IndyCar’s “Monday Matinee” As Alex Palou Wins The Rain Rescheduled Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix in Nashville

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 As the host of Pit Pass Indy, I'm honored and humbled to be recognized for outstanding achievement as the twenty twenty six Society of Professional Motorsports Journalist on air broadcaster of the year presented at this year's one hundred and tenth Indianapolis five hundred. 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 our loyal listeners who continue to help Pit Pass Indy grow. IndyCar and Fox Sports had an opportunity to score a big rating in the July XIX Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Super Speedway because the FIFA World Cup Championship game was the lead-in on Fox. With a record viewership for the World Cup in the United States and a seamless transition from the World Cup trophy celebration to the opening ceremonies to start the NTT IndyCar Series race at Nashville, the possibility of having the largest TV audience outside of the Indianapolis Five Hundred was extremely realistic. Unfortunately for IndyCar, the mid-July climate in Middle Tennessee is extremely hot and humid and often triggers massive rainstorms. Just as Spain scored the lone goal in extra time in the World Cup championship game, a lightning strike near Nashville Super Speedway meant the grandstands had to be cleared and the teams were ordered to return to the garage area. A lightning strike near a racing facility or large sports venue starts a thirty-minute clock for the safety of those at the track or at the stadium. Every time the clock would get closer to expiring, another lightning strike started another thirty-minute clock. Eventually, a moderate amount of rain fell before track dryers started drying the one point three three mile concrete oval. At seven forty five p.m. Central Time, the track was nearly dry. But two minutes later, a heavy rainstorm followed. And eleven minutes after that, IndyCar and Nashville Super Speedway officials announced the race was postponed to Monday with a two p.m. Central Time start. The chance for a big viewership rating was washed away, but the race was held as a Monday matinee and Alex Pillow was the star, finishing ahead of all three Team Penske drivers as Joseph Newgarden was second, David Malukas third, and Scott McLaughlin fourth on a very hot and sunny day with the temperature at ninety degrees at the green flag to start the race and the heat index well over one hundred degrees. Most of the drivers were worn out after the two hundred and twenty five lap race at the one point three three mile oval, including the winner. But Palou kept his cool to claim his fifth win of the season. He extended his lead in the twenty twenty six NTT IndyCar Series standings to eighty three points over Malukas with five races remaining. It was also the one hundred and fiftieth career IndyCar victory for Chip Ganassi Racing. Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental caught up with Chip Ganassi Racing Senior Advisor and Alex Pillow's race strategist Barry Wanzer in Victory Lane to talk about the big win for Pillow and the milestone victory for Chip Ganassi Racing in this exclusive interview. Chip Ganassi Racing's senior strategist of the ten car, which is Alex Pillow, has joined us. Chip Ganassi Racing's one hundred and fiftieth IndyCar win. You've been there for most of them. It's quite an accomplishment. So what are your reactions now that it's one hundred and fifty wins that Chip Ganassi Racing has in IndyCar?

Barry Wanser:

Yeah, it's obviously it's a milestone that is very, very hard to achieve. Big congratulations to the team for getting there. Yeah, I've been fortunate to be around for most of them. I missed the wins from ninety six and started in ninety seven. But yeah, it's just been an incredible run for the team to get the hundred and fiftieth win. IndyCar win is just absolutely incredible. You know, in the race today, you know, we took a chance with an undercut. We were getting a point on the tires and then traffic that was going to cost us lap time. So we took a risk and we got lucky. Yellow came out and we were in the pit. So that gave us the lead after we got through the pit cycle and we're pretty happy.

Bruce Martin:

Alex Palos, thirteenth win in the last twenty-nine IndyCar races. That's an incredible percentage. Can you even reflect back to just how dominant he has been in the last twenty-nine races?

Barry Wanser:

Yeah, certainly when you look back, you know, we had an amazing year last year. I'm never going to forget that one, and certainly got a great year going this year. But that's, you know, I'm not a person who keeps track of stats, but when I hear them like that, it definitely brings back fond memories of a lot of success.

Bruce Martin:

And it's all about timing and strategy, and you had it today on one of the pit stops where he had committed the pit lane just before the yellow came out, and that was a big strategic move. How important was that?

Barry Wanser:

Well, that was the win right there. You know, the rest was up to him, but I can tell you we didn't pit to try to catch the yellow. We pit because we're in a position with lap traffic and the tires where we're going to lose a lot more time on track. So, you know, we got lucky, caught the yellow, and the rest was up to him.

Bruce Martin:

And final question with Barry Wanzer at Chip Ganassi Racing. From a personal standpoint, it was a big weekend for Alex Pelot. He's from Spain. Spain won the FIFA World Cup. I know that was a big deal to him yesterday. And to cap it off with his first victory on a Monday, he pointed that out. So how important is this and how much pride do you think it gives Spaniard sports fans all over the globe?

Barry Wanser:

Well, I think it's pretty huge. Obviously, I believe Alex is the first Spaniard to win the Indy . You know, he did last year. And obviously, to pull off a weekend like this when his home country pulls off the World Cup victory, I'm sure it's pretty special to him. You know, we had joked early on, it'd be lovely to get a Spain one-one this weekend, and it happened. It's certainly pretty incredible.

Bruce Martin:

Well, Barry Wanzer, from all of us at Pit Pass Indy, presented by Penske Truck Runnel, congratulations on the big victory. You had to beat three Team Penske drivers in order to do it, which had to be a pretty good accomplishment, but good luck the rest of the season, and it'll be off to Portland here in a couple of weeks.

Barry Wanser:

Thanks, Bruce.

Bruce Martin:

And now, let's hear from the winning driver of the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix, Alex Pillow, in this exclusive interview for Pit Pass Indy.

Barry Wanser:

Hello, Alex. Hey, Bruce. Viva la España.

Bruce Martin:

I hope I pronounced that right. You did. You did good. Yes. In less than twenty four hours, Spain wins the FIFA World Cup. And I know how important that was to you being from outside Barcelona. And then Monday, you win your first race at Nashville Super Speedway in the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix. It's been quite a twenty four hours for you. Obviously, winning the race is probably the most exciting. But when you consider that you representing Spain won a race when Spain won the World Cup, just how much does that really make this a special weekend for Alex Palo?

Alex Palou:

Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, just following the match yesterday and the game was incredible. Seeing Spain win was huge for everyone in Spain and also for me cheering from here. But yeah, topping it with a win today. I mean, I'm ten times more excited about my win than the soccer game. But honestly, it's been great. Just super proud to get another win. And yeah, I'm ready for the next one.

Bruce Martin:

I imagine the only thing that would have made that better was if the race had been held as scheduled right after the World Cup. IndyCar stood to have a huge viewership number if that had happened. Unfortunately, the rain had other ideas and the race got washed out and postponed to Monday afternoon. Pretty hot today. Its heat index is over a hundred. How tough was it for you inside the cockpit of the race car?

Alex Palou:

It was tough, man. It was very warm, very humid, tough to breathe. But same for everyone. So honestly, while I was driving, I was so comfortable with the car. When the car is running so good, it kind of makes your life a lot easier. And yeah, I was comfortable. I was able to breathe. Once I got out and I celebrated, I kind of felt the heat and being in the sun. Cannot imagine like all the crew and everyone that was baking in the sun. But yeah, it was great. Once you have a fast car, it kind of makes your life easier.

Bruce Martin:

You used to say that oval racing was your short suit, that it wasn't your strength. But now you've won three times. You drove a very smart race today. I guess you can't say that there are any tracks now that are a weakness for you.

Alex Palou:

I think it changes depending on the year, right? Like last year, we were not very good at street courses. This year, suddenly we got, I think, two or three wins at a street course. And now just getting better on oval. So I'm super happy for the team as well. It's been a place that we struggled. So it was great to get to win a huge result, huge boost of confidence and ready for the next oval that it's not coming up next. at the end of the season with a doubleheader at Milwaukee.

Bruce Martin:

Timing is everything and on one of your pit stops today you committed to coming down pit road right as it went yellow and Barry Wanzer said that was the key to the race for you. How important was that pit stop?

Alex Palou:

Yeah, it was huge. I'm surprised because this year we've been getting caught on yellows like every time or having stuff happening on yellows like Road America or Indy World Course. So I'm happy that this time we're very lucky. I think that shuffled us from like third or fourth to P-one and that helped us getting the win.

Bruce Martin:

You have thirteen IndyCar wins in your last twenty-nine IndyCar Series races. That's a heck of a percentage. Does that stat even shock you that it's that good?

Alex Palou:

It does, it does. When I look back, it does shock me, but it does not make me want to feel comfortable or anything. Yeah, I take it race by day, race by race, and I think it's just so cool that always a competition is so close and that we feel so good when we win. So, yeah, everybody's super proud. Everybody was celebrating so much after the win here. All my crew, everybody at the CGR, it was so cool to be part of.

Bruce Martin:

How hot was it inside the race car for you?

Alex Palou:

Very warm. It was very warm. It was tough to breathe. I think the yellows kind of helped everyone just getting the visors up and getting a little bit more F-Row. But it was tough, very tough. I think the next month is going to be tough as well. I think worldwide it's been super warm. But, yeah, same for everyone.

Bruce Martin:

It's your fifth victory of the season in IndyCar. There are five IndyCar Series races left in the season. Can we start the ten for ten again this year?

Alex Palou:

We can start. I don't think it's going to last long, but we can start it. Of course, it's doable. It's not impossible. But unfortunately, I think it's very, very tough.

Bruce Martin:

And finally, last week you were at the White House and you got to meet the president. It was for the Freedom to fifty Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. You were there with Indianapolis five hundred winner Felix Rosenquist and also David Maloukas. What was that like for you to experience the White House and meet the president of the United States and get a tour of the Oval Office and some of the other famous rooms in the historic people's house? Yeah.

Alex Palou:

Of the United States. It was incredible, an incredible experience that I never thought, I mean, growing up in Spain, that I would ever see the White House, I mean, the inside or the Oval Office. So being part of an official event with IndyCar, just promoting our race there that I can't wait. I think it's going to be a huge event for the drivers, the fans, and also the series. It was just an awesome experience. I felt like I was inside a movie, but it was real life.

Bruce Martin:

And what was it like having a conversation with the president of the United States?

Alex Palou:

A bit scary. I mean, it's obviously, yeah, I didn't, you don't feel comfortable when you're on big rooms like that with people that have so much power and that means so much for the world. You don't want to mess up and just say something that it's wrong. But it was just cool to be able to have that opportunity.

Bruce Martin:

Well, Alex Pillow, go enjoy some air conditioning. You've earned it with your fifth victory of the twenty twenty six season. You extend your points lead in the IndyCar Series championship. Good luck the rest of the season. I'm sure we'll talk again. And thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Alex Palou:

Thank you, Bruce.

Bruce Martin:

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

Joseph Newgarden:

Hey, everyone. This is two time Indy five hundred winner Joseph 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. Team Penske driver Joseph Newgarden is a native of Hendersonville, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville, and was the defending winner at Nashville Super Speedway entering the race. Newgarden is the focal point of any IndyCar Series race in Nashville and is having a pretty good season considering he continues to recover from an injured left foot from a crash in the Turn Four wall in the May twenty-fourth, one-hundred-and-tenth Indianapolis Five-Hundred. In Monday's race, Newgarden finished second to winner Alex Pillow by zero-point-eight-seven-three-one of a second. A few days before the race, I caught up with Joseph Newgarden at an event on Broadway in Nashville for this exclusive interview for Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. It wouldn't be Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Run unless we talk to Team Penske driver Joseph Newgarden, especially here at Nashville. Defending winner of this race back in twenty twenty five. I know you're ready to win it again this weekend. How is this race so important to you being a true homegrown Tennessean?

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, I just love the fact that we're in Nashville. I think it's important for us to be racing here. Even if I wasn't from here, I would want to see Nashville on the schedule. So that part of it is fantastic to see, and I want to see it for years to come. It's nice for me. I get to sleep in my own bed. It's a quick drive to the track, so that part makes it easy. And it's a great market for us. I just think from a Midwest standpoint, we have a lot of concentration of fans in this vicinity, and it's a great destination to come to, and it's a great race to come see.

Bruce Martin:

So on Fox fifty-nine the other day, I made sure to point out that what you're doing right now, considering the injured left foot, is pretty remarkable. I've asked you this in the past, but it seems like you thrive when you're injured, that you pick the game up a little bit more to overcome the injury. Would you agree that's a true statement on the way you approach racing?

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, you know my answer, Bruce, but I think the team has really just done a tremendous job this year. We show up to each race, it seems like, in a better position from the very start of the year. You know that we're in a different cycle on the team. And I think that we're really growing and developing in a positive way. I mean that. I really mean that. I'm happy about where we're headed. And I believe wholeheartedly in what we're doing. And that makes my job pretty easy. every single weekend and I feel like you know each track we're just improving and you know I'm excited to see what we can do in August you know obviously this this weekend in Nashville is important too but there's that huge stretch non-stop to finish the season and I'm really excited to see what we can put together.

Bruce Martin:

When this race was held downtown, it had a tremendous amount of vibe and atmosphere that it may not have all the way out at Nashville Super Speedway, but the oval puts on a fantastic race. So how do you balance what should be the permanent home of this event?

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, I like either or. I really do. I love the Super Speedway. I grew up there as a kid. I went to many of those races watching IndyCars specifically. I think it produces a great show. I thought, you know, it's a fun track to drive. I love being at the Super Speedway. I also love being downtown. You know, I think you could have a situation maybe where you trade them in the future. You go back and forth depending on the year. Or if we come back downtown, I'm happy with that too. I like both scenarios. I just want to make sure we're in the Nashville market. I think it's important for the series. I think it's good for Nashville. So, you know, ultimately my goal is just that we're racing in this vicinity.

Bruce Martin:

How important is it to have Scott Borchetta all in on this event? Because he's so connected to the music industry, and now he's got Borchetta Bourbon, the entertainment industry in general. How important is it to have Scott Borchetta involved in this event?

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, Scott's always been a key piece, I think, to the national market. He's a true racer. He's been a part of IndyCar's history from a long, long time ago. And he supports the series in a great way. He understands what we're doing. He sees the significance of IndyCar racing and how prominent of a motorsport form it is. So he does so much to make sure that this market thrives and that we're here with IndyCar. So he's a big piece of it and owes a ton of, I think we owe a ton of gratitude to Scott. And at the end of the day, he's a great teammate and ally for all of us. And I think he'll continue to be for a long time.

Bruce Martin:

Next weekend is the weekend of the Brickyard . It's the last off weekend of the season for IndyCar. Five races in a four-week period of time. How tough is that going to be, not only for the drivers, but for the crew guys and for the guys who haul the drive the transporters back and forth across the country?

Joseph Newgarden:

It's important. You know, it's going to have a big stretch here. that we've got to get right. And that's going to decide the fate of the championship. But it's going to be tough on everybody. I'm ready for it. I think the team's going to be ready for it. We've just got to see how well we can execute on the equation.

Bruce Martin:

And how much have you circled the Freedom Two-Fifty Grand Prix of Washington, DC, Because it's very important to the country. It's very important to IndyCar. It's very important to Roger Penske. And it's important for sports in the United States. It will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race at Washington, D.C. So how big of a crowning achievement would that be for any driver to win that race?

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, certainly the Freedom Two-Fifty is unique in so many respects. And it's an honor to be in our nation's capital racing Indy cars. I don't know that we'll ever see that again. So it would be a big deal to win that race. If it's only once that it's going to happen, you want to seize the moment and have as good of a weekend as possible.

Bruce Martin:

You talked about Team Penske, the overall team. You went through this earlier in your career where you got so close to winning a race, second place finishes, and couldn't quite get there. That's what David Malukas is going through right now. So how would you describe his level of progression at Team Penske? Because he's fast, he's fearless, he's come pretty close to winning some big races.

Joseph Newgarden:

Well, young David is doing a tremendous job. He doesn't need to be doing anything different. than what he's displaying. He is fast. He's fierce. He's a great teammate. He's got great feel for the car. And with the way that he's been performing, it's not going to take long for him to convert to a win. I'm surprised we haven't seen one yet. He's shown race winning performances all the way throughout. So he doesn't need any advice from us. He's doing a great job.

Bruce Martin:

And also, you're sneaking into being in the top five after you're in the top five. of the season championship. You can maybe look at a top three finish. I don't know if that's mathematically possible, but you're in it. There's a lot of racing left to go. You'd have to consider this to be a very proud season considering everything you have gone through.

Joseph Newgarden:

Yeah, it's been a mixed year in some ways, but to win two races is not easy to do. And I like the trajectory that we're on more than anything. So I'm always confident in our team and more confident than ever right now.

Bruce Martin:

Well, Joseph Newgarden, you're always in high demand, especially here in Nashville. Good luck this weekend. Good luck the rest of the season. Thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Joseph Newgarden:

Thanks, Bruce.

Bruce Martin:

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

David Malukas:

This is David Malukas, driver of the number twelve 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. David Malukas of Team Penske started twenty-fifth in the twenty-five car starting lineup because he had a hard crash in Saturday morning's practice session and had to go to a local hospital for further evaluation. Because of that, he did not have a chance to qualify, but was cleared later that day by IndyCar Medical in time to participate in Saturday evening's final practice session. But Lucas ended up the fastest driver in that session, and Pit Pass Indy was among a group of media members who spoke to him afterwards. Well, that was a day.

David Malukas:

Yeah. Wow. Talk about busy in a different way, right? I mean, it was rushing. I was eating lunch while getting my knee scanned and looked at just to make the timing for this last practice. But, I mean, what an incredible support group behind me and this team to get this car flipped and ready to go. I mean, they almost had this thing ready for qualifying, which is unreal. So, yeah, we definitely would not be able to be here standing right now doing practice session without the group behind me. Honestly, it felt really good. You know, medical team got me sorted out and obviously a little bit of adrenaline. I mean, I'm running on there. Honestly, with the knee, all the pain is with movement. And in the car, my knee is at full extension, so there's no pain. It's pretty funny. It's painful getting in and out, but once you're in it, it's great. I love it. No, we were thinking about wrapping it, giving some sort of protection, but honestly it's not needed. We can maybe put like a knee pad just in case if, I mean the track's a little bit bumpy, you never know, coming down in pit lane there, you know, with the turn four, if we need to come in turn four under yellow, there's a pretty big bump and my knee, obviously it's bruised, so tapping it, maybe can put a pad there, but right now I'm not running any. I mean, we went so slow to start practice, right? It was a lot of just taking my time to get back up to speed and I know I just got really comfortable. We have really good teammates. Obviously, Joseph and Scott gave me fantastic data. And by the end of the session, I mean, I felt very comfortable and pretty much back to at least ninety percent of where I would have been with a pre injury.

Bruce Martin:

When they told you what you had to do in order to get cleared, do you sit there and think, I got a teammate that's got one leg, and he's able to get in and out. This is going to be a piece of cake.

David Malukas:

Yeah, well, Joseph actually came to me, and he was like, you all good? You know, he's coming in on the crutches. I was like, I don't know what's going on. Us Penske drivers being injured. But, no, I have a really good support group. Everybody is helping me so much. Like, I truly mean it. From Penske to the AMR safety team, the hospital, everybody. The amount of help I'm getting right now is the only reason why I got in there. Without this help, I would be, my leg would be. raised somewhere and I wouldn't be able to move it. So it's a big kudos to these people.

Bruce Martin:

Malukas went into further detail on what happened in the crash.

David Malukas:

Yeah, it just snapped on me. No, no, it just snapped on me. Obviously didn't help myself with the tools. I was getting a lot of push on entry, so kept moving that front bar and obviously mid-corner went turn one and had a big snap. It could have been many different things, but yeah, very, very unfortunate because obviously the car has space.

Bruce Martin:

When Malukas hit the wall, it was with such force that his knee knocked the steering wheel off the steering column.

David Malukas:

Yeah, I don't know. It's really interesting. Obviously, I was talking with the medical team. They said, it's actually, I'm not the first person to have that. And it seems this new occurrence that's happening. So they took pictures of everything and they're going to study it. Normally, when there's a repetitive situation that's happening like this, where my knee is going up and hitting that knee, I mean, they're going to find something and they'll make sure it won't happen again. On Saturday night, Malukas was asked what he expected in the race. It's gonna be a lot of passing. You know, a lot of it's going to be with the sweeping, you know, under yellow. Because, I mean, you do fifteen laps. The marbles is truly, it's a lot. I mean, you go half a line. I mean, Kyle came out of the pits. I went half a line just to pass him on the inside. I mean, I almost slid off in turn one. That's how bad the marbling is. And I think that's what a lot of those incidences were at the end there. People weren't even going that high, and they're getting caught out by it. So it's going to be a lot of yellows in those first ten, fifteen laps. But it's going to be hard work. But actually, I was thinking going into this race, it's such a long race. I was like, man, it's going to be tough work. But now I'm happy. The longer the race, the more opportunity for us to go forward.

Bruce Martin:

If the race had been held on Sunday evening, it was scheduled to be a three hundred lap race. But with the move to Monday during the heat of the day, IndyCar reverted it back to last year's two hundred and twenty five lap distance. It took little time for Malukas to race his way from last to the lead. He chose to delay his first pit stop and was in the lead on lap thirty three. Team Penske committed to a three pit stop strategy for Malukas, while every other driver in the top seventeen pitted four times. The strategy worked for Malukas, who finished third and led fifty-nine laps. That was second to race winner Alex Palou, who was in front for ninety-seven laps in the two hundred and twenty-five lap race. Still feeling the effects from his crash and exhausted from the grueling heat and humidity, Malukas needed an IV after the race to rehydrate after the podium celebration in Victory Lane. But David's father, Henry Malukas, was very proud of how his son overcame adversity over the weekend with a podium finish. Here is an exclusive interview with Henry Malukas for Pit Pass Indy. Henry Malukas, father of David Malukas, it was quite a weekend for you as a father because on Saturday David had the crash and it was a question there whether he'd be cleared in time to even compete in the race. Comes back out and he drives from the Back row all the way to the lead there for a good bit of the race in Monday's Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix. I know it was tough. It was very hot and we've seen the boy needs to get some IVs to get back some fluids in him. But from a father's standpoint, how much does that show what a bulldog he is on the track?

Roger Penske:

Oh, well, I'm going to be biased, right? But I think he had, I look like he has the fastest car, and I think he had a good chance to win today. Actually, I thought he was going to win, but, you know, he came third. I think that's amazing. Amazing job, no question. It's a good success. I don't know what to say. Coming from the back, passing and everything, it seems pretty hard, but he can still do the passing. So that's a big win. Third place, obviously third. But in my eyes, that's a big win from what they had.

Bruce Martin:

Does his toughness and tenacity come from his father? Of course. Just how proud are you because today was very hot, pretty humid. The goal was to run this race right after the FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, the rain had other ideas and it didn't happen last night. Instead, we come back in the middle of the day on a Monday. and run the race, but it was a pretty fast paced event. What did you think of just what he was able to do on the track?

Roger Penske:

No, yeah, I mean, I saw this morning and I knew it is like ready and it was ready to go. And I'm very proud, very proud. Amazing job. You know, after this crash, obviously still a little bit banged up, but can't be more proud. This is a good ending. You know, I had, you know, my friends testing, you know, like we'll be always next time. I texted back. We don't have to wait for the next time. We're going to get this time.

Bruce Martin:

Unfortunately, Alex Pillow continues to win races in this series, and I say unfortunate from the other competitor's viewpoint, but from a racing standpoint, what he's been able to do is this thirteenth win in twenty-nine IndyCar races, that's a heck of a percentage, and he just continues to set the bar higher and higher, but it looks like David is doing his best to keep up with that bar.

Roger Penske:

Yeah, I mean, this is a first year for David, for a proper team. Obviously, that's the next level, and I think it's just the beginning right now. I think that's just the start for him. He's going to keep improving.

Bruce Martin:

Well, Henry Malukas, it wasn't a win. It was a podium finish on a difficult day, but go enjoy it. We'll see you in a couple of weeks when we get back to Portland, and thank you for joining us on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. Thank you. Thank you so much. We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Henry Malukas:

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:

And that puts a checkered flag on this edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. We want to thank our guest, four-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Alex Pillow, the winner of the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix, Chip Ganassi Racing senior advisor and Pillow's race strategist Barry Wanzer, Nashville's own Joseph Newgarden of Team Penske, David Malukas of Team Penske, and his father, Henry Malukas, for joining us on this edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental. Along with loyal listeners like you, our guests help 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 five hundred. 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.