The Race IndyCar Podcast

Will Power won the IndyCar championship in a five-driver shootout at the season finale at Laguna Seca, triggering a busy week for The Race IndyCar Podcast.Later this week Power is scheduled to appear as a special guest on the show, so co-hosts JR Hildebrand and Jack Benyon used this episode to break down the events of the championship decider itself.There's a look at the mental strength of Power and how his pole position pointed to why he deserved the championship, and a look at Josef Newgarden's drive through the field and why it wasn't quite enough amid the context of his rollercoaster season.Outgoing champion Alex Palou's dominating victory (his first of the season) is dissected against the backdrop that he could be set for a dramatic U-turn, with suggestions he could stay at Ganassi Racing next season picking up pace.And finally there's time to discuss a pair of outstanding rookie performances, with Jack and JR suitably impressed by a superb second in qualifying for Callum Ilott and his one-car Juncos Hollinger team, as well as Christian Lundgaard sealing rookie of the year honours for a buoyant Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our brand-new app on iOS or Android Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a busy episode for The Race IndyCar Podcast which has the Portland race to review, a look ahead at the Laguna Seca season finale and one of its drivers edging closer to an F1 chance to consider.Hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand look back on a less eventful than expected Portland race, running out of superlatives for touring car convert Scott McLaughlin who netted his third win of the season, and examining the strategy call that could end up costing Josef Newgarden the title.Will Power’s post-race comments on wanting to win this year’s title for his crew are also contextualised in his new mental approach for this season.Jack and JR also give their takes on who is favourite to clinch the title in California this weekend with five drivers still in the hunt for the Astor Cup trophy heading to Laguna Seca.And there's still time for the duo to discuss Colton Herta, with Red Bull having given its most obvious intention yet that it wants the American to be its next protege at AlphaTauri, if he can gain an F1 super licence. But is Herta the best driver to pick from the current IndyCar grid? Our hosts assess his credentials...Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got something a little different for you on this week's episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast, as hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand are joined by former F1 and CART ace Mark Blundell to reminisce on one of the all-time great open-wheel races in North America: The 1997 Grand Prix of Portland.Long-term fans might remember that Blundell won that race by just 0.027s from Gil de Ferran, with Raul Boesel just 0.055s back in one of the series' closest and most dramatic finishes.On this episode Blundell tells Jack and JR about how he was able to emerge victorious in the wet-dry race, where the win ranks on his all-time list, and why he cherishes the time he spent racing for PacWest in the United States.He also describes what it was like to race the fearsome CART machines of the day on ovals - without the use of a spotter!Jack and JR also look ahead to this coming weekend's penultimate round of the 2022 championship in Portland, and whether Ganassi or Penske will steal a march in the title race.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast features a chat with rookie sensation David Malukas, fresh off the back of his barnstorming run to second place at Gateway.The Dale Coyne Racing driver shares his thoughts on his incredible last stint, what it was like to be on the podium with Josef Newgarden as a fan of IndyCar, and the effects of being linked with the top teams he has dreamed of driving for in the silly season.He also discusses some of the trials and tribulations he's endured in his maiden year in the series, what he has learned, what he has been surprised by, and the battle for rookie of the year, which he currently trails Christian Lundgaard in.Aside from chatting to Malukus, hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand round up all the action from Gateway, including giving their thoughts on the championship picture after Penske’s Josef Newgarden’s re-ignited his title charge with a well deserved and brilliantly executed victory.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Race IndyCar Podcast delves into controversial crashes, a winner from a lap down with a broken car and Nashville’s place on the calendar with the divisive kind of racing it produces on this week’s episode.Co-hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand analyse how Scott Dixon went from being hit and losing a significant chunk of his downforce to winning the Nashville race, and the context of how impressive that is given everything impacting the Chip Ganassi Racing team this year.Hildebrand breaks down the Josef Newgarden/Romain Grosjean controversy from a driver’s eye, as the hosts also discuss how this incident may be a result of how IndyCar is policed week-to-week.Some of the pros and cons of the race are also broken down in a bid to look at how good a Nashville IndyCar race is, because the exciting and unpredictable racing is offset by crashes, many cautions and some questionable driving standards.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s pod looks back on an exciting weekend at Indianapolis which saw Alexander Rossi finally ended his win draught and mixed fortunes for this year’s title contenders.Hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand discuss how Rossi and his Andretti Autosport team were finally able to pull together a whole weekend without bad luck or mistakes to deliver a popular win.They also outline why the victory leaves a nagging sense of what might have been for Rossi, based on the potential he's shown over the past two years but not always been able to deliver.The duo also discuss the fortunes of Will Power and Marcus Ericsson, with the championship rivals both going from back to front in what was an unusual weekend in the context of the title battle. There's also chat on the impressive performances of several rookies, including 2022's first rookie podium finisher Christian Lundgaard.And finally, recorded before Alpine and Oscar Piastri stole their thunder, JR and Jack give the latest on the Alex Palou/Ganassi/McLaren situation.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josef Newgarden's rollercoaster win and crash, Alex Palou being sued by Ganassi and who is the best racer in the IndyCar Series? These are all topics investigated by The Race IndyCar Podcast this week.After a double-header weekend in Iowa, co-host JR Hildebrand outlines the procedure drivers have to go through to return to action after race one winner Newgarden crashed out heavily from the second race. JR and co-host Jack Benyon also bring listeners up to date on the factors determining whether Newgarden will be fit to race in Indianapolis this weekend - and what Penske will do if he can’t.As the Alex Palou saga rumbles on, Benyon delivers the breaking news that the Spaniard is being sued by his current team Chip Ganassi Racing, before he and JR discuss what might happen next, including who could drive the number 10 car in 2023.Palou's Ganassi team-mates are also discussed after Jimmie Johnson delivered one of his best and most exciting IndyCar weekends yet and Will Power declared Marcus Ericsson 'the best racer' in the IndyCar series.And finally, the hosting duo discuss mid-western supermarket chain Hy-Vee’s enormous impact on the Iowa Speedway, with the race track hosting concerts from Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton and others alongside the racing action.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s The Race IndyCar Podcast examines the latest in the Alex Palou saga, as McLaren and Ganassi continue to fight over his services in 2023, and provides reaction to Scott Dixon’s composed Toronto victory - a win which gets his season back on track.Coming into the weekend, Dixon had finished in the top 10 in all but one race this year but it wasn't until Sunday that he finally reached the top step of the podium again, capturing the 52nd victory of his career to equal Mario Andretti on the all-time list. Hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand discuss the New Zealander's topsy turvy season to date and what this victory will do for him going forwards.Colton Herta’s fresh start is also assessed as he delivered a second-place in the kind of scenario he’s lost out before through mistakes, while Graham Rahal, David Malukas and Callum Ilott are also discussed after interesting weekends.And of course there's plenty of chat about Alex Palou, including reaction to the Spaniard's pre-race comments on his contract situation, plus debut IndyCar podium finisher Felix Rosenqvist’s comments after the race that Palou may not even race next year.And finally, Jack and JR reflect on the previous episode which ranked the top 10 drivers of the first half of the season.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast is a busy one, with our annual episode ranking the top 10 drivers of the season so far, an interview with Marcus Ericsson, plus the latest on the Alex Palou saga.Both Palou’s current team Chip Ganassi Racing and McLaren have laid claim to the Spaniard for 2023, with Ganassi announcing a contract extension this week shortly before McLaren and Palou countered suggesting he would be moving there at the end of the season. Hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand explain the complexity of the situation and what could happen next before they dig into their top 10 drover of the year at the halfway point of the season. Listen in to see if you agree with where the hosts have placed this year’s drivers - and who walks away with the coveted number one spot.Palou’s current Ganassi team-mate Marcus Ericsson wasn’t happy when he missed out on the rankings last season, but the points leader and Indy 500 winner is very much included this time as he joins the pod to talk about his year and the aftermath of his Brickyard win.He says - perhaps in jest - that missing out on last year’s The Race IndyCar Podcast top 10 in the first half of the season provided the motivation to become the highest points scorer in the series since, and that he’ll have to find new motivation for the remainder of the season...READ MORE: Jack's article on Scott McLaughlinFollow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andretti’s on-track team-mate collisions, Scott McLaughlin’s brilliant victory and another masterclass drive in 2022 from Will Power make up the key topics of this week’s The Race IndyCar Podcast.Co-host Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand break down the turmoil suffered by Arrow McLaren SP which had a good chance to win with either of its drivers before a double retirement, and marvel at Scott McLaughlin’s ability to win in one of the toughest open-wheel championships in the world despite his single-seater inexperience.Power’s drive from the back of the field to a podium is outlined and explained, while Alex Palou’s latest runner-up finish is contextualised in the sense of how desperate should he be to get a victory over the line this season.But our hosts save the biggest topic for last as they talk about Romain Grosjean and Alexander Rossi’s three on-track collisions, as well as Grosjean’s clash with Colton Herta and Rossi’s with Devlin DeFrancesco. They discuss how the team might move forward from this dark day, and try to make sense of where the blame lay.READ MORE: Andretti's surreal demolition derby threatens toxic end to 2022Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IndyCars at Pikes Peak, which international races should be added to the calendar and lap records at the Indy 500 are among some of the queries answered on a special listener questions episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast.The Race’s IndyCar correspondent Jack Benyon and driver-turned co-host JR Hildebrand were on hand to answer all manner of questions relating to the series, and even took a question from double IndyCar champion and series star Josef Newgarden, although that question was in turn criticised for being too boring.Many questions related to the calendar, double headers, why it is the length it is, which races make sense to add to the current calendar and even IndyCar’s option to promote more of its own races, all of which the hosts get into.Obviously the Indy 500 is a big talking point and opposing questions suggested whether the cars should be pushed to break records or slowed in the interest of closer racing. Both are considered in this episode.JR Hildebrand gives arguably his frankest insight yet into his dream of driving a current IndyCar up the Pikes Peak hill climb, the genesis of the idea and the issues that have plagued the programme achieving its aim - yet.The more lighthearted topics included Hildebrand’s favourite post-race meal, how many Orbeez fit in an IndyCar cockpit and the suggestion Scott McLaughlin should have a cow pattern on his aeroscreen - you’ll have to tune in to find out why…Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether it’s winning three of eight races and $1 million, having his first baby or helping to rebuild his #2 Penske team back up almost from scratch, it’s been a wild year for Josef Newgarden who joins this episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast.Newgarden earned the $1 million - with $500,000 going to charity - for completing the trifecta of wins on a road course, street circuit and an oval over the first eight races, before any other driver even managed to win more than one race.However, he discusses the “deflating moments” that have hamstrung his 2022 as despite his impressive wins - including the last race at Road America - he still sits third, 32 points off the lead. How he turns that around is a big part of Newgarden's focus which he discusses in detail.He also delves into the interesting 2022 of his team-mates, discussing resurgent Will Power’s mental approach to the year and how he operates in this space, plus Newgarden provides some behind the scenes detail on Scott McLaughin’s barren run and how hard he can be so hard on himself despite his relative inexperience.There’s also some playing down of Newgarden's chances going into the next two races, Mid-Ohio where he won last year and Iowa where he is often dominant, as we look forward to the return of IndyCar action in just over a week’s time.As always with Newgarden the chat often goes off-topic, so the trio also discuss what defines Fast Food, and how Newgarden's new YouTube show Bus Bros with team-mate Scott McLaughlin came about.Finally, there’s the news that The Race IndyCar Podcast will feature a listeners’ questions special on next week’s episode. You can tweet the hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand or email [email protected] with your voice note to be included on the episode, or just an old school written question for us to read out.READ MORE: Feast or famine makes Newgarden's 2022 status unclearFollow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you interested in what makes the most sophisticated racing cars on the planet tick? Then our new podcast The Race F1 Tech Show could be for you.Each week, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dive headfirst into the wonderful world of F1 technology, discussing the sport’s big technical talking points, getting into the nitty gritty of car design and engineering, and answering fans’ burning tech questions.So far we've had episodes on copycat F1 car designs, whether the new-for-2022 Pirelli tyres are working as planned, and this week we have an exclusive interview on the role of the race engineer, featuring Kimi Raikkonen's former right-hand man Julien Simon-Chautemps.Just search for The Race F1 Tech Show in your preferred podcast app and then like, subscribe or follow the feed to join our growing community of tech-loving F1 fans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Road America IndyCar race offered lots of overtaking, multiple crashes (including one between the points leader and his team-mate), and a $1 million winner in Josef Newgarden.Hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand are here to look back on all the action in the latest episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast, as Newgarden earned a huge prize for taking victories on a road course, street circuit and oval in just eight races this season. The duo ask whether the American is now the title favourite, and analyse the Penske driver's inconsistent but simultaneously brilliant season so far.The big clashes between Alex Palou and Marcus Ericsson and Will Power and Devlin DeFrancesco also go under the microscope, before Jack and JR share their thoughts on the latest silly season rumours. Jack also shares his impressions of Road America after his first trip to the Wisconsin circuit - but does it earn the status of best track he's ever been to? Tune in to find out...READ MORE: Why Ericsson clash and reaction shows different side to PalouFollow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Power’s mindset is the big talking point in this week's episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast, which looks back on the Aussie's superb victory in the Detroit Grand Prix.Power’s 16th to first drive is just another example of him overcoming adversity this year, and co-hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand analyse what Power’s said about his approach and how it’s enabling him to succeed in 2022 as he reclaimed the championship lead.Hildebrand also discusses Power's revised outlook some thought from a driver’s perspective, as well as relaying how tough it can be to rebound from your own struggles as the podcast takes a look at some troubling spates of form for multiple drivers in the field.Alexander Rossi is not one of those after his resurgent drive to second, and Jack and JR discuss whether he is ‘back’ and how well he fits in with the Arrow McLaren SP he’ll join next year.READ MORE: The winners and losers from IndyCar's jumbled Detroit raceFollow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freshly-crowned Indianapolis 500 winner and new championship leader Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing joins this week's The Race IndyCar Podcast.With just a couple of hours sleep after the night of the race, Ericsson outlines how he celebrated the biggest victory of his career, before detailing how his team have supported his success and what he was thinking in the closing stages when he made a crucial victory push overtaking three key cars.There's more joking about Ericsson's omission from The Race's 2021 mid-season driver rankings from previous shows, and how host Jack Benyon is now a lucky charm for the Swede, after enjoying his first Indy 500 on the ground at the event.As always co-host JR Hildebrand provides the perfect drivers'-eye guide to the Indy 500 in which he finished 12th for AJ Foyt Racing despite the strategy struggles he explains in more detail.He analyses why Ericsson's defence was so impressive in the closing stages and why driving Turn 2 at the Speedway - which caught out Jimmie Johnson and Romain Grosjean among others - is just so difficult in the podcast's general race debrief.Pato O'Ward and Arrow McLaren SP's bittersweet second, Penske's third sub-par Indy 500 win in a row and Andretti's struggles are also part of the breakdown.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 30-year anniversary of his last Indianapolis 500, Penske legend Rick Mears joins The Race IndyCar Podcast for a special episode.The four-time Indy 500 winner discusses his dirt-racing roots and how that helped him carve out almost immediate success at the Speedway, winning just three years after his first attempt in which he failed to qualify for the race.He discusses turning down Bernie Ecclestone's offer to race for Brabham in F1, his wait for a second Indy 500 win and how the burns he received in pitlane at the 500 impacted him in 1982.Of course, his 1991 victory is also covered, Mears’ favourite win given it helped him join the four-time club, but also how he rebounded from his first Indy 500 crash - that wasn’t his fault - the day before qualifying.Mears also describes his role as a driver advisor at Penske which he has held since retiring, how that stacks up in satisfaction against his own Indy 500 wins, and Scott McLaughlin’s rapid IndyCar rise under Mears’s tutelage. Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fastest Indianapolis 500 pole winner ever Scott Dixon joins this episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast to recap his stunning qualifying run.Chip Ganassi Racing driver Dixon breaks down the feeling behind the wheel going 243mph, how he knew the pole laps would be fast and what he did after the day was done, which included Taco Bell.He also discusses the challenges of the first half of the season, having five poles but only one win at the 500, and how he feels about the Ganassi team's chances after having four of its five entries making the Fast Six for pole.JR Hildebrand is also on deck to discuss the wider qualifying picture with host Jack Benyon together in person for the first time, looking at the new qualifying format and some of the teams that missed the mark and start far back in what has been a track-position race in recent years.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got a double header for you in this week’s The Race IndyCar Podcast, with a lookback on the tumultuous Indy road course race in the wet followed by a special drivers’ eye insight into the Indy 500 schedule.With Colton Herta taking an audacious win in changeable conditions, many title contenders hitting trouble, and strategy calls deciding the end result, host Jack Benson enlists the help of The Race’s F1 correspondent Edd Straw - immersed in the Indy paddock all weekend - to look back on the action. As well as a race breakdown, Straw delves into Romain Grosjean’s reputation from F1 - having covered most of Grosjean’s career - and whether Graham Rahal was right to criticise Grosjean last time out.And of course it wouldn’t be The Race IndyCar Podcast without co-host JR Hildebrand, who breaks from his busy schedule preparing to race in the Indy 500 to preview the unique schedule awaiting him and the Brickyard. He outlines how a driver and team look to extract the maximum from the on track sessions and how they manage the hours of down time to ensure top performance.Jack and JR also look ahead to this week’s Indy practice sessions, as well as previewing this year’s new two-stage battle for pole and how that might impact the order.READ MORE: Grading IndyCar's rookies ahead of the Indy 500Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Graham Rahal and Romain Grosjean’s collision and subsequent post-race spat is the main topic of conversation on this edition of The Race IndyCar Podcast, which looks back on an epic weekend at Barber Motorsports Park.JR Hildebrand breaks down Grosjean and Rahal’s wheel-banging incident from a drivers’ perspective, while co-host Jack Benyon gives his view on why Rahal went too far in his post-race comments - even if more rivalry between drivers in IndyCar is welcome.The boys also discuss Arrow McLaren SP’s start to the season in the wake of a tide-turning victory for Pato O’Ward, who’s triumph comes off the back of headlines about going to 'war' with his team in trying to agree a new contract.The podcast also looks at Penske’s decision not to test pre-race, Rinus VeeKay’s pole and where he compares to Josef Newgarden who previously won races for Ed Carpenter, plus there's an explanation of the two key strategies that defined the race.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got another special guest for you this week, as reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou joins the latest episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast.Despite winning last year's championship, Palou tells hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand how he and his Chip Ganassi Racing team redoubled their efforts to improve in the off-season. He addresses why some may have underestimated the start of his title defence - he sits third in the standings after big improvements at tracks he didn't perfect last year - and how the relationship has (or hasn't) changed with his team-mates after his title win.Palou - who has 10 podiums in 19 starts for Ganassi - also reflects on his first career IndyCar win last year, which came at the next stop on this season's calendar: Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a jam-packed edition of The Race IndyCar Podcast, hosts Jack Benyon and IndyCar racer JR Hildebrand look back on a great weekend of action at the iconic Long Beach street course. They discuss how Josef Newgarden was able to secure a second consecutive win for Penske, despite sustained late pressure from ex-F1 man Romain Grosjean, whose own performances for new team Andretti Autosport are also evaluated.The team also give their thoughts on whether Colton Herta can rebound from another street course error, and cast an eye over reigning champion Alex Palou’s title defence - and absence from the headlines - so far.And fresh from the race, California-native JR provides some colour from an enjoyable weekend in the paddock, including what makes Long Beach the storied and atmospheric event it is, and his view on ace rookie Kyle Kirkwood’s start after his top-10 finish.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott McLaughlin's story was already one of the most incredible motorsport career change tales in modern history.But now he's winning IndyCar races and putting himself firmly in championship contention, it's become another step more remarkable.The three-time Supercars champion turned Penske IndyCar star joins Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand on The Race IndyCar Podcast for a very open chat about his story so far.In particular McLaughlin talks about the mental challenges of 2021, as he went from absolutely dominating the Australian scene to a season of much more struggle than success as he tried to get to terms with IndyCar, all in the shadow of the pandemic separating him from his family.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor IndyCar news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Texas podium finisher Marcus Ericsson joins The Race IndyCar Podcast to break down all the action from IndyCar’s first oval of the year, where Ericsson sealed his 11th top 10 in his last 12 series starts.Ericsson is bullish about his #8 Chip Ganassi Racing team taking a step up this year and discusses Texas and his season opener at St Pete. He also discusses oval rookie team-mate Jimmie Johnson’s excellent sixth place finish and what that might mean moving forward to the Indy 500.Regular podcast co-host JR Hildebrand also gives you a behind the scenes look of what it’s like to race on an IndyCar oval weekend after he returned to action outside of the Indy 500 for the first time since 2017.Hildebrand and host Jack Benyon also discuss some of the other major stories of the race - including Texas and ovals' future in IndyCar - and the bombshell announcement that Pato O’Ward is potentially looking at other options beyond Arrow McLaren SP in 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the breakout stars of IndyCar and a driver consistently linked to a Formula 1 drive, Colton Herta, joins The Race IndyCar Podcast this week.The 21-year-old driver has recently been connected to practice outings with McLaren in F1 and addresses his chances of jumping in the top-level machinery. Herta is also constantly linked to F1 through Andretti's dedication to racing in the series, now set on scoring a new team for the 2024 season, but this hasn't phased Herta or distracted him from IndyCar success.He explains what makes his form so dominant on any given Sunday after some crushing performances in 2021, becoming a team leader at Andretti and a debrief of his fourth place in St Petersburg and what that means for 2022.Of course, the movie Dodgeball, where to get the best tacos in California and ‘bullsh*****g’ new team-mate Romain Grosjean is all part of the fun when it comes to the laid-back Herta. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Race IndyCar Podcast is back as the championship’s hotly anticipated new-season kicked off with drama aplenty last weekend at St Petersburg.Whether it was falling out of his car in victory lane, doing a shoey or tearfully praising his parents who he hasn’t seen since January 2020, Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin was an endearing maiden winner and forms the crux of the podcast.Overcoming an eventful rookie year and the gravity of his achievement coming from tin-tops to one of the world’s most hotly competitive racing championships is all covered by self-labelled ‘Mr Driver Man’ JR Hildebrand and his co-host from The Race, Jack Benyon.The duo outline the key talking points of the race, including struggles-to-redemption for Ganassi and its champions Scott Dixon and Alex Palou, the “best ninth place I’ve ever seen” for Marcus Ericsson and Arrow McLaren SP’s weekend of disappointment after an off-season of promise.A contentious rule that played a role in Romain Grosjean’s practice crash on his Andretti debut and his team-mate Alexander Rossi’s poor start to the season also make the cut for debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're getting excited for another year of IndyCar racing with a special episode on everything you need to know ahead of the 2022 season starting at St Petersburg this weekend.Co-hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand run through the driver and team changes, evaluating some of the most interesting swaps and moves.Rule changes and bargeboards are also part of the run-down, while the drivers desperate for a strong year ahead of being on the market in 2023 form part of the discussion.Hildebrand and Benyon also assess the Honda vs Chevrolet battle and briefly outline their drivers' title favourites for the year.The Race IndyCar Podcast will be back next week to break down the action from St Pete. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Race IndyCar Podcast returns from a short winter hiatus with double series champion and Team Penske star Josef Newgarden headlining this episode.Having narrowly missed out on the last two championships to Chip Ganassi Racing rivals, Newgarden joins The Race American Editor Jack Benyon and podcast co-host JR Hildebrand to assess his chances this season.Newgarden is quizzed on the loss of his engineer Gavin Ward to rivals Arrow McLaren SP, the Penske squad shrinking from four cars to three and about the chances of an American driver reaching Formula 1 and how that might be best achieved.He also addresses his development in areas like confidence and dealing with adversity in order to become a more well rounded driver, and gives a fascinating insight into the inside workings of the Penske team synonymous with success in US motorsport.The Race IndyCar Podcast will return before the season kicks off at St Petersburg to break down IndyCar’s off-season changes and preview the upcoming year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is all about you, with a special episode dedicated to answering listeners' questions from the world of IndyCar and American motorsport.JR Hildebrand and The Race’s American Editor Jack Benyon take on topics like ‘which drivers are not in IndyCar that should be’, ‘what should IndyCar do to stop the demise of ovals’ and JR talks about what it feels like to race in the Indy 500 and the emotions building up to it.More of the topics on this week’s episode:-Blue flag rules which cost Grosjean earlier in the year-How to keep IndyCar on its current trajectory, and should it race abroad?-NASCAR champion Kyle Larson and the rumours about him in the Indy 500-What’s next for James Hinchcliffe after his Andretti exit?-If there was an IndyCar race in the UK, where would you have it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having both revealed their rankings for the top 10 drivers of the year, The Race IndyCar Podcast hosts JR Hildebrand and Jack Benyon explain their respective orders on this week's special episode.Each host’s top 10s are merged and averaged out to create a joint top 10 ranking for the season.Hildebrand and Benyon explain their respective rankings, what impressed them (or didn’t) about the drivers in the list, and they debate about the performances of the drivers that excelled this season.Do you think we got our rankings wrong, had a driver in the wrong place or omitted a worthy driver altogether? Let us know what you would have done differently.The Race IndyCar Podcast will return with more news, interviews and insight through the off-season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by David Salters, the ex-Ferrari Formula 1 engineer now heading up Honda’s American motorsports division.Salters, who became President of Honda Performance Development in late 2020, joins to reflect on a second straight season of the firm winning the IndyCar title and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year, extending its series streak of manufacturers' title wins to four in a row.Salters outlines what he has brought to this role from his past experience at Cosworth, Ilmor, Mercedes and Ferrari, while also explaining what the current IndyCar engine manufacturers are working on behind the scenes amid a long period of stagnant rules in the series.Alex Palou and Romain Grosjean are also assessed as Salters has seen them up close and personal on the marque’s simulator which all of the Honda teams use.Salters also declares the Indy 500 the best event he has done - even better than the Italian Grand Prix or Monaco with Ferrari. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s The Race IndyCar Podcast features a frank and honest interview with Al Unser Jr following the release of his book A Checkered Past, while newly crowned Indy Lights champion Kyle Kirkwood is also featured.Unser Jr - joined by his book's author Jade Gurss on this episode - addresses some of the high moments of his career, along with the low points which included mental health battles, substance abuse, arrests and he even contemplating suicide on his 50th birthday.Having found religion, recently remarried and now working on helping young drivers break into motorsport, Unser Jr is in a better place but has still revealed all in his book with the goal of helping other people in similar situations.Kirkwood joins American Editor Jack Benyon to discuss wrapping up the Indy Lights championship at Mid-Ohio last weekend, earning Kirkwood over $1.1 million towards three races in an IndyCar seat including the Indy 500.He discusses his record as one of the most successful junior drivers ever - winning three consecutive titles as a rookie - picks his best moment from his journey and contemplates what’s next in 2022.The Race IndyCar Podcast will continue during the off-season with more interviews and insight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s show we look back at a dramatic Long Beach series finale, and new IndyCar champion Alex Palou joins to give one of his first interviews since claiming the crown.Speaking the morning after his fourth-place sealed a maiden IndyCar championship in his second season and first with Chip Ganassi Racing, Palou discusses his journey to the title, the role of his team, his friendly rivalry with Pato O’Ward and how he made it through the season without using one of his best traits.Elsewhere in the podcast Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand analyse the weekend's action, from Arrow McLaren SP and O’Ward’s clash with IndyCar in qualifying to his on-track collision with Ed Jones in the race, and Colton Herta winning from 14th on the grid.The pair also discuss the spat between (kind of) team-mates Helio Castroneves and Alexander Rossi, and Romain Grosjean's and Simon Pagenaud’s team moves for 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special crossover episode with The Race F1 Podcast, Jack Benyon joins Edd Straw to discuss Romain Grosjean's newly-confirmed move to Andretti Autosport and his prospects for 2022 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Romain Grosjean’s starring performance at Laguna Seca and a narrowed-down title fight between Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward at Long Beach are the key talking points on The Race IndyCar Podcast this week.Two-thirds of the way through a rapid-fire IndyCar showdown on the west coast, hosts Jack Benyon and JR Hildebrand detail Colton Herta’s win, how he has the ability to be dominant on certain weekends and the way he’s able to develop his car set-up to suit his style.With O’Ward’s late-race Laguna slump, he trails Palou by 34 points heading to Long Beach; Hildebrand is a double top five finisher in IndyCar at the venue and outlines what he expects from the title battle and the challenges the drivers will face at this circuit.Grosjean’s outstanding overtaking was the obvious story of the race, but Hildebrand spotted something impressive in Grosjean’s driving which he explains, adding that he believes the established series veterans will be trying to find out the secrets of his braking style which is so aggressive.JR and Jack also round up the latest news and speculation around the driver market for 2022, with Grosjean among the drivers expected to be switching seats over the winter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lap one chaos that sent the leaders to the back and led to crashes, diverse strategies and a come from behind winner made for an epic IndyCar race at Portland.Hosts JR Hildebrand and Jack Benyon assess the decision making behind sending drivers who had done nothing wrong at the start to the back because of a rule prioritising those who made Turn 1 and 2, and whether it is the right thing to do.The duo take a look at the championship implications after a woeful race for Pato O’Ward meant Alex Palou’s win catapulted him back into the points lead and 25 points clear of O’Ward with two races to go while Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon and Marcus Ericsson fell further back.Jimmie Johnson’s strong development, Callum Ilott’s debut, Graham Rahal’s bad luck and Oliver Askew’s Rahal Letterman Lanigan bow are all featured, too.Hildebrand also tells you what to look for at this weekend’s race - the penultimate event of the season - at the famed Laguna Seca, home of the Corkscrew. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s The Race IndyCar Podcast features an interview with comeback star Oliver Askew and a preview of this weekend’s Portland race, the first of a three race stint to end the season.Askew tells host Jack Benyon about his journey, through losing his Arrow McLaren SP drive last year and battling through a concussion, to nearly 12 months on when he has earned a comeback to race the last three races in a plumb seat with Rahal Letterman Lanigan.JR Hildebrand joins Benyon to discuss Ferrari test driver Callum Ilott’s one off IndyCar race at Portland, noting that it’s good for IndyCar that it is not only attracting ex-Formula 1 drivers but also people like Ilott at the start of their careers.As perhaps one of the lesser known IndyCar circuits, Hildebrand and Benyon discuss the key parts of the Portland track and where to expect action to occur. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marcus Ericsson joins this week’s episode to discuss his breakthrough season that has yielded two wins, 10 top-10s in 13 races and a genuine shot at the championship with three races left.Ericsson jokes with podcast co-hosts JR Hildebrand and Jack Benyon that they are due credit for his “extra motivation” in the second half of the year after they left him out of their mid-season driver rankings top 10.With Ericsson and his crew forming a new team within Chip Ganassi Racing for 2020, the evolution of this group and its progress impacting recent results is also outlined.The trio discuss what Ericsson’s best moment of the season is, the emergence of Alex Palou and Ganassi’s pace this year, plus whether Ericsson would rather win an IndyCar title or the Indianapolis 500.At their first opportunity to do so, Benyon and Hildebrand also pay tribute to the late journalist and broadcaster Robin Miller, discussing his impact on the sport as well as IndyCar itself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast takes a look at a bonkers Gateway round where driving standards were in the spotlight and Romain Grosjean made his oval debut.Regular host and strong short oval driver JR Hildebrand is joined by The Race’s American Editor Jack Benyon, as the pair assess Scott Dixon’s claims that driving in 2021 has been “crazy and erratic” at times.The race was littered with crashes and contact, one of which wiped out Dixon and erstwhile points leader Alex Palou. Hildebrand and Benyon assess the title picture after Pato O’Ward took over the lead with three races remaining.Hildebrand breaks down the enormity of the task facing Grosjean with a driver's-eye view, particularly being impressed with Grosjean’s car control when the he made errors that could have put him in the wall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The driver with the IndyCar points momentum, Arrow McLaren SP's Pato O’Ward, joins this week’s episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast.As part of our review of last weekend’s Indianapolis road course event, O’Ward gives his take on a race where he couldn’t convert pole position and stumbled to fifth, but did cut Alex Palou’s points lead from 48 to just 21 points.Joining American Editor Jack Benyon and co-host JR Hildebrand, O’Ward also talks about becoming the talisman of the Arrow McLaren SP team, and his chances for an IndyCar title with four races remaining and heading into an event at Gateway he really enjoys.JR and Jack also analyse the Indianapolis race in further detail, assessing Will Power's turbulent journey back to success, his criticism of IndyCar backmarker rules and another impressive Romain Grosjean performance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The bizarre and exciting debut of the Nashville street circuit is the hot topic on this week’s The Race IndyCar Podcast.JR Hildebrand and The Race’s American Editor Jack Benyon assess Marcus Ericsson’s drive from a crash, stop-go penalty and then on to victory with a sublime drive holding off weekend standout Colton Herta. Ericsson especially has impressed the hosting team with his recent form.Herta’s late crash and his approach to the end of the race is also looked at, as is the interpretation of whether the crash-strewn race - 33 of the 80 laps of which were run under caution - was a thriller or whether it was just too bonkers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following his oval test debut and amid strong silly season rumours about his future, series rookie Romain Grosjean joins The Race IndyCar Podcast this week.Dale Coyne Racing driver Grosjean has emerged as the most coveted star on the free agency market for 2022 after the strong start to his IndyCar career, and he gave The Race the inside track on all of the intricacies behind his decision making for next year.Going full-time is not totally decided yet as he continues to discuss if doing ovals and moving to the States full-time works with his family, and he also said it was “incredible” to be targeted by the big teams in IndyCar but he hasn’t ruled out sticking with Coyne. He does want to feel he is in a championship winning car as part of his 2022 deal.He talks about his dizzying oval test and just how different it is to what he’s done before, including the physical toll it took which included driving with a wonky steering wheel and defying his engineer over interior padding, which he then put back.Grosjean also talks about his latest US road trip with his family in his RV christened Raoul, addresses this weekend’s new-to-IndyCar Nashville race, and talks about where he and Coyne can improve across the second part of the season in which he'll contest his longest run of races with six. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josef Newgarden’s title chances after finally breaking his and Team Penske’s 2021 winless streak is the main topic of this week’s episode looking back at IndyCar action from Mid-Ohio.Hosts JR Hildebrand and Jack Benyon look at the numbers behind the remaining races for Newgarden, and if finally breaking his run of bad luck brings him into the title picture.Chip Ganassi Racing had three cars in the top four at Mid-Ohio and has Alex Palou leading the points and Scott Dixon in third. Could that be a decisive factor in the championship as it hits full stride - with Marcus Ericsson stalking Newgarden for the win - while Penske’s team-wide struggles for the year may not be over?Andretti, which had a 1-2-3 at Mid-Ohio last year, is also part of the discussion as two of its drivers who are fighting to keep their seats crashed into each other on the first lap amid some of their best starting positions of the year.All four Andretti cars qualified in the top 10 but after Colton Herta was robbed of a front-running place by pitstop drama, and only Alexander Rossi took a top 10 in fifth.Don’t forget to rate and review the new-for-2021 podcast on your favourite listening platform of choice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IndyCar championship leader Alex Palou joins us for the first part of this week's episode, before JR Hildebrand and Jack Benyon debate the top 10 drivers of the season so far.Palou joins Jack to discuss his meteoric rise from Europe through Super Formula and now IndyCar where he has been one of the standout drivers of the year in his first season with the team.JR and Jack then count down their joint top 10 of the best drivers of the year so far, with each person taking a slightly different approach to judging the stars of 2021 so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With exciting debuts and stand-ins, a dramatic finish where the long-term leader suffered and Penske again failed to break its 2021 winless streak, there’s plenty to discuss from IndyCar’s Road America round.Regular co-host JR Hildebrand breaks down what he thought was the weekend’s stand out performance from ex-F1 driver Romain Grosjean, assessing his learning curve with the latest development being his opportunistic braking leading to multiple overtakes.Hildebrand and American Editor Jack Benyon discuss Penske driver Josef Newgarden’s issues that led to Alex Palou’s victory, and also look at Kevin Magnussen’s debut for Arrow McLaren SP and what NASCAR driver Cody Ware’s debut means for Jimmie Johnson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was an explosive weekend of drama in the Detroit double-header, with Pato O’Ward storming through to win race two after a controversial ending led to a first IndyCar win for ex-F1 driver Marcus Ericsson. Through all the drama, series powerhouse Team Penske came close on both days but still failed to get a first win on the board in 2021.JR Hildebrand - after being on the ground in Detroit - joins The Race American Editor Jack Benyon to discuss some of the key topics like Will Power’s outburst after losing a race win, and whether Arrow McLaren SP driver O’Ward is the most explosive talent IndyCar has seen since the 1990s - and possibly before.Ericsson’s journey from junior single-seater race winner through F1 midfielding to now finally winning an IndyCar race is covered, while Hildebrand also breaks down Felix Rosenqvist’s horrifying crash with some behind the scenes info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Race IndyCar Podcast goes behind the scenes of the upstart team that won the Indianapolis 500, Meyer Shank Racing, with its co-owner Mike Shank, who also helps with listeners' questions in this special episode.Shank discusses the celebrations from the Indy 500, what the result means to the team, how its technical tie-up with Honda and Andretti Autosport was crucial for success and what direction the squad is set to take in the future.What’s next for four-time winner Helio Castroneves is also discussed, while the team’s co-owner Jim Meyer and its backing from Formula 1 owner Liberty Media is probed in greater detail.Regular co-host JR Hildebrand answers questions with his perspective from behind the visor with AJ Foyt Racing in this year’s Indy 500, while The Race’s Jack Benyon also takes listeners' points on the season so far.With Detroit coming up this weekend, the duo also talk about the street circuit double-header, and how hard that is to adapt to following a month of May at Indianapolis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Race IndyCar Podcast takes a look at the 105th Indianapolis 500 with JR Hildebrand bringing his perspective from the race where he finished in the top 15.The Race American Editor Jack Benyon quizzes co-host Hildebrand on driving for AJ Foyt and Tony Stewart, how the new aero package impacted the racing and his take on how the race played out from the cockpit.The duo talk Helio Castroneves and his young team Meyer Shank Racing in detail, as well as assessing the ‘claiming victory from defeat’ story of runner-up Alex Palou, who actually has plenty to be happy about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special episode of The Race IndyCar Podcast, Al Unser Jr stars to talk about his and Penske's 1994 Indianapolis 500 victory. The event is significant mainly due to the shock the Ilmor-built Mercedes-badged engine produced. Built in secret, it exploited the rulebook with bigger displacement and turbo boost than its rivals. Whether its parts being flown on a World War 2 fighter jet and Concorde to reach Penske, a scuba-diving holiday that helped trigger an engineering breakthrough or the 'Taj Mahal' factory where the engines were rebuilt before being wheeled in the dead of night to Penske's race shop, it's a fascinating tale. Helping to tell the story, the manager of Penske's Indy 500 engine programme Kevin Walter and author of the critically acclaimed book called Beast - Jade Gurss - add to Unser Jr's memories of testing the car and, among other things, learning of the fact that its 1000bhp+ turned the wheels inside the tyres. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IndyCar racer JR Hildebrand and The Race's American racing correspondent Jack Benyon look back on qualifying for the Indy 500, and look ahead to how the race could play out on Sunday. JR also gives his insights into his own programme with AJ Foyt Racing, having successfully qualified for the race! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.