people and they getting to know me, how I speak on the radio and how I describe the balance and all that kind of thing.

So, it's definitely plus and minuses, but overall, I'm just happy I can be in an Andretti car so early.

Bruce Martin:

Is it going to feel good next year to beat a Ganassi car?

Marcus Ericsson:

I think it feels good to beat any car. I have a lot of good memories from Ganassi and I'm very thankful for the time there. And we achieved tremendous things.

But of course, I want to beat everyone, including them. It's not going to be easy. They're very good, but that's what we're working very hard to do for sure.

[Music Playing]

Bruce Martin:

And that puts a checkered flag on this edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

We want to thank our guests, Colton Herta of Andretti Global, two-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, and 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, who has moved over to Andretti Global, for joining us on today's podcast.

Along with loyal listeners like you, our guests helped make Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental, your path to victory lane for all things IndyCar.

And because of our guests and listeners, Pit Pass Indy is proud to be the winner of The Best Podcast by the National Motorsports Press Association.

For more IndyCar coverage, follow me at Twitter @BruceMartin (one-word, uppercase B, uppercase M) _500.

This has been a production of Evergreen Podcasts. A special thanks to our production team. Executive producers are Brigid Coyne and Gerardo Orlando. Recordings and edits were done by me, Bruce Martin, and final mixing was done by Dave Douglas. Learn more at evergreenpodcasts.com.

Until next time, be sure to keep it out of the wall.