Robin Miller's Mailbag for September 14, presented by Honda Racing / HPD

Your questions for Robin should continue to be sent to millersmailbag@racer.com We cannot guarantee we’ll publish all your questions and answers, but Robin will reply to you. And if you have a question about the technology side of racing, Robin will pass these on to Marshall Pruett and he will also answer here.

Q: I want to share a theory on where I think Josef Newgarden is headed for 2017, and get your take. I see several parallels between Sam Hornish and Newgarden. I believe Newgarden will sign with Penske or Ganassi not only because of their stellar IndyCar programs, but it give him the option to get his feet wet in NASCAR if he so desires down the road. Penske has already announced it will go back to two XFINITY teams next year. Chip Ganassi has an XFINITY team and knows there is always the possibility of Kyle Larson leaving his Cup team for a more elite squad such as Hendrick.

I believe Newgarden will stay in IndyCar until he wins an Indy 500 and an IndyCar championship. However, after he accomplishes both, will he leave IndyCar for NASCAR as Hornish did back in 2008? The smart business decision is to go to Penske or Ganassi. The best racing decision is Penske or Ganassi (I hope Ganassi, because he seems like a better owner to drive for and I think the duo of Dixon and Newgarden would kick ass). If you can do me a favor and help push Newgarden to Ganassi to help a longtime IndyCar fan be that much more excited for 2017, that would be great!

Derek, Riverside, CA

Bob in Chesterfield, MI

RM: I think Carlos is highly-rated by a lot of people in the IndyCar paddock and rightly so, but would Penske or Ganassi hire him, or would Ed Carpenter make him the No.1 driver to replace JoNew? I don't think so. He might have a chance with Foyt if they're looking for two drivers in 2017, but everywhere else, he'd probably have to bring money. No chance for Coyne to go with Chevy – Honda wants more proven winners.

Q: Assuming there is an opening at Penske in 2017 and it is not filled by Joseph Newgarden, what are your thoughts on Carlos Munoz or James Hinchcliffe going to Penske? Both drivers are young and have a number of years of quality IndyCar experience, and every year they get a little better, faster and wiser. Munoz is only 24 years old and wickedly fast at the Indy 500, finishing second twice. And you know how important winning the Indy 500 is to Roger. Munoz and Hinchcliffe are two of the top Honda drivers and are just coming into the prime of their racing careers. Your thoughts on these two drivers and their potential future with Team Penske?

Paul Richins, Northern California

RM: Please see my comments about Carlos in the question above yours. As for Hinch, he's got everything The Captain likes and won't be 30 until December. JoNew is only 25 but Power is 35, Simon is 32 and we believe Helio has one more year as a full-timer so it's possible. But James has a contract and a home with SPM, which kept his ride warm while he was recovering, so loyalty might win out. And both he and Munoz would be instant contenders with Penske.

Q: Silly season is here. It seems like Montoya (ABOVE) is out at Penske. My question is, why? He is a big name and I still think he has loads of talent. Helio has not won a race in years, so I don't understand. 

Jeff Loveland, Wisconsin

RM: It could be as simple as the fact Helio still has a year on his contract and JPM doesn't so one of them had to go to make room for Newgarden or Rossi or R.C. Enerson (OK that's a stretch, but the kid has really been impressive). But I can promise you that JPM is still motivated and still fast, and not ready for sports cars and an Indy 500-only deal. And I think Ganassi, Foyt and Carpenter will all make a run at him.

Q: We always hear about "funded drivers" or "ride buyers". My question is, how much cash/sponsorship does Racer X need to bring to land a non- Penske/Ganassi Indy ride? Same question for Marshall if Racer X (non-factory driver) was looking for an IMSA DP ride and an IMSA GTD ride. I look forward to the off-season so I can send in long-winded questions to the Mailbag.

Chris, Ft. Lauderdale

RM: It all depends on the team. Could you run a season with Dale Coyne or KVSH for $3-4 million? Maybe. But most owners want $5-6 million. Here's Marshall's response to sportscars:

"A season of championship-caliber IMSA Prototype competition has crept above the $4 million mark for most teams, and the cost part is always a question. For the select teams that have to find the whole slice on their own, there's no break, but for the teams that rely on a funded driver, it's at least half. On the GTD front, the number is over $3 million for some teams and the price to play is similar to Prototype; some cover all the costs while others split the tab."

Q: What is wrong with the Foyt team? Where does the blame lie for its consistent mediocrity? Is it AJ himself, the involvement of family, sponsor meddling, poor driver choices? The team seems well-funded, but always underperforms and is regularly bested by smaller, poorer teams.

Tony from Toronto

RM: Good question, but A.J. has taken a big step back in the last few years and it's only because of him that ABC Supply hangs in there. I know he's been terribly disappointed this season but it must be a chemistry issue, because Hawksworth was the bomb with Herta just a couple years ago. It looks like all his confidence is gone. Sato is a wonderful guy and capable of being very fast, but how many times can you say "I'm sorry" in four years? It's time for a facelift because ABC deserves better. Would Kanaan and Daly turn things around? Montoya and Munoz? Only one way to find out.

I must say that I was very impressed with the production (it's NBC Sports but with Russian commentators/translators). We was also impressed that the your Russian counterparts were very knowledgeable about the deep history of IndyCar and its predecessors (CART, IRL, and Champ Car) and also their comparisons and favorable differences to Formula 1: they marveled at how Target Chip Ganassi was able to repair Scott Dixon's car in Mid-Ohio, where a Formula 1 team would have retired the car. I count myself very lucky to witness Mid-Ohio in Russia; to hear their excitement for Mikhail (the Russians call him by the endearing, short-form Misha) as he lead the race was pretty cool.

There were also very little interruption of the race for commercials. I believe it was just a station identification and a promotion of the then-upcoming Olympics. By the way, you speak Russian very well. Again, thanks to you and Mikhail for the helpful information! It was great seeing how a different part of the world enjoys IndyCar. I am very pleased to see Gateway back on the schedule. It's less than a half-hour's drive from home so this is definitely a must-attend along with Road America.

Steve in St. Louis

RM: My pleasure. Mikhail has been a breath of fresh air with his honesty, dry sense of humor and outright speed and I think more and more people are taking a liking to him. He gets credit for Russia getting IndyCar races on television and I'm thrilled to know I can finally speak another language at age 66. Please stop me at the next race you attend and I will introduce you and your wife to The Mad Russian.

 

Q: I am hoping like hell that there are some legs to the Ganassi-to-Honda rumor. Honda now obviously realizes that Andretti doesn't cut it as the 'factory' team. Being the ultimate Honda fan, I have bitched from day one about it putting all of its eggs in Andretti's basket with the off-season testing of the aero kit and providing more resources to it when it was obviously not Honda's strongest team.

My question is, why couldn't Honda see this from Day 1? I did. I am sure many others did as well. I can guarantee you that Robert Clarke and Tom Elliott could of seen this a mile away. Look, Honda's first attempt at an aero-kit was a turd, but it would have been a little shinier if a team like Ganassi would have been doing the testing on it with Scott, Tony and Dario providing his expertise behind the scenes instead of Andretti and his stable (excluding RHR). I guarantee the win total wouldn't be as lop-sided as it is today.

It was Honda's fault for falling behind Ilmor on the power front (looks now to be fixed) and it's Honda's fault for hiring Wirth to do the aero kit. But, the biggest blunder was putting faith behind Andretti when you had RLL and SPM right there (I'm pissed just writing this). Obviously, they are now trying to make up for lost time.

Josh R., Salem, OR

RM: Honda is definitely pursuing Ganassi, but whether it's successful remains to be seen. Getting Dixon and Kanaan back would be the impetus, and Bourdais is already in the fold. But before this Ganassi story popped up, I heard that Honda was looking at SPM to be the new factory team. The one-car RLL team kicking Andretti's ass the past two years says it all. And RHR not having Justin's feedback and knowledge set them back even more.

Q: Seems like the racing has been very clean this year, especially compared to some of the other series. What are they doing right? From what I can see they are letting the drivers race, is this because of the seasoned drivers? Or can we give Race Control some credit?

Paul Hirsch, Erie, PA

RM: I think it's the depth of talent, the race-ability and durability of the Dallara and the fact a little respect has crept into the equation. But just like at Texas – it was hairy but everyone took care of each other – for the most part.

Q: Why is there an in-season test at Sonoma 10 days before the teams are scheduled to be on track? It's not a new track, or a track with major changes (as far as I am aware). For a series that does not have a lot of money to spare, it does not seem like a good use of time. If they thought teams needed more time on the track, could they just have not done it the Thursday before the regular schedule?

Anthony, Raleigh, NC

RM: Because sometimes people in charge don't understand the workload on the mechanics and the budget restraints most teams face. But, thankfully, Jay Frye listened to his paddock and this kind of non-sense will not be taking place in 2017. But testing a week before the race at a track 2,000 miles away is idiotic.

Q: Kudos to IndyCar for great racing and a good 2016 schedule, especially the road courses and ovals. At the beginning of the year nobody expected the Boston debacle would turn into IndyCar to running five of the best road courses in Barber, Road America, Mid Ohio, Watkins Glen, and Sonoma in the same season! The addition of Phoenix to the oval schedule was good for the sport and fans, and returned them to a track, like Road America, they should have never left. Throw in the well-established street courses of St. Pete, Long Beach, and Toronto, and the schedule is the most diverse racing series on earth. You know the schedule is solid when your worst venue of the year is Bell Isle, but at least it's a double-header six days after Indy.

It's also great news that IndyCar is going back to St. Louis in 2017 for another racy oval in the midwest. The only drawback for 2017 is the three-week lull between Mid Ohio and Pocono in August, but it could be argued that results in the final four races run over the last five weekends of the season to finish strong. This year's schedule had a similar lull due to the Olympics. Any idea why three weeks of no racin' after the series has established momentum over the spring and early summer?

Mike Hickman, Beech Grove, IN

RM: Boston turned out to be a blessing because it gave us Watkins Glen, but I think that gap you're speaking of could be reserved for Portland in 2018.

Q: I have been enjoying all the racing coverage on NBC Sports but I expected someone to thank Boston for canceling their race which led to the great event at The Glen. I am wondering why IndyCar avoids penalizing Penske team cars. I could cite lots of cases, but qualifying at the Glen was a perfect example. Power impeded two other cars in different sessions and was not penalized, while others were penalized. At Indy Power got a milder penalty for the same infraction in the pits as another driver - I think it was Hunter-Reay.

Larry Simmers, Boston, MA

RM: I thought the penalty on Aleshin was lame because he made every effort to get out of Power's way but it just appears like Team Penske may not get penalized. Helio has his Edmonton win taken away a few years ago on a very suspect call and Power got docked for blocking Montoya at Pocono a couple years back. But thanks for watching NBCSN.

 

Q: The Glen was an incredible weekend that we will not forget anytime soon. As a Canadian, it was crushing to see Hinch run out of gas right in front of us on the last lap. However, the team rolled the dice and - in racing - sometimes these things happen. He drove a heck of a race, and got a nice ovation from the crowd in the Jackie Stewart Grandstand. Class move by SeaBass to give him a ride back to the pits! Old School stuff!

Full marks to Scott Dixon. Total domination. The IndyCar version of Alain Prost, for sure. Never looks spectacular, but simply goes out and dominates when everything comes together, just as it did on Sunday. Forty wins in his career, and I have been lucky enough to see eight of them live. And his performance in qualifying was breathtaking. To see a guy obliterate the lap record on a track as demanding as Watkins Glen was a real treat. So glad to see a horrible situation with Boston turned out to be a massive success with Watkins Glen. Nice crowd with such a short time to promote it.

I can understand the situation with working with the Ferrari Club to make it happen this season, but next year they have got to have more racing. At least double-headers for the Lights, Mazdas and F-2000's to go along with the IndyCars. I was fortunate to see four Indy Car races live this year (Indy, Road America, Pocono and Watkins Glen - along with Fan Friday in Toronto), and they were four amazing races. Thanks to Michael Printup, Jay Frye and everyone for making it happen.

Paul, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

RM: The crowd was so much better than I expected due to the short time (90 days) to promote it and I think it was encouraging for IndyCar and The Glen. More support races are definitely in the plans. Dixon is a stud and just keeping cranking out wins in his methodical manner.

Q: I don't think Felix Serralles missed a shift in the Lights' finale at Laguna. Both teams and both drivers were strong all season. While teams orders always can come into play in races, the way the 2016 Indy Lights championship was decided leaves a bad taste.

Ralph Power, Indianapolis

RM: I think Marshall said it best: "team orders in the ladder system, that's not right." And you feel for Urrutia. Here's what he said afterward:

"As a driver and as a team, we did our best and gave one-hundred percent all season. We made some mistakes but we won races, podiums, pole positions, top fives... we had a great season. We didn't close it and didn't win the championship but it is what it is and I'll focus on getting the sponsorship to race again next year for a second chance. As a rookie, I think I did a good job and the team helped me a lot. Only two drivers had the chance to win the championship on the last race and I was one of those drivers. I don't have a lot of words to say but thank you to Mazda, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and everyone who helped me to race this year. It was a great year and I'm pretty sure that next year we're going to win this championship."

Q: Had a great time at Watkins Glen and was surprised to see some decent passing back in the pack. A big thanks to all to get this historic track back on the IndyCar calendar. I was hoping to see more of a turnout but it was still a decent crowd. This got me thinking this is a perfect track for standing starts and double file restarts. Shame IndyCar got rid of them. Any indication if they are being looked at again?

Happy Indy fan, Tom, Geneseo, NY

RM: I liked the flying start at The Glen because it's long enough and wide enough, but for street circuits like Long Beach and Toronto, standing starts should be imperative. And double-file restarts on all ovals plus Elkhart Lake and The Glen. But, sadly, I doubt we'll ever see either one return.

Q: Just attended Watkins Glen for the first time and enjoyed it greatly. What do you think about the IndyCars running the short course there? We go to Mid-Ohio every year. A race of the same distance is 90 laps at Mid-Ohio compared to 60 at WGI. A fan, viewing from any point, gets to see them go by more often at Mid-Ohio and there is not as long a wait each time before they come around again. Also, I did not even know the town of Watkins Glen has a Grand Prix festival on the Friday after Labor Day each year. I did not plan for it and could not stay. It seems the town and WGI should get the events together so the festival could be the Friday before the race or something. That would bring it all together for one great weekend.

Rog Merritt, Columbus, Ohio

RM: I hear what you're saying but it would be sacrilegious to have IndyCars not run the full circuit at The Glen. And maybe they'll add a few more laps next year to try and avoid any fuel mileage finishes.

Q: Couldn't have asked for a better weekend at The Glen for IndyCar's return. Great weather all weekend, good crowd for such short notice, and fast cars setting fast lap after fast lap. Only complaint was the lack of support races. Hopefully for next year they can get the other Mazda Road to Indy series or Robby Gordon's trucks. Also how great is Mr. Chicken and the Seneca Lodge?

Steve L., Scotia, NY

RM: I think there will be a full compliment of Mazda Road to Indy races in 2017 and it was nice of the Ferrari Club to share the weekend with IndyCar. I love Mr. Chicken and the photos on the wall at the Seneca Lodge are priceless.

 

Q: Someone mentioned something in the Mailbag about sprint races at the Glen. How about Saturday qualifying heats on the short course 10 laps long? Make sure teams are allowed to change aero bits between the race and qualifying. I hazard a guess the average speed would break 165 mph as it is effectively a four-turn right-turn oval plus the inner loop. If it isn't safe enough to run the short course so be it, but man, would that make for an exciting event. Either that or run the feature on Saturday and a sprint on Sunday. Practice times can determine the grids for the heats.

IndyCar is exploring the idea of a non-points race overseas. Trash that idea and take advantage of the short layout at the Glen for some fireworks in a race that matters. My Labor Day plans are set in stone every year, but I'd have a hard time not making a trip to see that in person.

Ryan in West Michigan

P.S. I am actually laughing at my desk at the idea of these cars on the short course. The speeds would be mind-blowing. I can't imagine how much faster they'd be than the Cup cars. Twenty-five seconds?

RM: If you could find a good sponsor so those sprints would be financially worthwhile, they would make good television and add a dimension to Saturday (and keep qualifying on Friday). I favor twin 125s for ovals and double-headers for street races, so this would be cool if it paid enough to justify the risk vs the reward. Although the IndyCar race purse doesn't do that, so maybe it's not that crucial. I'd like to start a Cup car on a lap of The Glen (using the real course) and give it a 15-second head start before you send the IndyCar and see how long it would take to catch up.

Q: The Glen was my third IndyCar race this year and I know it was thrown together to replace Boston, but it was a great track. However, the management at Watkins Glen was horrible. We were seated at Seneca Grandstand outside Turn 1. Concession stand was closed. People were drinking water out of bathroom faucets. No Jumbotron. They have one at the NASCAR race. The PA system was either broken or no sound check was done. No staff anywhere near the grandstands in case of emergency. No staff to control parking. Very disappointed in the lack of respect for the fans! The only highlight was the awesome fireworks. I watched the race next day and was amazed how much action was missed. Great job in the booth. Paul Tracy is awesome.

Doug from PA.

RM: I sent your letter to Michael Printup but I think there was so little amenities because IndyCar rented the track and it wasn't a full-blown ISC event. That's no excuse for no concessions or big screens, and I heard a lot of complaints about nobody directing traffic. But I think it will be much better in 2017 and IndyCar is aware of the shortcomings. Thanks for your support.

Q: Great weekend, beautiful weather and a much better crowd than it looked like on TV, as most Glen watchers tend to want to picnic in the track interior rather than sit on those hot aluminum bleachers. Only one thing was puzzling: where were the large video boards that I see everywhere now from St. Pete to Indy? They make a huge difference in being able to keep up with the race. Was it because the race was added so late that they couldn't arrange for the boards to be brought in? Are they planning on them being there for next year's race (I hope)?

Steve C., Ithaca, NY

RM: IndyCar says it will bring two or three portable screens to The Glen next year to supplement the one permanent screen so that should help.

Q: IndyCar and the Glen scored 100% for what it offered the fans. I could not have been closer to the action, which was a big thrill. A lot happened in Turn 1 and we were right there! We hiked up to the stands along the Esses during the race. Wow, talk about speed! Next year I plan to investigate other track areas during the race. We were spoiled with the proximity to the paddock and the pits. I imagine the prices will increase, but hoping not too much. Having infield access for $50 was a well- spent expense. Can't imagine frying in the stands instead. Two things we mildly grouse about were the lack of a big screen on our side of the track and that the race was too short. More please.

Deb Schaeffer, Los Angeles

RM: I think you came the furthest so congrats and glad you experienced walking around The Glen. The cars were awesome in the corners and it even took a few drivers' breath away – driving and watching. I think IndyCar is looking at adding laps in 2017.

 

Q: What's it going to take to get Alex Zanardi to be the grand marshal at an IndyCar race? About three years ago I suggested via Mailbag that we have former drivers in their former mounts drive ahead of pace cars to start races. My idea was that Al, Jr. would drive the Domino's car at Long Beach, Michael Andretti would start off Toronto in a K-Mart car, have Alex Gurney pace the Sears Point race in Dan's stock block Eagle Ford, etc. The "Pineapple" remains wildly popular in the US, and maybe he would enjoy the hero's welcome he would receive.

David Lind, Alexandria, LA

RM: I sent your inquiry to Mark Miles and Doug Boles and I'd love see Zanardi drive the pace car at the Indy 500. He was the official starter at Toronto in 2002 and that was wildly popular with the fans. But Alex is a busy man so it might have to wait a few more Mays.

Q: I'm sure this point is slightly pedantic but can't we standardize the name of a chicane used to slow down traffic? After Tommy Kendall's horrendous wreck with the Intrepid at Watkins Glen, the track built the "inner loop" to slow the approach for the Boot. It was never called a 'Bus Stop." Likewise, Portland had the "Festival chicane". Also never referred to as the Bus Stop. Spa which had a real sus stop at that point on the street course, accurately called it the "Bus Stop" but, since they remodeled the track, the real bus stop is gone. I don't remember what they call that piece of track at Daytona but it's also referred to as the ... you guessed it, Bus Stop. I'm guessing that people that don't know the origin of the term still use it to impress their girlfriend. Enough. Can't we make this a banned phrase?

Vince from Akron

RM: I try not to give it too much thought but it does resemble a bus stop. Except it looked like a short straightaway as fast as the IndyCars were going through it.

Q: Please excuse my ignorance, but in a few road races this year, the radio announcers referred to the "bus stop" section of the course. Can you describe or show a picture of what configuration creates a bus stop?

Lee from Woodbury, MN

RM: See answer above, Lee.

Q: Why does an American company want F1? I don't like what Liberty Media could do to IndyCar. Obviously they are going to try to market to America more, sign a ICS driver, tracks ... Brings back memories of the split, even though they are completely different. Your thoughts?

Don, Minneapolis

RM: They obviously feel like F1 is an untapped oil field and here's a comment that might clarify the purchase:

Liberty Media's entry into motorsports brings more TV savvy to Formula 1, which has an estimated global audience of at least 400 million viewers. But the sport has been mired by lower ratings, and by Ecclestone's own admission, Formula 1 hasn't been able to make money from social media, he told Eurosport. Liberty Media, along with [Chase] Carey's leadership as chairman, has the ability to maximize Formula 1's value to broadcasters and corporate sponsors, according to analysts at Macquarie Capital.

Q: I was doing some reading about Tony Stewart's future and remembered that Tony has ruled out having an IndyCar team due to cost, time, etc. That seems like a familiar refrain he's had regarding anything to do with IndyCar since leaving for Cup. I mean, there are many ways he could re-establish a connection with the sport that propelled him to success. From being a part time race steward, partnering up with a team as a co-owner or even coaching (like Rick Mears). He seems to not want to have anything to do with IndyCar other than being a fan (which is OK I guess; his life of course!) Put on your mind-reading hat. What's the deal? Nothing really interests him over in IndyCar?

Doug Baggett

RM: I don't think he was interested as long as he was driving in Cup but I do think he'll field a team some day at the Indy 500. It's too much a part of his life. Switching from Chevy to Ford in NASCAR could slow that process for a few years, although R.P. makes it work.

Q: I attended my first Angie's List Grand Prix and I went because I live in Peru and the GA ticket is worth the price of admission on race day. I think they should open the garage area to all fans if they want this to grow, and I'm sorry but this race is nothing special. It's not a race I'd go out of my way to see, or travel a great distance if i wasn't local. If I were to travel I'd go to Birmingham, Long Beach, or Elkhart Lake before I'd make a special trip for this race. To finish up I went out to Kokomo Speedway last Friday for the first time since 1989 (I've been in Florida for the past 25 years) for the Bryan Clauson memorial races. What a show, I forgot how much I love some dirt track action, and the USAC Sprints did not disappoint. They've got a great product - why not bring back Thursday Night Thunder?

Kris Branch, Peru, Indiana

RM: I like that idea and it worked at The Glen because anyone with a ticket got paddock access. USAC sprints and midgets are still the best and Kokomo Speedway showcases them both. I'd love to see NBCSN go for a Thursday night USAC show.

 

Q: Racing is not dead at The Milwaukee Mile. Milwaukee wants to be back on the IndyCar schedule. Not to bitch about Belle Isle, that's for experts like you Robin to do. Just try changing their dates so Milwaukee is the first week after Indy like it was. The Milwaukee Mile park director who tore down some stands has been fired. The new Milwaukee Mile park director was quoted by BizTimes: "We lost a race this year. We thought we'd have Andretti (Sports Marketing as a promoter), but Indyfest ended," Yingling said. "It's a little over $1 million to get (an IndyCar race). It's pay to play. We know we're behind the eight ball, but there is history here, and the debt. The thing about it is, we're not going to retire (the racetrack)."

Bob, Milwaukee

RM: Thanks for this update Bob. We saw what Elkhart Lake did with the proper date and starting time and that's exactly what could happen in Milwaukee. But it has to be the week after the Indy 500 and start at 1 p.m. Detroit is fine, just not the week after the biggest race of the year.

Q: I have been to Indy in 1984, the Springfield Mile for bikes, Sun Prairie for midgets and Silver Crown, Brainerd for Superbikes and Road America for everything. I have stood on the start line for a Top Fuel race at Topeka, and almost got run over by a Jag GTP up at RA when I was pit crewing for a Trans Am team. I even hot lapped Milwaukee with my father in a 1970 Ford Country Squire station wagon in 1972 right after the Indy cars qualified and fans were still in the stands (Dad drove for the Marchese's).

But, until two weeks ago I had never seen anything as awe-inspiring as being at Isle of Man for a TT. I spent five days there for the Classic races. Watching guys hang it out on two wheels on country roads that aren't safe at 60 mph let alone 180 mph. There is almost no prize money, it is for love of the course and glory. Nothing but pure racing. Watch this video if you need proof; it is the greatest racing event in the world. It would be cool if RACER started covering the three TT events held each summer. If you can, you should go.

Tim Peters

RM: I had the privilege of meeting Mike "The Bike" Hailwood at Long Beach once year and spent 20 minutes interviewing him about The Isle of Man. He said it was wildest, fastest, craziest and most dangerous thing he'd ever done and he couldn't get enough of it. It was breathtaking watching him on old videos from the '60s and '70s and today it's insanity! Love to go some day.

Q: I'm 27, I'm French and I shouldn't really be a typical IndyCar fan! My passion for racing began back in 1999 when I started watching Formula 1 races. In 2003 I discovered a channel which broadcast Champ Car and IRL races, and I became a fan instantly. In Europe, everything revolves around Formula 1, but IndyCar races interested me due to its authentic side and cool that F1 had lost long ago.
This sport is accessible thanks to the proximity that people can have with the drivers and cars. IndyCar is real racing because of different driving skills required to drive these beautiful, powerful turbo-engine cars.

Since the merge and more with the new car, the increased level of driver talent and the fact that everyone uses almost similar cars makes races very exciting. I hope IndyCar management has a vision for the future. I also hope nobody will make a parallel championship again. I am happy to finally see stability on the schedule and I hope to see a return of some tracks to further increase quality and diversity of the championship.

We already have the return of real road courses like Road America and Watkins Glen. Cleveland was a popular track, it would be good to see it again on a Saturday night race like in 2003. In terms of image, IndyCar must think of new markets, including the millennials. There is not just television nowadays, racing could be broadcasted live on Indycar website for an annual subscription (remember Champ Car's Race Director) and viewable everywhere commercia- free (in France you can watch a four-hour NASCAR race without advertising).

Imagine if we can choose cameras angle and comments we want from fans or from newspapers/television journalists (commentators are very important to generate interest in a sport).

The Indy 500 has everything to make the perfect show, more than any other race, going from excitement to drama in a split second. IndyCar should have for half the best American drivers (including NASCAR drivers, think Larson, Johnson ...) and the other half the best global drivers (Vettel, Alonso ...) for the Indy 500, it would become an All-Star Race. Can you recommend some good books on the CART period? I hope to make a trip to the United States one day and attend the Indy 500 and meet you Robin! Allez Simon Pagenaud et Sébastien Bourdais !

Thomas, Normandie, France

RM: Glad to hear IndyCar has a passionate fan in France and you are able to watch all the races. We all want to go back to Cleveland but it needs a big-time sponsor and promoter. I think you'll see Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch run the Indy 500 soon but not Johnson, and the only F1 driver might be Alonso after he quits McLaren. Good books about the CART period are Beast, Rapid Response, Alex Zanardi Story, Gordon Kirby's bios on Bobby Rahal and Rick Mears, and any of the Autosport annuals. Kirby is writing the definitive book on American open wheel racing and it will be coming out in the next year. Go to Coastal181.com to find those books or Amazon.com.