Brad Zimmerman on IMSA, IndyCar’s Future, and Pikes Peak Legend Loni Unser
This week on The Pits Are Open, host Will Marotti and producer Alex Smith welcome two powerhouse guests from opposite sides of the racing world.
First up, Brad Zimmerman—former marketing leader at Chip Ganassi Racing and Pratt Miller Motorsports—joins to talk about his unlikely start in motorsports, his time working on the Ford GT Le Mans program, and his candid take on IndyCar’s looming engine crisis if Honda departs after 2026.
Later, Pikes Peak legend Loni Unser shares how she overcame her fear of heights to carry her family’s nine-time Indy 500-winning legacy up the mountain and into Porsche Sprint Challenge Cup victory lane.
Presented by SpeedSport, Redline Ace, America’s Christian Credit Union, and Schaeffer Manufacturing.
00:00 – 01:00 | Intro & Sponsors – SpeedSport, Redline Ace Graphics, technical-start banter
01:40 – 10:20 | Guest Brad Zimmerman – Childhood in SoCal, marketing career path, Ford GT Le Mans win with Ganassi, Pratt Miller’s factory-to-private transition
10:30 – 22:25 | IndyCar & NASCAR Talk – Penske’s caretaker era, Honda uncertainty, charter limitations, car-count decline, and why fans crave speed and drama
22:45 – 26:15 | BZ Strategic Partners & Sponsorship Insights – Brad on content creation, LinkedIn strategy, and why B2B is now the only viable model for racing funding
27:01 – 27:10 | Sponsor Spotlight – Schaeffer Manufacturing, America’s trusted lubricant brand since 1839
27:12 – 39:20 | Guest Loni Unser – Pikes Peak legend & Porsche Cup winner on starting late, BMW driving school, carrying the Unser legacy, and battling 70 mph mountain winds
39:25 – End | Pikes Peak stories, Indy 500 family memories, and how faith and focus keep her grounded in motorsports
Brad Zimmerman – Founder of BZ Strategic Partners; former marketing lead at Chip Ganassi Racing & Pratt Miller Motorsports.
Loni Unser – Pikes Peak Hill Climb competitor & Porsche Sprint Challenge Cup race winner; continuing the legendary Unser racing legacy.
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