Indianapolis 500 Rewind With Interviews From The Red Carpet At The Indy 500 Victory Awards Celebration

Roger Penske: This is Roger Penske and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy, sponsored by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin: Welcome to Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental, as we continue our sixth season of giving IndyCar fans an inside look at the most exciting form of racing on the planet, the NTT IndyCar Series. We welcome back our friends from Penske Truck Rental, who return as the presenting sponsor of Pit Pass Indy. Penske Truck Rental helps Pit Pass Indy bring you the inside stories of IndyCar from the paddock, to the racetrack, to the highways and streets of America. And this season, Penske Truck Rental and Pit Pass Indy help celebrate Team Penske's 60th anniversary. As the host of Pit Pass Indy, I'm honored and humbled to be recognized for outstanding achievement as the 2026 Society of Professional Motorsports Journalists On-Air Broadcaster of the Year, presented at this year's 110th Indianapolis 500. The award is for the hard work all of us at Evergreen Podcast and Front Porch Media have invested into making Pit Pass Indy one of the leading podcasts in the motorsports category. and a special thanks to all our loyal listeners who continue to help Pit Pass Indy grow. Speaking of the Indianapolis 500, Pit Pass Indy was able to gather so much content at that event, there are plenty of memorable interviews and storylines that we never had a chance to use since the big race on Memorial Day weekend. With IndyCar having its first break in the schedule since May 3rd, let's do an Indy 500 Rewind on this episode of Pit Pass Indy. That includes interviews from the red carpet before the Indy 500 Victory Celebration at the Indiana Convention Center on May 25th. That is when all 33 drivers that competed in the race gathered for the annual awards banquet culminating with the winning driver and team celebrating the Indianapolis 500 victory that took place the day before. Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rentals, celebrated the winning driver, Felix Rosenquist, and the winning team at Meyers Schenck Racing on the May 27th episode and another show on June 3rd that followed the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. The June 9 edition of Pit Pass Indy included coverage of Team Penske star Joseph Dugard's sixth career win at Worldwide Technology Raceway in the Bomberito Automotive Group 500 before the teams and drivers were able to enjoy a weekend off. That created a perfect time for this Indy 500 Rewind edition of Pit Pass Indy. Alexander Rossi won the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016 and was considered a major contender for the win in 2026 after he was the second fastest qualifier and lined up in the middle of row one on race day. But one day after qualifications concluded, Rossi injured his right ankle and middle finger of his left hand in a massive crash in turn two during a full field practice session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Rossi was cleared to compete in the Indy 500 and started second, leading a total of six laps. But his race ended after 91 laps when his car caught fire for the second year in a row and Rossi finished 30th. Rossi joined me after the Indy 500 in this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview from the red carpet at the Indiana Convention Center. Alexander Rossi of ECR. I think you're taking the theme of a Memorial Day cookout a little bit too seriously. The car was on fire again yesterday. Fortunately, you weren't part of the fire this time. But how disappointing was that? Because that was a fast race car throughout the month.

Alexander Rossi: Yeah, it was very disappointing. Obviously, two years in a row to not even finish and have it be a fire-related DNF is pretty frustrating.

Bruce Martin: The race itself, how wild was it from your point of view before that happened?

Alexander Rossi: I don't think it was. I think we had a good car, and the first stint was going according to plan. We had a slow pit stop and kind of got cycled back, but the willpower yellow was going to bring us back into it. then it obviously all ended.

Bruce Martin: How do you possibly describe just the range of emotions the month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can put the drivers through because you were having a great month of May and then all of a sudden Monday after qualifying came and from that point on it just got to be a challenge.

Alexander Rossi: I don't know, it was a good month of May, if you remember the GP. Qualifying was good, but yeah, it was just one we need to forget and move on from.

Bruce Martin: I was referring more to the oval portion, but in some ways, the GP was kind of the oval portion. Yep, it all came together. But anyway, so off to Detroit. Good luck there, and thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks. Rookie Kyle Collette of AJ Foyt Racing started 32nd after his car failed technical inspection after qualifications, but his number 4 Chevrolet was one of the fastest cars in the field at the Indy 500. He raced his way to the front and led 9 laps before his race ended in a crash and turned 2 8 laps from the finish. Collette finished 26th and joined me for this exclusive PitPass Indy interview. Kyle Collette, you had to start in the back because of the penalty and qualifications, but you got it up to the front before your race ended with a crash in turn two.

Caio Collet: So how would you assess your first Indianapolis 500? It's just insane, the experience, the race. As you said, we went from starting P32 to leading the race, took a gamble in strategy, didn't work out. went to left down and then came back to a top 10 finish at the end there i was fighting for p8 p9 uh which was awesome and i was just trying a bit too hard to stay with the group there for a top 10 finish just lost the car and ended up in a really frustrating way gladly i'm okay uh but i think obviously the team they really deserve that finish and i'm a bit frustrated that i couldn't give it to them after such a hard work that they did the whole month with me but I think we can be proud of everything that we've done in the month.

Bruce Martin: They tell rookies what to expect in the Indianapolis 500 but I guess nothing ever really prepares you for the actual experience.

Caio Collet: How vastly different was it? No it's just the best race in the world and a lot of things happened like when I was leading I was feeling like I'm in the most like was the best feeling of my life and then after that the strategy didn't work out I went a lap behind and you start thinking like what's going on why how can I come back to the race and you have a little bit of a yellows you have some luck and you are back in the lead lap so and everything just happens at the same race so it's just insane how things can change and how long the race is and you just have to stay on top of it on top of your tools every single time Something that I did a slight mistake at the end there that cost us the crash, but nevertheless I think we can be really proud of what we did

Bruce Martin: And what did AJ tell you? How much did you enjoy your time with AJ Foyt?

Caio Collet: It was awesome. I got to meet him just at the start of the month there and just sharing some experience, sharing some conversations with him. He was able to chat with me a little bit and tell me some things about how he used to set up his car back in the days and just to be able to hear that and be around is awesome.

Bruce Martin: So I'm sure you're happy that you'll no longer be called an Indy 500 rookie. Now you're an Indy 500 veteran. So welcome to that status. Thank you. Thank you very much. We'll catch up with you in Detroit. Thanks. Christian Lungard of Arrow McLaren started 18th and finished 17th in this year's Indy 500. He opened the month of May with a victory in the Sanzio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on May 9th. Lungard's mid-pack finish is certainly not what he envisioned as he joined me for this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview from the red carpet. You started the month with a victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I'm sure you wanted to go two for two in the Indianapolis 500. Didn't quite work out that way, but how was your race?

Christian Lundgaard: Long, boring, not very entertaining for me at least. I just never felt good, never felt fast. So when that's the case, you obviously have 500 miles to work on your car, make it better. I think we made it better, but it didn't really seem to really move the needle in comparison to our competitors. So frustrating for many reasons, but at the end of the day, I think We need to look back and see how entertaining the finish of the race was. Even from my perspective, you know, being there in the race, being on the lead lap and just seeing how everything played out.

Bruce Martin: For as good as the finish of the race was for the victory, the battle for third place may have been better. And when you see the way that played out as a racer, what did you think of that one?

Christian Lundgaard: I think it's basically the definition of the Indianapolis 500, right? It's what you've heard, it's what you've seen so much of, even though that we're racing 500 miles and yet it's so close at the end of the race. I think Felix and I have actually shared the closest qualifying time twice. We've done that so obviously seeing him have the closest victory at the Indy 500 is pretty special for him as well and very happy for him. Very happy for everyone that finished the race. Obviously everyone came out in one piece.

Bruce Martin: Well, Christian Lundgaard, you got a victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the month of May. Next year, go for the one that ends the month of May on May 30th, 2027. But congratulations on a successful month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. Thank you. Hometown favorite Connor Daly of nearby Noblesville, Indiana, raced the number 23 Chevrolet for Dryer and Reinbold Racing. He started 8th and finished 12th and brought the huge crowd to its feet when Daly led four laps in the 200 lap race. Daly was disappointed with his finish, but discovered his biggest challenge was getting his tux back from the cleaners on Memorial Day when it was closed. Daly explains how he was able to retrieve it in this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. The fan favorite, Connor Daly. He's back and the cheer that went up when you took the lead as usual. You could probably hear it over the roar of the engines. I'm sure you may not have heard it, but it was wild once again. You had a great month of May and it really goes back to the Indy 500 Open Test when you were the fastest after that. So how much do you attribute your success in May to that Open Test?

Conor Daly: Oh, it was just the start, right? I think you can tell pretty early if you've got a good car and what the natural speed of it is. And it never changed. So it was always fast from day one to the race. And I'm super proud of this team, super proud of everyone that worked so hard in the winter to give us just the natural speed. And they did a great job. I wish I could have given them a better result. I think it was truly a situation of just bad luck, bad timing. wrong place, wrong time, but no fault of anyone. Just sometimes racing can throw things at you.

Bruce Martin: Dryer and Rainbow may only compete in the Indianapolis 500, but they sure do put together a fast car for that race. Just how great is it to have that team behind you to give you that fast of a hot rod?

Conor Daly: I just think they have so much passion for it. Um, you know, my engineers, everyone that works on it, they work so hard and I, uh, yeah, it definitely hurts. This one hurts a lot because I think we had a really good shot at it.

Bruce Martin: But, um, yeah, still still a lot to be proud of this month and also just to be you and Pato, probably the most popular drivers out there. How important is that to be so beloved by the fans?

Conor Daly: I mean, I can't express how much it means. I think it's super cool that people follow my journey and follow the fight that I'm putting up to try to be here and try to be competitive. And once again, I will go out there and put everything on the table and leave it all out on the track because I want to win so bad. So I hope we put on a good show for everyone.

Bruce Martin: And also on social media, you put out that your tux didn't get back from the cleaners, to borrow a phrase from the Blues Brothers. But apparently you found a black tie. So how did that all come together for you?

Conor Daly: Thankfully, the local Tide Cleaners on Capitol, the owner got in touch with me. And thankfully, they let me in and get my suit. So it was good, good timing. The internet is crazy, but it also can be helpful.

Bruce Martin: But that was one of the better lines in the Blues Brothers. My touch didn't get back from the cleaners. But for Connor Daly, it did get back from the cleaners. Looking rather spiffy, I might add.

Conor Daly: Thank you. Thank you.

Bruce Martin: But once again, though, it was an incredible Indianapolis 500. We know how much you love that race. We know what it means to your entire family. And for it to be the closest finish and the record for the most passes with 70, most lead changes with 70, how do you even begin to describe it?

Conor Daly: Well, honestly, it was fun to be a part of a lot of those lead changes, honestly. The last two stints where saving fuel really didn't become a thing for us, I knew it was going to be flat out. And it was three wide every lap for the lead. Alex, David, me, and Scott, really fun to race with those guys. I have so much respect for them. And now it's two years in a row where I feel like I've got to race with pretty much Alex and David up at the front. For so long. So it's it's it's a it's a good group of people great drivers and Really glad that we put on a show for everyone because it was a little bit It felt like it lasted forever out there with the rain, but glad we got it all in

Bruce Martin: I don't know how many times I've said it, but you deserve a full-time ride. Thanks, man. And if you didn't earn a full-time ride after yesterday, I don't know what it would take.

Conor Daly: I'll keep fighting. Yeah.

Bruce Martin: Connor Daly, you certainly know that you always will be back at the Indianapolis 500, and that's great to know. Congratulations on having a very good month of May. I know the finishing position doesn't reflect as good a race as you had.

Conor Daly: Thank you.

Bruce Martin: But congratulations on that, and thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental. Thank you. Josef Newgarden of Team Penske started 23rd and finished 28th after he had a hard crash in Turn 4 on Lap 123. Newgarden injured his left foot in that crash on May 24th, but has since gone on to drive to victory in the Bomberito Automotive Group 500 at Worldwide Technology Raceway on June 7th. Here is a quick Pitt Pass, Indy interview with Newgarden from the red carpet in Indianapolis on May 25th. Josef Newgarden, your foot's in a walking cast. If you could just bring us up to speed as to what happened in the crash and how long you'll have to wear that.

Josef Newgarden: Yeah, I just, you know, I made a mistake, got lost my sight line and got on the curb. I didn't even know I did it in, you know, until I was sideways. It's just that's how quick it can happen. So pretty. you know as simple as that basically as simple as that so yeah ended our day which was tough to tough to take for the team.

Bruce Martin: The whole race was wild racing and what did you really think of just yesterday's race even though you you stayed in the care center to watch it?

Josef Newgarden: Yeah well yeah it was a good I mean it was a great race crazy race so you know fun fun to be a part of it for when we were though.

Bruce Martin: Your two teammates finished second and third, and David Maloukas really gave it a valiant shot before the little guy from Meyers Schenck Racing broke his heart. But what do you think of the overall Team Penske effort? It was pretty impressive.

Josef Newgarden: It was amazing. I thought Dave drove an incredible race. He's got a lot to be proud of, and the team did a great job. So I'm proud of the entire group. I think there's nothing that's satisfactory outside of winning, but they should be proud of their effort. If nothing else, that does matter at the end of the day.

Bruce Martin: And also just how dramatic yesterday was, the crowd, the vibe. You got 500 miles and the weather wasn't really a factor. When you look back at yesterday's event, taking yourself out of the equation, when you look back at the event, how excited were you? be part of that.

Josef Newgarden: Yeah, it's always special to be there, you know, to have a chance to be in it is a huge deal, so I'm very appreciative of that, nonetheless.

Bruce Martin: And will your left leg, your left ankle affect you in any way, shape, or form at Detroit?

Josef Newgarden: No, I mean, you know, just trying to improve the cosmetics.

Bruce Martin: Well, between you and Alexander Rossi, you guys have both legs covered in those walking boots. Yeah, we're going to we're going to be solid. But anyway, Josef Newgarden, there was a lot of people out there pulling for you yesterday, but didn't quite work out. Good luck for the rest of the NTT IndyCar Series season, and we'll catch up with you in Detroit. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Josef Newgarden: Thanks, Bruce.

Bruce Martin: We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

David Malukas: This is David Maloukis, driver of the number 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, and you are listening to Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin: Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental. Rookie driver Dennis Hauger started 29th and finished 19th for Dale Coyne Racing, but at one point in the race, team owner Dale Coyne had devised a pit stop strategy that could have given the driver from Norway a top three finish. Although the race did not play out to favor that strategy, Hauger was all smiles after finishing his first Indy 500 and joined me from the red carpet for this exclusive interview. Dennis Hauger, you're no longer an Indy 500 rookie, now you're an Indy 500 veteran and you had the strategy where you could have won the race.

Dennis Hauger: Yeah, I know we were in a really good spot. I think we were running third before the last pit cycle. We would have been definitely up there fighting for it, so the pace we had was just incredible. I don't know how we managed to pull that off, but we were passing a lot of cars and getting up there, so that was really cool. Unfortunately I did a mistake going into the last pit and that cost us obviously the opportunity to fight for it but still so much learned about the whole weekend and the whole month so definitely something I'll take with me into hopefully next year.

Bruce Martin: And when you make a mistake like that in the pits that maybe takes you out of a chance to win the race, how much do you think about that?

Dennis Hauger: For sure it was a tough couple of laps, obviously being a lap down as well at the end, but I just try to make the most of it and salvage what we could. For sure it's something you think about a lot after the race. It was a bit of a tough morning knowing what it could have been. That's a part of racing, part of being a rookie as well, learning as I go, so definitely want to, you know, think about for next year.

Bruce Martin: And Dale Coyne, your team owner and race strategist, is a bit of a wizard when it comes to figuring out race strategy. He came up with a plan that would have gotten you in position toward the end.

Dennis Hauger: and just how impressed are you by his ability to so he's got so much experience here he's able to figure out every scenario yeah i mean it's it's not only him it's the whole team working together to to find the best spot for us uh… but definitely we've been pretty good on that this year and we seem to find our way through every time and uh… even at our first Indy 500 together we're up there fighting for it so that's Super cool to see and such a confidence boost for the whole team. So I'm looking forward to what we can do in the future.

Bruce Martin: And as an Indian X by Firestone champion, you're familiar with the Indianapolis 500. You've been here, you've watched it as a fan. Now you've competed in it. Did it meet your expectations or did it exceed your expectations? Exceeded it by far.

Dennis Hauger: I don't think any of the rookies understands Or like understood what this race meant before you got in the car and did it yourself It's such a cool month with everything going on and just thinking about like besides from fans and everything just the race it's one of the coolest races or by far the coolest race I've ever done so it was an incredible experience and I could definitely feel the emotions after the race coming in so it was something special for sure.

Bruce Martin: Dennis Hauger, Dale Coyne Racing, you're no longer an Indy 500 rookie, you're now an Indy 500 veteran. Congratulations on that, and we'll see you in Detroit. Thank you. Another rookie in this year's Indy 500 was former Formula One driver Mick Schumacher of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He started 27th and finished 18th and was named Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year at the Victory Awards celebration. The son of former Formula One great Michael Schumacher spoke of his first Indy 500 experience when I caught up with him for this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. I've been talking to our next guest, Mick Schumacher, all month asking him what he thinks of his first Indianapolis 500. Now it's over. So what did you think of the whole experience?

Mick Schumacher: No, it was obviously incredible. It's a beautiful event, especially with with the emotions and the passion that people have that are coming to this place. It's very outstanding and just very special. So yeah, thank you to everybody who showed up and who make this event special.

Bruce Martin: So in turn one, it looked like you brushed the wall. How much of an impact did you feel?

Mick Schumacher: You know, I saw I saw Kyle go in front of me on the highline So I was like, okay. Well, I guess that looks alright and I went to it as well And we're told I spoke to a couple people afterwards They were all told same as I was that it was sweeped and cleaned and it wasn't so I felt like that was actually a bit of a bad communication because I could have potentially been obviously dangerous in some ways and I think it's good to always you know tell if somebody doesn't clean the track at that point and so it just felt like ice and that's when I had then you know brushed it all.

Bruce Martin: Job one was finishing the race you accomplished that did you have fun out there or was it pretty much a wild experience?

Mick Schumacher: No, I had a lot of fun, for sure. And I was just very, very excited to have some battles, some good overtakes. And I felt like the overtake in Pato and Felix felt great to unlap myself, even though it was to unlap myself. I wish it wasn't that, but it still was an amazing, amazing thing. And yeah, just very, very proud of the team and everybody who helped me get through this month, because it was a tough one.

Bruce Martin: Did the event live up to your expectations or did it exceed your expectations?

Mick Schumacher: Honestly, it definitely did exceed it. I think it was an amazing event. The whole ceremony before made things even more so special. So yeah, I'm really excited for the future when I'm able to come back.

Bruce Martin: Well, Mick Schumacher, we no longer have to call you an Indy 500 rookie. You're now an Indy 500 veteran. Perfect. Congratulations on completing your first Indianapolis 500. We'll catch up with you in Detroit. Sounds good. Thank you. Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global started 25th and finished 16th in this year's 500-mile race. Those aren't stats that get the driver from Jupiter, Florida very excited, as he tells me in this exclusive PitPass Indy interview. Kyle Kirkwood, another Indianapolis 500s over. Last year, you were really in the thick of the battle. How would you describe Sunday's race? Not really in the thick of the battle. You were in the thick of the battle, but not quite like you were in 2025.

Kyle Kirkwood: We were OK. We were realistically OK. I think that's kind of where we got to, right? And ultimately, it's that split strategy. We went for the one that was not the winner. But yeah, it seemed like the right call at the right time. All the big hitters did it right.

Bruce Martin: And the beautiful thing is you woke up today and didn't read that you were going to lose your position like you did last year, which had to be a real bummer. But as far as the style of racing, it was absolutely spectacular. What do you attribute that to?

Kyle Kirkwood: Not really sure. To be honest, it seems like the track came along. The track is getting a little bit better. You know, they put that sealer down some years back. And I feel like that bottom groove is starting to lose some grip. And now everywhere that we haven't run is starting to gain some grip. So it's like almost allowing that two lane kind of side by side action. Right. Quite honestly. I couldn't really do it like some other cars could. But it is cool to see, right? It definitely invites some really good racing. It's not just the front two just switching back and forth like you've seen for many years. That still happens. But at the same time, it's like, you can actually go side by side in a corner. And that finish was incredible. So that's just going to open everybody's eyes. And it's going to start to see almost like not pack style racing, not like old pack style racing, but a lot of passing throughout the pack.

Bruce Martin: What was your closest call?

Kyle Kirkwood: I had plenty, plenty of close calls. You have to at this race to, if you want to go forward and you want to attack, you have a lot of close calls. And for me, I mean, I almost hit the wall 10, 12 times, I would say. So maybe the closest was at the end of the race. I got into the marbles, almost ended up in the wall.

Bruce Martin: And then when you first had a chance to see the end of the race, what Felix did, what was your reaction? Because that was one of the biggest wow moments I can recall.

Kyle Kirkwood: It's almost a perfect case scenario for him in the position that he was, right? It's a gutsy move, just running the outside, running out there. And he did it just perfectly. Got clean air. David never kind of gave him any dirty air. Yeah, it worked out really, really well for him. It was good to see. I was glad that it's cool to see Felix win. He's very deserving of the win. Everybody likes him in the paddock. And he's had a lot of pulls and not a lot of wins. And he's deserved a lot of wins. And it's cool to see him get the big one.

Bruce Martin: Stated very well, Kyle Kirkwood. Congratulations on another Indianapolis 500. We'll catch up with you in Detroit. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy. Thank you. Teammate Marcus Ericcson of Andretti Global won the Indianapolis 500 in 2022 when he was driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. Since then, he has come close to a second Indy 500 win, but not in 2026 when he started 17th and finished 13th. Here is Ericsson's viewpoint from the red carpet in this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. Marcus Ericsson, you gave Sweden cause for celebration in 2022. Well, now they're celebrating in 2026. Only it's for Felix Rosenquist. As a fellow Swede, you got to feel good about the effort the little guy put out.

Marcus Ericsson: to win the Indianapolis 500? A hundred percent. I couldn't be happier for him. He's a great guy, great driver, and the way he won that race, it was spectacular. So yeah, super happy for Felix. Well-deserved winner.

Bruce Martin: It was a hero moment what he did. It was almost like in NASCAR when Ross Chastain went against the wall at Martinsville. But this wasn't Martinsville, this was the Indianapolis 500. And to do it on that big of a stage is absolutely unbelievable that he was able to pull it off in front of that big a crowd, a huge TV audience. It's going to be a moment we're all going to remember.

null: 100%.

Marcus Ericsson: Yeah, like I said, it was incredible. And to pull that off and go around the outside for the whole last lap and get that run out of four, to win it by the smallest margin ever, it's just, yeah, it's definitely a way to win that biggest race in the world.

Bruce Martin: And not only that, but Kenny Brack was here yesterday and the Swedish winner and you were here in the race and then Felix wins the race. So obviously it was Swedish day.

Marcus Ericsson: It was a pretty good day for Sweden. Yeah. And you know, it's pretty cool that we have three Swedish winners in the 500. We're such a small country, but we seem to produce some pretty good drivers on these ovals.

Bruce Martin: Well, Marcus Ericcson, it was a hell of a race from start to finish. Everybody was just highly entertained by it. But congratulations, and we'll catch up with you in Detroit. Thank you, Bruce. Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing won the Indianapolis 500 in 2008 and is one of IndyCar's all-time greats with six IndyCar Series championships. The driver from New Zealand has chased a second Indy 500 win for the past 18 years and has been thwarted in that bid. Dixon started 10th and finished 15th in this year's Indy 500, but was the leader when the race was red flagged for brief rain just past the midway point of the race. Dixon led 32 laps in the Indy 500, but when the race became a mixture of strategies, he ended with a mid-pack finish. Dixon explained his race to me in this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. Scott Dixon's joining us. Scott, I must say you look sartorially splendid, although I don't know if I pronounced sartorially correct. Yeah, well done. But hey, you were back at the front yesterday. That was quite a battle when you and Alex were swapping leads there. How much fun was that? I know there's a strategy to doing that because you're trying to save some fuel, but thrilled the crowd. Maybe the crowd's not that savvy on what you were actually doing, but

Scott Dixon: Well no, you're still racing flat out. The downside to that is if you haven't got somebody to work with, they can just sit behind you and kind of, that's what happened I think when the 12 car or maybe even Felix was behind the 10, they just dragged the speed down to like a 2.10 average. Where if you're cycling through, you're running 2.18s, 2.20s and you keep the field kind of spread out and the perfect scenario is to keep that tempo up and obviously spread the field out a bit and try to create some separation. But no, it was fun, man. You know, just a shame. I think we picked the wrong strategy and ended up on the wrong side of that, which was frustrating.

Bruce Martin: You're in the race to win it. But you got to feel really good for that little guy behind you, Felix Rosenquist. Oh, man. Just how happy were you to know that he won the race?

Scott Dixon: I was super pumped. I feel like I had two really good options, you know, because the restart before where it went caution again, Armstrong was leading. And I'm like, oh, man, we're going to have a fellow Kiwi win.

SPEAKER_06: Yeah.

Scott Dixon: And then when I got to see the finish and see how it played out with Felix, man, what a drive. Such a cool guy, one of my best friends. I still remember the day that Stefan brought him out to the track out in California to check out what we do. Super pumped for him and his family. Obviously he's had a very big month of May with welcoming his new daughter as well.

Bruce Martin: And he's really, in some ways, been a bit of a hard luck driver. I don't want to say hard luck driver. He's had chances to win in the slightest thing. Long Beach, he had that race won. All it was was just a half second slower pit stop. Alex Palou beats him out. Alex Palou wins the race. But Felix has come close a lot of times. Finally, the perseverance paid off and he wins the biggest race on earth.

Scott Dixon: Yeah, it's, you know, people go through those kind of stints where you can be the unluckiest driver and you can kind of get labeled that, which, you know, for me, it's so good to see great things happen to good people and there's not much of a better person on this earth than Felix, you know, so I'm just, you know, if it was going to swing and when it's going to swing in the right direction, why not start with Indy? So I'm looking forward to what's to come for Felix.

Bruce Martin: Well you're certainly good people too and I still keep telling everybody his chance is coming for another Indianapolis 500 victory. A lot of us were thinking that when the race was red flagged for rain because you were the leader at the time and I know you would take the victory you'd rather do it in 500 miles but if you won your second one that way I don't think you're gonna give it back.

Scott Dixon: No I've lost races like that but you know I knew that wasn't gonna be the case we knew the forecast wasn't going to be playing that that way but Yeah, no, just it was fun to be racing out front and just kind of bummed about the way it went down after that. But honestly, I think the team did a fantastic job all month. And I don't know, I'm looking forward to being done with the banquet tonight and then getting on to Detroit, man. And how much of a hero move was that that Felix put to win the race? It was nuts, man. It was nuts. And honestly, between Felix and Marcus, that was insane. I think to pretty much do a whole lap side-by-side at Indy is unheard of. So I was pumped for the both of them, man.

Bruce Martin: Well, Scott Dixon, you're always one of the fan favorites. Yesterday, the fans filled that place. And I still believe you're going to win that race again. But Scott Dixon, like you said, it's off to Detroit. We'll catch up with you there. And thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental. Let's get it, man. Cheers. Renis VeeKay of Juncos Hollinger Racing scored his career best Indy 500 finish and gave his team its best ever Indy 500 finish with a sixth place in this year's Indianapolis 500. Here is my exclusive interview with VeeKay for Pit Pass Indy. Renis VeeKay, your best Indianapolis 500 result, the team's best Indianapolis 500 result, but you had to work hard to get it. If you could just describe how your day went.

Rinus VeeKay: Yeah, we weren't sitting out in front and saving fuel. We started 11th, stayed around 11th. Was not looking to risk much at the beginning of the race. Then we chose to stay out on the first yellow. That seemed to not be the right decision. Fell back to the back of the pack. And then from there on, we were kind of recovering and gaining a few spots here and there. I think we gained at least a spot at every pit cycle, pit stop. So great job by the boys in pit lane. And at the end, we did one last stop, then the guys ahead. Had to find some friends out there, like Santino and Takuma, to help each other, save some fuel. And then in the end, we had some really good restarts that transformed our day from an OK day to breaking the team's finishing record and my own finishing record.

Bruce Martin: The racing was wild out there yesterday from start to finish. What do you attribute that to?

Rinus VeeKay: I think that the level in IndyCar right now is just incredibly high. Everybody knows what they're doing. Everybody's got confidence. And it was a colder race. Well, it wasn't cold, but the track temperature was low. And I feel like with the Firestone tires we had this month, they reacted really well to colder track temperatures.

Bruce Martin: What was your closest call?

Rinus VeeKay: My closest call? Wow. I think I touched wheels on that second to last restart with Takuma. Actually, there was a restart around lap 108, 109 I think. That's where I had a really good jump as well. Kind of when I was top of five for one second and the next second I was bottom of three. So that was quite the sequence of things happening. So yeah, that was pretty crazy.

Bruce Martin: You have to feel like one of these years you're going to be up there fighting for the win. You were yesterday. But to be in a position like Felix was in, do you see what Felix has been able to do in his career as a little bit of an inspiration? Because he's gone through some, I don't want to say hard luck, but he's had a lot of near misses. And then yesterday he won the biggest race of the world by the most exciting way possible.

Rinus VeeKay: Yeah, for sure. I mean, Felix has he has had a really underrated indycar career i would say uh… i started out with ganassi, got a win i think in his rookie season uh… or in twenty twenty might have been his second season, rookie season or his second season twenty twenty at road america yes and uh… you know he's had a lot of near misses and uh… i think he found his happy place at shank uh… he seems to really be comfortable there, i speak to him a lot as well and uh… I've always seen Felix as a very strong qualifier and I think he's really proven himself to have everything during that last lap fight. I think that was the strongest final lap that I've seen in decades. incredible job for him and well what a month becoming a dad for the first time within a month and then winning his first 500 which I'm sure he'll be there a few more times in the future.

Bruce Martin: The crowd loves you how important is that?

Rinus VeeKay: It is important. It's nice. It makes going to the restroom a bit harder during the month because it just takes a lot more time. But no, it's fun. It's really good. I feel welcome at the racetrack. I feel like it's somewhat coming home when I'm here in the month of May.

Bruce Martin: Well, Rinus VeeKay, congratulations on another outstanding Indianapolis 500. You're best yet. And we'll catch up with you in Detroit. Thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy.

Rinus VeeKay: Thank you very much.

Bruce Martin: We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Josef Newgarden: Hey, everyone. This is two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin: Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. This year's Indianapolis 500 was one of the most exciting in the 110 runnings of the world's biggest race. Felix Rosenquist defeated David Maloukas by just 0.0233 of a second in the closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history. but the battle for 3rd, 4th, and 5th place was even closer. Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske won a three-wide battle with Pato Award and Marcus Armstrong by inches at the Yard of Bricks to start finish line at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 3rd place. The nose of McLaughlin's No. 3 Chevrolet was just 0.0066 of a second ahead of the nose of Award's No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and 0.0155 of a second over the nose of Armstrong's No. 66 Meyers Schenck Racing Honda. Award was only 0.0089 of a second in front of Armstrong. It was an incredibly tight finish. I caught up with all three drivers involved in that three-wide battle across the line the day after the race on the red carpet at the Indy 500 Victory Awards. First, let's hear from 5th place finisher Marcus Armstrong in this exclusive Pit Pass Indy interview. Marcus Armstrong, if the last caution didn't come out, you're probably going to win that race. And I'm sure that's probably going to, it's got to sting a little bit, but heck of a race for you. You finished fifth, you could have won it. So how do you feel looking back at the 110th Indianapolis 500?

Marcus Armstrong: It was an incredible day by the whole team. We had good pit stops. We basically executed our plan perfectly. We just moved forward every single restart and had good pit stops. We were there at the end on the right strategy. It's just the way the cards fell. But I'm still very happy for the team. They well and truly deserve that win. The 60 car was fast as well. Disappointed for myself, but we'll get another shot.

Bruce Martin: What was the key moment that really cost you the victory? Felix is side by side with you for a full 23 seconds on that last lap, so you couldn't really maybe maneuver the way you wanted. But it looked like Malukas was going to get away, and all of a sudden, here comes Felix around the outside.

Marcus Armstrong: Yeah, for sure. Felix had a good run. Yeah, I don't know. You know, the whole day I was sort of choosing a particular line. And for some reason on that restart, I didn't do that. So it's just how it is. I just completely followed my intuition. And my intuition told me to do that. So that's just how it is. If I could do it again, of course, I would do something differently. But you cannot. So yeah.

Bruce Martin: It was important to Michael Schenck, your team owner, to talk to you after the race last night. When he did get a chance to talk to you, because he felt bad for the way it turned out for you. Even though you finished fifth, that's not a bad finish. But what was it like when Michael came by and what did he say to you?

Marcus Armstrong: Yeah, Mike was great. I mean, I saw him yesterday evening, and he was obviously in a very good mood having just won the Indianapolis 500. But he told me that we executed our plan perfectly and that there's going to be plenty more chances. I'm going to joke about it tonight that I'm a quarter of Halio's age. So maybe I'll get a few more chances at this race.

Bruce Martin: Well, your day's coming and it's coming soon, but Marcus Armstrong, it was a heck of a battle. You thrilled a lot of fans at the 110th Indianapolis 500. It's a great drive. Thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental. Thank you. Next, let's hear from Pato Award, who finished fourth in the Indy 500 for Errol McLaren.

Pato O'Ward: Driving with brake drag is like driving with a parachute behind you. So since the start of the race, I was in the back foot. Couldn't get runs on people. I couldn't gain the speed that I needed to truly challenge. And every time that I was beside somebody, forget about overtaking them they just they could roll more speed and like I said it's just that's that's what I had and that's what I tried to maximize and I know my guys tried to maximize that in the pits and in the strategy like that's that's just that was the story of our Indy 500 this year.

Bruce Martin: The battle for third apparently was better than the battle for the victory. It was extremely close. Crazy ending, crazy ending. And it just speaks to whoever's leading on the last lap, forget about winning. Did you go three abreast across for the fight for third?

Bruce Martin: Yeah, I was in the middle. And just for it to be that wild and that close everywhere on the track, you know, there on the last lap, it was just insane. So just what was your move there to get third, you know, to try to get third place?

Pato O'Ward: I'll just get as good of a toe as I could. But that was a struggle all day.

Pato O'Ward: No, I saw him pop out beside me. I was like, oh, I think he got us at the line. I knew I got Marcus. But yeah, when I saw Scott a little bit ahead, I was like, oh, I think he got us at the line. But I didn't talk to him in person. He's been he's been a busy man. He's been a busy man. But I was super happy for him. I mean, he he just had a daughter or not him, but obviously his wife, Emil. So I can't imagine the emotions that she's going through and I think he earned it yesterday. He put everything on the line all day really. I'd never seen him be so aggressive with where he was placing the car and it was win it or crash. That's what I saw from him yesterday. So he obviously put literally everything he got into it and he deserved it. That's an insane finish. I mean, he's obviously somebody that never gave up and someone that always looked forward to every chance he got. And he made the best of it.

Bruce Martin: The hero of that three wide battle was third place finisher Scott McLaughlin, who joined me for this exclusive Pitt Pass Indy interview. Scott McLaughlin, third place finisher. In a lot of ways, the fight for third place may have been a better fight than the fight for the victory.

Scott McLaughlin: How did you pull that off? You know, I knew that they were all going to go into turn three and four and use everything they had. So I just sort of charged everything up and tried to get as best run as I could off turn four and managed to pip a couple of guys across the line.

Bruce Martin: You were 10th on the restart, and you ended up finishing third. So that's a dramatic improvement. I don't want to use the term balls out, but how balls out were you?

Scott McLaughlin: I was. I mean, I was top. I was middle. I was inside. But both my jumps on both restarts were super good. And sometimes the lanes just opened, and I just took every hole I could. So it was a lot of fun. I mean, when Takuma Sato was coming up to me and going, that was some amazing restarts, I was pretty proud of that.

Bruce Martin: You probably had your eyes full with your own battle, but did you see the battle for the victory ahead of you?

Scott McLaughlin: Yeah, to be honest, no. I was more concentrated on what Armstrong and Pateau were doing. I actually didn't know who had won at the end of it. But yeah, Felix, absolutely deserving winner. Feel for Dave, but he'll learn from it.

Bruce Martin: But as far as you being able to do what you wanted to do, which was last year was a race you'd like to forget, this year you got redemption. You have to feel very satisfied with your month of May at the Indianapolis 500 in 2026.

Scott McLaughlin: Yeah, satisfied, you know, I think is a good word. I mean, I obviously always want the win, but… We're in a good spot here, moving forward with some momentum and whatnot, and we'll be OK coming through to the end of the year. But it was nice to have a good result at Indy. There's no doubt we can win this race one day with what I learned yesterday and last year and whatever, and just keep trying to be better and better.

Bruce Martin: So in the three-wide battle, were you on the outside or were you on the inside?

Scott McLaughlin: I was on the outside.

Bruce Martin: You were on the outside. And then Pato's coming up through the middle. So who were you most concerned with out of that trio?

Scott McLaughlin: I mean, I was the only one coming through. So I basically just, as long as I had a hole, I was sort of just going to take whatever I could. And hopefully I could get there.

Bruce Martin: And did you have to console David? Because he was pretty down after finishing second. Because Felix really had a hero move there at the end to win the race.

Scott McLaughlin: Yeah, I mean, he's got to learn from it. And the team, we'll all be there for him. But it was a bit of a hard position to be in, regardless of the run that the 60 got off the last corner and whatnot. So you're a bit of a sitting duck out there when you're leading. And unfortunately, it was the wrong place, wrong time for him. I'm sure he'll look at it and feel like he could do something different. But yeah, it is what it is.

Bruce Martin: Even though Roger Penske wanted to win that race, he's got to feel proud with second and third. So when you did get a chance to talk to him, what did he say?

Scott McLaughlin: No, no, no. He was really happy for both of us. Obviously, he wanted to win. But ultimately, as a team, I thought we had three fast cars. And we were right there. And obviously, Joseph was right there before he crashed. So yeah, it was all good.

Bruce Martin: Why was the racing so wild yesterday?

Scott McLaughlin: I think we're all getting pretty comfortable with our cars in the hybrid level as well. And I think also the top lanes really opening up here now, which is a help. So a lot of grip up there. And the restarts where we had to make a lot of moves. So you just made it happen.

Bruce Martin: And what do you see as the key moment of the race other than the last lap for you?

Scott McLaughlin: Probably like the lap 130 restart where I went sort of from sixth to like second, first. I was sort of, I knew I had to get some track position and get into a good spot and sort of took my chance. And yeah, my car was a lot better in first or second rather than being third or fourth. So I wanted to stay there, but unfortunately didn't have the pace to do that. So we'll have to learn for next year.

Bruce Martin: And when did you realize the racing was going to be wild from start to finish?

Scott McLaughlin: Probably from lap 30. I think everyone was just going hard. And the rain was coming too, so we all sort of wanted to get going.

Bruce Martin: And even though your teammate didn't win and you didn't win, this little guy here, Felix Rosenquist, I mean, that was a real hero move that he did at the end. And people are going to be remembering that for decades. In the history of the Indianapolis 500, they're going to remember that last lap.

Scott McLaughlin: Oh, man. He had to do that. And I think anyone in that opportunity is going to hold it flat on the outside just like that. But you can all talk till you actually do it, and he did it. So amazing stuff and made it happen.

Bruce Martin: Now you don't have much chance to relax because now you go to Detroit. That race is owned by Penske and he expects you to win on the streets of Detroit.

Scott McLaughlin: So how do you feel heading into Detroit? Yeah, I'd say like if it wasn't not the Indy 500, he wants to win Detroit the most and especially our manufacturer Chevy as well. So we had a good chance last year. I sort of blew that one. So I'd like to get that one back.

Bruce Martin: And finally, the vibe that was at that place yesterday. Every seat filled.

Scott McLaughlin: Yeah.

Bruce Martin: Fans saw a spectacular finish. Just how cool was it? How proud were you to be in that race?

Scott McLaughlin: Yeah, it was insane. It was so many people. The vibe was high. I hope our TV number is astronomical as well. So it's going to be awesome.

Bruce Martin: Well, Scott McLaughlin, you certainly gave everybody a thrill. Congratulations on being able to nip third at the very end.

Scott McLaughlin: Thanks, man.

Bruce Martin: Thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Ride.

Scott McLaughlin: Thank you, Bruce.

Bruce Martin: The driver that finished second was Team Penske's David Maloukis. At the Indy 500, winning is the only position that matters, and finishing second may be more difficult for a driver to accept than finishing 20th. Maloukis was heartbroken immediately after the race to lose the Indy 500 by the closest margin in history, but when I caught up with him on the red carpet the day after the race, he was able to put it all in perspective. Here is my exclusive interview with David Maloukis for Pit Pass Indy. Our next guest won a lot of fans in Sunday's 110th Indianapolis 500. It's second place finisher David Maloukas of Team Penske. Al McGuire, famous basketball coach at Marquette, once said, losing hurts worse than winning feels good. And you experienced the other side. It looked like it hurt quite a bit. But when did it start to come around for you that you realized, I had a heck of a race?

David Malukas: I knew even then the race was spectacular. It was just to get to go so close last year. And then this year, I really thought we had all the cards and got so lucky with these yellows. We ended up not even getting the right strategy. It seemed like everything was put into our favor. P2 on the last restart is the best position you could be in. I really just thought we had it. And to just lose it on the line by a blink of an eye, It was tough for me to put into words the pain being that close to a dream come true. It's hard, and my emotions came out. My whole life leading up to this moment, all the hardships for myself, my family, friends, everybody around me. It was a lot of hard years, a lot of hard 24 years to get to this point, to be that close, for all that hard work to pay off. It was tough. It was tough. But in the end, it was a fantastic month from start to finish. And we're P2. P2 in the championship as well. And head is high. Right now, just me and the team, we are more driven than ever to go out there and really push for this win and finish off the season strong.

Bruce Martin: When were you aware that Felix was there? Because it looked like coming through the north chute, you had a pretty good lead, but he was coming. At what point were you aware he's going to really fight for it?

David Malukas: It was pretty much just outside of turn four. I listened to the spotter, had a look behind, and saw like, wow, he's on an incredible run, which is unexpected. In years past, you normally don't see runs like that coming out of turn four to the line. So normally, whoever's leading into turn three has it done, and I couldn't believe it that he had that big of a run. So it is what it is, and yeah, I tried to do what I could and couldn't get it done.

Bruce Martin: But everybody knew that you were here this year. I picked you yesterday as a guy that could win that race, and you nearly pulled it off. And to be able to just show the 12 car back up front at the Indianapolis 500.

David Malukas: It's got to be a great experience. It was. It very much was. And super happy from everybody, the whole crew of Verizon, Team Penske. To me, it's a dream come true. And to me, it feels like family.

Bruce Martin: Did you think you had won the race when you got to the Yard of Bricks?

David Malukas: No. I knew I did. And I saw his nose. I mean, it definitely looked farther than mine. So I pretty much knew that we didn't get it from the start.

Bruce Martin: And irony of all ironies, Doug Bowles told me today that although nobody really saw it, the battle for third place was better than the battle for the win.

David Malukas: I did see that. I did see that. It was incredibly close. It literally looked like the meme from Cars when he sticks his tongue out to cross the line. That was an incredible finish.

Bruce Martin: Well, I know that your heart ached on race day, but you've got a lot to be proud of. David Maloukas, it was a tremendous effort. You won a lot of fans yesterday. You're going to be a heck of a popular hero here in IndyCar. But good luck, and thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental. Thank you. Elio Castroneves is an owner driver at Meyers Schenck Racing. From inside the cockpit, Castroneves was attempting to become the first five-time winning driver of the Indianapolis 500. But from victory lane, Castroneves celebrated his first Indy 500 win as a team owner with driver Felix Rosenquist. CASTRONEVAS JOINED ME FROM THE RED CARPET FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE PIT PASS INDIE INTERVIEW.

Helio Castroneves: Yes, being a team owner and having both cars battling for the win on the last lap of the race, it was incredible. Winning this race, it's super rewarding and all credit to the MSR, of course. Yeah, for me it's an incredible feeling. Were you part of the Binkley's bash? Absolutely, yes. And how late did you stay? We started, I remember 2021 for sure. And yeah, that place, it becomes incredible since then. I won't tell you how late I was there.

Bruce Martin: No, it'll be our little secret. But as far though as your race, I know, you know, not the finish you wanted. So will you go back and reflect on whether you want to do this again?

Helio Castroneves: Look, today it's all about the team and great victory from Felix and that's what we celebrate. We're going to have time to discuss. It's another 360 day and that's what we're going to do.

Bruce Martin: Well your day job is a team owner at Meijer Schenck Racing, so it's kind of a little bit like Ed Carpenter.

Helio Castroneves: Right now I'm kind of like racing stock cars in Brazil, so I need to finish that season which is in December and then we're going to be talking a lot more for next year what we're going to do.

Bruce Martin: And finally, I spoke with you last week about Kyle Busch and they honored him last night, it was a very tearful moment that they had at the Coca-Cola 600 for Kyle Busch, but as you reflect back on just how that kind of cast a little bit of a pall on the entire weekend for everybody.

Helio Castroneves: Yeah, definitely was something unexpected. I'm not a doctor, but I've been with people that know. I believe it's something that you could prevent. But, you know, all of us, we believe we're superheroes, supermans, you know, Spiderman. I won't be, but now this is for us that are a little bit more, especially we are over 50. To really think about when something like that, you gotta check up. But now, obviously, as I said before, pray for the family, for the kids. And it's a very sad, sad story.

Bruce Martin: But Elio Castroneves, you brought a lot of smiles to the fans, especially here at the Indianapolis 500. Hopefully we'll see you back out there racing for number five again, but good luck in your stock car career down in Brazil and also my racing. Thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy. Thank you. We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Scott McLaughlin: Hi, I'm Scott McLaughlin, driver of the number three team Penske Chevy, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin: Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. Before we close this episode, we have some sad news to report. One of the most loyal Indy 500 one-off team owners, Dennis Reinbold, passed away over the weekend. The Indianapolis car dealer and longtime team owner had been battling cancer, but appeared to be making an improvement before taking a turn for the worse over the weekend. Dreyer and Reinbold Racing announced the team owner's passing at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, June 14th. Reinbold formed Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in 1999. The name paid tribute to his family's legacy in racing as Reinbold's grandfather, Floyd Pop Dreyer, moved from a factory motorcycle racer to serving as a crew member and chief mechanic on the famed Duesenberg driven by Benny Schoaf and Babe Stapp in the 1927 Indianapolis 500. Dreyer went on to build many Indy 500 cars in the 1930s, and built championship-winning sprint cars, midgets, and quarter midgets. Dreyer and Reinbold Racing began as a full-time team in the Indy Racing League in 1999, with driver Robbie Buell winning the team's first race at Walt Disney World Speedway. Since that time, the drivers for the team included Aluncer Jr., Ryan Hunter Ray, Buddy Lazier, and Buddy Rice, all drivers that won the Indianapolis 500 before joining Dreyer and Reinbold Racing. Other drivers included Graham Rahal, Sarah Fisher, Ryan Briscoe, Sage Karam, Roger Yasakawa, Mike Conway, Anna Beatrice, John Andretti, Justin Wilson, Paul Tracy, Oriol Servia, Townsend Bell, J.R. Hildebrand, Connor Daly, and Jack Harvey. In the 110th Indianapolis 500 on May 24th, Daly started 8th and finished 12th, leading 4 laps. Harvey started 33rd and finished 22nd. In the 109th Indianapolis 500 in 2025, Hunter Ray led 48 laps, the second most of any driver in that race, but ran out of fuel by using a fuel-stretching strategy late in the race. When the engine failed to refire after it was fueled, Hunter Ray finished 21st. But what made Reinbold's Indy 500 effort so unique is that was the only IndyCar race the team participated. It was a full-time IndyCar team until the 2013 season. After that, it focused on the Indianapolis 500 and other forms of racing such as rallycross. It focused solely on the Indianapolis 500 from 2014 through this year, except for a four-race effort for driver Sage Karam in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The team entered an engineering alliance and partnership earlier this season with Juncos Hollinger Racing. Dennis Reinbold left a lasting legacy at the Indianapolis 500, competing against the best full-time teams with a top-level Indy-only operation. We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break. And that puts a checkered flag on this edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. We want to thank our guests, including drivers Alexander Rossi, Keo Collette, Christian Lungard, Connor Daly, Josef Newgarden, Dennis Hauger, Mick Schumacher, Kyle Kirkwood, Marcus Ericcson, Scott Dixon, Marcus Armstrong, Pato O'Ward, Scott McLaughlin, David Maloukas, and Elio Castroneves for joining us on this edition of Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental. Also, we offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Indy 500 team owner Dennis Reinbold, who passed away over the weekend. Along with loyal listeners like you, our guests helped make Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Rental, your path to victory lane in IndyCar. 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 me at X, previously known as Twitter, at BruceMartin, one word, uppercase B, uppercase M, underscore 500. This has been a production of Evergreen Podcast. A special thanks to our production team. Executive producers are Bridget Coyne and Gerardo Orlando. Recordings and edits were done by me, Bruce Martin, and final mixing was done by Sean Rule Hoffman and Nathan Corson.