The month of May was in full swing for the NTT IndyCar Series as practice and qualifying for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 left the trio of Wyatt Watson, Tom Blackburn and at-track reporter Michael Massie with much to talk about.
Team Penske took the entire paddock by surprise with their illegal modifications to the rear attenuators of their cars, sending Will Power and defending back-to-back Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden to the back of the grid, amongst other penalties. The three discuss the implications for both this weekend and their reputation over the last couple of seasons.
Even more surprising was the improbable storyline of Robert Shwartzman winning the pole as a rookie with PREMA Racing, who are also in their first season of IndyCar competition. The trio reflects on how important and surprising this moment was and the emotions felt by the team and competitors.
Max Verstappen showed his 2022 Formula 1 form in what may be Imola’s final Grand Prix for the foreseeable future, closing the gap in the championship fight between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. What will this mean for the championship battle with new wing regulations inbound after the Monaco Grand Prix?
“The Pit Straight” is Frontstretch‘s open-wheel racing podcast, available during the racing season weekly on Tuesdays on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and right here on the web.
Wyatt Watson has followed motorsports closely since 2007. He joined Frontstretch as a journalist in February 2023 after serving in the United States Navy for five years as an Electronic Technician Navigation working on submarines. Wyatt is one of Frontstretch's primary IndyCar correspondents, providing exclusive video content on site. He hosts Frontstretch's Through the Gears podcast and occasionally The Pit Straight.You can find Wyatt's written work in columns such as Friday Faceoff and 2-Headed Monsteras well as exclusive IndyCar features. Wyatt also contributes to Frontstretch's social media team, posting unique and engaging content for Frontstretch.
Wyatt Watson can be found on X @WyattWRacing