IndyCar’s Engine Deal Shakeup, Dina “Spicy Meatball” Parise’s Comeback & Kevin Krause on IndyCar’s Future
This week on The Pits Are Open, Will Marotti and Alex Smith return live and immediately break down one of the biggest announcements in modern IndyCar history.
Honda and Chevrolet officially re-commit as engine manufacturers in the NTT IndyCar Series. Will explains why this move may have saved the long-term health of the series.
Key discussion points:
Why losing a manufacturer would have damaged competition and R&D
The expansion from 25 to 27 charters
How manufacturer charters reshape team structure
Why PREMA may be the biggest loser in the new charter landscape
Potential alignment scenarios for Meyer Shank Racing, Ganassi, Ed Carpenter Racing, and others
This decision could define the next era of IndyCar.
Former professional figure skater turned drag racing champion Dina Parise joins the show to talk about her journey from Ice Capades to 250+ mph Pro Mod racing.
She shares:
How the nickname “Spicy Meatball” was born
Training at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School
Winning the 2015 IHRA Pro Mod World Championship
The technical setup of her 526 Hemi supercharged Cadillac CTS-V “Stella”
Why she still prefers manually shifting instead of using an auto shifter
After stepping away from full-time competition, Dina is strategically returning to IHRA racing in 2026 with support from Red Line Oil, Hussey Performance, Star Racer Belts, and X1 Connecting Rods.
Kevin Krause joins the show to preview the 2026 IndyCar opener in St. Petersburg and discuss the growth of his podcast, now heard in over 100 countries.
He also teases an upcoming interview with a marketing pioneer who helped shape IndyCar sponsorship history in the 1970s.
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🏎️ Honda & Chevrolet Re-Sign with IndyCar🏆 Guest 1: Dina “Spicy Meatball” Parise – 2015 IHRA Pro Mod World Champion🎧 Guest 2: Kevin Krause – Seventh Gear OverRev PodcastPresented By