IndyCar’s return to Iowa this past weekend brought plenty of surprises as Speed Street host Conor Daly was called last minute to fill-in for Jack Harvey at Dale Coyne Racing. He joins co-host Chase Holden to detail how he got the call Friday night and boarded Roger Penske’s plane Saturday morning to be on stand-by as the situation developed by the minute. While the IndyCar rulebook kept him out of the driver’s seat for race one, due to his lack of seat time during the event weekend, he was granted a special session Sunday morning to help him prepare for race two. He and Chase recap both races and break down how the recent track repave and additional weight from the new hybrid system led to an overall lack of racing action.
Race winners Scott McLaughlin and Will Power both joined the show this week to discuss how Team Penske utilized fuel strategy and quick pit stops to sweep the weekend. Scott laid down a lap fast enough to break the track record and captured the pole for the second race, but found his way to the front during race one to capture his first ever IndyCar oval victory. He explains that it was apparent early on in the race that the second lane would be ineffective, and he credits his pit crew with helping him overtake Colton Herta. Will Power started farther back in race two and immediately went into fuel saving mode to help chop his way through the field. Another quick Penske pit stop helped him get by Alex Palou and he held on for his second win of the 2024 season.