A Bad Way to Start the Month
You were warned on Wednesday that this was coming. You just didn’t know when it would be. After almost a year away, One Take Only is back! For those that are new, back in 2011 – my good friend and now former co-worker, John McLallen and I started doing a video blog called One Take Only. We got the name because we weren’t going to try and be professional about this. We would go into each one totally unscripted, unrehearsed and unedited. If we made a mistake or a flub, we would just leave it in. We tried to make it like two guys talking in a bar. Some have hated these from day one (including family members of mine), while others love them. Those who know us both say they are no different than going to lunch with the two of us.
Unlike me, John grew up in Indianapolis and lived there until the age if thirteen, before moving to Memphis. John is also about two and a half years older than I am. His first Indianapolis 500 was 1964, mine was 1965. We had a chance meeting in Nashville in his office almost twenty years ago. We discovered we both had a love for the Indianapolis 500, and we became friends over that. A few years later, we became co-workers and I eventually became his boss, which was very interesting to say the least.
John moved on and we no longer work together, but we still talk almost every day; and we always get together for the Month of May.
In this episode, we discuss Bill Vukovich, last week’s race weekend at Barber and of course – the upcoming Indianapolis 500. So pour a cup of coffee, or open up an adult beverage depending on the time of day you are watching this. Just remember – you’ve been warned.
George Phillips
Oilpressure 
May 3, 2024 at 9:44 am
Always enjoy the bench racing, y’all.
Also, given the recent funk Indycar and its fanbase seems to be in, I had to double take at this post title even though you have used it before… Haha.
May 3, 2024 at 11:39 am
I don’t know why Oilpressure readers would hate One Take Only. I’ll listen to this shortly.
May 3, 2024 at 6:20 pm
Show up for qualifications Joe….or was it Bill? Love to have photo ops with our favorite One Take Only Guy!!
May 4, 2024 at 3:15 am
I’m looking forward to TK winning this years 500 and maybe Pippa in the top five ! Great stuff and had a smile on my face all the way through!!
May 4, 2024 at 3:35 am
It’s good to see both of you back. Thanks for the new episode. The book review read really interestingly.
George, please don’t dismiss the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. It’s legit, just like Long Beach is. Both have been F1 World Championship rounds before, albeit the Indianapolis Road Course took a break for some years in between F1 and IndyCar, and Long Beach went on right the very next year. Still, they share a legacy that is kind of similar. Yet, the Indianapolis Road Course is a way better track now than when F1 raced there. It would be cool to see IndyCars of today do the steep climb and drop that was part of Long Beach in the 80s.
I enjoyed a lot the great laugh and fun you’ve had with John on the current episode of “One Take Only”. Here’s looking forward to the next episode. The flyover was a nice novelty for this series, though a repeat is not mandatory. Instead, maybe releasing a balloon could bring some track atmosphere to the next episode? 😉
Colton Herta looks really strong this season and Kyle Larson looked really good at the test. Newgarden and Pato are very capable of winning, too. As are Dixon, Palou, their former teammate Ericsson. With the way Rosenqvist has performed this year, he could pull off a Helio as well, and don’t count out the man himself. Neither his former teammate Power. And don’t count out Santino either after his great run from last year. There is just so much talent in this field, it’s incredible.
I hope John would not be offended either if his fan called him Paul. Here’s hoping the real Paul is doing fine, too.
May 4, 2024 at 5:50 am
I agree regarding the Indianapolis Grand Prix. Initially I was ambivalent however over recent years I have come to appreciate the race more. It often throws a curve ball as well and now entering its tenth anniversary I look forward to the race and remember Pagenaud winning three times which is a good memory for a driver we are unlikely to see again on the grid.