If you live in Indianapolis, you know the Month of May.
You know the traffic, the checkered flags on the porches, and the party in the Snake Pit.

But do you know the rest of the season?

We are Alaina and Mark. We started The Bench Racer because we realized that living in the Racing Capital of the World doesn't automatically make you a race fan. In fact, for a lot of people, the sport feels impossible to break into.

The Expert & The Convert: We come from two very different starting grids.

Mark is the obsessed one. Following IndyCar is a family tradition. He knows the stats, the history, and the engineering. Alaina is the born-and-raised Hoosier who, for a long time, thought the racing was just background noise. To her, it looked like cars "just going in circles" (even though, ironically, most of the schedule is street and road courses).

It took a lot of conversations for Mark to translate the sport for Alaina. He broke down the drama, the teams, the physics, and the politics until she finally realized: IndyCar is incredible.

But we also realized: It shouldn't take marrying a superfan to understand the sport.

Welcome to The Bench Racer.

We are here to bridge the gap between casual "Indy residents" and die-hard "IndyCar fans." We want to make the whole season as exciting and accessible as the Indy 500.

Here is how we do it:

• The Podium Predictor: Think of this as "Fantasy IndyCar" without the headache. You don't need a spreadsheet. Just pick who you think will finish Top 3 for each race. It’s low stakes, high fun, and the best way to start caring about who is in the cockpit.
• No "Stupid" Questions: We break down the news and the basics, from tire strategy to team drama, in plain English. No gatekeeping allowed.
• The Local Scoop: We track down the best watch parties, driver meet-and-greets, and events in Indy and the suburbs so you can meet other fans in real life.

Whether you've been watching for thirty years or you just want to know what the heck "push-to-pass" means, grab a seat on the bench. We’re glad you’re here.

- Alaina & Mark