Today's question: Among the many things the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone offer, what are you most thankful for as this holiday season begins?
Curt Cavin: Two things quickly come to mind. First are all the ovals we enjoyed this year and the drama they offered. Yes, I like road racing, street circuits and the variety in the schedule offered by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, but I’m Indiana born and Indianapolis Motor Speedway reared. That means ovals, and the more the merrier. The second half of this season saw six oval races in the final eight, including the final three, and it was the most for the series in more than a decade. I loved it! We also saw first-time oval winners in Scott McLaughlin and Colton Herta, which was icing on my cake. The other thing I’m thankful for is great storylines for 2025. All eyes will be on Josef Newgarden trying to become the first three-peater at Indy – the last with a chance was Helio Castroneves in 2002 – and Alex Palou going for a rare three in a row for the series championship. Great stuff!
Eric Smith: I’m thankful for the direction the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone are heading. After some turbulent off-season’s, the snowball of positivity has turned into a boulder. Between the new TV package announced earlier this year that all races beginning in 2025 will be on network FOX, rekindling the iRacing flame, the hybrid debut and the exhilarating action the drivers put on using it for record passing numbers at the end of the season, the Charter agreement, Arlington and Long Beach announcements, a second consecutive final lap pass for the Indianapolis 500, a strong INDY NXT driver lineup, including the addition of Hailie Deegan, we’ve had a lot of positive things to talk about on indycar.com and plenty more ahead. As Curt eluded, Josef Newgarden is a massive story for the 2025 Month of May. Alex Palou is a huge news cycle in his pursuit of a three-peat. I know we discussed some of this in last week’s Inside Line, but I don’t think we should undersell that there’s been a lot positive news to talk about which is refreshing.
Paul Kelly: I’m thankful for the health of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Like many, I fell in love with this sport while watching highlights of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” in the 1970s and early 1980s. The Month of May is the cornerstone of the sport, and while it has taken place since 1911, no one should take its success for granted. And no one really knew after the nightmare of 2020 – the only “500” to take place without fans, due to the global pandemic – how the race would rebound. Sure, the event is a more than a race; it’s a beloved institution for families everywhere. But habits and traditions can crack under the pressure of extraordinary happenings like a once-in-century global pandemic. Yet, the loyal fans have flocked back to IMS in May in big numbers, with a near-sellout every year since 2021. The buzz was back immediately and continues to crackle with electricity, reinforcing once again the loyalty of NTT INDYCAR SERIES fans and the incredible draw of one of the world’s truly great sporting events.