The beef between Roger Penske and Michael Andretti has turned into a full-blown soap opera, with everyone throwing in their two cents. TJ Majors was the first to drop his thoughts about Andretti’s comments on Roger Penske having lost his zest for pouring cash into the competition. As the IndyCar squads hit St. Petersburg for the start of the 2024 season, the buzz has been more about how the series runs and its growth than the actual races. Now, we’ve got another NASCAR insider tossing another jab at Michael Andretti and his crew.

Fans do not know much about Indycar drivers, says Freddie Kraft

In a recent episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast, when the dust-up between Roger Penske and Michael Andretti was on the table, TJ Majors didn’t mince words. He pointed out that despite IndyCar’s popularity, most fans can’t name the drivers, except maybe the Andrettis. But one look at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway under Roger Penske’s watch shows you the man’s impact—the place is spotless.

Echoing the same sentiment, NASCAR’s own Freddie Kraft threw some shade on Twitter, aiming at Michael Andretti. He said, “I may catch a lot of shit from y’all for saying this but to add on to my DBC comments…. Bob Pockrass is more famous than half the current Indy car drivers. Fair?”

The comments have come after Michael Andretti, head honcho at Andretti Global, let loose his grievances about Penske Entertainment Corp. and Roger Penske’s stewardship of the series, particularly their investment—or perceived lack thereof—in the sport. Dropping these bombs before the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Andretti stirred the pot, prompting some heated back-and-forths with Penske’s top brass.

And while he already got an answer to his comments when Roger Penske’s driver, Josef Newgarden, dominated the Indycar pole position, NASCAR’s executives are not backing off from giving it back properly to the Indycar owner. Also, adding to that, Scott McLaughlin and Will Power also snagged third and fourth [the Indycar pole], leaving Andretti’s crew in the dust. Plus, Ryan Blaney’s topping the charts in NASCAR. All in all, Team Penske is now leading the points in every series they compete in.

Not to mention, it’s not just the executives; even fans agree with TJ Majors and Freddie Kraft on their comments about Roger Penske, NASCAR, and Indycar.

The Roger Penske vs. Michael Andretti controversy

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Kraft’s take on IndyCar drivers versus NASCAR’s own Bob Pockrass stirred the pot, but not in the way he expected. Far from backlash, fans piled on with nods of agreement. One fan pondered, “I mean it’s hard to argue against that. You’re right. Whose actual fault is that? Is that Indy’s fault or the drivers? Or does it just speak to how amazing Bob has been at his job in the much more popular NASCAR? I’m honestly not sure. Good random take from you. Makes ya go hmmm.”

Others chimed in with their limited IndyCar driver recognition, listing just a handful of names: “Probably is. Off the top of my head, I can only think about Josef Newgarden, Tony Kanan, and Will Power. That’s basically it for current Indycar drivers for me.” One joked about personal affections, saying, “I told Bob I loved him, I’ve never told an Indy car driver I loved them 😂.”

NASCAR Insider Defends Roger Penske After Public Attacks Over IndyCar Shenanigans by Michael Andretti

Further echoing Bubba Wallace‘s spotter’s point, comments ranged from, “I couldn’t tell you a single Indy car driver,” to “I couldn’t name 1 Indy driver aside from Castranovas who I learned about through SRX,” and “I’d have to agree. I have always loved Indycar. Being from East Illinois, & my Dad going to IMS for the Indy 500 several times made us fans. However, you are right: zero promotion! However, the side by side only commercials during green flag racing is great!”

A few simply nodded in agreement, underscoring the sentiment with, “That is 100% true” and “LMAO, you’re not wrong. 😆🤷‍♂️.”

What’s your take on this NASCAR vs. IndyCar fame face-off? Drop your thoughts below.