Pato O'Ward milks a cow on Carb Day ahead of the 109th Indy 500 at IMS
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) talks with media members after milking Rihanna, a cow from the Greenfield area, on Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Marla Stone from the Greenfield area walks her cow Rihanna back to the livestock trailer Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) smiles while petting Rihanna, a cow from the Greenfield area, on Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) looks up at the livestock trailer Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Marla Stone of the Greenfield area brings out her cow Rihanna on Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) smiles while preparing to milk a cow Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) talks with media members after milking Rihanna, a cow from the Greenfield area, on Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) greets Agriculture Affairs Manager of the American Dairy Association Indiana Allie Rieth on Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Director Of Communications at American Dairy Association Indiana Brooke Williams talks with media members Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) speaks with media members Friday, May 23, 2025, during Carb Day ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grace Smith/IndyStar
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Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Indianapolis Star
From Afghanistan with love––Couple flees Taliban, marries. has kids in Indiana
Arzo and Sulaman Akbarzada stop for a moment in a long day to see a neighborhood where they might want to buy a home Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Arzo Akbarzada, right, hugs her husband Sulaman Akbarzada's arm Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada walks through his apartment Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at his Indianapolis home. Sulaman and his now wife, Arzo, relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Salin Akbarzada plays in her bouncy chair as her father, Sulaman Akbarzada, sits nearby Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their home. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada pauses while talking about Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Sulaman and his now wife, Arzo, relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters were born in Indianapolis. Sulaman says he can't go back. It would be a bad life for all of them, and chances are high that he would be killed. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Salin Akbarzada plays in her bouncy chair as her father, Sulaman Akbarzada, sits nearby Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their home. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Arzo Akbarzada gets ready to give her daughter, Salin, a bottle Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Arzo Akbarzada gives her daughter, Salin, a bottle Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indianapolis in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada, right, helps his daughter Helen get clean hands for lunch Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Arzo Akbarzada, left, cooks. Sulaman and Arzo relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada lifts his daughter Helen up for a hug Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada kisses his daughter Salin, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada lifts his daughter Salin up for a hug Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada shares a moment with his daughter Salin, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada tells his daughter Helen not to eat any more candy, while he holds his other daughter Salin, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada shows a Quran, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at his Indianapolis home. He and his family are Muslim, but he tries to learn about all the religions including Christianity and Catholicism. Sulaman and his now wife, Arzo, relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada shows a book he read about religion Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. He and his family are Muslim, but he tries to learn about all the religions and many perspectives. Sulaman and his wife, Arzo relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada, holding Helen, left, and Arzo Akbarzada, holding Salin, have lunch Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada, holding Helen, left, and Arzo Akbarzada, holding Salin, have lunch Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada hugs his wife Arzo Akbarzada goodbye as he heads off to work Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. He works as many hours as he can to support his family. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Arzo Akbarzada, left, shows some new outfits to her husband Sulaman Akbarzada, as their daughter Salin sits between them Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada looks out the window as he holds his daughter Helen, Saturday, March 22, 2025 in their Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada looks at some of his favorite people, family and friends, in photos on the wall Saturday, March 22, 2025 at his Indianapolis home. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada takes a photo of office hours at a closed management office while stopping by a neighborhood to look at possible homes to buy Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada walks through a neighborhood to look at possible homes to buy Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada walks through a neighborhood to look at possible homes to buy Saturday, March 22, 2025. He loves the feel of this neighborhood in Greenwood. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar As Arzo Akbarzada holds Salin, she and her husband Sulaman Akbarzada pick out flowers, at Kroger, to bring to a birthday celebration for Arzo's father Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada stop at Kroger with their kids during their full day of errands and visiting Saturday, March 22, 2025. They pick out a cake to take for a birthday celebration with Arzo's father. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada puts Helen back in her car seat to head to their next stop during their full day of errands and visiting Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman Akbarzada, ight, puts Helen back in her car seat to head to their next stop during their full day of errands and visiting Saturday, March 22, 2025. Arzo, left, changes Salin's diaper. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada, with their kids, walk up the stairs to visit with famiily during their full day of errands and visiting Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Helen Akbarzada, center, holds her grandmother, Najeba Sultanzad's hand as her uncle, Sohail Akbarzada, sits by her Saturday, March 22, 2025. Her parents, Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada, relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Helen Akbarzada plays with her grandmother, Najeba Sultanzad, Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Most of their families now live in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Salin Akbarzada holds her grandmother Najeba Sultanzad's hand Saturday, March 22, 2025. Her parents, Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada, relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Helen Akbarzada sits with her grandfather, Ghulam H. Sultanzad, from left, and uncle, Sohail Akbarzada, while her parents and sister are nearby during their full day of errands and visiting Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Most of the family is now in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Arzo Akbarzada's father, Ghulam H. Sultanzad, right, lights his birthday cake candles at his birthday celebration with family Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Helen Akbarzada watch. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. They married in Indiana. Their two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Most of the family is now in Indianapolis and area. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Jamila Crook, right, talks with Sulaman Akbarzada and his daughter Salin, Saturday, March 22, 2025 during a party. Sulaman and Arzo relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. Crook met the young Afghan couple at Camp Atterbury when they were there as part of U.S.'s Operation Welcome Allies which temporarily settled over 7000 Afghan at Campn Atterbury. Sulaman asked Crook to help them get married. She started the ball rolling to help them. They married at the Camp and later married again in Indianapolis when they had a marriage certificate. Sulaman's and Arzo's two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Jamila Crook talks to friends and family during her going-away party Saturday, March 22, 2025. Arzo and Sulaman Akbarzada came to the party. They were relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. Crook met the young Afghan couple at Camp Atterbury when they were there as part of U.S.'s Operation Welcome Allies which temporarily settled over 7000 Afghan at Campn Atterbury. Sulaman asked Crook to help them get married. She started the ball rolling to help them. They married at the Camp and later married again in Indianapolis when they had a marriage certificate. Sulaman's and Arzo's two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Jamila Crook, right, talks to friends and family during her going-away party Saturday, March 22, 2025. Arzo and Sulaman Akbarzada, left, came to the party. They were relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. Crook met the young Afghan couple at Camp Atterbury when they were there as part of U.S.'s Operation Welcome Allies which temporarily settled over 7000 Afghan at Campn Atterbury. Sulaman asked Crook to help them get married. She started the ball rolling to help them. They married at the Camp and later married again in Indianapolis when they had a marriage certificate. Sulaman's and Arzo's two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar Jamila Crook, holding Helen Akbarzada, talks to friends and family during her going-away party Saturday, March 22, 2025. Sulaman and Arzo Akbarzada came to the party. They were relocated to Indiana in 2021 fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took over. Crook met the young Afghan couple at Camp Atterbury when they were there as part of U.S.'s Operation Welcome Allies which temporarily settled over 7000 Afghan at Campn Atterbury. Sulaman asked Crook to help them get married. She started the ball rolling to help them. They married at the Camp and later married again in Indianapolis when they had a marriage certificate. Sulaman's and Arzo's two daughters, Helen and Salin, were born in Indianapolis. Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Indianapolis Star
Doyel: Emotional week: Mourning Jim Irsay, honoring Herb Simon, tracking Tyrese Haliburton
Here comes a peek behind the curtain, as I call these occasional notes – these glimpses into the way I do my job – I share with my text message group here for IndyStar readers Colts owner Jim Irsay died a few weeks ago, as you know, and his funeral was last week. It was closed to the public, but I was invited. An honor? Put it like this: The Pacers won the Eastern Conference Finals in six games, but had there been a Game 7 in New York, it would have conflicted with the funeral – and my bosses and I agreed: Go to the funeral, not to NYC. What I wrote showed sides of Mr. Irsay most people didn't know about, or went deeper into areas most people knew about only on the surface. And I include myself among 'most people.' Ten people spoke at the funeral – including one former Colt, all three of his daughters, a childhood friend, and a local man Mr. Irsay met at a 12-step meeting – and I learned so much more than I thought I knew. In the here and now, I realize the Pacers are in the 2025 NBA Finals and the funeral was last week, but again – I was prioritizing the funeral over Game7 in New York City. I'm definitely prioritizing it, here, as the most important part of this week's Mailbagg. From: Randy R. You made me feel as if I were at Jim's funeral. Along the way you told me words about the man I would have otherwise never known – a good man whose death I now grieve. You dove deep and returned with pearls. I also discovered that I love everything Jim Irsay loved. He was not your typical professional sports team owner, unless there are other stories out there yet to be told. My oh my, Randy. Talk about pearls. This is a beautiful note. Thank you. From: Jim L. Seems to me that, while Jim Irsay's contributions to our community were recognized, the breadth and depth of the void will be felt in the future. Maybe best summarized by Joni Mitchell: Don't it always seem to goThat you don't know what you got 'til it's gone? There will never be another Jim Irsay, not here or anywhere else, but I have faith that his daughters will carry his legacy. This is a family that cares about our state, our city, our marginalized. From: Tim B. I'm stunned and in tears. What a lovely tribute. Thank you Tim. Like the story I wrote after Tyler Trent died in 2018, I got through the writing of this story just fine. I compartmentalize when I write. But when I finish, I cry too. From: Jan C. Coming from an alcoholic home, it's hard for others to grasp how loving and fun that dad can also be. And our family secrets really weren't secrets. Thank you Gregg for putting the experience into words. Pointing out his love of everyone that crossed his path is such a good reminder to me how I can do better each day. Might start crying here, Jan. From: Leigh H. I happened to have a volunteer training at St Luke's after the ceremony. I took a moment in the parking lot to read your piece and wish him Godspeed. What a final kindness for his family to share part of today with all of us through you. I was thinking over the weekend how lucky we are for the Simon family's enduring contribution to our city's sports scene as well. We as a city should always be grateful for the commitments of both families, and for their generosity to the needy among us. Would that we each could reflect that spirit to our neighbors just a little in the coming week. Your first sentence suggested you have large heart. Every sentence that followed was confirmation. From: Jolene M. Thank you for weaving together the complex threads of Jim Irsay's life into a lovely tapestry. I know you weren't responsible for what was included in the private service, but you made it come of life for those of us who were not there. RIP, Jim Irsay, God Speed. Thank you Jolene. That room was a special place to be. John Mellencamp, Pete Ward, his daughters, Edgerrin James, the friend from a 12-step program … an incredible scene. I wanted to share it. Doyel on Jim Irsay's death: Jim Irsay died and we're less for it; Indianapolis, the Colts, all of us Doyel on the funeral: Irsay loved his daughters, his Colts, his music, his city Re-live the Pacers' unbelievable run to the NBA Finals with our commemorative book From: Chris B. Rick Carlisle is a class act, from any perspective. Your story finally clears up the muddy media trolling I'd been reading about. As usual, your writing, as well as Carlisle's ethics, touch a positive emotional chord in my heart. I'm an expert on trolling, or at least, on trolls. Immersed in them. Surrounded by them. Praying for them, if you can believe it. From: Rick W. "That cesspool of malice and misogyny." Well written, Gregg! That was a reference to Twitter. And anywhere else the trolls, incels and losers congregate. I say prayerfully. From: Kathy M. I didn't know all that and you really told it well. Thank you so much for all this IN ADDITION to your other article. Not planned. I was walking to the locker room and walked past Doris. We met eyes and she nodded – we've known each other for 20 years, because of our shared college basketball experience – and I walked past. Then I thought: Dummy, THAT'S the story. Go back! So glad I did. From: Rick P. Just finished your heartfelt column on Carlisle/Burke. I'm not crying, you are! So very glad I did. Doyel: The story behind the story of Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defending ESPN Doris Burke On Game 1, where Tyrese Haliburton hit his fourth last-second shot of these playoffs… From: David M. Can we Pacers faithful send a group thank you to all the NBA players who voted Tyrese as "Most Overrated" and who are now lying on a beach somewhere with an umbrella drink watching the Finals on TV for their obvious motivation for what he's accomplished in these playoffs? Absolutely. From: Larry J. Can we just officially proclaim him "Houdini Haliburton? Now that's interesting, Larry. You wrote this after Game 1. But it was Game 2 where my lede was: 'This is the Tyrese Haliburton experience: Sometimes, most of the time, he pulls a rabbit out of a hat. But sometimes, other times, he makes himself disappear. Don't try to understand it, because he doesn't. If he did, you think this would happen? Those first three-plus quarters of the Indiana Pacers' 123-107 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals?' And my kicker was … well you'll see. Chef's kiss! Not printing this. More from readers on Game 2… From: Tom S. Oh my goodness. What a lede! Spot-on & dad-joke!! Wait. How can it be great AND a dad-joke? And who says what I wrote about the rabbit, etc., was a dad-joke? And why are we hyphenating dad-joke? From: Craig E. You gotta like Carlisle. What other NBA coach calls his team an 'ecosystem'? Between he and Kevin Pritchard, there's a lot of IQ there. I wonder if they'd hyphenate dad-joke? From: Paul J. If any loss was a team loss, it was last night. To choose one player to blame is easy journalism, in my opinion. I agree with you 75% of the time, but not this time I hear you Paul. Not sure I was BLAMING Haliburton. Just pointing out the vast difference between his impact on Game 1 and Game 2. And when you're the only Olympian on the team, frankly, what I pointed out was fair. And listen to me: If you think it's 'easy' to criticize Tyrese Haliburton in this market – or frankly, any pro athlete in this market – I'd ask you to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Not mine, of course. I'm a rock! Not printing this either. Doyel on Game 1: Pacers never give up, have a star who doesn't miss in clutch time Doyel on Houdini Haliburton: This one-man NBA playoff run has been borderline impossible Doyel on Game 2: After pulling rabbit from Game 1 hat, Haliburton disappeared much of Game 2 From: Robert J. Yep, Haliburton can be Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Maddening at times how extreme the differences in his play are at times. Fortunately, or unfortunately, we expect more from others and demand consistent high performance from our surgeons, chefs, teachers, pilots, linemen, engineers, etcetera, and especially our sports columnists. Thankfully, you consistently meet and exceed expectations and high performance, and at a salary that is a fraction of what the sport stars make. I love this ecosystem! Did I use that write? Not printing this. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Indianapolis Star
Where 'playing more offense' makes sense in IndyCar, why Zak Brown's other suggestions don't
Lost in the emotion and vitriol that has emanated from Zak Brown's comments to select assembled media at the Detroit Grand Prix is this: The McLaren Racing CEO's believes Penske Entertainment needs to take bigger swings, and in some cases, risks, in the way in which it steers the IndyCar ship. His ideas — ranging from suggesting IndyCar launch its seasons on the Saturday of the Daytona 500, to challenging the sport's owners to spend big on new events in major markets (particularly on the east coast) and suggesting that less may be more on IndyCar's grid — are no doubt out of the box, and they range from problematic (making some racing media choose between covering Daytona or St. Pete is a losing battle) to grandiose and cruel. One thing they also do: Challenge a status quo that many in the IndyCar paddock believe publicly and privately haven't been pushed enough in the five-plus years since Roger Penske took ownership. It's not to say things haven't changed since 2019. Not only does the schedule have notable updates, but the Indianapolis 500 is back booming again, the grid is meaningfully larger and IndyCar appears to be with a network willing to pull out all the stops and push the needle to help it reach heights not seen in decades. But to many in the paddock, Brown included, the sport continues to operate on the defensive. In some ways, it's a product of a pre-Penske past where the sport was stuck in neutral and is simultaneously trying to play catch-up while also attempting to innovate and break the mold. Next year's Arlington Grand Prix is the latest Penske Entertainment project aimed at trying something big and new and different (at least for this racing series). Past projects like IndyCar's long-awaited video game project (now dormant), a concert-filled doubleheader at Iowa Speedway (no headlining concerts any more), a downtown Nashville street race (which has moved to an oval 40 minutes outside downtown) and the launch of hybrid technology (which was many times delayed, had a new engine formula axed and which has negatively impacted the racing product) lay in its wake. The Penske Corp.'s shift of the Detroit area street race from Belle Isle to downtown Detroit alleviated a longtime rift with a segment of the community concerned of its impact on the park, and it's made the event more accessible to the general public and a hotbed for Penske hospitality customers, but many drivers haven't been quiet as to their thoughts of racing on the "Mickey Mouse circuit." Racing at The Thermal Club, too, has proved a lightning rod topic, and the resurrection of IndyCar racing at the Milwaukee Mile is an endeavor too early in its reboot to suggest whether it'll have long-term legs or not. 'We need to play more offense, and sometimes we play too much defense,' Brown said. ''Cost savings, cost savings, cost savings.' At some point, you've gotta say, 'I want to spend more to make more.' 'There's a difference between sustaining the sport and covering some losses and picking a number, let's say $100 million, and going and doing something like what (F1 owners Liberty Media) did around Las Vegas. Even though that race isn't profitable today, it brought in a ton of new sponsors and got you a more lucrative TV contract.' Unlike so many team bosses in the sport, Brown comes at what he does with a marketing-first brain. In another life, Brown would've taken the IndyCar CEO job offered to him in May 2013 by then-Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles, who's now the president and CEO of Penske Entertainment, but instead, his burgeoning sports marketing firm took him to England and, in 2018, he was tapped to take over the reins of McLaren Racing as its CEO. In less than seven years, he transformed an F1 team with a largely blank racecar experiencing some of its worst results in its decades' long history into World Constructors' Champions. Approaching the halfway point of this season, his two drivers are locked into a head-to-head battle for the World Drivers' Championship while McLaren the runaway favorites to win the Constructors' title again. Both in business as well as sport, Brown views winning as the primary target at all costs, for better or worse, and that goal, particularly when pursued by a program in flux, comes with the suggestion of wholesale changes. When it comes to IndyCar, along with spending sizable sums of Penske's money and taking risks on new races in a couple major cities across the country, Brown's vision for change is a slightly smaller, more exclusive sport filled with more high-energy events and high-powered cars exactly at a time where demand ideally will be rising. So what do some of Browns ideas look like in reality? Let's dive in. In short, finding a way to shrink IndyCar's grid — the idea of Brown's that far-and-away drew the most ire — is the toughest to imagine happening anytime soon, at least at the levels he suggested. It's not something Brown hasn't suggested before, but it comes less than a year after Penske Entertainment handed out 25 charters to the 10 teams competing last year in IndyCar. Though the fine print of the charter remains largely shrouded in secrecy, we know teams were given a max of three per team, leading to Chip Ganassi Racing dropping two cars from its fleet. New for 2025, IndyCar welcomed two unchartered full-time entries to the grid from Prema Racing, making for 27 cars on the grid at non-Indy 500 races — said to be the max field size. Should any more cars show up, the event would see bumping to get into the field for the first time outside the 500 in recent memory. As the grid sits, the easiest way to trim the grid would be for Prema to purchase one or two charters from current holders, slimming the grid back down to 25. But Brown said he'd like to see things scaled back further, suggesting grid sizes from 20 to 24 could make for a more competitive grid top to bottom and lower the supply at a time when demand is rising. In his view, the charter system solidified the status quo — basically allowing for all cars that had been on the grid for several years (minus Ganassi's fourth and fifth) while allowing for the addition of Prema that had been agreed to before the charter system was launched. 'Just a passenger hitting the wall': Robert Shwartzman's Indy 500 fairly tale ends Would it have been tough to tell Dale Coyne, Brad Hollinger and Ricardo Juncos or the powers that be at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing that one of their cars wouldn't be granted a charter come 2025? Undoubtedly, and I'm not sure how you make those distinctions, either. It's no secret Coyne has for several years now had at least one (and last year both) its cars mired at or near the bottom of the Entrants Championship, but they now have a driver sitting 16th in points who was 10th before a pair of back-to-back DNFs. RLL has two cars on the outside looking in of the Leaders Circle chase for the time being — a tough look for a team that occasionally can fight for poles and wins and has been around the sport for decades. Both JHR cars are near the bottom, but both have also finished in the top-10 this year, and Arrow McLaren's Nolan Siegel is still in his first full season in IndyCar and 12 months ago was a serious Indy NXT title contender. So far this year, 24 of the 27 full-time cars have logged top-15 finishes, with 22 of them having finished in the top 10 at least once (all but both Prema cars, RLL's two cars near the bottom and Coyne's Jacob Abel). Across the entire 2024 season, all 27 cars nabbed top 15s, and 23 finished in the top 10 — 21 of those cars having secured at least two top 10s. Two-thirds of the field finished in the top 5 at least once, and 14 finished on the podium. Knowing that Penske Entertainment ultimately is the owner of all 25 IndyCar charters, I imagine there's some (or likely multiple) mechanisms with which the series owner could yank them back, but I don't know how much benefit you're getting from telling Dale Coyne, one of your longest-tenured team owners, that his No. 51 car no longer has a guaranteed spot each weekend. A move like that very well might put Coyne's other car in a tenuous spot, and if you try doing that to multiple low-performing two-car teams, you could be without a couple cars who with the right circumstances can legitimately run inside the top 10 a couple times a year. Yes, those cars aren't on par with the likes most cars at Penske, Ganassi, Andretti and McLaren, but those four teams aren't your entire series either. And outside them, the other 15 (with few exceptions) can finish just about anywhere on any given weekend. Now, if you were building a series from scratch, I'd be interested to see a 24-car IndyCar field with 12 two-car teams, or maybe one with 10 or 11 teams combined to have 24 cars on the grid — allowing for a little less chaos on the tightest tracks and shortest pit lanes and a bit more exclusivity to generate some actual interest in those on the outside trying to buy their way in. But putting a square peg in a round hole now, and the unnecessary firestorm that would come from it, is just too tough to navigate now. IndyCar had the opportunity to trim its grid to 25 and tell Prema it needed to buy charters in order to compete 18 months ago and chose not to. Until this charter agreement expires, I don't know there's any changing that. At the same time, I think Brown's assertion that decisions on IndyCar's next car and technical regulations need to be made by chasing cutting-edge technology, more speed and horsepower and lighter-weight machines — rather than what's easiest to stomach for teams in the middle or back of the pack — are spot on. And maybe if you do so, we see a bit of a shakeup to the grid anyways. After going more than 15 years without a wholesale change to the car on track, IndyCar can't afford both technologically and optically to make another relatively minor update to what has become a Frankenstein-like car compared to the one Dan Wheldon tested and helped refine in 2011. And the major implication is this: Don't cut corners for the sake of cost-savings. I hate to say it, because I know this isn't going to be an easy stretch for several teams on the grid (even with the friendly loan plan Miles said in March the series is working on to help teams pay for the cars), but this needs to be a car that makes a statement. Use some parts from this car's construction if you can and it makes sense — in other words, don't just pursue change for change's sake. But the series needs to map out a car that best fits this state of IndyCar, and see where the chips fall. Insider: IndyCar planning to introduce new car in 2027, Roger Penske says While better integrating the aero screen, the hybrid (if it indeed is staying in some form) and recent safety updates to IndyCar's new machine, this car needs to be light, sleek, powerful and loud. It needs to be something this series can rally and market around in a similar vein to how NASCAR's NextGen car and IMSA's GTP machines drew increased intrigue in their early years. It's not going to be the peak of technological engineering, ala Formula 1, but it needs to make some noise both literally and figuratively. And that's going to cost some money. And if that's a dealbreaker to some teams, then it's an unfortunate fact the way in which new chapters in racing series spell different phases for teams up and down the grid. It's not uncommon in other series, and it shouldn't be something Penske Entertainment should shy away from. As Brown said, 'We need to get to the point where everyone's chasing the best, as opposed to working toward the lowest common denominator because you're trying to keep the back of the grid in business.' It's enough to not get uber-exclusive and outright boot teams out of the series like Brown suggested, but it should also at the same time be a privilege and a sign of both passion and financial stability to have a couple cars running in IndyCar. Brown's third major pillar is perhaps too soon to suggest breaking ground on, in part because we need to see how a project in the same vein, the Arlington Grand Prix, works next March. The new event, which Miles said he expects to be as big and culturally impactful as the Miami Grand Prix — if not bigger — brings the muscle, marketing savvy, local knowhow and the ticketholder registries of the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers to help IndyCar put on perhaps its biggest event outside the Indy 500 in 2026. It's been said to have been in the works for some time, and for a series desperately in need of more spring races, it adds yet another high-energy street race to the pre-Indy 500 section that already includes St. Pete and Long Beach and hopefully next year will also include Mexico City. The 'race around a stadium' model is by no means new to American open-wheel racing, but having the might of two of Texas' biggest pro sports franchises behind it is a major plus. Insider: What are 3 things to change about IndyCar? Here are our ideas And if next year's debut is as much of a success as it's been pumped up to be, Penske Entertainment needs to shop this around to other pro sports franchises around the country. Target No. 1? MetLife Stadium — the home of the NFL's New York Giants and Jets — and the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Though not a simple project to land — after all, you've got to convince two NFL franchises to join you in this endeavor to really get it to pop — it would be a major step for a series that is adamant it is and will continue to be wholly a North American series, but doesn't race anywhere close to the continent's biggest media market. And if it's something that the NFL franchises would only be willing to minimally support in Year 1 so as to feel out its potential before going all in, it should be a risk Penske Entertainment — which up until this point has shied away from racing in Mexico City on a track rental because it was devoid a local partner and which has emphasized in recent years its willingness to do big things, but mainly with other partners in the mix — should go all in on. As Brown said, massive undertakings like a blowout race under the shadows of the New York City skyline, might not be a profitable endeavor on its own, but it would offer an opportunity to elevate the series' brand as a whole. 'I think we need to be in bigger cities. I know it's going to be fiscally difficult to say, 'I want to race in New York City,' but I think to invest in a few more key markets where races may not be profitable, but (they) drive greater following of the sport and more sponsorship and bigger TV ratings, you get money back in value creation and growth of the teams and the sport,' Brown said. It would be the biggest swing Penske Entertainment has taken to date, but a sport where IndyCar is at the moment isn't going to take meaningful leaps in the sports — and even the racing — landscapes without taking risks. Outside non-Indy 500 blockbuster events like IndyCar's season opener (St. Pete), Arlington, Long Beach, (potentially) Mexico City and anything like Brown suggested in the Greater New York City area, IndyCar needs to elevate the floor of the rest of the events on its calendar. Not every single race can feel like one of the biggest on the calendar in the way F1 grands prix do, but there needs to be an higher level of expectation events that hope to continue to live on the calendar. And that starts with looking for alternatives for events that seem to merely exist like Portland and Laguna Seca. Though the former gives you a stop in the Pacific Northwest that IndyCar otherwise wouldn't race in, it's a race weekend that gets almost zero hype and publicity locally, and the fan turnout isn't anything to write home about. Until a couple years ago, Laguna Seca made sense as a finale in that it offered a somewhat glamorous place for the series and teams to entertain sponsors, even if the race weekend itself was sparsely attended. Now that it's left floating around the summer slate, Penske Entertainment shouldn't be afraid to move off an event even if it's willing to offer a slightly higher sanctioning fee than others. As Graham Rahal and so many others in the paddock have said before, in an age where it's trying to position itself as a growing giant in the motorsports realm, IndyCar should not be racing in places that make it appear unimportant. So as not to completely upend the series' balance of road, street and oval events, I think the series should first look toward natural terrain road course opportunities to swap into. Sonoma fell off the calendar in place of Laguna Seca seven years ago. If Penske Entertainment was better positioned to partner with the track and market the hell out of a return to the venue that's just north of San Francisco, could it have more success than previously? I've been told by multiple parties in the paddock that it's pertinent that IndyCar maintain a presence in the greater central California coast area, which makes giving Sonoma another chance something to consider. Insider: Will Fox, IndyCar find 'rapid growth' it sought after Indy 500? Detroit Grand Prix was a start Could you partner with IMSA on its Six Hour event at Watkins Glen and run Saturday, so as not to completely upend IMSA's six-hour race on Sunday, or find another slot on the calendar that would make sense for the upstate New York track to hold another major race weekend? Could you make a return to Homestead in the spring to give the oval track and the community another race weekend to rally around as it's primed to occasionally host NASCAR season finales and potential other fall playoff rounds in the future? Could you reconsider a return to Richmond, even though Miles vehemently poo-pooed the idea last fall? All these involve returns to tracks that fell off IndyCar's calendar for a reason, but Penske Entertainment clearly isn't afraid to put its marketing and promotional might behind events it needs to find success. In the slim amount of NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports-owned tracks that IndyCar visits, it's clear those two behemoths in the track owning landscape across the U.S. aren't going to just hand IndyCar a race weekend if there's not something for them in it, and in most cases, IndyCar hasn't been able to draw big enough crowds at some venues to make owners of those facilities feel there's enough financial gain for them to promote the race themselves. So find an already big event and see if you can make it bigger, like The Glen, or rent an oval like you do with Iowa Speedway, and pull out all the stops to give a race there a better chance to succeed than it had before. Sometimes in this crowded sports and entertainment market, you need to make your own luck, even if it costs a few bucks, and believe in yourself if no one else will. And if IndyCar is to make a serious jump in the next five years, it can't just sit around and wait for others to believe in the dream if Penske Entertainment isn't out on the frontlines trying to will it to happen.
