What has surprised you the most so far this season, in your opinion?
Curt Cavin: The consequences of the Push to Pass debacle remain the most memorable event from the first half of the season, and I’m still surprised that Team Penske received two disqualifications from the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. To be honest, I don’t recall a comparable plot having such an effect on a championship chase. Given Team Penske’s recent dominance on oval tracks (Josef Newgarden has won nine of the last 12 oval events since 2022), the second half of this season was, remember, set up for a charge to the title by the team. However, Will Power currently appears to be Roger Penske’s greatest chance to win the Astor Challenge Cup.
Eric Smith: While the Push to Pass controversy and Team Penske are undoubtedly the main plot points, I should warn you that what’s surprised me the most is how effectively the partnership between AJ Foyt Racing and Team Penske is functioning. During his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, Sting Ray Robb led 23 laps in the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 and has shown signs of growth. The focus is also on Santino Ferrucci, a teammate who has completed eight races and is currently 12th in points. He was 16th at this time last year, by contrast. At the start of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, AJ Foyt Racing had six top-10 results in its previous 51 races. Ferrucci has made eight starts this season and has six top-10 results. Conversely, Team Penske is benefiting from the collaboration as well. Between the 2022 and 2023 Indianapolis 500s, when Ferrucci led 11 laps for a third-place finish and Robb replaced Benjamin Pedersen, who finished 21st and was voted “500” Rookie of the Year, Team Penske sought an inside look at what made AJ Foyt Racing better. The Penske cars qualified 12th, 14th, and 17th, respectively, last year; this year, for the first time since 1988, they swept the top row. A year after leading just six of the 200 laps in the “500,” Penske drivers led 92 of the 200 laps on race day.
Paul Kelly: two Inside Line editions from the midseason, two deals with Curt. Neither this season nor any previous one had Team Penske receiving a penalty for Push to Pass infractions on my NTT INDYCAR SERIES bingo card. Writing this now is just as shocking as learning it in April. Following the punishment, Team Penske quickly bounced back, bringing Scott McLaughlin to the victory in the next race at Barber Motorsports Park, sweeping the front row at Indianapolis, watching Josef Newgarden win the “500” for the second consecutive year, and welcome Will Power back to Victory Lane at Road America. However, the three drivers’ point losses, particularly the disqualifications of Newgarden and McLaughlin in St. Petersburg, increased the difficulty of Chip Ganassi Racing’s challenge to defeat champions Alex Palou and Scott Dixon and win the Astor Challenge Cup. The story will emerge from the six oval races that are left, but Penske made things considerably more difficult for itself with these startling infractions.
