Trackside Podcast

Kevin and Curt break down Indy 500 quals format, preview IndyCar at Barber

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin preview this week’s 32-car open test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They look ahead to some of the storylines over the next couple of days, including Indy 500 rookies Romain Grosjean and Jimmie Johnson, new liveries, and how some part-time entries will fill out their staff. They discuss Paretta Autosport’s partnership with Ed Carpenter Racing for three road course races later this season with Simona de Silvestro driving.  They give their latest educated guesses on who the 33rd and potentially a 34th entry for the Indy 500 will be, including the potential for Juncos-Hollinger Racing to field a second car. The Trackside News of the Week brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is that Josef Newgarden and his wife Ashley welcomed their first child, Kota, to the world.  Later in the show, the guys take listener questions, and unveil the return of The Prime 47 Burger Bash, which will take place Monday, May 23rd from 6-8:30 pm at the USAC headquarters and will benefit the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center.  (https://jacksonleeracing.com/return-of-the-burger-bash-more-in-may/). To wrap up, Kevin and Curt discuss the latest silly season rumors, including a Jenna Fryer report that Alexander Rossi may have signed with Arrow McLaren SP for 2023.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin look back on Josef Newgarden’s victory in Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. They discuss Team Penske’s red-hot start to the season, and if Newgarden could be on the way to his third IndyCar title.  They break down the disappointing Sunday for Colton Herta and if his potential F1 future has had an impact on his slow start to the season, plus Romain Grosjean’s exciting second-place finish and if there’s any friction among Grosjean and his Andretti Autosport teammates. Also, Kevin breaks down Pato O’Ward’s disappointing start and Pato’s frustration with McLaren.  With a new segment brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, the first Trackside News of the Week is that IndyCar has entered the NFT world in a partnership with Tom Brady’s company. Later, Kevin and Curt address listener questions, and look ahead to the upcoming silly season, including where Alexander Rossi could end up. Finally, they give an update on the road to a 33rd entry for the Indianapolis 500. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin preview Sunday’s Long Beach Grand Prix, and talk about what makes the historic street race so special, and how the event helped transform the city. They look at what to expect this weekend, the recent Andretti Autosport dominance between Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta, and the trend of back-to-back winners at Long Beach.  They discuss slow starts to the season from Pato O’Ward and Rossi, and which drivers need to have a good result to stay in championship contention, as well as which drivers feel good about their season through two races. Kevin and Curt break down the news that Long Beach has been extended through 2028. Later, they mention next November’s Formula 1 race on the Las Vegas strip, and talk about F1 raising its profile in the U.S. over the past few years. Kevin and Curt talk about the fact that we’re stuck at 32 known entries for the Indy 500, and where the 33rd entry could come from. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss the latest racing news, such as IndyCar’s next-gen engine test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, and how some teams have backed out due to weather. They talk about the BC 39, which will return to the dirt track inside IMS the week after Brickyard weekend August 3rd and 4th. They talk about Jay Frye’s comments that he expects IndyCar to be back at Texas and the importance of the 1.5-mile oval on the schedule.    They discuss other potential future ovals that could join the IndyCar schedule, such as Milwaukee, Phoenix and Homestead. Later in the show, the guys bring up a proposed street race in Indianapolis from the early 1990s, add some tidbits from the Texas race weekend, and give an update on the car count for the Indy 500, including who could be in line for the 33rd entry. They also talk about the controversy with Formula 1 over the weekend in Saudi Arabia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss Sunday’s IndyCar race at Texas, won by Josef Newgarden with a daring last corner pass of teammate Scott McLaughlin. They break down McLaughlin’s incredible start to the season with a win at St. Pete and a second at Texas. They talk about the on-track product at the 1.5-mile oval, the crowd size, and whether or not they think IndyCar will be back in 2023.  Later in the show, they speculate about a potential return to the Milwaukee Mile, what would need to happen to make a race viable at the historic track, the effect a race at Milwaukee could have on Road America, and the amount of races on IndyCar’s schedule. Kevin and Curt discuss Jimmie Johnson’s impressive oval debut with a sixth-place finish, and what it could mean for his Indy 500 performance.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin get you ready for this weekend’s buffet of racing, including IndyCar’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. They discuss IndyCar’s future at the 1.5-mile oval that has hosted the series since the track opened in the late 90s, what to expect from the race, how the PJ1 compound on the track will affect things, and some drivers to watch out for. Kevin and Curt speculate about what to expect from Jimmie Johnson, who will make his IndyCar oval debut Sunday, but has won seven times at Texas in the NASCAR Cup Series. The guys break down the recent news that Colton Herta will McLaren’s F1 team for testing.  They talk to Juncos-Hollinger rookie Callum Ilott about his IndyCar oval debut this weekend, and how his season opener at St. Pete went. The former F2 driver talks about his adjustment to IndyCar, the challenges of being on a new team without a teammate, which tracks he is looking forward to most, and how he prepared for the high banked TMS. Ilott takes us through his path to IndyCar and what he hopes to accomplish. Later, Julia Steinbrenner joins the show to discuss her new ownership role in the Andretti-Steinbrenner entry with Devlin DeFrancesco. She talks about how she caught the racing bug and how the race team can help the Yankees and vice versa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin welcome A.J. Foyt Racing rookie Kyle Kirkwood to the show. They discuss last week’s rookie test at Texas, which was his first time on a superspeedway. We hear from Kyle about what challenges the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway will present later this month and his thoughts on his IndyCar debut at St. Pete.  They break down what was learned at the recent rookie test at TMS, including who Ryan Hunter-Reay was mentoring and what RHR’s future plans entail. We discuss what factors have led to potentially only having 33 cars for the Month of May, and Ed Carpenter’s recent announcement that he’ll compete in the Indy 500 in the number 33 Chevy. Kevin and Curt talk about the controversy that F1 report Will Buxton spun up with a recent tweet about the aeroscreen. In the second hour, we hear from Graham Rahal regarding the recent major concert announcements for the Iowa doubleheader weekend with Hy-Vee sponsorship, and the guys talk about the benefit to having Tim McGraw, Florida Georgia Line, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton play at Iowa.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin break down the IndyCar season opener in St. Petersburg, won by Scott McLaughlin. They discuss the exciting personality of the second year Team Penske driver, and the similarities between the start of McLaughlin’s second season and defending series champion Alex Palou’s 2021 season opener.  They break down Palou’s impressive second place run after crashing in practice Saturday. Kevin and Curt discuss some more drivers who impressed at St. Pete, along with those who are looking to improve going to Texas later this month.  They talk about some recent news tidbits, including a potential NASCAR street race in Chicago and IndyCar’s desire to race in Mexico. Later in the show, Kevin and Curt talk about Will Power’s comments on backmarkers and IndyCar’s need for a blue flag rule, plus Alexander Rossi’s disappointing day in St. Pete and Kyle Kirkwood’s future.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin look ahead to this weekend’s festivities and the schedule for the IndyCar season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg. They discuss the recent “Back Home Again” commercial voiced by David Letterman, and the high level of interest in the Indy 500, which is less than 100 days away. Kevin and Curt mention Sunday’s Daytona 500 which was won by Austin Cindric, son of Team Penske president and Indy native Tim Cindric. They talk about whether the 23-year-old could one day drive in the Indy 500.  They discuss Colton Herta’s hot streak, as he enters the weekend winner of two races in a row and as the defending champ at St. Pete. They also break down which drivers need to have a sense of urgency going into the first race of a 17-race season. In the second hour, the guys talk about Mario Andretti’s recent tweet about his son Michael’s bid to start a new Formula 1 team starting in 2024. Finally, they speculate on which drivers could make an Alex Palou-like jump in 2022 and be a surprise championship contender. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss the IndyCar testing going on at Sebring Monday and Tuesday. They break down Kevin Magnussen’s test with Ganassi, along with 16 other drivers who took to the track Monday. Kevin and Curt give their thoughts on which drivers and teams needed to take advantage of the track time. They discuss a few drivers who had disappointing 2021 seasons to varying degrees, and which drivers they expect to take a big step forward in 2022.  Steve Wittich from Trackside Online joins the show to talk about the Sebring IndyCar test and some thoughts heading into the season. Steve breaks down the stellar IndyCar rookie class and what to expect from some of those first year drivers. Kevin and Curt briefly discuss this weekend’s Daytona 500, and break down the recent news that Toyota will not be joining IndyCar as a third engine manufacturer within the next couple of years. Later in the show, they discuss the news that Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick are eyeing racing series to enter other than NASCAR. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin update Max Chilton’s future plans as he and Carlin Racing step away from IndyCar, and discuss the 2022 plans for Juncos Hollinger Racing. The guys do an up-to-date car count for the Indy 500, including what teams could still add entries for May. They discuss the performance of IndyCar drivers Colton Herta, Jimmie Johnson and Helio Castroneves at the Race of Champions in Sweden. Kevin and Curt take listener questions, such as their expectations for Rahal Letterman Lanigan rookie Christian Lundgaard at St. Pete.  We’re joined by James Roe Jr., who will drive for TJ Speed Motorsports in Indy Lights this season. The 23-year-old Irish driver introduces himself and how he got to the Road to Indy, and how he adjusted to Indy Pro 2000 last season.  Kevin and Curt discuss the NASCAR Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and how it exceeded expectations.  Later in the show, Ernie Francis Jr. calls in. We talk with the seven-time TransAm champion and SRX race winner about how excited he is to join Indy Lights with Force Indy. Francis tells us about his path to the Road to Indy and where he thought his future was headed until a surprise call from Roger Penske. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin break down the exciting Rolex 24 at Daytona from this past weekend. They discuss the spectacular run over the past 14 months by 46-year-old Helio Castroneves, who added another line to his illustrious resume with an overall victory with Meyer Shank Racing.  They’re joined by Devlin DeFrancesco, who was part of the LMP2 winning team DragonSpeed USA, along with Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta. We hear from Devlin about winning a Rolex and how the sports car effort came together. Devlin talks about his upcoming rookie season in IndyCar, his expectations, and how he is getting acclimated to the Andretti Steinbrenner number 29 Honda.  Kevin and Curt discuss the announcement from last week that Ernie Francis Jr. will drive in Indy Lights this year for Force Indy in a continuation of the Race for Equality and Change. They pay tribute to Vince Granatelli, former IndyCar team owner who passed away recently. Kevin and Curt also discuss Helio Castroneves’ stated desire to run big events such as the Daytona 500, and Robert Wickens’ return to the cockpit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin preview the Rolex 24 at Daytona coming up this weekend, including a complete guide to the numerous IndyCar stars you can expect to see among the 61 entries. They discuss the comeback of Robert Wickens, who will compete for Bryan Herta Autosport in the BMW M Endurance Challenge Friday. Kevin and Curt also look ahead to the Sebring/Texas doubleheader in March and which IndyCar drivers could try to race in both, and answer Twitter questions such as the most recent Toyota-to-IndyCar rumors.  Later in the show, they break down a variety of questions from the recent IndyCar Fan Survey, such as whether or not the Indy 500 should pay double points, whether races should ever end under caution and the most important races on the IndyCar schedule. Kevin and Curt go through some tidbits from last week’s IndyCar Content Days, such as expectations for Colton Herta and Pato O’Ward’s Formula 1 hopes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin wish a happy 87th birthday to the legend A.J Foyt, who has been in the news this week with the announcement that Tatiana Calderon will join his team this year. The guys wrap up the IndyCar Silly Season, with Conor Daly being announced as a full-time driver for Ed Carpenter Racing in the number 20 car. They break down what it means for Carpenter’s on-track future and how the unique sponsorship for Daly came to be. With Calderon only racing road and street courses for Foyt, Kevin and Curt speculate who could drive the number 11 car on ovals, and what to expect from the 28-year-old Colombian. They preview IndyCar testing at Sebring coming up this week, and look ahead to the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Kevin and Curt discuss the return of Robert Wickens to the driver’s seat, as the fan favorite will drive for Bryan Herta and Hyundai in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.  Kevin and Curt are joined by Matthew Brabham, who will drive full-time for Andretti Autosport in Indy Lights this season. The 27-year-old breaks down his circuitous route back to Indy Lights after an Indy 500 start in 2016, his mindset about being back in the series and what he learned in the Stadium Super Trucks series. Later in the show, the guys recap the IndyCar content days; including engineering tidbits and what Graham Rahal’s future could hold.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.