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Scott McLaughlin is a three-time champion in the Australian Supercars Series. Team Penske brought him over the pond to pilot an Indy car alongside champion drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power. That decision has paid dividends as McLaughlin has taken to these vastly different cars like a duck to water. In this interview (during the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach) he talks about how fun and challenging these Indy cars are to drive and makes a quick comment on a new driver coming into the series. He also talks about how he prepares in the off-season as well as what it’s going to take to do well at Indianapolis. Unfortunately, his Long Beach weekend ended prematurely with a gearbox issue, however the following weekend at Barber Motorsport Park he qualified on pole position and earned his second consecutive victory there! He exemplifies that laid-back Australian personality, yet he’s highly dedicated to success. Enjoy!

Note: McLaughlin was disqualified from his third-place finish at the season opening race at St. Pete due to Team Penske having the “Push-to-Pass” system enabled when it wasn’t allowed and was activated by both himself and Newgarden (who was also DQ’d). Will Power was docked 10 points for having the system enabled but he never used it. The breach was discovered during the Sunday warm-up at Long Beach and the penalties were applied that week.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Stand by race fans, the countdown to the 49th Annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is almost over. In just a couple of days the city streets of Long Beach will be shut down to everyday traffic and the sounds of roaring engines will reverberate off of the buildings around the convention center, arena, Hyatt hotel and Aquarium of the Pacific. Headlining the event this year will once again be the NTT IndyCar Series with practice and qualifying on Friday and Saturday, while a Sunday morning warm-up and main-event race will be on Sunday. Once again IMSA will be the headline race on Saturday afternoon featuring the GTP cars and GTD (GT3) cars. No GTD Pro category this year which means that some of the pro teams will drop down to the Pro/Am category to have another shot at a win. 

Heading into Long Beach on a roll is last year’s Indy 500 champion and 2022 AGPLB winner, Josef Newgarden, who won the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona this year in a Penske Porsche and the season’s first Indy car race at St. Pete. Two-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou is also a winner this year at the non-points Million Dollar Challenge at Thermal Club last month by romping away from his competition. Former Long Beach winner and pole-sitter Colton Herta also won the 12 Hours of Sebring while his teammate and last year’s winner here, Kyle Kirkwood, also won his class at Sebring.

This long-standing event is rich in the team’s data books so trying to carve out an advantage over the competition is always difficult. Expect to see some scraped up race cars and white-walled tires as every driver will be pushing to the extreme limits to try and find lap time in qualifying.

New for this year’s schedule will be the historic Indy cars. There are numerous entries spanning decades in the sport with incredibly interesting history and pedigree. Dennis Firestone (who was 1980 CART rookie of the year) will be racing the Dan Gurney AAR Eagle that he raced at the Indy 500 back in 1982. Tony Kanaan will be racing an Offy-powered McLaren and has promised to push hard to win! SRO GT America racing will take the place of the Porsche Carrera Cup this year with a wide variety of manufacturers in the field such as Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Calloway Corvette, Lamborghini, Mercedes, and Porsche. Robby Gordon’s popular high-flying trucks return along drifting. 

This year’s Saturday night concert has country music on tap featuring country stars Gretchen Wilson, Eddie Montgomery, and David Lee Murphy. Don’t forget Thunder Thursday on Pine on April18th which is Free to the public where there’ll be a pit stop competition and much more. For more information, please visit: www.gplb.com.

Note: Jim Michaelian is the president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. During this year’s press day, we had the opportunity to hear directly from him on what to expect this year and the challenges of putting on such an event now in its 49th year. Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Katherine Legge was announced yesterday (April 9th) as a driver in the 2024 Indianapolis 500 for Dale Coyne Racing with RWR. On the same day she was at the press day for this year’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where we got to sit down with her and chat about her new opportunity. She was also very candid in discussing the incident with Stefan Wilson last year along with how and why it happened. Legge is super talented and was the first female to win a professional open wheel race when she made her debut at Long Beach in the Formula Atlantic series in 2005. Our interview was kept a bit short as she had to get to the airport and catch a flight back to Indy to be able to get on track at the Speedway today for the open test today and tomorrow. Enjoy!

Note: In the Rookie Orientation Practice (ROP) and veteran refresher session at the Brickyard this morning, Legge was second quickest behind former “500” pole sitter Marco Andretti. Next week on April 18, 2024, Legge will be inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame. She’ll be the first female inductee there ever. 

Ed Klotz is a familiar face around the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, after all he’s been volunteering with the Committee of 300 for over 40 years! During press day prior to the 2023 event we thought that we’d get an insider’s view on what the C300 does and how Ed decided to join and continue with the organization for so many years. He’s a man with a heart dedicated to volunteering and enjoying his time doing so. If you happen to run into him during race weekend, please say “Hi” and thank him for his years of service. Enjoy!

Note: For more information on C300, please visit: www.committeeof300.com.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

If you happen to bump into Jason Holt at the race track, you might be inclined to think he’s just another surfer dude from Southern California. The reality is that although he does indeed like to surf, just like the ocean is deep, there’s much more to this man than meets the eye. His commitment to the Indy car community (and associated support series) is very near and dear to his heart. In this interview, we learn about his surfing and racing background as well as how he had his life changed to move into the ministry. With Easter this weekend, we thought it would be the perfect time to air this interview which took place at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Davy Jones talked to us in Part One about his early days in racing and how he moved up to win at the highest levels of sports cars. This week in Part Two he continues to tell us about his career with stories about racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans both with and without the chicanes on the Mulsanne Straight. He also tells us about that fateful day in Florida where a horrendous crash at Walt Disney World Speedway almost ended his career and life. He tells us about his remarkable return to racing and how he did it with the challenges involved in his rehabilitation. He also tells us about balancing life in general, what he’s up to these days, and how important family is to him. Enjoy!

NOTE: In between the interviews of Parts One and Two, Jones narrates a hot lap of the Long Beach circuit in an Acura NSX pace car starting at the exit of pit lane to returning a short time later. That audio file is the introduction to Part Two.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Davy Jones has enjoyed a long career in auto racing. From small open-wheel race cars to the Indianapolis 500, multiple sports car wins including the 24 hours of Le Mans and more, Jones has achieved more than most in the sport. We met up with Jones at the media day activities for the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was nice enough to spend some time with us talking about his new ride that day (the Acura NSX pace car) and more. We split the interview into two parts as he also gave me a hot lap in the NSX. In Part One he talks about his early days in racing and how he moved up through the ranks from Formula Fords to Formula One. He also shares what it’s like to win at the highest levels of prototype sports car racing. In Part Two next week he continues to tell us about his career including that fateful day in Florida that changed his life. Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Devlin DeFrancesco raced for the Andretti Autosport team in the NTT IndyCar Series in 2023 and consistently improved during the season including an incredible start and a dominating run to the front of the field at the Indianapolis road course before fading back due to tire blisters. We caught up with him just off the red carpet at the premier of the “100 Days to Indy” TV show on the CW network at the Long Beach Convention Center just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. In this interview he talks about the TV show experience, his off-season preparation regimen, and how he also prepared for this race at Long Beach (as this is his second time here). A unique insight into how an Indy car driver prepares for specific events gives listeners a bit of information that they might not have considered. Enjoy!

NOTE: DeFrancesco qualified 20th at Long Beach and moved up a bit to finish 16th. At the end of the season, many changes took place at Andretti Autosport including shrinking the team down to three cars. For 2024, DeFrancesco will be competing with the Forte team in a Lamborghini in the IMSA Endurance Cup. He’s also planning on a return to the Indy 500 in May, the 24 hours of Le Mans and some other European racing events. For more information, please visit: www.devlindefrancesco.com

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Colton Herta has demonstrated his speed by beating his competitors in the NTT IndyCar Series and track records alike in the last five years. Thanks to showing his capabilities in harnessing a high-horsepower car on the track, he was rewarded in the 2022-2023 off-season to a Formula One test with the McLaren F1 team. At the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach media luncheon, we sat down with Herta and he told us what that experience was like. He’s an accomplished young man with a very bright future. Enjoy!

NOTE: Herta races for the Andretti Global team. That team has been working to field their own F1 team with Cadillac and went through the lengthy process to be approved. That approval was denied in January 2024, however the team remains vigilant to become an F1 entrant as soon as possible (which F1 deems the first opportunity to be in 2028).

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Colton Herta burst on to the NTT IndyCar Series with a win in his first full year of competition at the tender age of 18. Now a veteran of five (full-time) years in the series, his speed and racecraft continue to improve. We caught up with him at the “100 Days to Indy” premiere just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he talks about his season so far, how the Long Beach track might evolve based on temperature, and his thoughts heading into Indianapolis. He also proved to be a great prognosticator when it comes to talking about his teammate Kyle Kirkwood (who went on to win the race and Herta finished just off the podium in fourth). Enjoy!

NOTE: In Part Two next week, we sit down with Herta at the media luncheon the next day and he talks to us about his Formula One test in the off-season.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

James Nazarian Jr. has an enviable job perk in his role as Large Project Leader Commercial Motorsports for Honda Performance Development (HPD, now Honda Racing Corporation HRC) in that he gets to drive a beast of a Honda CR-V – the CR-V Hybrid Racer to be exact! This conglomeration of part Indy car and part NSX GT3 IMSA GTD car was conceived and designed in Santa Clarita and is a super cool engineering marvel. From the hybrid powertrain, to the suspension, to the advanced aerodynamics, this vehicle (that includes some stock CR-V parts) is ready to blow your mind at a race track near you. We met up with Nazarian at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach media day. In this interview, he takes us on a walkaround of the “Beast” and points out some of the unique features. Besides that, he also tells us what it’s like to drive. There are lots of pictures to go with his words, so feel free to scroll through each one as we get our personal tour. Enjoy!

NOTE: The 2024 NTT IndyCar Series was supposed to start their season with hybrid powertrains, however that has been delayed until after the Indy 500. The Beast gives you a preview of what it will be like. For additional information and to see this vehicle on track, please vist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kpMARRd-Ac to see Honda’s development story.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Davey Hamilton currently drives the Indy car two-seater giving rides to VIPs during NTT IndyCar Series race weekends. When he’s not behind the wheel, he’s also a driver analyst for the Indy car radio network. Growing up he raced all kinds of cars on dirt and pavement before he earned his way into Indy cars. He continues racing sprint cars today. He’s also a team owner running numerous race cars. We caught up with him during the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he had just given a bunch of thrill rides in the two-seater. In this interview he talks about his racing career including the horrific crash he had at Texas Motor Speedway in 2001 and how he came back from that. He also tells us about the transition into the broadcast booth and his plans going forward. Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Ricky Taylor has been winning races and championships for years and is well known in the IMSA paddock. At the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach media luncheon, he happened to be sitting next to me at the lunch table. After lunch, he was gracious enough to spend some time answering multiple questions and filling us in on how he prepares for winning races – mentally, physically, and with specialized nutrition. He also lets us know about how the team uses the Honda driver-in-the-loop simulator to enhance performance. Incredibly detailed information that most people don’t know about, he makes you an insider in the exciting world of IMSA GTP racing. Enjoy!

Note: Taylor was running second at Long Beach with an opportunity to win with just two laps remaining. He made the pass on the Porsche going into Turn 1 but couldn’t hang on and ended up in the tire barrier.  He and teammate Felipe Albuquerque were classified in 7th place. Although the team surprisingly went winless in 2023, they still ended up 2nd in the championship. You can see Taylor in action at the Rolex 24 at Daytona January 27-28, 2024 where he’s qualified sixth. Go to: IMSA.com for more information and air times.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Marco Sorensen is a three-time FIA World Champion and has won legendary races such as the 24hrs of Le Mans and 24hrs of Daytona.  We caught up with him right after the IMSA qualifying press conference of the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he had just put his Aston Martin Vantage GT3 GTD car on pole! This was impressive as this was his first time driving the Long Beach circuit. A humble guy outside of the car, he certainly knows how to get the job done behind the wheel. In this interview he tells us how he accomplished this feat and also gives us some background on his racing career. Enjoy!

Note: Sorensen and his co-driver (Roman De Angelis) finished second at Long Beach. You can see Sorensen in action at the “Roar Before the 24” test session and qualifying at Daytona on January 19-21, 2024 and then again as he attempts to repeat his win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona January 27-28, 2024. Go to: IMSA.com for more information and air times.

Jason Hart is a championship winning race car driver and has raced and won in multiple classes. His background is incredibly diverse, racing sprint cars and all manner of sports cars, including a Ferrari at the 24hrs of Le Mans. He’s even won his class in the Baja 1000! We caught up with Jason at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was competing in the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America Series. His story of perseverance in racing to make it as a professional is inspiring and raw at the same time. If he’s on track, you can count on him to be in the fight near the front of the field. Enjoy!

Note: His weekend at Long Beach didn’t go well as he was caught up in a Turn 8 shunt that ended his weekend prematurely. Later in the season he scored a win at the historic Watkins Glen track in upstate New York. For more information on Jason, please visit: JasonHartRacing.com

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2024 Larry Mason

Oriol Servia is a familiar face in the NTT IndyCar Series paddock. After winning the 1999 CART Indy Lights championship, he went on to race for a number of Indy car teams, including Newman-Haas, where he scored a win in Montreal and finished runner-up in the championship to teammate and four-time champ Sebastian Bourdais. Servia has raced in Formula E and currently drives the pace car during Indy car weekends. He’s one of the few drivers in the paddock with a mechanical engineering degree and has used that knowledge to his advantage over the years. We caught up with him at the press day for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach this year where he was nice enough to spend some time with us. He’s not done racing yet as you’ll hear in this interview. Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Chuck Lessick is a chaplain with IndyCar Ministry and travels to most races and test sessions during the year. On Sunday morning of race weekends, Lessick leads a “5-Minute Devotional” with individuals from race teams, workers, sanctioning body staff, media and anyone else who wants to attend. During the week, he also leads a “life group” or “church group” at the Dallara factory in Indianapolis. In this interview, we learn about Lessick’s racing background where he’s worn multiple hats (including that as a driver). He talks about the challenges that the racing community faces, specifically with the high-pressure environment that team personnel are under (and how to effectively deal with those challenges). As Christmas is just around the corner, this is a gift to our listeners that hopefully you can take this message with you throughout the holidays and into 2024. Enjoy!

NOTE: For more information, to donate to IndyCar Ministry, or to contact Lessick, please visit: www.indycarministry.org

Ziggy Harcus is a name that might not ring a bell to the casual race fan, but he is well-known within the sport of auto racing as a key team member in the NTT IndyCar Series. His roles with multiple successful teams include his skills as a mechanic, team leader, and more. His winning resume’ is an enviable one. At the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach after a long day at the track, Ziggy was nice enough to give us an interview as we walked with him leaving the track. He’ll share with you some of the famous names he’s worked with, some of the great wins that he’s been a part of, and talk about the pros and cons of working in this sport. If there’s ever a guy you want on your team to bring it to the top level, he’s the man! Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Michael Etrick is a talented artist that has created automotive art for many years. We were fascinated with the beautiful sculpture he had on display at this year’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. We were able to learn nuances from him that when you see the sculpture, fascinates you even more. The subtle details in his artwork keep impressing you as the sculpture can be modified as you’ll see in the pictures below. For those of you who are having a hard time figuring out what to get the automotive enthusiast who has everything, a special gift for Christmas this year, contact Etrick and he’ll certainly help solve your challenge.  Enjoy!

NOTE: For more information on Michael Etrick’s artwork, please visit: www.etrickart.com

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Sebastian Saavedra has had a long career in motorsports that so far has culminated with an IMSA LMP2 class win at the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona. He also has multiple NTT Indycar Series starts under his belt including a pole position at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. We caught up with him at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Press Day where he was giving rides to celebrities (hear their stories here) and VIPs in the IndyCar Two-Seater. These days he’s also heavily involved in young driver coaching and management. Having a mentor that can show you the ropes early on in your career can make a huge difference in how far you progress in motorsports. A friendly guy off the track, you can tell that his heart is definitely yearning to get back on track to do what he knows and loves. Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

or anyone who grew up in Southern California or Indianapolis, the Agajanian name is synonymous with auto racing. In Parts One and Two, JC Agajanian Jr. gave us a fascinating look into his family history in auto racing along with some incredible stories throughout a timeline from the 50’s through today. He also filled us in on some of the famous drivers that drove for them as well as some current advice for young drivers. In our final installment here in Part Three, JC tells us about those fancy Indianapolis 500 winner’s rings on his fingers and about the drivers who made it to Victory Lane! Personal stories about Parnelli Jones and more will surprise and delight you! He also fills us in about how one of the longest running and successful feature races for over 80 years – Turkey Night – continues, along with an invitation for you to come out to the races at Ventura Raceway, coming up this Friday and Saturday - November 24th and 25th. Enjoy!

NOTE: Turkey Night Ventura Raceway (at the Ventura County Fairgrounds) is this Thanksgiving weekend with action on both Friday and Saturday. For more information on Ventura Raceway, please visit their website at: https://venturaraceway.com/

To purchase tickets, please go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/82nd-annual-turkey-night-grand-prix-tickets-629591554287?aff=oddtdtcreatoror anyone who grew up in Southern California or Indianapolis, the Agajanian name is synonymous with auto racing. In Parts One and Two, JC Agajanian Jr. gave us a fascinating look into his family history in auto racing along with some incredible stories throughout a timeline from the 50’s through today. He also filled us in on some of the famous drivers that drove for them as well as some current advice for young drivers. In our final installment here in Part Three, JC tells us about those fancy Indianapolis 500 winner’s rings on his fingers and about the drivers who made it to Victory Lane! Personal stories about Parnelli Jones and more will surprise and delight you! He also fills us in about how one of the longest running and successful feature races for over 80 years – Turkey Night – continues, along with an invitation for you to come out to the races at Ventura Raceway, coming up this Friday and Saturday - November 24th and 25th. Enjoy!

NOTE: Turkey Night Ventura Raceway (at the Ventura County Fairgrounds) is this Thanksgiving weekend with action on both Friday and Saturday. For more information on Ventura Raceway, please visit their website at: https://venturaraceway.com/

To purchase tickets, please go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/82nd-annual-turkey-night-grand-prix-tickets-629591554287?aff=oddtdtcreator

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

For anyone who grew up in Southern California or Indianapolis, the Agajanian name is synonymous with auto racing. In Part One, JC Agajanian Jr. gave us a fascinating look into his family history in auto racing along with some incredible stories throughout a timeline from the 50’s through today. In Part Two, JC talks about how his family got involved with Indy car racing at the Speedway, some of the famous drivers who drove for them there and how their relationship continues with the Andretti name today. He also gives some heartfelt advice to young drivers getting started in the sport on how to best represent your sponsors and team. This is good advice for any race car driver out there. Good news we’ll have him back for Part Three next week. Enjoy!

NOTE: Turkey Night at the Ventura Fairgrounds will be coming up on Friday and Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. For more information you can go to the Ventura Raceway website at: https://venturaraceway.com/

Or to buy tickets, please visit:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/82nd-annual-turkey-night-grand-prix-tickets-629591554287?aff=oddtdtcreator

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

For anyone who grew up in Southern California or Indianapolis, the Agajanian name is synonymous with auto racing. ASCOT Raceway in Gardena was a staple in dirt oval racing for decades. The Agajanian family were the promoters of that prolific race track from the early days until its closure. In Part One, JC Agajanian Jr. gives us a fascinating look into how his family got involved in auto racing, some of the famous drivers that drove for his dad, and he also weaves these stories throughout a timeline from the 50’s through today and even a look into the future. An incredibly entertaining guest with a tremendous amount of knowledge in this sport, you’ll find yourself wanting to hear more from JC. Good news we’ll have him back for Part Two next week. Enjoy!

NOTE: Turkey Night at the Ventura Fairgrounds will be coming up on Friday and Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

A.J. McKee is a friendly looking guy in street clothes, but you wouldn’t want to get in the ring with him! As an MMA fighter with a 20-win record and only one loss through 2022, he is one tough guy. We caught up with him at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach press day where he talks about his background, the thrill of being at the track and his fleet of cool cars. He’s no stranger to auto racing as he was born and raised in Long Beach and has been attending and watching this race for years. Enjoy!

NOTE: For more information on McKee, please visit: https://twitter.com/ajmckee101?lang=en

Sam Carrick and Adam Henrique are two of the stars on ice for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. We caught up with them at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach press day where they were treated to rides in the Indy car two-seater and Sam also enjoyed riding in “the Beast” Honda CR-V which is powered by an Indy car engine combined with hybrid technology. They both had big smiles after their experience. They fill us in on how auto racing and hockey compare and their appreciation of how the professional drivers are top level athletes.  Enjoy!

NOTE: For more information on Carrick and Henrique, please visit: nhl.com/ducks/roster

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Riley Dickinson is an up and coming professional American driver in the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup Series. The series uses identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 992 race cars producing 510 hp. The series features Pro, Pro-Am and Amateur drivers with the majority being Pro drivers. He started off the 2023 season in Victory Lane at Sebring (twice, in the two race format) and his success has continued by winning nine races so far and clinching the season championship before the final round. We caught up with him early in the season at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach press luncheon where he fills us in on how he got started in racing, where he’s competed up until now, and his plans for the future. His career path in motorsports is one step closer to his dream job and only time will tell whether he reaches that goal. Enjoy!

NOTE: Riley Dickinson won Race 1 at Long Beach and earned another podium with third place in Race 2. He will be finishing out the last two races of the season October 20-22, 2023 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX as a support race to the FIA Formula One World Championship.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Renger van der Zande is teamed with Sebastien Bourdais in the IMSA WeatherTech Series racing a Cadillac GTP car for Chip Ganassi Racing. We caught up with him for this interview during a cold and rainy press day for the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Besides being a multiple winner at the Rolex 24hrs of Daytona, Renger has successfully competed in multiple classes around the world. In this interview, Renger talks about the differences to the new (for this year) hybrid powered Cadillac compared to last year, gives props to his teammate in regards to their race at Long Beach last year and talks about his thoughts on what the strengths of his race car is and how he wants to get back to the winner’s circle. A true gentleman and supremely talented race car driver; it didn’t take too much longer before he found himself in Victory Lane at Laguna Seca Raceway in May. Enjoy!

NOTE: Renger will be racing in the season finale this weekend (Oct. 11-14, 2023) at the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Colin Braun is a highly talented race car driver that’s been around for years racing in multiple classes including in the SCCA. He signed with Meyer Shank Racing this year to race their IMSA GTP Acura ARX-06 and started off the year with a win in the Rolex 24 hours at Daytona. We caught up with him at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach media luncheon just prior to the race. He talks to us about his background in the sport and his recent visit to the HPD headquarters as a factory team driver to get a behind-the-scenes tour. Additionally, he describes the phenomenal SCCA Runoffs program he was involved with to break the track record at Road America – shocking statistics! Enjoy!

NOTE: Colin Braun will be competing in the season finale Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta October 13-15, 2023. It was announced on October 3, 2023 that this will be the last race for MSR with the IMSA Acura GTP program. 

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Cathy Shumaker is a pit lane fire marshal that works with multiple teams in a number of different sanctioning bodies including: NTT IndyCar Series, IMSA, NHRA, NASCAR, SCCA and more. She’s been enjoying her work with how she helps keep the drivers, crew, and others safe in the hectic and potentially dangerous area that is really her home away from home. We caught up with Cathy at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where she tells us how she got started, how she’s developed relationships with drivers and teams and how young girls can get started in racing. There are a variety of roles they can fill if they are interested in having “the best seat in the house” outside of the race car. A true professional and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, Cathy is always a welcome sight at the race track. Enjoy!

NOTE: This is our final podcast in a series of “Women in Motorsports” interviews in September. This has been the month that Fast Lane Racing School has highlighted the diversity of roles that women play in the motorsports industry.  Also, as a reminder, the Women with Drive Summit III is coming up November 7,8, 2023 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, AZ. For more information, please visit: www.womenwithdrivesummit.com.

Maria Serrao is one of the hardest working reporters you’ll find at sporting events around southern California – particularly at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. We caught up with Maria (hard to do!) in the media center lunch room during the event this year and sat down to chat about her background and some favorite stories she’s covered here over the years. For women interested in getting involved in this industry, she gives some advice on what it takes to be successful.

In Part One, we chatted with Maria about her background in the sport. In Part Two, we find out what put her in a wheelchair, her challenges of that from a young age, and how she’s overcome that disability to follow her dreams. She’s highly motivated and doesn’t let the chair get in the way of how she lives her life every day. She inspires people with how she lives her life. If she has her mind set to do something, she won’t let anything or anyone stand in her way and telling her she can’t. She also does this with grace, humor, warmth, and has a way of connecting with people that puts them at ease. For more information or to watch Maria at work, go to: www.PlayingTheFieldTV.com Enjoy!

NOTE: This is just one in a series of “Women in Motorsports” podcast interviews. September is the month that Fast Lane Racing School will highlight the diversity of roles that women play in the motorsports industry. 

Sheena Monk is racing in the IMSA WeatherTech Series this year sharing her GTD Acura NSX with Indy car and sports car ace Katherine Legge. We caught up with Sheena during the media day press luncheon for the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. She fills us in on how racing has been interwoven throughout her life, yet her real start in racing didn’t happen until just a few short years ago. We learn about how she and Katherine work together, including car set-up, as well as the mental and physical aspects of driving this fabulous race car. At this event, they earned a top ten finish (ninth) and Legge set the fastest race lap in the class. FYI, Sheena will be racing this weekend (Sept. 15-17, 2023) at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the penultimate round of the season before the “Petit Le Mans” final event at Road Atlanta (Oct. 11-14). Enjoy!

NOTE: This is just one of a series of “Women in Motorsports” podcast interviews. September is the month that Fast Lane Racing School will highlight the diversity of roles that women play in the motorsports industry. 

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Mary Bignotti Mendez is a multi-talented lady who has been involved with the NTT IndyCar Series for many years. In fact, she comes from Indy car royalty as her dad, George Bignotti, won the “500” seven times as a chief mechanic! Her dad also married Kay Meyer whose father Louis was the first, three-time winner of the Indy 500. These days you’ll find her in the media/press room writing stories about the series on her laptop, or in the pit and paddock area running her RPM Tours business. With that, she gives VIP tours to team sponsors and others that really want to learn about what makes this sport tick from the inside. We sat down with Mary at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where she gives us her background, some cool and interesting stories, and also gives some advice to young women looking to get involved in the sport. Enjoy!

NOTE: This is the first in a series of “Women in Motorsports” podcast interviews. September is the month that Fast Lane Racing School will highlight the diversity of roles that women play in the motorsports industry. 

Jack Harvey has won nearly a dozen championships in his career including the prestigious British F3 championship in 2012. He finished runner-up in the Indy Lights championship in both 2014 and 2015. He’s one of only six drivers to have won on both the Indianapolis road course and the oval where he took those wins in Indy Lights. Moving from the Meyer Shank NTT IndyCar Series team to Rahal Letterman Lanigan has proven to be quite challenging for both him and the team. We caught up with Harvey as he was taking some photos of his girlfriend Gracie Norton just off of the red carpet at the 100 Days To Indy Premiere just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. He talks about the mental aspect of staying positive and how he wants to continue to motivate the team, work hard, and be competitive for the rest of the season. Candid and stoic, you can tell that Harvey is extremely motivated to return to qualifying well and finishing on the podium. Enjoy!

NOTE: At Indianapolis, major drama unfolded as he bumped his teammate Graham Rahal out of the race with time expiring on the clock to qualify 33rd. After the August 12, 2023 road course race at Indy, Harvey was released from RLL with three races left to run in the season. Part of the team statement from Bobby Rahal reads: “First, I would like to thank Jack Harvey for all of his efforts on behalf of RLL for the last year and a half. He committed fully to the team, but for whatever reason, we weren’t able to achieve the results that he or the team deserves, and we wish him well in the future.” Where will he end up? Only time will tell. We wish him the best.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Former Formula One driver, and now Indianapolis 500 champion Marcus Ericsson, has really come on strong in the NTT IndyCar Series over the last couple of years winning races every season. We had the opportunity to check in with him at the media luncheon just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he takes us through his incredible journey to being part of Indianapolis history. He also talks about some really special moments after the win. Finally, he shares his expectations heading into the Long Beach race and Indianapolis. His predictions for both Long Beach and Indy proved to be spot on as he scored Top 3 finishes in each. A true gentleman who is humble, grateful, and can bring a car home consistently at or near the front, Ericsson is one cool guy. Enjoy!

NOTE: It was announced on August 23, 2023 that Ericsson would be moving from the Ganassi team to Andretti Autosport for 2024. He’ll have more fast teammates at Andretti with Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood (whom he shared a podium [3rd] with at Long Beach). As of this date, we don’t know if he’ll race alongside or replace Romain Grosjean. . . 

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Mike Hull has been employed by Chip Ganassi Racing for over 30 years. During that time he’s had a very successful relationship as the strategist for six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion - Scott Dixon. We caught up with him at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach as he was walking back to his hotel after a long day at the track. He was gracious enough to give us some time where he talks about the quality of his driver, figuring out strategy based on data versus experience, and what makes his team so successful.

Enjoy!

NOTE: Scott Dixon started his 319th consecutive NTT IndyCar Series race on August 11, 2023 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course where he earned his 54th race win and extended his streak of winning at least one race for 19 consecutive seasons. Mike Hull was on the pit box calling the strategy that saw Dixon go from getting hit from behind in Turn 7 on lap one, spin out to last place, then come back and score that remarkable victory.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Romain Grosjean is a veteran Formula One racing driver who transitioned into the NTT IndyCar Series three years ago. He joined Dale Coyne Racing for his rookie year where he impressed Andretti Autosport enough to hire him the following year. It’s been up and down for the man they call the “Phoenix” (after his fiery crash in Bahrain), especially this year where he’s qualified in the Firestone Fast Six five times, yet only converted that into two podium finishes. We caught up with Grosjean for a brief interview just following the post-race press conference at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he had just finished second behind his teammate, Kyle Kirkwood (who just won his first race in the series). A podium finish followed this event in Alabama, but since then he’s had a number of poor finishes until a Q6 and P6 qualifying and finishing position on the streets of Nashville. Will he stay with Andretti into 2024? He has four races left in the season to help seal the deal for next year. Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Tony Kanaan is the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner, 2004 IndyCar champion and 1997 Indy Lights champion. He’s won races for decades and has had real staying power in this tough and sometimes brutal sport. Off track, Kanaan is known for his supreme fitness. He’s dedicated himself to that by competing in numerous triathlons, including the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, twice! This year he joined the Arrow McLaren Indy car team for one race - the Indy 500. He remains with the team as a driver consultant and team ambassador. We caught up with him just off the pit lane at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he gave us his thoughts on fitness, nutrition and balancing family life in this dynamic sport. Enjoy!

NOTE: After qualifying ninth quick out of the field of 33, Kanaan finished the “500” in 16th place just behind his lifelong friend and rival Helio Castroneves.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Owen Snyder is the mechanical manufacturing and car assembly supervisor for Dallara (the chassis supplier to the NTT IndyCar Series). He also does race track support. Prior to joining Dallara, he worked for a number of different racing teams and organizations as well as with some great racing drivers. Two Indianapolis 500 victories are just part of what he’s experienced first-hand. In this interview (conducted in the technical inspection area of the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach), he shares some of those experiences with us, and the behind-the-scenes aspects of who and how they made it happen. A true legend of the sport of Indy car racing and one of the most humble and forthright people you’ll ever want to meet. Enjoy!

NOTE: Dallara manufactures multiple types of race cars for worldwide use. For more information, please visit www.dallara.us

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Santino Ferruci has had some strong finishes in the Indy 500 driving for a number of different teams both part-time and full-time. This year he’s full-time with AJ Foyt Racing. We had the opportunity to chat with him at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach press luncheon. He’s very down-to-earth and honest in his approach to racing. He talks with us about his preparation for Long Beach and gives us his insight preparing for the Indy 500. He also fills us in on how simulation work is key to being ready to go fast right away. Enjoy!

NOTE: Santino Ferruci would go on to finish 11th at Long Beach after starting 18th. He put a huge smile on AJ Foyt’s face when he nearly won the Indy 500! He ultimately finished third.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Simon Pagenaud has an enviable record of winning the Indy 500, along with championships in the NTT IndyCar Series, and sports cars in ALMS. The 2023 season started with him earning a Rolex watch for the overall win at the 24hrs of Daytona, but so far, his Indy car season has suffered from a lack of competitiveness. We spoke with Pagenaud just off the red carpet at the “100 Days To Indy” reality TV show premiere in Long Beach this past April. He candidly talks about what he’s gone through and how he’s looking forward to turning the situation around and getting back to his winning ways. He also talks about the mental aspects of preparing for a race weekend, working with his engineers and his thoughts going into the Indy 500. Enjoy!

NOTE: Pagenaud’s season didn’t get much better after we spoke. A mediocre finish at Long Beach (15th) followed by a DNF (crash) at Indianapolis along with some other poor finishes has plagued his season this year. His best finish so far is 13th (Detroit) which is not good for a guy who is accustomed to being competitive. It got worse at Mid-Ohio when he lost his brakes in practice doing about 180 mph. He literally flew (about 150 feet) off the track, then barrel-rolled six-and-a-half times, before coming to rest upside down stuffed into the tire barrier. He was able to walk away but due to IndyCar’s concussion protocol he was not allowed to race there or at Toronto. Here’s hoping that the second half of the season brings Pagenaud some better luck and results.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Graham Rahal has been winning races since his very first race in the NTT IndyCar Series back when he was only 19 years old. That was a long time ago and his winning ways have been on hiatus for a while too. A super talented guy like that doesn’t forget how to drive fast and win. This series is super competitive and everything has to be perfect (or you have to be super lucky) to get on the podium these days. We had the opportunity to talk with Rahal at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach about the challenges of going through the non-winning times and how he deals with it while also working to motivate those around him. He also talks about how he works with his teammates on set-up and balance of the race car. Being a family man (married to drag racer Courtney Force), Rahal also talks about balancing his life outside of racing. Enjoy!

NOTE: Graham Rahal finished 12th at Long Beach after qualifying 24th. The real drama came on bump day at Indianapolis where his teammate Jack Harvey bumped him out of the race! The next day, Stephan Wilson crashed and broke his back at the Speedway and Rahal was tapped to fill in for the “500.” Although he started last in 33rd, he finished 22nd. On a more positive note, Rahal qualified on the front row for the race at Mid-Ohio on July 2nd. Unfortunately, a stuck wheel during a pit stop slowed his momentum yet he still finished in the top ten (7th).

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Officer Alec Pereyda is a Public Information Officer for the CHP and spent some time with us in the expo at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. With the Fourth of July holiday coming up and lots of summer road trips, he was able to give us a lot of valuable safe driving tips including what to do if you see those flashing lights behind you. He also shares with us a crazy story about a high-speed pur

Alex Palou is the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series Champion and is currently leading the points for the 2023 season based on three victories so far (as of June 18th). We had a chance to chat with him during the press day ahead of the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and in this wide-ranging interview he talks about his season so far, his adaptation from a road racing background to getting comfortable on the ovals, and his recent McLaren Formula One test. Additionally, he reflects on his calm demeanor despite all of the distractions outside the race car (especially last year with a very public and heated contract negotiation. You’ll almost always find him with a smile on his face and a very warm and personable manner, but when he gets behind the wheel, watch out. This guy can destroy the morale of an entire field of champions with his speed and skill. He put that on full display at last year’s season finale where he dominated with a 30 second margin of victory! Enjoy!

NOTE: Alex Palou would go on to finish fifth at Long Beach after starting fourth. So far this year his worst finish is eighth. His recovery drive after getting hit in pit lane at the Indianapolis 500 leaving his pit area to finish fourth was an incredible testament to his talent (as well as the strength of the Ganassi team he’s driving for).

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Pato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden have both had strong starts to the season. We caught up with them just off the red carpet at the “100 Days to Indy” premiere at the Long Beach Convention Center on Wednesday evening just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. O’Ward talks about his focus after two, second-place finishes to start the year. Newgarden talks about how competitive the series is as a whole and his strategy for Long Beach. They both chime in on their aspirations for success at the Indy 500 which (when this was taped and the interview was briefly interrupted by James Hinchcliffe) was only 50 days away. Enjoy!

NOTE: Josef Newgarden went on to win the “500” while O’Ward led the most laps before crashing out with seven laps to go.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Pato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden have both had strong starts to the season. We caught up with them just off the red carpet at the “100 Days to Indy” premiere at the Long Beach Convention Center on Wednesday evening just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. O’Ward talks about his focus after two, second-place finishes to start the year. Newgarden talks about how competitive the series is as a whole and his strategy for Long Beach. They both chime in on their aspirations for success at the Indy 500 which (when this was taped and the interview was briefly interrupted by James Hinchcliffe) was only 50 days away. Enjoy!

NOTE: Josef Newgarden went on to win the “500” while O’Ward led the most laps before crashing out with seven laps to go.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

In last week’s podcast, we learned how Lyn St. James started with humble beginnings and progressed to the highest levels of professional auto racing. This week St. James will tell us about the Women in Motorsports North America program. From the interesting origin of WIMNA, to where they’re going in the future. The bottom line is that this organization is designed to advance opportunities for women throughout the motorsports industry. Their big event of the year is the Women with Drive Summit III coming up on November 7-8, 2023 in Avondale, Arizona. For more information on the summit, go to: www.womenwithdrivesummit.com. For more information on the organization, go to: www.womeninmotorsportsna.com. Women have played a key role in motorsports for many years in a multitude of roles. St. James (as usual) is at the forefront of helping drive the return on investment for those she works with. Enjoy!

NOTE: Lyn St. James will be part of a panel discussion at the Petersen Automotive Museum on May 24th, 2023 – “A Tribute to Paula Murphy.” There will be a screening of the Paula Murphy: Undaunted documentary, followed by the panel discussion and a silent auction. Paula Murphy also broke barriers for women in motorsports. She set multiple land speed records, was the first woman to drive a jet dragster and much more. This will be a great opportunity to see her and St. James in person and to hear some great stories. Ticket information (TinyUrl.com/PaulaMurphy) and more is below:

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Lyn St. James is an American icon in the world of professional auto racing. After humble beginnings racing in a showroom stock Ford Pinto, she would go on to set multiple world speed records and become the 1992 Indy 500 rookie of the year! We sat down with Lyn at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where she talks about how she progressed through her career. She also talks candidly about her big crash at Riverside International Raceway in an IMSA GTP car, the people that helped her along the way and what it’s like to turn laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Enjoy!

NOTE: In Part Two, St. James talks about her involvement with the “Women in Motorsports North America” program as well as an upcoming special event. We’ll also preview another special event that will be for locals in SoCal at the Petersen Automotive Museum on May 24th, 2023 where she’ll be part of a panel discussion. Be sure to check it out next week for more information!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Dan Siegel is just one of the many people who work in the NTT IndyCar Series in the technical inspection area. At the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach he shared with us the procedure of how they inspect the race cars, how they inspect safety equipment before and after a crash and also how they ensure a fair, competitive platform, so that the teams can have a level playing field going into the race competitions. A fascinating journey behind the scenes. Enjoy!

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

Kyle Kirkwood is the only driver to win consecutive Road To Indy ladder series championships consecutively. He spent 2022 driving for AJ Foyt Racing where he had a best finish of 10th at Long Beach. This year he’s racing for Andretti Autosport and he started the year off qualifying in the Firestone Fast Six at St. Petersburg. At the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, he qualified on pole and led 53 of the 85 laps to win his first-ever NTT IndyCar Series race. We had a chance to talk with him before his glorious weekend at the media luncheon on Thursday of race week. He talks about the changes going from last year’s team to this year’s team, driving styles with his teammate Colton Herta, and his preparation going into the Indy 500. Enjoy!

NOTE: Kirkwood traveled to Indianapolis after Long Beach and finished fourth on the speed charts out of 33 drivers that took to the track at the open test on April 20th.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason

It was another successful and classic (in more ways than one) Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach reported that it was the best crowd (192,000 fans) since the reunification of CART and the IRL. The last of the remaining grandstand seats sold out Saturday night. What started off as a cold and drizzly week, morphed into mild and mostly sunny weather that helped keep everyone comfortable throughout the weekend.

In the headlining NTT IndyCar Series, Kyle Kirkwood earned his first NTT Pole Award on Saturday in the fantastic Firestone Fast Six qualifying session. Last year’s Indy 500 winner, Marcus Ericsson, joined Kirkwood on the front row. At the drop of the green flag, Kirkwood kept his lead into Turn One. Last year’s winner Josef Newgarden moved up four places within the first few laps and was running strong all race until he made his last pit stop before all the other leaders. Perfect strategy if there’s a caution, although none came and with his forced fuel save, he dropped to ninth at the end. Kirkwood had no such problem with fuel and earned his maiden victory in the series followed home by his teammate Romain Grosjean (who qualified third) who had plenty of push-to-pass left but since he pitted a lap earlier (and was saving fuel), was unable to use it. Ericsson closed in over the last few laps but had to settle for third.

In the IMSA WeatherTech Series Sports Car race, Felipe Albuquerque stormed to the pole position in his Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-06 GTP car by 0.674 seconds over the similar Acura of Meyer Shank Racing. He mentioned that he was glad he was starting the race and Ricky Taylor would be driving second because the Michelin tires were taking a long time to heat up. Prophetic words indeed as the Penske Porsche 963 team of Nick Tandy and Matthew Jaminet chose not to change tires at their single pit stop and parlayed that into the first victory for the new Porsche GTP car. In GTD PRO Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat took their Lexus RC F GT3 to Victory Lane while Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers stood on the top step of the podium for the third-straight year with their BMW M4 GT3.

In the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup races, Riley Dickinson earned the pole for Race 1 and brought his Porsche 992 home for the win. In Race 2, Will Martin enjoyed the first win of his career in this series.

In the Historic Formula One Challenge races, Patrick Long made it a clean sweep winning both races driving a 1983 Williams FW 08C. These races were truly fan favorites as the sights, sounds and smells of the classic F1 cars were spectacular. Two of the cars in the field were powered by 12-cylinder engines including local SoCal driver Tim DeSilva who qualified second for the first race in the same Alfa Romeo that Andrea de Cesaris put on the pole at Long Beach back in 1982. Most were powered by the venerable Ford Cosworth DFV V8. Other sensational marques from the past included BRM, Lotus, March, McLaren, Penske, Shadow, Surtees and Tyrell.

All-in-all, it was another fabulous weekend of racing. Stay tuned as we’ll have upcoming podcast interviews with some of the winners and others who help make the world of racing go ‘round.

By Larry Mason

Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason