Trackside Podcast

Tonight on a shortened edition of Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss using the racing platform to push different initiatives and raising money for important causes. Kevin and Curt touch on how racing teams are participating in Giving Tuesday the week following Thanksgiving. Then, the conversation turns to Indy 500 seats and Stefan Wilson getting a ride with Dreyer & Reinbold and Cusick Motorsports. That leads to a discussion about Sage Karam’s time with Dreyer & Reinbold and if there’s a spot for him in the field in May. Naturally, Kevin and Curt then continue to talk about possible drivers rounding out the Indy 500 field and the road to 34 cars. In the back half of an abbreviated show, Kevin and Curt address a collection of Twitter questions around TV contracts (along with digital content) and ticket prices. Then, we discuss the possibility of Felipe Drugovich driving in IndyCar in 2023 and other season-long seat possibilities next season. To round out the show, Kevin and Curt talk about exp

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show by setting the schedule for the rest of the year before getting to the news of the day. We first discuss Ed Carpenter’s announcement that 16-year-old Josh Pierson will be a development driver for the team with eyes set on a 2025 IndyCar campaign. Kevin and Curt talk about why the partnership is good for both sides. Then, the conversation continues with more Silly Season news for 2023, specifically Takuma Sato. To round out the first segment, Kevin and Curt discuss the current state of the Indy 500 field.  Then, there are rumblings of “what has Roger Penske brought to IndyCar”. Kevin and Curt discuss that topic as the honeymoon phase of the Penske ownership comes to a close. We touch on what Penske has done and how he operates the business of IndyCar. How much stability has Penske brought to the sport? In the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss Colton Herta’s extension with Andretti Autosport and reports that suggest he’s the highest paid driver on t

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee quickly touches on a wild last 48 hours for the Indianapolis Colts before diving into the motorsports news of the day. Then, Kevin and Curt Cavin discuss the weekend’s NASCAR Cup Championship and Joey Lagano walking away with his second series title. Then, the conversation turns to the Indianapolis 500 field and the now slim opportunities for a driver to run in both races the last weekend in May. We continue to discuss NASCAR drivers trying to find their way onto the 500 grid.  Kevin and Curt dive into driver updates in IndyCar. Sage Karam will not return to Dreyer and Reinbold Racing next season. Is there a spot for Simona de Silvestro in the Indy 500? We continue to talk about full time seats in 2023 and what part time seats might look like. Then, Kevin and Curt talk about Marcus Ericsson getting to take the Borg Warner Trophy back home to Sweden. Kevin rounds out the first hour with your Twitter questions. In the second hour, Kevin discusses seats with Dale Coyne Racing and

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin begin with Arrow McLaren SP confirming Tony Kanaan for the 2023 Indianapolis 500 and the position he is in to try and capture another 500 victory in a car capable of winning the race. Kevin and Curt also discuss NTT Data’s partnership with AMSP next season. Then, the conversation turns to NASCAR drivers in May’s race and why Arrow McLaren SP went with Kanaan over a driver from a different series. To round out the first segment, Kevin and Curt touch on Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing confirming they intend on running a fourth car in the Indy 500. That leads to a discussion about who is most likely to fill that seat. Kevin and Curt dissect open seats left for May and what looks like the only place that either NASCAR Kyle could go in order to run in the 500. Will Ed Carpenter put another car in the race or focus on the drivers already on his roster, including himself? The conversation expands into a larger one about total cars in the 500, teams, engines and drivers.

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin – from all over the country – jump into a busy docket of offseason news around IndyCar. Kevin and Curt chat about Kevin’s freelance gig in Florida around crazy expensive boats before getting into the news that Tony Kanaan is likely to be the fourth Indy 500 driver for Arrow McLaren SP. This leads to a larger discussion on the drivers trying to get into the 500 and which teams might or might not add an extra car. We also discuss other open seats and available drivers for next season, including Nicholas Latifi.Then, Kevin and Curt discuss Alex Palou’s weekend in Formula 1 testing and the ever-evolving status of his situation. The first segment concludes with a check-in on Tony Stewart.  Kevin is joined by NBC Sports’ Leigh Diffey to discuss his weekend at Formula 1’s US Grand Prix. Kevin and Leigh discuss the popularity of F1 in the United States and the passion for the sport after years of trying to grow the audience in North America. How does motorsport popularit

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin welcome Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles into the studio to recap a busy year at the speedway in 2022. Kevin, Curt and Doug discuss a relative return to normalcy and tease the 107th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Boles discusses NASCAR drivers in the 500, the road course vs. the oval and endurance races at IMS. The conversation turns to lights at the speedway, running races on the road course the opposite direction and any other racing that might come to Indianapolis. To finish the conversation, Kevin, Curt and Doug discuss improvements during the offseason and hospitality venues.  Hopping back into the news of today in IndyCar, Kevin and Curt discuss Marco Andretti’s inclusion in the Andretti Autosport Indy 500 roster, Jimmie Johnson and Chip Ganassi Racing and Twitter questions to finish the first hour. To kick off the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss lung cancer with a special in-studio guest, Dr. Nasser Hanna - visit endlungca

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with Tony Kanaan’s participation in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii over the weekend before getting into the news of the day starting with AJ Foyt Racing. Kevin and Curt discuss Benjamin Pederson and Santino Ferrucci making up the roster for AJ Foyt in 2023. We also discuss the possibility of additional seats being added to teams over the next couple of years and other seats still empty for next season. Kevin and Curt also discuss what’s going on with Juncos Hollinger Racing and McLaren refusing to not put Menard’s colors on a car. Then, we discuss how quickly seats are filling for the Indianapolis 500 and Team Penske’s point of view when it comes to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Kevin and Curt discuss Kyle Larsen in the Indy 500 and who the candidates might be to employ him. Ultimately, how many cars will we see in the field? To round out the first hour, Kevin and Curt try to dissect engine totals in the field next May and why there’s

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. They discuss a crash between two Chip Ganassi Racing drivers and the drama coming down the stretch of the 10-hour endurance race. Then, Kevin and Curt discuss Colton Herta recommitting his future to Andretti Autosport. Herta also supplies the team with a lead driver in F1 if the team is granted entry into the sport. We also discuss Racer.com’s report that Alex Palou will join Arrow McLaren SP in 2024. That leads into a further conversation about the future of Arrow McLaren SP as a whole. Kevin and Curt discuss Juncos Hollinger Racing planning to partake in a racing exhibition in Argentina in early November. Argentinian Agustin Canapino will drive the No. 77 car.on multiple tracks as the sport returns to the country for the first time in over 50 years. That leads to a further discussion around Juncos Hollinger drivers. Benjamin Pederson joins AJ Foyt Racing’s IndyCar roster. Kevin and Curt discuss who might join Pe

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with the release of the 2023 IndyCar schedule and the small differences compared to this year’s schedule. The two discuss the broadcast puzzle for next season and where most of the races will be broadcasted next season. Kevin and Curt discuss Twitter questions about avoiding the NFL and an earlier Indy 500 start time.  Jimmie Johnson will not race full time in IndyCar in 2023. But what exactly will he be doing next season? Kevin and Curt discuss just that and the trickle down effect of Johnson’s decision. The two speculate about what his schedule might actually look like next year and how extensive and diverse his schedule might be. The first hour finishes with racing action this weekend. In the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss the puzzles that Johnson’s part time nature presents. What kind of driver might be ok with being a fill in, part-time driver along with Johnson? We break down the side effects and discussions that must be had after Johnson

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with Alex Palou and Felix Rosenqvist remaining with Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren SP. The two discuss how the decisions ultimately came full circle and who had the upper hand and leverage in the discussions. Is this a good thing for Felix Rosenqvist? Kevin and Curt discuss his situation over the next year.  Then, Kevin and Curt discuss super license points and how the ladder system doesn’t give much weight to IndyCar. Colton Herta’s lack of super license points effectively ended the American driver’s bid to drive in Formula 1 next season. We discuss whether or not an American driver is more valuable to F1 now or in two or three years. To round out the first hour, Kevin and Curt discuss Arrow McLaren SP president Taylor Kiel stepping down after 15 years. In the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss Team Penske’s domination of the 2022 IndyCar season finishing first, second and fourth in the championship standings. Then, we return to Twitter que

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss what happened in the final race at Laguna Seca. Will Power is the 2022 champion, Kevin and Curt discuss his victory and what it might mean for a new contract extension with Team Penske. The two discuss just how complete Team Penske is from top to bottom. To wrap up the Laguna Seca conversation, Kevin and Curt discuss Alex Palou’s victory as a silver lining on a wild and, according to him, disappointing season. They discuss the CGR driver’s engine charge and grid penalty and whether or not we might see that strategy come about more frequently.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that Kyle Busch is joining Richard Childress Racing for 2023 and part of his conditions were getting the chance to run in the Indianapolis 500. Kevin and Curt discuss the idea of the NASCAR driver on the Indy 500 grid and which teams might be interested in his services in that situation. Then, the conversation turns to the

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show talking about possible scenarios next weekend at Laguna Seca and where Portland left the championship standings. They discuss Scott McLaughlin’s performance and his quick rise into contention in IndyCar. Kevin and Curt also discuss the level of driving and how it led to a clean race at a place that usually sees a lot of cars off the track. To round out the Portland conversation, they discuss the rest of the grid including Scott Dixon’s third place finish. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is a Road to Indy recap from this weekend’s action in USF2000, Indy Pro 2000 and Indy Lights. In the second hour, Kevin starts the second half of the show with Twitter questions from the audience. Then, Silly Season is the topic of conversation headlined by Colton Herta and the possibility of him having a seat in the Formula 1 grid in 2023. Kevin goes deeper into why American drivers are valuable in F1 and wh

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show discussing the IndyCar championship standings heading into the penultimate race on the schedule in Portland. The two discuss testing at Portland and Laguna Seca and who has been quickest on track this week. Then, Kevin and Curt go to Twitter to answer questions about the race in St. Louis and the future of Texas Motor Speedway in the IndyCar Schedule. Kevin and Curt also discuss more open testing next season and a “preseason” game of sorts. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Jeff Gordon will be racing in the IMSA-sanctioned Porsche Carrera Cup.  To start the second hour, Kevin and Curt play the weekly game of “Which drivers did McLaren sign this week?” on the heels of the announcement that Daniel Ricciardo is leaving the team at the end of 2022. They also dive into more Silly Season conversations as the season comes to an end. To round out

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss Josef Newgarden’s fifth win of the season at the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 and where that leaves the championship standings with two races remaining. Kevin and Curt set up the next couple weeks of racing and what they are looking for with two road courses left on the schedule.  Newgarden’s fifth win of the season is also his 25th win of his IndyCar career. Kevin and Curt discuss the still relatively young Newgarden, his current form and historical pace. They talk about Newgarden’s frustration during the rain delay and Kevin’s interview with him on the broadcast. Kevin and Curt also discuss the end of the race.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that Michael Andretti announced plans to headquarter Andretti Global in Fishers. The plans detail a 575,000 square foot facility that will cost $200 million.  To start the second hour, Kevin and Curt discuss the possibility of a Drive to Survive type

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin preview this weekend’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The two discuss the group of drivers that will run laps on Friday to help rub in a 2nd lane at the oval, as well as the schedule in motorsports leading up to the Saturday night race. Then, Kevin and Curt take a look at the championship standings with three races left and other contenders in Madison, Illinois. The conversation switches to Texas Motor Speedway renovations and a change of leadership on the horizon for the track. To round out the first hour, Kevin and Curt take another look at what’s happening this weekend across motorsports. To kick off the second hour, two-time NTT IndyCar Series race winner Scott McLaughlin joins the show (at 44:01) to discuss an up and down weekend in Nashville that saw him start on pole, fall to the back and return to the front and finish second. Then, Scott discusses his comfortability in an IndyCar at this point, his success on ovals and dr

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss a wild and chaotic Big Machine Music City GP in Nashville. Is the course in Nashville too much, or just the right amount of chaos? Kevin and Curt discuss a number of collisions and the conversation around the road circuit, then they discuss the idea of different start times to maximize viewership and get out of the heat. To round out the Music City conversation Kevin and Curt offer stats to show just how special Scott Dixon’s career is. Then, Kevin and Curt discuss Felix Rosenqvist’s statement about his contract situation with McLaren and his future with the team. They talk about how far the contract issues have gone with McLaren and how that might have caused doubt in the Rosenqvist camp.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that there will be some veteran racers doing some stock car racing in the upcoming weeks including Marco Andretti in Charlotte. In the second hour, Kevin and Curt have a discu

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin discuss the Gallagher Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Alexander Rossi gets another win before heading to Arrow McLaren SP next season. Kevin and Curt discuss how Colton Herta should have won the race but had car issues, as well as what happened to the pole sitter Felix Rosenqvist. Christian Lundgaard gets his first podium in IndyCar for a bright spot in the season for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Kevin and Curt talk about the tough season for RLL Racing, too. To round out the Gallagher GP conversation, Kevin and Curt talk about other race contenders and who had a chance to win. Then, Kevin and Curt discuss the Xfinity and Cup Series action at IMS. Tyler Reddick wins the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard and the two discuss how they feel about the event as a whole. Kevin and Curt discuss the attendance for the Cup and Xfinity portions of the weekend and how the attendance looks at a massive venue like IMS. What can be done to improve attendance? Our N

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with qualifying for the Gallagher Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They touch on how Josef Newgarden is feeling on Friday less than a week after his crash. Kevin and Curt discuss the struggles of Chip Ganassi Racing in qualifying and Scott Dixon’s comments.  Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that the IMSA sports car championship is returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September 2023. The IMSA Battle on the Bricks will take to the road course for the first time since 2014. Kevin and Curt detail more about the announcement and dive into an IMSA discussion. Chip Ganassi declined to make a comment on Alex Palou, but the two discuss updates in the Palou-Chip Ganassi situation, specifically the legal side of things.  To round out a full week of Trackside, Kevin and Curt discuss a Racer report about next year’s IndyCar schedule, answer Twitter questions and get you ready for a wee

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin open the show with Josef Newgarden being cleared for racing this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Then, they get right to our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, that Callum Ilott signed a long-term contract with Juncos Hollinger Racing.  Kevin bounces around Prime 47 at a domestic violence fundraiser packed with drivers racing this weekend speaking to Sheldon Creed who will drive a midget car next weeknd. Then, Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson casually stops by to talk about what’s going on at IMS and the road course characteristics. Kevin and Curt talk about August 1 being the time that Rinus VeeKay can negotiate with teams and if he’s in the best situation already.  Then, Nate Ryan from NBC Sports joins Curt for a conversation about the unprecedented situation that Alex Palou finds himself in with Chip Ganassi Racing. Nate and Curt talk about the role Formula 1 is playing in the whole situation. Then, th

Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin continue discussing the upcoming weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the big off-track news that Chip Ganassi is suing Alex Palou. They discuss the likelihood that Palou is in the No. 10 car next season and what’s in his best interest as a driver next year. How much do Palou’s actions have to do with the possibility that he might be in the running for a Formula 1 seat at McLaren? Kevin and Curt once again touch on Devlin DeFrancesco’s situation with Andretti reportedly exploring options for the No. 29 car. Also, who is going to drive the No. 2 car in Indianapolis? After Josef Newgarden’s crash in Iowa, Kevin and Curt discuss the latest on the story and what they’ve heard over the last 24 hours, as well as what caused the crash. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is that Kurt Busch is going to miss his second straight Cup race due to concussion-like symptoms. Ty Gibbs will take his place once again. On