WEBVTT

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>> FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE
1945, WE WON'T HEAR THE FAMOUS
CALL TO "START YOUR ENGINES" ON
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IN

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INDIANAPOLIS. INSTEAD, THE GREEN
FLAG WILL DROP ON THE
INDIANAPOLIS 500 IN AUGUST. AT
LEAST THAT'S THE PLAN AT THIS

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POINT.
I WENT ONE-ON-ONE VIA ZOOM WITH
IMS OWNER ROGER PENSKE TO GET
HIS THOUGHTS ON THE POSTPONED

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INDY 500 AND WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE
INDYCAR SERIES.
>> WELL, I THINK FROM A BUSINESS
PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF

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OUR SPONSORS, ALL OF OUR
COMMERCIAL PEOPLE THAT WE'RE
CONNECTED W ALL ARE LOOKING AT
EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING AND

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SPENDING, WHAT POSITION ARE THEY
GOING TO BE IN IN THE FUTURE.
FORTUNATELY, WE'VE GOT A VERY
GOOD GROUP OF OWNERS, WE HAD A

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CALL WITH THEM HERE IN THE LAST
24 HOURS TALKING ABOUT THE
SCHEDULE. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
WORK OUT A SCHEDULE THAT'S I

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WOULD SAY FLEXIBLE AND TO THE
POINT WHERE WE'LL HAVE AT LEAST
14 RACES. THERE WILL BE SOME IN
THE EAST, SOME IN THE WEST AND

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SOME IN CENTRALLY, OVALS AND
ROAD COURSES, TO ME, WITH THAT
TIE OF SCHEDULE THAT WE CAN HAVE
12 TO 13 TO 14 RACES AS A

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CONTINUED SCHEDULE TO TAKE THIS
WHOLE GROUP OF CARS AND THE
SERIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, TO
COME BACK TO INDIANAPOLIS EACH

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YEAR I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE
OUR MAIN GOAL, AND WE'RE
FOCUSING ON THAT. OUR TV
PARTNER, NBC HAS STEPPED UP AND

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WE EXPECT THEM TO HAVE PROBABLY
MORE RACES ON THE NETWORK VERSUS
JUST ON CABLE. SO, I THINK IT'S
NETWORK, I THINK IT'S

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SPONSORSHIP, THE TEAM'S
VIABILITY, MANY OF THEM I'M SURE
HAVE GOTTEN SOME HELP FROM THE
STANDPOINT OF THE PPP LOAN

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PERSPECTIVE. THOSE THINGS
CERTAINLY HELP IN THIS TIME
WE'RE IN TODAY.
>> ROGER PENSKE FROM HIS OFFICE

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IN MICHIGAN EARLIER IN WEEK.
THE PANDEMIC HAS PUT THE BRAKES
ON THE INDYCAR RACING SERIES AND
THE ROAD AHEAD FOR THE SEASON

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LOOKS BUMPY.
BILL BENNER HAS MORE IN THIS
WEEK'S INSIDE INDIANA SPORTS.
BILL.

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>>
THANKS, GERRY. AND TO OFFER
MORE PERSPECTIVE ON THE NEW IMS
OWNER ROGER PENSKE AS WELL AS

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PREVIEW THE UPCOMING INDYCAR
SEASON IS LONG-TIME OPEN-WHEEL
RACING JOURNALIST ROBIN MILLER,
WHO WRITES FOR RACER.COM AND IS

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ALSO PART OF THE NBC SPORTS RACE
COVERAGE TEAM. ROBIN, WELCOME
BACK TO INSIDE INDIANA BUSINESS.
AND ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOUR

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FACE. JUST YOUR PERSPECTIVE
BRIEFLY. HE'S HAD THE OWNERSHIP
OF THE SPEEDWAY AND THE CAR
SERIES SINCE DECEMBER. JUST YOUR

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PERSPECTIVE ON ROGER PENSKE AND
HIS ACTIVITY UP TO THIS POINT.
>> WELL, BILL, ANYBODY THAT
DOESN'T THINK THIS GUY'S

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COMMITTED, HE HAS BEEN HERE
ALMOST EVERY SATURDAY FOR THE
LAST THREE MONTHS. I MEAN, HE'S
IN TOWN EVERY WEEK. SOMETIMES

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FOR ONE DAY, SOMETIMES FOR TWO
DAYS, USUALLY FLIES IN SATURDAY
MORNING, WALKS THE GROUNDS,
MAKES NOTES. IF YOU GUYS CAN GO

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OUT TO THE SPEEDWAY RIGHT NOW
AND SEE ALL THE THINGS HE'S
ALREADY DONE, WIDENED GEORGETOWN
ROAD TO GET RID OF THAT HORRIBLE

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CRUSH BEHIND THE GRANDSTAND.
VIDEO BOARD, KNOCKED DOWN TREES,
NEW RESTROOMS, NEW CONCESSION
STANDS. THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE

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ANY MORE MUD PUDDLES LIKE THE
60s AND 70s. EVERYTHING IS
PAVED. IT LOOKS SO GOOD, AND,
YOU KNOW, I THINK HIS COMMITMENT

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IS -- HERE'S A GUY WHO HAS
64,000 EMPLOYEES AROUND THE
WORLD AND THIS IS HIS FOCUS.
SUNDAY NIGHTS, I SEND HIM

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LETTERS FROM FANS, OR QUESTIONS
AND STUFF, AND WE
HAVE -- USUALLY WHEN WE TALK,
HE'S UP AT MIDNIGHT OR 1:00 A.M.

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HE SLEEPS FOUR HOURS A NIGHT, 83
YEARS OLD, I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE
SMARTER OR MORE DRIVEN, THANK
GOD HE OWNS THE SPEEDWAY. I

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DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY ELSE
COULD GET THROUGH THIS TIME NOW.
>> OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO
BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE

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INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY AND
ANOTHER GREAT INDY 500 THIS
WEEKEND, WE'LL WAIT UNTIL
AUGUST. THE NTT SERIES IS

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SCHEDULED TO OPEN THE FIRST
SATURDAY IN JUNE DOWN IN TEXAS.
YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SERIES
FINAL GETTING UNDER WAY EVEN

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THOUGH THERE WON'T BE FANS DOWN
IN TEXAS.
>> IT'S FUNNY. PEOPLE, BILL,
SAY, WELL, INDYCAR, NASCAR BEAT

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THEM AGAIN TO THE PUNCH, THEY
HAVE BEEN ON TV ALREADY. WELL,
THEY HAD 36, INDYCAR HAD 17,
THEY START MUCH EARLIER THAN

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INDYCAR. THE FACT THAT HE IS IN
TEXAS, WILLING TO PUT ON A RACE
WITH NO FANS, I THINK ROGER HAD
TO MAKE HIM A SWEETHEART DEAL,

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MAYBE NO SANCTION FEE. ROGER
PENSKE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT
WAS. THAT SATURDAY THEY MIGHT
GET A DECENT TV NUMBER, THEN YOU

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GO THE REST OF JUNE, YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO HAVE ANYTHING. SO THE
NEXT RACE IS GOING TO BE THE IMS
ROAD COURSE RACE, AND THEN I

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MEAN, JULY, AUGUST, AND
SEPTEMBER, ARE JUST GOING TO BE
SLAMMED. SO, IT'S -- I MEAN,
ROGER HAS DONE IT, MORE -- I

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WROTE A STORY YESTERDAY, ROAD
AMERICA IS GOING TO GO JUNE TO
JULY, A DOUBLEHEADER, A
DOUBLEHEADER IN IOWA...BECAUSE

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YOU'VE GOT TO TRY AND GET 13, 14
RACES, YOU HAVE SPONSORSHIP
COMMITMENTS.
>> ROBIN, TALK ABOUT THE JULY

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4th WEEKEND, BRICKYARD 400 AND
THE INDY GRAND PRIX. DOES YOUR
PEOPLE THINK THAT THERE WILL BE
FANS IN THE STANDS?

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BECAUSE THAT'S GOVERNOR HOLCOMB,
THAT'S WHAT HE HE SAYS THE STATE
WILL BE FULLY OPENED UP?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S GALLOWS

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HUMOR, BUT, THE CROWD AT THE
BRICKYARD HASN'T DRAWN IN THE
LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM TO

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SPREAD OUT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, THERE WILL
BE PLENTY OF AVAILABLE SEATING,
SOCIAL DISTANCING WILL TAKE CARE

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OF ITSELF. YOU HAVE INDYCARS AND
XFINITY RUNNING TOGETHER
SATURDAY
SATURDAY. I THINK JIMMIE JOHNSON

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WILL SELL EXTRA TICKETS. JAY
FRYE WHO RUNS THE COMPETITION
SIDE OF INDYCAR SAYS I WANT TO
HAVE AN INDYCAR NASCAR

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DOUBLEHEADER LIKE AT IOWA, OR
CHICAGO, OR RICHMOND, OR
SOMEWHERE LIKE THAT, SO YOU HAVE
THE INDYCARS RUN SATURDAY NIGHT,

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NASCAR CUP CARS SUNDAY, AND BOTH
OF THEM COULD USE SOME HELP ON
OVAL TRACK ATTENDANCE. I THINK
THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER

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AND HELP THEM, THIS IS THE FIRST
LITMUS TEST DO PEOPLE CARE
ENOUGH TO WATCH. NASCAR'S BEST
RACES ARE ROAD COURSE. I THINK

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IT WILL BE A SUCCESS.
>> WITH ROGER PENSKE OWNING THE
SPEEDWAY, MORE IMPORTANTLY
OWNING THE SERIES, YOU KNOW, AND

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IT CAME UP WHEN HE WAS ANNOUNCED
AS THE OWNER. BUT, ARE THE OTHER
TEAMS -- AGAIN, EVERYBODY
ADMIRES AND RESPECTING ROGER

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PENSKE, ARE THE OTHER TEAMS
ASSURED THEY'RE GOING TO GET A
FAIR SHAKE IN EVERY KIND OF
CONTROVERSY THAT MIGHT COME

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ALONG?
>> LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY, IF
A.J. FOYT THINKS IT'S A GOOD
DEAL, HE'S NOT GOING TO GET

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FLIMFLAMMED. FOYT HAS PROBABLY
BEEN ONE OF THE BIGGEST VOICES
SAYING THE BEST THING EVER WAS
ROGER PENSKE BUYING THE

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SPEEDWAY. RP IS TOO CLASSY AND
SMART, HE'S NOT EVEN ON THE
STAND ANYMORE AT INDYCAR RACES,
HE KNOWS HE'S GOT TO RUN THE

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SERIES, AND THERE CAN'T BE ANY
FAVORITISM. THERE HASN'T BEEN
ONE CAR OWNER I TALKED TO THAT
WASN'T OVER THE MOON THAT ROGER

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PENSKE IS THE BY THAT'S MAKING
THE DECISIONS, CALLING THE
SHOTS, SPENDING THE MONEY AND
LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD FOR THE

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FUTURE. I MEAN, HE'S ALWAYS ONE
STEP AHEAD OF THE POSSE IN
EVERYTHING HE'S EVER DONE. AND I
THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I'VE

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HEARD MORE PEOPLE SAY IN THE
LAST TWO MONTHS, GOD, I FEEL
SORRY FOR ROGER PENSKE, NOW
NOBODY'S EVER SAID THAT BEFORE,

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BECAUSE HE'S LOST A BUNCH OF
MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND HE'S SO
GUNG HO ABOUT GETTING INDY
GOING, PEOPLE SAY THEY CAN'T RUN

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INDY WITHOUT FANS, I GOT NEWS
FOR YOU, ROGER PENSKE, IF THEY
GOT TO GO TO OCTOBER, HE'S GOING
TO HAVE THE INDY 500 WITH FANS.

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>> TEAM PENSKE IS ALWAYS AT THE
TOP, ANDRETTI, GANASSI. WHO DO
YOU THINK WILL BE AT THE END
WITH THE CHAMPION TROPHY.

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>> ROSSI CLOSE. DIXON STILL THE
BEST DRIVER. AND THEN JOSEF
NEWGARDEN -- GOT EVERYBODY'S
ATTENTION. HE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE

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HE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO DRINK OR
SHAVE, WON TWO RACES. I THINK
HE'S GOING TO BE A FACTOR IN THE
CHAMPION...AND HE'S THE FUTURE.

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YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE YOUNG GUYS.
I MEAN, THERE'S...FELIX ROSEN
QUIST, THESE YOUNG GUYS THAT ARE
GOING TO WIN RACES. I THINK THE

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COMPETITION HAS NEVER BEEN
BETTER. YOU KNOW, YOU GOT 24
CARS WITHIN 8/10ths OF A SECOND.
THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE SAME

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GUYS FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP
BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOOD PIT STOPS
FOR CONSISTENCY. I THINK -- WILL
YOUR YOUR SLEEPER IN YOUR DARK

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FOREST AND A GUY LIKE -- YOU
KNOW, WILL POWER, THE FASTEST IN
THE SERIES THE LAST 10 OR 15
YEARS, BEEN FORGOT ABOUT.

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>> ROBIN, AS WE WRAP UP, GO BACK
TO THE SHOT OF YOU JUST OVER
YOUR SHOULDER IS A GREAT, GREAT
PHOTO FROM BACK IN THE DAY.

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THAT'S YOUR BUDDY THE HURT. JIM
HURTUBISE.
>> GOING 14.6. HE BEAT THE POLE
SETTER BY 3 MILES AN HOUR. AND

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HURTUBISE ON THE PA SYSTEM,
YOU'RE A ROOKIE AND YOU ALMOST
WENT 150 MILES PER HOUR. HE SAID
IT IS THE LAST DAY OF

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QUALIFYING. HE SAID YOU THINK
I'M FAST, WAIT UNTIL YOU
SEE -- WHEN HE GETS HERE. THAT
WAS THE -- THOSE ARE THE ERAS

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THAT GOT US ALL HOOKED.
>> HEY, ROBIN.
>> ON THAT DAY, LAST DAY OF
QUALIFYING, HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE

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IN THE STANDS THAT DAY?
>> OH, MY GOD. YOU KNOW ON THE
4th DAY OF QUALIFYING IN THE
60s, PROBABLY 50,000 PEOPLE,

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GERRY, THAT'S WHEN THEY USED TO
GET 200,000 FOR POLE DAY, PEOPLE
COULDN'T GET A TICKET FOR THE
RACE, SO THEY HAD TO GO TO

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QUALIFY.
>> THANKS FOR BEING HERE. ALWAYS
GOOD TO SEE YOU, APPRECIATE YOUR
INSIGHT. HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN