Joost Blog

I may be writing this blog post in between applying Aloe Vera to my newly sunburned skin, but man, was it worth it.

A few of us from Joost's New York office had the great fortune to spend the weekend down in Florida to attend the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg as guests of IndyCar. The plan was to meet with some of the best and brightest from IndyCar on Saturday, to discuss their partnership with Joost and some of the cool things we both have planned for the platform. Then Sunday was Fun Day, as we got to experience some IndyCar racing up close and personal.

The Saturday meeting went great. We gave IndyCar some updates regarding what's been going on with Joost around the world, and what everyone can expect to see from us in the near future. Then it was their turn to show us what they have been up to. These guys have some impressive plans for their channels on Joost. Expect to see a lot of great things from IndyCar, like classic racing moments, robust overlays, and cool new original programming. It's great to work with a partner as motivated as this group.

Once the business was out of the way, Sunday was all about getting in touch with the IndyCar experience. And they couldn't have been more gracious hosts. The day started out with a visit to the Paddock, to meet with the Vision Racing team and check out the IndyVision/Joost cars. All of us were beside ourselves to see the Joost logo on the side of an IndyCar. It was definitely a big moment for us as a company.

Then it was off to the Vision Racing pit to watch the Indy Pro Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. For a bunch of racing newbies, we were shocked by the speeds and sounds of live racing, especially when watching it trackside. Television just doesn't do justice to the true power of these cars.

After watching Alex Lloyd win the checkered flag, we were off for a pace car ride around the track. Retired driver Robbie Buhl brought us for a white-knuckled trip around the St. Petersburg course, talking us through the track from a driver's point of view and giving us a good scare or two around some of the corners.

After a quick lunch in the IndyCar Series Hospitality tent, it was off to the big event. We took our seats up in the suites above the grandstands, and after popping in some much needed ear protection; we watched the first half of the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, we had to catch a plane back to New York, and missed the second half. But as soon as we got on the flight, we fired up DirectTV to see that Indy star Helio Castroneves had won the race for a second consecutive year.

Overall, it was a terrific weekend. Not only did we get to hear about all of the great plans IndyCar has for Joost, but we got to experience their product first-hand. I think it's safe to say we're both excited to be working with each other.

Be sure to checkout the IndyCar Series channel on Joost. No sunscreen needed.

(A special thanks to Jarrod and Brian at IndyCar/IMS for all of their hard work putting this weekend together.)