Today’s question: If motorsports was a Summer Olympics sport, which country could build the strongest lineup of four current competitors across a variety of disciplines to win a gold medal?
Curt Cavin: My group from the United States might not have the international glitz of others, but it has the best combination of championship mettle and decorated youth. If I construct my team like a track team running the 400-meter relay, I get off to a fast start with Colton Herta, who is quickly becoming the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ best one-lap qualifier. Herta can hand the baton to 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott, who figures to make a great transition to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. Both are former Cup champions. If Larson isn’t enough of a closer, I’ve got Josef Newgarden to secure the gold. Also fair to note, my foursome has combined to win four INDYCAR and NASCAR championships and won this year’s Indianapolis 500 (Newgarden, who also won in 2023) and the Brickyard 400 (Larson).
Eric Smith: Curt’s team is going to be challenging to beat for the gold, but tackling his juggernaut will be my team from New Zealand. It’s hard to believe the tiny country similar in land size to Colorado with a population just over 4.5 million people has produced so much racing talent. Plus, any time I can have Scott Dixon on a racing team, I’m going to take it. The six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion with 58 career victories can win at any given track on any given day. Pairing him with Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin is as great of a 1-2 punch as anywhere in the world. Scotty Mac is a three-time Supercars Championship title winner (all consecutively), has scored an NTT INDYCAR SERIES oval win this month in Iowa, produced the fastest four-lap average for an Indianapolis 500 NTT P1 Award winner in May and has the talent to win on a road and/or street course. Then I’ll add another three-time Supercars champion, Shane van Gisbergen, who became the first NASCAR Cup Series driver in 60 years to win his debut on the streets of Chicago in 2023. The final driver I’ll add is four-time FIA World Endurance Champion Brendon Hartley. This grouping can win on any discipline of track – road course, street circuit, short oval or high-speed superspeedway in any duration or distance.
Paul Kelly: I’ll put my four-competitor – note I didn’t say driver – lineup from Spain against Curt’s All-Americans and Eric’s Kiwi Killers any day. First, I start with Alex Palou. He has won two of the last three NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships since joining Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 and is in the proverbial driver’s seat for a third title as the championship leader this season with five races remaining. Sure, he hasn’t won yet on an oval, but that stat is so overblown. Palou has more top-10 finishes on ovals since 2021 than recognized ovalmeiser Josef Newgarden. Next will be Fernando Alonso, one of the greatest drivers ever. Two Formula One world titles (with a few more if he didn’t make some bizarre team moves), Indy 500 Rookie of the Year honors, a Le Mans win, a WEC championship – ‘nuff said. Carlos Sainz Jr. would be my safe pair of hands. He has just three wins in his 10 seasons of F1, but those victories have come in the last three years. He’s quick and steady. Finally, I move to my beloved two wheels for the final member – Marc Marquez. He has won six MotoGP world championships and eight overall world titles as one of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time. Marquez is a generational freak on two wheels. Viva Espana!