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<v Speaker 1>This is,</v>

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<v Speaker 2>Is off track.</v>

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<v Speaker 1>Hello and welcome, uh, to a Tuesday episode</v>

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of Off Track with Hi Rossi.

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James is off in The Bahamas, so I'm gonna carry this one,

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uh, because Is that where he is?

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Yeah. He just decided to go to The Bahamas because

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<v Speaker 2>He's gonna be there until they figure out his tax</v>

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situation so well,

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<v Speaker 1>And, uh, the guests, we have this, this, uh,</v>

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this wonderful Tuesday is somebody that, um,

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if you're familiar with IMS and IndyCar

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and one Rick Mes, Rick Meers, um, yeah,

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you do know a Depu Sandi.

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So, um, he's one of my closest friends.

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He's a huge supporter of IndyCar of IMS

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of the city of Indianapolis.

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And so he took some time out of his very busy day, I'm sure,

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clearly from the turn to sweet at IMS, uh, to join us.

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So, depu, welcome.

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<v Speaker 2>Hey, I appreciate, appreciate you guys having me on here.</v>

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Have you, just outta curiosity,</v>

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have you ever been on, uh, Connor's podcast?

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<v Speaker 2>I haven't. Um,</v>
<v Speaker 1>So I'm the better friend. We have</v>

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<v Speaker 2>Deep yeah's uh, let's, let's hope Connor doesn't hear that</v>

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because I think he's, uh, oh, I'm gonna send it to him.

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Upset. Yeah, I think that's right.

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You know, he and I played in

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that pickleball tournament yesterday with a flow, and,

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and look, I'll be honest, we,

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uh, we should have gone deeper.

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We, uh, we choked under

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<v Speaker 1>Pressure.</v>

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Didn't, didn't you go home in the first round?

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<v Speaker 2>What you're forgetting to talk about is we made it through</v>

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the group stage, right.

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Which you don't want to fact check this,

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but I think everyone did.

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I thought there was gonna be some elimination,

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but apparently everyone went through that.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh, okay. So, so you just made it through practice?</v>

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<v Speaker 2>We made it through practice , right.  wanna practice.</v>

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We were up seven one, uh, playing two 11 on serve,

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and we lost 11 eight.

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So if that lets, you know, um, the,

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the wheels literally came off. It

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<v Speaker 1>Was.</v>

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So, um, we, we can talk about your, uh,

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pickle ability later,

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but I want to go back to the beginning for a young depot.

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Yeah. Um, walk us through how a kid comes

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to Indianapolis, um, whose family introduces him

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to the Indy 500, and you are now several

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decades removed from that.

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Yeah. And just as in love with it as the beginning.

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So walk us through how this whole thing came to be.

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<v Speaker 2>So, my dad, uh, had immigrated to America</v>

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and was going to school at University of Cincinnati,

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and, uh, got two job offers outta school.

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One was here in Indianapolis

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and one was in Seattle, which later in life became his

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favorite city in the world that he's ever been to.

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But, uh, he only knew two people in America,

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and they both lived in ci.

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So we moved to Indianapolis

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and we moved exactly a half mile from the track, uh,

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by first, so I moved here when I was four,

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and I ended up going to school.

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Right. I think think it's like school,

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public school 20 was like a number.

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It wasn't even, you know, there's

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<v Speaker 1>No</v>
<v Speaker 2>Name, no name.</v>

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Right. Uh, they tried to hold me back

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because I couldn't speak English.

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Apparently. You need to have that skill in order to Sure.

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Progress. I mean, uh, okay.

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So I ended up, uh, they transferred me,

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my parents took me over to St.

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Christopher here in Speedway, uh, where I,

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I spent kindergarten, first, and second grade.

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So I'm a Speedway guy.

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I mean, it just kind of ended up that way.

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And the very first race I ever went to, uh,

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was in 1979 when my man, the greatest IndyCar driver

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in Speedway, motocross history one.

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Uh, and that's where the love affair began.

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So it all really ties back into, to Rick Mes,

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the love I have for this track goes back to Rick.

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He was the greatest, he is the greatest of all time.

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Four wins in three decades, over 13 years

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in what I would argue is the most competitive time

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of IndyCar history.

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The eighties were completely lit, uh, right.

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These guys were on Miami Vice.

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These guys were doing, you know,

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McDonald's commercials, two at a time.

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And Ricky was the best. He was, he was the goat then.

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And I just felt like this would be a good time

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to bring him back, uh, into the 500.

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He's only been, there's only two other guys

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that have won four, and he did his in 13 years. Where,

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<v Speaker 1>Who, who are those two other guys, by the way?</v>

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, Al, Sr. And, and aj. The</v>

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<v Speaker 1>Right.</v>

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Yeah. Some, some would say

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that there's three other guys that have won four.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, that's what the corporate</v>

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media would like you to believe .

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But unfortunately, uh,

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I'm a independent journalist part-time.

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Sure. Um, launch a YouTube channel on this. Right.

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But, uh, in, in oh two, you know,

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was my man the greatest Canadian of all time.

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Sure. Paul Tracy, who's now converted into a

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full on American patriot. So

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you're right.</v>

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<v Speaker 2>I I only recognize the, the other two.</v>

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Uh, and, and so we'll just leave it at that.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay. So you, you were introduced</v>

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to the sport from a very young age.

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You were going to school

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around the corner from the Speedway.

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Yeah. Brick won at your first 500.

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So like I get, I get where the passion came from. Right.

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But now you are, I mean, shoot,

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we are 40 years removed from 1979.

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Right. And why, why don't you tell our listeners like

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where you have, like,

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where in your mind is the sport going?

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What do you love to see about what's happening now in,

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in the current era of IndyCar

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and like what do you so badly wish

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was like it was when you first saw it?

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So like, talk us through your

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favorites parts Yeah. And your least

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<v Speaker 2>Favorite parts.</v>

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So I would say as of right now,

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I think IndyCar's never been in a better spot,

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at least in the last 10 to 15 years.

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I think you guys being with Fox, I think the level of talent

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that you guys have, the amount of money

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that's coming back into IndyCar,

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everything's on the upswing.

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What I would like to see it get back to

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is kind of the times.

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Uh, and a lot of people are like this too.

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Just the times of the childhood.

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Like my favorite day,

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obviously the best day in Indy car is the Indy 500.

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You know what the second best day is

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for me is qualifications.

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Agreed. It is insane for four laps.

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It's you, the concrete wall and the asphalt.

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You're a half inch off the ground

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with no power steering going 4, 245 into a corner,

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and you don't know what's gonna happen.

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And it is electric

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and there used to be a hundred thousand fans out here.

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So I think for people who choose to come out to the track,

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I know we have Fast Fridays, you guys have the, uh,

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uh, carb day and all those things.

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Qualifications is absolutely electric.

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And, uh, and it doesn't hurt that we have a sweet

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and turn to with everything hooked up here,

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but it is, that's where I would like

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to see it go back kind of into that. Uh,

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<v Speaker 1>Do you, do you feel that the current era of cars,</v>

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even though you know, you're,

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we're still like last year was, um,

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the fastest field in Indy 500 history, right?

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Yes. We're still a bit ways from Ari's lap record,

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but it was a different time with different horsepower

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and different booths were allowed

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and all this sort of thing, right?

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It was the fastest field in Indy 500 history.

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Do you feel that the wow factor is still missing though?

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Do you, do you, or does it still come across like it did? I

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<v Speaker 2>Think it still comes across okay, man.</v>

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Look, look at the last year's race

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that Joseph's passed on the last lap.

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I mean, that's, that's an all time race.

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There's still so much electricity.

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I just think, uh, I,

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I think having a new TV partner, I don't wanna, you know,

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to talk bad about NBC,

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but I think the way you guys are covering it

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now, I think it's back.

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Uh, I think having Will Buxton, honestly mm-hmm.

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That got superstar. Mm-hmm .

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Having him being on the call, having James,

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just the energy level around the 500 is something I haven't

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seen in, in decades.

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And you can see it in ticket sales. Uh, you could see it in

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<v Speaker 1>What about</v>
<v Speaker 2>You're very</v>

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in that building down there right now. You're,

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<v Speaker 1>Your, your, your ears are to the ground in the,</v>

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in the streets in Indianapolis.

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Like that's fair. You know, what's going on. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>Is</v>
<v Speaker 1>Is there a buzz about the Indy 500 Absolutely.</v>

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Coming back? Are people,

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are the young people getting into it?

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<v Speaker 2>You know what? There is, uh, I, I've gotten a chance</v>

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to know a lot of, like, people that are kind of influenced,

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like, I don't know if you know Mantis,

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but like, he's kind of a younger guy who's on, uh,

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who has his own stuff on YouTube.

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He's, he's coming out here with a ton of influencers

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that are gonna be, uh,

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that are gonna be out here for the race.

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Uh, Bishoff actually had a, uh,

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a golf guy come out who's playing 50, uh, playing a whole,

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what was it, Bishop, 50, 50, 50 states in 30

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days came here any course in Indiana, came here to do, uh,

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the, uh, to do his shot

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and left saying he couldn't believe that there's

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a Pete Die course in the middle

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of the greatest track of all time.

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I mean, the energy level is, is there, I feel like,

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<v Speaker 1>So, so that's the thing.</v>

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I feel like IndyCar we struggle so much with.

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And, and it's, it's not just IndyCar,

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it's motorsports in general, right?

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You talk to people that show up at a racetrack,

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whether it's IMS or not, but let's take IMS for example.

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They're the, the wow factor,

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and they're just blown away by the magnitude of the event,

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of the scale of the facility, of the speed

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of the cars, everything.

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And they're hooked, right?

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It's, it's the people that see it on TV

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and passing, they're like, oh, okay, whatever.

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It, because it doesn't do it justice.

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So like we have to still continually

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with the marketing efforts

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and what we're doing from an advertising standpoint,

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get people through the door.

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Because once that happens, they're fans

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for life. Just like what happened with you?

239
00:09:57.345 --> 00:10:01.005
<v Speaker 2>You know what? But that's not just limited to IndyCar.</v>

240
00:10:01.005 --> 00:10:04.205
Like I think hockey, I think baseball, I think there's a lot

241
00:10:04.205 --> 00:10:05.965
of sports that are so great live,

242
00:10:06.505 --> 00:10:10.325
but they aren't great on TV except for football.

243
00:10:10.585 --> 00:10:12.205
The football is better on

244
00:10:12.205 --> 00:10:13.245
<v Speaker 1>TV and the NBA playoffs</v>

245
00:10:13.385 --> 00:10:15.125
<v Speaker 2>And the NBA playoffs, obviously.</v>

246
00:10:15.665 --> 00:10:17.605
Um, although if we have courtside seats, then,

247
00:10:17.665 --> 00:10:19.005
you know, I would take notes

248
00:10:19.005 --> 00:10:20.005
<v Speaker 1>Of that. Right. Obviously.</v>

249
00:10:20.225 --> 00:10:21.765
<v Speaker 2>Um, which is kind of our hint as</v>

250
00:10:21.775 --> 00:10:23.165
<v Speaker 1>Shout out Mark Miles. Yeah,</v>

251
00:10:23.165 --> 00:10:24.165
<v Speaker 2>Come on, mark.</v>

252
00:10:27.505 --> 00:10:30.205
By the way, Pacers are gonna close out on Tuesday,

253
00:10:30.295 --> 00:10:33.285
which is tomorrow 4 29, which is our golf outing, uh,

254
00:10:33.345 --> 00:10:35.645
for James', uh, foundation.

255
00:10:35.675 --> 00:10:39.005
Stop and go. But, um, we're gonna be Cleveland as well,

256
00:10:39.005 --> 00:10:40.005
and I think we're gonna take,

257
00:10:40.765 --> 00:10:42.605
I think we're gonna take Boston to at least game seven

258
00:10:42.665 --> 00:10:43.845
and see what, uh, what happens.

259
00:10:44.965 --> 00:10:46.965
<v Speaker 1>Absolutely not. But that, but that's nice. Um, okay.</v>

260
00:10:47.005 --> 00:10:48.325
<v Speaker 3>I gotta, I have to ask on this.</v>

261
00:10:48.385 --> 00:10:52.645
You're doing a, a golf outing for James and Charity. Yeah.

262
00:10:52.705 --> 00:10:55.725
And, and he &lt;inaudible&gt; off to The Bahamas instead

263
00:10:55.725 --> 00:10:57.285
of That's going to it.

264
00:10:57.715 --> 00:10:58.965
<v Speaker 1>Well, he'll be, he'll be back.</v>

265
00:10:59.025 --> 00:11:00.805
For all the goodness he's just making deep.

266
00:11:00.905 --> 00:11:02.165
And Steven do all the work.

267
00:11:02.505 --> 00:11:03.925
Is that what he'll be back? The obstruction

268
00:11:03.925 --> 00:11:05.045
<v Speaker 3>Noises are in the background.</v>

269
00:11:05.045 --> 00:11:06.245
Are you guys getting things ready

270
00:11:06.245 --> 00:11:07.245
<v Speaker 1>Or what's Well, no.</v>

271
00:11:07.245 --> 00:11:09.445
Well, why don't, why don't you walk us through walk, walk us

272
00:11:09.445 --> 00:11:12.005
through what 4 29 Invitational is.

273
00:11:12.075 --> 00:11:13.805
Walk us through what this golf outing is.

274
00:11:13.995 --> 00:11:15.685
Walk us through the whole premise

275
00:11:15.785 --> 00:11:16.965
of what we're trying to do tomorrow.

276
00:11:17.355 --> 00:11:20.685
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. So tomorrow we are going to raise money for</v>

277
00:11:21.425 --> 00:11:22.925
James' Stop and go Foundation.

278
00:11:23.105 --> 00:11:24.165
It is, uh,

279
00:11:24.165 --> 00:11:26.045
<v Speaker 1>Benefiting the American Red Cross blood drives.</v>

280
00:11:26.045 --> 00:11:27.445
<v Speaker 2>That's, that's right. Apparently.</v>

281
00:11:28.025 --> 00:11:30.965
Um, and I've talked to many leading medical professions.

282
00:11:31.295 --> 00:11:33.365
Blood is essential to human life, right?

283
00:11:33.585 --> 00:11:35.645
<v Speaker 1>So, I mean, it might, it might surprise some,</v>

284
00:11:35.945 --> 00:11:37.605
it might surprise some people, but it's true.

285
00:11:38.505 --> 00:11:40.605
<v Speaker 2>But we are, uh, we're looking to raise blood, I</v>

286
00:11:40.605 --> 00:11:42.285
<v Speaker 3>Believe what they want you to believe.</v>

287
00:11:42.635 --> 00:11:43.645
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, exactly.</v>

288
00:11:44.045 --> 00:11:45.405
I mean, at the end of the day, we're just trying

289
00:11:45.405 --> 00:11:46.525
to raise money for humanity.

290
00:11:46.715 --> 00:11:48.765
Does that make us heroes? Kind of.

291
00:11:49.305 --> 00:11:52.845
But we are, uh, we're raising money to get,

292
00:11:52.940 --> 00:11:54.045
get a blood drive going.

293
00:11:54.065 --> 00:11:55.365
And we picked 4 29

294
00:11:55.365 --> 00:11:59.405
because, uh, so 4 29 is a magical date

295
00:11:59.505 --> 00:12:01.725
for Magical Number for Rick Me's fans.

296
00:12:02.105 --> 00:12:05.605
He won four Indy five hundreds, 29 cart races

297
00:12:05.745 --> 00:12:07.765
and cumulative laps led at the Indy 500

298
00:12:07.955 --> 00:12:09.205
over the course of his career.

299
00:12:09.675 --> 00:12:10.925
429.

300
00:12:11.545 --> 00:12:14.365
So everything points to tomorrow, uh,

301
00:12:14.455 --> 00:12:15.925
being an incredible day.

302
00:12:16.425 --> 00:12:20.365
Uh, I would like to say that James, uh, Steven

303
00:12:20.465 --> 00:12:22.805
and I put a lot of this together,

304
00:12:22.865 --> 00:12:25.325
but the, the real credit goes to, to Bishop.

305
00:12:25.585 --> 00:12:27.805
He is knocked this thing outta the park.

306
00:12:27.855 --> 00:12:31.445
We're gonna have one of the best, uh, golf outings, uh,

307
00:12:31.515 --> 00:12:33.485
that most people weren't invited to.

308
00:12:34.145 --> 00:12:38.045
It was . Uh, we, we somehow sold it out in,

309
00:12:38.145 --> 00:12:39.285
in basically a day.

310
00:12:39.745 --> 00:12:42.165
Uh, so we never really put anything out there.

311
00:12:42.345 --> 00:12:46.125
But, uh, you're gonna come in, there's going to be, uh,

312
00:12:46.765 --> 00:12:48.645
a couple food trucks to start the day.

313
00:12:49.185 --> 00:12:51.685
Uh, we have a Red Bull, uh, truck

314
00:12:51.685 --> 00:12:53.125
with a DJ going in the morning.

315
00:12:53.705 --> 00:12:58.525
Uh, we have an incredible, uh, sponsor for, uh, drinks

316
00:12:58.625 --> 00:13:01.685
by the name of Alex Rossi, uh, who, uh,

317
00:13:02.585 --> 00:13:03.965
put in some, uh, I've

318
00:13:03.965 --> 00:13:06.205
<v Speaker 3>Been to many events where he sponsors the drinks.</v>

319
00:13:06.355 --> 00:13:08.485
They're usually just at his house. What? And it's me.

320
00:13:08.905 --> 00:13:11.565
Uh, but you know, he, he always provides, well, yeah.

321
00:13:11.755 --> 00:13:14.205
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. They are. And by the way, we've got, uh,</v>

322
00:13:14.335 --> 00:13:16.765
eight pictures of Alex smiling, uh,

323
00:13:16.765 --> 00:13:18.645
everywhere on these, uh, posters.

324
00:13:18.645 --> 00:13:21.085
It, it's, uh, we have 'em as, uh,

325
00:13:22.065 --> 00:13:23.165
one of Rick's favorite. Listen,

326
00:13:23.165 --> 00:13:24.165
<v Speaker 1>I smile.</v>

327
00:13:24.165 --> 00:13:25.485
I I smile when it's for, when it's

328
00:13:25.645 --> 00:13:27.005
for a good cause, you know? Yeah,

329
00:13:27.155 --> 00:13:28.155
<v Speaker 2>Yeah.</v>

330
00:13:28.155 --> 00:13:29.205
<v Speaker 1>That's fair.</v>
<v Speaker 2>And you know you That's right.</v>

331
00:13:29.225 --> 00:13:30.605
You don't give away chief smiles.

332
00:13:30.725 --> 00:13:32.565
I walk around with a smile on my face all the time.

333
00:13:33.065 --> 00:13:34.205
You gotta earn it from Alex.

334
00:13:34.555 --> 00:13:36.365
<v Speaker 1>Exactly. . Um, alright.</v>

335
00:13:36.945 --> 00:13:41.205
So, uh, I want to talk a little bit about, um,

336
00:13:44.235 --> 00:13:47.015
you, you've been a fan of Ricky forever.

337
00:13:47.555 --> 00:13:49.895
That's right. You go around in, in a lot

338
00:13:49.895 --> 00:13:53.685
of different social settings explaining the tales

339
00:13:53.985 --> 00:13:57.165
and the, the, the dominance and the records

340
00:13:57.345 --> 00:13:59.645
and the stats of Rick to anyone that'll listen.

341
00:13:59.905 --> 00:14:03.405
That's right. But it wasn't until a couple years ago

342
00:14:03.855 --> 00:14:05.165
where you had actually ever spoken

343
00:14:05.165 --> 00:14:06.445
to him. Is that correct? That's

344
00:14:06.445 --> 00:14:07.045
<v Speaker 2>Right. That's</v>

345
00:14:07.045 --> 00:14:08.045
<v Speaker 1>Right.</v>

346
00:14:08.045 --> 00:14:08.845
So, so you got, I mean,

347
00:14:08.965 --> 00:14:11.605
I would imagine this is like meeting your idol, uh,

348
00:14:11.675 --> 00:14:12.805
virtually on the phone.

349
00:14:13.265 --> 00:14:15.405
Um, walk us through how that came

350
00:14:15.405 --> 00:14:16.485
to be and what that was like.

351
00:14:16.785 --> 00:14:20.365
<v Speaker 2>You know what it was, uh, it was my birthday, uh,</v>

352
00:14:20.645 --> 00:14:21.645
probably like three years ago.

353
00:14:21.985 --> 00:14:25.765
And, uh, James and, and, and Bish came out

354
00:14:26.425 --> 00:14:28.845
and, um, Bish had grabbed my phone and,

355
00:14:28.865 --> 00:14:32.685
and programmed Ricky's, uh, phone number, uh,

356
00:14:33.225 --> 00:14:36.965
or sent my phone number to Ricky at, at noon.

357
00:14:37.125 --> 00:14:38.605
I get a call and it just comes up

358
00:14:38.665 --> 00:14:40.805
and it's just, it's not his name.

359
00:14:40.875 --> 00:14:42.725
It's just a goat emoji four times.

360
00:14:43.465 --> 00:14:44.965
Uh, and I was like, I don't know what's going on.

361
00:14:44.965 --> 00:14:48.725
So I answer it, and it's Rick Meers, who I've never spoken

362
00:14:48.745 --> 00:14:51.685
to in my life, ed.

363
00:14:51.705 --> 00:14:54.405
Uh, he's like, Hey, depu, this is Frick.

364
00:14:55.145 --> 00:14:58.005
You couldn't have find a nicer, more humble guy.

365
00:14:58.395 --> 00:15:00.605
He's like, I just really appreciate you being my friend,

366
00:15:00.825 --> 00:15:04.605
or being my fan and, uh, being a fan, not my fan Ed.

367
00:15:04.625 --> 00:15:06.605
Uh, just said all the nice things.

368
00:15:06.605 --> 00:15:09.085
And then, um, he stopped talking

369
00:15:09.145 --> 00:15:10.805
and I talked for about six minutes straight.

370
00:15:10.945 --> 00:15:12.685
Uh, right. Just professing my love to him.

371
00:15:12.765 --> 00:15:14.805
I, I think I started off talking about

372
00:15:14.865 --> 00:15:18.965
how we should have had five, uh, he was over fueled in 82.

373
00:15:19.515 --> 00:15:20.805
Sure. Um, which I'm still trying

374
00:15:20.805 --> 00:15:22.405
to do the research on how that took place.

375
00:15:22.465 --> 00:15:24.405
We never really got an answer on that.

376
00:15:24.465 --> 00:15:27.485
But, uh, it was absolutely amazing.

377
00:15:27.515 --> 00:15:29.885
Like, I don't know if any people get the opportunity

378
00:15:30.025 --> 00:15:31.285
to, to talk to Rick.

379
00:15:31.365 --> 00:15:33.685
I know he, he still comes out to a lot of these races.

380
00:15:34.185 --> 00:15:36.765
Uh, it is still around, but he's just the best

381
00:15:37.065 --> 00:15:38.645
and he's just the best.

382
00:15:39.305 --> 00:15:41.205
And when you say talk about like his

383
00:15:41.205 --> 00:15:42.325
domination, people don't get it.

384
00:15:42.395 --> 00:15:44.845
Like, he won four in five hundreds in 13 years.

385
00:15:45.225 --> 00:15:49.165
He also won six poles. No one has ever won six poles.

386
00:15:49.525 --> 00:15:51.445
I mean, it's not even in the ballpark.

387
00:15:51.785 --> 00:15:54.005
And he stopped where he retired when he was 40.

388
00:15:54.665 --> 00:15:58.565
AJ raced till he was 57. Yeah. You know, Alan Jr.

389
00:15:58.575 --> 00:15:59.685
Raced till he was 54.

390
00:15:59.715 --> 00:16:02.765
They had, which they're great champions.

391
00:16:02.925 --> 00:16:05.485
I love them, but there's no one who's been

392
00:16:05.545 --> 00:16:07.525
as dominant at one track. So do you,

393
00:16:07.785 --> 00:16:10.045
<v Speaker 1>Do you think, do you think he had six pulls and,</v>

394
00:16:10.045 --> 00:16:11.125
and has been able to do that

395
00:16:11.125 --> 00:16:12.125
so much better than everyone else?

396
00:16:12.365 --> 00:16:14.285
'cause he was the only one that, you know, didn't lift?

397
00:16:14.585 --> 00:16:16.445
Or like, how do you think, how do you think he did? Well,

398
00:16:16.445 --> 00:16:18.405
<v Speaker 2>I think that was, you know, I, I, I vish</v>

399
00:16:18.405 --> 00:16:21.365
and I have talked about it, but if you go to the IMS museum

400
00:16:21.365 --> 00:16:23.285
and you look at his car, you're gonna find it's a little

401
00:16:23.445 --> 00:16:25.445
lighter because they never put brakes in it.

402
00:16:25.445 --> 00:16:27.165
Right. They didn't need to. He didn't. Right.

403
00:16:27.385 --> 00:16:30.245
So he just let the car do the work.

404
00:16:30.585 --> 00:16:32.685
But yeah, he never had brakes. Never.

405
00:16:32.865 --> 00:16:34.565
And that's the biggest problem that we see right now.

406
00:16:34.675 --> 00:16:36.365
There's a lot of lifting, a

407
00:16:36.365 --> 00:16:38.285
<v Speaker 1>Lot of, lot of lifting, lot of, lot of, lot</v>

408
00:16:38.285 --> 00:16:40.765
of brake pedal presses, a lot of scared people. Right

409
00:16:40.765 --> 00:16:44.485
<v Speaker 2>Here on the apex of turn two is where a guy decides.</v>

410
00:16:44.995 --> 00:16:46.845
Does he want to go home and see his wife tonight

411
00:16:46.905 --> 00:16:48.805
or does he want to, uh,

412
00:16:49.325 --> 00:16:50.325
<v Speaker 1>A chance at a poll?</v>

413
00:16:50.465 --> 00:16:51.565
<v Speaker 2>You guys say it all the time,</v>

414
00:16:51.625 --> 00:16:54.285
but in IndyCar at the 500, it's glory or the Wall.

415
00:16:54.475 --> 00:16:56.765
There's really, and one thing I don't think people get a lot

416
00:16:56.765 --> 00:16:59.085
of is there's no shame in hitting the wall.

417
00:16:59.595 --> 00:17:02.885
There's no, I mean, Ricky would say there's a little shame

418
00:17:02.885 --> 00:17:04.685
because he never did it except his last

419
00:17:04.685 --> 00:17:05.725
race and then he would resign.

420
00:17:06.545 --> 00:17:10.565
But, uh, but like you guys lay it out.

421
00:17:10.565 --> 00:17:13.285
That's what I'm telling you. Like, qualifications is

422
00:17:14.365 --> 00:17:17.165
electric because it, and you can talk more about it,

423
00:17:17.165 --> 00:17:18.845
but like, it's not a race setup.

424
00:17:19.075 --> 00:17:22.765
It's literally set up for you guys to, to go into a turn

425
00:17:23.425 --> 00:17:25.925
and just test, you know, the amount

426
00:17:25.925 --> 00:17:27.245
of testosterone you got in your body.

427
00:17:27.425 --> 00:17:29.165
<v Speaker 1>No, it's, it's not testosterone. It's, it's,</v>

428
00:17:31.185 --> 00:17:32.185
<v Speaker 2>Yep.</v>

429
00:17:32.185 --> 00:17:34.125
Yep. I, you know, I know this is a family show. I was Yeah.

430
00:17:34.305 --> 00:17:35.405
Not gonna well bite.

431
00:17:35.925 --> 00:17:38.045
<v Speaker 1>I mean, your &lt;inaudible&gt;.</v>
<v Speaker 2>Yep, yep.</v>

432
00:17:38.115 --> 00:17:41.045
<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Yeah. You gotta have him.</v>

433
00:17:41.475 --> 00:17:43.885
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I mean that's, I mean, later in his career,</v>

434
00:17:44.415 --> 00:17:46.125
Ricky had to have a wheelbarrow. Right,

435
00:17:46.575 --> 00:17:47.645
<v Speaker 1>Right. That makes sense.</v>

436
00:17:47.845 --> 00:17:51.365
<v Speaker 2>'cause that's just, you know, I mean, six poles, bro. Six,</v>

437
00:17:51.745 --> 00:17:53.445
<v Speaker 1>That's, that's a lot</v>
<v Speaker 2>Insane. Six</v>

438
00:17:53.695 --> 00:17:54.885
<v Speaker 1>Times. It's six more than I have.</v>

439
00:17:55.105 --> 00:17:58.365
<v Speaker 2>Row one. Even the last race, he was here, 92, he started,</v>

440
00:17:58.905 --> 00:18:02.325
uh, outside of row one 11 up there.

441
00:18:02.355 --> 00:18:05.525
<v Speaker 1>Alright, so let's, let's fast forward to 2025.</v>

442
00:18:05.595 --> 00:18:07.205
Last question I got for you. Yeah.

443
00:18:07.205 --> 00:18:08.365
What are your predictions? I'm just trying to

444
00:18:08.365 --> 00:18:10.325
<v Speaker 3>Figure out what I'm gonna have to bleep from that. I</v>

445
00:18:10.325 --> 00:18:11.325
<v Speaker 1>Think all of it.</v>

446
00:18:11.325 --> 00:18:14.245
What are your, what are your predictions, uh, for, um,

447
00:18:14.555 --> 00:18:15.805
what are your predictions for poll?

448
00:18:15.915 --> 00:18:17.525
What are your predictions for race win?

449
00:18:17.865 --> 00:18:19.685
What's your got telling you? What do you got?

450
00:18:19.835 --> 00:18:21.325
<v Speaker 2>Alright, so let</v>
<v Speaker 1>The people know</v>

451
00:18:22.185 --> 00:18:23.185
<v Speaker 2>For poll.</v>

452
00:18:23.425 --> 00:18:27.565
Uh, I'm gonna say you, um, you've always run well out here.

453
00:18:27.965 --> 00:18:30.445
ECR has always been a monster on Pole Day.

454
00:18:31.005 --> 00:18:32.845
I mean, I think they normally put all three

455
00:18:32.845 --> 00:18:33.925
cars in the top nine.

456
00:18:34.685 --> 00:18:37.685
I think, uh, , I, I really,

457
00:18:38.005 --> 00:18:39.685
I I think this is your year, bro.

458
00:18:40.165 --> 00:18:42.445
I mean, hell yeah. You're a hell of an oval driver.

459
00:18:43.085 --> 00:18:46.325
ECR is a hell of a organization here at Indie.

460
00:18:46.825 --> 00:18:49.085
So, you know, and no one else have,

461
00:18:49.225 --> 00:18:50.605
has ever invited me on their podcast,

462
00:18:50.785 --> 00:18:52.205
so I'm obviously I'm gonna go with,

463
00:18:52.375 --> 00:18:53.375
<v Speaker 1>There you go, man.</v>

464
00:18:53.735 --> 00:18:56.365
There you go. Yeah. Yeah. Good shout. Good shout. I love it.

465
00:18:56.615 --> 00:18:57.965
Thank you for your time.

466
00:18:58.095 --> 00:19:00.245
Thank you for what you do to promote Indie Car.

467
00:19:00.585 --> 00:19:03.125
Uh, thank you for promoting Rick.

468
00:19:03.625 --> 00:19:05.685
Um, and also thank you for all the effort

469
00:19:05.685 --> 00:19:07.045
that you're doing for James' Charity.

470
00:19:07.185 --> 00:19:09.445
Uh, it's gonna be a great outing tomorrow. Guys.

471
00:19:09.515 --> 00:19:11.165
Stay tuned for a lot of,

472
00:19:11.685 --> 00:19:13.045
probably gonna be very funny pictures

473
00:19:13.045 --> 00:19:15.365
and videos that'll serve us on the internet, um,

474
00:19:15.365 --> 00:19:16.925
from people trying to play golf well

475
00:19:16.985 --> 00:19:18.765
and failing miserably, but all for a good cause.

476
00:19:18.945 --> 00:19:21.685
Uh, and we will see y'all on Thursday.

477
00:19:23.195 --> 00:19:25.085
<v Speaker 4>This has been off track with Hinch and Rossi.</v>

478
00:19:25.265 --> 00:19:28.445
Off Track is part of the SiriusXM Sports Podcast Network.

479
00:19:28.865 --> 00:19:30.005
If you enjoyed this episode

480
00:19:30.025 --> 00:19:32.245
and want to hear more, please give a five star

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We are at Ask Offtrack on Twitter and Instagram.

484
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And if you wanna follow us on Twitter, we're at Hinch Town

485
00:19:41.925 --> 00:19:43.285
and at Alexander Rossi.

486
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If you wanna follow them, though,

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we have no idea why you would.

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He's at the Tim Durham on Twitter.

489
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Find us on YouTube and subscribe to our channel

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for exclusive video content.

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Off Track is produced by Tim Durham, and by that we mean fi.

