MONTEREY, Calif. – Jay Frye and Roger Penske share a similar viewpoint in their profession:
The accomplishments are never enough, and the job is never finished.
“I know the season ends on Sunday, but to me our season is just beginning,” Frye told NTT INDYCAR Mobile in an exclusive interview. “Over the next two, three, four or six weeks, it’s random, but we are going to be all over the place.”
Frye, who took on additional responsibilities in January in his role at INDYCAR President, is always moving on to the next task. When the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season concludes and a champion is crowned after Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey, Frye’s moves on to the next project.
“The job is never done,” said Frye (shown above with five-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon). “We’ve got a long way to go and lots of things to do. We’re like the hamster on the wheel. There is always something that is going to happen; something that is going on.
“We’ve finally got the aero kit where we think it’s good. We’ve got the Aeroscreen coming. That’s a huge project. But we’ve went out and got the right people to help us with it. The hybrid is the next piece. The new car is the next piece.
“It’s amazing, it never stops. It’s what we do as racers. That keeps you interested.”
That would be further testing of the Aeroscreen, the new cockpit safety device that incorporates both a halo and a clear shield to the Dallara Indy car chassis with tests set for Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Oct. 2, Barber Motorsports Park on Oct. 7 and Richmond Raceway on Oct. 15.
“We just got two screens and two top frames for that and they look spectacular,” Frye said. “I can’t wait for people to see them. The upper frame to me looks like a work of art. We couldn’t me more proud of the group we have worked with. They are some of the smartest people in the business working on this project from Red Bull, Dallara, PPG and Pankl. We are proud of where it is at; excited about getting it on the car and excited about getting it on the track.
“After that, the teams will get their hands on it and make it better.
“If I’m an engineer on a team, to me that’s an opportunity. They need to figure the Aeroscreen out better than the next guy and that will help us run better. It’s a change. It’s an opportunity.”
The AMR INDYCAR Safety team and Holmatro have been part of the process that have been integrated into the project to help extricate drivers in the event of a crash.
“There has been no stone unturned,” Frye said. “The Red Bull Technologies Formula One guys have taken great support in this project.”
Prior to 2019, Frye was INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations. In January, he took on the additional duties of overseeing all aspects of INDYCAR.
“We’re really excited to have a new group with Mike Zizzo (communications) and SJ Luedtke (marketing) come in and they have really taken an approach similar to what the competition side has done,” Frye said. “We have a five-year plan for the future. I think we’re in the right spot and ready to move forward in the future.
“There are a lot of really smart people in the paddock that we are collaborating with. We want to make sure we are working with their sponsors and our sponsors and getting an industry-wide, paddock-wide approach, so everyone knows what we are doing. They have a foundation of that. We are looking forward to them implementing their ideas for next season.”
Frye believes the teams are doing a great job working with the current car. The new car will be an evolution; not a revolution, so INDYCAR wants to enhance what it has and make it better.
Moving to hybrid-assisted engines in 2022 will keep the series “Fast, Loud, Authentic and Unapologetic.”
“It’s something Honda and Chevrolet were very supportive of,” Frye said. “This hybrid product will have electric starters on the cars, it will be safer because drivers can start the cars when they stall. It will speed up the race and it’s all good. By 2022 and 2023, we will put pushing 900 horsepower.
“That’s our approach. Less downforce, more horsepower. Fast, loud, authentic and unapologetic.”
When the checkered flag drops Sunday, Frye will be off to a meeting in Los Angeles Monday evening and Tuesday morning. It’s a job where accomplishments are never enough.
“The season is the most routine part of the year,” Frye said. “When the season stops, it’s more random. The offseason is busier than the season.
“We’ve got enough an Aeroscreen coming, a hybrid system coming, a new car coming and a new engine coming. I think our plate is pretty full for the next few years.”
INDYCAR concludes its 17-race season with the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on Sunday. Television coverage will begin on NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT local) with the green flag scheduled for 3:15 p.m. (12:15 p.m. local). Live radio broadcasts will be available on the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM 205, Sirius 98, Internet/App 970).