Trackside Podcast

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee is live from the Carb Night Classic at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. He’s joined by Andretti Autosport Indy Lights driver Christian Rasmussen to discuss how his season has gone so far. Homes For Our Troops CEO Tom Landwermeyer talks with Kevin about his company, which builds homes for veterans and is sponsoring J.R. Hildebrand’s ride in Sunday’s Indy 500.  USF2000 star Michael d’Orlando joins the show to preview his race Friday night, and Indy Lights star Sting Ray Robb talks with Kevin. Jackson Lee discusses his game plan for racing at IRP and the mental challenge that goes into the quick short oval. Plus, the voice of the Road to Indy Rob Howden chats with Kevin about the up-and-coming stars of the current Road to Indy lineup.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is that Pato O’Ward has signed with Arrow McLaren SP through 2025. Later, Kevin recaps a wild Carb Day practice, wi

Thursday night on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin preview Sunday’s Indy 500, and which drivers they think have the best chance of drinking the milk in Victory Circle. They discuss how drivers prepare mentally for the race, some of the things they learned at Thursday’s Media Day, and which drivers they expect to lead the race early. Kevin and Curt rank drivers in tiers, from the favorites through the longshots.  Later, Curt is joined by Tim May, who covered the race for the Columbus Dispatch for decades. Curt and Tim chat about Graham Rahal’s chances to win his first 500, some of the things he gathered at Thursday’s media day from Ohio-based Meyer Shank Racing, and the parity in IndyCar. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is the report from Jenna Fryer on the contract situation of Rinus VeeKay.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday night on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss some of the favorites for Sunday's Indy 500. They talk about the race strategies they expect to unfold, and how tire wear could play more of a role in this year’s race. Kevin and Curt chat about how passing could be difficult, and that the race could look more like a road course race in terms of strategies. They discuss the wide open nature of the field, and how as many as 27 or 28 cars could be in contention for a top-7 finish.  Later, they take Twitter questions, such as contingency plans for rain on Carb Day, how much they expect teams to practice Friday, and more. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is that Gainbridge extended its contract as the presenting sponsor of the Indianapolis 500.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin give their thoughts on the new Indy 500 qualifying format, which saw a new pole-speed record. They discuss some of the surprises from qualifying, the crowd’s reaction to laps over 234 MPH, and what led to those fast laps. Kevin and Curt also break down the disappointing speeds from Team Penske as well as Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.  We talk to A.J. Foyt Racing’s J.R. Hildebrand about his Month of May, and his sponsor, Homes For Our Troops. The 2011 Indy 500 runner-up gives his thoughts on what led to higher speeds over the weekend, and what to expect in Sunday’s race. Later, USAC Sprint Car Champion Brady Bacon joins the show to talk about short track racing coming up at Circle City Raceway as well as Anderson Speedway. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is David Malsher-Lopez’s report that Alexander Rossi has signed a new contract and it will be announced in three to four weeks.See o

On Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open up the show live from the Burger Bash by talking with a pair of rookies in Kyle Kirkwood and David Malukas about how they are feeling going into the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500, what their full experience has been like leading up to the race, and then share some stories on how they got to where they are at in their careers today. Marcus Ericsson and Stefan Wilson later join Curt and Kevin from the Burger Bash. They ask Marcus how he's feeling going into the big race this weekend, why the team has been so dominant in practices for the race, and the consistent improvement from race to race so far in his young career. The guys ask Stefan about the challenges of gathering some sponsors and a car at the last minute, the adversity that he could face in connection to with starting at the end of the field, and what his goal is for the upcoming race. Later, Dalton Kellett makes an appearance on Trackside from the Burger Bash to give an update on how he's feeling fo

On Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss a windy Fast Friday and preview Indy 500 qualifying. They talk about the updated schedule for Saturday with rain in the forecast, the ever-important qualifying draw, and who got lucky with early runs. They also break down the lengthy list of drivers that could advance to Sunday’s Fast 12. Kevin and Curt talk about the impressive day for the Dale Coyne Racing duo of Takuma Sato and David Malukas.  Later, they take Twitter questions and preview Monday’s Prime 47 Burger Bash at USAC headquarters in Speedway. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is the updated qualifying schedule, which gets underway at 11 a.m. Saturday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday’s Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin recap a full six hours of practice from IMS and look ahead to tomorrow’s Fast Friday practice leading into qualifying this weekend. They discuss Romain Grosjean’s interesting day, as he nearly made wall contact on multiple occasions, and talk about the windy conditions in the forecast and what kind of speeds we can expect tomorrow.  Later, they take Twitter comments, look ahead to how teams will cool engines Sunday for Fast Six qualifying, and discuss Jimmie Johnson’s busy day of practice. Later, they break down Fernando Alonso’s comments about IndyCar’s aeroscreen and how he isn’t interested in returning to the Indy 500. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway honors the Road to Indy winners from last weekend on the IMS Road Course.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Wednesday’s Indy 500 practice rained out, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin look ahead to the rest of the week leading into qualifying this weekend. They discuss the hijinks with Conor Daly’s infamous hot tub in the driver’s lot and who they think could be guilty. Kevin and Curt talk about the sense of urgency teams have with just two days of practice before qualifying. They also discuss how wind could make Fast Friday even trickier than it already will be and the expected weather through the weekend.  Later, they take Twitter questions, and talk about Mark Miles saying IndyCar will likely not have any new venues on the 2023 schedule. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is that A.J. Foyt Racing will test a few new drivers on the IMS Road Course for next season, including Benjamin Pedersen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss the first day of Indy 500 practice out at 16th and Georgetown. They talk about a clean and green first day of preparations for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500, and the impressive day from Chip Ganassi Racing, with all four drivers ending the day in the top six on the speed chart. They give kudos to Stefan Wilson’s Cusick Motorsports/DragonSpeed/Foyt team for getting the car ready to run today and showing pace.  Later, they talk about a few reports of an IMSA race potentially coming to IMS in 2023, as well as the fact that F1 will likely not be racing at IMS anytime soon. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that Ryan Hunter-Reay has signed with Chip Ganassi Racing to help develop their sports car program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin recap Saturday’s GMR Grand Prix, won in the wet by Colton Herta. They discuss the brilliant strategy move from Bryan and Colton Herta to switch to slick tires early in the race, which propelled him from 14th to the lead. Kevin and Curt talk about the chaotic race, with multiple tire strategies and suspect conditions, and list all the drivers that could have ended up in the top five.  Later, they discuss how the aeroscreen held up in the rain for the first time in race conditions, what the drivers had to say about the conditions, and what can be improved for the future. Kevin and Curt also give information about the Prime 47 Burger Bash next Monday, and some of the exciting items that are up for auction. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is the Indy 500 practice schedule for Tuesday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin recap qualifications from today for the GMR Grand Prix, discuss how very little time separates driver from the front of the field to the middle of the field, if he has heard anything from the drivers on how they are preparing for the possibility of rain for the race tomorrow afternoon, and which drivers could benefit from the weather conditions. Kevin and Curt also elaborate on how much it means to Will Power to be P1 for tomorrow’s race, how significant it was for particular drivers to qualify in the positions that they will start in tomorrow’s race, recap the Indy Lights win that happened this afternoon, and answer some Twitter questions that Kevin received throughout the day!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin preview this weekend’s GMR Grand Prix, and discuss a street inside IMS being re-named Castroneves Drive. They speculate on whether or not Helio will be back full-time in IndyCar next season, and talk about whether the Grand Prix can give a driver momentum heading into the Indy 500.   Kevin and Curt talk with Indy 500 winners Juan Pablo Montoya and Simon Pagenaud. We hear from Juan about the difficulty driving part-time and starting his IndyCar season at the IMS Road Course, how his son’s racing career is progressing. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway comes from Roger Penske talking to Dave Calabro of WTHR about his long-held desire to buy IMS and the long-term plans for the track and series. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin turn the focus to this weekend’s GMR Grand Prix on the IMS Road Course. They talk about historic trends since the race’s inception in 2014, and discuss the possibility of rain Saturday. They also break down the significance of the Month of May to the season-long points title in both IndyCar and Indy Lights.  Kevin and Curt discuss the lengthy list of drivers they believe can win the Indy 500, including the chances for Juan Pablo Montoya. They take listener questions, such as Homestead potentially re-joining the IndyCar schedule. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway comes from Rinus VeeKay, who talked Wednesday about his contract situation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss the news that Sarah Fisher will drive the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 in a 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06. They talk about the history of celebrity pace car drivers as well as race car drivers pacing the field. Kevin and Curt take listener questions, including one about recent news that Carvana is undergoing employee layoffs, and what potential impact that could have on Jimmie Johnson’s sponsorship.  Indy Lights championship leader Linus Lundqvist joins the show to talk about his season so far, including his thrilling win in the wet conditions at Barber Motorsports Park. We also hear about his upbringing, what he expects this weekend on the IMS road course, and his hopes to join the IndyCar paddock. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is the impressive F1 TV ratings from the Miami GP.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin recap the F1 Miami GP, which was attended by nearly half of the IndyCar paddock. Kevin and Curt discuss the spectacle around Hard Rock Stadium, what was done well, some of the issues from the first event, and whether they think the Miami race has staying power with a Las Vegas GP coming next year. They talk about Michael Andretti’s efforts to join the F1 paddock as he talked to team principals over the weekend, and discuss the criticism of Indy 500 coverage from the Liberty Media CEO.  Later in the show, Kevin and Curt break down the newest Silly Season news and rumors, including Alexander Rossi confirming to the IndyStar that his 2023 destination has been finalized. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is the livery reveal for J.R. Hildebrand’s red, white and blue car with A.J. Foyt Racing and ABC Supply. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To wrap up the week on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin look back on the infamous ending to the 2011 Indy 500, and they remember the legendary Dan Wheldon. They talk about this weekend’s Formula 1 race in Miami, how that event can help IndyCar, and the latest on Michael Andretti’s potential expansion into F1. Kevin and Curt speculate on potential landing spots for Rinus VeeKay after the season, and whether or not he could end up back with Ed Carpenter Racing.   Stefan Wilson is the 33rd and final entry into the Indy 500, and Wilson calls in to talk about how the entry with Dragon Speed, Don Cusick and A.J. Foyt Racing came together. We hear about some of the difficulties in getting the effort together, what he hopes the program can turn into, and the excitement level for this year’s 500. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is that Liberty Media is purchasing land in Las Vegas for next year’s F1 race in Sin City. Se

Thursday on Trackside, the Indy 500 entry list is finally at 33, and Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin talk about how the Don Cusick/Dragon Speed entry with Stefan Wilson came together, and how Jay Frye and Larry Foyt played a key role in filling the field. They discuss the recent article by Jeff Gluck in The Athletic about Sage Karam’s mental health struggles following his IndyCar accident at Pocono in 2015, and Karam’s upcoming return to Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Former NASCAR champion crew chief Ray Evernham joins the show to talk about the upcoming Mecum auction at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. We hear from Evernham about Jimmie Johnson’s transition to IndyCar, and some of the cars in his collection, such as Mario Andretti’s Brawner Hawk from 1965.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is that Formula 1 is back in the United States this week for the Miami Grand Prix, including comments from Bernie Eccelstone. 

On Wednesday’s Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin talk about the festivities surrounding May in Indianapolis. They discuss Nathan Brown’s report in the IndyStar that rookie Kyle Kirkwood plans to make his way to Andretti Autosport next year to presumably replace Alexander Rossi. They break down what ripple effects that move may have. Kevin and Curt mention that FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem visited Roger Penske at IMS Tuesday, and what that could mean for the Speedway, such as an IMSA or WEC race.  They’re joined by Darren Jack from the Racing Hall of Fame Collection to give details on what you can bid on at the upcoming Prime 47 Burger Bash, coming up May 23rd. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is NBC’s announcement of the broadcast team for the Indy 500, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick, and of course, Kevin Lee!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday night on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin tie up some loose ends from the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, including how the day went for Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta, and the disappointing weekend from Meyer Shank Racing. They discuss the future of Felix Rosenqvist at Arrow McLaren SP.   They’re joined by Graham Rahal to discuss his on-track run-in with Romain Grosjean, and the growing frustration among the paddock with the former F1 mainstay. We hear from Graham about his hopes heading to IMS, and an exciting charity announcement.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is a pair of exciting wins in the Road to Indy from Myles Rowe as well as Jagger Jones, son of P.J. and grandson of Parnelli, plus a thrilling Indy Lights battle between Linus Lundqvist and Benjamin Pedersen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday night on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin return for nightly shows in the Month of May! They discuss the exciting IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park, won by Pato O’Ward, with Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay rounding out the podium. Kevin and Curt break down how the race was won, the different pit stop strategies, and how the championship standings are shaking out four races in. They talk about O’Ward’s turn around after his “war with his team,” and his contract situation.  Our News of the Day brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway is that Alex Palou is back in the lead of the championship standings heading to the GMR Grand Prix. Later, Curt and Kevin discuss the conflict between Graham Rahal and Romain Grosjean, and give the latest on the 33rd entry for the Indy 500. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.