Friday kicked off a historic weekend in Detroit on Belle Isle and this will be the final time the Grand Prix will run on the island before moving the race to the streets of downtown Detroit.
This week, on “Live in The D”, Jason Carr was joined by one of the 33 drivers racing on Belle Isle. NTT IndyCar Series driver for the Meyer Shank Racing Team, Simon Pagenaud, discussed the upcoming race.
Pagenaud reminisced about his first win on the island for the IndyCar Series back in 2013 and he says it was a special moment.
“I worked so hard to get to that point and was my first dream being accomplished. I have great memories of that first win here in Detroit and especially Belle Isle. It’s a bit of a farewell this year but I will try to bring some French magic to it,” he said.
Pagenaud is known for winning the IndyCar Championship in 2016 and also the Indy 500 in 2019 while driving for Team Penske. When asked about the thrill of winning and if it ever wears off, Simon says no, never! He explains, “The more you win, the more you want it. The more you know how to do it, it becomes tougher because the young kids are coming up, trying to push you even harder.”
When Jason asked about Simon’s dog Norman, he says reporters often ask more questions about his pup than about his own actual racing!
Expect to see Pagenaud again next year when the race is moved from Belle Isle to the city streets downtown.
Pagenaud also shared his favorite restaurant in Detroit. To see where he likes to go, and see the full interview, watch the video above.