Trackside Podcast

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin welcome Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles into the studio to recap a busy year at the speedway in 2022. Kevin, Curt and Doug discuss a relative return to normalcy and tease the 107th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Boles discusses NASCAR drivers in the 500, the road course vs. the oval and endurance races at IMS. The conversation turns to lights at the speedway, running races on the road course the opposite direction and any other racing that might come to Indianapolis. To finish the conversation, Kevin, Curt and Doug discuss improvements during the offseason and hospitality venues.  Hopping back into the news of today in IndyCar, Kevin and Curt discuss Marco Andretti’s inclusion in the Andretti Autosport Indy 500 roster, Jimmie Johnson and Chip Ganassi Racing and Twitter questions to finish the first hour. To kick off the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss lung cancer with a special in-studio guest, Dr. Nasser Hanna - visit endlungca

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with Tony Kanaan’s participation in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii over the weekend before getting into the news of the day starting with AJ Foyt Racing. Kevin and Curt discuss Benjamin Pederson and Santino Ferrucci making up the roster for AJ Foyt in 2023. We also discuss the possibility of additional seats being added to teams over the next couple of years and other seats still empty for next season. Kevin and Curt also discuss what’s going on with Juncos Hollinger Racing and McLaren refusing to not put Menard’s colors on a car. Then, we discuss how quickly seats are filling for the Indianapolis 500 and Team Penske’s point of view when it comes to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Kevin and Curt discuss Kyle Larsen in the Indy 500 and who the candidates might be to employ him. Ultimately, how many cars will we see in the field? To round out the first hour, Kevin and Curt try to dissect engine totals in the field next May and why there’s

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. They discuss a crash between two Chip Ganassi Racing drivers and the drama coming down the stretch of the 10-hour endurance race. Then, Kevin and Curt discuss Colton Herta recommitting his future to Andretti Autosport. Herta also supplies the team with a lead driver in F1 if the team is granted entry into the sport. We also discuss Racer.com’s report that Alex Palou will join Arrow McLaren SP in 2024. That leads into a further conversation about the future of Arrow McLaren SP as a whole. Kevin and Curt discuss Juncos Hollinger Racing planning to partake in a racing exhibition in Argentina in early November. Argentinian Agustin Canapino will drive the No. 77 car.on multiple tracks as the sport returns to the country for the first time in over 50 years. That leads to a further discussion around Juncos Hollinger drivers. Benjamin Pederson joins AJ Foyt Racing’s IndyCar roster. Kevin and Curt discuss who might join Pe

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with the release of the 2023 IndyCar schedule and the small differences compared to this year’s schedule. The two discuss the broadcast puzzle for next season and where most of the races will be broadcasted next season. Kevin and Curt discuss Twitter questions about avoiding the NFL and an earlier Indy 500 start time.  Jimmie Johnson will not race full time in IndyCar in 2023. But what exactly will he be doing next season? Kevin and Curt discuss just that and the trickle down effect of Johnson’s decision. The two speculate about what his schedule might actually look like next year and how extensive and diverse his schedule might be. The first hour finishes with racing action this weekend. In the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss the puzzles that Johnson’s part time nature presents. What kind of driver might be ok with being a fill in, part-time driver along with Johnson? We break down the side effects and discussions that must be had after Johnson

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with Alex Palou and Felix Rosenqvist remaining with Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren SP. The two discuss how the decisions ultimately came full circle and who had the upper hand and leverage in the discussions. Is this a good thing for Felix Rosenqvist? Kevin and Curt discuss his situation over the next year.  Then, Kevin and Curt discuss super license points and how the ladder system doesn’t give much weight to IndyCar. Colton Herta’s lack of super license points effectively ended the American driver’s bid to drive in Formula 1 next season. We discuss whether or not an American driver is more valuable to F1 now or in two or three years. To round out the first hour, Kevin and Curt discuss Arrow McLaren SP president Taylor Kiel stepping down after 15 years. In the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss Team Penske’s domination of the 2022 IndyCar season finishing first, second and fourth in the championship standings. Then, we return to Twitter que

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss what happened in the final race at Laguna Seca. Will Power is the 2022 champion, Kevin and Curt discuss his victory and what it might mean for a new contract extension with Team Penske. The two discuss just how complete Team Penske is from top to bottom. To wrap up the Laguna Seca conversation, Kevin and Curt discuss Alex Palou’s victory as a silver lining on a wild and, according to him, disappointing season. They discuss the CGR driver’s engine charge and grid penalty and whether or not we might see that strategy come about more frequently.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that Kyle Busch is joining Richard Childress Racing for 2023 and part of his conditions were getting the chance to run in the Indianapolis 500. Kevin and Curt discuss the idea of the NASCAR driver on the Indy 500 grid and which teams might be interested in his services in that situation. Then, the conversation turns to the

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show talking about possible scenarios next weekend at Laguna Seca and where Portland left the championship standings. They discuss Scott McLaughlin’s performance and his quick rise into contention in IndyCar. Kevin and Curt also discuss the level of driving and how it led to a clean race at a place that usually sees a lot of cars off the track. To round out the Portland conversation, they discuss the rest of the grid including Scott Dixon’s third place finish. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is a Road to Indy recap from this weekend’s action in USF2000, Indy Pro 2000 and Indy Lights. In the second hour, Kevin starts the second half of the show with Twitter questions from the audience. Then, Silly Season is the topic of conversation headlined by Colton Herta and the possibility of him having a seat in the Formula 1 grid in 2023. Kevin goes deeper into why American drivers are valuable in F1 and wh

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show discussing the IndyCar championship standings heading into the penultimate race on the schedule in Portland. The two discuss testing at Portland and Laguna Seca and who has been quickest on track this week. Then, Kevin and Curt go to Twitter to answer questions about the race in St. Louis and the future of Texas Motor Speedway in the IndyCar Schedule. Kevin and Curt also discuss more open testing next season and a “preseason” game of sorts. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Jeff Gordon will be racing in the IMSA-sanctioned Porsche Carrera Cup.  To start the second hour, Kevin and Curt play the weekly game of “Which drivers did McLaren sign this week?” on the heels of the announcement that Daniel Ricciardo is leaving the team at the end of 2022. They also dive into more Silly Season conversations as the season comes to an end. To round out

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss Josef Newgarden’s fifth win of the season at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 and where that leaves the championship standings with two races remaining. Kevin and Curt set up the next couple weeks of racing and what they are looking for with two road courses left on the schedule.  Newgarden’s fifth win of the season is also his 25th win of his IndyCar career. Kevin and Curt discuss the still relatively young Newgarden, his current form and historical pace. They talk about Newgarden’s frustration during the rain delay and Kevin’s interview with him on the broadcast. Kevin and Curt also discuss the end of the race.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that Michael Andretti announced plans to headquarter Andretti Global in Fishers. The plans detail a 575,000 square foot facility that will cost $200 million.  To start the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss the possibility of a Drive to Survive type

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin preview this weekend’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The two discuss the group of drivers that will run laps on Friday to help rub in a 2nd lane at the oval, as well as the schedule in motorsports leading up to the Saturday night race. Then, Kevin and Curt take a look at the championship standings with three races left and other contenders in Madison, Illinois. The conversation switches to Texas Motor Speedway renovations and a change of leadership on the horizon for the track. To round out the first hour, Kevin and Curt take another look at what’s happening this weekend across motorsports. To kick off the second hour, two-time NTT IndyCar Series race winner Scott McLaughlin joins the show (at 44:01) to discuss an up and down weekend in Nashville that saw him start on pole, fall to the back and return to the front and finish second. Then, Scott discusses his comfortability in an IndyCar at this point, his success on ovals and dr

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss a wild and chaotic Big Machine Music City GP in Nashville. Is the course in Nashville too much, or just the right amount of chaos? Kevin and Curt discuss a number of collisions and the conversation around the road circuit, then they discuss the idea of different start times to maximize viewership and get out of the heat. To round out the Music City conversation Kevin and Curt offer stats to show just how special Scott Dixon’s career is. Then, Kevin and Curt discuss Felix Rosenqvist’s statement about his contract situation with McLaren and his future with the team. They talk about how far the contract issues have gone with McLaren and how that might have caused doubt in the Rosenqvist camp.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that there will be some veteran racers doing some stock car racing in the upcoming weeks including Marco Andretti in Charlotte. In the second hour, Kevin and Curt have a discu

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss the Gallagher Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Alexander Rossi gets another win before heading to Arrow McLaren SP next season. Kevin and Curt discuss how Colton Herta should have won the race but had car issues, as well as what happened to the pole sitter Felix Rosenqvist. Christian Lundgaard gets his first podium in IndyCar for a bright spot in the season for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Kevin and Curt talk about the tough season for RLL Racing, too. To round out the Gallagher GP conversation, Kevin and Curt talk about other race contenders and who had a chance to win. Then, Kevin and Curt discuss the Xfinity and Cup Series action at IMS. Tyler Reddick wins the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard and the two discuss how they feel about the event as a whole. Kevin and Curt discuss the attendance for the Cup and Xfinity portions of the weekend and how the attendance looks at a massive venue like IMS. What can be done to improve attendance? Our N

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with qualifying for the Gallagher Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They touch on how Josef Newgarden is feeling on Friday less than a week after his crash. Kevin and Curt discuss the struggles of Chip Ganassi Racing in qualifying and Scott Dixon’s comments.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that the IMSA sports car championship is returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September 2023. The IMSA Battle on the Bricks will take to the road course for the first time since 2014. Kevin and Curt detail more about the announcement and dive into an IMSA discussion. Chip Ganassi declined to make a comment on Alex Palou, but the two discuss updates in the Palou-Chip Ganassi situation, specifically the legal side of things.  To round out a full week of Trackside, Kevin and Curt discuss a Racer report about next year’s IndyCar schedule, answer Twitter questions and get you ready for a wee

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with Josef Newgarden being cleared for racing this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Then, they get right to our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, that Callum Ilott signed a long-term contract with Juncos Hollinger Racing.  Kevin bounces around Prime 47 at a domestic violence fundraiser packed with drivers racing this weekend speaking to Sheldon Creed who will drive a midget car next weeknd. Then, Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson casually stops by to talk about what’s going on at IMS and the road course characteristics. Kevin and Curt talk about August 1 being the time that Rinus VeeKay can negotiate with teams and if he’s in the best situation already.  Then, Nate Ryan from NBC Sports joins Curt for a conversation about the unprecedented situation that Alex Palou finds himself in with Chip Ganassi Racing. Nate and Curt talk about the role Formula 1 is playing in the whole situation. Then, th

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin continue discussing the upcoming weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the big off-track news that Chip Ganassi is suing Alex Palou. They discuss the likelihood that Palou is in the No. 10 car next season and what’s in his best interest as a driver next year. How much do Palou’s actions have to do with the possibility that he might be in the running for a Formula 1 seat at McLaren? Kevin and Curt once again touch on Devlin DeFrancesco’s situation with Andretti reportedly exploring options for the No. 29 car. Also, who is going to drive the No. 2 car in Indianapolis? After Josef Newgarden’s crash in Iowa, Kevin and Curt discuss the latest on the story and what they’ve heard over the last 24 hours, as well as what caused the crash. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that Kurt Busch is going to miss his second straight Cup race due to concussion-like symptoms. Ty Gibbs will take his place once again. On

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin speculate about the Racer.com report that Devlin DeFrancesco might be out of the number 29 car for Andretti Autosport at season's end, and the possibility for either Rinus VeeKay or David Malukas to race for either Andretti Autosport next year. They discuss new theories on the Alex Palou saga and talk about the number 10 car, including other names that could make their way into the mix with either Ganassi or Andretti.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is that former F1 driver Daniil Kyvat will drive in the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard in the NASCAR Cup Series and some of the other interesting entries for this weekend. Later, they continue to recap the Hy-Vee Iowa doubleheader and take listener questions, such as the future of Gateway and other schedule questions. Kevin then gives information on Thursday night's event at Prime 47 and some of the items that will available to bid on. See omnystudio.com/listene

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin recap the Hy-Vee Doubleheader at Iowa Speedway, with wins by Josef Newgarden and Pato O’Ward. They give the latest on Newgarden, who crashed while leading Sunday, and later collapsed and was transferred to a Des Moines hospital. They discuss his standby replacement for this weekend’s race on the IMS road course, Santino Ferrucci, and what the Connecticut native could bring to Team Penske. Kevin and Curt also speculate about other drivers that could have been options to fill in.  Later, they talk about O’Ward’s victory in the second race, what this weekend meant for the championship chase, and Jimmie Johnson’s strong weekend. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is the controversial finish from Indy Lights on Saturday, in which Linus Lundqvist was penalized three positions, giving the win to Hunter McElrea.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin look back on last weekend’s Toronto race, won by Scott Dixon. They discuss the Ice Man’s legendary career and longevity, after he tied Mario Andretti for second-most IndyCar wins and captured a victory for the 18th straight season. Kevin and Curt talk about the championship race, and if Dixon can win his seventh title. They talk about what to expect for Iowa, including how Chip Ganassi Racing struggled at an earlier test.  They continue to talk about the ongoing Alex Palou saga, where (if anywhere) he might be driving next season, and what Felix Rosenqvist’s future holds with McLaren. Kevin and Curt pay tribute to former USAC star Bobby East, who was killed last week in California.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is the upcoming doubleheader at Iowa Speedway and the promotion that Hy-Vee put into the event. Later, they talk about the “Hate Cauldron” from the Toronto TV broadcast, and how Alexander Rossi f

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show by informing how to watch this weekend’s IndyCar race at Toronto on Peacock. Midway through the first segment (at 20:13), we learn that Alex Palou is leaving Chip Ganassi Racing at the end of the season and moving to McLaren. They discuss Palou’s stunning tweets that he will not be returning to CGR despite a press release earlier Tuesday stating his option had been picked up for 2023. Kevin and Curt speculate on which series Palou will be driving in next year, and who could drive the Number 10 car for Ganassi.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is Palou’s move. Kevin and Curt lay out the timeline for the defending IndyCar’s champion move from Ganassi to McLaren, and how McLaren has helped change the pay grade for top drivers. Later, they take listener questions, and talk Colton Herta’s Formula 1 test with McLaren at Portimao.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss Sunday’s IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio, won by Scott McLaughlin in a battle with Alex Palou. They discuss the reliability issues for Arrow McLaren SP, with polesitter Pato O’Ward and teammate Felix Rosenqvist retiring early due to mechanical issues, and the decision by race control to wait to throw a caution.   Kevin and Curt discuss the fireworks among multiple Andretti Autosport drivers, especially Romain Grosjean and Alexander Rossi, and the dumpster fire of a weekend for the team. They break down the situation involving IndyStar reporter Nathan Brown, who was asked by an Andretti PR staff member to delete a video of a heated conversation between Michael Andretti and Alexander Rossi’s father Pietr. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is the results from the Road to Indy over the weekend.   Later, they talk about what’s next for Andretti, and the possibility we could see driver changes before the end of t