Ed Carpenter: [00:00:00] wrote this whole paper about my racing career. I got a D, and it said, "It's nice to have dreams, but you need to be more realistic."
Nate: No way.
Ed Carpenter: College was plan B for me.
Nate: When they roll out Tom Brady at the Indianapolis 500, and you're just like, "What is this? Like, this is crazy cool."
Ed Carpenter: That's what makes the 500 what it is, is the fact that this whole city, this whole state, you know, really and truly rallies behind it.
Nate: What do you think the secret to putting 15 years, 15 seasons of IndyCar together is? From South Bend to Evansville and everywhere in between, this is Get IN, the show focused on the Hoosier State and the incredible stories happening here today. I'm Nate Spangle, founder of Get Indiana, and I will be your host for today's conversation.
This episode is brought to you by Barkeep Vodka, a Hoosier State original made right here in Indianapolis. Now, Barkeep is made from 100% Indiana corn. It's distilled six times, then filtered in small batches using a patented pressure filtration process developed right here in Indiana. The [00:01:00] result is an incredibly smooth vodka with a natural sweetness that lets your ingredients shine.
And that brings me to a cocktail that's been going viral on golf courses lately, the Water Hazard. Here's how you make it. Barkeep Vodka, blue Gatorade, a splash of lemonade, top it with Sprite. That's it. It's refreshing, easy to make, and perfect for a long day on the course or hanging by the pool. Or if you're looking for a classic, go with the John Daly, iced tea, lemonade, and Barkeep Vodka.
Basically, the Arnold Palmer's more fun cousin. That's the idea behind Barkeep Vodka. Let the ingredients do the talking. Look for Barkeep Vodka at your local grocery or liquor store and find more cocktail recipes at barkeepvodka.com. Now, let's get into the episode. My guest today is Ed Carpenter. He claims In- he's an Indiana hometown guy.
He's a team owner and driver in the IndyCar series, and he's best known for his deep roots in Indiana racing culture. I'm super excited to dive into everything that goes into Ed Carpenter Racing. You might have seen them all over. [00:02:00] I actually got a text today. Whenever you guys do well, I get a discount at Javahouse, which makes me- Yeah, you get a,
Ed Carpenter: get a hookup.
We had a top 10 the other day.
Nate: Come on.
Ed Carpenter: So yeah.
Nate: Let's go.
Ed Carpenter: Everyone wins.
Nate: I'm excited to dive into your interesting journey. Most IndyCar drivers, it's a, it's a miracle if they make it through high school. You happen to be a Butler University alumni, making it all the way through college. I'm excited to dive into the racing career, the business career, the business of racing, uh, s- here in the state of Indiana.
I'm so excited. Ed, welcome to the show.
Ed Carpenter: Thanks for having me.
Nate: Man, okay. Uh, this is a long time coming. I felt like there's been a few moments of overlap from my, you know, w- working with Javahouse and knowing about them to your guys', I mean, matrimony over the past couple seasons. It's been super cool to watch your journey, especially from racer to owner to, you know, all around the business of IndyCar, man.
And you're, I mean, since you were eight years old, you've called Indiana Your home?
Ed Carpenter: Yeah. Really, the h- the m- [00:03:00] two years I was in Pike Township, the rest of it here in Washington Township, so I-
Nate: Are you a North Central grad?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, no, I was Park Tudor grad, but yeah, would've been North Central.
Nate: There we go. Yeah. So then you go from Park Tudor, and while you're, like, pursuing racing, doing all the stuff like that, you then also happen to go to college, like, 10 blocks down the road or whatever the number is.
That's an uncommon pathway. W- was there ever a moment during your trajectory into racing where you were gonna have to choose the racing or the college degree?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, I mean, I tried to choose only racing initially and, and tried to bypass the college like a lot of other guys. Um, but I was in a... You know, like most of us, you know, we start racing young.
I started at eight years old. Um, you know, I think the range of ages where we all started in IndyCar is probably, like, 5 to 14 is kind of what I would say- Yeah ... the window is. Um, and, you know, we all start with backing from our parents and, and support from our [00:04:00] families. And for me, um, when I was finishing up high school and getting rea- ready to go to college, I was racing USAC Midget Sprint Cars, Silver Crown, and- Like,
Nate: where at?
Like, what,
Ed Carpenter: what- I mean, I was racing nationally. It's, it, we were racing national series, but, um, the team was, it was a family team. We, we owned the cars. My parents were supporting me. We obviously had sponsors. I was with Menards at that point. And- As,
Nate: like, a how old?
Ed Carpenter: Um, 16, 17, 18.
Nate: I mean, imagine walking down the, the halls of Park Tudor, you're like, "Yeah, Menards sponsors me.
No big deal."
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, I mean, you know. You know how high school is. Like, r- racing wasn't exactly the cool thing. In, uh, in high school I was gone a lot, missed a lot of the normal things that kids do, that my kids are going through right now.
Nate: Yeah.
Ed Carpenter: Um, but for me, you know, I remember having the conversations, like, "Okay, you know, what do you wanna do with your life?"
"I wanna be a race car driver, so let's just get on with that." And, you know, my mom especially was like, "Well, if, if we're gonna support your racing, you're, you will go to college." Um, so I went to [00:05:00] college.
Nate: Wow.
Ed Carpenter: I'm thankful for that. Yeah. In the moment I was probably a little miffed, but, um, they, they were much more wise than me at the time.
Nate: Yeah. And I mean, you know, you go to college and at least you have something. Where, because it is such a small percentage, you know? Like- Yeah ... I feel like, yeah, it's, it kind of clouds our perception a little bit when I bring on, you know, a couple IndyCar drivers and they're like, "Oh yeah, you know, like, you drop out of high school and you race all these circuits and you make it."
But it's like there's this long list of people- Yeah ... that never make
Ed Carpenter: it. Yeah, there's a lot of other stories of people that did the same thing and now they're trying to figure out what they're doing with their, their life. But, you know, I'm fortunate that they made me go. Um, it was a great experience. I managed to graduate in four years while still racing full time.
Actually ran my first IndyCar race the summer that I graduated. Um-
Nate: No
Ed Carpenter: way. Yeah, so it all happened really fast. And it, it was fun, but I do have a, a funny story from, from Butler. So I was a marketing major in the business school, and freshman year they kinda have you, I think they had accounting, [00:06:00] economics, international business, marketing, and accounting were the five disciplines.
And freshman year, first semester everyone has to take like intro to business and really to, to lead you to one of those five disciplines. And one of the early assignments was the, the professor was Marv Recht was his name, and I'll never forget, and the assignment was, "Give us your five-year success plan."
And there was really, there wasn't much guidelines to it. It's, you know, where do you see yourself in five years and how are you gonna get there? So I wrote this whole paper about my racing career, and essentially how college was plan B for me. And the guy, you know, it, it probably wasn't a perfectly written paper, but it was for sure a C paper.
Um, but I got a D on this paper, and his, his note on it, I wish I had kept it. I, I'm, I'm not a collector of things, [00:07:00] but it, I got a D and it said, "It's nice to have dreams, but you need to be more realistic."
Nate: No.
Ed Carpenter: And so I made my plan in four. Um- Yeah ... and, and Marv later was trying to help me get his daughter a job somewhere, so worked out.
No. That's my only negative Butler story.
Nate: No way. Marv.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, Marv.
Nate: What a guy. Well, I mean, you know, and again, you talk about your mom leading you towards college saying, "You can continue like down this dream big path, but you also have to have a, a plan, kinda plan B."
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, and that's, and that's honestly how I, you know, I've got a daughter going to Clemson next year, so I just went through, well, mostly Heather, my wife, went through this whole process of, of visiting colleges.
I, I took her to Clemson, um, which is where she chose, which is cool. Um, but I didn't even visit any schools. I applied to Butler, IU, Indiana State, and Ball State. And I [00:08:00] got into Butler. It was the closest to, to the race shop, so that was what... You know, I, I chose the school for probably all the wrong reasons, but like a lot of things in life, things work out- Yeah
the best, and I had a great time there, got a great education, got my degree and, and plan A worked out.
Nate: Did you make friends like through your journey? Like did people start to realize that you... Like w- at first you're probably like, "Oh yeah, the racing kid," like whatever, but at some point they have to realize that like, you know, "Oh my gosh, this guy's gonna race an Indy car."
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, I mean, it, it was definitely a different experience being the racing guy in college than it was, you know, through middle school and high school. Um, I definitely keep in touch with as many people from Butler as I do, do from high school at this point. Yeah. Um, you know, even though there's more high school kids still in town.
So yeah, it was, it was a fun time. A lot of those guys have, have been to races still. Um, not as much as they used to, but they travel with me during that time. Well, I mean, it's
Nate: like imagine your first Indy [00:09:00] 500 and you have, like, you know... I don't... How, how long after, how long after you graduated college did you get to r- run in the 500?
Ed Carpenter: The next one. Mm-hmm. Yeah, so I graduated May of '03, and I was in the 500 in '04.
Nate: So imagine, you ha- let's say you had 10 college-age, one year removed, like, friends, like the fraternity guys- Oh, yeah ... whoever they were, and they're like, "We're not just tailgating this race for the heck of it. We're tailgating to cheer on our buddy Ed."
Ed Carpenter: Yeah. Do you remember when we had the signboard guys, like, on pit road? They don't have many more, but they, guys would stand, like, out between the racetrack and pit lane with- Yeah ... the big boards and, like, tell you what position you're in. Like, so one of my college buddies did that for quite a long time.
Nate: No way.
Uh, yeah,
Ed Carpenter: yeah.
Nate: That's awesome. Uh, so you end up going through school. Are, what ser- what series were you racing at that point while you were still an undergrad?
Ed Carpenter: I was in USAC. Uh, I was racing sprint cars in Silver Crown freshman, sophomore year. And then junior, senior year I was in what is now Indy [00:10:00] NXT. It was Indy Pro Series back then.
Nate: Yeah.
Ed Carpenter: Uh, but Indy NXT, so minor leagues, essentially, my junior and senior year.
Nate: Is that a normal transition? I, for some reason I felt like if you raced sprint cars, that was more like the NASCAR path.
Ed Carpenter: It, it is and was. Um, you know, I was, at the time IndyCar was two series. There was, there was Champ Car and, uh, Indy Racing League, and Indy Racing League was a all oval based IndyCar series.
So it was, it set up well for the period of time that I was in USAC. There were more guys coming from, from th- that side of, of the sport to IndyCar. You know, Tony Stewart had done it before me, and several others before, before they went to NASCAR. Um, then as my time in IndyCar progressed, it started becoming, the series merged, more and more road course races came back in, which is kinda where my career started to shift back to focusing on ovals, starting the team, and, um, kinda shifting my schedule around.[00:11:00]
Nate: Okay. So that's what I'd love to talk about, is a little bit into the business that is Ed Carpenter Racing. So obviously, you know, a lot of times driver's main focus is driving. You know, like, this is your career. You wanna get as good as you can at your profession. And then, you know, maybe there's do some sponsor appearances, come on a podcast here and there.
But what got you excited to be an owner of a team and to start a race team, and, and how did that come to fruition?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, I mean, it was kind of a long and winding road to ultimately get there. But my, my rookie year in 2004, I drove for Eddie Cheever, Red Bull, Red Bull cars at the time. Thought that was gonna carry on.
I ended up not getting resigned for year two. Started driving for a team that my family owned, Vision Racing. Um, that was 2005 through 2009. So my family owned the team. I didn't have any ownership at that point, but I, we started it when I got there. Um, we ran two or three cars over that time full-time. So [00:12:00] I was, I was there day to day more so than a driver.
So- Yeah ... I, I didn't really have a title other than driver, but I was, I was there and a part of it and helped build it.
Nate: But were you in the, like, business-y type conversations?
Ed Carpenter: Yes. Yeah, I w- I was involved. Um, you know, my, my parents owned it. We had a, a team president, kind of team manager that ran it, and I was kind of there with them, you know, not making all the decisions, but a part of all the decisions.
So through that time, I really got interested in the team building side of it. At that time, I kind of figured I would take that over someday when I, when I was done driving. But before that happened, you know, we, we'd had some sponsorship troubles, ended up closing the team down, and then I was looking for a job again.
So I, in 2010, I, I ran a handful of races with the little equipment we had left from Vision and partnered with Panther Racing, which led me to, um, meet some folks, Stuart Reed and Fuzzy Zeller, who had a vodka [00:13:00] company at the time. They funded me in the 2010 Indy 500. Ended up doing a few more races with, with that sponsorship package.
That led to, you know, a part-time ride the next year in 2011 with Sarah Fisher's team. And during that time, the... Stuart and Fuzzy wanted to get more involved, and there wasn't really room for them to do it with the team I was at at the time with Sarah. They were sponsored by Dollar General, and we had a spirits brand, and Dollar General didn't sell spirits.
And they, they came... They essentially came to me and said, "We, hey, we wanna help you start a race team." And I wasn't really sure that I wanted to be owning and, and driving at the same time, but it didn't take me long to, to say yes and change my mind and, you know, never look back.
Nate: Wow. So-
Ed Carpenter: So I real- it, it was really right place, right time and, you know, not being sure of an opportunity, but recognizing that if I passed, you know, that opportunity may never come along again.
Nate: Wow. [00:14:00] And that's the other interesting piece is that everyone's journey through IndyCar is so tumultuous.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah. It's, that's why- Like- ... I have so many gray hairs.
Nate: Yeah. I mean, you go from, like, you get a contract, you lose it the next year. You're fa- Like, was... Okay, so one I wanna know, talk to me about the decision and how it was communicated that Vision was gonna shut down.
Uh- Is that at the family dinner table? Like, Mom and Dad are like, "So Ed, we have to talk to you a little bit here."
Ed Carpenter: I mean, I, it wasn't that abrupt. Um, you know, I, obviously I was involved enough day to day that, you know, I knew we had some sponsorship issues. Um, so it was kind of a- We had a couple month window where we, our backs were against the wall and we either had to find, find some funding or, or we were gonna get to a point to shut it down.
So, you know, we, we had deadlines and those came and, and we had to make a decision. But yeah, communicating that to, to employees and teammates, you know, is definitely not a fun thing to, to be a part of.
Nate: [00:15:00] After seeing that and having to go through that experience, were you extra cautious and extra nervous of getting back on that treadmill and doing it again?
Ed Carpenter: Not really. I mean, I, you know, I, I love what I, I love what I do. I love being a part of this sport and, and the 500 specifically. I, I knew way back at the very beginning that I was entering, you know, a volatile industry and, you know, that nothing, n- you can't take anything for granted. So, you know, went it, went into it understanding the opportunities and, and also fully understanding the risks and, and the negative outcomes- Yeah
that can ultimately come. That didn't scare me. Um, you know, I was honestly more worried about, you know, doing, doing the, the dual role of- Yeah ... of driving and, and fully being responsible for the operation.
Nate: So it's you, Fuzzy Zeller, and who's the-
Ed Carpenter: Stuart Reid is, is-
Nate: And Stuart Reid. Yeah, yeah. What, what is he known
Ed Carpenter: for?
Which, which, he, uh, he's in the healthcare industry.
Nate: Yeah.
Ed Carpenter: Fuzzy didn't actually have ownership of the team so that when we started the team it was myself, my [00:16:00] dad and, and Stuart Reid are the-
Nate: Okay ... three
Ed Carpenter: partners.
Nate: And then it was, what was the vodka brand? Um-
Ed Carpenter: Uh, it was Fuzzy's.
Nate: Fuzzy? Yeah. Okay. So you start...
How does one start a team? Like, okay, we come together, we say, "We're starting this team. Here's the ownership. The contracts are all drawn up." Day o- Like we, we all put some money into it. Like where, do you pick
Ed Carpenter: up the phone and try to- Yeah, you re- you start, you start spending money is what happens. Um, you know, when we, when we made that decision it was the end of 2011 going into 2012.
At that, at that point in time IndyCar had a new car, so there was a new car coming out for 2012 so the whole- When
Nate: you say, this is like a chassis?
Ed Carpenter: A chassis, yeah. Yeah. So the whole series is getting new equipment. Um, so it was really the perfect time To, to launch a new team because you're going in on a, on a fresh cycle, uh, of development.
Everyone was, was getting new cars. So that, that was really the first thing we did-
Nate: So
Ed Carpenter: like day one ... was, was start order- ordering cars from Dallara, um- How many- ... and, and building a team ...
Nate: how many chassis did you buy?
Ed Carpenter: Two. [00:17:00]
Nate: Okay. So day... You sign the papers, everyone's happy, you're getting some cocktails the next day.
I mean, that's like a million, gotta be over a million dollars.
Ed Carpenter: Uh, I think at the time, I think the, it was 300 and some per-
Nate: Per
Ed Carpenter: chassis? ... per base chassis. But yeah, then as you build them out and spares and engine and everything, it, it gets up, you know, between 750 and a million
Nate: pretty
Ed Carpenter: quick.
Nate: Oh, okay. And then you gotta get engines, the whole nine yards.
Uh, so you start to put a car together. Do you also start to do like interviews for who's gonna be the pit crew and who's gon- Yeah ... And like, are you doing, running two cars or one car?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, it was just one car at that point. Okay. So we were just running one car for me. Um, the, the first thing we really did was, you know, knowing that I was gonna need help, you know, building, we, we identified Derek Walker, who, um, had, h- had a history working at IndyCar.
He, he ran and operated his own IndyCar team. Before that, he worked for, for Roger Penske as a manager. So his race team had folded at that point. He still had his facility. He [00:18:00] had quite a bit of assets from, from race trailers, support equipment. So we hired him, actually leased his building, leased some of his equipment as, as we were building it up.
And Derek was really, in a lot of ways, the, the original architect and started helping us build, you know, what is, what is ECR today.
Nate: Wow. That's... It is interesting to hear that-
Ed Carpenter: So I had, I had a lot of help.
Nate: Yeah. It is interesting to hear how it's like trailers get switched over hands and one team starts- Yeah
and then the next to it, and that one fizzles out, and then somebody else picks it up. I just had Tom Kelly in last week, and he talked about his time owning a, a race team and- Oh,
Ed Carpenter: yeah ...
Nate: and it's like, oh yeah, and then, you know, we got out of it, and so we have to sell all our stuff, and someone
Ed Carpenter: else- So Vi- so Vision Racing that I mentioned that my family operated, that was actually Tom's team.
Nate: Oh, no way.
Ed Carpenter: So when, when Kelly Racing shut down, w- we bought his assets, building, everything, which then when we got out of it, Sam Schmidt bought, which then [00:19:00] became McLaren. Just had Pato here. They just moved out of that shop now, but that, that building was Kelly Racing, Vision Racing, Sam Schmidt, then McLaren, and now I don't know what it is.
Wow.
Nate: I... There it is. I wonder if there's still, like, a wrench or something that just made it through all the teams. Or, like, I
Ed Carpenter: wonder if- I'm, I'm sure there's something in the building- ... that, that was common.
Nate: Like, yeah, someone used this 9/16 crescent wrench back in, you know- Yeah ... 2003 on a Kelly Racing car.
Ed Carpenter: Yep.
Nate: Wow. Okay, so you start to get cars. Do you have to get, like, the staff, too? I mean, someone's gotta be in charge of sponsorship. Oh, yeah. Someone's gotta be in charge of marketing, the whole m-... Are you sitting in- Yeah, we literally- ... on these interviews?
Ed Carpenter: We literally started from nothing. It was, it was three guys that decided to start a team.
Yeah. And we went from there.
Nate: Well, I guess you had a main sponsor with Fuzzy's.
Ed Carpenter: We did.
Nate: So there, that's, like- Yeah ... a part of it.
Ed Carpenter: Oh, yeah. That, that's what made it happen. Yeah. Without a doubt.
Nate: And then take me through, like, was there ever, I mean, I'm sure there was, but, like, times where you had to balance between the owner hat and the [00:20:00] operations hat and the racer hat?
Like, was it distracting on your racing career?
Ed Carpenter: Not, not entirely, no. I mean, that's why early on we wanted to get someone like Derek involved to, to really be able to manage and, and run the team for me, in a lot of ways. Like, he worked for me, and at the same time, I worked for him as a driver. Um, so Derek, Derek really built the team.
You know, he, he hired Tim Broyles to be our team manager. Tim is now our current team president. Um, w- I think there's, there's eight or nine employees from that original year in 2012 that are still with us today. Um, so, so foundationally, you know, our head of engineering and our, our shop manager, our team president are all, uh, day one employees- Wow
that are, that are still with us.
Nate: And I mean, what, you've been going for, what, 2012?
Ed Carpenter: This is year 15.
Nate: This is the 15th year.
Ed Carpenter: 15th season.
Nate: And, and you talk about, you know, car, teams coming and going and starting and stopping. Like, [00:21:00] what, what do you think the secret to putting 15 years, 15 seasons of IndyCar together is?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, a lot of perseverance. You know, there's, there's been good years in, in the past 15, and there's been some real challenging ones, but, um, just refusing to, to not be a part of it and continually working hard to, to find the funding. And, you know, now we're in a whole new era. We welcomed on Ted Gelof to, to our ownership group last year, and, and has, has really created a giant shift in, in what we're doing with the team and our expectations and, and competitiveness.
So it's a- Yeah ... it's a fun time to be with it.
Nate: Yeah. Take me through that. 14 years rocking and rolling. 13.
Ed Carpenter: Um,
Nate: or 13 years? Yeah. Yeah, 'cause last year would've been the 14th. Yeah. That was your first year. 13 years, and then kind of a shakeup a little bit. Like, a, uh, some new, fresh sponsors from Java House and Splenda and, uh, is Heartland Food is, like, the whole- Yep
the whole piece there?
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, Heartland Food Products, um- Yeah ... Group. Which is Splenda, Java House are, [00:22:00] are their, their largest two brands.
Nate: Why did that make sense for you in the next evolution of ECR?
Ed Carpenter: Um, it kind of, much like when the team started, it was really just a somewhat of a chance meeting and encounter.
So Ted, Ted was looking to get involved and, and find, find an ownership stake. You know, he, he, he was a college athlete. He played football at Purdue. Um, his daughters were all gymnasts and/or, uh, pole vaulters at Michigan. His son played football at TCU and Purdue. They were all finishing up their athletic careers and, you know, the-- Ted, the way he described it to me very early on was he knew, you know, he's a competitive guy.
He had been an athlete. All his kids were athletes, so he was involved with that all through their growing up, and he obviously had grown a, a very successful and competitive business. But he knew, he knew that he needed personally something to be competitive with. Like, he hadn't, he wa- ha- hadn't not had that since, you know, he was a [00:23:00] kid.
And he identified IndyCar as a great opportunity, so he had been poking around, talking to a few different teams about, about becoming a partner in the ownership group. And we met September of '24 and hit it off really well early on. Um, we got a deal done and closed in October of '24 and had the, our first season together in, in 2025, our 14th season.
So it's pretty, pretty crazy how it all came together.
Nate: Well, Andy talks about, "Yeah, I wanna get involved with the team," and then all of a sudden it's, like, the Grand Pr- the Java House Grand Prix of Long Beach, right? Like, I, uh... And then Arlington this year.
Ed Carpenter: Arl- Arling- Yeah, Java House. Grand Prix of Arlington was the Java House.
Nate: Well, last year was it-
Ed Carpenter: Uh, Laguna ...
Nate: or Laguna. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And then he's just like, "Oh, yeah, I just wanna, like, slightly be involved here," and all of a sudden it's like, "Oh, no, we're all in on IndyCar." Yeah,
Ed Carpenter: we came in heavy.
Nate: Yeah. Did you get to hang out with, um... Oh, man, the act- like, the, the character last year.
Ed Carpenter: From the commercials?
Nate: [00:24:00] Yes.
Ed Carpenter: Oh, Gary?
Nate: Gary.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah. I mean-
Nate: I did a, I did a promo ...
Ed Carpenter: I've hung out with him once other than when we filmed, but he's, he's hilarious.
Nate: Dude, I did a promo, we cut a promo with Java House last year, and Gary is just, like, the most wacky, insane character. Yeah, it- Just brings the energy ...
Ed Carpenter: it was really hard to tell if he was in character or if that's just who he is.
I- Like, I, I still don't know.
Nate: No, I think, I think it's just who he is.
Ed Carpenter: Uh- I think so,
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What are we expecting? What are the ex- you talk about expectations. Like, now you've got, you know, the guys are rolling, we're getting ready. At this point it'll be Indy 500 week in no time. We're all f- all sights are set on Indianapolis. Like, how are we feeling leading into this year, the, I mean, the Indy GP and, and the 500?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, feeling really good. You know, I, we talked about kinda how that whole transition came together, came together late, um, and we changed a lot. We rebranded our team, welcomed on a lot of new partners, uh, added, added some people, you know. But that whole first off-season with, with the new ownership group was, was really, it was a lot of change and, and with that, you know, kinda changing our expectations.
We had gone through a period where we had a bit of a rocky relationship with, with our previous [00:26:00] sponsor and, and were struggling to Really just struggling to keep up financially. And, you know, now we're, we're in an era where we have financial stability. And, you know, so that first season we went through a lot of change, a lot of getting to know one another.
Then we got to the off season between 2025 and now, and really have had a, a huge emphasis on, you know, our expectations are to be the best. Yeah. We wanna win, and we wanna do it as quickly as possible. We did win one, one race last year at Milwaukee, but, you know, so this whole off season and leading into this year is, is really, has been about identifying where, where, where we're weak and, and cl- shoring that up.
So- What do you- We, we made a lot of changes organizationally, added a lot of positions. Um, the start of our season's, it's okay. You know, it, it, we haven't met our expectations yet. But at the same time, I think we all see and feel, uh, the shifting of momentum. And to, to what really was your question, we're very excited about the month of May and then the Indy 500.
I think we've had a great off [00:27:00] season of preparation. Um, the three, myself, Christian, and Alex are, are back together for a second year. Always having continuity, especially at a race like that, is, is important, and, and we should be contenders.
Nate: What, this will be your 23rd, you're attempting your 23rd career start?
Ed Carpenter: Correct.
Nate: How's that feel?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, it's pretty crazy. You know, it's, some years it feels like I have been doing it forever, and then other years, 2004 feels like yesterday. So it's, it's, it's pretty wild. I'm, um, you know, pretty humbled to be able to say I've been in this many.
Nate: Is it an interesting place? I mean, uh, Rossi has, has won the 500, you know, and he, as a rookie, I believe, right?
2018. Yeah,
Ed Carpenter: yeah. It was pretty annoying when he won that one.
Nate: I was gonna say, you weren't teammates then. No. And did you, were you, did you start in the pole that year?
Ed Carpenter: Um, no. Or
Nate: was it the year before?
Ed Carpenter: I started on the pole in '13, '14, and '18. So he, he won in 2016.
Nate: Oh, he won in '16. Yeah. Okay, yeah. So you guys weren't teammates yet.
Um, and so now the [00:28:00] three of you guys, uh, re- uh, Christian, Alex, you, you'll be running... Do you, uh, do you find yourself practicing? 'Cause you, this is the only race you run, right?
Ed Carpenter: It is now, yeah.
Nate: It is now. Yeah. Okay. Did you, last year, was it the only race you ran?
Ed Carpenter: Yes.
Nate: Okay. So, like, do you find yourself, like, in the sim practicing?
Like, how do you stay sharp, uh- Um ... when you're, like, also working on the business side of stuff?
Ed Carpenter: We do some sim. I don't do as much. The, the oval simulation program's not as strong as the- Yeah ... the road and street course, so I don't do that much sim. You know, it, it helps that I'm plugged in day to day and in tune with, with everything that's going on, all the development and, and changes and planning, preparation.
So I'm, I'm fully tuned into what we're doing. You know, even, even though I don't drive near as much anymore, you know, I'm, I'm a part of the team on, on race days, in- ingrained with the strategy and communication in the car. So your mindset, even though I'm not in the car Like physically, mentally, I'm, I'm still- [00:29:00]
Nate: Yeah
Ed Carpenter: I'm still in there plugged in and, and going through the motions m- with the mental reps. So, you know, it's really then just comes back to reacclimating to the, to the car and the speed and, um, you know, that's, that's in part why I still do Indy because it's, we get two weeks, two weeks of preparation. It's, it's a lot harder to do that on a, on a two-day event where you get an hour of practice.
So there, there's enough time to get reacclimated to the car and to the f- to the feeling. But it really doesn't take that long, one or two outings and, and all that comes, comes roaring right back. Like,
Nate: like riding a bike?
Ed Carpenter: In a lot of ways. Just really fast.
Nate: Just a, just a very, very fast bike. Yeah. Well, I mean, getting to, you know, be part of the spectacle that is the month of May for now over two decades.
Like, you know, some people get one shot. Some people don't ever get their shot. And so that, you know, to tow the start line, I mean, this year I think there's 32 cars in thus far.
Ed Carpenter: They've announced 32. I think we're all, I think everyone knows what the 33rd is, so we'll see where it goes from there. [00:30:00]
Nate: But we don't, do we think there'll be a 34th?
Ed Carpenter: Um, I'm kind of becoming doubtful of that. You think? But, but we'll see. I mean, it, it's, it's May. Crazy things happen. There's still a team sitting out there that, that has equipment, so we'll see what happens. '
Nate: Cause how many, like, there's only a finite amount of Indy cars just in general, right?
Ed Carpenter: Yeah. I mean, there's not, there's, there's, it would be impossible really for there to be 50 or 60 cars at this point.
There's just not, there, there's not, not enough equipment and there's definitely not, not enough engines.
Nate: Yeah.
Ed Carpenter: You know?
Nate: Some days I think
Ed Carpenter: back- The most we would have would be 34 or 35.
Nate: Okay. 'Cause some days I think back on how cool it would've been, like way back in the day when people just rolled whatever they had up-
Ed Carpenter: Yeah
Nate: up from their shops and there's like 50 car. I don't know how many there ever, I don't know what the maximum amount there ever was.
Ed Carpenter: It, yeah, it was up there.
Nate: Like, but imagine 50 cars trying to sort their way out to 33, especially, like, with the current format of, like, the bump. Like, I just remember last year.
So we had Jacob Abel on the- Yeah ... pod and I just remember him talking about, and he was [00:31:00] very intentional of, like, "I don't get to race the 500. I get the opportunity to qualify to race the 500." And I re- So you
Ed Carpenter: talked to him before qualifying?
Nate: Before. Yeah. Yeah. And he was like, "It's gonna be intense." And just knowing the s- place that he was with the team and the whole nine yards and, and it comes down to him and, and Rinus VeeKay just, like, battling, teammates battling- Yeah
back and forth for a spot.
Ed Carpenter: No, I mean, and it, it's, that's the right mentality. I mean, ev- as, as long as I've done this, you know, I've been really fortunate to not be in a situation where I was in, in a bumping spot. Um, but I have a lot of anxiety each and every year, you know, going into the month of May wondering if we're gonna be quick enough.
Yeah. Like, because it, it's not guaranteed and, you know, I, I really, whether it's qualifying or, or the race, you know, you try to maximize each and every one of those opportunities and moments 'cause- You don't know, one, you don't know if you'll qualify, and two, you don't know if you'll be back next year to do it again.
Mm. So you gotta make the most of it.
Nate: What's the most stressful day in the month of [00:32:00] May?
Ed Carpenter: I, I do think it's qualifying. You know, race day is stressful, um, but it's a different type of stress, you know, qualifying, the pressure that comes with four laps, and with the form, with the way the format is now, you know, you may make three to six qualifying attempts, and it, it takes a lot of, it's a lot of nerve, it's a lot of pressure, it's a lot of stress to mentally get yourself in the place to go out there and do four laps the way, the way that we have to drive the cars to maximize the speed out of them.
So it's, it's a draining, stressful experience without a doubt. In the, and, and that's, it, whether it's going really well or really poorly and you're fighting for your life to get in, it's, it's a hard thing to do.
Nate: Wow. How have you seen the sport of IndyCar change over the past two decades?
Ed Carpenter: It's definitely gone through, I've been through four or five iterations of cars and three different engine manufacturers.
Um, but really, it's, today, it's, it's an exciting, fantastic time to be a part of it. You know, the, the [00:33:00] momentum that we feel in, as a whole in the series, not only our team, but, you know, Fox coming on as the sole broadcaster last year. They continue to do amazing things, and- They- ... you know, now they, they even have ownership of the sport, which, you know, I think made us all a little nervous that our broadcaster was involved in that way.
But as, you know, we're coming up on a year of, of that involvement, and to me, it's just made it even better. You know, they're, they're really, really invested and care and, and want it to, to grow and be wildly more successful than it is today. So it's, it's, it really is a fun time to be involved in it. Yeah.
It definitely feels more stable now than, than in any time in my previous 22 years.
Nate: Yeah. I mean, like, looking back, you'd think, "Okay, I don't, I'm a little nervous, like, having a Fox ownership group. Are they gonna cut corners? Are they gonna change it?" Like, but honestly, giving them, them having a vested interest in the product that's on the track has, like, I mean, I, I would say, like, done an [00:34:00] incredible job of just making it cooler.
Ed Carpenter: Yes.
Nate: Like, and I mean, it's always been cool if you are a race fan. It's always been cool in the state of Indiana, the Indy 500, the whole nine yards. But, like, when they roll out Tom Brady at the Indianapolis 500, and you're just like, "What is this?" Like, this is crazy cool, like, when you roll out all the celebrities and the pageantry and, and their ability to just, like, make it everywhere.
Like, Fox and, like, their, you know, internet influence and their internet, uh, reach is wild. Yeah. Would you say, like, right now is the coolest time it's ever been to be involved in IndyCar?
Ed Carpenter: Oh, for sure. You know, I think, and that's the thing, like, the Indy 500's always been massive and is, uh, has always had that buzz, and you know, for years we've tried to figure out How to make other events like that and, you know, the, the power of FOX is, is starting to make that happen.
You know, the, the event in Arlington around AT&T Stadium was, was awesome. You know, it was one of the, the best events I've been a part of outside of the Indy 500. Um, the [00:35:00] race we're gonna have in DC is gonna be an epic event. Yeah. And, and really, you know, I think that's one of the things everyone notices the, the progress we've made with the 500 and, you know, it's gonna likely be a sellout again this year.
But the, the stature of the other events is on the rise, too, and I- to me, that's almost what's more critical because it-- the Indy 500's al- never been a hard sell. Everyone wants to be a part of that. It's a bucket list event. Um, but it's, it's growing out the rest of the calendar- Yeah ... that's gonna be critical.
Nate: How important has Doug Boles been in the last two decades of growth of IndyCar?
Ed Carpenter: Doug has a real passion for, for the sport, especially for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and, uh, to have him not only in a leadership role at the Speedway but also at, at the sport of IndyCar, you know, I think the enthusiasm that he brings to it.
He's, he's a natural salesman and promoter, uh, a fantastic spokesperson, but from a leadership standpoint behind the scenes, he, he cares. You know, he's, he's around [00:36:00] all the time, present. You know, I, I talked to him for 10 minutes after the race in Long Beach about, you know, some things I wasn't super happy about.
But, you know, the fact that he's ever present and you can go talk to him is a great thing.
Nate: How many blue suits do you think he owns?
Ed Carpenter: I hope i- that he has plenty 'cause- ... 'cause he's-- it appears that he sleeps in it at times.
Nate: Yeah. I was like, "You could tell me he has two and he alternates it every day, or you could tell me he has 70," and I would believe both.
Like-
Ed Carpenter: Yeah. I, I mean, he's gotta have at least five or six, I would think.
Nate: One for each day. Like, what we-- what you don't know is that each one is labeled Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Frid- like, he's got a different suit for each day of the week. I'm, I'm,
Ed Carpenter: I'm gonna ask him that.
Nate: Yeah. I-- Please. I've asked like four different guests- Yeah.
I will. I'll ask him next
Ed Carpenter: time I see him ... we
Nate: had on. There you go. "How many suits do you have, by the
Ed Carpenter: way?" Yeah, and, and how are they labeled?
Nate: Yeah. "That Nate Spangle guy's asking about that." Uh, and, you know, we had him on last year, uh, leading up to the race, and I didn't think of this question until, like, m-more recently.
It's like, next time, yeah, we gotta figure out. Amazing. When you think about the pageantry, the tradition, the nostalgia, the [00:37:00] energy that is the Indianapolis 500, I gotta know, what's your favorite part of the Indianapolis 500?
Ed Carpenter: Oh, man. That's-- We get asked this all the time and- Is
Nate: that like a, is that like a chalk?
Is that like a lame question?
Ed Carpenter: It-- I wouldn't say it's lame. It's a quality question, but it's a hard one to answer, you know, 'cause it's, it's such a big month. There's so many things going on, and depending on the day, you know, I, I love and appreciate different things. But driver intros are always high on the list.
Um, opening day is special to me, even though it's not a massive crowd, but it's just the start of, it's the start of a new opportunity. Um, the parade and, and all the festivities In the, in the build-up, you know, we f- finish carb day on Friday, kind of the calm before the storm. But we have the parade and public autograph session, drivers meeting on Saturday.
That's a, that's a fun experience. You know, it's... The parade, I've, I've appreciated more and more, um, really over the past 18 years or so, having kids that, that ride in the parade. And, you know, it's a fun opportunity for them to, [00:38:00] to be with me and al- you know, see their school friends and, you know, teammates on whatever their sports team are.
Um, so, you know, it really is a community event, and that's, that's what makes the 500 what it is, is the fact that this whole city, this whole state, you know, really and truly rallies behind it and comes out big for it. Um, so the parade's fun.
Nate: The parade is a good one. I'm, uh, I'm excited. We just had Dave Neff on.
Um, and he's, like, getting us all... Like, he was spitting some absolute, like, crazy knowledge about how big. It's, like, the third, I believe he said, like, the third biggest parade in the country, like, all this crazy stuff. I thought
Ed Carpenter: it was second for a while.
Nate: Oh.
Ed Carpenter: But-
Nate: Okay. Even-
Ed Carpenter: It, it's up there, yeah.
Nate: Yeah.
Ed Carpenter: I thought...
I, for some reason, I thought Macy's Thanksgiving was only one larger. Yeah.
Nate: So, like, did you, like, go in for, like, career day? Like, 'cause your kids were growing up, and it's like someone's dad's a doctor, and someone's dad's a lawyer, and they're like, "Well, my dad you won't, you won't believe this"?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, I've done a couple, yeah.
I actually was at St. Pius last week talking. It wasn't, like, a career day, but it was kinda talking about [00:39:00] life planning and- Yeah ... and that whole process. So I was... I did that last week.
Nate: Well, I'd love to talk a little bit about that. Just 'cause a- as I think about your story, throughout the entire thing, you obviously have to dream big.
If you wanna be a professional, whether it be team owner, race car driver, if you wanna be in something where, you know, the percentage of people who succeed that, like, at one point say they wanna be in that, is very, very slim. Oh, yeah. Like, not many people make it to be a professional race car driver. But on the other side, you took calculated risks.
You still have a college degree. Like, along the journey, you know, it wasn't as though, like, "If this doesn't work out, I'm gonna wind up on someone's couch, totally homeless." So talk to me about, you know, if there are listeners out there that are young, that might have a dream of being an entrepreneur or being a race car driver or a professional athlete or what- whatever it might be.
How do you balance dreaming big while also, you know, continuing forward momentum and, and not winding up a [00:40:00] total failure?
Ed Carpenter: I mean, for me, 'cause this is a, another common question, is like what, what would you do if you weren't a race car driver? What, what would you do if you weren't running a team? And I've never r- I've never really came to grips with what plan B was.
You know, for me, I knew that if I wasn't driving, or even today, if I didn't have, have the team to operate, I would be involved in the sport in some way, shape, or form. You know, there, there's, there's plenty of jobs and opportunities within our industry. You know, it's, it's next to impossible that I wouldn't be involved in some way, whether that would be a spotter, mechanic, you know, who, who knows, a, a business guy.
I don't, I don't know, but- A
Nate: yellow shirt.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, a yellow shirt. I would've been involved in, in IndyCar racing in some way, shape, or form just because that's what I wanted to do. Um, you know, the advice that I most commonly give, to, to your point, is really you- you've gotta have a really high level of perseverance because i- in th- in this sport and in this industry, whether you're [00:41:00] in it or you're trying to get into it, it's, it's hard.
You're gonna have way more bad days than good days. Unlike, you know, a NBA team or NFL team, there's, we have 18 events. All the teams compete at once, so there's, there's one winner. There's 24 or 32 losers every single event. So even, you know, if you look at Palou's season from last year, he won eight races, had statistically one of the, the best seasons of all time, you know, he still, still lost more of them than he won.
Um, you know, so th- that's not how a lot of other sports work. So it's, i- in a lot of ways, it is a sport of failure, and you're just trying to, to fail less than everyone else.
Nate: The, yeah, the run that Palou's on has been-
Ed Carpenter: He's, he's annoying. Starting to not like him.
Nate: Oh, g- he just keeps stacking on wins on wins.
He's annoying. Uh, yeah. He's
Ed Carpenter: good.
Nate: I mean, when you think about, you know, coming in and getting the, the team fired up for the 500, like, obviously [00:42:00] it's not, like, the same as, like, a football team where you give, like, a coach's pep talk before you go out. But, like, what's the mindset heading into to Indy 500 from, from obviously Christian, obviously, you know, Alex have, have been running the season.
You're coming in there. You're gonna have three cars going. Like, w- what's the, the conversation that you have with them?
Ed Carpenter: It's definitely a quieter environment than, than other sports teams. But when, when it comes to Indy, much like I said, you know, I'd be involved in some way, shape, or form, the majority of the people that work on the team, a large part of the reason why they wanna do that is because of Indy 500.
So, you know, at, at least on our team, everyone has a high level of passion and care specifically for that event. So motivating our group for that one is not that hard. You know, that's what, that's what we live for. It's in, it's in our DNA at, at ECR. So-
Nate: Yeah ...
Ed Carpenter: it's a year-long preparation. You know, it's, it's all coming together now.
My, my car is just getting completed Um, Alex and Christian's are just getting finished up, so it's, it's [00:43:00] feeling really close. We'll be- Yeah ... we'll be, we'll be in the cars before we know it. And, you know, the, the most exciting and nerve-wracking time really is getting on track for that first day of the month, and everyone's worked their tails off, you know, making a better car and coming up with a better way, 'cause we didn't win last year, and we feel really confident about it.
And, and getting that first day under your belt and being quick either really makes you feel like a million bucks or, you know, it can be a, a little bit of a kick in the backside of like, okay, we gotta, we got a little more work to do. So, you know, more often than not, we've had quick cars there and, and hopefully that'll be the case again this month.
All
Nate: right, I'm gonna ask you another chalk question, one that you probably get all the time, but I'm curious. Spending most your life in Indianapolis, kind of being, you know, the racer of the Hoosier State, one of them. I mean, there's only a few that are, like- Mm-hmm ... born and bred, uh, Indiana guys. You know, like, a lot of people might buy a house here, might move in, might be a Hoosier by choice.
Mm-hmm. Like, since you were eight years old, you've called the [00:44:00] Hoosier State home.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, I'm never leaving.
Nate: That's what we love to hear. Like, do you feel a little bit of pressure to represent the state of Indiana and the city of Indianapolis?
Ed Carpenter: No. I, I, it's almost the opposite. You know, it's over time, the, the support that I get from the community, you know, it's more uplifting and, and makes it more fun than, than any pressure that's applied.
You know, you, I, I really feel the love and support from, from everyone here, so I don't, I don't get any negatives from it.
Nate: Yeah. Okay. There we go. I mean, I would feel just like... Like, good for you. I do feel like all the best IndyCar drivers- No,
Ed Carpenter: they've
Nate: ripped you up. I feel like all the, the best IndyCar drivers, like, have a great way of dealing with an, an immense amount of pressure.
Like, you know, being able to be composed, whether it's at, you know, 200-plus miles an hour or, you know, w- when you... Only there is only one winner and there's 32 losers. Like- Yeah ... that's a lot of pressure.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, I mean, I, that's probably one of my better skills is, you know, it's hard to tell if I'm happy, if I'm mad, you know, [00:45:00] w- any of the emotions, I'm pretty flat.
Nate: I've just gotta, like... I'm, like, asking some of these questions and I'm like, "Oh, I mean, I hope he likes this." Like, we're having a fun time here.
Ed Carpenter: No, I'm, I'm good.
Nate: There we go. Um, I do wanna talk through, have there been moments along this career, you know, again, we say over two decades, from the Indy 500 to parades, where you just sit back, you take it all in, you're like, "How the heck did I end up here?"
Ed Carpenter: Definitely feel lucky to, to have a career that I've had. You know, there's, there's always way more Way more talent and people that, that are capable of being at this level than, than what are, and some of us have, have been fortunate enough to, to hang around more so than others. But, you know, it's not something that I take for granted.
You know, very fortunate to, to have a long career.
Nate: Yeah. What would it mean to you, again, another chalk question, what would it mean to you to win the Indy 500?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, you know, in a lot of ways it would mean everything. You know, as, as I've matured and evolved, um, you know, it would, it would definitely [00:46:00] be the peak and highlight of, of my professional career.
Um, you know, ear- early in my career, I would say I probably would've told you that, you know, I, my life would be incomplete without it. You know, as I've grown older and all these hairs have given me more wisdom, you know, I, I know that at the end of the day that it's not gonna make or break my life, but it'll definitely change my career.
Nate: Yeah. That is an interesting place to be at, right? Where you gotta remember why you run it. Like, why you- Yeah ... why you get in the car. And, like, is it to chase just the, the milk and the eternal glory and the whole nine yards there, or is it for the love of the game?
Ed Carpenter: Is it for- Yeah. For me, for me, it's 'cause I want it, I want to accomplish m- accomplish it.
Um, but, you know, at the end of the day, like, my wife and three kids aren't gonna love me any more or any less. And, and, you know, that's what life's really about is, is, is family. So, you know, that's where my perspective's changed over time. You know, they, they're with me through the, through the [00:47:00] thick and thin and the good and the bad, and that's not gonna change.
But certainly winning that race w- we will all have a good time.
Nate: Yeah. How, I mean, I just think through that of, of, yeah, being a competitor and, like, being a-- M- you talked about having a, a couple chi- children, what, middle school, high school, freshman in college now?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, senior.
Nate: Senior?
Ed Carpenter: So, yeah. McKenna, my oldest, graduates in-
Nate: And, like-
Ed Carpenter: May ...
Nate: you know, obviously going out there, competing to the best of your ability for as long as you can, for, you know, as long as you can do it, is also being a role model to younger generations, to your kids, to other people listening of, like, don't let people-- don't let the professor on your first day at college look at it and say, like, "Be more realistic."
Like, don't ever quit on your dream- Yeah ... until you physically can't do it or, like, you accomplish it. Like, I just think that's a testament and shows a lot of resolve and perseverance.
Ed Carpenter: So Eddie Cheever, who I drove for my rookie year, uh, he, I knew him when I was younger, and he had told me, like, not to get married or have kids [00:48:00] till I was done, and he's like, "It'll, it'll make you slow down.
You won't, you won't, you'll be too afraid to go fast, or your crew won't wanna Won't want you to get hurt, this, that, or the other. And, you know, for me, it was the opposite. Like, hav- having a family, having my kids there was, was that much more motivation to, you know, to, to provide, to make them proud, all, all those things.
So for me, being able to have my family be a part of it h- has been a really, a highlight of the, the journey over, over the past 18 years and, you know, my youngest, he travels with me all the time these days.
Nate: I mean, that is pretty cool to kind of break the stereotype when people think of it. It's like, yeah, you, you, you either have to go chase your personal dream of, like, you know, professional glory and winning races and speed, or you could have a family.
You know, like the average person will tell you, you can't have both. You can't have a college degree.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah.
Nate: You g- no chance you can be a professional driver if you- No, you
Ed Carpenter: can definitely do both.
Nate: Yeah. I, I just think that speaks a lot, like thinking through that, of how you can have the family, [00:49:00] be a professional driver.
You can chase your dream and still graduate college. Like, it doesn't have to be black or white, this or that. It's like you figure out how to make stuff happen when you really want it.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah, I've gotten really good at time management over the years.
Nate: I feel you could write a whole book about that. Well-
Ed Carpenter: Maybe not
Nate: We've come to the end of the show where we get to talk all things Indiana.
Out of all the, you know, previous IndyCar sort of guests, I'm gonna say you're gonna have the best shot at this because you've spent largely the most amount of time of any of these IndyCar drivers in. So I'm really- This'll
Ed Carpenter: be interesting. Maybe, maybe not. I don't, I don't venture far out.
Nate: Oh, boy. Well, hey- So we'll
Ed Carpenter: see where this goes
Nate: the good part about it is that it can be right near home. So, uh, first thing, this question is brought to you by our friends at JC Hart. They're a leader in creating enjoyable living experiences at apartment communities all across Indiana and beyond. Check them out, homeisjchart.com. My question for you, why do you call Indiana home?
Ed Carpenter: It's been home to me. So, you know, home is where I think everyone's most comfortable. [00:50:00] But, you know, being in a, in a career where I travel all over the country, you know, done, done a bit of international travel as well- You know, it, it's, it's a hard place to beat. You know, our cost of living's great, our schools are pretty good, people are very nice.
You know, I, I don't think it's a coincidence that you see a lot of former professional athletes stay here relative to go back to where they came from. So it's just, it's a nice place to be.
Nate: I especially think if you get far enough along, like yeah, we're, we're not LA where you like, if you were like a young 22-year-old and just got like a $10 million contract, you'd probably wanna like be out at the club or whatever.
But as you start to get further along in your career and you enjoy, you know, like building a family and, and you know, getting around places and you still have the good food and the nightlife, you know, and that sense of stuff. Yeah. I don't know. I feel like it's hard to beat.
Ed Carpenter: It is. I agree.
Nate: Now, you gotta think back through.
This is not just racing, this is not just IndyCar, this is not just [00:51:00] professionally. But if you had to pick, what is your favorite Indiana memory?
Ed Carpenter: The Colts winning a Super Bowl wa- was huge. That was a fun time. And Butler's two national championship runs, um, the one, one of which was here, was, was a really, really cool time to, to be in Indy and be downtown.
Nate: I mean, had to have been one of the craziest times to be... Both of those. Like, from winning the Super Bowl to, you know, seeing Butler in the shot.
Ed Carpenter: Like Yeah, even though it did- even though it didn't go in, like it was still just such a, such a massive moment, moment for, really for college basketball, but for Butler, you know, it, it, that one still feels like yesterday.
Nate: I love it. Okay, this is your opportunity to shed some light on a part of the state that more people need to know about. Could be a restaurant, could be a park, could be a place.
Ed Carpenter: Hmm.
Nate: What is a hidden gem in Indiana?
Ed Carpenter: Lake Salamonie I think is a good one.
Nate: Oh. It,
Ed Carpenter: you know, it does have houses on it, so it's pretty, pretty quiet, pretty chill, [00:52:00] but that's, that's my favorite lake to go to in state.
It's not, you know, it's only an hour and a half away. Um-
Nate: Yeah. That's, and that's an uncommon one.
Ed Carpenter: Yeah. So I would go Lake Salamonie.
Nate: That's a
Ed Carpenter: great- If, if you like being out on the water, it's a good place to go.
Nate: That's a great hidden gem. I feel like a lot of times people are like, "Go to Lemon or Sweetwater or Max & Kookie even."
Yeah. Like s- the Salamonie Reservoir.
Ed Carpenter: There you go.
Nate: Let's go. All right. And then finally, uh, we're, this is where we get guest recommendations and learn about other people that are doing incredible things in the state of Indiana. Who's a Hoosier we need to keep on our radar? Someone who's doing big things.
Ed Carpenter: That's the whole team, though. I
Nate: love it.
Ed Carpenter: So, you know, it's, it's hard to single one out. It's a group effort.
Nate: Ed, thank you so much for coming on. Yeah. Thanks for having me. Uh, it's, uh, it's awesome to see your Refusal to give up on your dream. Thank you. You know, whether it was in high school, whether it was in college, whether it was when, you know, a team closes and you have to figure it out, and you take a risk and you start your own team, and then the, the [00:53:00] evolution.
Like, I mean, it is 23 years of grit and perseverance and determination, and I think that's inspiring. Whether they're, you're a kid out there listening that wants to be an IndyCar driver, whether you're a business person out there that is just trying to get to your next round of funding or your next hire or your next big sales deal, like, I think there's a lot to learn from the story of Ed Carpenter.
Appreciate you coming on. If people wanna follow along, if they wanna learn more about you, if they wanna learn more about ECR or Java House, the whole nine yards, where can they do that?
Ed Carpenter: Uh, ECR Indy at all the things.
Nate: At all the things. I love it. Hey, best of luck to you. Uh, obviously as a Hoosier, I feel like I'm saying it at this, at this point, I'm rooting for anyone who's come on the show.
Like, I'm gonna put you all into a hat. There's gonna be, you know, $100 wager for each of you to win the race. Well, stop the,
Ed Carpenter: stop the invites. I don't wanna hurt my odds.
Nate: There we go. We appreciate you stopping by, and we'll talk to you soon.
Ed Carpenter: Thanks, man.
Nate: This show is made possible by our friends up at Sweetwater.
Whether you're looking to start a podcast or take your content to the next level, click the link in the description to see all my gear recommendations at Sweetwater. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at everything we're doing across the state, [00:54:00] make sure you follow me on Instagram and TikTok @natespangle.
Thank you so much for listening and being a part of what makes the Hoosier State great. We'll see you next time here on Get In.
