150 - Changing the Guard - Dario Franchitti Compares IndyCar’s Past and Present

As we continue to roll into the IndyCar off season, Conor Daly and Chase Holden are back on Speed Street with the latest driver silly season developments. Last week saw Kyffin Simpson confirmed as the third and final Chip Ganassi Racing driver for 2025, pairing him with Scott Dixon and Alex Palou. Prema Racing has solidified its two driver line-up by adding former Formula 3 Champion Robert Shwartzman to its operation to join Callum Ilott.  Conor also sheds light on why teams like Penske and Arrow-McLaren are testing unsigned drivers in the off season despite already having a set line-up for 2025.

Open wheel legend and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti joins the show to talk about his post-driving role at Chip Ganassi Racing and how the current day of IndyCar compares to his era behind the wheel. Dario comments that when he watches races at home as a fan, he believes that IndyCar’s on-track product is second to none. He speaks on the open wheel cars of the past and how the high-horsepower was a challenge for drivers to deal with. He and Conor relate on how the old IndyCar engines sound iconic and wish there was a way for the current hybrid systems to be tuned to sound similar. Dario explains what his week to week duties are at CGR and how he works with current drivers in the paddock to improve performance. He also reflects on his 2008 season in NASCAR and how it humbled and inspired him to become a better racer upon his return to the open wheel world.