We sort of meander through Pocono, and Iowa, and a preview for Toronto, but it’s all very random. This is unedited, unscripted, and unaided for the most part, except for a couple of pre-printed box scores that Paul mostly used as a coaster. The audio quality is probably horrible. It’s two freaking hours long. It needs a language warning. Steph’s husband, Jacob Black of Autos.ca, drops in for a visit after his rugby practice. This is as unplugged as we get, and because we had such great feedback from our podcast in this format last year, we decided to do it again. We’ll probably be hurting a little in the morning, but we do it all for you, IndyCar’s most awesome fans. If you stick around for the whole thing, shoot us an email. You probably deserve a trophy.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

To listen, use the player below or search More Front Wing on iTunes.

In between, MFW co-editors Steph Wallcraft and Paul Dalbey discuss and summarize some of the key points from the Detroit and TMS events as brought up by those two interviews and offer up a preview of the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston, including a look at the changes to the track setup intended to improve safety and a discussion of the weekend’s position on the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

On top of that, More Front Wing’s Paul Dalbey, Steph Wallcraft, and John Lingle analyze the Firestone 600 from the perspectives of being both live on site and on the couch at home and get into some very animated debate about the viability of the formula and the style of racing in general as it relates to the rest of IndyCar’s schedule. We cap that off with a discussion of who struggled and who prevailed and the impact that can be expected to have on the championship battle as we approach the halfway point in the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series season.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

Finally, we catch up some INDYCAR news and notes and look forward to this weekends Chevrolet Duels in Detroit, where site co-editor Steph Wallcraft will be on site for all the action throughout the weekend!

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

(We apologize for the slight technical glitches we experienced while recording the podcast and hope that you are still able to enjoy all of John’s valuable commentary throughout the entire show.)

Uncle Bobby, a three-time winner of the 500 in three different decades, has never been one to mince words or shy away from telling his side of the story without reservation.

Recently, Bobby sat down with More Front Wing to discuss myriad topics regarding the Indianapolis 500 and Indy car racing in general.  Immediately, his disappointment with the current state of the Indianapolis 500 became apparent.

Starting with the new qualification procedures, Bobby opines, “I can’t imagine how they could have made it any worse. What is [INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations] Derrick [Walker] doing?  It can’t come from [Hulman & Company CEO] Mark Miles.  It damn sure doesn’t come from [IMS President] Doug [Boles].  There’s only one guy next.  And [INDYCAR VP of Competition] Brian Barnhart.  There’s the two guys that are an issue.  Both of them should be smarter than this.

“I am so disappointed in [Derrick Walker] right now I cannot believe it.  He’s the one – and he may have had someone come from above him that really forced him into this stuff – but he’s getting the blame for it regardless.”

In Unser’s mind, the qualifying changes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems INDYCAR is facing.  Most painful for the long-time racing veteran is the loss of many of the most cherished traditions of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  “You’ve got to stop changing the traditions,” says Unser. “It’s all they have anymore.”

As to why Indy car racing has been on the decline, Unser shares a belief held by many long-time race fans and laments the era of spec-car racing.  “They did their studies,” he says. “They found out the fans don’t like spec cars.  They want a car to be different.  And NASCAR did studies and they found out the same thing.  They don’t like spec cars in NASCAR, and they don’t like spec cars here.  But [Indy Racing League Founder and former IMS President] Tony George did, so he did contracts and did it for some ungodly amount of years.

Unser also had some pointed words about where Danica Patrick may have found her open-wheel racing success.

“Brian Barnhart says, ‘I’m gonna make it to where everybody runs the same speed, and I’m going to put the cars close together,’” he says. “It’s a suicide deal and not fun for the spectators.  I mean, a pretty girl became famous because she could draft in the pack.  I’m not knocking her or trying to raise her up.  She can’t hack it.  She ain’t gonna win in NASCAR.  She wouldn’t win over here if you got rid of the pack racing and the spec cars.”

However, in spite of the current issues troubling Indy car racing today, Bobby still believes the ship can be turned around.  To his mind, the key is allowing open specifications and requiring drivers to be more involved in actually driving the car.

“Every computer ought to be gone,” he says. “Get the computers out of here.  Get them out of the pits.  No more guys standing around looking at a computer, talking to the engine.  I mean, get them gone!  Let’s go back and do racing.  Take the automatic shifts out.  Take the automatic clutches out.  Get rid of all that stuff.”

Furthermore, Unser believes opening the specifications to all manufacturers will bring money and credibility back to the IndyCar Series.  “Any engine manufacturer, if it’s 158 cubic inches, it’s the rules.  Not that you have to have six cylinders, or two, or eight, or twelve.  None of that.  It’s open.  Chevy wants to run. Toyota, Honda, whoever wants to run.  Bring them over from England.  I don’t care where you’re from.  It’s an open deal.  It creates money.  It creates sponsors.  It creates a reason to be again.”

Bobby Unser spoke to More Front Wing on many more topics ranging from the drivers of his era to Kurt Busch to USAC’s current position of national relevance.  For the full audio of the interview, click on the player below.

We also hear some great insights from two of the drivers who will start in the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500. Simon Pagenaud spoke on the revised qualifying format, how things are going within Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and with his new teammate, Mikhail Aleshin, and shared a deeply personal glimpse into the connection he feels with the legendary Ayrton Senna and how it compelled him to honor Senna by wearing a commemorative helmet this weekend that will allow him to carry Ayrton to one more checkered flag.

Jacques Villeneuve offered some very frank insight into how much things have changed and have stayed the same since he last visited the Brickyard 19 years ago, including sharing some upsides and downsides to the differences in the cars from then and now. He shared some of the teams strategy in their approach to the month, addressed whether his age will be a factor in his success on Sunday, and talked about having a sense of coming home to open-wheel racing.

And, finally, we pit Paul and George head to head in the annual MFW Indy 500 trivia showdown and find out who will get to claim the title of 2014 champion and hold it over the other’s head for the coming year!

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

In addition, Paul and Steph review several aspects of the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis, an event each attended live but saw from very different perspectives. The subject of Ford’s apparent lack of interest in returning to IndyCar racing also came up, as did the performance of Kurt Busch at IMS thus far in the month and a preview of some of the events fan can look forward to as we prepare for the 98th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

• A budding rivalry with his friend Gabby Chaves of Belardi Auto Racing
• His thoughts on teammate Matthew Brabham, who dominated in last year’s Pro Mazda season, not yet being in the mix at the front in Indy Lights
• Seeing 2013 Indy Lights champion Sage Karam partnering with Chip Ganassi Racing Teams and what it means for the Road to Indy
• What the Dallara IL-15 needs to accomplish to best serve aspiring IndyCar racers
• How he feels about the Indy Lights double-headers on road courses

Also this week, MFW Co-editors Steph Wallcraft and Paul Dalbey and Contributor John Lingle review the major talking points from the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama — such as Will Power’s error and Ryan Hunter-Reay’s redemption, what the key may have been to Marco Andretti’s podium performance, the severity of the penalty served by Helio Castroneves for pitting in the wrong box, the ongoing concerns on the consistency of the officiating, and much more —  before looking at the results of the all-skate road course test to prepare for the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis and taking a further glimpse down the road into the oval portion of the Month of May and what might be in store for the 2014 Indianapolis 500.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

Also, Paul and Steph sit down to review the Verizon IndyCar Series opening weekend at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in detail, from Will Power’s early promise to The Restart, Juan Montoya’s relaxed demeanor, the strong performance of Ed Carpenter Racing’s road course ringer Mike Conway, and a whole lot in between. Steph also shares a couple of stories and observations from her time on-site in St. Petersburg before  moving on to preview Paul’s upcoming coverage of the 40th running of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

On this episode we catch up with James Hinchcliffe, who was in his hometown of Toronto this week for a media tour. MFW’s Steph Wallcraft caught up with James about the many changes he’ll be facing this season — including sponsor, powerplant, and chief engineer — and some of the other hot topics in IndyCar such as what he thinks about racing against his countryman Jacques Villeneuve, the double-header weekends that just won’t go away, whether IndyCar needs a woman on the grid, and much more.

In addition, MFW co-editors Paul Dalbey and Steph Wallcraft are joined by MFW contributor John Lingle to take a look at some of the other big names either confirmed for or considering Indianapolis 500 runs this year, the rumors that Cosworth is taking a look in IndyCar’s direction, the Garage 34 theory, the Panther Racing National Guard litigation, and plenty of other topics.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes. We hope you enjoy it. Leave us a comment below or on Twitter @MoreFrontWing and join the conversation!

In an interview with More Front Wing’s Paul Dalbey, Hulman and Co. CEO Mark Miles laid out in detail the goals that he and his team are working toward as they look past the coming year.

“My hope would be that in 2015 the North American schedule would begin earlier in March than we will in 2014,” Miles said. “I don’t know whether that’s a couple of weeks or a little more, but I see March generally as North American races.

“But prior to that in 2015 – essentially in February, but if it was the last week of January into February that could work – we’re looking for three strong international races that would be the first races in the championship.”

It may raise concerns for some to start the regular season away from North America, but Miles feels doing so is an important part of the fiscal stabilization of IndyCar.

“We think there’s an important economic opportunity in some international markets,” he said, “so in February, where we don’t have a lot of options for climate in the States, why not go abroad.

“I see the championship being all of February, March, April, May, June, July, and August, a seven-month series that we think would be a very cool schedule and an important economic opportunity in the way of those international expansions.”

For this points-paying pre-season tour, there are specific markets with which IndyCar is having active conversations.

“We’re looking anywhere from the Middle East to more in South America all the way down to South Africa,” Miles said.

However, one region that is off the table is Europe, largely due to concerns of climate. “In February, there are not a lot of places you’re going to race in Europe,” he pointed out.

He also says he is not focused on Asia in the early points-paying period. “We think the greater potential for Asia might be a three-race sponsored series after the championship ends in the fourth quarter of the calendar year,” he said.

That three-race sponsored series, currently being considered for after the conclusion of the 2015 season, is being envisioned as three races over four weeks.

Such a program won’t be ready for roll-out in full by the end of 2014, but there is currently some potential for a one-off exhibition event next year.

“There is one conversation going on where I can imagine a one-off, one-time possibility of a non-points race after Labor Day internationally,” Miles said. “That’s not something I can go into at the moment, but it’s a one-off thing that is not strategic for us.”

Such conversations inevitably raise the question of a return to Australia and the Surfers Paradise event. When asked if such a return is under consideration for this exhibition tour, Miles said, “We’ve had some conversations with (the Surfers Paradise/V8 Supercars groups). We’re looking for the strongest possible situations for races, and if that included Australia that would be fabulous. Time will tell.”

Miles would be “disappointed” if no title sponsor signs for 2014

Miles also spoke around IndyCar’s sponsorship difficulties and indicated that there are some very promising conversations under way at the moment.

“I think great progress is being made, and I’ll be disappointed if we don’t have a title sponsor on board in 2014,” Miles said. “We’re very optimistic about that. We’ve got a couple of serious, advanced conversations going on. None of these things are over until they’re over, but it’s encouraging. These are great organizations that we’d be pleased to partner with.”

Although it’s easy to point at IndyCar’s flagging television ratings as an indication that the future is bleak, Miles insists that sponsor interest in the series remains strong.

“I would say (there’s) almost frenetic activity,” he said. “There are a lot of great conversations going on about sponsorship of IndyCar, from title through other category sponsors, and I’m very bullish about our prospects for adding sponsors in the coming weeks and months.”

Leaders Circle payouts to double by 2018

Another method of stability that Miles and his team are actively examining is the Leaders Circle program. Miles is of the belief that bolstering and extending that program is the best path economically for the series.

“For 2018, not that many years from now, our hope is that we could have 22 to 24 teams participating annually in the Leaders Circle program and about double the compensation there per team,” Miles said.

Miles states that IndyCar aims to have the Leaders Circle funding be an important source of revenue for teams with an eye to expanding the field slightly and firming up financial stability throughout.

When asked whether a plan also exists to add to race prize payouts, Miles said, “I don’t see how that’s feasible at this point.

“We’re in a place where we’ll have to defer that ambition, and immediately when new monies are available they’re more likely to go into Leaders Circle because that’s really important to have the full complement of strong teams in the Series,” he said. “When we get that to the place it needs to be, you can be sure our desire will be to add a lot more for the winners and podium finishers.”

Hear the full interview

Miles also spoke with MFW’s Paul Dalbey on a variety of other topics, including a thorough explanation of Hulman and Co.’s internal restructuring, his team’s overall marketing strategy for IndyCar, the importance of transparency and cooperation with stakeholders by a sanctioning body, and how his philosophies differ from those of his predecessor with regard to connecting with the sport’s fans. To listen to the full audio, use the player below. (Due to technical upgrades, the audio will also become available on iTunes on December 27.)

You’ll hear from folks hailing from Speedway, Indiana to the United Kingdom, Australia, and everywhere in between as they share their stories of the moments that hooked them on IndyCar. Some people recall their first live Indianapolis 500 experience, others had memorable experiences with drivers, and a number of folks mentioned great times with other IndyCar fans.

We’re also extremely grateful to have heard from a number of the members of the media who have kindly offered their time and expertise to the podcast over the years, including ESPN.com contributor John Oreovicz, Crash Gladys of Speedfreaks, the dynamic duo from NBC Sports Network Motorsports Talk Tony DiZinno and Chris Estrada, TrackSide Online’s Patrick Stephan, and many others!

A few people submitted photos for us to share as well, which are at the bottom of this post. And the entries keep coming, so we’re going to add them to the comments section below as we get them. If you’d like, please feel free to add yours.

Putting this together was a very personal and humbling experience for all of us.  We’re extremely grateful to all of you who participated and continue to listen to our podcasts and support us, and for the opportunity we have to go into our fifth season of IndyCar racing still going strong.

Thanks to all — and enjoy!

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

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Patrick Smith enjoys drawing IndyCars on his computer and having them signed by their drivers.

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Troy Lantz got to have a two-seater ride and a victory circle photo at Pocono this year!

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Amy Woedl (also known as Open Wheel Mom) says Pippa Mann welcomed her son Gage into her garage at IMS this year and went above and beyond to amaze a young fan.

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John Oreovicz submitted this photo of the September 1975 issue of Road & Track showing the Ferrari picture that sparked his fascination in auto racing. “You can see the marks from the edges of tracing paper from when I drew this car,” he adds.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

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On this week’s podcast, we sure had a lot of catching up to do! We took a break during the Baltimore-Houston lull, and while we were away we learned about the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, the Tony Kanaan to Ganassi rumors, the official departure of IZOD, and more. Paul, John, and Steph got caught up on it all before digging into a preview of the coming weekend’s Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston.

We’re also joined by the driver of the #26 machine for Andretti Autosport in Firestone Indy Lights and this year’s Indianapolis 500, Carlos Muñoz. Carlos spoke with us on a number of topics, including the very tight battle for the Indy Lights championship, his very successful debut at Indianapolis, why superspeedways seem to suit his driving style when he came through the ranks in Europe, how he views the prospect of racing against fellow countryman Juan Pablo Montoya next year, and much more.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

We caught up with the driver currently at the top of that points battle, Schmidt Peterson Motorsport’s Sage Karam. Sage discussed racing for the title as a rookie in Indy Lights and the rivalry that’s developed between him and the second-year driver running for his former team, Carlos Muñoz of Andretti Autosport, and how he uses that in combination with his desire to win it all for the USA to stoke the fires of his motivation. He also shared his hopes for his own career as it enters a critical stage and spoke candidly about the changes coming for series and how he sees them combining to make an impact on its health.

Steph Wallcraft and John Lingle add to the discussion by going into detail about the adjustments new Indy Lights promoter Dan Andersen has already made and plans to make in the new future that should see that series make quick strides toward recovery — and we also eat a little crow as we discuss the signing of Juan Pablo Montoya to Penske Racing in IndyCar for 2014.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

The USF2000 title fight has come down to two drivers who also happen to be good friends and teammates at Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing: Canadian Scott Hargrove, who carries a 44-point lead into Houston, and the American who hopes to unravel that lead, Neil Alberico. We speak with both of these drivers as they prepare themselves for the most important battle yet in their careers going into the Grand Prix of Houston, with each of them gunning for that all-important Mazda scholarship that will allow them to move up the ladder into Pro Mazda next season.

The Pro Mazda title has already been clinched, of course, and so we look back on the career-defining dominant season put forth by Andretti Autosport’s Matthew Brabham and discuss his future as he heads up the ladder into the Firestone Indy Lights championship in 2014.

Steph is joined this week by MFW contributor John Lingle. In addition to the development series discussion we also touch on some of the big stories in the IndyCar world over the past few days: the loss of the Grand Prix of Baltimore, the decision by Juan Pablo Montoya to remain in NASCAR next year, and the 2013 Indianapolis 500 champion’s struggles as he works to secure himself a ride for 2014.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

Paul and Steph are also joined by AutoRacing1.com contributor Brian Carroccio, who as a native of the greater Baltimore area shares his thoughts on how the city has received the event, what sort of crowd it attracts, and what can be done to bolster it for the future. He also helps us break down the insanity and attempt to make sense of the Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

In addition, More Front Wing Co-editors Paul Dalbey and Steph Wallcraft review many other aspects of Sunday’s action-packed race, including what it might mean for Verizon Team Penske’s Will Power now that he’s finally put a notch in the win column in 2013, the stand-out performances throughout the remainder of the grid, IndyCar’s problem with its unwillingness to allow drama to develop, the interesting tale of the Firestone tires, and much more. We also look ahead to the Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT and talk about the changes in the entry list and make our picks for who may be the one to eventually come away the victor.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

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On this week’s More Front Wing podcast, we welcome JR Hildebrand for the first time, who is preparing to pilot the No. 98 Barracuda Racing machine in this weekend’s GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. The race at Sonoma Raceway will be Hildebrand’s first since Indianapolis, and we discussed several aspects of his transition through the process of losing his ride to getting a new shot, including his opinions on how things transpired with Panther Racing, whether he considered giving up racing for academia, and how a return to IndyCar was the singular focus of his racing career. He also talked about watching some of the drivers he raced against in the junior formula claim their first IndyCar wins this season and what that means to him as he looks to continue his career as an IndyCar driver.

In addition, Paul and Steph review the current status of 2014 schedule rumors, take a look at who’s in which seat for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, and make some predictions heading into the weekend.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

We’re also joined by the 2013 Pro Mazda champion, Andretti Autosport’s Matthew Brabham, who took a look back at a spectacular season at what went right and what could have (but largely didn’t) go wrong. He discussed how working with a team that operates on every level of the Road to Indy gives everyone at the organization an advantage over the competition, and he also let us in on the role his family plays in his career and how they helped him keep his eyes on the Pro Mazda prize.

Finally, Paul and Steph take a look at what we learned about the August 13th open test at Sonoma Raceway and analyze some of the ongoing rumors in the IndyCar silly season.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

Paul and Steph also reflect on Charlie Kimball’s first IZOD IndyCar Series win and look more closely at a number of the other talking points coming out of Mid-Ohio such as the immense teamwork demonstrated at Chip Ganassi Racing, the two-stop versus three-stop decision and the impact that adjusting the length of the race had on the outcome, the close engine manufacturer championship battle, and much more.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.

Following that, Paul and Steph are joined by a surprise guest (even to us!) from NBC Sports Motorsports Talk, long-time friend of the podcast Tony DiZinno. The three of us examined the time sheets from Wednesday’s open test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and extrapolated those into a preview of the upcoming race weekend there — which, of course, included a three-ways-to-Sunday analysis of exactly how likely it is that Scott Dixon will repeat. We also looked at some of the other major headlines in the Series at the moment such as Lucas Luhr joining Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing for Sonoma, Kurt Busch looking to join the grid for Fontana, the current status of engine use by all entrants and how the rules around engine changes may impact the championship end game, and much more.

To listen, use the player below or search for More Front Wing on iTunes.