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The IndyCar Report with Elijah Poe (2.76.1) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: You are listening to the IndiCar report with Elijah Poe, the latest IndiCar news, rumors and speculation, only on the Central Indian Esports Report.
• 0:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome IndiCar fans to the Central Indian Esports Report for a special edition of the IndiCar report with Elijah Poe.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elijah joins me here in the off season to talk about the latest
• 0:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: news, rumors, speculation, the latest happenings in IndyCar during the off season and there's been plenty.
• 0:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: But before we get to that, Elijah, I want to talk about the retirement of Marco and Dreddy.
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's probably not a surprise to anybody that he announces retirement this week.
• 0:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: He hadn't really been a contender for a few years.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's too bad because he was incredibly entertaining Indianapolis for a decade.
• 1:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: He never ended up winning it, of course, at the heart-breaking loss to Sam Hornish.
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: But there were four or five other times that he was in contention at critical moments in the race and never got the job done.
• 1:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was not quite his father, not quite his grandfather, but a good racer nonetheless and it's a shame that he didn't have more success than he did.
• 1:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: What happened was he came along and then the series took a huge leap in talent and kind of left Marco behind, particularly on road courses.
• 1:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I also want to say that Marco is one of the great gentlemen of the sport.
• 1:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: always very giving with his time with the media and always willing to be helpful just like his entire family.
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elijah, I grew up cheering for anybody but the Andretis in Indicar and then I met them and I regretted growing up cheering for anybody but the Andretis because they are the nicest people.
• 1:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, they have some bravado and some arrogance as anyone whose great would.
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: But there are the nicest people you will ever meet willing to help you in any way they possibly can.
• 2:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's how I wanted to start at Welcome Back, Elijah.
• 2:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Tell me about the latest in indie car news and speculation.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, well, it's good to be back in the company on Marcos, well, it is always a shame whenever we have a really you can just put it simply and then dready leaving anything.
• 2:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: The name just holds so much weight in Indy car, and like you said, he has been so dang close over the years, regardless, I think he did retire at a perfect time.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: These last few 500s have been.
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: a little bit rough for him as a whole.
• 2:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: But then again, it's always sad to see somebody with that name leave the sport in as far as some off the track, silly season news.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: We haven't had any major signing since VK decided to go to whom goes hauling a racing and really the only spot left for this 2020 season coming up here is going to be that number four car that's going to replace
• 3:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was race in ending next last year, a very great racer.
• 3:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's done two practices with the AJ4 team in that four car.
• 3:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, with way things are trending now, I would be pretty surprised to not see him in that car.
• 3:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Dreyr, these teams are gonna waste one test on somebody.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: They don't want in the car, let alone him having two.
• 3:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that pretty much points signs for him being at AJ4 next year and I really speedy racer.
• 3:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it'd be a good fit for AJ 14 that has shown some great moments here in 2025, but you know, they are still up in the air for what they can bring in 2026.
• 3:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's still plenty of open seats Elijah.
• 3:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: We still have one at Ray Hall Letterman.
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: We may know who that's going to be, but it's still open seat.
• 3:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: I say open seats and completely 100% open, no contracts involved or anything.
• 4:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I got you.
• 4:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: But there's still some things to be settled this offseason for sure.
• 4:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I think you talk about that ray hall C specifically with Devlin different test go.
• 4:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know we both have talked about it numerous amount of times how we would both be shocked to see him in that seat for next year.
• 4:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I would really like to see Mick Schumacher in that seat.
• 4:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not sure where the negotiations are with that.
• 4:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: We know he.
• 4:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: He tested on the road course at Indy here about three, three weeks to a month ago, but man, just what a name to maybe even get him an Indy call would be such a huge opportunity.
• 4:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not only for, for mixed career as a whole because, you know, he's been out of open wheel racing here for a couple years now.
• 4:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's obviously been very competitive on the west side of things and endurance racing, but man, it'd be just such a great pick up for Indy car.
• 4:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: We know that either Stingray Rob or Connor Daily is going to be out at Hunkos Hollinger for sure.
• 4:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: What's the latest with that team, Elijah?
• 5:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, with VK moving in, I think specifically it really squeezes out Connor Daily more than Stingray Rob.
• 5:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Rob.
• 5:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Stingray Rob does have another year on his contract that Connor Daily does not with Hunkos
• 5:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: It really hurts Connor Daley's chances.
• 5:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: We talked about and Dready at the top of the top of this program, and with them running four cars at Indy, I would be shocked to see Connor not adding Dready or even back at Dry and Ryan Bull, where he's erased with them before, but regardless, for Connor, I really do think he's gonna have a C, at least at the 500, which is not what he wants.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's not what a lot of fans want because we see his potential on oval specifically, but us being Connor Daley fans,
• 5:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: the biggest race in the world.
• 5:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I would think they'd be bidding on him.
• 5:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it sure seems like with the Marco retirement, that opens a spot for Connor Daily for a one off.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: But again, let's hope that that's not case.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Also, Dennis Howger has signed with Dale Coin Racing, what's the other seat up to?
• 6:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not 100% sure.
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: It hasn't been a lot of talks about that second seat at coin.
• 6:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: I really wouldn't be surprised.
• 6:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: to see Jacob able back in the car.
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Even though he did have a rough rookie season, he's still a rookie and his family brings a heck of a lot of funding.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: What's the fact that that's his financial backing is definitely stronger than others and you know that is Sadly that sadly or beneficial you can look at it both ways, but that is a part of Indy car and And he's definitely got the funding and that Delcoin team.
• 6:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think is really gonna be interesting next year Specifically for how good.
• 6:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we all saw on the indie next season he was by far the cream of the crop there and
• 6:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: to see him maybe take over what VK did.
• 6:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, I don't think he's going to have some of the results VK did, but I think that's going to be a fun team.
• 6:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Usually as it is every year, Dale Coin Racing, even though they're not by far in the top of the sport for spending categories, man, they really do bring it every race.
• 7:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what an organization that just fostering young development, and I think that's going to be a perfect spot for how we're specifically.
• 7:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, sure seems like it seems like that's the kind of relationship that's gone really well with Dale Coin for a long time back to the time when he was a team manager, not a team owner.
• 7:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, which it'll be interesting to see how everything lines up next year.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: When we talk about some of the new, the new moves.
• 7:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think you automatically have to go to VK going to Hugo's
• 7:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Man, I really feel like there's going to be a ginormous spotlight on David Malukas specifically, just because stepping up into that team, Penske from AJFoy, that jump is
• 7:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not astronomical, but for lack of better terms.
• 7:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's pretty astronomical.
• 7:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's dealing with a lot more pressure.
• 8:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: With the season, Penske had in 2025.
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're not 100% sure what that car's even gonna look like next year.
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: They could come up and show up and still have the same bad luck that they had this year.
• 8:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: You just never know in any car, but I think he's got a lot more pressure on him than compared to Willpower, who has been
• 8:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: moving to Andrade.
• 8:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think that that's going to be such a good fit for him.
• 8:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we also talk about Andrade more.
• 8:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: They actually signed Kyle Kirkwood.
• 8:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: They extended his contract for 2026 and beyond today.
• 8:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's news for sure, but it's not like anybody surprised that that happened.
• 8:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: That seemed like that was coming.
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I didn't lead the podcast with it, even though that's kind of breaking news.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, yeah, I think like you said, we all didn't know it was coming, but it's still nice to see that and Dready is committed to Call of Kirkwood.
• 8:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: And today's in the car world, a lot of teams are signing one to two, one to two year deals.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: So for them to put their trust in Kirkwood, it is definitely founded.
• 8:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: We obviously had the results this year was challenging,
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: But a handful of races before below was gone, put everybody in the dust, but none of the last, that's still going to be a good signing for injury.
• 9:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it really feels like and dreaded as a whole has dominated this off season news cycle.
• 9:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just I think it was last week.
• 9:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: They announced that Colton heard a would be driving for Cadillac and Imsa.
• 9:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: So he's going back to some of his endurance racing routes, which
• 9:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Which I think would be great for Colton as well.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: It'll be nice to see him back in Indy for the Indy race, MCD does.
• 9:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think it'd be good for his development as well doing MCD and F, man, he's going to have a busy year next year.
• 9:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elijah with the silly season, there could be a giant monkey wrench in the whole thing.
• 9:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that is we're hearing rumors that Prima might not be around next year.
• 9:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it comes with mostly funding stuff, but I think it would be just a huge same.
• 9:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: We saw that team with Calamilot and Robert Schwartzman.
• 10:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, everybody saw Robert Schwartzman when pole at the N.500.
• 10:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: But you know, the latter half of the season, they had some really sneaky good strategies in multiple top 10s.
• 10:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Really could sneeze up to that team.
• 10:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: And to see them in their first year compete, and might not even be in the season,
• 10:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: at all in 2026 would be a shame, but you know, nevertheless, those are two chartered seats that I'm sure somebody is going to buy.
• 10:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know a lot of people linked and ready, maybe buying those and buying and saving Prima, but I think Michael came out and said that's definitely not going to happen on Twitter, but it would just be a shame for that organization not to make it another year in Indie car and as accredited as Prima is in the racing world,
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: you've just got to have backing in an indie car, it can get expensive really, really quick.
• 10:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is.
• 10:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would hope that the series would do what it takes to at least allow them to survive one more year with the type of success they had last year.
• 11:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then let's see where it goes from there, but it doesn't sound very hopeful that they will be back.
• 11:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And as you mentioned, toward the end of the year, they were sneaky good and those drivers were sneaky good and they might be free agents as well.
• 11:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: And plus I would think, I really like where the series is at with 27 cars, yes.
• 11:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it just races well on oval specifically, getting more numbers, but I especially think to the month of May where if we only have 25 full-time cars, I want to see more than 33 cars try to qualify because that last row shootout is some of the best action we see all year.
• 11:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: And for their potentially not to even be a last row shootout, I just think it would be a crime.
• 11:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it would just be a shame to have the month of May without a last row shootout because that is such an intense moment for those teams and intense moments for the fans and everybody who tunes in.
• 11:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elijah so my stepfather watches NASCAR and I happen to be walking by the other day and saw that they were racing.
• 12:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it was the main series but in Phoenix.
• 12:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: That track looks amazing.
• 12:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's what they've done to widen the apron indie car could be fantastic there.
• 12:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well yeah, I agree.
• 12:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: The only thing I am a little bit worried about is I did see some
• 12:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: that the ex-nose-exfinity series cars that did race there really tore up the asphalt coming out of those corners, which could be a concern for indie car, but at a world class facility like Phoenix for raceway, I'd imagine those are fixed up pretty quick.
• 12:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: And talking about NASCAR, I know we just finished the NASCAR season here last night.
• 12:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I saw some fans always fighting about the playoff, and obviously Fox being a major partner,
• 12:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: in indie car now.
• 12:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: I guess what would you think of a playoff system for indie car?
• 12:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know my answer.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't like the mask are set up at all, but maybe a one race championship where every race winner during the season gets a shot to win some kind of title, something like that.
• 13:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 13:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think you can probably put the
• 13:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: The national championship, as it's known, the indie car championship, on one race, I think that would be probably wrong to do that, but I do think you can have some kind of playoff without doing it like NASCAR does, which is pretty bad.
• 13:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's pretty criminal, but I would not be surprised to see Indie car maybe move towards a direction where like you said we do have something that kind of goes into that end of season awards and everything like that.
• 13:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is another interesting talking point and I'm not what I want to say what about a three race championship at the end of the season one road one oval one street course that would be interesting.
• 13:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I could see that working or I could even see two awards given out where best on the ovals and then best on street and road courses.
• 14:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've been saying that for years.
• 14:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: You need an oval champion.
• 14:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: You need a road course champion and an overall champion.
• 14:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: That might encourage some teams to gamble on Conner Daily, who you know you're not going to get much from on the street and road courses.
• 14:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: If he can be a contender in the oval championship, I think that's a good idea.
• 14:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: They also need to work on a triple crown or a grand slam for different types of,
• 14:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: race have your best street course obviously that would be long beach you have your best super speed way of course that would be indie you take your best short oval I don't know what you would want to do that I would say Milwaukee but they're indie cars probably with first something else and then you take your your best road course and I think that's probably at Elkart Lake but you
• 14:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: grand slam like that.
• 14:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: The one, the extra special races and put an extra special spotlight on them.
• 15:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's exactly what any card needs.
• 15:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I really do think any card in Fox are going to create some really unique things here in the next couple of years.
• 15:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Some of them might work.
• 15:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Some of them might not, but some new, some new and unique ideas to this board is definitely what we all need.
• 15:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Also, would like to see an oval triple crown.
• 15:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: That would be very cool as well.
• 15:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we'd love to see, but to do that, we're going to need to get some more ovals, which is another little tangent we can go on as well.
• 15:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: But we've definitely talked about that at Nazium here.
• 15:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: A Roger, go build some ovals.
• 15:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Seriously, yeah.
• 15:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: There are lots of places that would love to have one.
• 15:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's got the money to do it.
• 15:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Go build your own ovals.
• 15:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Especially when you look in the market, especially the Northeast United States, which really doesn't really have a race.
• 15:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: They used to with an African land and our country's population.
• 15:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, they used to with Washington's land.
• 16:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: But man, you talk about a market that is just jumping out the bits to get some racing.
• 16:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it's that one built some tracks.
• 16:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: And there's lots of places that would love to have one.
• 16:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't understand why they're not building their own tracks and controlling their own destiny, but maybe that's in the works.
• 16:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now the Roger, he's in charge.
• 16:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yep, and the next few years, time will tell that is for sure.
• 16:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elijah, so good catching up with you on some indie car, we'll talk as soon as more news breaks.
• 16:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, he appreciate it.
• 16:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much to Elijah for joining the podcast and thank you for listening.
• 16:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Please do us a huge favor, like, subscribe, follow, do all that stuff.
• 16:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It helps more than you know.
• 16:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: And most importantly, please share this podcast with an indie car fan in your life.
• 16:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And help spread the word that Central Indiana Sports Report is here.
• 16:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Talking about Central Indiana Sports every single day.
• 16:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks again, Elijah.
• 16:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right, thank you, Greg.
• 17:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: The central Indiana Sports Report is a product of ITG media, and I love music.