Latest / The Central Indiana Sports Report / The IndyCar Report Elijah Poe: Offseason News & Rumors (2.51.1)

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The IndyCar Report Elijah Poe: Offseason News & Rumors (2.51.1) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

• 0:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome, Indie Garfans, the Central Indian Esports Report.
• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: For our Indie Car Report with Elijah Poe, I'm your host, Greg Mendel.
• 0:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm joined on Riverside App by Elijah Poe here on the offseason here to catch you up on some news and notes and rumors.
• 0:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Elijah, a couple words I didn't expect to hear in the offseason were Schumacher and Cleveland.
• 0:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it is definitely good to be back.
• 0:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm off season podcast, we definitely didn't forget about all the in-e-car fans out there and as you alluded to Schumacher and Cleveland, it's nice to see Mick Schumacher be testing here and in-e-car he was out at the IMS road course here and you know here in Cleveland that might be back in the calendar here I'm not really sure when that would happen but there have been some rumors of some city officials talking in-e-car my return back to the airport for race which is being great.
• 1:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, man, I've been to that a couple of times.
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elijah, you could fit 100,000 people and every one of them could see 85% of the road course, which is just an incredible venue.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's what you want.
• 1:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: To think that Indie Carker could get maybe a little bit further east.
• 1:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously I know Mido-Hio is about smack dab in the middle of the near Mansfield, Ohio.
• 1:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: But to get the Cleveland and maybe reach some of that northeast market, maybe pull from New York and Philadelphia, that's exactly what the sport needs.
• 1:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, all I know is that it produces great racing and that's all I really care about.
• 1:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's the most wide open Indie car road course that I've ever seen.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Probably the most wide open, open wheel track that there was and it was a shame that it went away.
• 1:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can spend the day before, go to qualifying, go see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or... You know, Cleveland's a horrible place.
• 1:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't give me a wrong.
• 2:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't want to give you a problem.
• 2:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Any credit.
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: But there are some things to do in Cleveland if you're there.
• 2:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm just saying.
• 2:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I think it would be great too.
• 2:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you get a brand new indie car fan and you throw them out on a track like Mido Hio, if you really don't know what's going on racing-wise, all you're gonna see is a bunch of cars pass you.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're not really gonna know the order.
• 2:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: because you know, you can't see the whole track unless you're on a short oval.
• 2:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's what can make Cleveland unique and is where you can, you can see the cars 24 seven.
• 2:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's really hard to do with the road course is obviously it's going to be impossible to see every single car and every single pass.
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: But you said it'll see any of it.
• 2:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, exactly.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: A very small portion of it.
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Exactly.
• 2:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if you're able to set up a venue where you can see the full
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: road course.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not sure there's another venue in the United States that has an opportunity to do something like that.
• 2:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: I can nothing comes in mind right off the bat.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's for sure.
• 2:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: where I was at the top of the grandstands where they put the media, which was a very cool place for media.
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was really just an open air seating and but it was at the top of the stands.
• 3:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it was really cool.
• 3:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: You could probably see 95% of the track even down a little lower.
• 3:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: No doubt you can see 85% of the track.
• 3:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the parks that are wide open are right in front of you.
• 3:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just so cool.
• 3:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: and you can see five, six, seven different turns and be watching different things happen at the same time.
• 3:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: It looks like it's gonna happen from what I'm reading.
• 3:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: The greater Cleveland sports commission as you mentioned, they have confirmed that they really wanna do this as soon as 2028.
• 3:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it would be so great to think of being able to see even 50% of the track.
• 3:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm just pulling out an example from, if you go to the IMS Road course and sit in, turn one of the oval,
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: So you can see the last couple corners of the road course can really only see about 40% of the lap.
• 4:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Unless you pay big money to sit up in a penthouse where you can see probably 60% Exactly, you just don't, you just don't get that anywhere else.
• 4:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: And to be a Cleveland, taking close to the Midwest, I think it'd be such a such a such a great opportunity for Andy Carr.
• 4:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: And they're in a spot where they need more races.
• 4:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'd be really surprised if they didn't jump at this one.
• 4:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: The rumor is they may start at the Lakefront airport and then move to downtown Cleveland and I think there would be a huge mistake.
• 4:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know that you can probably make more money downtown Cleveland or whatever, but it's such a great venue, guys.
• 4:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just let's just please have this part of the series.
• 4:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you ask me every year what races do you miss the most, it's Michigan, it was Phoenix and it was Cleveland.
• 4:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'd be really interested to see where they would even put the race in the streets of downtown Cleveland.
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I've been a Cleveland handful of times and I'm not really sure other than near the water front that you would have a parking to do all that.
• 5:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like you said, I'm just not sure would be a great race and I understand any car.
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Is I feel like all racing series right now are really hyper focused on getting them inside the streets of cities, which makes total sense commercially wise, but we want to see a great race and if you have a if you have a venue that's going to have a great race.
• 5:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So the Schumacher situation apparently he is testing for Ray Hall Letterman and if you're in the car, he's not his father, he's not the same talent that his father is, but the name, alone, would be a huge gift for the series.
• 5:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think you hit it on the nail there.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is definitely not a Michael Schumacher.
• 5:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not sure anybody is.
• 5:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: But having him have the opportunity to come into Indie car, I think would put so many so many eyeballs on the sport.
• 5:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like you said, because that last name, it does hold weight, just like in the trailer, especially in Europe.
• 6:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just like the name and drady does in the United States on Europe when you hear Schumacher, you're going to think racing.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: And for him to be testing for RLL, I know they've had
• 6:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: a bunch of different drivers test for them in years past, but my thing to do is assume our group be, you know, why not come over?
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Why not test?
• 6:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've got a lot of previous Formula One drivers who have tested in the cars and it feels like it doesn't lead to a contract.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I feel like RLL would kind of be missing the ball there if they at least an offer because there's no way they're going to bring back a different test go back as it is in 2026.
• 6:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: You would think different Chesco would have to have one hell of a season to save that, right?
• 6:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure he's a nice guy, don't get me wrong.
• 6:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: But he's been on some of the best teams in IndyCard and the results of my show.
• 6:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Speaking of andrody racing is former team.
• 6:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have hired Ron Ruzuski to be the tin principal for will power his former team principal.
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Pinsky you think that was in the works and that's why a power jump so quickly.
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that was definitely in the works, but I want to say power kind of had the upper hand on Ruzuski that Ruzuski was going to follow power wherever he went and having somebody who's
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it was 20 years in 2024, obviously he was dismissed after the whole attenuator incident at the 500th this year in May, but to think of Will power team up with somebody he's been in contact with and been working with for over 20 years and I can't imagine a better case scenario.
• 7:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: uh... for injury in twenty twenty six having will power is going to be an absolute stud specifically on the street in road courses uh... for qualifying i can't imagine the result he's he's he's going to have and having resist to be a team principal who's uh... been very very high up in team penski for over twenty seasons and dready is looking really really strong so far i agree i just want to play a little delt devil's advocate
• 8:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: maybe some and try another fit.
• 8:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I guess if 20 years, it's that comfortable.
• 8:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I thought new environment maybe new approach.
• 8:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the environment change as a whole is is the biggest factor.
• 8:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's been up.
• 8:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was at Penske for what 17 years.
• 8:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's a long, long time.
• 8:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: I can get the devil's advocate of wanting to change things up, but I just think a whole new team is going to be switching from a Chevy to a Honda powered engine.
• 8:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'll be interested to see how he's going to handle that.
• 8:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that obviously we all know Honda had the upper hand on Chevy this year, but that changes every other season.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: It feels like it flip flops.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: So there's going to be a lot of new for Willpower for sure, but I
• 8:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's more of a positive that he's going to have at least a little bit of stability on the team principal side with the resuzki who's been proven in this sport at a time in time and again especially in the and you you say you think will power is going to be great next season I have my questions I he's been he's been okay the last five years I think he's probably on the second part of his career but what this does is give him a real chance to win
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I'll be interested in, just to think of the lineup and Johnny has with Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Aeroson, as you talk about those three drivers, I wouldn't be super shocked if will power beats Kirkwood, like I'm not saying he is going to next year, but I expect that to be pretty close.
• 9:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I can see that.
• 9:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's probably on the Kirkwood level, I just don't think he's on top five level any more.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, he I think you are kind of guy who's going to win your three races in a year and that's fine.
• 9:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's just probably not going to be a championship contender if that's what people are thinking that's my opinion Who knows what the change of scenery could do maybe it reinvigorates him and he goes out and challenges I just haven't seen the same will power the last five years.
• 10:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Although the second half of this last season was a pretty impressive performance by him
• 10:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it would definitely be the crazy thing next year if he's able to really stick at the penskiing when the if he's able to win the 500 in an and dreaded car and penski doesn't win.
• 10:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: at a Pinsky-owned track, I couldn't think of a better storyline to kind of stake it in Roger Pinsky's face if that were to happen for Will Power.
• 10:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's see those two are in a very good relationship.
• 10:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would think so.
• 10:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's no animosity between those two, but I would hope, man.
• 10:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know there would be a field day if Will Power was able to win the 500, and being in an and dreaded car they've been obviously super, super strong there.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: to be fair to Roger will power results like I said the last five year since he won the 500 have just not been good enough for pensky and I think that's the bottom line and I think they wanted to go with someone younger and a long-term deal and didn't feel comfortable doing that with will power and and I think and ready probably wins out because of it.
• 11:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's going to be interesting.
• 11:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: I feel like both teams.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a rare scenario in Indie car where both Penskeen and Dreadia, I think kind of won this off season, silly seasons.
• 11:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously Penskees getting a very young and talented David Malukas, albeit he's a little unproven.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we all know he's got the potential.
• 11:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, he's got the potential, but he has to prove it now.
• 11:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: He has no choice.
• 11:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, he definitely does have to prove it.
• 11:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I'll be interested to see how he's going to be able to match up with Scotty Mac and Joseph Newgarne.
• 11:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, both of those two are well established within that team.
• 11:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And really the team is a whole with how rough of the 20, 25 season they had.
• 11:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: If they're able just to turn around that momentum, obviously, they got a little hot there at the end of the year, happened will power when Portland and Joseph Newgarne winning in Nashville.
• 12:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: But, obviously, that first half of that season in 2025
• 12:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: any movement on the seats that need to be filled that you're hearing rumors or anything confirmed.
• 12:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not hearing any rumors yet on the AJ Foie obviously we know Santino is going to be in that car but it really feels like to me that they're going to be eyeing Venus VK with Venus VK departing Dale coin racing.
• 12:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the possible matchup of Reyes VK and Santino Farucci and AJ Foit Racing, I think that brings them away in 2025.
• 12:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Those are two really, really quick, really aggressive, really young drivers, and they ought to be looking at the chops of the opportunity to pair up those two.
• 12:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, but neither one of them is good as Malukas, I don't think.
• 12:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, I don't know if it does bring wins, but they very easily could have won some races last year.
• 13:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: it's not a stretch to think they're going to win one this year.
• 13:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Both of those guys are certainly capable.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I was more thinking along the lines where, you know, they had this improvement in 2023, got a little bit better, got they've gotten a little bit better every year for these past three seasons.
• 13:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's definitely going to be talking point adding into this year if they're able to kind of break that bubble.
• 13:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And kind of version to a team where they're going to be a long side, um, air McLaren, and obviously they're not going to be competing with Penske Ganassian McLaren, but if they can be maybe that fourth or fifth team in the series, I wouldn't be surprised if they can maybe squeak out of win.
• 13:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Another team that would like to compete for that title would be Dale Coin Racing, of course.
• 13:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Always, I can't even tell you how long they've been known as one of the small teams in Indicard.
• 13:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they now have a partnership within Dreddy.
• 13:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And again, they've always outkick their coverage.
• 13:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've always been better than the money that they put into it and the drivers, they supposedly have, they always outcompete what they're supposed to.
• 14:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: So getting this extra help could be a big deal to deal, corn raising and he deserves it.
• 14:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I think that's going to be huge.
• 14:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, Dale Corn Racing also has signed Dennis Howger
• 14:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: for next season, which I think is going to be such a great move.
• 14:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: We saw him in Indy next all year.
• 14:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just pretty much dominate that series as a whole.
• 14:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll see him at the top of the standing sometimes.
• 14:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not all, probably in a coin, but we're going to hear his name next year.
• 14:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would not be surprised.
• 14:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: And with that strategy, it calls that Dale coin has been often known to produce.
• 14:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: I wouldn't be surprised to see him, you know, squeak out some top 10s and maybe even a few top 5s.
• 14:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Going on to that and Dready partnership as well.
• 14:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: And this is a perfect opportunity for Dennis Howard to put a few years in at Dale coin racing.
• 14:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: And the men at either Willpower or Marcus Erickson moves on from in Dready.
• 14:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's the next man up.
• 15:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's your seems like that's the situation there.
• 15:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's going to be interesting to see who, also, is in that second seat filled for Dale Coin Racing.
• 15:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's nothing that's pointing away from not keeping able in the car again.
• 15:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: I've actually had a pretty rough season, but it was his first year in Indie car and he was definitely able to bring some huge sponsorships to that car as well.
• 15:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is very young, very young.
• 15:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think he's not run his last Indie car race, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
• 16:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Alright Elijah, before we head out, what's the situation with Cadillac?
• 16:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it's getting a little interesting here for the Colenhurt, a story line.
• 16:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, we know he is left and dreading and is moving to Cadillac.
• 16:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Forming the one Cadillac team.
• 16:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, it's been announced.
• 16:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's going to be their test driver, but they've also made some recent announcements on their SIM drivers.
• 16:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Any car fans will be delighted to know that Simon Pajano is going to be one of the former one Cadillac sim drivers as well as ex-host reserve driver, Pietro Fittipaldi, and endurance racer Charlie Eastwood.
• 16:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that just is, it throws another interesting leg into the cool and the harness storyline over there.
• 16:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're not quite sure if he's gonna do F2 yet to get those super license points, or if he's gonna maybe take a couple of years to build up his super license points by running in the free practices over at Formula One, but it is gonna be interesting to see if Cole and Herta is able to achieve his dream of Formula One because man, he left a great opportunity here at Indigar.
• 17:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, and ready when 500.
• 17:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's a seat.
• 17:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: You probably don't want to give up, but if you want to be informing the one man, God bless you.
• 17:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think he's got a good shot.
• 17:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, obviously he's behind the Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
• 17:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Wouldn't be shocked if those two drivers, I think the Cadillac is going to keep them in the car for a full year here in 2026 with new rule regulations and new car regulations for the next formula one season, it'd be silly to put somebody new in the car, but if those two don't perform after a year or maybe we get through half this season and colon her to has the FIA points to put them in the car, yeah, I wouldn't be surprised he's kind of the next man up.
• 18:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I have no problem with a driver chasing a dream.
• 18:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I did have a problem with Sam Hornish and Danica Patrick chasing the money to go to now.
• 18:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 18:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't have a problem with somebody chasing a dream though.
• 18:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, and here's the thing, even if it doesn't work out in Formula One, I all think, I think we all know that he's got a speed and a car anytime he wants to go.
• 18:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, what team wouldn't take him?
• 18:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's a proven winner.
• 18:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was definitely going to be fun for some any car fans to maybe see if Colton hurt it.
• 18:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I can't imagine waking up on a Sunday at 5am and seeing Colton hurt her run a four-wheel of two race.
• 18:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like that is just so silly to me, but you know he's chasing the dream and it'd be interesting to see if he's able to capitalize that on Cadillac it's definitely going to be interesting to see what happens there next to you.
• 18:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much Elijah and Sam Horner's You Blue.
• 18:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks everybody for listening.
• 19:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: We appreciate it.
• 19:02
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• 19:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Talking about Central Indiana Sports every single day.
• 19:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks Elijah.
• 19:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks Greg.
• 19:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: The Central Indiana Sports Report is a product of ITG media and I love Susie.