Q: I have been trying to keep up with the early/limited information coming out about the FOX/Indycar broadcast situation for next season. On Peacock, if we miss a live broadcast (steam or TV) of a race, qualification, or practice session, it was archived on the app so we could view it later. With FOX, if we miss a live 2025 race broadcast, will we be able to view the race later via the FOX app?
Jason
MP: I’ve never used the FOX Sports app, so I can’t say.
Q: I read your article on next year’s IndyCar streaming options and found the Venu service to be potentially prohibitively expensive. Even if it succeeds in court, I don’t believe that IndyCar viewership should be valued significantly higher than F1TV or other existing options. It seems to me that IndyCar may not fully consider fans as stakeholders in this situation.
As a long-time fan who generally embraces change, this situation could be a deal-breaker for me, and may even lead to the end of my enthusiasm for IndyCar. I’m exploring alternative options and would like to know if ‘IndyCar Live’ broadcasts practice sessions and qualifying rounds? Additionally, who handles the analysis for these broadcasts?
The current information on this topic seems unclear and possibly premature. Any insights you can provide on other available options (other than OTA) to view would be greatly appreciated, as I may need to consider spending my time and money on other forms of racing if the situation doesn’t improve.
Bruce
MP: I just don’t know, Bruce. I’m sorry.
Q: Is there any chance that Foyt would run three cars next year?
John
MP: Not that I’m aware of.
Q: Are there issues at MSR that keep drivers from staying? Looks like revolving doors.
Mark, Springfield, OH
MP: Jack Harvey was there from MSR’s debut in 2017 through 2021 and left for what he felt was a better opportunity. MSR hired Castroneves and Pagenaud from 2022-2023, and neither of them were spectacular — Andretti Global, its technical service provider, was also unspectacular — and weren’t retained. So that’s four years with Jack, two years with Helio and Simon, and other than parking Blomqvist in the second car and Malukas opting to leave for Penske by way of Foyt, I can’t see the revolving door.
Q: Big Possum is appalled. Apparently Santio is being kicked to the curb at Foyt because he needs to come up with 10 million dollars for the seat. He’s the best driver for Foyt since A.J. himself. What has IndyCar come to? I guess we know the answer to that. And then apparently Ganassi is instituting a driver development program to take kids from karting all the way to IndyCar but it is not a talent search, it is a ‘how much money does dad have’ search.
Big Possum longs for the days where the sprint/ midget racers got to Indy on talent –maybe Tony George had the right idea. Just to illustrate how far we have fallen, during the 1973 three-day Indy 500 rain delay, on the third day Mel Kenyon was home cutting his grass when someone called him and said “Mel, looks like they may run it today, you better come on down.” So Mel finished mowing the lawn and drove to the Speedway to finish fourth. Times have sure changed.
Big Possum once again suggests we go the small block Chev by Ilmor engines – cheaper, teams can work on them, and eliminates issues with Honda and GM wagging the dog. Just sayin’.
Big Possum
MP: I don’t know what Big Possum is talking about in the first paragraph. I expect Ferrucci and Malukas to be teammates next season. No, Ganassi hasn’t started the program. Its sponsor Journie started it and hired Ganassi to oversee it. Let’s just go to Flintstone foot-powered cars and really kill the series dead.
Q: I recently found a video produced by IndyCar talking about a prototype steering rack damper to prevent the steering wheel from spinning around violently during a crash. Do you know what happened to this technology?
Bernard Klespis-Wick
MP: A prototype was made, but never adopted. This is from a long time ago. I don’t remember why.
Q: I thought the No.3 car banging through for the win at Richmond had Dale Earnhardt Sr driving it. Reminded me of the mid 1990s. A little scrappiness is what NASCAR was made of and it’s a welcome sight. Some controversy gets press, and it was to get into the playoffs. [ED: Turns out that it wasn’t… ] Bravo to RCR and Austin Dillon. Let them race!
Craig B, Leland, NC
KELLY CRANDALL: That wasn’t scrappy. It was egregious.
Q: Regarding the finish of the NASCAR Cup race at Richmond, help my memory but I believe there was at least one but maybe two races in the late ‘80s where the winner was disqualified because they intentionally turned the previous leader in the last turn to win. I think they were both on road courses. Can anybody else recall this, and if so, are you like me wondering why they never made the same calls on ovals?
Craig C. Slinger, WI
KC: Denny Hamlin reminded everyone after Richmond Raceway that NASCAR does have rules to help keep drivers under control, but it’s about enforcing them. Particularly when the action is egregious, such as many felt about Richmond. So, now you have more drivers like Hamlin, and crew chiefs, calling for NASCAR to start making those calls in the moment. But NASCAR tends to stay out of policing how a driver acts behind the wheel; not wanting to make ball and strike calls. We’ll see if that mindset changes given what happened at Richmond.
As for your memory, that was before my time but I did ask a colleague who has covered this sport for decades and what came to mind for her was Sonoma Raceway when Ricky Rudd turned Davey Allison coming to the white flag and Allison was given the win as Rudd was black-flagged. It was 1991. And that moment is actually on the NASCAR YouTube page.