#16 - Conor Daly

Rico Elmore and Ken Stout are joined in the studio by guest Conor Daly. Conor recently joined Ed Carpenter Racing and will drive the #20 US Air Force car in the Road and Street courses, as well as the 2020 Indy 500.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Connor Daily and this is the Skinny from Fathead
Studios and Speedway Indiana. This is the Skinny. Welcome, ladies
and gentlemen to the Skinny, the Birthday edition. Everybody singing
Happy birthday to Rico Elmore. Happy birthday, pal, Thanks, happy birthday,

(00:23):
Thank you, thank you. Thanks for this beautiful place here
we get to come and have a little bit of
fun and we want to welcome one of the superstars
in Indy. Car Connor Daily is in the house here today.
Thanks for showing up. Brother. Hey, thank you guys. Thanks
for having me in the same really impressive place that's
behind the innocent facade of a bookstore. Oh that's Batman,
I think right. I love it. Whatever you say. This

(00:46):
is Amazon. Yeah, they should sponsor us, because I do.
I do pump them up here a lot, so anything
you want me, and the stock just continues to rise.
The whole world's going down thanks the coronavirus, and Amazon
probably going up. Yeah yeah, but they will have a
cure in one of those kids. They're selling hand sanitizer

(01:08):
for a hundred and fifty bucks. Now, all those masks
that used to be a dollar eighty nine or now
thirty five dollars, but they will save your life and
if you want to wear them while mowing, they help
as well. Exactly excellent stuff. So the guy sitting alongside
here has some has some credentials to go along with him.
We'll go back a little bit, probably around the age

(01:30):
fifteen or sixteen. One starts a carding East and I
bring that up because that was a vicious series back
in the day. Skip Barber Champions Star, Mazda Champion, Formula
two thousand Champion, won the Walter Hayes Formula Forward Trophy
at silver Stone and England, first ever American to to
do that. Congratulations, So you've had some stuff under your belt, brother,

(01:53):
Thank you. No, it's um, it's been an interesting life. Uh.
I thought it was gonna be a lot different. And
when I was that age doing those things and winning
those things, Um, I wanted to have a Lamborghini by
age twenty one and a house. Didn't have either of
those things. And you know, it's been interesting for sure,
but I can't complain no regrets. As they say, it's

(02:15):
been a wild ride. And you know, to be an
any car driver still, um, it's really cool. Yeah, Well
you gotta have goals. I mean, there's nothing wrong with
the lamboat with twenty one. That's a good one. I've
moved it to thirty one now, that's what I've moved
it to. So you've done some other things as well.
Of course you've enjoyed some success in in any car,
but as of late, we've seen you inside of a midget.

(02:37):
I had the pleasure of spotting for you last year.
You were in a Lambeau and you actually want a race.
That's not all bad. Yeah, I know, we um last year. Yeah,
I was really interesting. You know, starting the year, I
only had one race on my calendar, you know, the
Inn five Under with Andretti Oto Sport, which was awesome,
really incredible chance. But then you know, we did the
Lamborghini Super Trepas series as well, and I think our

(02:58):
car won the most races in the in the season,
which is really cool. We're a third at the world
finals UM in Italy or Spain. UM. So yeah, it was.
It ended up being a really wild year. You know,
when I when I lost my IndyCar ride full time
and like at the end of it was like a
whole full reset. Ended up doing you know, one one

(03:19):
race we had the eighteen UM and then ended up
doing more races with Harding, uh, the IndyCar team at
the time, and then basically I think I had to
think again, all right, where are we going to take
this program too? And we took the Air Force to
the next level with andredy Otto Sport, which is really cool,
and then ended up driving for two other teams last

(03:39):
year as well and did seven races instead of just
one UM, so it became a much busier season. Um
life has sort of started to you know, go back
the right direction where I wanted to go, and um,
it's all released since I started racing on dirt as well,
so maybe that's you know, yeah, the missing piece of
the puzzle. Yeah, yeah, you know, they're a lot of

(04:00):
exposure there and and the midgets, uh, the midgets, I
think the guys that are at the top of that field,
you know, have eyeballs on them all the time. And
certainly the chili ball. I know you went there and
honestly don't know how you ended up to be somewhere
in the in the soup there on Saturday, I'm guessing,
but I mean it's some of the best drivers of
all time. End up in the soup on Saturday. So

(04:21):
it's not a not a huge deal there. But it's
a tough, tough sport and the guys inside of that
gig that race the better part of a hundred times
a year, are hard to beat. Oh yeah, for sure.
I mean the dirt racing stuff has been very challenging
for me. I mean it's the opposite of what I've
been doing ever since I started. Um, you know, my
dad never even knew where a dirt track was when

(04:43):
I was growing up. He was very much, you know,
an open wheel guy, Formula one Indy car um. So,
so yeah, it's it's been cool to try something. I
was at a stage in my life where I was like,
I don't really have anything to lose, so let's just
try whatever I can. I can do whatever's you know
on the table to to do. And and that was it.
So um, you know, David Bird made that happen for us,
which is really cool, and he's been really supportive of that.

(05:05):
And then Scott Petree lately has been, you know, any
time that we want to race, he's basically put a
car out there for us and it's been a really
good car. So um, It's been a lot of fun,
but I don't know how much more I'm gonna do.
I think I've kind of like it's really hard because
as a driver, you're really competitive and you want to
do well, but like it takes years to like do
well against the guys that have been doing it for years.
So it's like, I don't know if I want to

(05:26):
you know, continue to get you know, beat up on
the racetrack and just you know, go through that. But
it it is fun and it is enjoyable, and I
do think I'm learning something from it. But um but
thankfully I've got like an indie car right now where
it's almost full time against that I can focus on
that and and be the best driver that I can
be this year. I've heard that one or two years

(05:47):
in the dirt will really help you on the asphalt.
Many more than that, I've heard can develop some bad habits. Yeah,
I don't know. I mean, I think people ask me,
do you do you think it is helping you? And
I said, well, it's not hurting me, so that that's good. Um,
you know, all the stuff that I did last year
was all ovals except for you know, two races, so um,

(06:09):
and they all went pretty well. Um, you know better
than you know they have gone in the past. So
that's that's that's a good sign. Um. I think I
am learning stuff from it. I think it's been a
lot of fun and it's I think it's we gotta
keep bringing you know, motorsport fan bases together rather than
separating them. So, um, you know, if if I can
help out at all in doing that, then then that's great.

(06:30):
I've got to ask you. The word on the street
I think coming out of two thousand nineteen is that
you would secure a ride with Andretti and and US
Air Force and then all of a sudden, the last
you know, the last pr that comes out. You go
with Carpenter and you're doing all the road courses and
to throw a little caveat in, I've kind of heard
a little rumored that there might be an oval track

(06:50):
deal with carlm. Yeah. I don't know about that yet,
but but we Yeah, I mean the Air Force program,
you know, Andretti is is an incredible operation, and they've
got so many ours and you know they as a business,
you know, they accept they brought in Colton Herda, that's
you know, five full time cars, so then you know,
where do we fit in. It just didn't work for

(07:11):
for the amount of budget that the US Air Force
had to spend. Um, and ed situation was literally perfect, um,
you know, for for how much the Air Force was
able to you know, contribute to the program. For how
much that they were able to get out of it. Um.
You know, it's awesome. And I've I've known Ed for
such a long time. He's a great owner, he's a
great person. You know, he's a he's a very much
tied to Indiana, you know, almost as much as I am.
And um, it's it's it's really cool to be a

(07:34):
part of that team. Obviously, they show up at India
every year with incredibly fast cars. I mean, the guy's
been on Pole a hundred million times. He's had too
All three of his cars qualified on top four last year,
so that's crazy. Um, you know, that's better than Penskey,
that's better than any other team. So it was a
good spot. And you know, to get back on the
road courses again is a lot of fun for me.

(07:55):
You know, I haven't got to start the season since
two thousand and seventeen, so it's nice to be able
to go into st eat um, you know, ready to
get to work, and then I already have four races
under my belt before we can get to the niff Hider,
which I think is always super helpful. The one off
efforts are very hard, like very difficult to just go
through his entire winner spring and then show up at
the biggest race in the world and just go racing

(08:16):
for five So it would be nice to be warmed
up um for for that one when it comes. When
it comes around, you're excited about seat time going into Indianapolis.
But we were just talking with Dixon the other day
and he said, we're going into the first race. I've
been in the car for a day and a half.
So the limited seat time even going into the season
is so much different than it used to be. But

(08:37):
like you said, to have no seat time at all
and then try to come into Indie, it's a tall,
tall task. It's tough. And the funny thing is is
like I have a rookie teammate, Rinas vik And, and
he's had I think like six days in the car,
five days in the car already. Because the way the
rookie days work and the way um you know that
whole situation played out since December. I think he's been
in the car almost six days, and like we got

(08:59):
to we got to wo for the big preseason training
and it was freezing cold. It was raining all the time.
You know. I had like two and a half hours
in the car, and then we tested at Seabring this
week and then yeah, now we're going racing. So for
the veterans, like Scott said, it's like we've had a
day and a half and there's a lot of new stuff.
With the aeroscreen, it's you know, you've got sixty pounds
added to the car right above the driver. That changes

(09:19):
the balance quite a lot. UM. So it's gonna be
interesting to see how it how it all plays out.
I think St pete Um is always kind of a
bit of a gamble and then a bit of a
roll of the dice for a lot of people. But
once you get like two three races in, then I
think people start to really fine tune what they've got
UM and work with them. Then Indy is the first
oval with the aeroscreen as well, so that could be

(09:40):
a really interesting, um you know, science project as well. Yeah,
and that's sixty pounds from what I've heard has really
changed the balance of the car. Yeah, I mean in
the day and a half that I've had it definitely
has um it and it's just odd. I mean I
had to make a new seat as well because I
couldn't see anything in my old seat out of the
air screen and it was it was too low because

(10:01):
we've got vents now that kind of are above the
steering wheel and on the top of the tub. Um.
So it's definitely something to get used to. Uh. And
I think we still have some work to do. We've
been on the simulator like six days as well, UM,
trying to figure out, you know what, what we want
to show up with it St. Pete. UM, and I
hope we make the right choices, but um, but yeah,

(10:22):
it's it's definitely throwing a wrench in the in the
whole program for sure. So who else running St. Pete
with you guys? So it's just me and Renus. Yeah,
so we're it'll be me and Renus on all the
road and street courses and then uh ed obviously in
Renus for the ovals and then I'm just like the
third guy at indeed. So it's good. Renus is good.
I mean he's nineteen. He's I mean, it's crazy to

(10:43):
think that I'm like that much older than now. I
mean I'm eight. And he's like, he's very fast. He's
a really good driver from he came from the roads. Indeed,
so he did all the you know us F two thousand, um,
you know pro Mazda stuff like that or what Indie
pro two thousand whatever it is now. Um, and he's
you know, he finished second in the Indy Lights Championship
last year, so he's been on quite a rise. But

(11:06):
any car is a whole another level. So there's gonna
be a lot that he's gonna have to learn this year,
and um, yeah, we'll see how it goes. That's exciting.
I mean the last time you know that was with
our suite that's out at the track. Uh, that's our
trip every year. Unfortunately, not gonna be able to do
it this year with some other things in the way,
but uh, you know it, it's it's always great. It's

(11:28):
a great place to start, of course, you know, great weather,
beautiful place to begin with, but it's it is you
see some really really good people get get kind of
jammed up down there. So it's a it's kind of
a crap shoot. And this year too as well. I
think there's gonna be twenty seven cars. Yeah, there's like

(11:49):
there's a lot of tracks that are actually having to
rethink their pit lanes because they might not have enough
space for everyone. And that's like great for the series.
Like we've got a lot more cars. Um, you know,
I think there's twenty four full time cars rather than
twenty two, which is great. But you also have at
least five or six races like the Grand Prix of
Indie might have like twenty nine cars. Like it's it's

(12:09):
crazy because you've got the fourth Penske running, You've got um,
You've got like the Dragon speed cars, You've got um
Spencer Piggott coming back. Like there's a lot more cars
now for the year, which is great, and and Roger
Penskey obviously has helped that. Obviously, I've been adding money
to this series. Doesn't help or doesn't hurt anything, you
know what I mean when you remodel a ton of money, Yeah,

(12:31):
and remodeling all the bathrooms exactly, bathrooms, cutting down trees
yeah yeah, I was for the tree cutting yeah the
way Yeah, because now you can see from our suite
all the way at X of one. So he did
it for you? Yeah, well I know, yeah, I mean
were going to green fans sims. Yeah, thank you very much.

(12:54):
Cutter Apparently he's going to replant every tree that was
cut down somewhere else I don't know. Just happens to
be in the neighborhood behind the play Yeah, right in
front of the turn two sweets. I just think the
name Roger Pensky coming into the program quite possibly instigated
a couple more cars coming in. I mean, the confidence

(13:15):
that people have that he's going to make this think better,
it's huge, I hope. So. I mean, you know, putting
two million in the purse, so then you have a
hundred two. I mean, heck, all the drivers are happy
about that. I mean, do we get much of that?
I don't really know. I don't think so. But I
think at least the teams, you know, will get quite
a considerable amount more money, which is cool. And yeah,
I think there's a lot of good momentum in our series.

(13:39):
I think we really have to use that because, like
I think NASCAR is doing a really good job as well,
and who they're paying to market for them, and who
they're paying to be at their races, but like they're
spending money in a in a really good fashion. It's
like I see so much more NASCAR than I have
ever seen, like on the internet and on TV now,

(14:00):
and so like we gotta be able to match that.
We're obviously a lot smaller, like a lot smaller series,
way lower budgets. But like I think with seeing NASCAR
TV ratings go up for like this first few races
of the year is like I didn't know that was
possible for most sports, but now it is. And so
like if they can do it, we can do it
because like our product is very good. Well and that's

(14:21):
I mean the like the race that uh you know,
uh St Louis for instance. I don't know that there's
a better race. I mean just just the excitement and
how much movement and everything like that. I mean I
go to a lot of Cup races. I mean, they
have their deal in themselves by all means of what
they do. But I'm telling you the IndyCar product, you know,

(14:44):
and and as we talk about with you know, with drivers,
I mean, you know, you guys are who they come
to see. Okay, you just happen to be in a car,
but you guys are who they come to see. That
was always, you know, that was always my thing with
the nh are A. We were always talking about how
cool it was and how you know, the nhr A
you had, you know, you had you know, you had

(15:09):
a lot of access to the driver and you could
walk up and at the end of the day, that's
what it's about. I mean, I was telling the story
the other day. The first time I ever met A J.
I was maybe five or six years old. It's probably
maybe seven or eight. But anyhow, I believe it or not,
my mother had to go on the field trip with
me to the speedway because I don't know, they must

(15:32):
thought she would be a better chaperone than anybody else
I wouldn't listen to. But anyhow, so I had talked
her into I had to use the restroom, which really
meant let's go get autographed since break away from the
crap of the group, which we did. And uh so, anyhow,
we went down there and I met A J. And
it was you know, that had to be you know,

(15:54):
early eighties, right, and I've never forgotten it, and you know,
he just he's just an iconic figure. Or you know,
and then you know my relationship with you know, Uncle
Bobby and you know some of these other guys. I mean,
that's what people need to know about. That's what they
need to understand. They need to understand who connord Alia is,
where you came from, and you know, and that's kind

(16:15):
of you know, when Kenn and I first started talking
about this and started doing this, was we just really
want to talk to the person. You know. The racing
thing is kind of a side note to us, which
we think it's cool, we love it, we're into it,
but you know, it's more about you know, knowing who
the guy is in there and that you know, the
hardships and the fights that it took to get to
where you are today, which is pretty awesome for sure.

(16:37):
And I think any cars there they are focusing on that.
Like their campaign for this year is a different breed, right,
So that's that's kind of cool. Like what we're doing
is is definitely more dangerous than NASCAR or forming the
one or whatever. So like they're kind of focusing on
the fact that, like we might have a few screws looser,
we might be a little crazy, but but that's why

(16:59):
we love it it so I think there's a lot
of positive stuff going on, and yeah, they want to
show who we are and and and and how we
got to where we are and how we got the
ability to you know, shut off the danger part of
our brain and just go out there and you know,
do our thing. You know, when spotters land, we refer
to him as the fast cars. Yeah, I mean we

(17:21):
spot you know, you spot for for NASCAR, you spot
for Exfinity or whatever, and just in common lingoes, what
are you doing this week? And I'm spot one of
the fast cars and then making reference to an anycar
of course, and going back to your your point about St.
Louis Um and your point about danger, I mean, in
this world of extremes, which everybody wants to go watch,

(17:41):
they want to go watch X games, they want to
watch freestyle motocross, and these guys doing crazy stunts, you know,
on these bikes, which is unbelievable. But in a world
full of extremes that people want to watch, people hang
out on the edge. I'm blown away that the grand
stands aren't just absolutely packed at every single oval track
for any car, because it just does not get any
sketchier than that it is absolutely and saying what you

(18:05):
guys do, how close you are tire smoke coming off
of the cars, you know, where you're banging, and the
winds blowing you around, and and you're trying to keep
it within a fraction of an inch of another car.
But one more inch and it's disaster. Yeah, yeah, I
mean it. It is crazy what we're doing. I mean
and even the road course product right now too, is
really good and it's great racing, and it's just it's

(18:25):
just a matter of literally forcing people to watch it,
like NASCAR forces you to watch them and like and
it works, like they really like it's it's just it's
a matter of putting our product in front of people
at the right time the right places, are at least
making people aware enough to know, like, hey, this is
what we've got going on. Check it out, because what
we're doing here is very crazy, and like, especially on

(18:49):
the ovals, I agree, like is super wild, and like
Gateway is one of my favorite races obviously, And and
they that the track promoter and those that the event
people do such a great job making aware of that event,
Like you're right next to a major city and they've
they've packed the stands every year so far, and that's awesome.
Like I wish we could do that with Texas still,
I wish we could do that. You know. IOA does

(19:10):
a pretty good job as well, because it's a night
race again and that's great. But like every over race
should be a night race, right other than the ND five,
I think, and and I think that's um, we're getting there.
We're getting there. It takes time, you know, but it's
on the rise the other day. I mean, and even
the road courses where when you go to these road
courses Mid Ohio and walking School in Road America, I
mean you look at the campers and the stuff that's

(19:30):
going on, these massive facilities are packed on the in side.
It's incredible. And that's the party, the party, right, it's
the weekend party exactly. And I think I think our
at track fan like base is great. Like you you
Long Beach every year sold out, you know, the Road
America every years sold out. I mean all those classic
Mid Ohio, all the classic road courses and all the

(19:52):
street courses are like very well attended events, and like anyone,
I think everyone is aware of that. But then the
people are like, oh well that we saw Texas well,
Texas has like two hundred thousand seats because they built
it years ago, you know what I mean, Like you're
not gonna fill that, but like are racing there. It's
on a great show. So I think there are a

(20:13):
couple of places where obviously we can still do a
better job, but the product is not the problem right now,
the product is definitely not the problem. I think. I
think we know that. It's just a matter of forcing
people to be more aware of what the heck we're doing. Yeah,
and that social media you talked about, I think in
the beginning, in the beginning, just call it, even a
few years ago, so fragmented, everybody wasn't really sure what

(20:34):
way do we go? How do we really approach us?
Well now and also courtesy of technology, they were able
to hone in on the audience that they want. They
want that demographic, whatever it may be that you know,
whatever the sport is that they want to hone in on.
And now the technology has allowed them to really do that.
And you're right, I think Nascars has done a much
better job. And no, no question, any car is on

(20:56):
it as well, so they can get that information right
in front of the people I want to go and watch. Yeah,
I mean, like the deal that NASCAR did with like
Barstool Sports. I think it was like one of the
best things that happened to NASCAR in the last twenty years.
And it's the same with like Formula One on Netflix,
like the Netflix show for Formula One. Best thing to
happen to Formula one in my lifetime for sure. Oh yeah,

(21:17):
I mean those are two things that everyone has Netflix Boom,
Formula One. What the heck Formula One. I'm gonna watch it. Well,
this is awesome, you know what I mean? And like
Barstool Sports huge. I mean a lot of people have
different opinions on it, but like it's a huge network
and like a huge group of people that like, all
of a sudden boom, they already like sports if they're
following Barsto Sports, all right, well we'll give NASCAR shot.

(21:39):
If these guys are giving it a shot. I mean,
they don't know that they're being paid to give it
a shot, but it's it's incredible, And I think that
was so smart. And I mean I I try to
be you know, think ahead of the game and trying
to like be you know, be like figure out how
to get ourselves out there more. And I like that.
So hopefully IndyCar finds that, you know, that next step
to kind of I don't think we're gonna get I
don't think we're gonna get a Netflix, but you know,

(22:01):
I think there's a lot that we can do and
I and there's a lot of new people in place
for this season that hopefully can you know, bring us,
bring us a little bit. I don't know that I
agree with you. I think you could get a Netflix show.
And well, the reason I say is watching that Formula
one show, what's so cool about it is seeing that
those are regular guys, those you know, watching the team

(22:22):
manager for Hoss throw f bombs out like a banshee
because he's piste off and things aren't going his way.
It's like, oh, that's a real dude that's racing right there,
that's behind the scenes. And seeing how hard these guys
dig all the time, and they're doing the same thing
that you guys are doing a NYR and the same
thing that mom and dad are doing at the go
kart track, you know, with their kids, digging hard, growing uptive,

(22:45):
and it could easy be Indy Car, could easy fill
that gap in you know, over here, and that's kind
of the basis of this show. We want to talk
to you guys. We want to know some behind the
scenes stuff people want to know, like who are these guys?
We see him in the lace car. That's cool, But
once you become a real person, they here, you know,
you and Hinchcliff going back at each other with whatever

(23:06):
you do to you know, scaring each other here and
there or whoever it may be. They want to hear
that stuff, you know. I mean it's great. Yeah, I
mean I think there's our fans, you know, our core
IndyCar fan base. You know, they will absolutely come up
and talk to us at all the races. And I
think we're you know, we try to do a great
job at being personable, and I certainly don't mind talking
to anyone. And I think, like the problem with Formula

(23:28):
one for a long time is like I didn't know
how to communicate with anyone. And now like you're at
these guys houses and the Netflix show and you're like
seeing what's going on, and like I know most of
them already because I race with them, but like you,
I haven't talked to them a long time. Because you know,
you're F one superstar. I you never see anyone. But
like for us, I think if we had something like that,

(23:49):
there there is a lot of really interesting people in
the IndyCar world and I think, um, you know there
there's an opportunity to put us at a higher level
for sure. So so we'll see what happens. I mean,
we got to create an incredible you know, racing product
again this year. We have to fight for everything we've got,
um and then hopefully all the work that Roger puts

(24:11):
in as well. Can you know we can we can
all be sailing off into the sunset on you know,
new boats that we can buy with all the new
purse money that everyone's got, you know, I mean thereto
Yeah exactly, Yeah, I mean we're not F one, so
we're definitely sticking with pontoons at at first, not yachts,

(24:32):
not not a big motor if you want to go
on out on Eagle Creek. So just remember that you're
you're a great person to bounce us off of. At
least for myself and and Robert. Every sponsorship deal we've
ever attained has been based on a relationship. It hasn't
been sending a deck off and showing them the accomplishments

(24:53):
and what you're gonna do and the exposure you're gonna get.
That's part of it for sure, But it's always based
on a relationship set the way it's worked out for
you as well. Yeah, I think a thousand percent there's
never been I've never got a yes from sending someone
an email, you know, I mean, like, hey, this is
this is me in five different pages on a PDF.
Would you like to give me eight million dollars? Absolutely not.

(25:14):
Finally I got the email. Yeah check. Yeah. I mean
I haven't set you an email yet, but it might
be coming after this, but we'll see. Man. I mean,
it's it's like the US Air Force relationship is is
a prime example. I mean, I I would not be
any car driver without them. I mean I would not
be relevant at all. Um. You know I I once
I got dropped from you know, being a full time

(25:36):
driver without sponsorship. Uh, you know, I didn't have enough
going for me to you know, be hired by anyone.
So you know, I'm I'm totally okay with that because
we were you know, we were able to develop this relationship,
you know, through Tom Burns which was such a random
just a random sit down meeting and we all ended
up at the ND five hundred in a very chaotic sense. Um,

(25:58):
but we made it and again develop this relationship with
you know, with the U. S. Air Force. Um, they
like what Indy Car gives to them and they have
got a positive return on their investment, which is is
hard for people to say these days. Um. And you know,
this is year three of of of a relationship. This
is the longest sponsor that I've ever had by by
a long way. And uh, it's really cool. Um. You know,

(26:21):
I've met some of the most inspirational people I think
of of all time. I mean these like we're talking
three star general, We're talking like the first female fighter pilot.
I mean, incredible people are a part of this program,
and so it makes you want to go out and
deliver for them, obviously in an incredible fashion. And now
we finally get to see this car a lot more often.

(26:41):
You know, we only had the Air Force car last
year for two races and three races total, and now
we're doing thirteen already, so they're already getting so much
more exposure and so much more um, you know, to
be to be proud of so many more opportunities to
obviously you know, get on the podium and win races
for them. Um So, it's it's definitely a relationship built business.

(27:03):
This is a relationship I hope to have for a
very long time, or at least until I can re
establish myself, you know, in the IndyCar world, and you don't.
You don't need a sponsor anymore to be relevant or
to be you know employed. So um so, yeah, I'm
I'm definitely proud to have you know, developed that relationship
and and hopefully it obviously continues for a while. Well
the reason I asked about that relationship in relation to

(27:26):
your sponsorships is because I think that's what that Formula
one show does. You get behind the scenes and all
of a sudden you meet these drivers or you're watching
these drivers, and it creates a pseudo relationship. But if
you watch the full season last year, you feel like
your friends with a couple of those guys, you know,
and I think potential sponsors that are out there that
would watch that would have a good feel for your personality.

(27:48):
That's a guy we want to represent our company. Let's
go meet that guy. Let's talk to that team and
it can certainly generate some some excitement in that area.
That's why I think it would be a great idea
for IndyCar to You could look at something like that. Well,
Formula One paid a lot of money for that, so
there's there's a lot. There's a lot that can be done.
I'm in production. It can be done at a very

(28:09):
reasonable rate. And there's a ton of cameras around there
shooting a bunch of footage, you know, and you could
come up with a reality based show without breaking the bank.
And and NBC. We have a great relationship with NBC
shot so if you want to put something on there,
I mean started out in the NBC Gold deal because
we've got great support there for those guys. Um. But
you know, you're exactly right on on. I think drivers

(28:33):
either retaining sponsors or or or getting sponsors because of
what they're doing and how they're interacting with people. I mean,
you know, the Air Force did have options to not
be with me for this year, and and and you
know it wasn't well I didn't like that, but the
reason they stayed is because of the work that I
put into it and and the and the stuff that
I'm trying to do for them because I think nowadays

(28:55):
you have to work hard for like to be relevant
or to be a driver still, and that means for
your sponsor, for your people. So you know that that
is very important. I think there there are people realizing
that more and more. I think young drivers are doing
that more and more, which is really cool. So it's
an interesting era to be a raising driver. And I mean,
the interesting thing about it is what he's talking about,

(29:16):
you know. I I we communicate quite a bit about
a lot of different things, and we've you know, Connors
represented us unbelievably, you know, over the last few years.
And you know, the thing about it is is he
comes to the the event for my my daughter, uh
you know, the fundraiser for her, and he still stopped in,

(29:38):
which you know, meant the world to me to begin with.
But he also said, I gotta get out of here
because I have to go down to the Murat to
a recruiting thing. I believe, the recruiting thing. And uh,
you know, there's I mean, I know a lot of
these guys, as we all do, and there's just not
a lot of them that do that. And and what

(30:00):
he's doing is it's you know, it's football, it's basketball,
it's baseball, it's racing, it's putting the work in, and
you know, it's business in general, and this is his business.
And you know, his office just happens to go two
hundred plus minle, you know, which I feel like mine
does a lot of times, but it definitely is not going.
And I think it's a great choice of sponsor matchup

(30:21):
as well too, because maybe you get to snag a
ride with the Thunderbirds or something somewhere long I did. Yeah,
I've been in a fighter jet twice and part of
the deal with Ed, Ed Carpenter really wants to ride
the fighter jet. That's his thing, and I think, I
think we're gonna get him in a fighter jet, but
they're all they also want me and him to jump
out of an a C one thirty gun ship out

(30:43):
of the back of it with the wings of Blue Team.
So I think you'll be seeing me and Ed Carpenter
fly out the back of a perfectly good airplane at
some point. Well, that is that is in question. More.
We're thinking like, yeah, we're thinking potentially laying the golf
course about whole nine whatever and see what happens we
could do that deal. I was that it was I

(31:04):
think it was two years ago. I was spotting munos
and they had the helicopters in the enfield and the
guys were going down yeah and one. Yeah, I think
we're doing at one and yeah and four. Well, this
year the Air Force they also sponsored Bubba Wallace and
so they had the car the primary sponsorship at the day,
and they threw him at the back of a plane

(31:26):
and he landed in the middle of the track. They
so I was like, well, that's they set a standard
here where I don't know, we're gonna have to get
some sort of f A approvals to jump in the
middle of the golf course or something in the middle
of track or anywhere else. Because I don't care. I'll
jump out of a plane with them. I think it
would be awesome. And Ed is all in on that,
to which I did not know. I did not know.
Ed Carpenter was a wild man. Apparently wants to ride

(31:47):
and fighter jet and jump out of a plane. So
that's great, and he loves oval so very fast. Yeah,
but you know the interesting thing he's talking about, you know,
everything with the Air Force. I've had the pleasure to
meet a lot of the people that not all of
them by all means, but a lot of them, you know,
being involved and being around the whole deal. And uh,

(32:08):
you know the first combat fighter jet female. She is
amazing with a great family as well. And um, you
know you know Hopper, that was you know, kind of
the guy that has had over recruiting since retired, but
still you know, around a lot, good guy. You know.
The interesting thing about it is is how exciting, how

(32:32):
excited they are with what he's doing. And that is
an unbelievable sponsor, right, It takes away the Okay, yeah,
this is you know, uh, this is super team or
this is you. And you know, when you finally have
your sponsor, not a team, but your sponsor, that's what

(32:52):
means something and and it's something to cherish. And I
mean think about Chip for all those years with Target Target,
I'm gonna ask you, man, and I mean, hell, whoever
knew that that would end? Yeah? You know what I mean.
So it's I grew up in an era where I
did not know Chip Ganassi racing other than Target, right,
Like I I was always Target ever since I existed

(33:15):
as a human. That was it and they were the
same colors. There was like this cool stuff and then
when that went away, I was like, I don't even
know what to do anymore, Like how do we even
say that? So Doka, yeah, do you buy your energizer
batteries there? Now? I don't know, but yeah, And and
General Levitt, the three Stars generally you're talking about first

(33:35):
female fighter pilot, her son racist go carts and so, like,
you know, she's been a crucial part of our program
Sadly though, she will be moving on to another role
this year, so you know, we're trying to get him
and as well Major Major Ross McKnight, who's part of
our program as well. They you know, they're as part
of the Air Force, you know, you got to move
on to a different job or different you know, role,

(33:56):
and so we're trying to obviously close out there their
role with some some six s here, so hopefully, hopefully
we can do that. It's exciting to see what's going
on in the economy. It's exciting to see, you know,
when Dixon, we were talking with him the other day
when he was in you know, the interesting thing about
it is is, you know you mentioned the road to
Indy with these guys that are there. And you know,

(34:18):
I think with Roger and listen, there's nothing against the
Home and George family. I I understand they had to
be worn out. I mean, you know, this was life.
I mean since they were born. Okay, I mean, this
is what they've been and uh, you know, at some
point it's time to pass the torch. And you know what,
Tony's the one that said, hey, you know we we

(34:40):
probably had to talk to Roger and see if he's interested.
And uh, you know your stepdad Doug being involved with
all this. I mean, it's it's so exciting to see.
I think the road to Indy will come back. And
I don't know what that means. You know, you would
like to see some stuff come through you sack, you
know who knows what that means. Though it looks it

(35:03):
seems exciting. Yeah, there's a lot of positivity. I mean
Roger again, it's like it's an odd lifetime to be
in when you when you grow up, not you know,
not seeing anything else but targets. You're gonnassy. But I
also didn't know anyone except for Thanking the Home and
George family. Right like that, you get up at this
do your speech, thank the home and George family, and
now you're like we're in a new era, like thanks

(35:23):
for Roger, congratulations on winning again, but thank you for
also owning you know what I mean, thanks for doing that. Um,
why have you got a car in this and you yeah, yeah, yeah,
Why did your car have fifty extra horsepower? What's going
on here? No, it's it's gonna be cool. I mean,
it's it's a it's it's a wild, um, you know
era to be involved in, like technology wise, and where

(35:44):
the sport's going and where what what's happening in the
world just in general. So um, but I'm I'm excited
and uh, it's it's gonna be It's gonna be fun
this year. I just can't wait to get just going
finally back in this deal. I mean almost for the
full season run. And last year, as you said, started
off shaky with just a little bit on the calendar.

(36:04):
You end up pretty good and you end up filling
in a couple of times. But I want to talk
about that in the because I believe it was just
before the final restart where you were in the top five,
but were you third? We were fourth? I think at
a time. Yeah, I mean I'm watching you just like dude,
like he's got one put together here in your car?
Was good? Yeah, I want to know what happened on

(36:24):
that last restart. Yeah. So honestly, red flags kill people.
I mean, it's it's terrible that the red flags everything
gets super super hot. We we've been struggling with with
our gearbox all day, first to second gear because obviously
don't use it that much except for pit stops and
uh and and our um. When we looked at it
the data, it was just going first the second gear
just took triple the time that it should have. And
and that's what happens red flags sometimes. That's why, like

(36:46):
I think drivers hate red I hate it because everything
just stops and like all this well oiled machine that's
been going for a hundred and you know, eighty laps
and you shut it down, and so it gives you
a lot of you know, a lot of room for
a lot of a lot of interesting things can happen.
So it was a shame. But um, but we you know,
we we still had a great day and it was

(37:07):
still you know, the last three years have been you know,
every year I've been you know, improving my best finished
at Indie, so we want to keep doing that. Um,
you know last year was my best qualifying, you know,
it was my best finish. You know, we want to
obviously to continue to improve on that now this year,
which I think we will. Um. And honestly, I had
never run that far forward in the race, so like

(37:27):
I was learning a lot myself. Like when we settled
in and it was Joseph Simon alex ed and me,
I was like, well, this is exactly where I want
to be. But it was a very different race from
there because if you know, in my past, I've been
just trying to do anything, just trying to make up anything.
Go from you know, thirty third to twenty I is
a is a huge challenge in general. But you know,

(37:50):
we were now at the sharp end. So I put
a lot away in, you know, in the back of
my brain for for hopefully this year to where it's like,
all right, now we're gonna work on you know, when
do we need to pit for maximum fuel efficiency? When
do we need to do this, How do I make
a move on this guy? How aggressive do we be
on restarts? Because there's a lot of really interesting stuff
that I was able to pick up and then now

(38:11):
hopefully you can use because there's a lot of the
guys that they do that every year. But like for me,
it was like, all right, this is a new thing,
this is a new group of people to race with,
and you know, it's a great group of people to
race it. I like those guys a lot um, so
it'll be cool too to hopefully be able to use that,
you know again this year. Yeah, and we bounced that
off addiction and that race in particular, the progression of
that race and how much more aggressive it gets really

(38:32):
starting past a halfway point. But when you get down
to the final laps of that deal there three four
while down in the grass and they're doing things with
those cars that nobody thinks it's possible. I'm not even
sure they're possible. Somehow they get away with it, and
you're up there hanging right with the guys, and had
that red flag not come out, I mean you had,
you had a top five working, and you were hanging

(38:53):
right with those guys. So I'm sure you did learn
a lot, oh for sure. And I mean, heck, I
saw will Power smack the wall out of four with
ten to go. I mean, he's still going, and it
was it was fine. So like, but there's there's situations
like that that happened. You're like, yeah, this is the
last you know, twenty laps and it doesn't really matter,
like you know, you've got cars bouncing off the walls,
you've got people all over the map, um and and

(39:14):
that's sort of what was going on. And so I,
you know, I obviously I think, you know, I needed
to be a hair more aggressive myself because I was
sort of getting used to, you know, making up spots
on the restarts. But then you know, we have this issue.
Probably should have thought ahead, thinking all right, the gearbox
is gonna suck, so we got to either screw everyone
behind me and then continue to do that, continue to
do something else. So again, a lot of stuff that

(39:35):
you can build on. And uh. And it was fun though,
that whole day. I mean it was it was a
lot of fun to be a part of that event,
that race race with guys that are you know, close friends,
you know, Alex and Joseph and and Ed and um
and that's you know, that's that's where I really that's
what that's what I took the most, you know, it
took the most from for sure. Do you feel like

(39:55):
you put your name on the map. I'd like to
think so. I mean it's I it gets certainly didn't hurt.
I mean we were up there quite a lot. I
still have not seen the race. I apparently need NBC
Goal to watch any of the races from last year,
so I'm trying to wait on an NBC Gold pass
for to watch any of the races from last year.
But yeah, but it certainly did. I think, you know,

(40:18):
everyone everyone judges so much an Indie car off of
the Indi five fighter. You know, I've been on the
podium before and We've led a lot of races, but
then everyone comes back to well, you know, Indy has
always been tough for him, and I was like, yeah,
like there's sixteen other races, Like it's if something can
go wrong for people so often at Indie. I mean,
Tony Knaa took him twenty five years or whatever to
win the race, and but the guy is still a champion.

(40:39):
The guys won so many other races, but like everyone
looks to Indie, so you always got to continue to
just up your game there and you know, hope for
a little bit of luck. But you know, my goal
for sure is to finish in the top five next year.
I mean you gotta you gotta try. And you know again,
go from oh, happy with top ten to be now
we want to be top five or potentially fighting for
the win, and that would be you know, that would
be pretty rewarding. Well, you know, the guy that the

(41:02):
Chili Bowl kept getting away from, he was on our
show and there you go. And it isn't it amazing
to think that, like Kyle Larson, like that guy has
been doing that for so long and he's nothing. He
hasn't won. Yeah, and he is unbelievable, unbelievable. And I
mean it was so I was, I was there. Did

(41:23):
you bow after your deal? Yeah? Yeah, you shouldn't. You
shouldn't have been upset with your life. Now. I said
this the other day when Dixon was on. I said,
you know, we were talking about you know, Ferrucci and
you and you know the guys that ran and Davidson
and stuff like that. I said, listen, when Connor got
and when Connor ran the BC thirty nine, whoever did

(41:46):
that to him should be shot because that's like throwing
him to the wolves, right, out of the gate isn't
good luck, you know, But watching you run there and
then watching you run at the Chili Bowl, you gave
it a run at the Chill Bowl, you know what
I mean? You know what I mean it was Listen,
the people that were behind you had been doing it

(42:06):
a hell of a lot longer than you've trust me.
And I mean that's that's just the way about you
know goes. But you know, you watch you look at
people that have won that thing numerous times. You know, Stewart,
you got Swindel's both of them, you know, and all
these guys that have won that thing. I mean, you
ask any of them. There's a little bit of luck
that plays in that whole program there, But the whole

(42:28):
end five hundred thing, I mean, you know it's I mean,
you know who wasn't that was? Was it Hinge Cliff
that was leading in the guard? No? No, no, h Jr.
Leading in the I mean last year like last year
for sure, Simon he had the fastest car, Like Simon,

(42:49):
Simon was so fast. And yeah he wasn't on the
or was he on the pool? No? I don't, I don't.
I thought he wasn't on the pool I thought he
had a perfect moment, like it was his car was
his car was so fast. But you know what, you
still have to make the right moves at the right time,
you know, ROSSI was trying hard, but like he had
the fast car, so you obviously want to have that.

(43:10):
But in the odd chance that you might not have
the fastest car, you better be able to make some
really ballsy moves at some point, or you know, be
at the right place at the right time to take
advantage of stuff like that. And I gotta tell you
the atmosphere and I was I was talking about this
as well, you know, the atmosphere at the Speedway for
the month of May is and you know I would uh,

(43:33):
you know, the home and George family, Yeah, I would
give I would give a ton of credit to Doug
and his staff, you know, the people that he's brought in,
you know, along with the help of Mark Miles in
that group, but you know the Chris Loss, you know,
you know, bringing in the entertainment. And you know, somebody said,

(43:53):
why do they do this snake that this is so stupid,
And I said, well, I said, well, here's the deal
with the snake pit, right, I said, you have all
these people that otherwise would never be at that for
I mean, just I would put about them would never
be there. They show up and you know what, what
if ten of them go, Man, that was badass. We're

(44:15):
going back to that. And you know what, I don't
know what part was badass. I mean there were people
back in the day that went to the snake pit
just to burn cars down, and that was badass. But
they still went back there for a good time, so
you know, And and that's really what it is. It's
turned into it's it's not And this is the same
thing with St. Louis. It's not so much of a

(44:35):
race as it is an event. The road course races,
it's an event. So they have an event there where
you know what, you can camp and you can do
this and you can't do that. And that's the cool
part of it. That's when you have a good time,
you can get together with everybody. I mean, I was
at Daytona this year. I was, uh, you know, fortunately

(44:58):
Ryan you know, was able to come through his deal
Corela Joy as well. But you know, I was at
Daytona and and we were we were setting I was
up in the Toyota suite hanging out with them for
a little bit on Sunday, and I was amazed with
how many people were there and it was and you
know what, it was awesome. It was awesome because you

(45:18):
know what those people were there, They were spending money
that they maybe couldn't spend before. You know, so if
you have people spending money that they may be couldn't
spend before, you know, now you have sponsors spending money
that they wouldn't spend before in the deal with you know,
bringing more cars. It's unbelievable. I was going to ask

(45:39):
you how many cards you thought for St. Pete kind
of kind of the tour. You know, how many people
be touring or being on the tour this year? And
I mean that is that is awesome. And listen, you
know we need all of them. Okay, we need we
need any car we need NASCAR. But you know, we
were talking about the the Lights series, you know, we

(46:01):
were talking about any Lights. When Dixon started, there were
thirty cars, I think or something like that that he said,
and you know, now you have thirty cars. That's unbelievable.
It's a great stepping stone. But you look at the
way NASCAR did it well, it's pretty hard to look
at one of those cars and go, oh, that's a
Cup car and that's an Axdenity car, you know what

(46:23):
I mean. So if that's the case, well Cup, it's
X amount of money to run, it's a big number. Well,
if it's kind of the same car and really kind
of the same engine, now you have a lot less
expense moving from you know, the Indie Lights series onto
the Indy Car series. And it's a great stepping stone

(46:46):
if they de tune these cars or however they do
it where you know, Indy Car, you can only run
so many races on one of these engines. Well hell,
maybe you can run the whole year if they tune
them back enough. And and it is a great stepping
stone to come through, and it is the road to Andy.
So I hope they get that back because I think
it's important. I mean, I'm usually pretty well bombed by

(47:07):
the time the freedom it is. It is exactly Wade
Cunningham was. He was a pro at it forever, and
I mean even when I was doing in the lights
in the two thousand and eleven, like both Joseph and
Newgarten and I were in Indie Lights teammates at the
same time we still had twenty cars. I mean, it

(47:27):
was it was a I mean that's where you had
to be and that you know, that was the next
step was indy Car and obviously Joseph made it happen.
A lot of other people made it happen. And the
Indie lights Car is actually a great car, Like I
did some of the development for it before it came out,
and like it's a great car. It's just a matter
of And the prize is incredible. I mean you get

(47:48):
to do you know, three indie Car races or like
enough budget to do that, and like that's really good.
It's a better prize than almost any other junior formerly
category in the whole world. But again, it costs a
million dollars to do it. I mean it is. It
is tough. You've gotta have enough sponsorship or enough support
to be able to do it, and there's gotta be
enough teams to you. Right now, you've just got like

(48:09):
Andretti Ballard, like there's only like three or three teams,
and then if you want to be with the fourth,
it's like to do I really have a shot at
winning here. So that's you know, they've got to be
able to get back to like having you know, quite
a diverse amount of teams um and I think they will,
I really do, because as indie car grows, you know,
they're able to focus potentially more money on the on
the ladder series. Because right now, I mean like us

(48:30):
F two thousand, I mean, those guys have thirty cars everywhere.
That's the first level of the road to indie. But
that is really strong, and those guys are those guys
are racing hard and an Indie Pro two thousand is
even better. Now I have a smart program tub working
and pro mos or Pro Indie Pro, whatever's the same. Tub. Yeah,

(48:50):
it's it's a brilliant move. I agree completely. Yeah, good stuff.
What year did you win at Long Beach and Lights
two eleven? Yeah, it's good time. We led the championship
after the first three races, and then I went off
went off to Europe and then that was the right. Yeah.
Everyone asked if I regret it, and I don't know.
Joseph's got a house in Nashville and a Camaro. And

(49:17):
funny thing is we were talking about this, how timing
is everything, because Joseph went to Europe, not only did
he go to Europe, but his team owner died, he
passed away, and and he went on to was it
GP two where he really didn't GP three where he
didn't have much success, And then and then the door
opened up over here with Sarah Fisher, and the timing
of it for him just worked out perfectly, and you

(49:38):
battled over there. You had some success in GP three,
you know, a couple of wins Barcelona, Valencia, and of
course you certainly had a highlights real at Monaco. But yeah,
but it was Joseph. Still there's still no other young
driver who has ever signed a contract like Joseph did
his rookie year. He had a three year contract as
a rookie coming out of the lights. No one has

(49:59):
signed a deal like that since, and I mean like
in the last ten years. So like that's exactly what
you need though, because like did Joseph win any races
this first year? No second year, no third year, No,
I don't think so, not to like year four, and
then like that's that's like it's hard, Like Indy Car
is very difficult, and like imagine if Joseph was cast

(50:20):
off year one because he didn't win a race or something,
you know. I mean, I mean, this guy's two time
IndyCar champion now because he had time to develop and
he had a chance with supportive people like Sarah Fisher
and Ed Carpenter and then young talent that came up
before him that were Indy Lights champions, and you writtle
off some of the biggest names. Yeah, never got that opportunity.

(50:40):
It's true, and I think that's you know, I I
I hope to see. Obviously, now this year we've got
McLaren who did you know Who's Who've got two rookies
essentially with award and ask you and I'm like, that's again,
probably the biggest deal that any rookies got is to
go straight from Indie Lights champion to you know, McLaren
whatever it is now Earl McLaren, spam whatever you call
it um, but yeah, it's it's I hope that more

(51:02):
teams look at the guys that coming through the road
Indy like McLaren did, be like, yep, we want these
two young guys because it's very much the Formula one
mentality as well. You're always going to go with the young,
the young hotness. Right, Let's let's get these guys in
they're young and hungry. They're going to do the job.
And I think they can do it in Indy Car
as well. But you know, we'll have to see what happens,

(51:22):
you know. And there ought to be some incentive to
the team right the road. Andy ought to have some
incentive to bring him through, right, to pull him through there.
And you unch every race, you know, you know, you
can get a cook out. And Roger and Gregor are
the ones running the grill complex system, but you're right,
and all the fingers, all the spokes have to work together,
and it is a complex way to try and get

(51:43):
all of that happening. But if there's a way to
do that, then yeah, I mean, and and and here's
the last last thought here. You know, you're you're you're
talking about the young talent and things like that. Man,
look at Christopher Bell. He was he was he was
killing them in everything, and now he's in cop and
he's like, uh, you know, and I mean he's he's

(52:06):
supported by j g R. So it isn't like he's
running anything bad. So anyhow, Connor, thank you as always
for taking time for us, and yeah, man, best of
luck this year. Great to see you back behind the wheel. Man,
I'm excited. It's gonna be fun. Pleasure spotting for you
last year to thank you that was a spot that
help you. It's a confidence inspiring voice right here. I'm

(52:30):
not sure what that is. I have night about it.
Sometimes he's like, let me get the race over with soon,
so that guy will stop talking about It's just like
it's just like Chao said, you know, you get real
drunk the night before and you feel horrible, and you
know you want to run the chili bowl as fast
as you can so you can get out of the
car exctly. So thanks a lot man, We appreciate it.

(52:50):
Best of luck and thank you. Thanks for watching this
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(53:20):
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