"He's taking this very personally": IndyCar star calls out NHRA driver's "aggressive" accusation at FOX

Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe has called out NHRA star Bob Tasca for his hot take on FOX's marketing for the American open-wheel racing series. Tasca labeled FOX a "fake news network" for promoting IndyCar as the 'Fastest Racing on Earth', a title he believed should go to the NHRA.

Tasca's argument isn't invalid because NHRA's drag racing cars can reach top speeds of over 340 mph, while Indy cars top out at around 240 mph. However, both are different forms of racing, with Indy cars designed for circuit racing and not simple straight-line runs like drag cars.

James Hinchcliffe, who is now an IndyCar analyst for FOX, remarked that Bob Tasca's take isn't incorrect, but his way of expressing his opinion was aggressive.

"It's very aggressive. Like he's taking this very personally. It's like it was a direct shot at him and his credibility as a member of the motorsports community," Hinchcliffe said on his 'Off track with Hinch and Rossi' podcast. [2:30 onwards]

The 6-time race winner then addressed the comparison, adding:

"Look, I get it. To a certain extent, I understand. Technically, obviously, NHRA cars go faster than Indy cars do. It's a very different kind of racing. I don't think it was asterisked or caveated in the commercials, but look man, it's a new property, they are promoting it, it's the fastest circuit racing in the world. So that just doesn't roll off the tongue the same way, so maybe just let it slide."

Tasca's comments came during a live FOX broadcast. The media giant also airs the drag racing season on its network. Between two runs in Gainsville, Florida, he spoke with a reporter, saying:

"I should be talking about that run right now, but really, to me, I gotta call Fox Sports (out). All winter long we heard about the fastest motor sports on the planet. And I was a little confused because I didn't see (my car). And the truth is, it's an insult to the fans and to the drivers for Fox to go on TV and say that the fastest motor sports in the world is IndyCar. Come on, now. I didn't think it was fake news network on Fox."

Tasca is an NHRA team owner and a Funny Car driver. In February 2024, he became the first NHRA racer to break the 340 mph mark. He set a new top-speed record, going 341.68 mph during qualifying for the PRO Superstar shootout in Bradenton, Florida.

FOX's new broadcast graphic lands IndyCar teams in $350,000 worth of trouble with sponsors

INDYCAR Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Source: Getty

FOX introduced a new in-car graphic for IndyCar at the first race of the 2025 season - the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The F1-styled performance graphic showed vital information to the fans like the speed of the car, the gear number the driver is operating at, their position on the circuit, and their application of the throttle and the brake.

The graphic was positioned right on the inside of the aeroscreen and viewed from the in-car camera. Teams pay $350,000 per entry to IndyCar to have in-car cameras for a season. The teams smartly shift that cost onto the sponsors by giving them valuable screen time by placing their names on the aeroscreen.

However, the overlay graphic prevented the names of the sponsors on the aeroscreen from being shown on the live broadcast. As per RACER, this proved bothersome for some teams. Before the second race, the Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix, on March 23, FOX would be looking to get the issue resolved.