IndyCar racing is the main open-wheel race series in the U.S. It’s the kind of racing you see on big ovals and also on road courses, and teams race purpose-built open-wheel cars.
Car
2028 Dallara
Dallara builds the race cars used in IndyCar. When people say “2028 Dallara,” they mean the new IndyCar chassis that teams will use starting in 2028, and it’s a big deal because it changes the car’s basic design.
They’re comparing driver-seat changes to musical chairs: when one person moves, everyone else has to scramble to find a spot. Some drivers end up in, and at least one can get left out.
“On the grid” means the driver is actually listed to start the race. If you’re “on the grid,” you’re in the field for that event, not waiting on the sidelines.
Term
Indy 500 is the A grid
They’re basically saying the Indy 500 is the biggest, most important race to be in. “A grid” here means the top tier of events where starting matters most.
IMSA is the big sports-car racing organization in North America. Races often have different types of cars on track at the same time, competing in separate classes.
LMP means Le Mans Prototype—race cars built specifically for endurance racing. They’re one of the main categories of cars you’ll see in sports-car series like IMSA.
GT Daytona is a class of race cars in IMSA that’s based on production sports cars. They’re not prototype cars, but they race hard and compete in their own category.
An “ironclad deal” means a contract that’s very hard to back out of. A two-year deal usually gives the driver more stability about having a ride for that period.
Brand
Hongkos Hollinger Racing
Hongkos Hollinger Racing is the racing team the driver is signed with. Teams are the organizations that provide the car, engineers, and support to compete.
Concept
IndyCar level
“IndyCar level” means the top competition standard inside IndyCar. The host is saying some drivers can be great in other places, even if they aren’t the very top in IndyCar.
Chip Ganassi Racing is a major IndyCar racing team. When a team like this has people who stick around, it can make the whole operation run more smoothly.
Penske Entertainment is the Penske organization involved with IndyCar and racing events. In this segment, it’s mentioned in connection with IndyCar CEO Mark Miles talking about adding races internationally.
A street course event is a race on normal city streets that get temporarily turned into a track. Because it’s not built like a permanent race track, it often feels tighter and more unforgiving.
The Cataluña circuit in Spain refers to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a permanent road course used for major motorsport events. Because it’s an established track, it’s the kind of venue that’s easier to add compared with creating a new street circuit.
Barcelona is a major city in Spain that the host mentions as a possible place to add an IndyCar race. The idea is that it would use an established road course rather than building a brand-new street race.
Place
Goaña in Brazil
The host is talking about a place in Brazil that could be ready for an IndyCar race. The important part is that it’s framed as an existing road course, which is usually easier than building a new street track.
Richmond Oval is a track the host says they’ve heard could be explored if Washington, DC isn’t on the schedule. It’s an oval-style track, which usually means a different kind of racing than road courses.
Bud Denker is a senior Penske executive involved with racing events. The host uses him as a source to clarify that Richmond Oval isn’t expected to be added next year.
CTMP is a big race track in Canada (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park). They’re saying IndyCar might want to race there, but the track would likely need safety improvements first.
Safety upgrades are changes made to a race track to make crashes less dangerous. IndyCar has rules about what a track must have before it can host races.
This is talking about a famous old sponsor paint scheme—Marlboro and Chevron. They’re saying if drivers pick throwback looks, those classic colors might show up a lot.
The IR28 is a new race car model used for open-wheel racing. The discussion is mainly about when it will start being built in large numbers and how many cars teams can get once production begins.
A delivery pecking order just means “who gets the cars first.” The question is about whether there’s a priority list for teams when the new cars start rolling out.
Validation testing is the “prove it works” testing stage. They’re saying production can’t really start until the car has been tested enough to confirm it’s right and doesn’t need major changes.
Prototypes are early versions of a new race car built to test it before full production. The host is saying the cars in testing right now are prototypes, not the final production cars.
The DW12 is a race car that IndyCar teams use. The podcast is talking about when teams might start getting their first cars, using the DW12 rollout as an example of how the schedule could work.
The primary car is the team’s main race car for the weekend. It’s the one they expect to use most, with backups kept ready in case something goes wrong.
A spare car is the backup race car. If the main car gets damaged or can’t continue, the team can swap to the spare so they’re not out of the race.
Term
engine deal
An engine deal is the agreement that says which engine brand will power a team’s cars. It also determines how long that partnership lasts.
Term
tie up
Here, “tie up” means a partnership. In racing, it usually means a team and a manufacturer agree to work together—often including who supplies the engines.
Cadillac is another car brand that the speaker is suggesting could become an engine partner. It would mean a team changes which manufacturer supplies its engines.
Honda is a car brand that could supply engines. The speaker is discussing whether IndyCar teams might switch to Honda for future engine partnerships.
Term
gap year
A gap year is an extra “in-between” year. It’s like extending an agreement temporarily so the team doesn’t have to switch immediately.
Term
engine brand
“Engine brand” just means which company’s engine a race team is using. In IndyCar, changing engine brands can be a big deal for teams and manufacturers.
“Depth chart” is a sports way to describe a ranking list. In this context, it means which teams are higher priority for a manufacturer if partnerships change.
In IndyCar, a manufacturer charter is basically a formal deal that connects a team to a car manufacturer. That deal often comes with manufacturer support and money, so it can affect which teams the manufacturer wants to back.
A chassis iteration is an updated version of the race car’s main structure. Teams keep refining it over time, and the best engineers/drivers learn what works across those versions.
These are high-end racing simulators where an actual driver sits in the setup and drives it. The goal is to test how the car feels and behaves without needing to be on track every time.
It’s basically a vibration test machine for a race car. Instead of driving the car on a road, engineers shake and move the chassis to see how the suspension and tires respond.
Term
engine dinos
This refers to engine test stands that can load the engine and measure how it performs. It helps teams tune and check the engine without running it on a race track.
Term
gearbox dinos
This means testing the transmission on a specialized stand. Engineers can see how it behaves under load so they can improve shifting and durability.
CFD is computer modeling of how air moves around a car. Instead of only testing in a wind tunnel, engineers can simulate airflow to understand what changes will help.
A wind tunnel is like a giant indoor airflow test chamber. Engineers put a car or parts in it and measure how air flows around them to improve speed and grip.
R&D staff are the people whose job is to develop new ideas and improve designs. In racing, more dedicated engineering support can help a team improve quicker.
Term
DW28
DW28 is the name for a newer IndyCar car package the host is talking about. They’re wondering if Chevrolet’s bigger development push will help that car perform better.
A gearbox is the part that sends power from the engine to the wheels. If IndyCar teams change the gearbox a lot, it can change how the car feels and how efficiently it uses energy.
Hybrid cars add extra parts to store and reuse energy, and those parts add weight. In racing, extra weight can hurt performance, so teams look for ways to save weight in other areas.
An energy recovery system grabs energy that the car would normally waste and stores it to use later. That can help the car go faster without burning extra fuel.
Eric Harcrater is someone in the conversation who asks a question about what’s happening with “Prima.” In this part of the show, he’s not explaining the tech—he’s just asking for updates.
A charter is like a reserved spot in IndyCar. If a team owns one, they’re more or less guaranteed to be able to race, and buying/selling them changes who can get on the grid.
A fitment kit is the set of parts that makes everything physically and mechanically match a specific setup. If you switch from one manufacturer’s configuration to another, you often need a different kit so the car fits and works correctly.
Ancillaries are the extra supporting parts that work with the main engine. If you change the engine supplier, you may also need different accessory/support hardware to make the whole package work.
Super speedway spec is the race setup teams use for the biggest oval tracks. It means the car is configured differently—especially bodywork and aero—to suit that kind of track.
Super speedway bodywork means the car’s oval-focused shape and aero parts. Short ovals need different aero, so the bodywork setup changes depending on the track type.
Road course wings are the aero parts (wings) tuned for twisting tracks. They help the car stick in corners, and they cost money—so teams have to plan their budgets around them.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the famous oval track in Indianapolis. It’s best known for the Indy 500, and it’s one of the big races where teams plan their oval setups.
A manufacturer car is a race car backed by the car company itself. That backing can include money and technical help, so it can change how a team budgets for the season.
A team’s operating budget is the total pot of money they plan to spend to compete all season. It covers the day-to-day costs of racing, not just the car itself.
A factory relationship means the race team has a partnership with the car company. That can bring help and credibility, which may make it easier to attract sponsors.
Term
shared event
A shared event is when two racing series run at the same track during the same weekend. That’s why it’s easier for drivers from different series to show up together there.
“Over/under” is a betting-style way to guess a number. Here, it’s basically asking: will it be more or less than a certain count of drivers who aren’t racing next year?
as an IndyCar race. Is that the local promoter trying to make that happen or is it IndyCar?
Because if it's being driven by IndyCar, rocking him makes more sense. It's similar in size to
Nashville gets you in the southeast. And most importantly, the track is the right number of
stands is active and doesn't have a cup date. Well, sounds like we need to say that louder, I guess.
Jeremiah, so I love that. I just keep hearing I don't know who the promoter is. I don't know
any of the folks at Richmond. I just keep hearing from within the series, within the paddock,
within key brands and players in the paddock that Richmond keeps being mentioned as a
desired place to go. So that's where I hear it's coming from. But I guess need to go to the rock.
Brett Keys, how you doing? Says thinking way outside the box here. Every scenario where a
team like Aaron McLaren could sell their third charter, collect some funds, and then take on
the factory Chevy Charter in 2028. Says now that Ryan Reinbold has purchased a charter,
is there any chance they try to enter an open car at one of the remaining rounds to get a jump
starter next season? And the last bit, I would say no, unless they have a lot of money they want
to spend right now. And it wouldn't be a bad idea if they had a engine provided to them,
knowing that the cars they just ran in May are kitted for Chevrolet and there's a different
fitment kit, different ancillaries, different everything from the Chevy to the Honda. So
assuming this would be Chevy, at least for this year, Chevy would need to provide that,
would have to agree to do that. I'd just say this, there was a desire for them
to do a partial season this year with Connor Daly. Spoke about this, written about this,
but just rehash it quickly in 30 seconds or less. Doing the ovals seems like it would have been a
team has for its cars, its super speedway spec, super speedway bodywork. You go to a short oval,
you need road course wings, those are expensive. You're going to do more than just the Indian
apolis Motor Speedway, a sizable amount of money needs to be spent. I would just say that they
weren't willing to do that earlier in the year, despite having a pretty decent budget in their
hands from Connor. So I would say trying to rush out in the last six weeks of the season,
I don't think you learn anything. I don't think you do anything positive.
If anything, I think you place yourself in jeopardy. Having to learn tracks with this car,
they haven't been on with this car, just realized that they ran through first 34 months of
2013, but there's so much new that they'd have to learn with a championship kind of getting settled.
If I'm in the car, I say no to that. I don't want your education to possibly be
a bad part of the story here. So it's not the way outside the box by any means, also,
to inquire about the Aaron McLaren angle, but
in what they're hoping to achieve by linking up with Hongkos Hollinger Racing
and Hongkos Hollinger having the ability to add a third car, if that were to be some sort of
interrelated thing with Aaron McLaren, I feel like that's pretty decent.
Mention again, I think I've mentioned it before. I do keep hearing that Chevy might want
whomever is going to run its manufacturer car to be a pretty significant contributor to the
operating budget. So selling a charter to then also have to go find a budget to run a lot of
that factory car. I don't know if that jumps out as something I would be suggesting for Aaron
but for another team that's needing to level up and is hoping that they can sell sponsorship
as a result of having that factory relationship might make a little bit more sense for one of
those teams, to me at least. Chris Kalei, what are you doing, Chris? As I know in the past,
you've discussed at IndyCar NASCAR competitors that cozying up to each other doesn't really
make a lot of sense. Sort of like the AEW and WWE wrestlers who all respect each other but don't
show love for each league despite doing the same sport. I keep seeing a lot of IndyCar drivers at
NASCAR events and vice versa. Is this a decision between IndyCar NASCAR or the owners who have
teams in both series? So IndyCar NASCAR except for say Phoenix which is a shared event would
absolutely not get together and say, hey, why don't you send some of your drivers to our thing
and we'll send some of it like that's not something they would coordinate and do. So
if it's like I just saw last weekend, what was it? Palo went out to IRP where
Connor Daley was driving. I don't know how that came about but Alex obviously lives within what
a half hour drive so it's kind of a local thing. Yeah, I don't know. I think it's more just if
there are true fans of either or of racing in general, right? Carson Hosevar for example,
winning but then we get to see him and there's some love being spread and he's in the booth there
during month of May. Like that was so cool, you know, but the kid as well just gotten some recent
publicity big result and also happens to dream of doing the 500. That all makes sense plus
part of the Spire Motorsports family which is owned by TWG which TWG owns and Dreadiglobal. So
yeah, definitely not something where the rival series are getting on the group chat and dispatching
drivers back and forth. All right, we are going to close the show here with two questions and they
are actually the last two questions. Michael J. Smith says with some of the insane budgets being
thrown around for 27, would you place the over under at three current drivers not on the grid next
season? So I think I kind of answered that in one of the previous questions but let me just pull up
the current points and see where everybody's at and you said over under three drivers that are
currently on the grid not being there next year. So I've already mentioned Stingray,
feel safe, I shouldn't say safe. I would put Stingray on that list highly concerned he won't be
back. I would put Romain Grouchon on that list concerned about Dennis Hauger, right,
bed poopage at Nashville at the worst possible time, got some teams that are interested in him
and crashes. Same for Kyle but Kyle's got good sponsors behind him so a little bit safer but
Stingray's one, Ramaz two, Nolan's three, got Dennis on my man this is either going to go really
well and he's going to be kept by his current team or things could fall apart. So I have him at maybe
three and a half, Foster again I can't who knows it's a 50-50 so I'll give him the other half so
that's four again and I'm using not Indy 500 only but actual no longer a full time driver.
Santino to me is 50-50 that's four and a half right there after that
Alex Polo that guy's done hot garbage time to expose him Kyle Kirkwood also the worst get
him out of there. Yeah I feel like three three's a safe ish number could be more could be five
I mean yeah yeah so yeah Ted Nesbitt you're closing the show. So the Colton heard of
not lighting the lamp and F2 and Cadillac bringing in another test driver what does
seat maybe what's the other word west meant to be I don't know what an Indy car seat open up for
him somewhere I don't see how based on silly season driver movements thus far dot dot dot
yeah um I wouldn't rule Colton out of a Cadillac seat next year provided he gets the necessary
super license points team has said we're not basing his F2 results on whether we believe
he deserves a seat or not back to your other question if for whatever reason things weren't
to work out and he needed to come back to Indy car uh waiting for confirmation that
Andretti Global has signed Marcus Erickson to an extension assuming that has happened or is happening
that would mean no seats available at their team
believe Colton's under decent long-term contract with TWG so again in this hypothetical that I
don't think is gonna pan out at all but we'll just go through it to close the show uh wouldn't
fit at AJ Foyt I don't think um but maybe hey maybe I just thought maybe Colton her to there
that'd be interesting uh so disregard when I said wouldn't fit that might be the perfect slot um
yeah not there you're not there um
yeah not there yeah I don't know about the I don't see a lot of landing spots
other thing just to mention and I realize I say this frequently but it really is truly a thing
it's not just could you find a spot for him it's does this human being want to do that with that team
he's not desperate for money he's not so vain that he needs to be seen as a top open wheel driver
at all costs in a top series given the chance to drive for a quality team I'm sure he would say yes
taking something where he knew he was signing up no matter how talented he is
for finishing 12th in the championship or 15th I'm thinking he says you know what let me wait till
the next year and see what becomes available because just being on the grid for the sake of
being on the grid and having no hope that's the thing that kills your spirit and we have seen
colton herda be a monster so in the absence of a formula one drive I can't find a spot for him to
land in any car where it's just obvious again the point thing that could actually be really
interesting if he were to want to do that they were to want him in the car twg wanted to pay for
the whole thing but I do gotta believe he's going to be an f1 or f1 adjacent doing something
knowing that twg has everything from f1 to nascar to imsa to formula e
I would think there's plenty he could do within the family if for whatever reason f1
2027 did not pan out almost nothing in indy car though looks like it would be
worth his while all right y'all that's our show thank you truly thank you for everything
we might be doing another episode here asap if we get to see things and they get revealed
and if that's the case um I'm toying with the idea of do we do an audio podcast
or do I have some of you send me questions via video record something on your phone and send it
to me and I use that in a video un a episode which I've never even thought of until today
and I'm not totally sure how I would facilitate that in terms of receiving but it's an idea so
anyways thanks y'all for your questions thanks to jerry for putting them together
thank you to the justice brothers for supporting us and thank you to toronto motorsports.com for
supporting us I'll speak to y'all here very soon
About this episode
With IndyCar off-week listener Q&A, the show looks ahead to the next 2028 Dallara reveal and what that means for teams, seats, and development. The discussion ranges from driver adaptation and teammate dynamics to how shrinking IndyCar windows can push prospects toward IMSA. They also debate calendar expansion, throwback livery ideas, and the practicalities of switching car configurations across manufacturers. Technical segments cover the new gearbox, magnesium weight savings, and hybrid energy storage uncertainty.
It's The Week In IndyCar Listener Q&A show, which uses listener-driven comments and questions covering a variety of topics submitted by open-wheel fans via social media.
If you'd like to join the PrueDay podcast listener group, send an email to [email protected] and you'll be invited to participate in the Discord chat that takes place every day and meet up with your new family at IndyCar events.
