Latest / The Central Indiana Sports Report / The IndyCar Report: Long Beach Reaction with Elijah Poe, Dave Chanley & Michelle Garmon (2.236.2)

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The IndyCar Report: Long Beach Reaction with Elijah Poe, Dave Chanley & Michelle Garmon (2.236.2) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

• 0:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome, Indie Carr fans to a special edition of the Indie Carr Report with Elijah Poe.
• 0:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to get Elijah, Dave Chandley, and Tipton Tribunal and Elwood Collider Sports Editor, Michelle Garmin's reaction to another Alex Polo win this time at Long Beach.
• 0:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: In fact, his first ever win at Long Beach is 22nd career win, 11 in the last 24 races.
• 0:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: One of the most dominant stretches for any driver in Indie Carr history.
• 0:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: But last two years, four wins in the first five races, just incredible.
• 0:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to hear more about the performance of Alex Blow here coming up with Elijah Dave and Michelle.
• 0:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Also, I'm going to hear about a little controversy how he got the win.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: He took it over in the pits after the only yellow of the race.
• 0:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: The first yellow at Long Beach in a couple of years in the first yellow in the series since they were back in Arlington, Texas.
• 1:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: by the month ago.
• 1:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Rosenquist Meyer-Sankpick crew outsplow got the lead and pulled away for a 5-second victory.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Scott Dixon, Pelosi mate finished the third, Kyle Kirkwood who came into the race with the series lead and points by two over-pillow now trails below by 17.
• 1:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: Pado Award was fifth, Scott McLaughlin sixth, David Malukas seventh, Graham Ray Hall, really good day for Ray Hall, Letterman Lannigan.
• 1:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: He finished eighth, then Alexander Rossi for Ed Corpenter Racing was ninth and Kiffin Simpson for Chip Ganesi Racing.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Finish tenth giving Ganesi three drivers in the top ten.
• 2:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was the first podium of the year for Scott Dixon.
• 2:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: another really tough day for.
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Make shoe mocker, who is making his debut this season in Indie Car and it was another rough weekend for him.
• 2:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're gonna hear about all of that from our co-host Elijah Poe, Dave Chandley and Michelle Garmin.
• 2:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right now.
• 2:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Elijah, we had in our text chain a major disagreement.
• 2:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think we've ever had before.
• 2:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Michelle and I feel like Alex Ploat was his race to win.
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was sitting in prime position the pounds when it was time.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: You and Dave feel like a yellow cast Felix Rosenquist win.
• 2:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: So explain your side and we'll try to defend ours.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'll say, first of all, this race at Long Beach.
• 2:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: Only 71 passes on track and that immediately
• 2:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: opens it up.
• 2:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: Felix Rosenquist had about a 2.5 second lead on Polo and was maintaining that and never really dropped below that 2.5 marker before that caution flew.
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm just not sure Alex, Polo would be able to get it done on track.
• 3:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: Just because Felix Rosenquist's pace was on par with Polo and even the Polo caught up up to that first pit cycle.
• 3:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: Rosenquist was still able to build that gap right after they pitted.
• 3:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it would have been close no doubt But would just how hard it is to pass around here at Long Beach.
• 3:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think Rosenquist had that in the bag
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_03]: I'm going to second that and say that, yes, he had almost a three second lead.
• 3:34
  [SPEAKER_03]: That's a huge lead.
• 3:35
  [SPEAKER_03]: I don't care how long you're in the pits, and the whole race came down to the caution, which really wasn't a caution because there was no collision or anything on the course.
• 3:45
  [SPEAKER_03]: It's just for debris.
• 3:47
  [SPEAKER_03]: It's even an unusual caution.
• 3:50
  [SPEAKER_03]: And then when you look at the pit boxes, blow out an easy in and out.
• 3:57
  [SPEAKER_03]: And for sure, Rosenquist did not.
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_03]: He was, he was had to get in and out of, well, he got in early, but he had to then fight his way out of there.
• 4:08
  [SPEAKER_03]: And way, if you'll notice as they were pulling out, he was, he only was behind as he caught up to the pitbox about a half a car length.
• 4:18
  [SPEAKER_03]: So he almost got it anyway, but the whole race was the caution and the pit box location.
• 4:26
  [SPEAKER_03]: It's my story and I'm sticking to it.
• 4:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I really wish that Rosenquist would have gotten the lead out of the pit, but I still think Alex Pelosi is going to win the race.
• 4:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he was the better car.
• 4:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that was proven after he got the lead and he ran away from everybody.
• 4:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: I feel like he was just sitting there primed for the last leg of the race.
• 4:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that 10 crew was going to win.
• 4:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: There was no doubt in my mind and it ended up being the crew that was the difference.
• 4:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if it had gone under green, the crew probably would have been the difference anyway because that's what they do, Michelle.
• 5:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, and here's my theory.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, it was 2.5 seconds or a little or to when the yellow came out, but they were still 3 to 4 laps from pitting.
• 5:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if you remember the first time they picked Alex Polo was almost 2 seconds behind and he got it down inside a second.
• 5:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's what he was doing.
• 5:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he was conserving fuel and I think he was conserving fuel.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Where on this tires because I'm not even sure he wasn't playing the maybe if Rosent Quist pitted first he could get one more lap and clean air and Not have to worry and just go hard and then come into the pit set because he got the best pick He's got the best crew in any car and No doubt that granted his pit location was prime.
• 5:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hey, that happened sometimes and you're knows, huh?
• 5:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: It would have been prime under green too
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It would have been prime under green and I really think he wanted to finish on on the hard tires and he did and I think that was a strategy.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Rosenquist wanted to finish on the soft, but when Polo was going with the softs on again on his second run Rosenquist doesn't like the hards.
• 6:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he felt like Polo would have a distinct advantage at that point.
• 6:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And because he didn't, Rosie didn't really want to use the hard.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so he had to finish on the hard.
• 6:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think it played out.
• 6:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you look when he, Polo came out.
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he got the race the way he wanted.
• 6:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: He got to run two sets of reds and finish on the hard compound.
• 6:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's what he wanted to finish on there at Long Beach.
• 6:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: And because of what he wanted to do, he kind of,
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think him and the crew, I think it may have adjusted Rosenquist's strategy because I think he wanted to go soft hard soft, but don't think that they felt like they could do that.
• 7:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Having such a narrow lead over below when they first hit when they came in on the first pit stop.
• 7:09
  [SPEAKER_03]: I, although even said in the post interview, he wasn't sure if he could have beaten Rosen Quest without the caution and Dickson also said he wasn't sure anybody could have done anything with Rosen Quest had the caution not come out.
• 7:28
  [SPEAKER_03]: I'm just going to go by what those two said.
• 7:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's fine.
• 7:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I was just listening to what, you know, what they were talking about and their strategies and everything and I agree with Greg I think it was Polos to lose another and they just don't make mistakes and you know I do feel bad for us and quiz because we won't know with that caution coming out But if there is a team and there is a car and there is a driver that can make that pass to win that race.
• 7:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's Polo And written group
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I just think he was strong all weekend.
• 8:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think the red red strategy for his tires was something that they were actually discussing on the radio and that first as well.
• 8:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I think that was the way to go, but regardless, Martian Grayson and other solid day and Felix Rosenquist continues to show why he's one of the best drivers in this series.
• 8:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: These past three years, he's been opening the top throughout.
• 8:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: We talked about it all the way in the car report this week.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elijah can mire shank one day become one of the series staples that wins on wins races with and dready and Gavassi and Pinsky.
• 8:59
  [SPEAKER_03]: Thanks, good question.
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_03]: I'll chime in and think it's a race by race thing.
• 9:03
  [SPEAKER_03]: Let's face it the Penske as see.
• 9:06
  [SPEAKER_03]: And I mean, the top, the top teams are the top teams.
• 9:10
  [SPEAKER_03]: And everybody else can get in there for race here and there and have their day.
• 9:15
  [SPEAKER_03]: And this was this was the perfect week for Rosenquist because everything's
• 9:18
  [SPEAKER_03]: It was perfect storm, everything fell in place until it fell out of place.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_03]: But I give him a lot of credit, I give his team credit, because I don't think they made any mistakes.
• 9:29
  [SPEAKER_03]: They did everything right, it just happened to be unlucky for them.
• 9:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: Talking about another driver who needed a good weekend and had won was Scott Dixon finishing on the podium.
• 9:42
  [SPEAKER_02]: As first podium of the year was really raised to you all throughout this weekend, but a huge podium he was able to convert to sweep up his first one of the year.
• 9:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: Great call back.
• 9:53
  [SPEAKER_03]: I think out of the top six starters.
• 9:56
  [SPEAKER_03]: Five finished in the top five.
• 9:58
  [SPEAKER_03]: Malukus is the only one to drop to seventh, which tells me that.
• 10:04
  [SPEAKER_03]: Okay, let me go on my rant.
• 10:06
  [SPEAKER_03]: This is a follow the leader track.
• 10:09
  [SPEAKER_03]: It's what it is.
• 10:10
  [SPEAKER_03]: If I were an indie car person trying to decide whether I wanted to watch indie car, today's race would not have helped me in any way because
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_03]: It was boring.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_03]: I had a couple of guys text me that no, I love racing and they say this race is boring and there were exactly I could not disagree the reason long beaches so famous isn't it the second longest are the second oldest race circuit.
• 10:36
  [SPEAKER_03]: So give him kudos for that.
• 10:39
  [SPEAKER_03]: And Goes back longer long beaches.
• 10:42
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, more continuous continuous consecutive.
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 10:46
  [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
• 10:48
  [SPEAKER_03]: And I'll give him kudos for that.
• 10:49
  [SPEAKER_03]: And it's good to have that race.
• 10:51
  [SPEAKER_03]: But that race is a follow the leader track.
• 10:55
  [SPEAKER_03]: You're not going to see passing.
• 10:57
  [SPEAKER_03]: It's just not going to happen.
• 10:59
  [SPEAKER_03]: And as from that standpoint, I'm glad to get that.
• 11:03
  [SPEAKER_03]: It was what I thought it would be.
• 11:04
  [SPEAKER_03]: It was actually what I thought it would be.
• 11:07
  [SPEAKER_03]: Let's get this race over with.
• 11:09
  [SPEAKER_03]: And let's get on to the inapples.
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Through the history of it, it is clearly one of the least compelling races every year.
• 11:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's kind of like, it's kind of like Indianapolis Motor Speedway is for the brick yard NASCAR race, right?
• 11:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's just fall down again, like, kind of iconic track, but it doesn't really make for great NASCAR racing.
• 11:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: It makes for great Indian car racing.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: I thought I wasn't in a good comparison.
• 11:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I said in the group chat, I was about to bring it up.
• 11:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's Indie Cars Monaco.
• 11:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's a beautiful location.
• 11:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: The cars look good on track and then you actually see the cars race each other.
• 11:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it's just a little bit of a boring product and I have to go back to that yellow.
• 11:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think it should have been thrown full safety car.
• 11:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think you go to any other racing series in the world.
• 11:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think they would have just done either virtual safety car or a partial yellow.
• 12:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: But then again, it did provide some content we're talking about here so.
• 12:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because they didn't only throw the yellow till the one car hit the debris.
• 12:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then that's when they threw that full core shallow and it made me wonder if they thought there might have been damage to that car and you're going to have an accident on out.
• 12:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know.
• 12:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: I saw I think it was new gardens as front right tire luckily.
• 12:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: He just clicked that a perfect angle not to get any damage, but that race really freaking needed yellow.
• 12:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was really boring up to that point.
• 12:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, we're really boring, but I hate the thought of needing a yellow just because you need a yellow.
• 12:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, but it made for a better race and that's what I'm looking for is a great racing.
• 12:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: It becomes a better race if that yellow comes in the middle of a green
• 12:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: and a long green flag stretch instead of when almost cars are going to start coming in for pits anyway.
• 13:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because in the middle of that race, then you get a lot of strategy.
• 13:04
  [SPEAKER_03]: Michelle, well said.
• 13:06
  [SPEAKER_03]: Well said.
• 13:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: another good day for Alexander Rossi who started in 18th it was social shockers team kind of climb up as the East York crew has kind of been nowhere throughout this whole weekend, but that was a shocker to me and also a shout out to Graham Royale back to back top 10 first time since 2024 for him.
• 13:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Dennis Hogger, yes good race to for a Nolan Siegel who's
• 13:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Or no, I mean, Kevin Simpson, who is kind of not, yes, both of them come on, come on, no one Seagull and Kevin Simpson should be, they should be embarrassed to be driving in people going, yeah, you went from 25 to 11.
• 13:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I mean, they've had it.
• 13:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've not had good starts to the season.
• 14:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: So they're really humble.
• 14:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: right and so sometimes you need something to to give you some momentum going forward and that's what I'm saying for them we're trying so hard on the broadcast to say look at no one's single and kiffin sims and it felt like a participation trophy they were trying to throw that up.
• 14:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: We get spoiled with this indie car season it's great racing week after week.
• 14:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I'll say, I'm not sure it's going to get 100% better.
• 14:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's been three or four years since we've seen a really, really good race at the indie road course coming up next, just because Alex Pelosi dominated it.
• 14:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's actually a pretty good course for passing.
• 14:48
  [UNKNOWN]: Yeah.
• 14:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, the funny thing is Pelosi won for the first five races this year, like last year, but last year, this time, the points race was over.
• 14:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: This year it is not.
• 15:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Below, the second half of the season clearly was not as good as the first half of the season, and the only has the 17 point lead on Kirkwood.
• 15:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think it was a good job by Kirkwood, even though he wasn't able to pull off that podium spot.
• 15:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: Just taking a sticking in that fourth place, and I think it's only a 17 point gap now to Alex Polo.
• 15:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: This is what, if you want to be Alex Polo, you have to kind of be Alex Polo, and you won't find Alex Polo out of a top five.
• 15:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I think a fourth place spot, even though it's probably not what they wanted, for Andrade and Kirkwood, I think that's a really good result for them.
• 15:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, just stay within tracking this because I know, and Dreddy doesn't always have the best luck at Indianapolis, but that's a strong race team, and there'll be dialed in for the month of May.
• 15:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it could be very interesting.
• 15:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the month of May can be exciting.
• 15:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the points race could become a very interesting thing.
• 16:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because there's no guarantee that Palo will win the road course on there's no guarantee that he'll win the 500 It will be interesting to see how he does try out if he's able to make good showing as a defending 500 champion
• 16:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and I think talking about a 500 champion.
• 16:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'll be remiss if we didn't talk about Joseph Newgarden's bold three drops three stop strategy that all got blown up with that caution flying.
• 16:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: The team was pretty good today and I thought it was a really good
• 16:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, it was a really, it was a, yeah, it was, you want to talk a good about a good steady race for a Pensky driver today.
• 16:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's, as soon as you get right, McLaughlin.
• 16:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I still say I think that you're talking about I think Chip can ask you racing is the best at saving and making those red tires are soft, small, last longer than some others race teams.
• 17:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think both, uh, pillow and
• 17:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Greg and I talked at length about Scott Dixon this week on the Indie Carport, but we also talked about Will Power, who was looking to maybe secure a top five spot before he hit Kyle Colett's crew member there on the back left tire.
• 17:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: Unfortunately, got a penalty for that, and I think Michelle said it in the chat.
• 17:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: Those pit boxes at Long Beach are incredibly tight.
• 17:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, they don't really give the drivers any room as like because what made that even harder for power and private reason to hear it over that guy There was another car coming in.
• 17:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: He had to kind of go wider So he didn't get hit as he's coming out and It's so tight.
• 17:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: They don't get those boxes are so tight.
• 17:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: They really don't give you space to avoid that Without just by gas just full stopping and hoping you don't stop your car right there and and somebody take it out
• 18:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: another driver we talked about that had another unfortunate weekend it seems to be a theme for him uh... makes you marker given credit he did move up four positions but you know still ending up in seventeen place it's been a uh... a really really rough start for him in rll and uh... he's honestly one of the most kind of irrelevant drivers not shown on the broadcast very much uh... it's been a brutal start plan for sure
• 18:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: he has such a bright background and he looks lost.
• 18:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: I would say that's a pretty solid scene when I guess Groshon came in, he was obviously in dready, but I said RL team, I mean we've seen what Graham Ray Hall's been doing this year, but I'll give McMacher credit, I actually do think he's going to be good at the 500, just because he's going to have so many opportunities to be in the seat, I got to agree with you there Dave as well.
• 19:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's just so fresh for him right now.
• 19:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think you give him some time to maybe really learn and really sit in that car for an extended amount of time.
• 19:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think he could get it, but he's no doubt on the struggle buff.
• 19:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Put him with a really good crew like a pull-up like what Ganesi has with pull-out and Dixon and everything.
• 19:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: A veteran crew, he might be just a little bit better, but I do think he's learning.
• 19:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't care what my thing.
• 19:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think once he learns he's going to be more aggressive, but I think he's racing with a not to make a mistake, mistake, no mentality.
• 19:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, can't disagree and it's a shame we're going to have to wait a couple more weekends here as Indie Carole and next head to the Indianapolis Road course, a really solid race and usually a pretty good turnout for Indie Car fans getting pumped in the month of May and before we kind of ended up in wrap it up here May 9th for the road course, man.
• 20:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm an Indie 500 traditionalist.
• 20:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if I like that that late start for them
• 20:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes it does.
• 20:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: I've also got the open test here in a couple weeks of 28th and 29th.
• 20:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think there's been rumors that Katherine Lague might drive for AJV Boyd, which I'm sure we're gonna get into in the Andy Carport this week.
• 20:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hey everybody, please join us for that.
• 20:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Dave Michelle, please feel free to join us for the Andy Carport.
• 20:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks so much.
• 20:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was a lot of fun.
• 20:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it was more entertaining than the race guys.
• 21:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: The central Indian sports report is a product of ITG media.
• 21:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I love you, Susie.