NASCAR’s Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon talk about this year’s “Double” Also, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Reopens after Spectacular Renovation.

BRUCE:

This is Roger Penske, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indie, sponsored by Penske Truck Rental. 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 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 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 as we continue our fifth season of giving IndyCar fans an inside look at the most exciting form of racing on the planet, the NTT IndyCar Series. Let's welcome back our friends from Penske Truck Rental as they return to sponsor Pit Pass Indy, helping bring you the inside stories of IndyCar from the paddock, to the racetrack, to the highways and streets of America. The next race on the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series schedule is the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach from April 11th to April 13th. It's the biggest, most historic street race in North America and has been on the Formula One, kart, and IndyCar schedules throughout its long and glorious history. But the biggest race on the schedule is the 109th Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It combines the thrills, the excitement, the spectacle, and the glorious history of the Indianapolis 500, the world's most famous race that began in 1911. When it comes to history, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum has it on full display as it links the glorious past with the boundless future of the Indianapolis 500, IndyCar, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A museum has been part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1956, when it was in the same building as the ticket office outside Turn 1. In 1976, an impressive new museum was opened inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield that included an incredible collection of IndyCars from throughout the years, including the famed Marmon Wasp that Ray Heroon drove to victory in the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. When Roger Penske purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on November 4, 2019, one of his top priorities was to work with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, a non-profit 501c3 corporation in charge of the historic museum, to bring it into the future. Under the leadership of IMS Museum President Joe Hale, a massive fundraising campaign was launched to create a reimagined, redesigned, and renovated museum. On Monday, March 31st, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum announced the completion of its $60.5 million, 17-month renovation, its first significant renovation in 40 years. After a few private viewings for benefactors and other VIPs, the famed museum reopened to the public on Wednesday, April 2nd. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 10.30 a.m. Eastern Time on April 2nd and featured special speakers Hale and Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske. Other speakers included Indiana Governor Mike Braun, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, Chuck Jones, IMS Museum Board Chair, and Robert Dyson, IMS Museum Chair Emeritus. The museum had been closed to the public since November 2023 while undergoing a comprehensive transformation of its space and experiences. About the only thing that resembles the museum that opened in the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1976 is the outer shell of the building. Everything else has been completely rebuilt and reimagined, connecting the incredible history of the world's most famous and historic race to the future. When the museum reopened to the public on April 2nd, visitors experienced 40,000 square feet of additional space housing, new immersive and dynamic experiences including seven permanent and three rotating galleries, The lower level, an area previously restricted to only select tours, a new mezzanine dedicated to displaying non-vehicle artifacts, including a race suit from current IndyCar driver and reigning champion Alex Pillow, the NASCAR Brickyard 400 trophy, a piece of the Safer Barrier to highlight safety innovations at the Speedway, The starting line experience, placing guests in an immersive video space showcasing the pageantry leading up to the start of the Indianapolis 500. State-of-the-art racing simulators allowing guests to try to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. a pit stop challenge for guests to learn the tools and equipment of the racing trade. The new exhibits and experiences will bring to life the museum's vision to create a global destination that provides interactive, immersive, and diverse Indianapolis 500 storytelling and educational experiences that can be enjoyed by guests of all ages. In the past, an impressive collection of race cars, mainly the winning cars from previous Indianapolis 500s, were on display in a static environment. When it opened, it was state-of-the-art, but over the past 40 years, museums have been redesigned and reimagined to help give the visitors a more interactive experience. In 2023, the IMS Museum launched an $89 million capital campaign, the stories behind the spectacle, to fund the museum's transformation. Of that $89 million, $64 million was earmarked for the complete transformation of the interior of the museum building. The museum has surpassed its phase one goal, having raised $69 million to date. With the museum renovation completed at less than initially estimated, the remaining funds are now part of the second phase of the campaign, which includes a new off-site restoration facility. What began with only 12 cars on display has become one of the world's premier collections of racing automobiles and artifacts, with more than 55,000 artifacts and over 150 vehicles. If the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the cathedral of auto racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is the shrine of motorsports. Pit Pass Indy congratulates everyone who played a role in the new IMS Museum for preserving the past and creating an exciting future for race fans who get a chance to visit the hallowed grounds. 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 presented by Penske Truck Rental. Part of the allure of the Indianapolis 500 comes from the great drivers that have competed in the world's biggest race. That includes the many great drivers from other racing series who have lived out their dream of racing in the Indy 500 by actually competing in it. From Formula One world champions, such as 1965 Indianapolis 500 winner Jimmy Clark of Scotland, to England's Graham Hill, who won the Indy 500 in 1966, to two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain in recent years, it's a race that has showcased a cast of international champions. The latest driver from another racing series who has stepped out of his element is 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, California. He competed in his first Indianapolis 500 last year in what was billed as the Hendrick 1100 as he attempted to also compete in NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway later the same day. Unfortunately, rain foiled that goal as the start of the Indianapolis 500 was delayed by rain for four hours. The Coca-Cola 600 was already underway when Larson left for Charlotte Motor Speedway, and by the time he arrived, the race had been red flagged by, you guessed it, more rain. A few hours later, NASCAR officials called the 600 an official race because it was past the halfway point and it was still raining. Larson never got his chance to complete the double, but he didn't give up on his dream. He announced last year he would return for the second year in a row as the driver of the No. 17 Chevrolet IndyCar in a combined effort with Errol McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports at the Indianapolis 500. Larson will also drive his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet in the Coca-Cola 600 with both Indianapolis and Charlotte held on May 25, 2025. Larson, Errol McLaren, and Hendrick Motorsports are hopeful rain does not interfere with this year's plans for the Hendrick 1100. On Wednesday, April 2nd, Larson and Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman and four-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, participated in a live stream to unveil the paint schemes for the IndyCar and the NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet that will race at Indianapolis and Charlotte on May 25th. Thanks to Hendrick Motorsports, Errol McLaren, and NASCAR, the host of the live stream, Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental, has the highlights of the live stream that was held at the NASCAR Broadcast Center in Concord, North Carolina. Let's start off with Kyle Larson talking about the unfinished business he wants to complete this year in both races.

KYLE:

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Last year we wanted to do 1,100 miles, and unfortunately the weather got in the middle of that. Yeah, so that was a huge bummer, but a lot of motivation for us to do it again this year and hope and pray that the weather is good and our cars have equal or better speed than they did last year. So last year had all the ingredients of a perfect, you know, deal and yeah, just Sunday it finally all kind of collapsed, but it was a fun experience and I look forward to doing it again.

BRUCE:

Jeff Gordon gives his thoughts on the same question.

JEFF:

Yeah, 100%. I mean, it was so much fun being a part of it, coming together with McLaren and bringing Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com all together, seeing Kyle kind of live out a dream, maybe even vicariously living through him a little bit myself. But there's so much that goes on behind the scenes to put something like this together from obviously the business side, coordinating, getting him in a car, getting him comfortable. But we couldn't have found a better partner than the one we put together between McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports. And it went really well, like Kyle said, all the way up until Sunday. So when we left that race, we were pretty bummed out. And then it was about a month later, we got with Rick, and it was like, hey, what do you think about doing this again? And I think the job that Kyle did, the exposure that the partners got, and the fun that Rick was having watching this all unfold, I think, He's motivated to do it and do it even better this time.

BRUCE:

Larson and Gordon also gave their thoughts on delivery of the two cars.

KYLE:

Yeah, sick, I love it. Last year's cars were awesome as well, but I don't know, I just feel like I've never seen an Indy car kind of with the detail that this one has, and then to tie it into the cup car looks awesome. So they look fast, I know they'll be fast, and hopefully we can get it in Victory Lane.

JEFF:

No, they've definitely stepped it up. We've got some new partners with Amazon Prime being on board this year too. But yeah, I think obviously when you're talking about a McLaren Indy car, you've got to have the papaya, so it has that. But then Hendrick Cars' blue is on there. And last year, there were some other cars that looked similar. So I know Rick and I were always like, man, oh, nope, that's not him. And so hopefully this car stands out even more than last year.

BRUCE:

Back for a second year with Arrow McLaren Racing, the two Hendrick Motorsports greats talked about how that experience will help Larson in this year's quest at the Indianapolis 500.

KYLE:

Jeff can probably speak on that more than me, but for myself, I had a great time working with their team last year. We had a lot of people from the IndyCar side of things, but even I think from the Formula One side came over to help with our team, specifically for the 500s. So that was cool, and then I believe this weekend, some of my team will be at Darlington to just kind of listen to how I communicate, how Cliff and I work together. So I think that'll be important for the month of May and all that. because it's a huge event, right? But like, you've got two weeks to kind of like learn each other and get to working together. So thankfully, I feel like I'm pretty easy to work with. But yeah, I look forward to, you know, getting back together with some of the people that were on our team last year and then meeting the new members we have for this year.

JEFF:

Yeah, I mean, it truly is a collaboration because we both have commonality in Chevrolet, so we get to see how they do things with Chevrolet and using all the technical tools there, as well as how we use them on the stock car, NASCAR side of things. Zach Brown and I have been friends for a long time. We've done business together, so that was a natural. And then TK, seeing Tony Kanaan kind of get himself into a position, maybe similar to mine, right, at Hendrick and work with him. We've been friends for a long time. I've always had a ton of respect for him, worked with him last year, but now we're working much closer together. And so we actually had a meeting recently and really excited about the changes that, you know, and the people that they've added and just where they're headed with their program this year as we prepare for Indy. Obviously Chevrolet and the power plan and the Aero kit has a big, you know, a lot to do with it. But yeah, it's fun to work together with One form of motorsports, you know, as far as how we utilize tools and we can learn from one another, but in two completely different types of race cars. So it's a great partnership and it continues to grow.

BRUCE:

Jeff Gordon has a longtime friendship with McLaren Racing CEO Zach Brown and Arrow McLaren team principal and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan. Gordon explains that friendship.

JEFF:

Well, I mean, you know, when you when you collaborate in a way where it's, you know, transparent and open and you cover the business side of it. And I think we have a good enough understanding with, you know, how each of our industries and our businesses work that we could have the tough conversations when we need to. And hey, let's put this together. We want to do it again. We went through all the tough work, I think, the first time around. This was certainly a little bit easier and smoother. Now it's about just getting him back in the car, on the racetrack. Unfortunately, he's got to do another rookie orientation again. And I know as smooth as that went last year, it'll go well again. But last year, we actually had an additional test. in Phoenix, so I don't know that that's necessary this time because of running a race, and so I'm pretty excited to see what he's learned, what the team's learned, and then, of course, getting into Charlotte and running this hot rod, because that thing was really fast last year.

BRUCE:

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

JOSEF:

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. Let's return to Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon talking about their return to the Indianapolis 500 in 2025. Larson explained his goals for this year, followed by Gordon on the same topic.

KYLE:

I think for myself, completing 1,100 miles is the ultimate goal, or at least the first goal in mind. Obviously I want to run well in both of them. I think there's a legitimate shot to win the cup race that weekend. We're always really good on mile-and-a-halves. Our car was extremely good last year, so that was a bummer. And then on the IndyCar side of it, the Indy 500, I felt like last year I could have finished fourth to seventh or eighth if I didn't speed on pit roads. So I think somewhere in that window, obviously I would love to win the Indy 500. But I know how difficult that is. But two, I felt like the experience I had last year and living through it, I'll be better prepared for this year. I felt like the race was pretty straightforward. I didn't think that it was too different than a cup race, especially at Indy. Yeah, I think there was a lot that I learned throughout the couple weeks there last year that I think, you know, balance-wise looking for this year to be a little bit better in the race. So, I think there's definitely opportunity to do even better than we did last year. I thought last year went great.

JEFF:

The goal is to be in Charlotte when the green flag drops. That's number one. You know, there's a lot of things. I mean, first of all, being a part of the Indy 500 is really special. It's just an incredible event, one I watched as a kid, but so is the 600. So you have two of the biggest races in the world, two very special events on Memorial Day weekend. So just the pageantry and experience of the Indy 500 to kick it off and watch Kyle, you'll be competitive there, would certainly be great. And then, like I said, have everything go smooth and get to Charlotte to be able to get in that car and see the whole 1100, as Kyle mentioned. The other side of this is that we've been shooting a documentary and filming and documenting really everything since day one of when this all started, first time he's ever in the car. So we have a lot already, and I think it's about completing the story the 1100, and then putting that out there of what this experience has been like through his eyes, the team, the collaboration, and really what it takes. This is no small feat, you know, and we realize how difficult that can be and some of the decision making that goes into it, like the one, the toughest one we had to make last year. This year, we've already announced and said, we will, unfortunately if we have to, and we hope that doesn't happen, but we will be leaving Indy to make sure that he's starting the 600 here in Charlotte.

BRUCE:

Preparation is the key for any successful race driver. Both Larson and Gordon explain the value of preparation as they prepare for the double in May.

KYLE:

So I thought I was well prepared the first time around. So I don't think there was much I would do different. I felt like I did a good job with my nutrition and my fitness and all that. And I think, too, it's surprising for people like, you know, you mentioned it's a lot of traveling back and forth. It's actually not. It's probably, I'm like, that's the least amount of travel that I have probably throughout the summer, really. For the average human being. Yeah, it might be a lot, but for me, it was nice. It was really relaxing. I felt like I could really focus on the Indy 500 last year. Typically, a week for me, I'm flying here and there and back and forth and juggling kids and all that. Last year, I was in my motorhome every day in Indy. On the weekend, yeah, sure, I flew to North Wilkesboro to run the All-Star Race, flew right back. That was quick. The next week went to Charlotte on Saturday, came back, race, went to Charlotte on Sunday. So it wasn't, it wasn't a big deal at all. It wasn't, it was not difficult one bit for the, you know, the stress of travel. It was very, very nice, honestly, to sit around. The days are so long, too, in Indy. The practice days are, I don't know, nine to five, but there's so much downtime in that that you're really relaxing most of the time you're there. Maybe others wouldn't feel that way, but for my lifestyle, what I'm used to, it was pretty simple.

JEFF:

Yeah, he makes it look easy sometimes. But, you know, I was super impressed with the effort that he puts into it. And it goes to show you why he's good at his craft. You know, he kind of brushes it off as whatever. Yeah, this is easy. But he puts a ton of effort into learning the data, analyzing the data. really absorbing all the information. I think because he races so much, so many different types of cars, adapting to a new situation is probably not as difficult for him as maybe it would be for others. And he can jump from one to another. But I think still, right, I think he learned the Indy 500, it's all about the small details. And so executing that, I know it's a hybrid this year, so maybe there's a few different things. differences there but you know 500 miles you just in the Indy 500 can't can't make any mistakes and and so you know I'm super curious to see where the speed's at because I mean he was right up to speed and I think that one of the funnest days for me was qualifying. to see them go out, have the speed, work themselves into a position to really be on the front row. I mean, that was pretty amazing. And the car's on edge, and you're tuning it, and you're trimming it out, going faster, faster, faster. And it's the first time he's really doing this, because actually, they don't even really practice it much. And to see the whole team and Kyle execute that was, I think, a highlight for me for the month of May.

BRUCE:

The annual Indianapolis 500 Open Test will be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway April 23rd to the 24th. Larson will participate in that test and will have to take a refresher course as part of the Rookie Orientation Program.

KYLE:

Yeah, I think for me with the test here in a few weeks, just getting reacclimated to the cockpit. I got to get a first look at the wheel last week. So buttons are kind of in different spots and there's some dials now. Just kind of see what all you're doing in the car. When you look at the wheel, it's super complicating and all that. Once I realized, like once I got in the car last year, I'm like, oh, you're really only worried about, you know, one dial maybe and a couple buttons. But this year with the hybrid, I feel like you've got a little bit more maybe going on, you know, throughout a lap. So we'll see. So I'm just excited to get to, get some laps, get familiar with the visuals, the clutch, the leaving the pit stall, the coming into a pit stall, like all the little details that it takes to be good in the race. So kind of just getting back into the flow of things there. Thankfully though, I do feel like although they look different and all that, and there's less things going on in that, the style of race is so similar. So I feel like there's not, a lot to learn once you get into the racing situation.

BRUCE:

Gordon was asked who was going to be in Larson's number five NASCAR Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports for practice and qualifications for the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and who will be on standby for practice and qualifications at the Coca-Cola 600. Although he didn't officially name the driver, he hinted that it will likely be NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, Justin Allgaier, who drives the number seven entry at J.R. Motorsports. All Geyer filled in for Larson when he was unable to start last year's Coca-Cola 600 because of the Indy 500 rain-delayed start.

JEFF:

The last that I had heard is that we'll probably have a JRM driver and somebody that fits in his seat. I mean, like last year, it was really cool to have Kevin get in the car. It was fun and fun for the team and everybody, but it was a lot of work to swap from Kevin's seat and everything that was for Kevin from Kyle's and swap that over, and it was a lot of work and effort, and so we feel like keeping it a little bit more simplified this year. So I don't know if that announcement's been made yet, but you can do the math and put it together. No, it's not going to be Carl Edwards.

KYLE:

That's what I was about to say. Kyle's been putting Carl Edwards out there, so, you know.

JEFF:

But I guess it would be about the same. I don't even know if the full schedule has come out for Indy yet, but it'll probably be the same sessions that he will be missing as last year. But yeah, somebody will be in the car, getting laps in the car, and getting the car prepared.

BRUCE:

In order to make this year's double work, Larson and Hendrick Motorsports agreed the Coca-Cola 600 will take priority over the Indianapolis 500 in case of a rain delay because Larson competes for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. If the Indy 500 has another rain delay, Canaan has been picked to take the wheel of the number 17 IndyCar. Per Indy 500 rules, if Larson starts the Indy 500, he cannot turn the car over to a relief driver, so the only way Canaan can compete in the actual race is if Larson can't start. However, Canaan can take the wheel in practice.

JEFF:

Yeah, we had a meeting about that the other day. So yeah, that's the obvious choice. But clearly, you have to get prepared for that. So we have a plan during April, during that test he's going to be doing, where he'll get his rookie orientation kind of cleared and out of the way. And then Tony will get in at some point and also do the same, because he has to do it too, believe it or not, and knock that out. And that way, both drivers are ready, just in case.

BRUCE:

Although he was born in Vallejo, California, Gordon grew up 25 miles west of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Pittsburgh, Indiana, and dreamed of racing in the Indianapolis 500. Gordon never got that chance. His career path took him to a NASCAR Hall of Fame career, but Gordon did go on to win the NASCAR race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Brickyard 400, a record five times, including the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994. Gordon was asked if he feels a bit jealous that Larson gets to run in the Indy 500 and Gordon never had that chance

JEFF:

You know, I was not at the beginning, but then when I got to see him in the car having fun, doing a great job, I'm like, maybe I should have tried that. But, you know, I'm in such a great place that I love supporting the team, supporting our drivers, you know, our partners like Hendrick Cars and Amazon Prime and partnering with Errol McLaren. I like being a part of the business side of it and seeing these things come together. even though there's challenges and a lot of work that goes into it, seeing the reward is seeing him go out there and perform at a high level and complete 1,100 miles. And hopefully win one or both of these races. I will enjoy it almost as much as if I was driving.

BRUCE:

Larson was last year's Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and loved the experience. He explained what he loved the most.

KYLE:

Yeah, good question. It's probably hard for me to pick the one thing that's the most fun, because there's a lot that I enjoy. From Indie last year, I was blown away with how many fans are there every day to watch practice. So that was really cool. I just felt like I was a part of a huge event. And then for me, you know, going through all the indie stuff in Indianapolis is, I mean, everything is really cool. I could go through everything about that. That was really cool. But then coming back to, you know, when I got to just briefly be at the track for the NASCAR stuff was really cool. Like, when I flew to Choppert into North Wilkesboro and like, You just see the crowd going crazy and you can hear them, you know, screaming at you. The drivers and the picker members and mechanics are coming up asking you about it and, you know, rooting you on. So the support there was cool. And then same thing, you know, when we got back to Charlotte for practice and qualifying the next week. It was like all the same thing all over again. So just feeling like I had the support from hundreds of thousands, millions of people was really cool.

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:

And that puts a checkered flag on this edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. We want to thank our guest, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson of Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports. and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, five-time Brickyard 400 winner, and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, for joining us on today's podcast. We also want to thank NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, and Errol McLaren for the audio that was used on this edition of Pit Pass Indy from the live stream on Wednesday, April 2nd. Along with loyal listeners like you, our guests help make Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental your path to victory lane in IndyCar. On the highways, the raceways, and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward. Gain ground with Penske. For more IndyCar coverage, follow me on X, previously known as 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.