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The IndyCar Report with Elijah Poe (2.204.2) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

• 0:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: You are listening to the Indie Car Report with Elijah Poe, every Thursday on the Central Indiana Sports Report, and before we get to Elijah Real Fast, I want to let you know I have a new podcast called Greg and his friends talk sports, and every night this week we're going to have a live version of that talking about the NCAA tournament, and the NAI tournament as it turns out with Indiana Wesley and both the men and the women's
• 0:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: and whatever else news there is, we'll be talking about it live.
• 0:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: And by live, I mean, I won't edit it very much and get it up as quickly as possible.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And one thing we're gonna be talking about Elijah is nine NB 500 winners gonna be in this year's field.
• 0:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just got an ounce a couple of days ago and that the Kumasato and Aleo Castro Nevis are gonna be back in the NB 500.
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I can't say I'm surprised, but I gotta ask you.
• 1:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Who do you think will outlast the other between the pair?
• 1:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's a good question, because I've thought Alia was done before he won his fourth.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I thought he was done before that.
• 1:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I thought he was done competing and ending.
• 1:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's just different.
• 1:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think Castro and Elvis is going to outlast him.
• 1:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's going to go another four or five years as long as people let him ever ride.
• 1:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's going to take it and people are going to keep giving him rods.
• 1:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's what's a year, as long as you're still competitive and physically capable, why not?
• 1:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Man, something tells me about Takuma Sato, even though he's up there in age.
• 1:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: We watch him every year in practice and qualifying.
• 1:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: There is nobody who gets closer to that turn too well than Takuma Sato.
• 1:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is absolutely unbelievable what he's able to do.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's stuck the thing on the front row last year.
• 2:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: especially being a very big backer in Honda.
• 2:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's a perfect match for RLL.
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm really excited to see what he can bring to that RLL program.
• 2:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've had an okay start to this season, but they've struggled at the 500 other than to Kumosato these last years.
• 2:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm really hoping that team in general can really turn around.
• 2:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: And he's a legend around the track.
• 2:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it'd be a shame to see either him or LA leave.
• 2:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I know.
• 2:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's amazing, you know, I think Caster Neves and Sato between them probably have 20 combined race wins in their careers and six of them are indie.
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's unbelievable to see what they do, how they drive, especially at ND, you've got to have some pretty risky lines and you've got to be pretty risky at some points to win ND, and both of these drivers are known to do that.
• 3:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's pretty incredible to see what they do, but they announced a couple of days ago, but it also just got announced yesterday that Indian football head coach Kurt Signetti is going to be driving the pace car at the ND 500 this year.
• 3:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Good goal.
• 3:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Can't do better than that, can you?
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Marcus Freeman, you know, being nerd and fan, I got to say, but okay, I like it.
• 3:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Be the Notre Dame fan all you want.
• 3:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Look there be a more popular choice at the ND 500 this year than Kurt Signetti.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Other than Caitlin Clark and Pat McAfee, I can't think of two other Hoosiers who threw up the crowd more.
• 3:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't even think right now Elijah that any one is bigger than Kurt Signetti in the state.
• 3:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm a Purdue fan.
• 3:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's perfect.
• 3:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you want to, somebody who's going to bring some, I just can't wait to see what he even says.
• 3:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Austin after the interviews, he's got the pace car.
• 3:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: They do have to do some practice because, you know, you're not, they're not just going to throw you in the car on race day in front of 400,000 fans and expect to go drive.
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I'll be really interested to see what he's going to say in a couple weeks before the race.
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think they do it.
• 4:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe in a day of practice, maybe in fast Friday, I'm not really sure when they do it, but can't wait to see what he's going to say because he's known to give some very charismatic interviews and I'm sure he's going to have some really good ones in the month of May.
• 4:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Elijah, very few are better at the quips, that's for sure.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I couldn't think of a better personality to do the pace car.
• 4:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's going to be great to watch.
• 4:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I hope they have him miced up in the car as well.
• 4:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because I'm sure he's not going to want to go that fast.
• 4:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because when they get you moving on the pace car, you're starting this thing off.
• 4:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're going to be moving.
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's for sure.
• 4:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: By the way, Kasternev has four wins at Andy of his career 31, so I underestimated him a little bit.
• 4:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Sato two of his seven career wins at Andy.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: So still both, in order to lay high for multi-time champions.
• 5:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we can talk about Andy some more, because as of right now, we're looking at 33 entries for the ND500,
• 5:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's great that they're going to get to that 33 mark, but man, it would be a shame if they couldn't get to 34 or 35 because the last row of shootout is one of my personal favorite parts of the whole month of May, just the emotions.
• 5:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: What it means to be on the line of making the biggest race in the world, 33's great don't get me wrong, but it would feel like something's left out of the month of May if we don't get more than that.
• 5:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I used to feel that way, especially when I came from a day where we're 33 spots for like 60 cars and it was really compelling then.
• 5:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm to the point where the series needs growth and intranet missing out on the ND500 is just such a hard thing to overcome.
• 5:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm torn a little bit on it.
• 5:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a very fun day for sure when there's bumping.
• 5:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's very dramatic for definitely the most dramatic, non-race event of the year, even over pole day.
• 6:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm torn about it.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I'm no longer in the camp of, oh, I've got to have more than 33, but it's cool when there are.
• 6:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's a good point.
• 6:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Be interested to see, there hasn't been any official, but there's been some rumblings that Prima might come back as a one off for the 500, which I think they need to do.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you're literally talking about a team who won the poll last year.
• 6:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: It'd be a shame if Robert Swordsman or Calamilot weren't in the field, but then again, they're not even
• 6:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: In the field as it is right now, it's pretty dysfunctional about permanent general a lot of changes going on and the leadership there But you know, nonetheless, I think the more cars the better because I think you know if you if you get to a younger fan as well There's no other racing series, you know, I thought I know of that.
• 6:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's gonna bump cars if you're not quick enough So I love that aspect
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to go through the top five after we just hit Arlington.
• 7:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Top five is a Calacurc wood and first, Alex Ploin's second, Paddo Award and third Joseph New Garden in fourth, and Scott McLaughlin in fifth.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I wanted to ask you, could we have picked a better top five after the first three races if we try?
• 7:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe a little, but not much.
• 7:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: These are five of the best eight for sure.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And here's the thing.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Anyone else on the top five have a D&F besides Polo?
• 7:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because he's in second place with a D&F, that should tell you.
• 7:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: You got to think his average finish is up the two races he has to finish to our 1.5.
• 7:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's right.
• 7:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: One and a second.
• 7:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: But regardless, I think we have such a great top five as it is.
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm interested to see kind of where this happens, where we go after Barber because this is where we're going to hit the first road course of the season coming up here next week, but I'd love to see things so close.
• 8:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Kirkward's got a nice, I think, 25, 26 point lead on Polo, which you know, if he's able to do what he's been doing these first three races, finishing inside the top five, finishing on the podium and getting a race win in Arlington.
• 8:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we could have
• 8:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'd like to see Pat out getting there too, but it sure doesn't look like they're quite fast enough on street courses.
• 8:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I don't think you're wrong.
• 8:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: He even said it.
• 8:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know, all the English is the pace and the same thing at St. Pete.
• 8:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And honestly, the same thing at Phoenix.
• 8:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: We talked about those last laps at Phoenix when he was right behind David Malucas and Joseph Newgarden was actually behind Pattoe on strategy.
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: So Pattoe had the preferred strategy, but he just was not able to get around David Malucas.
• 9:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's just a pure pace standpoint that the McLaren's are just lacking this year.
• 9:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, and it's a shame because Paddo definitely deserves to be a champion.
• 9:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you look at the way he's driven so far, he's still in third, even with a car that is underperforming compared to the Andrides, Genassis and Penskees, but it's such a great driver.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I'd be interested to see if he can kind of hang on, especially as we get into some of the ovals here later, but it's super, super big for him to do really well, Indy.
• 9:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's going to be somebody's go to pick for Indy.
• 9:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: A lot of people is honestly.
• 9:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's my thick raise of right now, but I'm a little concerned.
• 9:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think the pace will definitely improve for them at Indie.
• 9:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've always ran really well there, especially in the past four years.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's always been up there, but just hadn't been able to get it done.
• 9:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's just the way Indie kind of goes.
• 9:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: That whole team kind of needs to turn itself around, even though Loongard had a pretty solid first three races.
• 10:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, Nolan Seagull hasn't been there really.
• 10:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: And actually it turns out that Nolan Seagull incident Arlington was not due to Nolan Seagull.
• 10:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: That was St. Tino for Ruchy's fault, going bowling on that last restart there.
• 10:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's not a surprise either, is it?
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, no, it is not.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, it is not.
• 10:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: But you might hate to see that from a Claren because they definitely need, I'd be shocked if they go a couple more weekends without a race win.
• 10:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: But then again, the pace they've shown, I wouldn't be all too surprised.
• 10:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: a couple weeks now before the next race, it's kind of a disappointment, kind of a luck down now after three in a row.
• 10:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is a disappointment.
• 10:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I will say I've gotten used to watching Andy Carr every single week and it's been amazing, but the next race is going to be March 29th at Barber.
• 10:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Really, really cool track.
• 10:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's always interesting to see how many passes and overtakes there are because it's not really set up for Andy Carr, but man, they look really good there and it's usually always a good race.
• 11:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: the Arlington Grand Prix average 1.34 million viewers.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: And for the first time, since the ending car merger in 2008, the first three races have had over a million views.
• 11:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: That is a huge statistic for ending car.
• 11:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, this week that a bit of a schedule change.
• 11:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that might have affected some numbers.
• 11:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I thought it was a perfect spot at 130 on Sunday in that situation.
• 11:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: The big tin was after the race was scheduled to end and I kind of thought it was a perfect spot there and I think they took advantage.
• 11:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's been doing really well in the Fox broadcasting general and others been maybe it's just me, but the issues with the timing towers, especially with the gaining of the races, nothing makes me more frustrated because those first, you know, 10 laps of a race are really, really pivotal, but Fox is up 48% from the first three races last year to this year.
• 12:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, which is a huge, huge metric.
• 12:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm gonna be really interested to see, especially the N5100 number.
• 12:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that's something that always dominates a lot of graphics, you know, last year was around 7 million, but, you know, this year they're going up against Formula One, who decided to race in Canada on the same day, and I think this star is maybe an hour or two later or before, but, you know, they've got some competition on the continent this year.
• 12:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it's going to be interesting to see, I just can't wait to see what really happens as we get on to these races and hit the really summer stride in Indicore.
• 12:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, I just want to ask you a question.
• 12:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: As you know, I am a fan of Ed Carpenter Racing, and I am a fan of Ray Hall Letterman Lanigan.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Those are probably my two favorite teams if I have favorite teams.
• 13:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because I like the drivers more than anything.
• 13:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: And last week was very concerning.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you look at both of those teams, they're fast on ovals, should I be,
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: optimistic or pessimistic about indie for those teams.
• 13:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's two separate answers for both.
• 13:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Ed Carpenter racing as a whole this year.
• 13:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just think they're running completely different than they did last year.
• 13:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think they just look a whole lot better.
• 13:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Alex Rossi was able to knock out another top 10 in Arlington and Christian Rasmussen.
• 13:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it was running pretty well until he had that incident.
• 13:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's yards a whole.
• 13:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just think they look better overall.
• 13:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think they're going to be better.
• 13:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Indy, I am a literate.
• 13:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm just not saying they're cars at the front at the end of the race ever.
• 13:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, Alex Rossy had a top six in Arlington and asked me to send whatever one Phoenix if that incident with the whole power didn't happen.
• 14:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's true.
• 14:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm the oval.
• 14:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we're seeing positive sounds for sure.
• 14:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's, I think Indie's going to be a good one for them, especially on a big row.
• 14:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I think they've got the speed.
• 14:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you look at Rasmussen, there's not a more aggressive driver in the series and him on an oval.
• 14:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then you got Rossi, he was an Endie 500 champion.
• 14:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know, hopefully, Ed, man, I'd love for Ed to win at once.
• 14:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just don't think it's going to happen, but I think, I think they're going to be more competitive than RL, you know, they looked pretty abysmal in Arlington.
• 14:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: That is a street, you know, they looked okay at Phoenix.
• 14:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we talk about RLL, we talked about Takuma Sato.
• 14:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he's always going to be in contention at Indy.
• 14:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'll be interested to see what makes Schumacher his times are going to look like.
• 14:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Graham, if the car is better, I think he's going to have a real shot, but not really too sure about Louis Foster as a whole.
• 14:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's had some really good performances on some road and street courses, but we really have not seen him on an oval.
• 15:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I really have a lot of success, but that's kind of a long way to say.
• 15:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm just not sure about RLL.
• 15:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I feel a little bit more confident in ECR to kind of perform well at Indy.
• 15:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: And do you think that performance on short ovals translates at all to the super speedway in me?
• 15:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's always hard to kind of pin that down, but you know, I think the ECR cars look a whole lot better than a car's wake and moving around and the passing opportunities on an oval than the RLLs did.
• 15:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you know, if you're able to stay in that wake and Indian really suck up in that draft, you're going to have a lot of success in Indian.
• 15:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just think the ECR cars just looked a little bit better than the RLLs.
• 15:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, that's all we have for today.
• 15:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll be back next week for the Indie Carport to preview one of the greatest races.
• 15:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: I love this park.
• 15:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Barbara Motorsports Park, just outside of Birmingham, Alabama, gives us some of the best views of the Indie Car schedule all year or some fast corners, great undulations, very up and down, should be a very good race.
• 16:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that race is gonna start.
• 16:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: On Sunday, March 29th at 1 p.m., but we'll make sure to preview Barbara Motorsports
• 16:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Uh, Greg, first run course of the year.
• 16:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now it can forward to it.
• 16:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Can't wait.
• 16:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks so much Elijah.
• 16:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks so much for listening.
• 16:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll be back next week.
• 16:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: The Central Indiana Sports Report is a product of ITG Media.
• 16:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I love Susie.