Podcasts about acura grand prix

Marcus Ericsson is the 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner. He came to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES from Formula One. Spending most of his career stateside at Chip Ganassi Racing, Ericsson scored multiple wins for the team, of course, none bigger than Indy. He joined the Andretti Global team in 2024 and in the first race at St. Pete he qualified in the Firestone Fast Six. We caught up with Ericsson at the following Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach media luncheon where he would earn a fifth place finish. He talks about what happened at St. Pete, hybrid testing, and getting back to the Speedway. A humble and friendly guy, this driver is really good on street circuits and at the Brickyard. He'll be aiming for his second win at Indy in just over a week. Enjoy!

Jack Harvey had a stellar run in the junior categories of open-wheel racing on his way up to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. He's a former British F3 champ and is a winner on both the oval and road course at Indianapolis in the INDY NXT by Firestone series. In the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, he spent the majority of his time at Meyer Shank Racing before he moved to the Rahal Letterman Lannigan team. Unfortunately, the promise showed at MSR was never realized at RLL. In 2024, Dale Coyne rang up Harvey to offer him a ride which he happily took alongside a revolving line-up of co-drivers. We caught up with him at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was celebrating his birthday and his new ride. In this interview, he talks about the importance of how to develop relationships within a team. He also recalls the incredible run to be the final Indy 500 qualifier the year prior. Fast forward to 2025, and he's now a pit reporter on the Fox TV race broadcasts, however, he'll also be back behind the wheel for this year's Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer and Reinbold Racing with Cusick Motorsports. A talented driver, a true gentleman of the sport, and also quite talented behind the microphone, Jack Harvey is one to watch both on the track and off. Enjoy!

Roberto Gurrero had an incredible motorsports career climbing the European open-wheel ladder to make it to the pinnacle of worldwide motorsports – Formula One. From there, he came stateside to race Indy cars for some of the biggest names in the sport from the team ownership side as well as design and engineering. We sat down with him at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach media day where we found him to be friendly, engaging, and humble. In this Part One of a two-part interview, we'll get the stories that brought him through an incredible career including a special day in Monaco on a yacht! A true family man, he's been married for over forty years; he also gives us his secrets to marriage success! Enjoy!

PIT PASS INDY PRESENTED BY PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL – SEASON 5, EPISODE 29 – IndyCar Series Champions Alex Palou and Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing. Also, Pato O'Ward, Graham Rahal and Scott McLaughlin   April 22, 2025   Show host Bruce Martin has another packed episode of Pit Pass Indy Presented by Penske Truck Rental wrapping up the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and looking ahead to the two-day Indy 500 Open Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 23 and April 24.   Martin has exclusive interviews with Pato O'Ward of Arrow McLaren, Graham Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, three-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, six-time IndyCar Series champion and 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon and Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin.   On the highways, the raceways and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward.   Gain ground with Penske!   For more INDYCAR coverage, follow Bruce Martin at X, previously known as Twitter, at @BruceMartin_500

This week's episode: We recap Kyle Kirkwood's win in the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, discuss TV ratings and schedule, and a potential date for the 2026 Mexico City race.

PIT PASS INDY PRESENTED BY PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL – SEASON 5, EPISODE 28 – More from the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with 6-time Long Beach winner Al Unser, Jr, 2-time Long Beach winner Will Power, Dale Coyne Racing teammates Rinus VeeKay and Jacob Abel, and Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard   April 17, 2025   Show host Bruce Martin has another packed episode of Pit Pass Indy Presented by Penske Truck Rental from the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13.   Martin has exclusive interviews with racing legend Al Unser, Jr, who was known as “The King of Beach” for winning the Long Beach Grand Prix a record six times in his career. Two-time Long Beach winner Will Power of Team Penske joins the show as well as the two drivers at Dale Coyne Racing including Rinus VeeKay and rookie Jacob Abel. Arrow McLaren Racing driver Christian Lundgaard wraps up the list of interviews as he talks about his season, and the importance of heading to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for next week's two-day Indy 500 Open Test.   On the highways, the raceways and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward.   Gain ground with Penske!   For more INDYCAR coverage, follow Bruce Martin at X, previously known as Twitter, at @BruceMartin_500

The guys debrief the 50th running of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Alex went in feeling confident, but the weekend didn't live up to his hopes. Plus, there was an F1 race, Robbie Wickens had a hell of a weekend, and Tim is tired.+++Off Track is part of the SiriusXM Sports Podcast Network. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, please give a 5-star rating and leave a review. Subscribe today wherever you stream your podcasts.Want some Off Track swag? Check out our store!Check out our website, www.askofftrack.comSubscribe to our YouTube Channel.Want some advice? Send your questions in for Ask Alex to AskOffTrack@gmail.comFollow us on Twitter at @askofftrack. Or individually at @Hinchtown, @AlexanderRossi, and @TheTimDurham.

Send us a textWelcome Race Fans!Check out the review of the IndyCar action from Long Beach CA.Kyle Kirkwood runs a flawless race and beats Alex Palou and the 25 other drivers to get the W. No yellow flags and zero attrition provided for a challenging and entertaining race. John and Michael share their observations and insights of the race and, as always, comment on each (almost) driver's day at the track.

PIT PASS INDY PRESENTED BY PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL – SEASON 5, EPISODE 27 – Long Beach Grand Prix winner Kyle Kirkwood, and ‘Remembering Jon Edwards' with Tony Kanaan and IndyCar's Dave Furst   April 15, 2025   Show host Bruce Martin has an exclusive interview with Kyle Larson of Andretti Global after he won the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13.   But this episode of Pit Pass Indy Presented by Penske Truck Rental is a tribute to Jon Edwards, the public relations executive from Hendrick Motorsports who passed away from a sudden illness on April 10. He was just 52.   Martin has exclusive interviews with Arrow McLaren team principal and former IndyCar racing great Tony Kanaan, and IndyCar Vice President of Competition Communications Dave Furst as they remember the impact Jon Edwards had on the sport, both in NASCAR with Jeff Gordon and later, Kyle Larson, and his brief time at the Indianapolis 500 with Larson. Later this week, we will have more news and interviews from the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in a special “Bonus Edition” of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental later this week.   On the highways, the raceways and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward.   Gain ground with Penske!   For more INDYCAR coverage, follow Bruce Martin at X, previously known as Twitter, at @BruceMartin_500

Grip Strip Podcast Episode 263 covers various racing events and highlights. It discusses NASCAR Throwback Weekend at Darlington, including the Cup Series winner, key players, storylines, and paint schemes, as well as points heading to Bristol. The episode also reviews the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, detailing the winner, podium, key players, other storylines, and points for Bahrain. A quick preview and picks for the Masters Tournament are provided alongside a GSP roundup of IMSA at Long Beach, F2/F3 at Bahrain, MotoGP/Moto2 at Qatar, Supercars Taupo Supersprint, Formula E in Miami, WSBK in Assen, NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Bahrain, and IndyCar's 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Finally, it features Josh's Sim Segment and concludes the show.

Nearly 200,000 spectators are anticipated to attend the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Sunday. Representative soil sample testing done in a Los Angeles County Public Health study found a higher percentage of samples with lead levels above health-based screening thresholds taken from parcels downwind of the Eaton fire. The Law Makers, Law Breakers and times that there oughta be a law. A Southern California shelter offering services to women facing domestic violence and substance abuse may be closing its doors after federal funding that the shelter depended on was canceled.

This week's episode: We preview the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Plus, Katherine Legge will not be competing in this year's Indy 500 and instead racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. 

PIT PASS INDY PRESENTED BY PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL – SEASON 5, EPISODE 26 – An extensive interview with racing legend Mario Andretti on the 50th Anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach   April 10, 2025   Show host Bruce Martin has a special “Bonus Edition” of Pit Pass Indy featuring the great Mario Andretti, a four-time winner of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and the only driver to win the race in both the Formula One World Championship in 1977 and CART IndyCar wins in 1984, 1985 and 1987.   Andretti shares his stories about racing at Long Beach and what has made it the No. 1 Street Race in North America, as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary April 11 to April 13.   On the highways, the raceways and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward.   Gain ground with Penske!   For more INDYCAR coverage, follow Bruce Martin at X, previously known as Twitter, at @BruceMartin_500

Felix Rosenqvist has been fast in every race car and series he's ever been in. Joining up with the Meyer Shank Indy car team in 2024, he started nicely with a heat-race win in the non-points Thermal Grand Prix race and he followed that up with a pole position at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. We caught up with him at the press luncheon just a couple of days before he earned that pole. In this interview he tells us about starting the new season strongly, how he's gelled with the team and also gave us a little insight about testing at Indianapolis and his experience racing Formula E and how that translates into the hybrid Indy car (which made its racing debut later in the season). Enjoy!

PIT PASS INDY PRESENTED BY PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL – SEASON 5, EPISODE 25 – “Deep Dive” with Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian before the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach   April 8, 2025   Show host Bruce Martin has an extensive and exclusive interview with Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian, who gives a detailed history of North America's biggest street race as it prepares to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach April 11 to April 13.   And be sure to join us later this week for a special “Bonus Edition” of Pit Pass Indy featuring the great Mario Andretti, a four-time winner of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and the only driver to win the race in both the Formula One World Championship in 1977 and CART IndyCar wins in 1984, 1985 and 1987.   Andretti shares his stories about racing at Long Beach and what has made it the No. 1 Street Race in North America, so look for that exclusive interview later this week.   On the highways, the raceways and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward.   Gain ground with Penske!   For more INDYCAR coverage, follow Bruce Martin at X, previously known as Twitter, at @BruceMartin_500

Tonight, on a Monday night edition of Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee, they talk about Robert Wickens returning to the driver’s seat to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car race this weekend at Long Beach. They later look forward and preview this weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and talk about who looks good and not. They also talk a little about tonight’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament championship game between Florida and Houston. Later, they talk about some new looks for this weekend's race, with Conor Daly driving a new MannKind livery, Marcus Armstrong with Root Insurance, and Nolan Siegel with Onsemi. Later in the first hour of the show, they talk about the reopening of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and talk more about Jay Frye going to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as their team president. They also talk about NASCAR competing at Darlington Raceway yesterday with their throwback weekend, and they talk about if IndyCar would ever do a throwback weekend. To wrap up wrap up the first hour of the show, they talk about the passing of Shigeaki Hattori over the weekend after a car accident in North Carolina. They also talk about the passings of Jersey Johnny Cimasko and Maurice Kessler. To start the second hour of the show, they talk about Curt’s official induction in the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame. They later talk about the update on the newest IndyCar chassis coming in 2027 or 2028. They also talk about Tony Kanaan getting some testing laps in case if Kyle Larson has to skip the Indianapolis 500 for rain. Later in the second hour of the program, they answer fan questions from X, such as if there could ever be a return to Japan. They also talk about parking for the Indy 500 which has sold out. Then to wrap up another addition of the show, Kevin talks with Jackson Lee as he competed at Mid-Ohio for the World Racing League as he breaks down his weekend with crazy weather conditions and being teammates with Brian Till. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Sweeney is a race car driver who competes in the Historic Motor Sports Association which requires the cars to be historically correct based on the period of time the cars raced in. That means that the memories of the fans who watched these cars raced back in the day, get to see them in the glorious liveries that they remember. We caught up with Sweeney at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was scheduled to compete in the Pennzoil Indy car that John Andretti originally raced for Jim Hall. His story at Long Beach is quite convoluted on many fronts and includes yours truly getting some fantastic pit work from him and his crew! John explains everything well and is one of the friendliest people you will ever meet. The respect he has for his crew and the sport is impressive. Enjoy!

Tim de Silva is a race car driver who races not only in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) club racing, but also in the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) where he races vintage Indy cars and Formula One cars. He's raced around the world in some of the most iconic and wonderful cars like these and more in vintage racing. We caught up with him at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was competing (and winning!) in his and his dad's incredible Firestone Lola Indy car that Scott Pruett made famous by winning the Michigan 500 in the return of Firestone to the Indy car championship. De Silva talks about his racing background and how cool it is to race these fantastic machines. Enjoy!

On campus, the month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Asian Pacific Islander Desi Heritage Month and for the first time, Middle Eastern and North African Heritage Month. There will be many themed events and workshops this month.To kick off Asian Pacific Islander Desi Heritage Month, on Tuesday, April 8 at 11 a.m. there will be a community mixer outside the University Bookstore.Celebrating the first Middle Eastern and North African Heritage Month on campus, an exhibit titled “A Country Called Syria" will open on Tuesday in the University Student Union Art Gallery. Then on Thursday join a cultural workshop for MENA Heritage Month at noon in USU room 304 to indulge in henna calligraphy and embroidery with guided instructions.The Women's and Gender Equity Center along with Planned Parenthood are hosting the Consent and Healthy Relationships workshop in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The event will span from noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8 in USU room 205.The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is this weekend with events spanning from Friday, April 11 to Sunday, April 13. Aside from racing and drifting there will be food trucks and a concert for full family fun. This event will affect traffic in the downtown area, as Shoreline Drive will be closed and heavy traffic is expected due to the crowds.Starting on Friday, April 10, China will retaliate against the United States' rise in tariffs against them with a 34% tariff on all imports. In the same announcement, China declared export controls on 16 American companies which will prevent the export of Chinese dual-use items.After an 18-month investigation, British Police charged actor and comedian Russel Brand with five different counts of rape and assault on Friday, April 4. In Sept. 2023 four women came forward and shared their claims of assault by Brand. The alleged assaults happened between the years of 1999 and 2005, although Brand denies all claims. His court date is set for May 2 in London.The Constitutional Court of South Korea voted to remove their president from office on Friday, April 4. President Yoon Suk Yeol had been suspended since Dec. 2024 when the South Korean Parliament voted to impeach him. The Court's unanimous vote sealed the impeachment. Acting president and court member Moon Hyung-bae criticized Yoon's behavior and actions in office by saying he “violated the principles of the rule of law and democracy.”Host: Gianna EcheverriaEditor: Aidan SwanepoelProducers: El Nicklin, Aidan SwanepoelLike, comment, and follow us on your favorite platform for more content!Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/long-beach-current-podcasts/id1488484518Spotify⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4HJaqJep02kHeIQy8op1n1⁠⁠⁠⁠Overcasthttps://overcast.fm/itunes1488484518/long-beach-current-podcasts

Santino Ferrucci drives the famed, number 14 Indy car, for AJ Foyt Racing in the NTT IndyCar Series. At the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, we were fortunate to be invited into his race weekend inner sanctum – the transporter driver's lounge, for an interesting interview where he fills us in on the Team Penske technical alliance, driving the new hybrid system, and a deep-dive into the Indianapolis 500 where he led the race and finished third in 2023. Enjoy!NOTE: Ferrucci qualified sixth at the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 and go on to finish eighth. He would earn his first pole position later in the year with a run to the top spot in Portland. He's re-signed with Foyt for 2025 and is certainly one to watch.

Rodney Klausmeyer drives the number 14 transporter for AJ Foyt Racing in the NTT IndyCar Series. He also has many other duties with the team throughout a race weekend. At the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, he was kind enough to take us on a tour of not only his rig, but also the two others connected to it in the paddock area. It's one thing to see these gleaming rolling billboards in the paddock area or cruising down the highways of America, but they're much more than that. They are a serious place for spare parts, tear down/rebuilds as well as engineering, VIP hospitality, and driver's lounge. Follow along with the photos below and get an insider's tour of this rolling work of art. Enjoy!NOTE: Just before this podcast with photos was uploaded, the AJ Foyt Racing Team updated all of their transporters. We're scheduled to get another visit and tour and see what's changed for 2025. We'll have more photos and a new podcast scheduled for spring. Stay tuned! For more information an A.J. Foyt Racing, please visit: www.ajfoytracing.com

Dennis Firestone went from humble beginnings racing in Formula Fords in the California Sports Car Club (Cal Club) region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) to climb the racing ladder and reach the pinnacle of American road racing making numerous starts at the Indianapolis 500. His first trip there had Roger Penske helping him. From the highs of highs of winning racing and championships, to essentially a career ending crash. This interview takes us through a time capsule when innovation and passion were key elements of motorsports in America. Firestone was nice enough to tell us his story during the press day for the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Enjoy!NOTE: Dennis Firestone said he will be back with his Eagle Indy car for the 50th Anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach April 11-13, 2025.

PIT PASS INDY PRESENTED BY PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL – SEASON 5, EPISODE 23 –Looking ahead to Long Beach with Marcus Ericsson, Jacob Abel, David Malukas, Graham Rahal and Josef Newgarden April 1, 2025 Show host Bruce Martin takes an early look at the 50th Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the next event on the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Schedule April 11-13 on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. This week's episode includes exclusive interviews with Marcus Ericsson of Andretti Global, rookie Jacob Abel of Dale Coyne Racing, David Malukas of AJ Foyt Racing, Graham Rahal of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and two-time and back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske. On the highways, the raceways and every pit stop in between, Penske Truck Rental keeps you moving forward. Gain ground with Penske! For more INDYCAR coverage, follow Bruce Martin at X, previously known as Twitter, at @BruceMartin_500

Chuck Lessick is a chaplain with INDYCAR Ministry and travels with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES (and their support series) throughout the year to help support those in the paddock. He works with his wife Jacqui and chaplain Jason Holt in this endeavor. We caught up with him at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach after the Sunday morning 5-Minute “Pit Stop Devotional” service where he fills us in on how the attendees' group has grown quite substantially from the year before. He also fills us in on how they help provide support to this community. Finally, with Easter right around the corner, he gives us an uplifting Easter message.  Enjoy!Copyright © 2025 Larry Mason

In the first hour of Race central with Kurt Hansen, Kurt gets into the NHRA action from the weekend and teases some rumors for later in the show.  Kurt is then joined by Chris Eslinger from the Acura Grand Prix to talk about all things Grand Prix.  And to finish up the hour, Kurt breaks some news about Martin Truax Jr.

Tom Blomqvist has been one of the quickest drivers in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competing in the top level GTP category. We caught up with him just prior to the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he filled us in on his transition from IMSA GTP to the NTT IndyCar Series with Meyer Shank Racing (MSR). It's a fascinating conversation as he candidly talks about the challenges of switching categories and the key differences between the two types of race cars. It's a real insiders look at the technical side of racing in layman's terms. Enjoy! NOTE: At Long Beach, he qualified 15th while his teammate was on pole. Blomqvist finished in 22nd while Rosenqvist finished 9th. Unfortunately for Tom, the opening lap of the Indy 500 saw him spin and crash with other cars involved. After that, he was replaced as a driver on the team. However, the team owners still believed in his immense talent and retained him for the year. Starting this weekend at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, he'll be back behind the wheel of an MSR GTP car looking to score another Rolex 24 win.

Roman De Angelis is one of the top drivers in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competing in the GTD and GTD Pro categories. We caught up with him just prior to the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where his teammate started from pole position the previous year. It was a good year for the “Heart of Racing” team as De Angelis and Marco Sorenson won three races. In this interview, he talks about what happened at Long Beach the previous year, some of the iconic races he won, how he got started in racing, and his expectations for Long Beach and beyond. He also does a nice job of breaking down the difference between GTD and GTD Pro and the whole driver ranking system. Enjoy! NOTE: At Long Beach, he qualified fourth and got into third during the race. Unfortunately, another competitor hit his teammate in the second half of the race which led to a DNF (Did Not Finish). Coming up is the IMSA Roar Before the 24 test, and the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona on January 17-19 and January 22-26, 2025.

Parker Thompson and Ben Barnicoat race a Lexus RC F GT3/GTD car for Vasser/Sullivan in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. We caught up with Thompson twice during the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. We first talked to him immediately after his pole position press conference and then with him and his teammate right after their post-race victory press conference. The two were certainly happy and proud of their accomplishments winning on the biggest stage of the sprint races during the year. It's interesting to hear about how they describe the team dynamic and the key to victory. Enjoy! NOTE: The IMSA Roar Before the 24 test, and the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona are coming up on January 17-19 and January 22-26, 2025.

Andy Lee is a professional race car driver and coach and competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as well as the SRO Americas GT Championship with his teammate Elias Sabo. During the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Andy took the time to give us a walkaround on the IMSA GT3/GTD Aston Martin Vantage race car and then gave us another walkaround on the SRO GT4 AM Vantage. During the walkarounds he talks about the differences and key features of each race car. The photos below are put in order so you can follow along and see some of the key features of each race car. Enjoy! NOTE: Please see previous podcast for overall photos of the two different cars on track. The IMSA Roar Before the 24 test, and the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona are coming up on January 17-19 and January 22-26, 2025. 

Elias Sabo and Andy Lee are teammates in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in an Aston Martin GTD (GT3) car. Sabo also drives an Aston Martin GT4 car in the SRO Americas championship. At the press day luncheon for the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach we caught up with them to ask about their gorgeous race car and how they became teammates among other things. Sabo was pulling triple duty during race weekend with a single race in the GTD car (sharing with Lee) and two races in the GT4 car. Enjoy! NOTE: Next week, we'll have Andy give us a walkaround on each of the two different Aston Martin race cars. The Roar Before the 24 test, and the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona are coming up on January 17-19 and January 22-26, 2025. Also of note, after a challenging start to the season, the team switched manufacturers in August to the BMW M4 GT3/GTD platform looking for  their results to improve for 2025. Photo credit: Bob Chapman Autosport Image

Jason Holt is the director and a chaplain with IndyCar Ministry. We caught up with him right after his 5-Minute Pit Stop Devotional at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. In this interview he tells us about the message he gave race morning and also talks about how the number of attendees has grown to take part in these early Sunday morning meetings during race weekends. He gives us insight into the realities of what the attendees are going through and how this message is important. Knowing that this interview wouldn't air until right before Christmas, he also gives us a special message for this time of year. Enjoy! NOTE: For more information on IndyCar Ministry, or to donate, please visit: www.indycarministry.org.

Romain Grosjean has raced in Formula One, Indy cars and much more. Coming to the NTT Indy Car Series after his horrific crash in the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix, he hasn't slowed down at all. After enjoying a podium finish at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach for Andretti Autosport in 2023, we caught up with him just prior to the 2024 event where he talks about switching to the small Juncos Hollinger Racing Team, his testing experience with the new hybrid, and how that compares to F1. I also asked him about a comment he made last year at this event about hisconfidence as a driver and he gives a very real and raw answer. By the way, if you speak French, he has a special message for you at the end. Enjoy! Breaking News: Juncos Hollinger announced their driver lineup for 2025 with Conor Daly and Sting Ray Robb behind the wheel. That currently leaves Romain Grosjean on the sidelines. Willhe return to Dale Coyne Racing where he began his NTT IndyCar Series career? Only time will tell. He is still contracted to race for Lamborghini in their IMSA hybrid GTP car and had the quickest lap during one of the sessions at a recent Daytona test. Stay tuned.

Karmel Humphrey is the partnerships manager of Cooler Master. At this year's Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, he had space in the Expo for multiple simulator rigs. During the weekend, there would be a contest to see who would be the top-three fastest drivers on the simulated Long Beach street course. Cooler Master provides a variety of sim components and Humphrey talks about how they compare price-wise. Christmas will be here before you know it so if you want one for yourself or want to buy one for someone else, now's the time. Enjoy! NOTE: For more information on Cooler Master, please visit: www.coolermaster.com

In our last podcast, we met professional race car driver Paul Gerrard. He was preparing to take JC Agajanian Jr. and his wife Franci for a hot lap around the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach street circuit. JC Agajanian Jr. has been involved in motorsports for decades as a promoter including the legendary Turkey Night Grand Prix (now held at Ventura Raceway). In this installment, we get to hear from both JC and Franci right after they got out of the 630 horsepower AMG Mercedes and they describe what it was like. To me, seeing the looks on their faces and hearing the joy in their descriptions was priceless! Enjoy!

Paul Gerrard is the chief instructor for the AMG Experience which is a traveling road show both domestically and internationally. His racing career started when he won a Winfield scholarship in Europe where he went on to race formula cars. He parlayed that success and did the same here in America. He transitioned to sports cars and has raced at tracks all around the world. He's earned national championships and besides his instructor duties, he's also a presenter, vehicle evaluator and has worked on a number of different TV car shows such as Top Gear (US and UK), MythBusters, Ultimate Factories and more. We caught up with him at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was giving hot laps to VIPs in a 630 horsepower Mercedes GT63. He fills us in on his background, some of his favorite race tracks around the world and more. Enjoy! NOTE: JC Agajanian Jr. makes a cameo appearance in this podcast as he and his wife Franci would be riding with Paul just a short time after this interview was completed.

Tony Kanaan has enjoyed a long and successful career in motorsports. Indy 500 winner, and series champion, are just a couple of the titles to go along with his long career. Known for always being in great physical condition to race cars, he's also parlayed that into multiple Ironman World Championship Triathlon finishes too! We caught up with TK at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach press day where he filled us in on how excited he is to be driving “Lone Star JR's” (Johnny Rutherford's) Indy-winning McLaren, his preparation going into the weekend with the team's newest replacement driver Theo Pourchaire, and his official role with the team now that he's technically retired from racing. He also gives us a behind-the-scenes story about one of his favorite moments here in Long Beach. Enjoy!

Pipo Derani has made a name for himself in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship by being a tremendously fast racer and especially so in qualifying. In fact, he earned pole position for the first three races of the year (Daytona, Sebring, and Long Beach). He's a four-time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring and he's also won the 24 Hours of Daytona. We caught up with Derani at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach right after his post-race qualifying pole position press conference and conducted this interview leaving the media room and walking with him on the way back to his transporter. There's a slight interruption in the interview as a fan stops him to take a selfie as we navigated our way through the crowd. It's a short interview but he fills us in on his mindset in qualifying and racing and how things change between sprint and endurance racing. Enjoy! NOTE: It was announced during the 2024 season that Derani would not be back with his Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R GTP team for 2025. Where will he end up? Stay tuned. . .

James Nazarian Jr. is the Large Project Leader Commercial Motorsports for Honda Racing Corporation located in Santa Clarita, California. At last year's 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, he gave us a walkaround on “the Beast” Honda CR-V race car. This year, he did the same for their all-new Acura Integra Type S DE5 race car designed to be raced in the SRO TC America Championship in the TCX class. This event was only a few days after the Integra made its racing debut at Sonoma Raceway where it earned a couple of podium finishes! Nazarian talks about that and also some of the details that make this car special. You can follow along with the photos below. Enjoy! NOTE: For more information on Acura Racing programs (including this Integra), please visit: https://www.acura.com/motorsports

Ricky Taylor has amassed championships and race wins in the top level of sports car racing. Currently driving for Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti in the Acura ARX-06 GTP car, he scored a victory at the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix and a podium with his co-driver Felipe Albuquerque at Road America. We met up with Ricky at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Media Day where he was kind enough to give me a few hot laps in the Acura Integra Type S DE5 race car. Being a Fast Lane instructor, I'm always learning something whenever I get on the racetrack either as a driver or sitting right seat. In this instance, I learned that this top level professional driver is human after all and can make a mistake. I asked him about it, and he admitted it and gave the reason why and what happened. He is a true professional, humble, polite and extremely talented. His “debrief” of this session is fascinating and he explains how he's learning a new race car on a race track that's only used once a year. A real insider's look into a track session debrief. Enjoy! NOTE: Ricky Taylor and his teammate will be going for victory in the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 12, 2024.

Felipe Albuquerque is a multi-time championship winning driver and races the Acura ARX-06 GTP car in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (with teammate Ricky Taylor). We caught up with Albuquerque at the media luncheon just prior to the race at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. In this podcast interview, he gives us a fascinating insight into simulator prep work and specifically for this event. He goes into some detail between the Honda Driver in the Loop (DIL) sim versus iRacing. This is also a good interview for kids to listen to as he talks about how valuable his education was and how it has impacted his racing career. Enjoy! NOTE: Albuquerque and Taylor would go on to win the Detroit Grand Prix this season and score a podium (third) at Mid-Ohio in August. Going into the final race of the season, the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 9-12, 2024, he currently sits sixth in the championship standings.

Samantha Tan is a Canadian race car driver in the GT America Powered by AWS professional sports car racing series. We caught up with her at the media luncheon for the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where she was getting ready to race a BMW GT4 car and has a cool story to tell about how she got to where she is today. She came home from that event with two good results – a fifth in Race 1 and a podium second place in Race 2 in the GT4 class. She's won numerous championships over her career and she also fills us in on the preparation she goes through to get ready for an event. She's had a competitive season and has multiple wins and podium finishes in the Pro-Am class with her co-driver (Neil Verhagen) in a BMW GT3 car. Her next race is fast approaching – the Indianapolis 8-hour scheduled for October 3-6, 2024. Enjoy! P.S. For more information on Samantha Tan, please visit her website at: https://www.st-racing.org/ NOTE: This is the fifth and final in a series of interviews of women for www.raceshool.com and our “Women in Motorsports” month of September. This has now become an annual tradition. We've heard from women with various roles in the motorsports industry from team owners, drivers and more. Thanks for checking in!

Tina Patel is a TV reporter for KCAL 9 and CBS 2 here in Los Angeles. In the news business there is no typical day when you're on assignment in different locations every day. At this year's Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach media day, we got an opportunity to chat with Tina after she had ridden in the IndyCar 2-Seater and the Acura NSX pace car. She tells us what it was like, what impressed her the most, and how fun it was. She also takes us back to how she got started in the news industry and what the best part of her job is. Did this experience make her want to become a race car driver? Listen in and find out. Enjoy! NOTE: This is the fourth in a series of interviews of women for www.raceshool.com and our “Women in Motorsports” month of September. This has now become an annual tradition. We'll hear from women with various roles in the motorsports industry from team owners, drivers and more. Check back weekly to find out who's next!

Clara Harter is an award-winning reporter for the Southern California News Group. We caught up with her at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where she had just finished riding with Davey Hamilton in the INDYCAR Experience Two-Seater. Her smile and enthusiasm for what she just experienced were off the charts. She gave us her take on what it was like and also what she normally covers for her employer. A fun interview with a talented woman in the news industry. Enjoy! NOTE: This is the first in a series of interviews of women for www.raceshool.com and our “Women in Motorsports” month of September. This has now become an annual tradition. We'll hear from women with various roles in the motorsports industry from team owners, drivers and more. Check back weekly to find out who's next! For more information on Clara Harter, please visit: www.claraharter.com

Davey Hamilton has had a long career in motorsports racing sprint cars, midgets and silver crown cars on dirt tracks across the country. He's also been a fixture in the NTT IndyCar Series and has 11 Indy 500 starts under his belt with a best finish of fourth. These days, Hamilton is still driving Indy cars – specifically the INDYCAR Experience Two-Seater giving fans and VIPs a thrill ride before the start of series races. With all his experience behind the wheel, he's parlayed that into a career behind the microphone as well being a color commentator on the IndyCar Radio Network. In addition to being on the ownership side of things in racing, Hamilton, as you can imagine, is a very busy guy. We caught up with him at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Press Day where he fills us in on his association with Kingdom Racing and how that organization is helping those who have experienced hard times and loss. He also talks a bit about last week's guest, Sting Ray Robb. Enjoy! NOTE: For more information on Kingdom Racing, please visit: www.kingdomracing.net

Sting Ray Robb has the coolest name in motorsports. As an up and coming driver in the NTT IndyCar Series racing for AJ Foyt, he's looking to build on his junior level career experience and work towards getting to Victory Lane. At the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach this year, we had the opportunity to chat with Robb in the driver's lounge of the team's transporter. He tells us how he got his name, his background in racing as well as highlighting his new sponsor for this year. He tells us how important his faith is to him as well as the rest of the paddock.  Enjoy! Sting Ray Robb will be driving the pray.com car for AJ Foyt Racing in 2024

Takuma Sato is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and also won the 2013 Grand Prix of Long Beach for AJ Foyt Racing. At the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame Induction ceremony he (along with Katherine Legge) became the latest inductee. Sato has won races all over the world when he competed in F3 including a British F3 championship and a win at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix. His Formula One career was mainly with underfunded teams however he managed a podium finish at the USGP at Indianapolis. Sato has always been a popular guy at Long Beach. We caught up with him soon after the LBMWoF ceremony and he filled us in on his preparation for the Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, stories from the past, and his preparation for this year's ‘Greatest Spectacle of Racing.' He also gave us an update on ‘With You Japan' which started as a relief effort due to the effects of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan back in 2011. He's humble, respectful and nice off the track, yet his “No attack, no chance” attitude on the track makes him a fierce competitor. Enjoy!

Theo Pourchaire is a French Formula 2 champion that was drafted into the Arrow McLaren NTT IndyCar Series team on short notice. He made his debut at the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (subbing for the injured David Malukas) where he qualified 22nd and finished 11th. We caught up with him at his first race in Long Beach and spoke with him immediately following the Sunday warm-up. He's a really enthusiastic and friendly guy that exudes happiness that few drivers do. A multi-time racing champion, Theo Pourchaire is the real deal. Enjoy! Read More...

Mario Andretti is one of the greatest race car drivers of all time. His son Michael has not only had a successful driving career, but has also been extremely successful on the business side of racing. Andretti Global is working hard to get on the Formula One grid with their own team having Cadillac as their manufacturing partner. Although the FIA has approved their application, Formula One Management (FOM) has rejected their application. Starting an F1 team from scratch and trying to put everything in place is extremely complicated, time consuming and expensive. At the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Andretti was in the media center along with George Levy - president of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA), reminiscing about his success as a driver here, especially with the Newman/Haas team. Read More...

6-Time IndyCar Champion Scott Dixon joins Spike ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach to discuss his career, how he prepares for Southern California's 200 MPH Beach Party, and the #8 American Legion / UNFROSTED Honda Pop Tart Race car. Plus, Spike and Jonny debut their new rides. 

Tonight, on Trackside with Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin, they talk about last week's rain-shortened Indy 500 Open Testing, that ended up having defending winner, Josef Newgarden back on top and rookie, Kyle Larson right behind. They also read some questions from X.   Later in the show, Kevin and Curt preview the second largest race weekend of the season, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. They continue to talk about which teams look good and teams that might need to see some improvement. With the month of May looming, so does 2025, and there are already looks for new faces in new places as Kevin and Curt discuss early silly season predictions.  Kevin ends the first hour of the show teasing the Indy 500 entry list and the newly joined team, Prema Racing.  In the second hour of Trackside, Kevin and Curt talk about previous Long Beach winners that became series champions and other successful Long Beach winners. They talk about the recent Dale Coyne Racing shakeup for Long Beach, with Jack Harvey returning to the #18, and rookie, Nolan Siegel, will drive the #51 and was originally scheduled to drive the #18. They also talk about the largely rumored F2 Champion, Theo Pourchaire, replacing injured David Malukas in the #6 for Arrow McLaren. Finally, they talk about the newly announced team for the 2025 season, Prema Racing and the potential charter system for next season.  Then, Kevin talks about the newly implemented and redone aeroscreen debuting this weekend for Long Beach and another newly redone first practice format session.  Then to wrap up another addition of the show, Kevin talks some more details about the upcoming Burger Bash on May 20! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.