157 - High Production Value - ESPN’s Ryan McGee Explains the Gravity of IndyCar on Fox

Speed Street

Conor Daly and co-host Chase Holden are happy to report that IndyCar is so BACK! After the premiere of the new Fox Sports/IndyCar commercial featuring Josef Newgarden that rocked the sports media world, it's safe to say that 2025 is shaping up to be a formidable year for the series. Conor and Chase discuss how the high production value of the advertisement was encouraging to see and how it portrayed IndyCar in a new light. They also chat about the big hires the new Prema IndyCar team made ahead of their high-budget livery unveiling on Youtube last week. Also, the 2025 paddock gets a little more crystal clear with Dale Coyne Racing’s announcement that they’ve hired Jacob Abel for the season.

ESPN broadcaster and sports expert Ryan McGee joins the show to connect the dots on his history in motorsports and why he feels so passionately for the Indianapolis 500. After growing up in Rockingham, North Carolina and following in the footsteps of his father, who happened to serve as a part-time gasman for NASCAR legend Dave Marcis, Ryan found his way into sports media and eventually his longtime home at ESPN. Along the way, he produced shows like RPM Tonight and Totally NASCAR which instilled a deep love and understanding of all forms of auto racing. Ryan explains the gravity of the Fox Sports deal for IndyCar and how it can help elevate the series to a new audience and standing in American culture. They also discuss the rich, vast history of motor racing, how race fans should be less divisive and the power of streaming and cable television ratings.