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Ice Racing Is on Thin Ice… Literally

For many people, thoughts of amateur motorsport conjure images of sweltering days standing in dusty pits, sweating in Nomex suits during heats, and then slathering on extra layers of sunscreen and sucking on sports drinks between them. But for another group of racers, the fun doesn’t get started until the temperatures are well below zero, […]

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For many people, thoughts of amateur motorsport conjure images of sweltering days standing in dusty pits, sweating in Nomex suits during heats, and then slathering on extra layers of sunscreen and sucking on sports drinks between them. But for another group of racers, the fun doesn’t get started until the temperatures are well below zero, where a successful day not only requires returning home with undamaged fenders but with frostbite-free fingers and toes, too.

That pursuit is, of course, ice racing, an endeavor people have been perfecting for more than 100 years now. Thanks to its very specific environmental requirements, it has always remained something of a regional pursuit. These days, unfortunately, the locales suitable for hosting are getting smaller and the seasons shorter.

Ice racing is about the most fun you can have on two or four wheels, and, if you do it right, it’s among the most accessible forms of motorsport out there. That accessibility has taken a hit in recent times, because ice racing quite naturally requires good ice, and the milder weather over the last several winters has meant that’s increasingly hard to find. As a result, ice racing clubs are failing, series are shuttering, and the future of this low-temp grassroots motorsport is, well, on thin ice. Here’s a look back at what has made ice racing so great, and why its impending death is such a shame.

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Trophee-Andros-Ice-Racing moto
Flickr/Sébastien Cheniclet

The only consistency you have in ice racing as you move from one region to the next is the surface upon which the racing takes place. While the American Motorcycle Association has standardized regulations for motorcycles and ATVs, everything else tends to be small-scale and region-specific. 

The lone exception might be France’s professional Trophée Andros series, which got its start in 1990 and featured many well-known drivers, including Alain Prost. Sadly, that series came to an end in 2024, for reasons we’ll explore in just a moment.

Locally, you’ll find clubs catering to everything from 50cc karts to high-horsepower monsters. Some clubs exclusively do time trials, and some do wheel-to-wheel racing. Some clubs race on ovals, some plow out complex circuits, and some only do straight drag races. 

My experience over 20-ish years of ice racing has exclusively been done in cars with fenders, racing wheel-to-wheel on circuits that turn both left and right. I’ve spent all of that time racing with the Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club (AMEC), which since 1954 has earned the respect of many communities in and around New York’s Adirondack Park. It’s thanks to that respect that the club has also earned the permission to race on some of the pristine lakes dotted throughout that stunning landscape, often carving out courses that ignore the best and thickest ice to make room for the communities of ice fishing shanties that pop up in winter. For most of its 70-plus years, AMEC has been racing with remarkable consistency, though recent changes have affected the group.

Finding Ice

In most forms of motorsport, the biggest barriers to entry are getting a car and getting it to the racing venue. Ice racing, though, presents its own set of challenges.

You still need a vehicle, sure, and you still need to get it to the water. But the biggest challenge these days is finding usable ice. The people I’ve raced with all these years differ widely in terms of their economic, societal, and political backgrounds, but there’s one thing they all seem to agree on: Climate change is making it harder to enjoy their sport.

Ice racing car tires
Tim Stevens

Throughout its history, AMEC has had a near-perfect record of running, with seasons typically starting in early January and going well into March. Over the years, however, the seasons have started later and ended earlier—until 2023, when the racing just didn’t happen at all. There simply wasn’t enough ice to be found, and there hasn’t been any since.

And how much ice is enough? Twelve solid inches of ice throughout the course and pit area is the bare minimum, and while we’ve often had that volume in the past few years, the quality of the ice—which is just as important as the depth—has lacked. A mid-January thaw, ill-timed rainstorm, or even a big blizzard can create pockets or layers of bad ice that just won’t do for cars sliding sideways at over 100 mph.

Trophee-Andros-Ice-Racing bmw cornering closeup
Flickr/Sébastien Cheniclet

Consistently inconsistent weather has meant fewer races on smaller tracks than the club has been known for, but it’s a club that is blessed with dedicated volunteers who have decades of ice-checking know-how. They’re absolute gurus at what they do, and we racers have literally trusted them with our lives every time we go out there. 

Those gurus are now often saying that the ice isn’t safe. 

Death of a Pastime

Ice-Racing-Flags
Flickr/Royal Broil

Dave Burnham is one of those guys checking the ice, probing for depth, and, when things look a little uncertain, taking core samples to look for soft sections lurking below the surface. Lately, bad ice is about all he’s been finding. 

It’s a dangerous job, too. In 2022, John Cook, who had been a member of the Lakes Region Ice Racing Club in central New Hampshire for more than 40 years, died while checking the ice conditions ahead of an event.

ice racing pits
Tim Stevens

Burnham, who’s been ice racing since 1982 and served as president of AMEC for many years, told me the ice is getting harder to read. “These wild temperature changes are not good for the ice. It can fracture or make it brittle and then soft,” he said. He places the blame squarely on climate change. 

As do many other members I spoke with. Caleb Pocok is the current vice president of AMEC and has been an avid racer since 2013. “I can’t see how it can be anything other than climate change when you have club members for 50-plus years telling you the differences in winters and ice over the years,” he said.

ice racing saabs at tupper lake
Tim Stevens

Pocock called the sport the “best bang for your buck racing you’ll find anywhere as far as seat time, cost, and fun factors go.” It’s a sentiment echoed by Paul Dudley, owner/instructor at Dudley’s Driving Academy in Vermont. Dudley has been doing ice racing and on-ice time trials for 21 years now, including organizing time trials and gymkhana events with the Sports Car Club of Vermont (SCCV).

“It’s a pretty depressing topic,” he said. “It’s the most incredible, challenging, dynamic, and unique motorsport I have ever seen.” He also fears that its days are numbered. “I would not be surprised if 10 years from now, ice racing is just something we tell our kids we used to do.”

But it isn’t just bad ice that’s killing the sport. As with other forms of motorsport, rising insurance costs don’t help, and neither do societal shifts. A major factor is finding volunteers, with too few younger members stepping up to help out. “Ice racing is not easy now, between the things we have to do to keep the town happy, lake associations happy, insurance, volunteers, etc.,” Burnham wrote in a letter to a local motorsports magazine. “It’s just not easy anymore.”

ice racing flagger
Tim Stevens

Dudley was able to find enough ice on Lake Elmore in northern Vermont to run a few time trial events this past season with SCCV, but those increasing challenges have killed other clubs in and around New England, including the Central New York Ice Racing Association and Maine’s New Meadows Ice Racing Association. 

And there is, of course, the aforementioned Trophée Andros series, which ran its last race in January 2024. “The more it goes, the more we are forced to find races in France at an altitude of 1500 meters (5000 feet) to be sure to have ice,” Max Mamers, co-founder of the series, said when announcing its termination. “This climate story is a recurring theme, and it’s global, it’s not just France.”

2024-J-B.-Dubourg-G.-Fontanel-Renault-Zoe
Trophée Andros

But there are still clubs out there that are making it work for cars, like Our Gang Ice Racing in Colorado and, indeed, the Lakes Region Ice Racing Club in New Hampshire. Or, if you’re more into quads or bikes, those lighter vehicles and smaller courses mean lower demands for ice, making it easier for groups like the Upper Michigan Ice Racing Association or the Central Wisconsin Ice Racing Association to keep their members busy. 

If you’re lucky to live near one of the clubs that is still racing, go sign up, become a member, and ask how you can help. The future of this sport is not guaranteed. A little extra help might just keep your local club running for a few more years—and keep you out there smiling through chattering teeth in the pit lane.



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Front Row Motorsports: North Wilkesboro Speedway Competition Notes – Noah Gragson

Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Rural King Ford TeamNorth Wilkesboro Speedway Competition NotesNASCAR All-Star RaceDate: Sunday, May 18, 2025Event: Race 14 of 38Series: NASCAR Cup SeriesLocation: North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-miles)#of Laps: 250Time/TV/Radio: 8:00 PM ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90 Noah Gragson Notes Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Ford team head to the North […]

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Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Rural King Ford Team
North Wilkesboro Speedway Competition Notes
NASCAR All-Star Race
Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Event: Race 14 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-miles)
#of Laps: 250
Time/TV/Radio: 8:00 PM ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Noah Gragson Notes

Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Ford team head to the North Wilkesboro Speedway for the NASCAR Cup Series annual All-Star Race. For Gragson, he looks to continue his All-Star Fan Vote domination, winning the vote in 2023 & 2024 where he finished 23rd and 11th, respectfully. The weekend will kick off with the Pit Crew challenge on Friday, May 16th at 6:00 pm ET. The All-Star Open race will be held on Sunday, May 18th at 5:30 pm ET. The All-Star race is scheduled for Sunday evening at 8:00 pm ET.

Rural King, America’s Farm and Home Store, will return to Gragson’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. This marks the Mattoon, Illinois-based retailer’s third race with Front Row Motorsports, bringing its well-known commitment to rural values, hardworking communities, and American heritage to race fans across the country. Gragson will make an appearance at the Rural King in Conover, North Carolina on Sunday, May 18th from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm ET.

“I’ve always loved going to the North Wilkesboro Speedway,” said Gragson. “The energy there is incredible, and the track delivers that classic short-track, beating-and-banging style of racing. I’ve been fortunate to win the Fan Vote the past two years, so hopefully I can make it three in a row and get this No. 4 team into the main event.”

Road Crew

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Joey Forgette

Hometown: Iron Mountain, Michigan

Engineer: Dillon Silverman

Hometown: Chico, California

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Tony Infinger

Hometown: Fort Valley, Georgia

Tire Specialist: Chris Aunspaw

Hometown: Zelienople, Pennsylvania

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Spotter: Nick Del Campo

Hometown: Blauvelt, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Nate “Cookie” Eller

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Tire Carrier: Jarren Davis

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Jackman: Nate McBride

Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia

Fueler: Ray Hernandez

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

ABOUT RURAL KING

Rural King, also known as RK Holdings, LLP, planted its roots as America’s Farm and Home Store in Mattoon, Illinois in 1960. Since that time, Rural King has grown to more than 140 stores in fourteen states. Specifically, we provide a broad range of essential goods, food, feed, seed and other farm and home necessities to the communities we serve throughout Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. We welcome and encourage everyone to enjoy our long-standing tradition of offering free popcorn and coffee every time you visit our stores.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.





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Kyle Larson Rejects Major Tony Stewart Claim About Hendrick Motorsports Driver’s NASCAR Commitment

Kyle Larson is one of the busiest NASCAR drivers. Away from his full-time duties for Hendrick Motorsports, he races extensively in the High Limit Racing Series, the World of Outlaws, and other dirt platforms. These indulgences have made his love for sprint car racing very apparent over the past several years. But would he prioritize […]

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Kyle Larson is one of the busiest NASCAR drivers. Away from his full-time duties for Hendrick Motorsports, he races extensively in the High Limit Racing Series, the World of Outlaws, and other dirt platforms. These indulgences have made his love for sprint car racing very apparent over the past several years. But would he prioritize it over NASCAR?

He mentioned in a recent interview with The Athletic that fans often get it wrong by assuming he would.

He said, “People back in the day used to get it wrong that I didn’t care about NASCAR. I still think people think, “Oh, I’m just doing this for the money, and if I had a choice, I’d be racing sprint cars all the time.”

“That really bugs me, because it isn’t about the money. I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t love it, you know? So I do love this. I wish fans would realize that,” the 32-year-old explained.

Larson has been racing full-time in the Cup Series since 2014. He is a Cup Series champion and is poised to become one of the greatest stock car racing drivers to have ever lived. Such achievements are not attainable without a strong love for the game.

One of the biggest reasons why he races dirt a lot is the practice that it offers for him to perform better in NASCAR. Especially with practice sessions before Cup Series races now limited, such extracurricular racing can help a lot.

So, it wouldn’t really be fair to claim that he would jump ship to sprint car racing if it offered him the same paycheck as NASCAR does. And yet, that’s exactly what the three-time Cup Series champion, Tony Stewart, did earlier this year.

Tony Stewart’s take on Larson’s NASCAR loyalty

Stewart is one of Larson’s mentors. They are quite similar in how they love racing outside NASCAR. It is with this position that Stewart said last month, “If the money was equal – and I’m not going to speak for Kyle (Larson) and Kyle and I have never had this conversation – but I feel very confident in this statement that if the money was equal, that Kyle Larson would be in a sprint car, not in a Cup car.”

That’s a bold claim. He had gone on to make the same statement about Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe, avid dirt racers. He continued, “And like I’ve said, I’ve never had this conversation with any of those guys about it, but that’s my gut instinct, that’s what my gut tells me that if the money was equal, they’d be on dirt, they’d not be in NASCAR right now.”

The dirt racing series of today aren’t going to be able to compete with NASCAR on financial grounds any time soon. The only scenario in which these words can be tested is if NASCAR purchases one of the platforms like how it purchased the ARCA Series in 2018 and raises the purse sizes. Only then would we truly know whether Larson would stay in stock cars or switch to sprint cars.



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Helping others achieve success in motorsports | Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Growing up on a cattle ranch in Littleton, Colorado, Judy Kouba Dominick can thank her dad for her motorsports career. Her grandfather, Joe, was a cattle rancher who rode bucking horses. Her dad, Earl, was fascinated with cars. × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to […]

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INDIANAPOLIS — Growing up on a cattle ranch in Littleton, Colorado, Judy Kouba Dominick can thank her dad for her motorsports career.

Her grandfather, Joe, was a cattle rancher who rode bucking horses. Her dad, Earl, was fascinated with cars.


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NASCAR paint schemes preview: Hendrick Motorsports gets All-Star Race ready

CONCORD, N.C. – Nothing like dressing up for a special occasion! The NASCAR Cup Series will head to North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend for the All-Star Race, set for 8 p.m. on Sunday. It will mark the third year in a row the All-Star Race will call the 0.625-mile short track, home.  The first time around, in […]

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CONCORD, N.C. – Nothing like dressing up for a special occasion!

The NASCAR Cup Series will head to North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend for the All-Star Race, set for 8 p.m. on Sunday. It will mark the third year in a row the All-Star Race will call the 0.625-mile short track, home. 

The first time around, in 2023, Kyle Larson won in dominant fashion, a similar refrain of late. Larson is coming off a victory at Kansas Speedway last Sunday in which he led 221 of 267 laps in his third win of the year. 

All told, Larson has three wins in the All-Star Race all coming in the last six years. He’s tied with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt for the second-most all time and just one behind Jimmie Johnson. 

Chase Elliott also has an All-Star win, claiming his in the event’s only foray to Bristol Motor Speedway back in 2020. 

Changes to this year’s event include an increase in laps from 200 to 250 and a promoter’s caution. For more details on the format, click here. 

Here’s a look at how all four Hendrick Motorsports cars will look when they hit the track this weekend: 



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Hyak Motorsports – All-Star Race Advance – Speedway Digest

Event Overview ● Event: All-Star Race ● Time/Date: 8 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 18 ● Location: North Wilkesboro Speedway ● Layout: 0.625 mile short track oval ● Format: 250 laps / 156.25 miles ● TV/Radio: FS1 / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Notes of Interest Hyak Motorsports heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the2025 […]

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Event Overview

● Event: All-Star Race

● Time/Date: 8 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 18

● Location: North Wilkesboro Speedway

● Layout: 0.625 mile short track oval

● Format: 250 laps / 156.25 miles

● TV/Radio: FS1 / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

Hyak Motorsports heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the2025 All-Star Race with the iconic SunnyD car. This weekend the No. 47 car will proudly showcase a fan favorite livery, cementing the brand’s continued sponsorship with the team.

SunnyD is back and ready for more action this weekend at another legendary racetrack on the NASCAR circuit. SUNNYD, apart of Harvest Beverage Company, will adorn the hood of Stenhouse’s No. 47Chevrolet for the All-Star Race. After appearing on Stenhouse’s car for the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray on February 2, the nostalgic beverage made its return to the Daytona 500 before coming back on the car for the March 31 race at Martinsville Raceway, April 5 at Darlington Raceway, April 13 at Bristol Motor Speedway, and May 4 at Texas Motor Speedway. Harvest Hill Beverage Company, based in Stamford, Connecticut, is owned by private equity firm Brynwood Partners, and acquired the SUNNYD brand from J.W. Childs in February2016. Harvest Hill markets some of America’s most beloved beverage brands, including SUNNYD, JUICY JUICE, LITTLE HUG and DAILY’S Cocktails. SUNNYD products are widely distributed through leading retailers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. For complete nutrition facts, recipe and activity ideas, and other helpful information, visit SUNNYD.com. For more information on Harvest Hill, please visit www.HarvestHill.com.

The All-Star Race is one of the most anticipated events of the year, and Hyak Motorsports is ready to rise to the occasion.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro for Hyak Motorsports:

“The All-Star Race is always intense – no points on the line, just pride and a big check. It’s a chance to go out there, take some risks, and really show what your team is made of. I’m excited to mix it up and hopefully give the fans something to cheer about.”

Hyak Motorsports PR



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Tony Kanaan gets back on track at Indianapolis, perhaps for the final time in storied career | National News

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It took Tony Kanaan a dozen tries to win the Indianapolis 500, and, much later, four years to accept it was time to retire and find something else to do outside a racecar. His 2023 start in the Indy 500 was supposed to be the last of his career and perhaps will […]

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It took Tony Kanaan a dozen tries to win the Indianapolis 500, and, much later, four years to accept it was time to retire and find something else to do outside a racecar.

His 2023 start in the Indy 500 was supposed to be the last of his career and perhaps will ultimately go down as his final appearance in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

But that final 500 led to a full-time job with Arrow McLaren Racing, where in under two years Kanaan has been promoted to team principal and the man in charge of making the decisions while McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown focuses on Formula 1.

And, in a worst case weather scenario May 25, Kanaan might just find himself back in the field of 33 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After two days of rain delays, Kanaan on Thursday completed the veteran refresher course required for him to be the emergency replacement driver for Kyle Larson should Larson have to leave Indianapolis early to make it back to North Carolina for the the Coca-Cola 600.

A long rain delay in Indy last year ruined Larson’s attempt to complete motorsports 1,100-mile “Double” and he never turned a lap in Charlotte. NASCAR made clear to Larson and Hendrick Motorsports that the Coca-Cola 600 must be his priority or it will cost him dearly in the Cup Series championship race.

Although Kanaan said the refresher course rekindled his passion for Indianapolis, he would prefer not to replace Larson and race again at age 50. He’d have to start last if Larson leaves Indianapolis before the race begins.

“My retirement, I think my biggest fear was how much I was going to miss this,” Kanaan said. “But not sure I want to start 33rd and try to pass everybody and suffer for 2 1/2 hours. I did go out on my own terms and I don’t have the need to go back and run this race again.”

Kanaan will be on Larson’s timing stand during the race and cannot replace him in the car once the race begins.

His acceptance of being a retired racer comes from the massive responsibility he’s been given by Brown. With Brown based in England, Kanaan is the day-to-day boss at Arrow McLaren and thriving in the new role.

“The team loves him, I haven’t had that since I started the IndyCar team. He leads by example. He’s a workaholic. He’s motivated, and that rubs off on people,” Brown told The Associated Press. “None of that surprises me. What did surprise me about TK is the dude can talk and listen at the same time. He takes a lot of advice, which is a bit unusual. He talks to our board members all the time — probably more than me — and he knows what he doesn’t know and doesn’t want to make mistakes, he’s decisive, and he ain’t scared.

“If I tell him to do something — and it’s something unpleasant — Tony’s like ‘OK, I’ll do it.’ Then 10 minutes later he calls me and tells me its done.”

Adjusting to a new role

Kanaan doesn’t look at his new job as the guy tasked with doing Brown’s dirty work — and there was a lot of it last year as the IndyCar team had a slew of driver hiring and firings.

He said he understands the difficult business side of motorsports and noted Michael Andretti fired him in 2010 despite an existing contract over a loss of sponsorship. It was then he truly understood the brutal nature of the sport and has carried it with him into his role as leader at Arrow McLaren.

“I think the way I want to run the team, Zak and I think the same. It’s not that he doesn’t want to do it, it’s that I’m in charge and I should do it,” Kanaan said. “If he’s going to do everything for me, why am I here? When you’re being honest, good or bad, it’s going to be uncomfortable.

“I had to do a few things these with people that were my friends,” he continued. “It’s not about that. We run a company now. It’s also my reputation and how I want this team to be perceived to be successful. If people are not able to separate the friendship to the professional, then too bad. I think it’s just a choice that I made. I think I’m a fair person. I think I try to run the team as fair as I can. If you’re lacking, I will tell you. Or if you’re doing good, I’ll tell you. I will never forget, Zak told me one day, ‘You don’t need a title. If 10 people walk in the room, they should be able to pick who the boss is.’”

The drivers’ view

Arrow McLaren fields three full-time entries for Pato O’Ward, Christian Lundgaard and Nolan Siegel, and a fourth car at Indy for Larson. O’Ward has embraced the feedback he receives from his new boss because Kanaan “still thinks he’s a racing driver.

“I think it drives everybody forward. Obviously, always has a good spirit, lots of energy,” O’Ward said. “I always like to hear the negative feedback more, I would say, than the positive because I feel like the positive, it’s always very dependent on just results. But I feel like behind the results, there’s a lot of things that happen, and you always learn more from the things that you’re doing maybe not optimal. I always welcome it.”


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