Ralph Sheheen on FAST TV, Tony Stewart's NHRA Milestone, & IndyCar's Long Beach Crisis

In this episode of The Pits Are Open, host Will Marotti brings the heat with two powerhouse guests and a brutally honest conversation on the future of American motorsports. From the broadcast blackout and plummeting IndyCar ratings to Tony Stewart’s historic NHRA win, this episode doesn’t hold back.

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Featured Guests:

✅ Ralph Sheheen (Broadcasting Legend, Co-Owner of SpeedSport) – Shares SpeedSport’s evolution into a 200M-user FAST channel, reflects on calling F1 in Monaco and swamp buggies in Florida, and explains how free ad-supported TV could save grassroots racing.

✅ Tony Donohue (Host, The Tony D Podcast & Unverified with David Land) – Breaks down IndyCar’s TV disaster at Long Beach, questions leadership at the top, and explains why inconsistent liveries, marketing apathy, and a lack of youth engagement are strangling the sport’s growth.

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Key Topics Covered:

Tony Stewart's Vegas Win: The only driver to win in IndyCar, NASCAR, USAC, and NHRA

Kyle Larson Dominates Bristol: A win dedicated to late PR legend John Edwards

IndyCar's Broadcast Breakdown: Why FOX blacked out, and how fans reacted

Long Beach Grand Prix TV Ratings: Huge crowd, embarrassing viewership—what went wrong?

IndyCar’s Identity Crisis: Why driver branding, merchandise, and fan experience are failing

Grassroots Revival: Why SpeedSport1’s FAST network could be the future of motorsports media

Spirit of Speedway Brick Reveal: A personal and emotional moment at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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