WEBVTT
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This is, is off track.
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Hi guys, it's Alex. Tony's not, or sorry.
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Well, there you go. I just, uh, good start. I ruined it.
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Good. James is not here.
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Um, but funny story,
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before we introduced Tony Canon, he, uh, he came up to Tim
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and I on the grid in Nashville.
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We haven't talked about Nashville on the show yet,
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but I'll give you a little preview of, of Nashville.
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And, uh, he was like, what does it, what does it take
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for a guy to get on this show?
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And, uh, Tim was like, I'm pretty,
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I'm pretty sure you've been on it.
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And I was like, ah, I don't know, maybe I think you have.
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But, uh, and he was, Tony was confident.
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He's like, no, I haven't, I I I wanna be on.
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Well, SIM goes back and looks at the records
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and is like, yeah, Tony's been on three times.
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Um, and, uh, it's, it's always been been super good.
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But anyways, uh, Tony Canon on the show for the first time
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as Principle of Errol McLaren.
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So thanks, thanks for being here.
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Oh, you're welcome. But see, then, then I'm right,
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it's been more than a year, so that that then doesn't count.
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But yeah, I, I totally did not remember.
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But, but honestly, thanks for having Yeah, dude. Yeah.
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And you know, this is what people do for free.
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So when you give, you know, I gave Tim and you a hard time,
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and basically just Alex I think thinks I was sitting at the
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beach today having a margarita, or like,
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and then he text me like in the middle of the day, like,
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can you do it in 20 minutes?
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I'm like, sure. As I ask, I have to. Yes.
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Well, that's funny to
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You.
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He said he was gonna text you yesterday.
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So that
Means like, he had the idea.
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He was like, I'll just put it off. I'll text him
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later.
,
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he knows me. He just bosses me around, you know, like, yeah.
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He, he tell me he didn't, because like, I'm not texting him.
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I said, I need you in 20 minutes. I said, okay, I'm ready.
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And look at that. What a guy.
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What a guy. What a guy.
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Um, even, even branded as Tony usually is.
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So the first question I wanna ask,
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I'm at work, Alex.
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I come to work branded.
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No, no, I know, but,
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and we're, we're gonna get to, we're gonna get
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to your evolution through the team,
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but when you first joined the team, it,
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it wasn't obviously in the role that you were in now,
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but one of the things that is so TK
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and something that is, um, something
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that I admire about you is in your role, everything
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that could be customized
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to papaya was customized from the shoes
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to the whoop strap, to the, the AirPods,
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the AirPod case, the mouse, um, the computer mouse.
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Literally everything from like day three was,
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was papaya and .
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That is just your commitment to the brand
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and whatever brand you're representing, that's honestly
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a part of as to why you've been so successful in
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so many different facets.
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So I wanna get right into it. Yeah.
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When you did join that role
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in 20 24, 20,
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The 2023, the, the, the team principle.
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No, I joined the team 23, we did the 500,
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and I reached yes, 23.
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But in 23. And you were kind of, you were, you were
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with the team, you were building up to the 500 in May.
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You were working with NTT,
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you were working with partners at the track.
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Did it ever cross your mind
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that 18 months later you would be running the operation?
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No, not, not at all.
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I mean, that was never my intention, you know,
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because obviously you were part of it.
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Um, I was looking like, and I remember
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because for the first time in my life, um, I never,
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I didn't have a plan, Alex.
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People kept asking me,
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what are you gonna do after he retires?
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I said, I have no idea. And actually kind
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of backfired a little bit
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because I thought it was gonna be the coolest thing
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that people are gonna think was cool.
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And people kept asking, really.
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So I started to get concerned myself.
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I'm like, do I need really to find a job ?
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You know, like, is that bad not to know?
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So I, my plan was to all along, I was gonna come
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to the race weekends, right?
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That was already agreed when I signed in 23.
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But that was just obviously a, um, like
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after the 500 was what, uh, 11 or 12 races.
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So we bought a motorhome.
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Lauren and I, for the first time,
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I think joined the summer with the kids.
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And, and three months in, we had some, um,
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you know, some changes in issues in the team,
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which you, you were still here.
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And, and it start to evolve
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and you saw it like, uh, that was obviously,
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I'm only a year into the team principle.
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So we're talking about, it took actually full two years,
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but by Laguna, Zach came to the race
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and says, Hey, uh, next year I want you to go full time.
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And I said, full time for what?
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And I said, I don't know what to do.
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What do you want me to do? Zach says, well, you tell me.
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And me, as a dumb as I am, I wrote a big list to try
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to impress the boss, right?
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So I remember sitting here
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and then the, at the car having breakfast,
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and I brought him the sheet of paper, like full of, I said,
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here, boss thinking he was gonna pick two or three.
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He goes, okay, done . I'm like, what do you mean?
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You said you can do all of it.
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So I started that and, you know,
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I was involved with the team the whole time.
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You remember that I was here quite a bit
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and I spent the whole year just really looking, helping
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Brian Barner at the time, Gavin and, and, and everyone else.
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And then I think that's probably was something
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that if people look back, some people can say, well,
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you just put it there by Zach to look around and
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after a year, make an assessment.
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Because since we had bought the team,
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we didn't really replace a lot of people.
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Right? You came on board, you brought Brian,
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they hired Gavin, but the core of the team was the same.
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Not at all, wasn't the intention.
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But then when that happened, the thing is, I knew exactly,
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I know what to do, and I knew
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what people they were buying in
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and people that were not buying in.
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And that was a very difficult place for me to be,
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because obviously day one I had
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to make some tough decisions.
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But no, to answer your question, I,
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I had zero intentions to do it.
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But you just mentioned opening the show, if I commit
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to do something, I am going to do it.
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If I'm your friend, I'm the most loyal
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person you are always gonna have.
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But if I'm not, you know, like, so
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That's, no, it's, it's, um, I witnessed it and,
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and I can, I can say that it was a truly,
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like a very organic situation.
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Like, it, it wasn't, you weren't a plant, you weren't, um,
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some kind of double secret agent sort of thing.
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Like you did such a good job at, at one role, right?
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And then you kind of dipped your toes into a different role
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and, and it continued to grow.
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And, and honestly, we've talked about it on the show kind
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of at length this year.
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You know, looking back at the year
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that the team had the most successful year
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that they've had in IndyCar,
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obviously you played a big role in that.
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Before we get there, like you mentioned Zach,
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let's talk about your relationship with Zach.
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'cause I don't think a lot of people realize.
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It goes way back to when Zach was racing
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and you guys were actually teammates in Brazil,
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and there's this photo of you two
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and you were teammates at one point. .
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I mean, it, it, that's a long time ago.
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I think probably you and Tim were not even born,
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but, um, yeah, I mean, we were friends,
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we raised we're teammates.
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Um, I remember that when I was Zach teammate,
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I spoke zero, zero, but, but zero.
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I don't that I speak English right now, but zero. You
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Get 50% now. Yeah, yeah,
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Yeah.
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Ah, 35 according to my kids, you know, thanks for the 50.
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That's a compliment from me. Yeah, yeah.
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Um, but yeah, and,
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and my dream was always to come to America.
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Obviously it wasn't, it was in Europe, uh, when we raced.
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So we've been friends forever, which
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it's kinda like was also another thing
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that I had to be careful, right.
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Because you've seen some interactions you've
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seen in my retirement.
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He's making jokes about me
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and people, some people look at this,
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do they know each other because like Zach,
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the boss, you know?
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Um, but yeah, so the relationship there, it's quite
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close, but at the same time, it had to change a bit.
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When I'm here, we don't use that. Obviously.
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That is more of a, there is no like a boss intimidation
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or like, that is the respect.
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And I know exactly when we're talking serious,
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like there are days that we don't joke.
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There are days that we talk about doing a race together
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with old cars and stuff, but yeah.
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Um, it didn't, it didn't hurt obviously that he knows
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Foundation was there. Yeah.
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Yeah. And then I know who he is, like as far
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as personality and how things are.
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So I didn't have to learn my boss.
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So being as though McLaren is this,
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this massive operation, right?
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Obviously it's, you have the automotive side,
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but it's really McLaren F1, which Zach is mm-hmm .
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Is the number one guy, and then there's these branches
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of, of the brand, right?
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Era. McLaren, I would say is probably the,
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the second most recognizable above any
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of the sports car stuff and that sort of thing.
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So explain to me what it's like being a team principle
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for a brand of that caliber,
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but also being a team principle of brand of that caliber
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as your first time, right?
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You didn't, you didn't have the advantage of, of some
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of these other people
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that have worked their way up through the ranks.
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You know, I, I'm, I'm not gonna name names,
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but they start in the team manager role, right?
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And then they kind of are an apprentice below the big boss
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for a little bit, and then they, they get promoted, right?
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So they get to see the inner workings of a team and,
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and how the organization is run.
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You have seen various sides of it, but,
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but really only through the eyes of a driver.
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So what is that transition like to now be on the flip side,
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but also have the pressure of, of representing one
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of the biggest brands in motorsports?
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I mean, to be fair,
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I actually remember since I've had my run
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after I left Andretti, I kind of decided back then
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that I wanted to be able
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to control my own destiny in racing, right?
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And that led me to the sponsorship side, get involved.
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And you saw how long of relationships I had with sponsors
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that follow me through every team I've been
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including this one.
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So that gave me a little bit of, uh, on the branding side,
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you all make fun of me all the time.
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There is TK everywhere, you just make fun of me.
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There is McLaren, McLaren and McLaren everywhere.
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So I think I had an idea also,
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but I had to, the, the, the, the weight that it carries,
251
00:10:47.715 --> 00:10:50.325
when you just add the McLaren name on it, it's not
252
00:10:50.345 --> 00:10:51.685
for everyone, I believe.
253
00:10:51.685 --> 00:10:54.245
Mm-hmm . Especially for a rookie, let's call it.
254
00:10:55.785 --> 00:10:58.285
But my advantage, and then I think that's something
255
00:10:58.285 --> 00:11:01.175
that maybe people won't understand,
256
00:11:01.275 --> 00:11:05.535
but us race car drivers, I don't think we're gonna be able
257
00:11:05.535 --> 00:11:06.975
to describe what pressure is.
258
00:11:07.045 --> 00:11:09.695
This is pressure, but it's different. Mm-hmm . Right?
259
00:11:09.795 --> 00:11:11.655
So that didn't really phase me.
260
00:11:12.275 --> 00:11:15.015
Uh, I think for the listeners that don't know me well,
261
00:11:15.135 --> 00:11:16.735
I don't get intimidated by it.
262
00:11:16.855 --> 00:11:19.715
I mean, it's really not, I'm not trying to brag about it.
263
00:11:19.715 --> 00:11:21.275
It's just us. We don't, we can't.
264
00:11:21.975 --> 00:11:26.875
And I think I got conditioned to that doing, you know,
265
00:11:26.875 --> 00:11:27.875
my entire life racing.
266
00:11:28.015 --> 00:11:30.275
So you become, you act like at the us
267
00:11:30.825 --> 00:11:31.875
there's the good and the bad.
268
00:11:31.875 --> 00:11:33.515
You become as selfish, you know?
269
00:11:33.585 --> 00:11:35.995
It's, it's, it is what it is. This is who we are.
270
00:11:36.815 --> 00:11:39.075
So that wasn't a big deal.
271
00:11:39.295 --> 00:11:42.395
The, I I would say it was not a big adjustment,
272
00:11:43.575 --> 00:11:47.285
but then you become responsible for 120 people,
273
00:11:47.505 --> 00:11:48.685
you become responsible.
274
00:11:48.685 --> 00:11:51.925
That people that I've known for a long time, I'm not,
275
00:11:52.225 --> 00:11:53.735
we don't need to get into details,
276
00:11:53.835 --> 00:11:56.095
but the decisions that I had to make you
277
00:11:56.095 --> 00:11:58.575
and I, the conversations that we had, you are my friend.
278
00:11:58.795 --> 00:12:00.335
You are mm-hmm . I mean, and, and that is,
279
00:12:00.635 --> 00:12:01.855
we needed it to separate.
280
00:12:02.715 --> 00:12:05.945
We had to make a tough decision both sides.
281
00:12:05.965 --> 00:12:09.345
We had to com like that is when it comes that you like,
282
00:12:10.925 --> 00:12:12.385
you really wanna do this or not,
283
00:12:12.385 --> 00:12:16.425
because you can't make decisions by favoring a friend.
284
00:12:16.575 --> 00:12:18.305
Yeah. Right. You gotta look for the company. Now.
285
00:12:18.305 --> 00:12:21.665
It's a big brand. And any thing that you do,
286
00:12:21.685 --> 00:12:25.345
any move you make, it's gonna beg, have a huge consequence.
287
00:12:25.445 --> 00:12:28.825
Not on me, but on the employees, on the brand.
288
00:12:29.685 --> 00:12:34.065
But also it took me my entire career to be make my own brand
289
00:12:34.065 --> 00:12:35.065
and my own reputation.
290
00:12:36.595 --> 00:12:39.535
And before I was in fully control of it,
291
00:12:40.685 --> 00:12:43.985
now I add another, another brand that is much bigger.
292
00:12:44.605 --> 00:12:46.705
Yep. That is helping, that is not helping
293
00:12:46.805 --> 00:12:48.265
or helping control that.
294
00:12:48.285 --> 00:12:50.065
Is that, does that make sense? It does.
295
00:12:50.245 --> 00:12:53.585
So, so, but what's harder, what was harder?
296
00:12:54.205 --> 00:12:58.635
Um, for me, it's to slow down
297
00:12:59.015 --> 00:13:02.435
and knowing that I don't need to make a decision
298
00:13:03.715 --> 00:13:06.295
in three minutes or one hour between sessions.
299
00:13:07.115 --> 00:13:09.375
You know, I can sleep on today
300
00:13:09.755 --> 00:13:11.415
and change my mind tomorrow as long
301
00:13:11.415 --> 00:13:13.495
as I don't, and change it.
302
00:13:13.495 --> 00:13:16.655
And again, and put a deadline to that.
303
00:13:16.655 --> 00:13:18.375
To me, still, I struggle quite a bit.
304
00:13:18.375 --> 00:13:20.255
That's part of my personality, regardless.
305
00:13:20.555 --> 00:13:22.975
But the respo and, and, and,
306
00:13:23.645 --> 00:13:25.625
but those, again, I'm gonna go back
307
00:13:25.645 --> 00:13:27.185
to you make a change in the car.
308
00:13:27.185 --> 00:13:28.545
If it's not good, it's on me.
309
00:13:28.985 --> 00:13:31.665
I gotta figure out I make a change here or not,
310
00:13:31.665 --> 00:13:32.665
or I jump the gun here.
311
00:13:32.805 --> 00:13:35.585
I'm affecting an entire organization, good or bad. Right?
312
00:13:36.325 --> 00:13:39.905
So it's the, the hardest part was to actually
313
00:13:40.575 --> 00:13:42.605
understand the timing, which
314
00:13:44.185 --> 00:13:45.875
it's impossible to understand timing.
315
00:13:45.935 --> 00:13:48.675
The timing is now, the timing is tomorrow. So together.
316
00:13:48.695 --> 00:13:50.315
But that I I I, I was out
317
00:13:50.315 --> 00:13:52.595
of my comfort zone that I knew race.
318
00:13:52.615 --> 00:13:54.555
If that doesn't work, I'm gonna do something else.
319
00:13:54.665 --> 00:13:59.435
Like, uh, on the card here, I'm still, I'm still learning.
320
00:13:59.495 --> 00:14:03.115
So a lot of people, like, obviously I have Zach,
321
00:14:03.775 --> 00:14:05.795
but Zach didn't hire me for me to ask him
322
00:14:06.635 --> 00:14:07.695
10 questions a day.
323
00:14:08.025 --> 00:14:09.815
Right. And Zach was always,
324
00:14:10.035 --> 00:14:12.375
but like, I know the way he works, Zach is like,
325
00:14:12.785 --> 00:14:14.935
bring me the problem, but bring me three
326
00:14:14.935 --> 00:14:17.695
solutions and we'll think about it.
327
00:14:18.655 --> 00:14:20.875
So I use a lot of people here that I trust to,
328
00:14:20.935 --> 00:14:22.635
to lean on and, and ask.
329
00:14:22.795 --> 00:14:25.115
I was never afraid to ask. I was never afraid.
330
00:14:25.215 --> 00:14:28.315
And I am still not to things that I don't know.
331
00:14:28.515 --> 00:14:30.955
I mean, I gotta do a board meeting, I gotta do a PowerPoint.
332
00:14:31.035 --> 00:14:33.795
I gotta write an email. I mean, I don't even know chat.
333
00:14:33.955 --> 00:14:35.675
GPT nowadays is awesome, right? .
334
00:14:35.955 --> 00:14:38.915
But if I write an email to, I write an email with my report,
335
00:14:38.915 --> 00:14:40.155
people are gonna go, uh,
336
00:14:40.535 --> 00:14:42.555
is he in fifth grade or something, you know?
337
00:14:42.555 --> 00:14:44.035
Yeah. So those kind of things.
338
00:14:44.115 --> 00:14:45.915
I had to be more mindful before you're a driver.
339
00:14:46.095 --> 00:14:48.155
You, you talk the way you want to talk. Sure.
340
00:14:48.415 --> 00:14:51.325
So, uh, it's the timing and, and and,
341
00:14:51.385 --> 00:14:54.765
and really understanding that, you know,
342
00:14:54.765 --> 00:14:56.165
leaning on the right people
343
00:14:56.345 --> 00:14:59.885
and not being afraid to show that some of the weaknesses
344
00:14:59.915 --> 00:15:02.205
that you have, but doesn't mean you're not a good leader.
345
00:15:06.225 --> 00:15:08.045
You know, you were one of the most, uh, one
346
00:15:08.045 --> 00:15:10.845
of the most popular drivers, especially in Indianapolis.
347
00:15:10.845 --> 00:15:12.445
Like when you take the lead at the 500,
348
00:15:12.595 --> 00:15:14.765
it's always a big deal when when you get announced
349
00:15:14.785 --> 00:15:16.485
as the driver announcements, it's always a big deal.
350
00:15:17.445 --> 00:15:19.765
I know you said you had no plans when you had retired,
351
00:15:19.865 --> 00:15:21.525
but was there a bit of you that thought
352
00:15:21.525 --> 00:15:23.325
of doing a more like, fan forward thing?
353
00:15:23.325 --> 00:15:24.845
Like, you know, Hinch went into
354
00:15:25.045 --> 00:15:26.565
commentating and things like that.
355
00:15:27.585 --> 00:15:28.605
Was that ever Tim,
356
00:15:29.745 --> 00:15:32.205
Um, people that know me like you too,
357
00:15:32.205 --> 00:15:35.645
you could have said first thing, you should go, you know,
358
00:15:35.645 --> 00:15:38.325
people like you, you can outspoken, but you should go on tv.
359
00:15:38.475 --> 00:15:41.325
That was always, somebody always had mentioned
360
00:15:41.325 --> 00:15:43.925
that you should go to tv because I guess naturally that's
361
00:15:43.925 --> 00:15:45.645
what athletes do when they retire, right?
362
00:15:45.665 --> 00:15:46.765
You look at football.
363
00:15:46.825 --> 00:15:50.945
And so it, it did cross my mind.
364
00:15:51.445 --> 00:15:54.185
But to be fair, I think that was the time
365
00:15:54.185 --> 00:15:56.065
that actually Hinch just had started it.
366
00:15:56.965 --> 00:15:59.745
and, and e everybody had told me,
367
00:16:00.205 --> 00:16:01.665
but I got zero phone calls.
368
00:16:01.785 --> 00:16:05.705
I mean, I had no plan. I was woke about having no plan.
369
00:16:06.845 --> 00:16:08.785
Nobody consider tour plan, either
370
00:16:09.125 --> 00:16:10.125
Not,
Not at all.
371
00:16:10.285 --> 00:16:12.865
So, um, I say, I think we can blame
372
00:16:12.915 --> 00:16:14.825
James on this . Yeah.
373
00:16:15.125 --> 00:16:16.945
No, but you know what I mean. It's like, whoa.
374
00:16:17.585 --> 00:16:18.745
I mean, they knew
375
00:16:19.005 --> 00:16:21.265
and everybody was asking, well, the, nobody even going,
376
00:16:21.365 --> 00:16:23.545
do you wanna do an Indian lights, uh,
377
00:16:23.685 --> 00:16:25.745
Indian next race, uh, in the booth?
378
00:16:26.375 --> 00:16:27.905
None, not, I mean,
379
00:16:27.905 --> 00:16:29.465
it took me a year to get back on your podcast.
380
00:16:29.575 --> 00:16:31.385
That means I'm that bad. But yeah. Right.
381
00:16:31.565 --> 00:16:34.025
So, uh, I didn't know what to consider.
382
00:16:34.245 --> 00:16:37.305
Uh, honestly, I, and a little, I was a little bit concerned
383
00:16:37.305 --> 00:16:41.445
because obviously I was not gonna going to starve,
384
00:16:41.545 --> 00:16:43.365
but also, I'm not the type of person
385
00:16:43.365 --> 00:16:45.485
that was gonna be just sitting your, sitting at home.
386
00:16:45.755 --> 00:16:47.725
Yeah. But Alex is gonna make fun of me
387
00:16:47.725 --> 00:16:49.305
because, uh,
388
00:16:49.405 --> 00:16:51.665
we kind probably gonna need a three hour podcast here.
389
00:16:51.725 --> 00:16:54.345
But we, uh, as much as I hate simulators, back in the day
390
00:16:54.375 --> 00:16:57.025
that Alex and I had to go pick two of them up
391
00:16:57.045 --> 00:16:59.105
and put it on a kind of bed
392
00:16:59.105 --> 00:17:00.745
of a pickup truck from a friend's house,
393
00:17:01.005 --> 00:17:03.785
and it started to rain, and then we like, like,
394
00:17:04.165 --> 00:17:05.585
and I, he despised that.
395
00:17:05.945 --> 00:17:09.225
I actually had started after that, uh, a good partnership.
396
00:17:09.225 --> 00:17:10.745
So this, this was during COVID when you guys,
397
00:17:10.965 --> 00:17:12.265
during COVID from, uh, yeah.
398
00:17:12.265 --> 00:17:14.425
From George's house, right? Yes. Correct.
399
00:17:14.425 --> 00:17:16.745
Yeah. And, and we hated every minute.
400
00:17:16.935 --> 00:17:18.705
Alex keeps not liking it.
401
00:17:18.885 --> 00:17:23.705
And I fully embedded on products, developing products.
402
00:17:23.705 --> 00:17:26.645
So that was actually probably my safe net there.
403
00:17:26.725 --> 00:17:28.045
I knew that I was gonna do something,
404
00:17:28.045 --> 00:17:31.565
but it was not totally related to IndyCar and then racing.
405
00:17:32.185 --> 00:17:35.325
So I want to talk a little bit about your 2025
406
00:17:35.785 --> 00:17:37.045
and then your 2026.
407
00:17:37.225 --> 00:17:39.365
So 2025 pato
408
00:17:39.945 --> 00:17:43.045
is the class champion we like to call it on here.
409
00:17:43.105 --> 00:17:46.765
You know, no one was touching the 10 car for all the reasons
410
00:17:46.795 --> 00:17:47.965
that we don't need to get into.
411
00:17:49.385 --> 00:17:51.565
Um, Patto had a phenomenal year.
412
00:17:51.675 --> 00:17:54.005
Obviously Christian did a great job.
413
00:17:54.545 --> 00:17:57.765
The team as a whole, I think had the most amount of podiums
414
00:17:57.875 --> 00:18:00.965
that they've ever had in a season that looks pretty good
415
00:18:01.505 --> 00:18:03.525
on your resume for year number one.
416
00:18:03.785 --> 00:18:06.725
Was, was, was it a surprise to you,
417
00:18:07.145 --> 00:18:08.605
or did you think, all right,
418
00:18:08.605 --> 00:18:12.565
if we put these pieces together, like everything we have,
419
00:18:12.565 --> 00:18:15.565
what it takes, it just is about execution at this point?
420
00:18:16.505 --> 00:18:20.635
Well, first of all, I'm gonna ref, I'm gonna ask answer
421
00:18:20.635 --> 00:18:23.675
with asking you a question in my book,
422
00:18:23.815 --> 00:18:26.555
and then I don't wanna sound, and I told that to the team.
423
00:18:27.055 --> 00:18:28.475
Do you really think we had a good year?
424
00:18:28.895 --> 00:18:30.995
You know, who had a good year was a 10 car, right?
425
00:18:31.975 --> 00:18:34.315
We had a very consistent year.
426
00:18:34.415 --> 00:18:36.715
We, I set some goals in the beginning of the year
427
00:18:36.715 --> 00:18:38.235
that I think we achieved some of them,
428
00:18:38.815 --> 00:18:42.875
but we did not win, uh, more races than we did the year
429
00:18:42.875 --> 00:18:44.755
before we won to let the year
430
00:18:44.755 --> 00:18:47.835
before we won three debatable the stampede won,
431
00:18:47.835 --> 00:18:49.075
but it, a win is a win.
432
00:18:49.345 --> 00:18:53.245
Sure. Right? But yes, I mean, we,
433
00:18:53.725 --> 00:18:57.535
I set some goals that I've learned the previous year.
434
00:18:58.295 --> 00:19:01.185
Obviously, we correct a lot of things, including
435
00:19:01.185 --> 00:19:04.185
that involved your crew at the time
436
00:19:05.095 --> 00:19:06.585
that it's always like that, right?
437
00:19:06.585 --> 00:19:08.785
It's, it's, you get it. Sometimes it's the way it is.
438
00:19:08.925 --> 00:19:13.735
But, um, so I think
439
00:19:13.735 --> 00:19:14.855
we achieved a lot of the goals.
440
00:19:15.665 --> 00:19:18.245
Um, did I ex expectations, Alex?
441
00:19:18.435 --> 00:19:20.685
It's hard in racing what is an expectation?
442
00:19:20.685 --> 00:19:23.005
Because if you're gonna base yourself on results
443
00:19:23.235 --> 00:19:24.965
only you're done.
444
00:19:25.425 --> 00:19:27.805
You need to go, all right, maybe it didn't, the,
445
00:19:27.985 --> 00:19:30.885
the outcome, like the end result didn't, but did we achieve?
446
00:19:30.885 --> 00:19:32.405
Because you never know somebody's gonna hit you.
447
00:19:32.405 --> 00:19:34.405
Is it gonna, you know, you the result wise?
448
00:19:34.985 --> 00:19:37.845
But yes, I think I've always said that.
449
00:19:37.925 --> 00:19:39.245
I said that to the team.
450
00:19:39.285 --> 00:19:40.605
I said that outside, said that to you.
451
00:19:40.725 --> 00:19:44.325
I think we had a huge potential
452
00:19:44.345 --> 00:19:45.605
and we have a huge potential.
453
00:19:45.605 --> 00:19:46.605
We have a brand. We have,
454
00:19:46.735 --> 00:19:49.685
we're very self-finance, self-sufficient.
455
00:19:49.905 --> 00:19:51.165
We don't like sponsorship,
456
00:19:51.495 --> 00:19:53.885
which is the most important thing in racing to keep it.
457
00:19:54.265 --> 00:19:55.805
So we have everything. We had everything,
458
00:19:55.805 --> 00:19:57.445
but we were not there.
459
00:19:58.305 --> 00:20:02.725
And having to single out one problem at a time
460
00:20:03.145 --> 00:20:06.405
as we do as drivers, like priority 1, 2, 3, 4.
461
00:20:07.485 --> 00:20:09.645
I was like, I had to pick three mm-hmm .
462
00:20:09.865 --> 00:20:12.725
And then try to, but I wanted to do 15. Sure.
463
00:20:13.025 --> 00:20:15.455
So it worked.
464
00:20:16.855 --> 00:20:19.635
Uh, we were gonna call luck, uh, if I was
465
00:20:20.155 --> 00:20:21.515
competent, competent or not.
466
00:20:21.795 --> 00:20:25.915
I mean, I think my ability to put the passion on people
467
00:20:26.095 --> 00:20:28.595
or whatever you wanna call, you know how intense I am.
468
00:20:28.895 --> 00:20:32.235
You know how I'm here 13 hours a day, right?
469
00:20:32.995 --> 00:20:35.835
I think that drove people to elevate as well.
470
00:20:35.945 --> 00:20:38.635
It's not pressure. Like it's just, I'm here guys, I'm,
471
00:20:38.655 --> 00:20:39.755
and we're gonna do this.
472
00:20:39.755 --> 00:20:40.955
No, you're leading by example. Yeah.
473
00:20:41.045 --> 00:20:43.875
Right. So I think that was a big part of it
474
00:20:43.875 --> 00:20:45.515
because to be fair, look at the team.
475
00:20:45.535 --> 00:20:47.365
We didn't change a lot of people now. Yes.
476
00:20:47.375 --> 00:20:48.965
We're kind of like in the off season, kind
477
00:20:48.965 --> 00:20:51.045
of like we're being remodeling a little bit.
478
00:20:51.665 --> 00:20:56.005
But it wasn't, I think my idea of, you know,
479
00:20:56.825 --> 00:20:58.885
the, the, the lineup of the leadership team.
480
00:20:58.985 --> 00:21:01.085
I'm talking about the top from engineers to
481
00:21:01.625 --> 00:21:02.885
my group here in the office.
482
00:21:03.595 --> 00:21:07.325
It's something that I wanted to have like references
483
00:21:07.355 --> 00:21:09.725
that we all had in the past on the teams
484
00:21:09.725 --> 00:21:11.525
that are being successful and they're beating us.
485
00:21:11.545 --> 00:21:12.645
You need consistency.
486
00:21:12.645 --> 00:21:14.605
You can't keep turning around people every year
487
00:21:14.605 --> 00:21:16.765
because I think I got there,
488
00:21:18.355 --> 00:21:21.385
but now it's, again, it's another year.
489
00:21:21.805 --> 00:21:24.545
And, and you know, every year, like it was a big deal.
490
00:21:24.575 --> 00:21:26.305
Like you talk about how many people I had
491
00:21:26.305 --> 00:21:29.145
to let go last year to kind of change a little bit.
492
00:21:29.565 --> 00:21:30.825
The culture here. Not
493
00:21:30.825 --> 00:21:32.665
that there are bad people at all, at all.
494
00:21:33.265 --> 00:21:35.305
Hmm. But I had to, when I took over,
495
00:21:35.305 --> 00:21:37.865
it was 12 people this year was another 11.
496
00:21:37.925 --> 00:21:40.065
And some people left, as you all know. Hmm.
497
00:21:40.565 --> 00:21:41.865
You always adjusting. Right?
498
00:21:41.885 --> 00:21:43.625
And you always have to believe in the process.
499
00:21:43.845 --> 00:21:47.345
But in racing, like, look, look, that's the way it goes.
500
00:21:47.405 --> 00:21:49.985
And then you go to the first race and you don't do well.
501
00:21:49.985 --> 00:21:51.385
Well, you change everybody.
502
00:21:51.565 --> 00:21:53.265
You at your best cheer of your career.
503
00:21:53.285 --> 00:21:54.545
Of course. Yeah. No. So
504
00:21:54.545 --> 00:21:56.145
You're only as good as your last race, man.
505
00:21:56.325 --> 00:21:59.945
And, um, I think it's, it's interesting that you,
506
00:22:00.125 --> 00:22:02.505
you mentioned the pressure, how
507
00:22:03.865 --> 00:22:05.485
as a driver being in that role,
508
00:22:06.585 --> 00:22:07.885
you don't necessarily feel it,
509
00:22:07.885 --> 00:22:09.405
but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, right?
510
00:22:09.435 --> 00:22:12.085
Like there's, there's a, there's a huge amount of,
511
00:22:12.425 --> 00:22:14.005
of responsibility on your plate.
512
00:22:14.225 --> 00:22:16.325
Um, while we have you for a few more minutes,
513
00:22:16.375 --> 00:22:17.765
let's go quickly into 2026.
514
00:22:18.145 --> 00:22:22.725
Uh, last week we had on our good friend, RHR,
515
00:22:23.465 --> 00:22:28.045
um, who is over the moon at the opportunity, um, to get to,
516
00:22:28.105 --> 00:22:29.605
to drive your fourth car at Indy.
517
00:22:29.715 --> 00:22:31.405
Walk us through that thought process.
518
00:22:31.785 --> 00:22:33.605
Was he always kind of on the short list?
519
00:22:33.635 --> 00:22:34.685
Like how did that come to be?
520
00:22:35.315 --> 00:22:37.165
Look, you know, because you've been here, um,
521
00:22:37.315 --> 00:22:40.965
that fourth car was always a struggle to make it happen
522
00:22:40.965 --> 00:22:43.805
because we're, we're stretched really thin.
523
00:22:44.505 --> 00:22:46.765
We had the F1 guys coming to help, blah, blah, blah.
524
00:22:47.105 --> 00:22:48.605
But it was always the intention to
525
00:22:50.105 --> 00:22:51.515
fill a car to win the 500.
526
00:22:51.655 --> 00:22:56.355
So Montoya. Then you get myself, Larson.
527
00:22:57.535 --> 00:23:00.875
So when we're debating, I said, well, what's the angle here?
528
00:23:01.855 --> 00:23:03.495
I, I wanna win. Right?
529
00:23:04.415 --> 00:23:07.195
And let's face it, Christian and Nolan are getting there,
530
00:23:07.255 --> 00:23:11.115
but with your departure, I was down to really realistic.
531
00:23:11.315 --> 00:23:15.295
I need to be one guy last year. It's the fact.
532
00:23:16.275 --> 00:23:19.815
So I said I need to, I need another roster here to help out.
533
00:23:20.495 --> 00:23:23.295
'cause they know obviously Christian is doing better anyway.
534
00:23:24.315 --> 00:23:27.815
And then he is really, like Ryan was, if you look around it,
535
00:23:27.915 --> 00:23:29.655
it was like the years that I was doing the 500,
536
00:23:29.895 --> 00:23:32.695
I was such in a good spot because I was still pretty good
537
00:23:32.695 --> 00:23:35.775
and I was a obvious choice, right?
538
00:23:36.435 --> 00:23:40.175
So he was always on my list and, and, uh,
539
00:23:40.315 --> 00:23:44.255
but at the time he was still trying to decide on,
540
00:23:45.115 --> 00:23:47.775
you know, he had to deal with dry rainbow and,
541
00:23:47.955 --> 00:23:50.215
but that the way it worked was I called him
542
00:23:50.395 --> 00:23:52.375
and it is like, no different than I would've called you.
543
00:23:52.375 --> 00:23:54.675
I said, Ryan, you are my teammate.
544
00:23:54.715 --> 00:23:55.835
I know you for two decades.
545
00:23:56.175 --> 00:23:59.315
We have three days to do this and we're not gonna go X
546
00:23:59.375 --> 00:24:01.595
and I'm gonna go y like I'm gonna tell
547
00:24:01.595 --> 00:24:02.715
you and we need to sign.
548
00:24:03.265 --> 00:24:05.315
He's like, that's fine. And I said, it's you and I.
549
00:24:05.975 --> 00:24:09.315
And then once we agree, we send to the lawyers to,
550
00:24:09.315 --> 00:24:10.835
because I need to get this done now.
551
00:24:11.015 --> 00:24:14.875
Mm-hmm . Don't ask me why. And and he goes, okay.
552
00:24:15.095 --> 00:24:16.875
And, and we got it done in three days.
553
00:24:17.015 --> 00:24:20.485
And, um, it's funny how it works
554
00:24:20.485 --> 00:24:23.805
because, you know, it's, he looked at me, he is like,
555
00:24:23.825 --> 00:24:25.205
wow, you know Ryan, right?
556
00:24:25.205 --> 00:24:28.165
He's like, oh, oh wow, look at your office.
557
00:24:28.705 --> 00:24:29.965
Oh, can I have this chair?
558
00:24:30.465 --> 00:24:32.045
I'm like, are you already asking for stuff?
559
00:24:32.865 --> 00:24:35.085
And then the funny part was like, Hey, you know,
560
00:24:35.085 --> 00:24:37.005
if you hadn't treated me nice, now I'm your boss.
561
00:24:37.065 --> 00:24:38.125
So it was funny to see.
562
00:24:39.905 --> 00:24:42.765
Can you share, there was a, there was a quote from Zach
563
00:24:43.365 --> 00:24:45.645
a couple months ago, I wanna say.
564
00:24:45.645 --> 00:24:48.765
Yeah. Where it was like, if, if this name works out
565
00:24:48.825 --> 00:24:50.925
for the fourth car, can you share who that is or no?
566
00:24:52.155 --> 00:24:54.125
Look, you know Zach? Yeah.
567
00:24:54.395 --> 00:24:59.045
Zach throw out or like every single name. Yeah.
568
00:24:59.195 --> 00:25:01.205
Well, he says, can we get Lio?
569
00:25:01.285 --> 00:25:04.125
I said, you know, he owns a team like Yeah. Next door.
570
00:25:04.315 --> 00:25:06.125
Like, no, we can't. Yeah.
571
00:25:06.345 --> 00:25:09.405
Um, and I know he is been thrown out some names out there.
572
00:25:09.465 --> 00:25:11.325
He mentioned, you know, Schumacher
573
00:25:11.325 --> 00:25:13.005
that he talked about, Valentino Ross.
574
00:25:13.025 --> 00:25:17.005
Mm-hmm . Like, I always stated it to Zach.
575
00:25:18.185 --> 00:25:21.815
Uh, to be fair, Alex, uh, we could have to say,
576
00:25:22.875 --> 00:25:25.815
you know, like you said, Brad Pitt, we put him in an F1 car.
577
00:25:26.645 --> 00:25:29.535
Well, he has a whole month to learn. Yeah. Right.
578
00:25:29.795 --> 00:25:31.455
So I was always like, Zach, we need to,
579
00:25:31.575 --> 00:25:32.975
I want a a, a car to win. Do you want,
580
00:25:32.975 --> 00:25:33.935
Do you want a press car or do you want
581
00:25:33.935 --> 00:25:34.775
a car that can, that
582
00:25:35.065 --> 00:25:37.335
Which, which is fine, I just needed to understand.
583
00:25:37.435 --> 00:25:39.575
But me in this position, I do have a little,
584
00:25:39.695 --> 00:25:42.735
I I wanna win the press car.
585
00:25:42.775 --> 00:25:44.615
I need to understand how much more press we need.
586
00:25:44.615 --> 00:25:48.175
Where Mylan, you're Zach. Yeah. So, yeah. Did you,
587
00:25:48.285 --> 00:25:50.175
Were you, were you ever on your own list?
588
00:25:51.275 --> 00:25:54.495
No, man. Like, I was so tired of this thing.
589
00:25:54.695 --> 00:25:56.975
'cause you see, you guy, you make fun of me all the time.
590
00:25:56.975 --> 00:25:58.735
Like, I tried to retire since COVID
591
00:25:59.035 --> 00:26:00.815
and yes, those are my own fault.
592
00:26:01.475 --> 00:26:04.815
And then the deal with Lars, I was the, the reserve. Yeah.
593
00:26:05.395 --> 00:26:07.295
Uh, no, I was never in my own living number.
594
00:26:07.295 --> 00:26:08.695
Did you lose my number? You were, did you not
595
00:26:08.695 --> 00:26:10.655
know how to get ahold of me? Well,
596
00:26:10.675 --> 00:26:13.495
Kim, you had, you have grown, I think you're still in pub
597
00:26:13.495 --> 00:26:14.935
with you, so you wouldn't, you, you know
598
00:26:14.935 --> 00:26:16.615
that you wouldn't fit in the car anymore. . You,
599
00:26:17.015 --> 00:26:19.735
I mean, you did drive last year. Technically
600
00:26:20.615 --> 00:26:21.615
I did drive.
601
00:26:21.615 --> 00:26:22.255
And Alex telling
602
00:26:22.255 --> 00:26:23.255
You too, you haven't given it up yet.
603
00:26:23.915 --> 00:26:26.055
So that story, I don't, I I'm gonna share.
604
00:26:26.335 --> 00:26:27.335
I don't, we don't have a lot of time,
605
00:26:27.355 --> 00:26:31.895
but I was on the grid civilian close, like waiting
606
00:26:31.915 --> 00:26:36.785
for the national anthem and, and my phone ringed.
607
00:26:36.845 --> 00:26:40.905
It was Rocket saying, is your suit ready?
608
00:26:41.495 --> 00:26:42.825
Because it was gonna ring.
609
00:26:43.405 --> 00:26:46.365
I didn't get in the car by 15 minutes.
610
00:26:47.945 --> 00:26:50.205
And I have to say, if I've ever, like,
611
00:26:50.205 --> 00:26:51.565
it's uncomfortable is, you know,
612
00:26:51.565 --> 00:26:53.725
this is uncomfortable every start of 500,
613
00:26:53.745 --> 00:26:54.805
no matter how many you do.
614
00:26:54.805 --> 00:26:56.525
Yeah. Actually, I actually have to say it.
615
00:26:56.635 --> 00:27:00.205
It's worse as you go. The more you do it, I remember
616
00:27:01.105 --> 00:27:01.965
Is going down. Yeah,
617
00:27:02.325 --> 00:27:03.325
I won.
618
00:27:03.325 --> 00:27:07.555
No. So anyway, that was the most frightening.
619
00:27:07.715 --> 00:27:09.675
I started it to panic. I'm not joking.
620
00:27:09.755 --> 00:27:12.235
I, I, I didn't eat, I didn't drink. I went to bed.
621
00:27:12.235 --> 00:27:13.475
I mean, like, I was not ready.
622
00:27:14.295 --> 00:27:17.075
And, and no matter what I said to myself, once I had gotten
623
00:27:17.075 --> 00:27:19.115
that car, I was gonna go for it regardless.
624
00:27:19.655 --> 00:27:24.395
So yeah, I, no, never on my list. No.
625
00:27:24.455 --> 00:27:26.435
No. Okay. All right.
626
00:27:26.455 --> 00:27:29.235
So, so the TK last lap has actually happened.
627
00:27:29.695 --> 00:27:31.035
It is, it is done.
628
00:27:31.535 --> 00:27:35.195
Hey, um, again, they sent me to the simulator last week.
629
00:27:35.335 --> 00:27:36.955
So it is never gonna really done .
630
00:27:39.215 --> 00:27:40.475
My point is, I have a boss.
631
00:27:40.535 --> 00:27:43.035
If I can't control my own destiny, yes,
632
00:27:43.565 --> 00:27:45.115
Uhhuh,
But if I get threatened
633
00:27:45.115 --> 00:27:46.355
by my job, I mean mm-hmm .
634
00:27:46.575 --> 00:27:48.115
You know, I drove, I, it wasn't
635
00:27:48.115 --> 00:27:50.355
that bad last year. It was fun. The
636
00:27:50.355 --> 00:27:52.235
2035 Indy 500 champion
637
00:27:53.735 --> 00:27:55.995
, you know, I think, Hey Alex, how about this?
638
00:27:56.155 --> 00:27:58.155
I think I just should start drinking barber
639
00:27:58.215 --> 00:28:00.115
and gain a bunch of weight.
640
00:28:00.115 --> 00:28:01.355
Then, then they're not gonna consider
641
00:28:01.355 --> 00:28:02.395
it. 'cause I won't fit anymore.
642
00:28:02.895 --> 00:28:05.795
See Tony, they call that Pollen a Tim. Mm.
643
00:28:06.345 --> 00:28:07.835
Here we go. Yeah,
There you go.
644
00:28:08.425 --> 00:28:11.275
Well, listen, man, um, thank you very much for your time,
645
00:28:11.405 --> 00:28:12.715
especially on short notice.
646
00:28:13.015 --> 00:28:14.795
Um, congratulations on
647
00:28:15.865 --> 00:28:17.755
your new role, the success you're having.
648
00:28:18.195 --> 00:28:20.395
I am, I'm very happy for you and,
649
00:28:20.455 --> 00:28:21.715
and the friends that I still have there
650
00:28:21.735 --> 00:28:23.195
and enjoy the off season.
651
00:28:23.625 --> 00:28:25.275
What, uh, thank you. What you can get
652
00:28:25.535 --> 00:28:28.435
and the hi to the family and thank you again for coming on.
653
00:28:28.575 --> 00:28:29.795
No, well thanks for having me. Now.
654
00:28:29.815 --> 00:28:30.835
I'm gonna put it on my calendar.
655
00:28:31.975 --> 00:28:33.235
You know, I, that I've been here
656
00:28:33.295 --> 00:28:35.115
so I can count the dates. Come. We'll see you next to come back
657
00:28:35.185 --> 00:28:36.555
Next, next November. And,
658
00:28:36.555 --> 00:28:37.555
And I echo what you said.
659
00:28:37.735 --> 00:28:39.795
If, if, if we can win, you know that I always,
660
00:28:40.055 --> 00:28:41.515
you know, I hope you can. I
661
00:28:41.515 --> 00:28:42.515
Appreciate you, man.
662
00:28:42.515 --> 00:28:43.365
Thank you very much, much.
663
00:28:44.825 --> 00:28:46.715
This has been off track with Hinch and Rossi.
664
00:28:46.795 --> 00:28:49.915
Offtrack is part of the Sirius XM Sports Podcast network.
665
00:28:50.335 --> 00:28:51.435
If you enjoyed this episode
666
00:28:51.435 --> 00:28:53.915
and want to hear more, please give a five star
667
00:28:53.915 --> 00:28:54.955
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668
00:28:55.555 --> 00:28:57.755
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669
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670
00:29:00.895 --> 00:29:03.555
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671
00:29:03.555 --> 00:29:04.915
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672
00:29:05.135 --> 00:29:06.595
If you wanna follow them though,
673
00:29:06.595 --> 00:29:08.075
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674
00:29:08.345 --> 00:29:10.995
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675
00:29:11.625 --> 00:29:13.595
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676
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