All right.
Welcome to
the Business
of Speed
podcast
John Doonan.
How are you?
I'm doing
great.
And I'm
grateful
that you
all decided
to come see
the 64th
running of
the Rolex
24.
Well,
thank you
for having
us. Epic.
Yes. Crowd.
So,
you know,
the lead
up to
the event
is very
stressful
for my team
and I.
But
the energy
that I felt
on the grid
walk in
the start
of the race
and in these
early hours,
now
I feel calm
and,
it's time
to put on
a great show
for
the fans.
You said
early hours.
I wanted
to ask you,
what time
did your
alarm ring
this
morning?
I didn't
sleep
so well.
There's
a lot
on my mind,
so I was up
at 430.
Okay.
And I
will not
go to sleep.
And that's
not some
heroic
measure
on my part,
but
we have the
incredible
staff
of
professionals
at IMSA,
and
they need to
most of them
be up
all night.
Race control
staff,
pitlane
staff,
timing
and scoring
staff.
And I
think it's,
a bit unfair
for me
to say
goodbye
tonight
at midnight
and see them
in
the morning.
So I rotate
around to
all the
different
functions
throughout
the night,
to support
them,
to get a
read on
how the race
is going
such that.
So come
tomorrow
night,
I will
be asleep
and probably
12 to 14
hours
straight.
But
this is
sort of
a leadership
style
of yours,
because
we have
heard that
you are kind
of the
first man
in in
the morning.
Yeah.
Leading
by example.
You want to
that that's
is that
a principle
of yours
of
leadership?
Yeah,
I guess
you could
call that.
And I, I'm
very pleased
that people
see that.
I, you know,
as a
little boy,
my
grandfather,
my dad
raced
and I was
sitting on
the couch,
usually
at 430
in
the morning,
waiting
to go to
the
racetrack
with my
backpack on
and my
clipboard
and my,
my little
ear
protectors
and my dad
and of
course, had
been up
all night
working on
the race
car.
And he was,
you know,
dragging,
tired.
So that
energy's
still in me.
I'm
still a
little boy
on the other
side
of the fence.
I still want
to be part
of it.
But,
you're
right.
It is
part of
my, my,
my spirit
of
leadership.
And,
you know,
just this
morning,
I have a ritual
here at the
Rolex 24.
I want to be
the
first person
in the
garage area.
Now, one of
the race
teams
beat me
today.
They wanted
to be.
Which team?
From Paul
Miller
Racing.
BMW from up
in the northeast.
Which is your home area.
And
they wanted
to get
their car
in the tech
line first
because with
60 car
field,
they want to
get the car
weighed
and measured
and
all that.
And
they wanted
to be first,
which is wonderful.
But my walk
this
morning,
something
dawned on me
that
the OEMs,
the race
teams,
the Michelin,
they have
spent
thousands
of hours
trying to go
a tenth of a second
a a couple
tenths
quicker.
That to me.
Yeah.
Like I
for whatever
reason, that
hit me today
that the men
and women
who've
designed
these cars
built
these cars,
driven
these cars,
prepped
them,
turned
wrenches
on them,
they have done
all of that
to come up
Sunday
as
the winner
of the
Rolex 24,
and then
ultimately
the
WeatherTech
Sportscar
Championship.
So that hit
me today.
And,
so
my morning
walk was
filled with
excitement
to think
about
the people
that make
it happen.
So you're
excited
this
morning?
We're about,
five hour,
we're about
five hours
into the race
right now.
Yeah.
But, about,
let's say
4.5
hours ago.
How how
much is
your phone
blowing up?
How many
did you get
from,
honestly,
teams.
I'm really
happy.
You know,
we have
this thing
called BoP.
So
you've got
all these
different
platforms.
It's very
difficult
for my
engineers to
to take
all the data
and
determine,
is the data
that we're
seeing,
you know,
truly
accurate
or are
people
sandbagging
things
like that?
And people
will say,
I need to
see
a doctor,
but I
love BoP.
Okay,
here's why
we need it
for
our sport.
Because if
you don't,
costs
are going
to go up
and
people are
going to
cancel
programs.
So
I'd like to
present
a stable
platform
with my,
my teammates
and IMSa
and,
you know,
leading up
to the race
until the
green flag
falls,
everybody
says, well,
I need
more power,
I need
less weight.
I need,
you know,
a bigger
fuel or
energy
capacity.
Yeah.
Do you know
that?
That's
right.
And
if you asked
for that
and I didn't
give it
to you,
and suddenly
she's
been slow
and she's
passed you
and she's
miles ahead.
You know
what I'm
saying?
My wife,
says this
to me
all the time.
She says,
if you give
a mouse
a cookie,
you read
that book.
Oh, I
to my kids.
I'll
give them
a cookie.
Nice guys
for a glass
of milk.
And
then he's
going to eat
all these.
Exactly. So.
Yeah, you.
I,
I completely
understand
that
perspective.
I'm super
proud
because
after,
you know,
we we,
we have
the raw
before
the 24
last weekend
we had,
pre-season
test,
we call it
back in
November.
We've had
a lot
of meetings
with the
OEMs.
And up
until
last night
there was a
lot of
feedback
coming in.
Teams,
drivers,
team
owners,
manufacturers.
But I'm
happy
to say,
and maybe
I don't want
to jinx
myself.
I haven't
heard
anything
since the
race
started,
which
makes me
excited.
But there's
still,
to your
point,
19 hours
to go. Yeah.
So we were
lucky enough
yesterday.
We were
at the
technology
symposium.
That was
wonderful.
The emotional
time.
I wanted
to touch
on that
a little
bit, a
few things
about that.
Not only
that, you
got
emotional.
Speaking of
Bill France
and the
history
of the sport,
because I'm
anyone
who watches
a podcast
knows I'm
such an
advocate
for the
history
of
motorsport
in general,
and
I feel like
I love
your story.
Your story is
amazing.
Yeah.
Thank you so
much, sir.
And I
also really
want to add
something
that
you said
really
touched
a chord
with me.
You gave a
shout out
to Max
Pappas and
Oriol
Servia.
You said
I grew up
watching
you guys
race.
Like it.
I can tell
you're such
a fan
of
motorsport,
and it's
really
so lovely
to have
someone
so
passionate
about the
sport,
leading the sport,
and now
tell us
a little bit
about what
you've
launched,
this
incredible
initiative,
the IMSa
labs and
partnership
with NASA.
Tell people
a little
bit. Yeah.
So you know
again
little boy
fan
of the sport.
But
participant
watch
my father,
race
and all of
his friends,
dreamed
of being in
the sport
on the other
side of
the fence
and being
a participant.
Got that
chance
with Mazda.
Now
I get that
chance
with IMSa.
IMSa,
as I shared,
has
always been
a
laboratory,
for over
five decades
for
the automakers
to come
and prove
powertrains,
for Michelin
to prove out
the next
generation
tire.
That's
what I've
always seen
it as.
And that's
been
happening in
and very
authentically
and real.
And that
gets me
cited
because
I think
the sport
is
entertainment.
No doubt
it needs
to be, that
development
lab,
without
a framework
around it
until
yesterday.
And I also
want it
to grow
to the
next level,
for the
next
generation,
the students
that were
at
Embry-Riddle,
the students
that are
watching
tonight,
the people
that are
watching
their
phones,
looking
at live
telemetry,
that for me
means,
you know,
I want to
the sport
has given
me so much,
and I want
to give
back.
And I think
standing up,
IMSa labs
presses on
the
accelerator
pedal
harder.
And I know
just
from all
my research
that that's
what got me
so emotional
as Bill
France
senior John
and Peggy
Bishop,
imagining
them
looking down
at what
we've done
as stewards
of this
and being
so insanely
proud of it.
And it's
just
about me
and my
IMSa
teammates
trying to
deliver
that,
for a long
time to
come.
You don't
often see
people,
people
that lead,
you know,
corporations
that care
so much
about
what they're
doing
and
passing it
down to
the legacy.
And,
you know,
being at the
tech
symposium,
seeing all
the students
there,
knowing that
they may
design,
we were
talking
a little bit
about like,
they might
be designing
the next
airplane.
We're going
to be on
all the cars
we're
driving
and
how important
it is
to make sure
they have
access to
the, you
know,
the data,
but also
the
resources
to advance
and the
opportunity
and the
opportunity,
an
internship
or an
interview
with,
Doctor
Eric Warner
or Doctor
David
Salters
from GM
and Acura
Honda,
respectively.
Matthew came
from
Michigan.
Like,
just
the chance,
you know,
I had
the right
people
at the
right time.
But for them
to just have
a chance,
yeah,
to get to
meet them
and learn
from them
and shadow
them is
is
remarkable.
It's
interesting
you say that
because
I wanted
a word
with Eric
yesterday
and Adrian
Atkinson
is the.
He was
there. Yeah.
Yeah.
Agent
who's
lovely.
I said
he you
probably
want to get
get him
out of here.
And he said
no actually
I do, but
I want
everyone
who wants
every
student
who wants to
speak
to him.
I want them
to be able
to
speak to him
because
he could
change
someone's
life.
Yeah, yeah,
that's
what's so
powerful.
So I said
that. Yeah.
I, I am
the same,
you know,
previously
at Mazda,
we had a driver
development
program.
We
it was
called the
Mazda Road
to 24.
And the
Mazda Road
Indy.
And
that was how
I feel.
And you
look up
the grid
right now,
and there's
probably two
dozen
drivers
that were in
that
program,
and it's
like,
proud Papa,
you know,
the kids
and and
the same
would be
for Eric
and and
the others
in that room
I would love
to be
part of
or have IMSa
be part
of
giving them
an
opportunity
of a
lifetime.
The youth is
we need the
youth,
right?
Or else
the sport
dies at
some point.
Yes.
We were
we just had
a
conversation
with someone
who said
the exact
same thing.
How,
it was
Marshall.
Marshall
said it.
How the
age of
the fans
that he sees
has
come down,
which is
great
because
we need
the sport
to continue.
Very
encouraging.
So
let's talk
a little bit
about growth
of
the sport.
What is IMSa
done so
differently?
Is there
one thing
that you can
point out
and say,
that's
exactly what
we did
to grow,
the YouTube
channel
that what
you guys
are doing,
which
I think is
fantastic
in the tool,
but one
tool in the
toolbox
for sure.
Yeah,
but
the growth
that you're,
you're like,
I think
you guys
are about
to pass
NASCAR,
NASCAR
inside
I know
show them
we're
in the draft.
Maybe
we'll cut
that off.
We're going
to we're
going
to slingshot
past them
as soon as
we can.
But
what do you
and what
do you
credit
to that
overall
transformation
and growth.
Yeah I think
foundationally,
you know,
I remember
this from
being a
little boy
on the road.
America,
Brainerd,
Mid-Ohio,
IMSa races.
It was
always open.
You go
right up
and see
the cars
and see
the drivers
see the crew
wide open.
We've
made that
foundational.
Every
general
admission
ticket.
You saw
the grid
walk today,
guys.
And it was
insane.
The same goes
for the
garage area
in the
paddock
at all
of our races.
So that's
first.
Now,
with
the digital age
and the
opportunity
to,
if someone
cannot
be here
to put that
experience
in their
hands,
whether
it's,
content.
We're
shooting in
the video
with
Marshall
in the co
first crew
in our
digital team.
Or
you know,
doing
features
on drivers
and putting
the
personalities
in front of
the fans.
The ability
to share
that
so quickly
and then
have fans
ultimately
share it
more.
You know,
I think
it happens
a lot
faster.
The YouTube
piece has
been
remarkable.
We took a flier.
We had
we just
gave it
a try.
And imagine
yourself
watching
The Wire.
You just
told me
your story.
Imagine yourself
and
you would
have never
slept.
You would
have.
It's like
you said,
six a am
on
a Saturday.
We all
watched
cartoons
when we were
growing up.
At least
I did.
Yeah,
normal
kids did.
I was
watching
qualifying
for a
formula one
Grand Prix.
Yes, but
but but
you know,
now with
with YouTube,
I think
we have
18
manufacturers
soon to
be 19
when Genesis
comes
that have
fans all
over
the world.
Now outside
of the US,
you can
watch this
race flag
the flag
on YouTube
at no cost.
It's it's
really
special.
So tell us,
any plans
to race
internationally?
Talked a
little bit
about that.
There's
so much
growth
now you can
watch
the sport
all around
the world.
So what are
plans
about that
about going
international.
Yeah.
So just
yesterday
we had
Pierre
Feehan from
the ACO
and
Frederick
McQueen from
from the
World
Endurance
Championship.
We have
a strategic
alliance
agreement
with them.
They
primarily
are doing
all of their
series
in Europe
and in Japan
and some
other areas
in the
Middle East.
Because
of our
agreement,
we really
are focused
on races
in North
America,
Canada
and the US.
And that
gives us
a chance
to focus
solely
on that.
Which
is fine.
We
we don't
need to
the cost
of doing
races
outside
the U.S
to our U.S
based
teams are.
It's
very tricky.
It's not not
an
inexpensive
venture.
And so,
we'll
focus
on what
we have
here.
Now,
we have a very
stable
schedule
with a
pretty solid
date,
equity.
So the fans
know that
the end
of January's
Daytona
middle
and third
weekend
in March,
a Sebring
road
America
is the
first
weekend.
And in,
in August
in Motul.
Patina
l'amour is
going to be
one of the
first two
weekends
in October.
Okay?
However,
we still
want to
keep it
fresh,
just like
all
the content
we want
to keep.
So we're
always
looking
at venues
in the U.S
of where
could we
race?
Is someone,
establishing
a new
temporary
circuit
where we
could,
you know,
go race, but
we want
to keep
the costs in
check for
the team,
you know, so
we're at
kind of
a ten,
11 full
weekends.
We need a
calendar
account
for the raw.
Don't
want to
just keep
adding
hours,
you know,
so if
something
goes way,
you got to
give it up
for other,
other
series.
I'm not
going to
mention
who, but.
Okay.
Continue
adding
or want
to continue
adding
races.
You just
said you
don't
necessarily
want to.
Well,
I want
quality,
not just
quantity.
Yeah.
And I'm very
conscious is
I had
the
opportunity
to run
the race
teams.
I know that
run time
on engines,
more tires,
having to
go to a
new facility
and test.
Yeah.
More
airfare,
more hotel.
It really
is
impactful.
So I think
what we
tried to
do here
with IMSa
is create
a stable
platform
where
everyone has
a decently
long runway.
They know
the
schedule,
they know
how many
tires are
going
to buy,
how much
fuel are
going to
buy.
I just want
to keep it
fresh with
maybe
new markets,
but just
adding
for the sake
of adding,
it's a
really
tough haul
for us to
to put that
in front of
the teams
and say,
hey,
your budget
just went
up by.
Yeah,
200,000
or half $1
million
for a
weekend.
It's it's
tough now,
this is
the fourth
year of GTP.
I want
to make
sure,
you're
growing
next year
with
Genesis.
Is there
any plans
beyond
that or
what
would you
like to see?
Well,
I mean, Ford
has
announced
a program.
It's
their
announcement
to make of
when they're
going
to come.
That's up
to them.
Same with
McLaren.
And, you
know, Zak
Brown
was here
this weekend
driving
his,
vintage,
historic
Jaguar sono.
Yeah,
I actually
presented
the car.
I presented
a gift,
I had found
over the
holidays.
They,
crew overall
for that car
from that
program.
And,
in this,
in
this space
that
we're in
right now.
I presented
to him
the other day,
you know,
we're both
he and I
are both
big
historians
of
the sport,
and we've
raced
together.
And,
he was
really moved
because,
you know,
the crew
we used to
in the
old days,
they had
white shirts
and
everything,
and
they would
put this
green
overall that
it was
from that
program.
And,
so anyway,
but I've
talked
to Zak,
of course,
they've
announced
they're
coming to
the top
category.
And so,
you know,
the North
American
market
is really
important
to these,
automakers.
They've
said it
themselves.
So
we want to
provide
a platform
for them
to come
market
their their
road cars
and then
tell their
brand story.
So something
that really,
I
think
contributes
to the
stability of
a series
as a
long term
partnerships.
Yep.
And you've
recently
announced
two.
Then today
you announce
the third
one.
Do you want
to tell
people what
those are?
Yeah,
I think
that's the
other piece.
Rules
stability
so that
the
manufacturers
can plan,
develop
and not
have this
huge
spending,
increase
over
a couple
of years.
Every time.
Then
it's a cycle
we announced
back in
October.
Michelin
will be
with us
until 2035.
They're
one of
the top
ten brands
in the
entire
world.
Brand power.
So that's
really
special
for us.
Yeah.
Premium
incredible
product.
The new,
pilot and,
pilot
sport
endurance.
You've seen
the, the
surface.
Very slick.
Actually
not so slick
on the
track.
It heats up
better.
It's I mean,
I wanted
photos, I,
I just want
to take
photos
of me.
I got so tired
today.
It's like a
work of art.
It's like a
work of art.
He goes, no,
I said no,
not those.
Those.
Yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah,
they're a
work of art.
So
Michelin's
with us
long term.
WeatherTech
is, a
remarkable
story.
David McNeal
and
his family,
what
they've done
for
the sport,
you know,
made the
USA story
great
accessories.
They're
with us
till 2030.
VP Racing
fuels
till 2030.
Rolex
as a series
partner.
Till 2031.
And NBC,
is a
broadcast
partner
till 2031.
You know,
you start
establishing
that
kind of,
and then
Rolex,
of course,
is another,
ten years
on being
the
entitlement
partner of
the Rolex
24.
So the, the,
the fans
know it's
stable.
The teams,
the
manufacturers,
the other
partners.
And
ultimately,
I think
that
creates,
stability.
And then
people can
implant
and market
around it.
That's
fantastic.
Okay.
We have
three final
quick
questions.
No problem.
This one,
if you had
to get
a new fan
who knows
nothing
about,
sports car
racing at all,
what would you tell
them? Why?
They need
to go to
one of
the races.
Yeah.
They're
going to see
the best
drivers
on
the planet.
They're
going to see
the best,
manufacturers
on
the planet.
They're
going to
see,
the best
teams on
the planet.
They're
going to see
insanely
beautiful
race cars
all across
the field,
the GTP
cars,
the prototypes.
I'll
tell them
they
look like
the Batmobile,
but
they represent
the
styling of
these
brands,
and they are
the ultimate
expression
of these
brands.
And they are
showing
everyone
what's
possible.
Hybrid
technology,
sustainable
fuels,
a tire
that lasts
extra stints
longer.
So we use
a third
less. Okay.
That's what
Michelin's
done
in the GT
cars.
You're
showing
a beautiful
race car
that
performs at
its peak,
an ultimate
expression
of that
road car
that
they can
identify
with and
maybe become
a fan of
that brand.
And they're
going to go
really fast
and they're
going
to race
really
close
together,
and you're
going to be
on the edge
of your seat
because
nobody knows
who's going
to win.
Yeah,
we were
standing at
the fence
at that,
horseshoe
for the start,
and we both
looked at
each other
like
my heart
was pounding
as if
we were up
to race.
I said, oh,
my God,
and they're
flying by.
And you're
looking
at, like,
every single
car
I looked at,
I
we just
looked
at each other.
I was like,
this is the
sexy, Alexi
Garcia, the,
former
president
of Michelin,
USA now,
leading
Michelin's
programs
globally
through the
green flag
for the
race. Yeah.
He was almost in tears
when
I saw him.
He said,
John,
the energy
that came,
off the
track
from
the cars
to me
on the
on the flag
stand,
he said.
He said
that was
the best
moment of
my life.
It's like,
wow.
Yeah, that's
I want to
say
something
I've been
very lucky
to, to
to go
to many
different
races.
Very lucky.
What I have
experienced
here
this weekend
is something
truly
special.
The, the
the
camaraderie.
Yeah.
The
the sense
of family,
of
friendship.
We we made
100 friends
in the infield,
and
it makes me
so happy
because
that's the
culture
that I
remember
as a
little boy.
Exactly.
We have,
we have
a little
tent
over here
called the
Apex Cafe.
90% of
the teams
eat there
drivers,
crew
members,
engineers,
and that's
they go out
and battle
on track.
But that's
the
community
kitchen
and I.
And to
your point,
I've never
seen it
in
any series
The
the
unprecedented
level
of access
with the
general
admission
ticket is
is
spectacular.
Like
people can
really
get up close
and personal
with these
cars,
with these
garage
mechanics,
see them
work on
the car,
see Marcus
Ericsson
walk by.
You know,
it's it's
quite
spectacular.
And
and really
not so
common
anymore
these days
unfortunately
because
you don't
have access
to these
drivers,
you don't
have access
certainly to
the cars.
I even I saw
the
mechanics is
it's
stressing
you out.
There's like
10,000
people
around
the car
the like.
No, we're
used to it
and
people are
very
respectful.
They won't
touch
the car.
Yeah, yeah.
So that was
fantastic.
That's
that's good.
Last two
questions.
Our final
two
questions
we ask every
single guest
on the show.
Yeah,
I will
ask mine.
Yeah.
What is
your
favorite
racetrack
in the world?
Yeah.
You can't say
because
we're at
Daytona
right now.
No no, no,
I can't
say Daytona
in case
it was
an answer.
I have to be
careful
because it's
not a,
company
owned track.
We own
Michelin
Raceway Road
Atlanta,
we own
Sebring.
But
my favorite
racetrack in
the entire
world
is Road
America,
Elkhart
Lake,
Wisconsin.
Yeah,
I was there
when I was
six weeks
old.
I have spent
my life
in the
forests
of road
America.
I played
with my
matchbox
cars
in the dirt
there.
I've gone
there
just
recently,
over the
holidays,
by myself
with my
my daughter
and we
we exercised
and,
it's a,
I don't
know, it's
heaven
on earth.
My ashes
will be
spread
there.
So David
Hobbs lives
nearby
there? Yes.
He does.
He's
one of
my heroes.
There
you go.
Yeah.
It's a it's
a magical
place.
National
Park of
Speed.
And again,
it's all
about having
grown up
there. And,
anyway, so
the final
question
we like
to ask
always are,
this is my
my question.
And I,
and I'm
very excited
to ask you
because I
really know
that your,
your roots
and our deep
love of
motorsport.
So forget
about
trophies.
Yeah.
Forget
about
championships.
Forget
about series
opportunities.
Who
do you think
is the most
naturally
gifted
driver
you've ever
been around
or seen?
Race.
Oh,
naturally.
Yeah. Yeah.
Alex.
Pillow.
There's
no doubt
he is.
So,
set a bar
that,
you know,
you haven't
seen for,
And I'm
going to
go, step
further.
And it was
through
the program,
garage 56
that I had
the chance
to lead,
with
the Mr.
Francis
vision
of taking
NASCAR back
to Lamar
and
the three
guys
that drove
in that
program.
Mike
Rockefeller
has driven
pretty much
everything
on this
earth.
Jenson
Button and.
And Jimmie
Johnson
really
insanely
good in
their discipline.
But then to
come to a
platform
that was,
basically
all
brand new
was was
really
special.
But,
you know,
I think
Alex,
has really
set,
the table,
and set
the bar
incredibly
high.
So that's,
that's what
I would
suggest,
from what
I see.
And
right now,
I think
you've set
the bar
incredibly
high as the,
you know,
the senior
leader of a
such a
wonderful
series,
you're
leading by
example.
It's it's
actually
quite moving
to have
been here
to have
witnessed
this.
And we're
so grateful
to have been
hosted
by IMSa.
Thank you
so much.
Thanks for
the
opportunity.
Thank you
for having
us.
And truly
to the folks
listening,
I would
tell them,
if you've
maybe lost
your love
of
motorsport
because
other series
have turned
to corporate
or if
or you
don't know
about
motorsport
at all
and you want
to,
you know,
try
something
different.
I think
sports
cars and
yeah,
something
really
something
you should
come see.
There's
something
really pure
about IMSa
and so
come see us
at a race.
When it comes
to
your area,
you won't be
disappointed.
Thank you
so much for
your time.
Thank
you guys