NNCGR: Bradley Goldberg, Lead Engineer

Name: Bradley Goldberg

Team: Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing

Position: Lead Engineer

Total 500s participated in: 11

At-track duties: I’m responsible for the overall setup for car, driver needs and race strategy — comparable to the head coach in football. I make sure the team is on-track and focused.

Away-from-track duties: I’m responsible for overall design work and for keeping the car competitive mechanically and technically. I do report write-ups (test and race), keep track of progress for future races, handle day-to-day for the team, and make adjustments for the driver in preparation for the next race.

Favorite part of the Month of May: Being on the grid, hearing The Command and seeing all of the fans. There is no other feeling like that, which is why I love racing and why I love what I do. It’s all about the history — the whole month comes down to that one moment.

Most challenging part of the Month of May: Pole Day/qualifications. The car is at its most fragile state, and making the smallest changes to the car can make or break the run. We’re always looking for just a tenth of a mile to beat the guy in front while walking the line of being fast and being out of control. We have to be very well-prepared and know how to react to the car.  Driver confidence is key, so it’s our job to make sure we communicate every change to Charlie so that he is fully prepared as well. One bad move can end the day, which makes the pre-race ceremonies even more worth it and another reason it’s my favorite part about the month.  You know you made it and you want to be a part of the beginning of the race.

Favorite 500 memory: Greatest memory was being part of the 2008 winning team with Scott Dixon. I also have to add the 2008 500 festival, the first mini-marathon of my life. It was a huge challenge for me, and I have ran every mini-marathon since. I was deemed pre-diabetic because of my weight challenges towards the end of 2006. In 2007, I wanted to make a change and knew that’s what I had to do to stay healthy. In 2008, I started running, lost 70 lbs and reached my goal to compete in the 500 Festival mini-marathon. It was an unbelievable feeling of accomplishment for me to cross that finish line of my first mini-marathon, and it’s all because of the 500. It’s also very cool to be able to run on the greatest track in the world — not to mention running on the track for the first time the same year our team won the Indy 500, a moment I’ll never forget.

Favorite way to spend a day off after Indy: May 31st is my birthday, so it would be spending my birthday with my family and wife after the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. A typical day off would include running, getting away from the day-to-day and having that time to think. I’m an avid outdoors man and love to hike in the woods — that’s where you’ll find my entire family on a weekend off. It’s the polar opposite of a race track; it’s my balance after the stresses at the track.

What participating in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing means to you: Everything above. It’s the good and the bad times of racing. It’s the history. I grew up five miles from IMS, and as a kid I would head to the track from school to catch the last bit of practice during the Month of May. I always knew this is what I wanted to do — it’s my dream. It’s why I love being a part of racing and why I continue to be dedicated to the sport. We race for the Indy 500. It’s all about the history, dreams, and heroes that have been made. There is no way to put the emotion of Race Day on paper — it’s truly an incredible race. The only way to truly understand is to live it because this one race means everything to those who dedicate their lives to racing.