MP 884: The Week In IndyCar, July 21, Listener Q&A

It's another packed episode of The Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show, all driven by questions submitted via social media, following the doubleheader at Iowa.
 
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 6m21s mark in the episode):
 
"With the season more-or-less at the halfway point, on a traditional A to F scale, what grade would you give the 2020 season thus far?"
 
"MSR and Jack Harvey showing some impressive pace has been a highlight for #mepersonally so far in this young season. Any insights to how the program has adapted so well to full time and the aero screen?"
 
"How impressed are you by Arrow McLaren SP so far this season? Do you think they can join the Big 3 teams as potential serial winners / championship competitors? Is the current rookie driver line up strong enough to meet their ambition?"
 
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 883: The Week In IndyCar, July 16, Listener Q&A

It's another packed episode of The Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show, all driven by questions submitted via social media, following the doubleheader at Road America.
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 11m01s mark in the episode):
 
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 881: The Week In IndyCar, July 15, with Cara Adams

Cara Adams, Firestone's director of racing tire engineering and production, makes her return to The Week In IndyCar and answers questions submitted by NTT IndyCar Series fans via social media.
Episode Time Stamps For Select Topics:
Coping with tire production during the pandemic shutdown (starts at 1m55s)
Process of preparing tires for a doubleheader weekend (4m51s)
Creating Indy 500 tires that will cope with August heat (8m07s)
Her work to introduce more young girls and women to racing through STEM (10m16s)
What makes a new tire faster than a used tire? (15m54s)
How did the new aeroscreen change Firestone's tire engineering plans? (18m59s)
Dealing with traction compound and other brand's rubber on the racing surface (25m13s)
What super power would she choose to help with her job? (31m14s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 880: The Week In IndyCar, July 14, with Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Ericsson

It's an all-Swedish episode of The Week In IndyCar as Road America Round 2 winner Felix Rosenqvist, and his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Marcus Ericsson, who placed fourth on Sunday, call into answer questions submitted by NTT IndyCar Series fans via social media.
Episode Time Stamps For Select Topics:
Did Felix's favorite Swedish coffee (named after a urinating fox) lead him to victory lane? (starts at 3m48s)
Rosenqvist's performance on Sunday and what it meant for the no. 10 Honda team (5m41s)
Ericsson's thoughts on his strong debut with Ganassi (9m42s)
Felix and Marcus on difference in team culture at CGR (14m59s)
Rise in Swedish talent in IndyCar and the Road To Indy (20m56s)
Insights on driving with the aeroscreen (24m35s)
Does Felix feel Conor Daly helped him to pass Pato O'Ward for the win? (29m44s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 877: The Week In IndyCar, July 10, with Graham Rahal

NTT IndyCar Series veteran Graham Rahal returns to The Week In IndyCar show to answer listener questions that span his team's big gains in chemistry and speed, motivation to out-perform Josef Newgarden and Alexander Rossi, the giant growth of Graham Rahal Performance, thoughts on IndyCar's new Race for Equality & Change program, the majesty of his mustache, and more in a quick conversation recorded from the paddock at Road America.
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 873: The Week In IndyCar, July 6, Listener Q&A

It's another packed episode of The Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show, all driven by questions submitted via social media, following the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis.
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 19m00s mark in the episode):
"Alexander Rossi, two races in a row: Electrical Failures. Do you think this is a string of bad luck, something up with the Hondas, or something going on within the team? Do you think a string of mechanical failures could play into him jumping teams after 2021? Should Honda be worried about keeping him in a Honda car?"
"Will the series allow the OEM to work with the teams to use seat cooling technology in order to help the drivers in the cockpit? Or what Pratt and Miller with the A/C used in the IMSA Corvette C8.R or HPD in the Acura NSX GT3."
"Now that Road America is going to be a doubleheader weekend, is there a safety limit on the number of brats consumed, and is it per event or for the whole weekend? Is there a B.o.S. (Balance of Sausages) to equalize consumption among different-sized consumers?"
"Jay Frye recently said that while IndyCar feels good about moving forward with the new 2.4-liter engine in 2022, the new car that was planned for 2022 may take several more years to realize because of the economic burden on teams. To mitigate the burden on teams, he said the new car might come about via annual updates of new parts and pieces. How would this work? What parts would come first, next, and so on?"
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 870: The Week In IndyCar, July 1, with Mike Shank

NTT IndyCar Series team owner Mike Shank returns to The Week In IndyCar show to answer listener questions that range from silly to serious. 
Episode Time Stamps For Select Topics:
How has Meyer Shank Racing survived financially during COVID-19? (starts at 2m02s)
When will AJ Allmendinger drive an MSR Indy car? (14m16s)
Eating 'Hardcore' Jack Harvey's baked goods (19m10s)
Favorite SiriusXM channels (19m35s)
More tales from failed 2012 IndyCar entry attempt (22m40s)
Changes to doing B2B deals in a lockdown (27m06s)
Should all Indy 500 entrants be given a pass in qualifying during a compromised year? (32m06s)
Mike's favorite Acura and Honda products (36m47s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 869: The Week In IndyCar, June 30, Listener Q&A

It's another packed episode of The Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show, all driven by questions submitted via social media.
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 12m30s mark in the episode):
"Wanted to get your opinion on the Indy 500 still being blacked out in Central Indiana even though they’re capping the attendance to 50%, which essentially assures a sellout. Is there any reason why they are doing this during a time where it could be a morale booster during the pandemic? I would see it as a massive middle finger if I were a Central Indiana resident. Am I misreading the situation?"
"Looking back over the last 10 years, the number of women drivers at the Indy 500 has dwindled, and will possibly be none this year (I understand Pippa Mann is struggling to get a ride). In 2010, five women were entered (Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher, Ana Beatriz, Simona de Silvestro, and Milka Duno). Over the next 3 years 4 women entered the 500 each year. What has gone wrong?"
"Pick one NBA player that you think would make a good IndyCar driver. #MePersonally, I think Tim Duncan would be good a IndyCar driver. If they could fit him into one."
"Let’s say I build a time machine, go back and win a ton of money sports betting and then take a small portion to start a CART team with Honda engines, Reynard chassis, Firestone tires and I employ Buddy Lazier and my team has an operating budget and engineering talent of a Team Green or Forsythe? I run '95-'98 with this setup, what is Buddy’s best championship finish? 5th? 10th? 15th?"
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 863: The Week In IndyCar, June 24, with JR Hildebrand

IndyCar veteran JR Hildebrand returns to The Week In IndyCar show to answer listener questions that range from silly to serious. 
Episode Time Stamps For Select Topics:
How do you prepare differently for Indy in August? (starts at 1m41s)
Interest in sports cars or sprint cars? (7m34s)
His growth with societal awareness (15m12s)
JR's STEM program (41m23s)
What new technologies might attract more manufacturers? (1h10m11s)
Interest in a future team role in IndyCar? (1m23m52s)
Casting the buddy-cop show 'JR and The Sage' (1h32m51s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 862: The Week In IndyCar, June 23, Listener Q&A

It's another packed episode of The Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show, all driven by questions submitted via social media.
A sampling of the items posed this week (Q&A begins at the 18m06s mark in the episode):
"Alex Zanardi is one of the few people I would consider a hero. Do you have any Zanardi stories you'd like to share?"
"Are you satisfied with the response from INDYCAR regarding the social issues taking place in our country right now?"
"In the last mailbag, Robin Miller rated IRL 1996-1999 years as kind of second-class racing compared to the 2000's when CART teams began to switch to IRL. What are your thoughts about IRL racing in the 1990s?"
"Is it realistic that the next series of engine and/or aero regulations could be designed to induce more lifting and/or braking at large ovals?"
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 859: The Week In IndyCar, June 17, with Michael Andretti

Championship-winning IndyCar driver and team owner Michael Andretti pays a visit to The Week In IndyCar show to answer fan questions in the listener-driven show.
Episode Time Stamps For Select Topics:
Racing within a compressed schedule (starts at 0m41s)
Carl Haas story and Ferrari F1 (7m27s)
Andretti Autosport's strength at the Indy 500 (12m18s)
Driving for Chip Ganassi in 1994 (14m13s)
Supporting Indy Lights and its future growth (16m35s)
Cousin John Andretti (21m15s)
Racing with his father Mario as a teammate (26m40s)
Next-generation Andretti drivers in the pipeline? (28m05s)
Favorite disco song (sent in by Bryan Herta)? (31m07s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 858: The Week In IndyCar, June 16, Listener Q&A

It's a new episode of The Week In IndyCar show driven by questions submitted from fans via social media.
Listener Q&A begins at the 10m24s mark in the episode.
Among the items covered:
"With the issues between the new Laguna Seca promoter and the Historic committee and between his company and the contracts issues with the volunteer group, Is the IndyCar race in peril? Is the track viable with this unproven management?"
"How would you incentivize additional INDYCAR teams to field Indy Lights cars? And on the flip side, how can the series better help ladder series teams to progress up the ranks?"
"Hearing that some drivers suffered from debris in their helmets delivered via the cooling system hose made me wonder - can the hose be a conduit for fire or other dangerous substance to reach the drivers?"
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 855: The Week In IndyCar, June 10, with Mike Hull

Chip Ganassi Racing managing director Mike Hull is here for The Week In IndyCar show to answer questions about his driver's win in Texas and more in the listener-driven show.
Episode Time Stamps For Select Topics:
What makes Scott Dixon so good? (starts at 0m48s)
How was the Texas event different under COVID-19 restrictions, and on Michael Cannon's engineering influence (4m54s)
Thoughts on sim racing for driver development? (21m29s)
Felix Rosenqvist's year-to-year growth at Texas, team's reaction to his crash (25m29s)
Difficulties in expanding to three cars with Marcus Ericsson? (31m44s)
What does the cable that gets connected to the car do? (35m30s)
Explaining the job titles and roles on an IndyCar crew (38m48s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 854: The Week In IndyCar, June 9, Listener Q&A

It's a packed new episode of The Week In IndyCar show following the first race of the year at Texas, with questions submitted from fans via social media.
Listener Q&A begins at the 25m10s mark in the episode.
Among the items covered:
"Will we see a change to the impound rules for the next race? It seems that three guys had their races ruined by the fact that the IndyCar implemented special rules."
"How much we should put into Ed Carpenter's comments after the race about Rinus VeeKay? Obviously, it wasn't a great weekend for Rinus and wasn't very pleased after what was a great run for him. How long do you think it will take for Rinus to build up Ed's trust in him again?
"Has anyone researched whether the traction compound has ruined the Texas track for IndyCar for the long term, or whether it should be fine by next year? Would have been a really entertaining race if people could have passed, but it was brutal."
"Following up on the discussion about the cancellation of Indy Lights for this year from last week, you mentioned that it looks like Indy Car was going to be putting pressure on IndyCar teams to get involved with Lights. Is your understanding that they are wanting them to field teams, and subsidize the cost for drivers to participate in the series, or simply field teams for paying drivers, like Andretti Autosport currently does? If the latter, how would that help the series with more entries, if the current demand for entries for paying drivers isn’t there already? All it would seem to do would shift from independent teams to Indy Car development teams and put the small teams out of business."
"IndyCar drivers as Ninja Turtles: Who do you cast as each turtle? I'll start by casting Hinch as Michelangelo."
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 849: The Week In IndyCar, June 3, with Scott Dixon

Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon returns for The Week In IndyCar show to answer listener questions as the five-time champion readies to go racing this weekend in Texas.
Episode Time Stamps For Select Topics:
Thoughts on getting back to action, and moving the Indy 500 to August (starts at 4m29s)
Working with the 35-lap tire stint limits and race strategy adjustments at Texas (11m39s)
How close is Dixon to his pit crew away from the track? (13m36s)
His wife Emma's iRacing debut and her competitiveness (16m24s)
With changing calendars, will he continue in IMSA with Wayne Taylor Racing? (22m37s)
Memories of Nazareth 2001, his first IndyCar win (24m42s)
Dixon's fantasy Indy 500 front row (27m36s)
Reflections on racing an Aston Martin at the Bathurst 12 Hours (30m21s)
Memories of racing in the Formula Holden series and the impact of Kiwi legend Kenny Smith (38m32s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 848: The Week In IndyCar, June 3, Listener Q&A

It's a new episode of The Week In IndyCar show, with questions submitted from fans via social media.
Listener Q&A begins at the 23m05s mark in the episode.
Among the items covered:
"Why did Firestone implement a very short tire stint limit before they even turned a wheel in Texas? Why not wait and see if maybe they can make the window bigger after practice."
"McLaren has been admirable in saying that there would still be a place for Robbie Wickens when he comes back, but is that a realistic prospect when they are running two full-time cars and have a list of part-timers already in mind for next year?"
"Now that the Indy Lights season has been cancelled, could any of those teams use their budgets/sponsorship dollars to run a car at Indy or another IndyCar race? Could one of the bigger teams lease them one of their backup cars for a one off run somewhere?"
"What can you tell us about software in IndyCar? I know it's a general question, but #mepersonally working in IT and you (I believe) having a CS background, I always wonder what type of off-the-shelf or in-house software they run. Bonus points for using as many technical terms and acronyms as possible."
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 844: The Week In IndyCar, May 29, Listener Q&A

It's a new episode of The Week In IndyCar show, with questions submitted from fans via social media. Among the items covered:
"MP, let’s say in a dream world Ferrari does come to IndyCar, what does it do for the series here and globally?"
"I am relatively new to IndyCar as a result of your podcast and therefore know nothing about the split. People love to talk about the huge negative impact of the split. What do you think are positives that can be taken from the split and subsequent merger?"
"Do you think the cancellation of this years Toronto Indy puts the future of the race in jeopardy? And a follow up question, what is the prospects of having more races in Canada in the future?"
Listener Q&A begins at the 5m46s mark in the episode.
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 843: The Week In IndyCar, May 28, with Zak Brown

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown returns for The Week In IndyCar as the Arrow McLaren SP team readies itself for the June 6 season opener in Texas.
Episode Time Stamps For Select Topics:
Takeaways one year later on McLaren Racing's 2019 Indy 500 entry (starts at 1m27s)
Thoughts on the adjusted IndyCar schedule and contingency planning amid COVID-19 (4m48s)
Thoughts on Ferrari's expression of interest in joining IndyCar (6m55s)
Would a Formula 1-style budget cap be worth considering in IndyCar? (8m08s)
Was Fernando Alonso an option for a third AMSP entry at Texas? (13m44s)
Will AMSP look to run guest drivers in 2020? (15m21s)
Zak's vintage Indy car collection (20m06s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 835: The Week In IndyCar, May 21, Listener Q&A

It's a new episode of The Week In IndyCar show, with questions submitted from fans via social media. Among the items covered:
"Ferrari is exploring joining IndyCar in 2022 when the new regulations kick in. What do you think this would look like? Do you see a scenario where they say, "we will join if we can build the exact displacement hybrid engine we want"? "We will join if we are allowed to develop our own chassis". Etc.? Surely this would make some other European manufacturers take another look at IndyCar as well?"
"Hypothetically, if we only get a few races in and we can't finish the season, will IndyCar crown a champion for the 2020 season? Or will the season be extended to include the 2021 season for a 2020-2021 championship?"
"Akin to what Porsche did with its 919 Evo at the Nurburgring and Spa, where they threw out the rule book and modified the car to go as fast as possible - what speeds could be achieved at IMS if an Indy Car team was able to modify a current Indy Car to go as fast as possible?
"To what degree are IndyCar teams allowed to repair and maintain their engines without getting Chevy or Honda technical staff involved or sending the unit back to the supplier for repair?"
Listener Q&A begins at the 12m00s mark in the episode.
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast

MP 833: The Week In IndyCar, May 20, with Doug Boles

Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles joins us for The Week In IndyCar a few days ahead of the Indy 500's original race date to discuss a variety of IMS-related topics submitted by fans via social media.
Episode Time Stamps:
Different feelings around IMS during the coronavirus shutdown (starts at 5m17s)
Where IMS currently stands on having fans at the Brickyard 400 and Indy 500 (16m50s)
Planning for the combined IndyCar/NASCAR July 4 event (20m51s)
Ticket renewals for the 2021 Indy 500 (27m58s)
What will happen to all the pre-printed May 24 Indy 500 memorabilia? (29m28s)
Will the memorabilia show be held? (31m58s)
Doug's path to becoming president of IMS (34m08s)
Improvement plans for the IMS Museum (41m03s)
Bringing various racing series back to IMS (43m20s)
Favorite fan stories (48m40s)
Subscribe: https://marshallpruettpodcast.com/subscribe
Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPruettPodcast