204 - Strong Strategy - IndyCar Off to its Best Season Start Since 2008

The 2026 IndyCar season is off to a sensational start, both on track and off. For the first time since the IRL/Champ Car merger in 2008, the first three television broadcasts of the year exceeded one million viewers. Conor Daly and Producer Bobby crunch the numbers and compare to the last few seasons. They also look ahead to this upcoming weekend in Barber and weigh in on the latest Indianapolis 500 entries.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The IndyCar Series traveled into new territory this week as it embarked on the inaugural Arlington Grand Prix in Texas. Our resident open wheeler Conor Daly was on the scene, and he reports back to Speed Street with what he witnessed during his time in the Lone Star State. He and Producer Bobby discuss how the event made a great first impression and continued IndyCar's strong start to 2026. They also break down the action that saw Kyle Kirkwood continue his reign of supremacy on the street courses, beating out Alex Palou and taking over the point standings lead. Kyle joins the show to talk about the excellent start Andretti Global has gotten this season and how Will Power joining the team has been an asset to their overall program. He also discusses taking the step to becoming a championship contender and what tracks he needs to improve at in order to be at the top of the podium at the end of the year. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It was a great weekend for motorsports in Phoenix as IndyCar had a successful return to the desert as part of its doubleheader with NASCAR. Conor Daly was in town to take part of the festivities, and he's reporting what he saw on a new edition of Speed Street. He joins Producer Bobby to break down the action from the high paced one-mile oval, debate who was wrong in the on-track collisions and celebrate the enthusiastic environment surrounding the event. They also look ahead to the Arlington Grand Prix this weekend and give some picks for the series' inaugural trip to Jerry Land. Race winner Josef Newgarden joins the show to discuss his 2026 season so far, which currently finds him atop the IndyCar points standings. A sneaky good day in St. Pete and a closeout victory in Phoenix gives the two-time champion a five-point margin over Kyle Kirkwood. The guys discuss using the high line on ovals and how a love for high-speed corners has led to Josef ranking seconds on the all-time IndyCar oval wins list. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The 2026 IndyCar season is officially off and running, as the series put on a thrilling season opening in St. Pete. Conor Daly was on the scene, taking part as a spotter for Chandler Smith in the companion NASCAR Trucks event and fulfilling his duty as a reserve/developmental driver for Juncos Hollinger Racing. He and Producer Bobby unpack all of the action from the weekend and look ahead to this week in Phoenix. Race winner and defending series champion Alex Palou also joins the show to discuss how his Chip Ganassi Racing 10 team continue to operate in championship form and his takeaways from opening weekend. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's a 200th episode celebration here on Speed Street. Conor Daly gives an update on his 2026 ride search and his pre-season power rankings for the IndyCar grid. He and Producer Bobby also look ahead to the season opener at St. Petersburg and make some podium predictions. Meyer Shank Racing driver and friend of the show Marcus Armstrong stops by to get in on the festivities and weigh in on how he can take his IndyCar efforts to the next level.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One more test and we're going IndyCar racing in 2026. Conor Daly is out west at Phoenix International Raceway on site to check out IndyCar's two-day test ahead of the series' return to the famed oval in March. He fills listeners in on the overall speed charts, which are filled with the usual suspects as well as some surprise results. In other news, Dale Coyne Racing finally went official with "TBA" and IndyCar continues to make wise moves for their future with Chevy and Honda.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We have IndyCars on track this week! Conor Daly checks into Speed Street to follow the results coming in from the two day Sebring test. He also weighs in on the latest news regarding Prema and the official announcement of the Grand Prix of Washington DC. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There may be snow on the ground in Indianapolis, but that doesn't mean that things aren't hot behind the scenes in the IndyCar world. Conor Daly stops by Speed Street for a new year update on the heels of the Rolex 24 and the first round of new IndyCar ads from Fox Sports. He also touches on IndyCar content day and why Prema Racing being absent may be a sign of major moving and shaking in the paddock.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Conor Daly returns to Speed Street with a special Christmas gift for listeners: the 12 Drivers of Christmas. After catching up on some off-season IndyCar news, such as Rahal Letterman Lanigan's signing of Mick Schumacher and the formation of the independent officiating board for 2026, Conor chats with 12 racers from all over the motorsports world, asking each of them a holiday question. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We are arriving at the end of the racing season, and Speed Street is here to put a bow on 2025. Conor Daly and co-host Chase Holden check in with the latest IndyCar silly season developments and Conor fills listeners in on his on-going search for a ride in 2026. The guys also discuss the recent IndyCar tests and the excitement around next year’s return to Phoenix. Finally, Conor addresses rumors that IndyCar may be adopting a Playoffs-style championship points format, comparable to NASCAR and how that is unlikely for the time being.Lead singer of the All-American Rejects Tyson Ritter joins the show to chat about his recent introduction into the sport of IndyCar racing and how the band’s relationship with Conor came to be. The guys explain that after a dinner discussion regarding the business side of auto racing, Tyson and the band decided to sponsor Conor's ride for the season finale at Nashville. During the conversation, Tyson also gives his impressions of IndyCar racing, how the band manages its busy schedule and how they are reinventing themselves 25 years later. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.