
The Will Marotti Show
Milwaukee Mile Doubleheader & Business of Speed with Chris King and Lali Michelsen
The pits are open for a high-octane episode featuring maximum horsepower and deep IndyCar debate! First, NHRA Funny Car driver and professional firefighter Chris King joins host Will Marotti to break down the intense reality of handling a 12,000-horsepower nitro-burning beast. Chris reveals the crucial chassis modifications his team made, what it takes to survive 6G acceleration and 5G parachute deceleration, and the terrifying moment his chutes failed at 300 MPH in Dallas. Then, Lali Michelsen, co-host of the Business of Speed, steps in to recap the wild Milwaukee IndyCar doubleheader. From Pato O'Ward sweeping both races in 24 hours to Alex Palou capturing his historic fifth championship in six years, Will and Lali dive deep into the ultimate debate: Is Alex Palou already an all-time GOAT alongside Foyt, Andretti, and Dixon? Our Guests Today: - Chris King: Lieutenant firefighter on Chicago's North Side and NHRA Nitro Funny Car driver competing at the highest level of drag racing with his team's modified DSR Hemi package. - Lali Michelsen: Co-founder of Business of Speed, motorsports media consultant, content creator, and passionate IndyCar and Formula 1 insider. Inside This Episode: - 00:00:24 - Show Opening & SpeedSport 1 Welcome - 00:01:51 - Episode Preview: Drag Racing & IndyCar - 00:02:30 - Milwaukee Doubleheader Recap: Pato O'Ward's Historic Sweep - 00:03:31 - Alex Palou's 5th Championship & GOAT Trajectory - 00:06:16 - Introducing NHRA Funny Car Driver Chris King - 00:07:55 - Chris King on Firefighter Life & US Nationals Prep - 00:08:44 - Chassis Upgrades & New Competition Products Livery - 00:11:34 - Engineering a 2008 Nitro Chassis to Run in the 3.90s - 00:14:03 - Handling 12,000 HP & 6G Acceleration Forces - 00:17:43 - Extreme Visibility Challenges Inside a Funny Car Cockpit - 00:22:41 - Near Misses & Parachute Failures at 300 MPH - 00:31:28 - US Nationals Thursday Night Fan Event in Indy - 00:33:53 - Lali Michelsen Joins The Pits Are Open - 00:35:18 - Pato O'Ward's Double Victory & Fan X-Factor - 00:41:34 - Inside McLaren Hospitality & F1 Industry Interest - 00:45:32 - The Ultimate Debate: Is Alex Palou an IndyCar GOAT? - 00:51:03 - Business of Speed Updates & Final Race Predictions Sponsor & Social Links: - Schaeffer Manufacturing: https://www.schaefferoil.com - SpeedSport: https://www.speedsport.com - America’s Christian Credit Union: https://www.americaschristiancu.com/pits - SVS Insiders: https://www.svsinsiders.com - Show Website: https://thepitsareopen.com #IndyCar #NHRA #DragRacing #ChrisKing #LaliMichelsen #AlexPalou #PatoOWard #MilwaukeeMile #Motorsports #ThePitsAreOpen #BusinessOfSpeed #SpeedSport #NitroFunnyCar

