Shows
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Gray Newell InterviewGray Newell drives an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT in the SRO GT America Series. I met Newell at the 50th Anniversary of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where I was looking at the Aston Martin Valkyrie GTP car. He happened to be standing there in his Aston Martin shirt and I asked him some questions about that car. I also asked him what his role was and he responded that he was a driver for the Heart of Racing Team in the SRO series. At that point, I asked if he had time for an interview...
2026-01-2205 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Colton Herta InterviewColton Herta is a nine-time winner in the NTT IndyCar Series including the youngest ever at the Circuit of the Americas track in Austin, Texas. He has also dominated events like the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. It was recently announced that he would be leaving his Andretti Global Indy car team and moving on to become the test and reserve driver for the new Cadillac Formula One team. In preparation for that role, Herta will contest the entire F2 championship season with the Hitech racing team. Herta spent 2015 and 2016 racing and winning in Europe in the junior...
2025-10-2704 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Charmayne Geier InterviewCharmayne Geier has been a fire marshal in racing for more than 20 years, working with both the NTT IndyCar Series and NASCAR. We practically ran into each other at the Thermal Grand Prix back in March. After our initial meeting, I wanted to make sure that we could get her on the www.raceschool.com podcast for our Women in Motorsports month of September. A subsequent meeting with her at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach sealed the deal and we recently sat down for our first, female-focused, Zoom video podcast interview with her. She’s a top pro...
2025-10-2720 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Emilie Amante InterviewEmilie Amante is the sales and marketing chief for AVCO Art. This company specializes in unique automotive and racing artwork that is customized to the owner’s car (plane or boat) and puts it into a unique background. The sky’s the limit here with what they can come up with. I met Emilie at the 2025 San Marino Car Show where she showed me some of AVCO’s interactive artwork. This company’s work is so unique, we decided to go more in-depth with a formal interview which we did a few weeks later. In this interview, you can follow a...
2025-09-2118 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Julia Price InterviewJulia Price is a front-end mechanic on the Rahal Letterman Lannigan NTT IndyCar Series team. She’s new to the position this year and in this interview on race day morning of the 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend, she takes a few moments out of her busy schedule to tell us what she’s responsible for on the cars and also how she got into the sport in the first place. She’s very petite, yet very strong, and driven to do an excellent job. She’s a hard-working mechanic who thoroughly enjoys what she does. You can hear...
2025-09-2003 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Jennifer Symington InterviewJennifer Symington leads the marketing division for both the Honda and Acura brands. During the media day for the 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, we had the opportunity to sit down with her and hear how she has made a successful career for herself doing what she loves. You can tell that she is a strong supporter of the brand and tells us how that came to be. She also gives advice to young girls (or anyone for that matter) on how to craft the career you want. We did this interview shortly before she was going to...
2025-09-2008 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast California Highway Patrol Officers Craig Mosley and Dan KeeneIn what has become an annual feature prior to the Fourth of July holiday on the raceschool.com podcast, we interview CHP officers to get safe driving tips and some insight into what the officers do and look out for while helping to keep motorists safe on the roads. This year, we met up with previous raceschool.com podcast interviewee (and FastLane alumnus) officer Craig Mosley, and for the first time, Seargent Dan Keene. These two officers represent the CHP with class and professionalism while giving out good advice and helping us to understand their roles better. Enjoy!
2025-07-0306 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast California Highway Patrol Safety Tips Interview with Officers Pereyda and EurineIn what has become an annual RaceSchool.com tradition, we like to kick off the summer vacation driving season with safety tips from the CHP. This year at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach we met up with officers Alec Pereyda and Bobby Eurine. Between the two of them they give us their insights on safe driving tips, things that they are looking for on patrol, and specific information regarding teen drivers. Additionally, they inform us about what to do in case of a flat tire or other mechanical car issues. This timely information is great not only...
2024-06-2907 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Josef Newgarden InterviewJosef Newgarden has been on an emotional roller coaster this year. It started with the high of winning the 24hrs of Daytona, followed by another win in the NTT IndyCar Series season opener at St. Pete. However, during the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend it was found that he and his team had used the “Push to Pass” (P2P) system in St. Pete when they weren’t supposed to have had it available. The series disqualified and fined him and he lost all his points. After an emotional press conference at the Barber Motorsports Park event, Newgar...
2024-06-0703 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Sam Carrick and Adam Henrique – Anaheim DucksSam Carrick and Adam Henrique are two of the stars on ice for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. We caught up with them at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach press day where they were treated to rides in the Indy car two-seater and Sam also enjoyed riding in “the Beast” Honda CR-V which is powered by an Indy car engine combined with hybrid technology. They both had big smiles after their experience. They fill us in on how auto racing and hockey compare and their appreciation of how the professional drivers are top level athletes. Enjoy!
2023-10-2705 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Riley Dickinson InterviewRiley Dickinson is an up and coming professional American driver in the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup Series. The series uses identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 992 race cars producing 510 hp. The series features Pro, Pro-Am and Amateur drivers with the majority being Pro drivers. He started off the 2023 season in Victory Lane at Sebring (twice, in the two race format) and his success has continued by winning nine races so far and clinching the season championship before the final round. We caught up with him early in the season at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach press luncheon where...
2023-10-1902 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Renger van der Zande InterviewRenger van der Zande is teamed with Sebastien Bourdais in the IMSA WeatherTech Series racing a Cadillac GTP car for Chip Ganassi Racing. We caught up with him for this interview during a cold and rainy press day for the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Besides being a multiple winner at the Rolex 24hrs of Daytona, Renger has successfully competed in multiple classes around the world. In this interview, Renger talks about the differences to the new (for this year) hybrid powered Cadillac compared to last year, gives props to his teammate in regards to their race at...
2023-10-1204 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Colin Braun InterviewColin Braun is a highly talented race car driver that’s been around for years racing in multiple classes including in the SCCA. He signed with Meyer Shank Racing this year to race their IMSA GTP Acura ARX-06 and started off the year with a win in the Rolex 24 hours at Daytona. We caught up with him at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach media luncheon just prior to the race. He talks to us about his background in the sport and his recent visit to the HPD headquarters as a factory team driver to get a behind-the-scenes to...
2023-10-0406 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Cathy Shumaker InterviewCathy Shumaker is a pit lane fire marshal that works with multiple teams in a number of different sanctioning bodies including: NTT IndyCar Series, IMSA, NHRA, NASCAR, SCCA and more. She’s been enjoying her work with how she helps keep the drivers, crew, and others safe in the hectic and potentially dangerous area that is really her home away from home. We caught up with Cathy at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where she tells us how she got started, how she’s developed relationships with drivers and teams and how young girls can get started in r...
2023-09-2909 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Maria Serrao Interview Part One and TwoMaria Serrao is one of the hardest working reporters you’ll find at sporting events around southern California – particularly at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. We caught up with Maria (hard to do!) in the media center lunch room during the event this year and sat down to chat about her background and some favorite stories she’s covered here over the years. For women interested in getting involved in this industry, she gives some advice on what it takes to be successful.
In Part One, we chatted with Maria about her background in the sport...
2023-09-2210 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Sheena Monk InterviewSheena Monk is racing in the IMSA WeatherTech Series this year sharing her GTD Acura NSX with Indy car and sports car ace Katherine Legge. We caught up with Sheena during the media day press luncheon for the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. She fills us in on how racing has been interwoven throughout her life, yet her real start in racing didn’t happen until just a few short years ago. We learn about how she and Katherine work together, including car set-up, as well as the mental and physical aspects of driving this fabulous race car. At...
2023-09-1406 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Mary Bignotti Mendez InterviewMary Bignotti Mendez is a multi-talented lady who has been involved with the NTT IndyCar Series for many years. In fact, she comes from Indy car royalty as her dad, George Bignotti, won the “500” seven times as a chief mechanic! Her dad also married Kay Meyer whose father Louis was the first, three-time winner of the Indy 500. These days you’ll find her in the media/press room writing stories about the series on her laptop, or in the pit and paddock area running her RPM Tours business. With that, she gives VIP tours to team sponsors and others that r...
2023-09-0609 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Jack Harvey InterviewJack Harvey has won nearly a dozen championships in his career including the prestigious British F3 championship in 2012. He finished runner-up in the Indy Lights championship in both 2014 and 2015. He’s one of only six drivers to have won on both the Indianapolis road course and the oval where he took those wins in Indy Lights. Moving from the Meyer Shank NTT IndyCar Series team to Rahal Letterman Lanigan has proven to be quite challenging for both him and the team. We caught up with Harvey as he was taking some photos of his girlfriend Gracie Norton just off of...
2023-08-3105 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Marcus Ericsson InterviewFormer Formula One driver, and now Indianapolis 500 champion Marcus Ericsson, has really come on strong in the NTT IndyCar Series over the last couple of years winning races every season. We had the opportunity to check in with him at the media luncheon just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he takes us through his incredible journey to being part of Indianapolis history. He also talks about some really special moments after the win. Finally, he shares his expectations heading into the Long Beach race and Indianapolis. His predictions for both Long Beach and Indy...
2023-08-2405 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Mike Hull InterviewMike Hull has been employed by Chip Ganassi Racing for over 30 years. During that time he’s had a very successful relationship as the strategist for six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion - Scott Dixon. We caught up with him at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach as he was walking back to his hotel after a long day at the track. He was gracious enough to give us some time where he talks about the quality of his driver, figuring out strategy based on data versus experience, and what makes his team so successful.
Enjoy!
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2023-08-1803 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Romain Grosjean InterviewRomain Grosjean is a veteran Formula One racing driver who transitioned into the NTT IndyCar Series three years ago. He joined Dale Coyne Racing for his rookie year where he impressed Andretti Autosport enough to hire him the following year. It’s been up and down for the man they call the “Phoenix” (after his fiery crash in Bahrain), especially this year where he’s qualified in the Firestone Fast Six five times, yet only converted that into two podium finishes. We caught up with Grosjean for a brief interview just following the post-race press conference at the 2023 Acura Grand Pr...
2023-08-1001 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Tony Kanaan InterviewTony Kanaan is the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner, 2004 IndyCar champion and 1997 Indy Lights champion. He’s won races for decades and has had real staying power in this tough and sometimes brutal sport. Off track, Kanaan is known for his supreme fitness. He’s dedicated himself to that by competing in numerous triathlons, including the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, twice! This year he joined the Arrow McLaren Indy car team for one race - the Indy 500. He remains with the team as a driver consultant and team ambassador. We caught up with him just off the pit lane at the 2023 Acur...
2023-08-0303 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Owen Snyder InterviewOwen Snyder is the mechanical manufacturing and car assembly supervisor for Dallara (the chassis supplier to the NTT IndyCar Series). He also does race track support. Prior to joining Dallara, he worked for a number of different racing teams and organizations as well as with some great racing drivers. Two Indianapolis 500 victories are just part of what he’s experienced first-hand. In this interview (conducted in the technical inspection area of the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach), he shares some of those experiences with us, and the behind-the-scenes aspects of who and how they made it happen. A tr...
2023-07-2614 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Santino Ferruci InterviewSantino Ferruci has had some strong finishes in the Indy 500 driving for a number of different teams both part-time and full-time. This year he’s full-time with AJ Foyt Racing. We had the opportunity to chat with him at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach press luncheon. He’s very down-to-earth and honest in his approach to racing. He talks with us about his preparation for Long Beach and gives us his insight preparing for the Indy 500. He also fills us in on how simulation work is key to being ready to go fast right away. Enjoy!
2023-07-1905 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Simon Pagenaud InterviewSimon Pagenaud has an enviable record of winning the Indy 500, along with championships in the NTT IndyCar Series, and sports cars in ALMS. The 2023 season started with him earning a Rolex watch for the overall win at the 24hrs of Daytona, but so far, his Indy car season has suffered from a lack of competitiveness. We spoke with Pagenaud just off the red carpet at the “100 Days To Indy” reality TV show premiere in Long Beach this past April. He candidly talks about what he’s gone through and how he’s looking forward to turning the situation around and gett...
2023-07-1404 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Graham Rahal InterviewGraham Rahal has been winning races since his very first race in the NTT IndyCar Series back when he was only 19 years old. That was a long time ago and his winning ways have been on hiatus for a while too. A super talented guy like that doesn’t forget how to drive fast and win. This series is super competitive and everything has to be perfect (or you have to be super lucky) to get on the podium these days. We had the opportunity to talk with Rahal at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach about the ch...
2023-07-0603 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Officer Alec Pereyda – California Highway PatrolOfficer Alec Pereyda is a Public Information Officer for the CHP and spent some time with us in the expo at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. With the Fourth of July holiday coming up and lots of summer road trips, he was able to give us a lot of valuable safe driving tips including what to do if you see those flashing lights behind you. He also shares with us a crazy story about a high-speed pur
2023-06-2808 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Alex Palou InterviewAlex Palou is the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series Champion and is currently leading the points for the 2023 season based on three victories so far (as of June 18th). We had a chance to chat with him during the press day ahead of the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and in this wide-ranging interview he talks about his season so far, his adaptation from a road racing background to getting comfortable on the ovals, and his recent McLaren Formula One test. Additionally, he reflects on his calm demeanor despite all of the distractions outside the race car (especially last year...
2023-06-2205 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Pato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden InterviewPato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden have both had strong starts to the season. We caught up with them just off the red carpet at the “100 Days to Indy” premiere at the Long Beach Convention Center on Wednesday evening just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. O’Ward talks about his focus after two, second-place finishes to start the year. Newgarden talks about how competitive the series is as a whole and his strategy for Long Beach. They both chime in on their aspirations for success at the Indy 500 which (when this was taped and the intervie...
2023-06-0803 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Pato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden InterviewPato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden have both had strong starts to the season. We caught up with them just off the red carpet at the “100 Days to Indy” premiere at the Long Beach Convention Center on Wednesday evening just prior to the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. O’Ward talks about his focus after two, second-place finishes to start the year. Newgarden talks about how competitive the series is as a whole and his strategy for Long Beach. They both chime in on their aspirations for success at the Indy 500 which (when this was taped and the intervie...
2023-06-0803 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Lyn St. James Interview Part TwoIn last week’s podcast, we learned how Lyn St. James started with humble beginnings and progressed to the highest levels of professional auto racing. This week St. James will tell us about the Women in Motorsports North America program. From the interesting origin of WIMNA, to where they’re going in the future. The bottom line is that this organization is designed to advance opportunities for women throughout the motorsports industry. Their big event of the year is the Women with Drive Summit III coming up on November 7-8, 2023 in Avondale, Arizona. For more information on the summit, go t...
2023-05-1509 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Lyn St. James Interview Part OneLyn St. James is an American icon in the world of professional auto racing. After humble beginnings racing in a showroom stock Ford Pinto, she would go on to set multiple world speed records and become the 1992 Indy 500 rookie of the year! We sat down with Lyn at the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where she talks about how she progressed through her career. She also talks candidly about her big crash at Riverside International Raceway in an IMSA GTP car, the people that helped her along the way and what it’s like to turn laps at th...
2023-05-1012 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Dan Siegel – Pit Tech InterviewDan Siegel is just one of the many people who work in the NTT IndyCar Series in the technical inspection area. At the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach he shared with us the procedure of how they inspect the race cars, how they inspect safety equipment before and after a crash and also how they ensure a fair, competitive platform, so that the teams can have a level playing field going into the race competitions. A fascinating journey behind the scenes. Enjoy!
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason
2023-05-0407 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Kyle Kirkwood InterviewKyle Kirkwood is the only driver to win consecutive Road To Indy ladder series championships consecutively. He spent 2022 driving for AJ Foyt Racing where he had a best finish of 10th at Long Beach. This year he’s racing for Andretti Autosport and he started the year off qualifying in the Firestone Fast Six at St. Petersburg. At the 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, he qualified on pole and led 53 of the 85 laps to win his first-ever NTT IndyCar Series race. We had a chance to talk with him before his glorious weekend at the media luncheon on Th...
2023-04-2605 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast TJ Fischer InterviewTJ Fischer started out in racing as most drivers do today – in karts. He made the jump to cars in SCCA road racing in a Formula Mazda. Now racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup, Fischer is enjoying success in this highly competitive series and is hungry for more. We spoke to him just after the conclusion of his second race at the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach to find out his background and how he’s had important mentors to help him move forward in his career. Enjoy!
raceschool.com
NOTE: Fischer ended up with...
2023-04-0604 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Kay van Berlo Interview Part 2Kay van Berlo started his racing career in Europe and is now enjoying success in here in the USA. We caught up with Kay at the media luncheon just prior to the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was entered in the Porsche Carrera Cup event. He fills us in on his background, his approach to his first street race in this car and plans for the future. He had a sensational race weekend at the AGPLB. We followed up with him after Sunday’s Race #2 with a Part 2 interview where he tells us how great his we...
2023-03-3003 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Kay van Berlo Interview Part 1Kay van Berlo started his racing career in Europe and is now enjoying success in here in the USA. We caught up with Kay at the media luncheon just prior to the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was entered in the Porsche Carrera Cup event. He fills us in on his background, his approach to his first street race in this car and plans for the future. He had a sensational race weekend at the AGPLB. We followed up with him after Sunday’s Race #2 with a Part 2 interview where he tells us how great his we...
2023-03-3004 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Matthew Brabham InterviewMatthew Brabham has a last name steeped in motorsports history and glory. Matt himself has racked up a pretty good racing resume’ himself. We chatted with him in the Stadium SUPER Truck garage in Long Beach last year and he talked to us about a number of things including how he manages crossing over from Indy Lights to the trucks, his ambition to win the Indy 500, along with his fitness and simulation regimen. Enjoy!
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2023 Larry Mason
2023-03-2408 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Robby and Max Gordon Interview Part 2Robby Gordon gives us a quick intro/cameo where he talks about the logistics of why he’s
getting the trucks back to the United States from overseas. His son Max Gordon is a chip off the
block of his dad, Robby. At only 14 years of age, he’s been racing for years. We caught up with
him at the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was racing in the SPEED Energy
Stadium SUPER Truck Series. He talks with us about he approaches the jumps and how much
fun it is to race...
2023-03-1501 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Robby Gordon InterviewRobby Gordon has been winning races in a wide variety of racing cars and trucks for decades. These days, you’ll still find him racing in his Speed Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Series. These high-flying trucks put on an exciting show wherever they compete around the world and they are truly a fan favorite on the streets of Long Beach during the grand prix weekend. We talked to Robby at the media luncheon and he fills us in on the history of these super cool trucks as well as their specifications – including “reverse aerodynamics!” The series has been a springbo...
2023-03-0805 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Tom Long InterviewTom Long has been racing sports cars successfully for many years. He worked his way up from SCCA Spec Miata to become a factory driver for Mazda in their DPi class, he’s driven an incredible array of race cars over the years. We caught up with him at the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where he was getting ready to get behind the wheel for the first time in the amazing Mazda RX-792P IMSA GTP car from 1992. He shares his insight and comparisons of the newer and older Mazda race cars. He’s also been racing in t...
2023-03-0205 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Jimmy Vasser InterviewJimmy Vasser is known in racing circles as a championship winning driver (IndyCar 1996), and as a teammate to some of the most well-known racing drivers in the world, including Alex Zanardi and Juan Pablo Montoya. After retiring from his extremely successful career as a driver, Vasser became a team owner (with Kevin Kalkhoven) and won the 2013 Indy 500 with Tony Kanaan as their driver. Now with co-owner James Sullivan, he runs the Lexus factory racing program in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in both the GTD Pro and GTD categories. We caught up with him during the weekend of the 2022...
2023-02-2303 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Jimmie Johnson InterviewJimmie Johnson came into the 2022 racing season as a sophomore NTT IndyCar Series driver after spending most of his first year competing on road and street circuits. This season he would compete at every round. Coming off of his open-wheel career best finish at Texas Motor Speedway (sixth), he came into the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with a bit more confidence than before. He talks with us about that, the physical aspect of racing an Indy car, and his eagerness to compete at the Indy 500.
Incidentally, he would go on to place third in multiple...
2023-02-1503 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Kyle Kirkwood InterviewKyle Kirkwood came into the 2022 season with a lot of promise as he’s the only driver to win all three championships on the Road to Indy ladder system in consecutive years. We chatted with him prior to the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach about his preparation for this year’s event, the Indy 500 and how he’s been able to learn from veteran Sebastien Bourdais who was in this seat last year. Driving for the four-time Indy 500 winner, A.J. Foyt, Kirkwood talks about the dream coming true to finally race at the Indy 500. Enjoy!
NOTE...
2023-02-0903 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Conor Daly InterviewConor Daly has enjoyed racing success on the Road to Indy and has exhibited a tough determination to find his place in the NTT IndyCar Series. After multiple seasons of driving for multiple teams, Daly found a full-time home in 2022 with Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR). He spoke with us about that, his simulator set-up at home and how it has changed, and how he’s looking forward to working with the same engineer and crew for the entire season. Enjoy!
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2022 Larry Mason
2023-02-0204 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Sebastien Bourdais InterviewSebastien Bourdais captured four straight championships in an Indy car and has won in numerous other classes too. Going into the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach would be the first time he’s been to the event not racing an Indy car. He spent time with us at the pre-race media luncheon to talk about the Cadillac DPi car and the differences with Indy cars, LMP2 cars and World Endurance Championship (WEC) LMDH Hypercars. He also explains how different types of tracks in the IMSA WeatherTech series suit his Cadillac better than the competitor’s cars and vice vers...
2023-01-2507 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Madison Snow InterviewMadison Snow is no stranger to Victory Lane. In fact he enjoyed spending some time at the top step of the podium at the 2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. That was then when he was racing a Lamborghini. A late switch to the BMW M4 GT3 GTD car in 2022 caused his Paul Miller Racing Team to miss the opening race of the season at the Rolex 24hrs of Daytona. However, the team got the car in time for the Sebring 12hrs and promptly put it on pole! After a fifth place finish there, he came to Long Beach...
2023-01-1803 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Alex Lynn InterviewAlex Lynn spent his early racing career on the road to Formula One. A mid-career switch to sports cars and Formula E continued to prove his driving worth to teams as wins and good results followed. He made the switch to Chip Ganassi’s IMSA WeatherTech DPi Cadillac program for 2022 and scored a victory in the grueling 12 Hours of Sebring. Coming into the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend, we got the opportunity to chat with Alex about his previous racing exploits and how that will benefit the CGR Cadillac team going into 2023 with the rules switch to hy...
2023-01-1104 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Connor De Phillippi InterviewConnor De Phillippi raced a BMW M4 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan in the GTD Pro category in 2022. This was the first year for that class as he had been competing in the IMSA GTLM category before that class was phased out. In this interview taken on the Thursday before the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, he talks about his early open-wheel career versus GT racing, how GTD differs from GTLM and his preparation for the race weekend. After a penalty in qualifying relegated his team to start last, De Phillippi carved his way through the field to the...
2023-01-0606 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Simon Pagenaud InterviewSimon Pagenaud has won the Indianapolis 500 and an NTT IndyCar Series Championship. He’s also been a champion in the ALMS Series and Champ Car Atlantics. He started 2022 off in Victory Lane at the Rolex 24 hour race at Daytona in an IMSA prototype. We caught up with him in the paddock at the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and what started off with a bit of small talk morphed into a fascinating lesson about the preparation, strategy and other intricacies of practice, qualifying and racing at the Indy 500. A true gentleman and badass racer, Simon Pagenaud has an en...
2022-12-2807 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Chuck Lessick InterviewChuck Lessick is a chaplain with IndyCar Ministry and travels to almost every race of the year. This is his seventh year doing this and he is truly passionate about what he does. As this ministry has evolved over the years, they found that it’s more conducive to attract people to them on race weekends by cutting down their length of service. Lessick calls it a “Pit Stop Devotional” and about 30 people typically show up for the abbreviated sessions. I attended a session at the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and then spoke with him afterwards. It’s intere...
2022-12-2110 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Frank Rico Interview Ricomotech Racing Simulators Part 2Frank Rico is an expert in auto racing simulators. His company Ricmotech Racing Simulators has supplied sim units to drivers in the NTT IndyCar Series, NASCAR and many other professional racing series. In Part 1, we learned about how Rico got started in the industry, the basics of sim systems, how it benefits drivers and how it’s evolved over the years. Here in Part 2, we’ll take a deeper dive into data acquisition, driver coaching and how multiple race team members can benefit. There’s also a video of his top of the line system in action. We’ll see the...
2022-12-1308 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Frank Rico Interview Ricomotech Racing Simulators Part 1It goes without saying that racing is expensive. It’s also clear that there’s no substitute for seat time – or is there? The use of racing simulators has been increasing over the last few years and really exploded when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The beauty of using a racing simulator is that you’re still able to get “seat time” but at a substantially lower cost than actually hitting the track. Not only do you save time and money, but the results can be astounding. Drivers have learned race tracks to such an extent that the very first time they vi...
2022-12-0708 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Romain Grosjean InterviewRomain Grosjean is a multi-time champion in European junior formulae, multi-time Formula One podium finisher, and after sustaining burns in a fiery crash at the 2020 season ending F1 Bahrain Grand Prix, moved to the NTT IndyCar Series where he’s also scored multiple podium finishes. Grosjean has always been quick in a race car - provided that his race car was up to the task. This interview took place just moments after he got off-stage of the post-race press conference at the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. He finished on the podium there in second place. This is a...
2022-12-0102 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Rinus VeeKay InterviewRinus VeeKay is a rising star in the NTT IndyCar Series. Driving for Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR), VeeKay got his first victory in May of 2021 at the Indianapolis road course. Less than a month later, his season was interrupted by a cycling accident that broke his collarbone and caused him to miss one race. We spoke with him at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach to get an update on his condition, his stunning win last year, and how he’s looking forward to the Indy 500 with one of the best teams at Indy. Enjoy!
NOTE: Ve...
2022-11-1703 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Colton Herta InterviewColton Herta won the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in September, 2021 after starting 14th (due to a crash in qualifying) and having contact early on in the race. He came back to the 2022 version and promptly dominated every qualifying session by turning times well under the track record. The race was going well until he pushed too hard and made contact with the wall exiting Turn 9 ending his race 30 laps too soon. We spoke with him on the Thursday prior to the event and he re-capped how he was able to win the race last year after contact...
2022-11-1001 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Scott McLaughlin InterviewScott McLaughlin is a multi-time Supercars Series champion and Bathurst winner. He’s part of the three-driver lineup in the powerful Team Penske organization in the NTT IndyCar Series and got his first win in St. Pete at the first race of the 2022 season. He narrowly missed backing that up in the second race of the season when his teammate just pipped him to the line at the high-speed Texas Motor Speedway oval. It’s rare for a driver to leave tin tops and go to top level Indy cars and McLaughlin has surely set a high standard for doin...
2022-11-0304 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Scott DixonA six-time NTT IndyCar Champion, Indianapolis winner and pole-sitter, not to mention plenty of other wins throughout his career, Scott Dixon is a very humble yet extremely talented race car driver. Always a good interview, Dixon took time to tell us about his season so far at the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (another race he’s won) and also his thoughts about going back to Indianapolis to have another crack at the win. Dixon has honed his craft every year and always extracts the most from his machinery as evidenced by his 16th place start in Long Be...
2022-10-2403 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Lucille DustLucille Dust is a writer for the website AutoRacing1.com and has worked in the IndyCar paddock for many years working a wide variety of jobs that has helped her understand the nuances of the sport. In this interview she talks about her background and how she ended up where she is today. She also mentions one of the drivers whose car was featured in a previous RaceSchool.com/blogs podcast. She is a delight to be around and really knows the IndyCar scene inside and out. She also offers up some advice for those looking to enter into...
2022-10-2007 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Helio CastronevesA four-time Indianapolis 500 winner on track, Dancing With The Stars champion off-track, Helio Castroneves is known for being an effervescent ambassador in the world of auto racing. After racing full-time for Penske Racing in the NTT IndyCar Series for nearly 20 years, Castroneves was given the option to race the Acura DPi sports car for Penske in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship. He won that championship in 2020. Since then, he’s left Penske and joined the Meyer Shank Racing Indy car team and after winning the 2021 “500” as a part-time driver, he’s gone back to racing full time in IndyCar with MSR. Alo...
2022-10-2001 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Marie FornoroMarie Fornoro works in public relations and also manages the social media accounts for the A.J. Foyt Racing Team. During the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach we had the opportunity to talk with her about how she came into this role with the team and what she does to highlight the drivers, sponsors and team overall. Of course every team at this level does something in this realm so it was interesting to find out her thoughts on what she thinks works best for the fans tuning in. During the interview, a couple of the drivers give...
2022-10-2007 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Zoey EdenholmZoey Edenholm is a high-fly act in the Stadium Super Truck Series put on by Robby Gordon. In this interview taken right after her first race of the weekend during the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach she talks about what happened in her race and how she’s looking forward to future races. With an extensive background in open-wheel and sports car racing, she also has advice for up and coming female racers. Enjoy!
Note: You can follow Zoey’s racing exploits via social media at: @zoeyracing
2022-10-1903 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Helio CastronevesA four-time Indianapolis 500 winner on track, Dancing With The Stars champion off-track, Helio Castroneves is known for being an effervescent ambassador in the world of auto racing. After racing full-time for Penske Racing in the NTT IndyCar Series for nearly 20 years, Castroneves was given the option to race the Acura DPi sports car for Penske in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship. He won that championship in 2020. Since then, he’s left Penske and joined the Meyer Shank Racing Indy car team and after winning the 2021 “500” as a part-time driver, he’s gone back to racing full time in IndyCar with MSR. Alo...
2022-10-1301 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Danielle ShepherdDanielle Shepherd is a race-winning engineer on the number 2 Cadillac DPi-V.R prototype car for Chip Ganassi Racing in the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship. At the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach we got to spend some time with Danielle in the race transporter where she gave us her background and she was also kind enough to answer a bunch of RaceSchool.com listener questions from a data analytics grad student! She breaks down those answers in a very simple manner and provides insight into how she helps her team and drivers focus on maximizing performance to get to...
2022-09-2808 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Kate Davis – NTT IndyCar Series Director of CommunicationsKate Davis came from the NASCAR world to join the NTT IndyCar Series in 2019. In this interview, taped at the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, she discusses her roles and responsibilities and how that can be ever-changing throughout the weekend. It’s interesting to find out how pre-planning can help tackle multiple scenarios throughout the weekend. It’s also important to be flexible and be ready to modify things depending upon what happens on and off the track. Enjoy!
NOTE: Jimmy Johnson had an incident during the weekend that required medical care. Davis talks about the logi...
2022-09-2107 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Will Power InterviewWill Power is a former Indianapolis 500 winner and is now a two-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion. This interview was conducted during the weekend of the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. He’s won at Long Beach twice and was inducted into the Motorsports Walk of Fame in front of the Long Beach Convention Center. A very successful veteran of the sport driving for Roger Penske, Power is more relaxed this year as he’s relying on his team and his experience having raced Indy cars for so many years. He talks about the start of his season, the chal...
2022-09-1503 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Marie FonoroMarie Fonoro works in public relations and also manages the social media accounts for the A.J. Foyt Racing Team. During the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach we had the opportunity to talk with her about how she came into this role with the team and what she does to highlight the drivers, sponsors and team overall. Of course every team at this level does something in this realm so it was interesting to find out her thoughts on what she thinks works best for the fans tuning in. During the interview, a couple of the drivers give...
2022-09-0807 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Tatiana CalderonTatiana Calderon is the first female driver to campaign for the A.J. Foyt Racing Team in its 56-year history. She brings a tremendous amount of experience into the cockpit. She’s been a test driver for the Alfa Romeo F1 Team for the last four years and has also raced in British and European F3, F2, GP3 and Renault Series Formula V8 3.5 where she became the first female to stand on the podium in 2017. In the two seasons prior to this year, she honed her craft in the Super Formula Series in Japan, as well as the World En...
2022-09-0108 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Felix Rosenqvist InterviewFelix Rosenqvist has been winning races and championships in a wide variety of cars throughout his career including being a winner and multiple pole-winner in the NTT IndyCar Series. Fresh off of his first oval pole position at Texas Motor Speedway for his Arrow McLaren SP racing team (AMSP), he spent some time with me before the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (where he qualified fourth and finished in 11th after some tire degradation issues and getting hit by Alex Rossi). In the interview, he gets into the details of using a simulator and how that helps prepare...
2022-08-2206 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Alex Palou InterviewAlex Palou is the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series Champion. He clinched that championship last year at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach season finale with a steady and controlled run from 10th to 4th. Coming into the 2022 season, Palou had already been on the podium in St. Pete (2nd) and had a Top 10 (7th) on the oval at Texas Motor Speedway. In this interview prior to the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Palou talks about how he works with his team to extract the most out of his car and himself. He also talks about the challenges of...
2022-08-1703 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Dave Seyse – Docent, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Tour (Part 4)In this final interview with docent Dave Seyse, we get to go into the restricted area of the MSHF to see one of the most fascinating SCCA Can-Am cars of all time. To go along with Dave’s stories, check out the photos below to get a better appreciation for this super cool car. There’s also a bonus via his special access about another race car that is not to be missed. Enjoy!
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2022 Larry Mason
2022-07-2805 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Jim Coleman – Docent, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Tour (Part 3)In Part 2, we had a personal tour of the MSHF by its president George Levy. During that tour, he introduced me to a couple of the knowledgeable docents to get even more behind the scenes stories. In this interview, you’ll hear from docent, Jim Coleman, who talks about “The Fabulous Hudson Hornet” that’s on display and interesting stories behind that car. He also talks about a Southern California racing legend, Hershel McGriff. Enjoy!
NOTE: Next week we’ll have the last installment of the MSHF with more behind-the-scenes stories by another one of the friendly and knowle...
2022-07-2106 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast George Levy – President, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Tour (Part 2)In Part 1, we had an introduction to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHF) from the Hall’s President George Levy while at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. As it turned out, Daytona Beach was in my travel plans so I had the opportunity to not only visit with George again, but also get a personal tour of this fantastic facility. In this interview you’ll come along with me while George shows off some of the distinctive vehicles and stories that resonate with him and visitors. By the way, you can follow along with the tour...
2022-07-1508 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast George Levy – President, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Interview (Part 1)During the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, there was more than just racing action on the track. On Saturday of race weekend, the “Racing Goes Safer, Driver Safety Seminar” was held in the Long Beach Convention Center. This almost annual (not held during COVID) seminar is hosted by the Stand 21 Safety Foundation. This year, a video featuring Romain Grosjean kicked off the meeting, and then special guest and racing champion, Tommy Kendall, was invited to not only speak about what he went through in his horrific crash at Watkins Glen, but also to MC a very special announcement duri...
2022-07-0803 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast CHP Officer Craig Mosley InterviewDuring the weekend of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, I stopped by the California Highway Patrol display in the Expo area. Officer Craig Mosley works for the CHP and as it turns out is a former student at Fast Lane Racing School. We had a nice chat about his experience at Fast Lane and how that’s helped him and his fellow officers when it came time to pass the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC). With the Fourth of July holiday weekend coming up, he gives us some safety tips for city and highway driving and also wh...
2022-06-2903 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Tommy Kendall InterviewWhen the history books are written, one name will stand out amongst the greatest SCCA Trans Am drivers of all time – Tommy Kendall. Moreover, he’s had success in a number of different categories of race cars during his career and has raced with and against some of the greatest names in racing history. His comeback from massive lower extremity injuries suffered at Watkins Glen Raceway in June of 1991 proved his desire and determination to succeed no matter what. He won multiple championships after that shunt. Now retired (for the most part) from racing, he parlays his knowledge behind the...
2022-06-2208 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Josef Newgarden InterviewJosef Newgarden is a two-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion and a former Indy Lights Champion. He sat on the pole for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in September 2021 and finished second. This year (2022) he qualified second and won the race! After the post-race press conference I walked with him back towards the paddock to grab this interview. He talks about his Indy Lights experience here, his new crew for 2022 at Team Penske and how he thinks his win at Texas Motor Speedway will help him going into Indy. Newgarden is on a roll. Enjoy!
By...
2022-06-1602 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Marcus Ericsson, Part 2Marcus Ericsson won two races in 2021 and so far this year, the biggest race in the world – the Indianapolis 500! We spent some time chatting before Indy this year during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. In Part 1, he talked about his injury at the Grand Prix last year and his preparation coming into the new season. Here in Part 2, we focus exclusively on the Indy 500. He talks about his first laps ever at the Speedway and also what it’s like to qualify there using the tools within the cockpit. Enjoy!
By Larry Mason
Co...
2022-06-0804 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Marcus Ericsson, Part 1Your 2022 Indianapolis 500 Champion, Marcus Ericsson, spent some time chatting with us before Indy this year during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. In this conversation he talks about what happened with the shunt at the AGPLB last year and what he’s done in the offseason to prepare to make 2022 another winning season with a shot at the championship. He also previews the Indy 500 and how his preparation is enhanced by his teammates and experience. He is as nice and unassuming as you’ll find in the IndyCar paddock and is now an Indy 500 winner. Enjoy!
NO...
2022-06-0203 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Video Blog/Podcast Ed Carpenter InterviewEd Carpenter has enjoyed a lot of success at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’s earned the pole position three times, had five front row starts in seven years, and his team placed three cars in the Firestone Fast 9 in 2019. He won the Indy Lights race at the Brickyard in 2003. Carpenter also has three wins at other tracks in the NTT IndyCar Series. He’s also led a race in 14 of the last 15 years. Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) always seems to have their cars dialed in to go fast at Indianapolis. Ed took time out of his busy schedule and...
2022-05-1916 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Pato O’Ward InterviewPato O’Ward came into last year’s 2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with an outside chance to clinch the championship. After contact early that ultimately led to his car’s retirement; that put a sour note on the ending of an otherwise strong, two-race winning season. In fact, his race wins earned him a McLaren Formula One Team test during the off-season. Leading into this year’s race, O’Ward had disappointing finishes on the street circuit in St. Pete and on the oval at Texas (where he had a fast car). He was hoping to have better luc...
2022-05-1005 minRaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Christian Lundgaard InterviewvChristian Lundgaard made a very positive impression in the NTT IndyCar Series when he was hired to pilot the Rahal Letterman Lannigan entry at the Indianapolis road course in August 2021 by qualifying fourth quick in his series debut. That drive made a strong enough impression that he was brought on full-time by the RLL team for 2022. At the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, he endured a tough weekend in practice, qualifying, warm-up and the race. We spoke with him on the way from pit lane back to the paddock immediately after the warm-up session and he was frustrated...
2022-04-2601 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Oriol Servia InterviewOriol Servia was inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame just prior to the 2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. His resume of work includes being an Indy Lights Champion and race winner in the Champ Car World Series. He’s raced for some of the best Indy car teams in the sport including Newman/Haas and Team Penske. Servia has also raced in Formula E and prototype sports cars. Besides being inducted into the LBMWoF, he was also in Long Beach to drive the Acura NSX pace car for the Grand Prix. Servia has a reputation as...
2022-02-0707 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Katherine Legge InterviewKatherine Legge (of England) is one of the fastest race car drivers around. She is also female (which is not the novelty that it used to be in the world of auto racing). We caught up with her in the morning before her IMSA WeatherTech GTD race at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach – a place where she earned her first North American win in her Toyota Atlantic Championship debut! She has competed worldwide in an extremely diverse range of racing cars including Indy cars, Formula E, NASCAR, DTM, the Delta Wing and many, many more. She has an...
2022-01-2607 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Oliver Askew InterviewOliver Askew was one of the most successful drivers on the Road To Indy where he won multiple championships (USF2000 and Indy Lights) and earned his way into the NTT IndyCar Series. Unfortunately a shunt at Indy caused a concussion and ultimately a job loss at his previous race team. In 2021, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing picked him up for the final three races and Askew produced with a superb Firestone Fast Six qualifying spot (5th) the weekend before the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. We caught up with him in Long Beach and had a nice chat. In...
2022-01-1906 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Willy T. Ribbs InterviewWilly T. Ribbs has forged his way to success in professional auto racing like no other man in his chosen sport. From being the first African American to race at Indianapolis to testing Formula One cars and winning multiple IMSA GTO races, he’s also driven for or been sponsored/supported by some of the biggest names in and out of the sport - Dan Gurney, Jack Roush (via Ford Motor Company), Bill Cosby and many others. They all believed in Willy enough to help him forge his path of success. He was inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Wa...
2022-01-1206 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Callum Ilott InterviewFerrari F1 test driver Callum Ilott was picked by Juncos Holinger Racing to finish out the last three races of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series. He will also be driving for them full time in 2022. Ilott talked with us about how Indy cars compare to the Formula One and GT cars he’s been driving. He also compares the nuances of the Long Beach track to the streets of the Monaco Grand Prix. With essentially a new team and a new (to the series) driver, Ilott qualified P18 (out of 28) for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach which is qu...
2022-01-0507 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com PodcastRicardo Juncos and Brad Hollinger–Juncos Hollinger Racing InterviewRicardo Juncos came to the United States years ago as a go-kart mechanic. Living the American dream, he’smade it all the way to the NTT IndyCar Series as a team owner. This year Brad Hollinger came over from being a part-owner of the Williams Formula One team to join Juncos creating Juncos Hollinger Racing. Running the last three races of the 2021 season, the team willcompete full time in 2022. They both spent some time talking about their partnership and plans for the futureand why now is the right time to be in the NTT IndyCar Series. Incidentally, Ferrari F1 te...
2021-12-2906 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Judy Kouba Dominic InterviewJudy Kouba Dominic is Chevrolet Racing’s trackside communications representative. For over a decade Judy has been the go-to person for members of the media to get information about Chevy racing teams and drivers. She brings a fascinating background to her position and is one of the most professional, passionate, hard-working, and caring individuals you’d ever want to meet. We sat down and had a nice chat just outside the media center at the 2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2021 Larry Mason
Photo courtesy of Judy Kouba Domenick
2021-12-2217 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Jordan Taylor InterviewWayne Taylor was a very successful driver in his time in IMSA. He’s now one of the most successful team owners as well. Perhaps his greatest achievement is the fact that he’s raised two sons that race and win consistently. Jordan Taylor is the driver of the Chevrolet Racing Corvette IMSA GTLM car and he’s won just about everywhere he’s raced. He spent some time talking with us at the media luncheon for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach about the driving differences between last year’s front engine Corvette and this year’s mid-engine v...
2021-12-1604 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast James Hinchcliffe InterviewJames Hinchcliffe, aka the “Mayor of Hinchtown” has checked off many of the boxes of being one of the top drivers in the NTT IndyCar Series. He’s a multi-time winner and pole-sitter in addition to big performances like winning the pole for the Indianapolis 500 one year after almost losing his life in a horrific shuntthereand winning the crown jewel of street courses at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Additionally, he also finished second in the “Dancing With The Stars” TV show. His easy-going personality doesn’t diminish the fire in his belly for success. In this interview, Hinchcliffe...
2021-12-0804 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Marcus Ericsson InterviewEx Formula One driver Marcus Ericsson has had a break-out season this year winning two races. His transition to the NTT IndyCar Series has taken longer than he would have liked but he’s certainly enjoying the journey this year. Marcus took time in the “media bullpen” at the 2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach to discuss that transition, the physical differences between F1 and Indy cars along with his preparation away from the track. With Formula One drivers having a reputation of being aloof and cold, Marcus was the exact opposite with a warm and humble disposition.
By L...
2021-12-0806 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Charlie Kimball InterviewCharlie Kimball who hails from Camarillo, California, spent some time talking about getting back into an NTT IndyCar Series race car for the first time since his heartbreaking disappointment of not qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 this year. His last street course race was October 2020 at St. Pete.
How does he prepare mentally and physically for the challenge of navigating the concrete jungle and mean streets of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach? Listen here and find out!
Note: Charlie Kimball was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in his junior racing career. He has since gone...
2021-12-0307 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Takuma Sato InterviewTwo-time Indianapolis 500 winner (and Formula One veteran) Takuma Sato discusses the challenges of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach circuit as well as other topics right after qualifying. Sato was not happy with a 16th place qualifying position and his Sunday morning warm-up was one position further back in 17th. However Sato’s motto, “No attack, no chance” served him well in the race as he raced his way to a top ten finish (9th) holding off some of the best Indy car drivers in the sport.
Note: It was announced after the grand prix that Sato w...
2021-12-0304 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Zach Veach InterviewZach Veach has had an incredible professional auto racing journey. He climbed the open wheel ladder system and made it all the way to the NTT IndyCar Series. After three seasons with Andretti Autosport, Veach transitioned to the Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 GTD program in IMSA (International Motor Sports Asscociation) and is adapting well to his new “office.” In this interview he talks about his journey and transition into “tin tops” as well as how he prepares for his race weekends.
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2021 Larry Mason
2021-12-0304 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Sebastien Bourdais InterviewA four-time IndyCar Champion and former winner at Long Beach, Sebastien Bourdais was hired by AJ Foyt Racing to help get that team further up the grid for the 2021 season. Although he struggled in qualifying (listen why) and got hit on the first lap of the race to knock him down to dead last (28th), he recovered to finish in the top ten (8th)! This interview took place just after the morning warm-up where Bourdais was not feeling confident, but was hopeful, going into the race.
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2021 Larry Mason
2021-12-0302 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Jimmie Johnson InterviewWinner of seven NASCAR Cup Championships, Jimmie Johnson “retired” from NASCAR and has embarked on an NTT IndyCar Series career with Chip Ganassi Racing. In 2021 Jimmie competed in all of the road course races and concluded his season at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach – essentially his home race for the El Cajon, California native. In this interview before the race, Jimmie talks about the differences in the physicality of NASCAR vs. IndyCar and competing here at Long Beach.
2021-12-0301 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Podcast Will Power InterviewIndianapolis 500 winner, NTT IndyCar Series Champion, Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach winner and Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame inductee - Will Power, took some time to talk about his 2021 season and the intricacies of the Long Beach circuit. He also talks about simulators and how they benefit him and his team. A surprise guest walks by for a quick “hello” during this interview. RaceSchool.com will have an interview with that guest in a future episode.
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2021 Larry Mason
2021-12-0303 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Bryan Herta InterviewKnown during his racing career as “High-Speed Herta,” Bryan has been just as successful off the track as a team owner in the NTT IndyCar Series winning two Indy 500s and multiple championships in sports car racing. Bryan Herta Autosport currently campaigns the factory Hyundai effort in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. He’s also the race strategist for his son Colton Herta who won both of the last two Indy car races at Laguna Seca. We caught up with Bryan right before his son would go on to win the season finale Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach!
...
2021-10-2703 min
RaceSchool.com Podcast hosted by Larry MasonRaceSchool.com Colton Herta InterviewFresh off of his win at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Colton Herta shares his insights heading into the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. His confidence was well founded as he won the race!
Colton Herta waves to the fans before the start of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. He might as well have been waving goodbye to the other 27 competitors as he stormed his way from 14th to 1st!
Herta pushing hard through Turn 9 extracting all the speed from his Andretti Autosport Dallara Honda.
Herta’s rear wing is becoming a...
2021-10-2704 min