Dear INDYCAR fans,

After five long months since the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale in Nashville, we’re finally back on track this weekend in St. Petersburg, where Pato is the reigning race winner after a late trophy exchange from our friends down the paddock.  

I couldn’t be more excited to tune into FOX’s broadcast this weekend. In the list of things that we can do to improve INDYCAR, number one was finding the right broadcast partner, and to have FOX on board is fantastic. Eric Shanks has a personal commitment to and passion for INDYCAR, and I think that will come through in the broadcast quality.  

FOX is clearly invested in doing this the right way as they take on full broadcast rights for the series. We’ve already seen the next-level promotions they’ve produced this offseason beginning with announcing my good friend Michael Strahan in the pace car for the Indy 500, to the top-notch production sets at media day, and of course the commercials that aired through the NFL Playoffs and ultimately with Pato on Super Bowl Sunday. 

Those commercials epitomize what the series needs to embrace across the board – edgy, fresh, fun and out-of-the-box thinking and action. I’m impressed with what FOX is doing straight out of the gate, and from the conversations I’ve had with Eric and other FOX leadership and its production teams, that will continue through their broadcast coverage each race weekend. They’re focused on learning about the history and future of INDYCAR and what works best, intent on evolving their broadcast through the season. Continuous improvement, I love that.  

We’ll have to look to 2026 and beyond for other big moments that will hopefully propel the series forward. The race in Arlington, Texas, in partnership with the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers should be mega. I’ve always been a firm believer that being around successful people leads to more success happening. Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to success, and having this link to the NFL is beneficial for exposure and much more for INDYCAR. Hopefully we’ll see more large market races on the schedule moving forward.  

The new car for 2027 is a positive move for the series. While the Dallara DW12 has been a safe and prolific car that has provided some outstanding racing, we’ve waited too long before taking the next step forward. I’m glad we’re embracing newer technology and refreshing a great product from Dallara. 

Talking about the sport, I think we’re making some good progress, but of course, we can never go fast enough, so there is a lot more we can be doing to get more eyeballs on the series and maximize its potential.  

The drivers are the stars of the show, and FOX has creatively promoted them in recent months, but we need to keep pushing as a collective. We need to continue searching for new successful avenues to promote their talents and personalities to in turn expand our audience. It will take a new and innovative approach, but the framework is in place to take monumental steps that will reward our sport immensely. 

In the meantime, we’ve made some strong changes within the team at Arrow McLaren this offseason. I’m excited about our new lineup with Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard joining Pato O’Ward, who has already shown himself to be a championship contender, and I’m ready to see them challenge on the track this weekend.  

Tony Kanaan brings his experience and passion for winning to lead the team on the competition side as Team Principal, and I’m thrilled to have Kevin Thimjon join the team as President, directing the business side of our INDYCAR team. I’ve known Kevin for a long time, when he was on my leadership team at JMI, and he and Tony are the right combination we need to keep raising the bar to win consistently on and off the track.  

Nick Snyder and the team of engineers have been digging into some critical areas in our race results, and Scott Harner, who’s new to the team, along with Chris Stafford, have rejuvenated our team of mechanics and the overall car build. There’s a myriad of new talent who’ve joined the dedicated team we have at Arrow McLaren. 

I’ve got high standards and set my expectations high in everything I do, and I have full faith in this squad. I can’t wait to grow together this season and see what we can do. We know you all will be watching.  

Of course, these investments in talent and resources can’t happen without tremendous support from our partners. We’ve got a great group of partners who show up in a big way with us over every race weekend.  

There’s no doubt we’re counting down the days until the Indy 500, where we’ll be racing once again with Kyle Larson in the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for our fourth entry in the race. It’s an honor to work with Mr. Hendrick, Jeff Gordon and the Hendrick Motorsports team. We’re working hard together to get Kyle in a position to complete all 1,100 miles on May 25 in Indy and Charlotte, and just maybe win at both.  

Not to jump too far ahead, but our move into our new facility at the end of 2025 couldn’t come soon enough. The plans for the building will elevate the team to the next level, with the increased space and intentional use of the layout. It’s something we can all be proud of once we make the move at year-end, and I believe it will have an immediate positive impact for how our team can function more effectively.  

Across McLaren, we’re always pushing the boundaries, finding that extra 10% in innovation, creativity, competition, etc. That’s what I expect of my team, and that’s what we need to do collectively to grow INDYCAR. 

INDYCAR currently has some of the most committed fans in sport with the access it gives, but we have to make the investment and do the work to multiply that tenfold to get the series where it needs to be. And to the fans reading this note, we can’t wait to be back with you trackside. I love seeing the sea of papaya through the paddock and in the grandstands. You are what it’s all about. Now let’s go racing! 

Cheers,  

Zak