About this episode
May in Indianapolis comes through as more than a racing month; it’s a citywide shift in energy, especially around the Indy 500. The hosts reflect on first seeing the race in person, what it meant to live through a full May in Indy, and how rare it is to be part of the event’s history. The conversation also wanders into Carb Day traditions and a spirited gripe about wasting helium on balloons.
It's the most wonderful time of the year! It's finally May. Hinch and Thim talk about what this month means, and their favorite parts of the Indy 500.
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Indy
"What was, what was your favorite like childhood memory of either being at the race or just of month of May in Indy? ... I don't know if it's a single thing or if it's just like that was just the month where the whole city came alive."
“Indy” usually means Indianapolis, Indiana—the home of a big racing event. They’re saying May is when the city gets especially excited about racing.
“Indy” is shorthand for Indianapolis, Indiana, and it’s commonly used by racing fans to refer to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar race weekend there. In this segment, they’re talking about the month of May and the city’s excitement around racing.
Marco and Dretty
"I mean, other than meeting and befriending Marco and Dretty. Did that happen? That was pretty cool."
Marco and Dretty are references to the Andretti and Deletty/“Dretty” racing family names that are closely associated with American open-wheel racing. The hosts are mentioning meeting and befriending them as a standout childhood memory tied to IndyCar culture.
HOA
"I feel like that's a small enough infraction over the limit that like I would love to see the HOA member that comes by with a tape measure. ... They're three square feet over."
HOA means a homeowners association—basically a group that makes rules for a neighborhood. They’re joking that an HOA person would check the flag size with a tape measure.
HOA stands for Homeowners Association, a community organization that sets and enforces rules for properties in a neighborhood. Here, they’re joking about an HOA member measuring a flag to see if it exceeds the allowed size.
open wheel was split
"But when open wheel was split and I was on the other side of the wrong side of the split, right? So, so I watched it because I loved watching it and I love racing. "
Open-wheel racing in the U.S. went through a time when it split into competing series. That meant different drivers and events, so it could feel like there were “two worlds” of the same kind of racing.
“Open-wheel split” refers to the period when top American open-wheel racing fractured into separate rival series and organizations. In that era, fans often had to follow different driver pools and championships depending on which side of the split they watched.
cart
"Because all the, all the, the Indy car drivers at the time, they stayed with cart. And what the IRL became was full of a lot of drivers that I didn't know."
CART was one of the big open-wheel racing organizations in the U.S. at the time, and the split happened because different people stayed with different series.
CART (often written as “cart”) was a major American open-wheel racing organization/series that existed during the era before the later IndyCar structure. The speaker notes that IndyCar drivers “stayed with CART,” which is part of what created the split.
IRL
"And what the IRL became was full of a lot of drivers that I didn't know. And so I would kind of watch it fleetingly at that point."
IRL stands for Indy Racing League, another major open-wheel racing series in the U.S. during the split, with its own drivers and events.
IRL refers to the Indy Racing League, which became one side of the open-wheel split in the U.S. The speaker implies that the IRL had a different set of drivers, so they didn’t recognize many names.
Penske
"And then you get to the early 2000s, Penske moves over and then Ray Hall and Andretti and Ganassi and they all start showing up."
Penske is a prominent American motorsport team/organization that competes in top-level open-wheel racing. The transcript notes that “Penske moves over” in the early 2000s, which signals a shift in team participation during the split era.
Ray Hall
"And then you get to the early 2000s, Penske moves over and then Ray Hall and Andretti and Ganassi and they all start showing up."
Ray Hall refers to Ray Hall Racing, an open-wheel racing team name that appears alongside other major teams during the early-2000s influx described in the transcript. The mention is about who started showing up in the series after the split.
Andretti
"...Penske moves over and then Ray Hall and Andretti and Ganassi and they all start showing up."
Andretti refers to the Andretti racing organization/team, a well-known name in American open-wheel racing. In the transcript, it’s part of a list of teams that began showing up in the early 2000s.
Ganassi
"...Ray Hall and Andretti and Ganassi and they all start showing up."
Ganassi is a well-known racing team. The speaker is saying teams like this started showing up more in the series they were following.
Ganassi refers to Chip Ganassi Racing (often shortened to Ganassi), a major open-wheel racing team. The transcript groups it with other teams that increased their presence in the series in the early 2000s.
500
"[604.7s] But the, the one that really got me was the next year was 2009 because then I was living in Indy as of mid April. [615.5s] And understanding what 500 was and what it meant to this city, living in it for the whole month was a completely different experience again."
They’re talking about the Indianapolis 500. It’s the big race in Indy, and it affects the whole city for weeks around race time.
“500” here refers to the Indianapolis 500, a major open-wheel race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s a defining event for the city because the month-long buildup and crowds reshape daily life for residents and visitors.
poll sitter
"Like you're the poll sitter for the 2016 Indy 500 for the 100th running in the Indy 500. You're one of however many it is that have run the Indy 500."
A “poll sitter” is the driver who starts first at the front of the starting grid. It’s earned through qualifying and is considered a big advantage and honor.
A “poll sitter” is the driver who starts the race from the pole position—typically the front spot on the grid—based on qualifying results. In the Indy 500 context, it’s a prestigious starting position because it puts you closest to the front at the start of the race.
Buick Century
"...group that has kept this event going. For over a century. And I mean, is there is there like a weight of ..."
The Buick Century is a car model made by Buick that’s meant for everyday driving, usually as a comfortable family sedan. It’s called “Century” because the name has been used for a long time. In a conversation, it might be mentioned to highlight how long the model line has existed.
The Buick Century is a mid-size sedan produced by Buick, known for being a long-running model line that helped define the brand’s mainstream family-car lineup. It may come up in a podcast when discussing longevity and how certain vehicles or nameplates have stayed in use for decades. The “Century” name also directly signals the model’s long history, which fits themes like endurance and tradition.
Pit stop competition
"...cool vibe, cool energy last time in the car, the pit stop competition. [1002.0s] The fans show up in a great way. [1004.0s] That was I still love it."
A pit stop competition is when teams try to do a pit stop as fast as they can. It’s a fun event that shows how quick and organized the crew can be.
A pit stop competition is an event where teams and/or drivers practice and race to complete pit stops as quickly as possible. In the Indy 500 context, it’s a non-race activity that highlights the speed and coordination of the crew.
Pre-race ceremonies
"...in the pre race ceremonies at the at the beginning, like the first bunch of years, I'm like, these are too long. [1014.3s] Like really cool."
Pre-race ceremonies are the events that happen right before the race starts. They’re meant to set the mood and honor the tradition of the event.
Pre-race ceremonies are the formal events held before the start of the Indy 500. They can include performances and moments intended to build atmosphere and tradition before the cars go racing.
On the grid with taps
"...I'm like in tears almost on the grid when taps is playing. [1036.9s] You know, it's it's such a it's such a powerful moment."
“Taps” is a bugle song used for ceremonies. Here, it’s played while everyone is on the grid, and the speaker describes it as an emotional, memorable moment.
“Taps” is a bugle call used in U.S. military tradition, and it’s often played during ceremonial moments at major events. In this segment, it’s described as a powerful moment when the crowd and the grid are focused on the sound.
Black Hawk helicopters fly around above the grid
"...and then last year with the Black Hawk helicopters fly around above the above the grid. [1059.9s] Like, are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?"
They’re talking about Black Hawk helicopters flying overhead as part of the pre-race show. It’s a dramatic moment that adds to the excitement before the cars start.
The “Black Hawk” refers to the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter, used here as part of an Indy 500 ceremonial flyover. The mention is about the spectacle and atmosphere created by aircraft flying above the grid before the race.
Miami Grand Prix
"Dude, side note, the Miami Grand Prix this year did have a B2 do a flyover. One of the cooler flyovers."
The Miami Grand Prix is a big Formula 1 race in Miami. They often do special pre-race events like flyovers for the crowd.
The Miami Grand Prix is a Formula 1 race held in Miami, Florida. In this segment it’s mentioned in the context of a notable flyover, which is a common pre-race spectacle for major motorsport events.
B2
"Dude, side note, the Miami Grand Prix this year did have a B2 do a flyover. One of the cooler flyovers."
“B2” is the name of a specific kind of military airplane—the B-2 Spirit. They’re just saying it flew over during the event.
“B2” here refers to the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, a stealth bomber aircraft. The hosts are using it as a recognizable example of the kind of aircraft that can perform flyovers at major events.
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