Robin Miller's Mailbag for August 30, 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 was just wondering what your thoughts were about Josef's move at Gateway? I saw nothing wrong with it. Simon did a dirtier move on him on the restart, but I guess he thought that was OK. I'm a big fan of JoNew, and I haven't been a fan of a Penske driver for quite a while (PT comes to mind, after the legends). I'm a fan because of what he did before Penske, and I knew he could rule if given a chance in a top ride. It was great to be at Gateway and see the crowd.

Craig Stewart, Paoli, IN

RM: I thought it was the essence of why people drive racecars. A young, talented kid going after a championship took advantage of a small opening and made the pass of the season. I loved it and so did the fans, judging by their reaction.

Q: Wow, the kid schooled the veterans at Gateway! The kid said it was great to battle the veteran (in the yellow car), a lane opened up, he was sorry they touched, but glad the veteran (in the yellow car) didn't go into the wall. The veteran didn't see it that way! The veteran (in the yellow car) didn't have anything good to say about the kid/his move, so he didn't say anything! Whoa, what happened to the "one for all, all for one, Good for Team Penske" feelings? The veteran in the gold/white car, he wasn't too happy with the outcome either. If you were to be a fly on the wall for the Team Penske debrief, what do you think would be said? Don't you think the fans got their money's worth?

Tony Mezzacca, Madison, NJ

Q: We had a fantastic time watching all the action live at Pocono, and are looking forward to camping and catching all the action at Watkins Glen for the second year in a row. Our question is about 'the pass' at Gateway. We loved the pass, but are undoubtedly biased Josef fans, and we can see where Simon was not happy about the 'bump and run' by his teammate. So what did the other drivers and owners think? Was it a great, gutsy pass or a little too forceful?

Jarod, Makenna and Alexandra
The 321 IndyCar Kids

RM: It was a gutsy pass on a track that was hard to pass on, and I'm glad Newgarden had the balls to execute it. I didn't ask anyone else what they thought because the only people that mattered (in the grandstands and watching television) seemed delighted with it.

Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ

RM: I hope there's a rift because hate is good for competition but I don't think this will linger and blow up into a Tracy/Unser or Mario/Mansell situation because Roger Penske and Tim Cindric probably won't let it.

Q: I wanted to say how amazing it was to watch Newgarden pass Pagenaud for the win Saturday night. I've been an open-wheel, mostly CART, fan for a long time now. I became a fan back when Zanardi was dominating the series with his aggressive, no-fear driving. Some of the best racing I've ever seen was when Tracy, Zanardi, and Moore were still in the series. Aggressive driving was the norm back then. Tracy used the Chrome Horn, and Moore was always moving to the front. Moore's pass on Zanardi in Rio, and Zanardi over Herta in the Corkscrew were the type of passes that got me hooked on the series. Not to mention that the cars were incredible!

Over the years I've always kept following IndyCar, but it's not the same. The aggressive driving and rivalries are what I miss. To me, it seems too many drivers nowadays want to take the safe drive for points and not make the tough pass. While it's good to see all the drivers get along, I miss the rivalries. Back in the day, Tracy didn't care who liked him, he just wanted to win. I wish more of today's drivers had that mentality. I saw a glimpse of the old days with Newgarden on Saturday night, did you? Pagenaud pushed him to the wall, and he didn't care, he was going to make the pass for the win. Watching Newgarden do that was incredible, and shows just how good a driver he is. Hearing his post-race remarks made his victory seem that much better. He didn't care, he got the win and had to make the difficult and aggressive pass to do it. I became a Newgarden fan this past weekend. Please bring IndyCar back to the PNW!

Eric, Portland, OR

RM: When JoNew was a rookie with Sarah Fisher and started on the outside of the front row with Dario at Long Beach, he tried to take the lead in the first corner and didn't make it. But that's always been his mentality – to go for it – and that's why he's going to win a lot of races, and probably championships, for Penske. He does have some P.T. in him, but he'll cut people up with a smile instead of a sinister snarl like Tracy. He's the face of IndyCar for the forseeable future, and that's a good thing. Don't give up on Portland.

Q: I pour over every word you write about everything, so I'd love to hear what you think about the Gateway race. I was a huge fan, but I've lost some respect for Newgarden. JN was quoted as saying (paraphrasing here) "I could bump him and win because he's a great driver, and it worked out OK for Simon and everything is great". Gimme a break. I thought what Pagenaud said about Scott Dixon never pulling a stunt like that is true. Dixon wouldn't have done that, and that's why he's universally respected as the class of the field. Your thoughts?

John Bradford

RM: I think it was exactly why some of us still love ovals: taking a chance to win a race on a fast track that wasn't easy to pass on. How can you not like that? JoNew is a racer and, sure, if he'd crashed both cars and Dixon won – he's the goat and in RP's doghouse. But he didn't, and it increased his point lead – and popularity.

Q: I'm sure you are getting a lot of comments this week about the move Newgarden put on Pagenaud. Honestly while I was watching the race I don't think it was a big deal (still don't). That was hard racing, especially on a track that's hard to pass on. I thought if anyone would have thought that was fun and hard racing, it would be Pagenaud. I was surprised by his response, and I think everyone should remember the move he put on Power last year on Lap 66 at Mid-Ohio. That was hard racing that won him the championship. I respect the hell out of Newgarden, and I believe he has it in the bag this year!

Luke, Prescott, Arizona

RM: I'm glad you brought up the Mid-Ohio wheel banging because everyone does it at some point in a title hunt. But it was a ballsy move that may end up giving JoNew the championship and it's why we watch. I was a little disappointed in Simon's response. He's a good racer and good guy but isn't the response: "Yeah, I guess I gave him too much of an opening and that won't happen again"?

Q: I wonder if Simon Pagenaud will turn his anger more toward himself and less at Josef Newgarden after stepping away from the heat of the battle? From a fan perspective, we want to see two drivers going all-out for the win rather than settling for points. So from a public relations standpoint, Simon's protests look silly.

From the insider/drivers' perspective, he can only be angry at Josef if Penske has team orders, which no one seems to think is true. Perhaps Simon has a different interpretation of the team's unwritten rule to play nice? If there was such a rule, wasn't it Pagenaud who dove late inside and sideswiped a surprised teammate, Will Power, at Mid-Ohio last year in order to win the race and eventually the championship? Simon did express that he felt Josef put them in too much danger of crashing since they were at much higher speeds than a road course. Well, if Simon was that concerned about it, he could have stayed closer to the inside wall to prevent the pass in the first place (Will Power did that to Newgarden the week prior at Pocono), or he could have backed out of it when Josef drove alongside.

Either way, the level of danger was within Simon's control. While I like Pagenaud, I don't know where he's coming from on this on, other than he didn't like the outcome. What am I missing? Maybe this week Newgarden can help Pagenaud put together a funny French teaching video titled, "Simon says, 'Touché.'"

Travis W., Wisconsin

RM: I think you are spot-on. Do you think A.J., Parnelli or Mario ever considered "playing nice" with a teammate or anyone else? Of course not. Racing is a selfish endeavor, and with three races remaining and a championship on the line, JoNew did what racers do: he went for an opening to win the race. If it had been for fourth or fifth place maybe you say it was too risky, but that pass might have won him the championship. The Captain's rule is race hard and no team orders but don't take each other out, and that rule wasn't broken last Saturday night. It was highlighted.

Q: The wife and I made the trip over to Gateway – actually made a weekend out of it, staying over Sunday for the afternoon ballgame – and we were really impressed with the first-time event. We ran into Josef Newgarden at breakfast the next day, and he said the drivers were actually nervous about putting on a good show given the crowd and the buzz around the facility. Sure, there were some hiccups – traffic was still coming in several minutes after the start, souvenir tent ran out of some event merchandise and some of the food concessions closed early because they ran out of food – but, when the worst comment I heard in the stands concerned the flyover of all things ("Indy got the B-2 Stealth bomber and all we get is a tanker plane"), I'd say they hit it out of the park.

However, besides the late start time,I was surprised at the lack of relatively close racing, given all the feedback we read from the open tests and the expectations of the drivers. Sure, there were a few good dices near mid-pack, but I was hoping for something a little more from front to back. I'm sure that will change (hopefully) based on the initial tests of the new aero package, but we're definitely looking forward to going back next year! Hope the event organizers, and especially, the Bommarito Auto Group, were similarly impressed. Any changes planned for next year? Will it be that late again?

Scott C, Bargersville, IN

RM: Gateway wanted the whole race to be under the lights, hence the late green flag. GM Chris Blair sent out a letter to his ticket holders that addressed concessions:

"Thank you for attending the event and for taking the time to contact us regarding the concession situation at our event. Our concessions contractor, Pit Stop Concessions, had planned for a large crowd but underestimated the enthusiasm for racing fans attending the Bommarito 500. Throughout the evening we already trying to work through the problems and develop a plan for the future of the event. For 2018, you will see the following:

Q: How can a track like Gateway attract such a fantastic crowd yet Milwaukee with all of its history and a fantastic track not succeed?

Mark Kidson

RM: Because of a great title sponsor in Bommarito Auto Group, Curtis Francois, Chris Blair and John Bisci. Promotion, promotion, promotion.

Q: My 10-year-old daughter and I made the trip to Gateway and really enjoyed the weekend. The sizable crowd fit right in with her experience of the throngs at the last three Indy 500s. Now that someone has proven that oval racing can draw a crowd outside the month of May, do you think other oval tracks within driving distance of Indianapolis will try to line up a title sponsor and give it a go? I would love to take her to Michigan International Speedway to see multi-lane racing – just imagine what it could be like with the revamped 2018 car!

Steve, Bloomington, Indiana

RM: It's certainly possible that Kentucky and MIS got their eyes opened by Gateway's success, but of course it still takes two to tango. I imagine Kentucky would be more likely to give IndyCar another try because as long as Belle Isle is on the schedule, I'm not sure MIS is interested – although they both existed quite nicely in the CART days.

Q: I want to say a big thank you to all of the fans that showed up at Gateway for the IndyCar race. Also want to say thanks IndyCar for a great parade. What a bore of a race. Yes Robin, I'm bitching! What a joke of a show IndyCar put on. All I heard for weeks was what a great race it was going be. What the heck happened? No passing but on the restarts, and that was hard enough. All I can say is I hope with next year's bodywork is that they can give the fans at Gateway a good race. Question is, will the fans come back next year?

Terry Gobble, Urbana IL

RM: It certainly had some less-than-exciting moments but it did have a bodacious pass for the victory and that seemed to appease a lot of people. Let me remind you that Juan Montoya lapped everyone but Patrick Carpentier in 2000 at Gateway, and Saturday night's oval had plenty of overtaking throughout the pack (be it lapping cars or for a position) and it was a helluva lot better than 100 ovals I watched in my 50 years. Every race can't be Pocono this year or Indianapolis, and I do think the aero kits will help. But the majority of people I've talked to were entertained.

Q: My fears the repave was going to make Gateway's race like the one at Phoenix had some weight. However, the repave was necessary due to the previous surface from the May test. I just wish IndyCar would be more proactive with the aero configurations at these short ovals (maybe consider going to the single plane speedway kits anyways - they did it at Gateway originally).

But that pass! That made up for it didn't it? If Newgarden didn't take the bull by the horns with that pass! I was at the entrance to Turn 1; our whole section was screaming. Speaking of the crowd, I hope IndyCar took notes on promotion. I ran into the VP for Gateway afterwards and he estimated 40,000... at an oval! They marketed the crap out of this locally. I also hear they were advertising bus trips in Indy for the out-of-towners. Francois and his group deserve a bunch of accolade for pulling this off. The marketing, the fanfare (paratrooping the flag; KC35 flyby), and having both support series there made this event fantastic.

Jordan P., St. Louis Metro East

RM: It reminded me of the 1992 Indy 500. An embarrassing start, nothing memorable about the race other than Michael Andretti lapped the field twice, but all we remember was the finish between Little Al and Goodyear. Yes JoNew's pass did save the day in terms of getting the fans on their feet, but the restarts were pretty decent too.

Q: There were exciting moments at Gateway and a huge crowd but all in all it was follow-the-leader single file racing. Does InyCar recognize that, and what can they do to make it better for next year?

Paul, Indianapolis

RM: The new aero kits are hopefully going to make things racier, and Juan Pablo Montoya and Oriol Servia both said you could follow closer, which is a good start.

Q: All those people in the stands – and Gateway turned into a snoozefest. With the exception of one pass, it was Phoenix 2.0. Such a shame. If the new aero kit doesn't fix the problem of passing, I fear short ovals will quickly fade away.

Jon, MI

RM: Oh, I totally disagree. Phoenix was awful, but Gateway had all kinds of action from fifth back on all night, and the restarts produced some good racing as well. And short ovals have faded away, attendance-wise, until last Saturday night, but the fans I talked to afterwards weren't nearly as pessimistic as you are.

Q: I'm stuck in traffic leaving Gateway Motorsports Park, so what a great time to write. Just attended my first IndyCar race in person (even though I've been a fan since Penske's dominating '94 season). Got here early, bought some souvenirs and picked out some general admission seats right across the front stretch from my favorite driver (Will Power's) pit, just to see him crash out on the first green lap. Still had a great time. Great show, with what looked like a great crowd. Safe to assume IndyCar will be back next year?

Bob from Wisconsin

RM: Oh yeah, it's a three-year deal, and Curtis, Chris & Company are already making plans to make the fan experience better. Like parking. From GM Chris Blair:

"As we mentioned in our "Know Before You Go" brochure, we recommended that fans follow our traffic directions at arrive by 3:30 p.m. for the best race day experience. The overwhelming majority of our fans had little to no issues in arriving, getting parked and exiting from their lots in a timely and effective manner. Our crowds exceeded our expectations and our team of more than 50 traffic/parking workers did a tremendous job in keeping up with the large turnout. We eventually used an overflow area in the very back part of our venue that had not been intended for use the day of the race. We were happy to report that our fans who purchased the advance Brown South parking were free flowing from our lot in just 20 minutes after checkered.

"Our advanced purchase Orange West lots were rolling out and free flowing in under 35 minutes. The majority of our other lots were free flowing in approximately one hour after the checkered. Our 'day of' and 'overflow" lots were the last to empty. As with any large sporting event, or even at a shopping center during the holidays, anytime 40,000 people leave one space at one time there will be challenges. Some tracks have a policy of holding all lots, with the exception of their premium parking, for one hour after the event so that the premium lots can empty. We do not feel that is in the best interest of our fans and will ensure that everyone has the opportunity to leave at any point during the event.

"For 2018, we are continuing our parking lot expansions, adding additional roadways and improving our lighting and access points. We appreciate the fact that you attended the race and we are continually striving to make our inbound and outbound plan better as we grow."

Q: I attended both the Phoenix snooze-fest and Iowa. But after practice and qualifying, I decided it was not worth the 10-hour drive to Gateway to watch a Penske parade. Looked like a really nice crowd, but I wonder how many were still engaged to see Newgarden's bold move that resulted in the only on track pass among the top four and how many will come back? My question is why Indycar would not address the short oval issue and take some downforce away?

Brad Blomeke

RM: I didn't see many people leaving before the end, and a bunch came over to the paddock afterwards. The new aero kits are reversing the downforce from top to bottom and supposed to improve the racing but, believe me, Gateway was better than Phoenix or Iowa, and I think people will come back in 2018.

Q: Just returned from Gateway with my eight-year old son and father-in-law. I was blown away by the crowd and energy. And 40,000 people definitely looks more impressive on TV at track like Gateway. My son loved getting autographs, and Gateway management did a great job – promoting the race at the Cardinals game was smart. My only complaint was waiting over an hour in the parking lot after the race. While Phoenix has been disappointing and the jury is still out on Watkins Glen, the series' return to Road America and Gateway has been a success. What other tracks would be at the top of your list for a IndyCar return, based on location and management?

Tate, Kansas

RM: Check a couple questions ahead of yours about parking. I think Cleveland would be the most popular track for everyone to return to, and maybe Michigan and Portland. I also liked Richmond and it drew a nice crowd for the IRL. But it takes a hard-working promoter and a good title sponsor (see Gateway) to make it work.

Q: I'm from St. Louis and loved seeing IndyCar back at Gateway. However, there were a couple things that confused me Saturday night that I'm hoping you can shed some light on. First, what was with the pre-race laps? It seemed like there were more pre-race laps than normal. Then the cars from the back moved up to create a third line, only to fall back again. I didn't understand that at all. And why was the decision made to start the race on the yellow before the two-wide start? All of this was very confusing.

Mike Brockmeier, Glen Carbon, IL

RM: The extra pace laps were so Gateway could salute the Indy 500, but there was never a plan to start the race three-wide. Unfortunately, when the green flies, regardless of whether that first lap is completed under green, the race officially starts. Always thought that was a rip-off for the fans, and I'm just glad IndyCar re-started two wide instead of single file.

Q: Just read your article on the Gateway race, and I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but I honestly did not care for the race or the at-track experience this past weekend. I feel like IndyCar got its drivers and media to lie to the fans about what the quality of racing would be. All we heard after Phoenix was how IndyCar would buckle down to fix the short oval package so we would never have a crap-race like that again, and drivers like Rahal hyped up how this race would be better with the repave and longer straights. But it wasn't: single-file, hard to pass all night, and other than Newgarden's move, the race's only highlights were crashes.

On top of that, the track was woefully staffed for the event (my friend got rammed in the hip by a track golf cart while in the concession line, and other workers cussed at everyone to move when we were just standing in overcrowded lines with nowhere to go), parking was a mess, and they literally had 10 concession stands for 40k people. (Did I mention they are one of the few tracks that don't let you bring hardly any of your own food and beer inside/). I brought my closest friend who was a growing IndyCar fan, but he said he'll never drive six hours for a race like that again. Gateway better clean up its act and IndyCar better get the short oval and road course package right next year with this new aero kit, or they'll be lucky to see me anywhere, but maybe Indy or Texas.

Daniel, Cincinnati, OH

RM: A couple things. Your concession and parking questions are already answered in earlier letters, so please read the response from Gateway management. Going back to an oval for the first time in 17 years requires bravery from the owner and good promotion. I'd much rather hear Graham say the racing will good instead of the typical "not sure we'll be able to pass," and after Friday night's final practice session I thought it was going to be racy as hell. Sure, it was grippy and tough to pass, but there was plenty of racing in mid-pack all night, and lapped cars made things a little tricky until JoNew made his pass. I said this earlier and hate to sound like an old man (which I am), but I have seen so many worse races than Gateway and I'm sorry you and your friend weren't entertained.

Q: Oval racing isn't dead yet. IndyCar needs more partners like Bommarito Auto Group. They were a huge part of the event's success, as you wrote. Do you think Gateway's proximity to Chicagoland Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, and Kansas Speedway, which all used to host IndyCar and, of course, its closeness to Indianapolis had anything to do with the large crowd? Also, can IndyCar use another Midwest event at Chicago, Kentucky, or even Cleveland? Seems like most of the IndyCar fans are in the Midwest.

Matt Converset, Decatur, IN

RM: I think the promotion and closeness to Indianapolis helped get a third of the crowd to make the three-hour drive, but I talked to a lot of locals and Missouri and Illinois residents too. IndyCar's fan base is the Midwest, and that's why the season finale needs to be at Gateway.

Q: Should have been tons of excitement returning to Gateway, but every non-Penske driver leading up to the race days says they have no chance of winning. If I'm a casual fan, I'm not watching if I know who's going to win. Another problem: the track is just like Phoenix and IndyCar hasn't learned? Huge crowd in St. Louis, great to see, but amateur hour with a wreck on the pace lap. Half the fans will check out next year due to poor racing; a quarter will return because they are die-hards, and hope a fourth comes back because they saw some wrecks. Missed opportunity.

Jeff, California

RM: If you had been in the paddock or the fan village you might not say "missed opportunity". Sure it's embarrassing to crash before the green and two seconds after it does come out, but it wasn't even close to Phoenix in terms of passing. And when JoNew made the pass there was a pronounced roar from the crowd, so don't be too sure nobody is coming back.

Q: Congrats to Gateway for putting on a pretty good show and a great crowd! IndyCar and all other promoters need to learn how to promote. Imagine where things could go if Verizon, Chevy, Honda, Firestone, did a better job. Too bad things got off to a clumsy start, but Newgarden spiced things up at the end. The new car next year should (hopefully) make for a better show, won't it?

Don, Minneapolis

RM: Like I wrote, Gateway should be the template for any promoter thinking about hosting IndyCar, or any other series for that matter. If the new aero kits make the cars a little harder to drive but a little easier to draft with, and Firestone makes a tire that goes off quicker, Gateway could be entertaining from start to finish.

Q: Do you think everyone realizes how truly special Scott Dixon is? He stays above the political issues within his team, drives his car when it is underpowered or not handling well to higher placings than expected, and is a threat on all circuits. We are truly blessed to see someone of his caliber, and I hope he is able to move into third on the all-time win list. He might be in line for sainthood after all of his years driving for Chip; that cannot be an easy task given what we see and hear from the outside. I sure hope we can add to the car owner base with full-time entries from Juncos, Harding, and Shank to name a few. Think they'll be joining full-time in 2018?

Doug Elmore

RM: I know all his competitors and his team does. Chip was as delighted with a second place as I've ever seen him, and Dixie just always gets a little more than expected. I think Harding will run Gabby full-time, but Shank and Juncos need sponsorship.

Q: I just finished your Gateway story about the sponsorship. I'm glad it worked out, because while I was watching the race I was thinking, "This can't be good. Another single-file snooze-fest." I know there was some passing during the race, and certainly the Newgarden pass on Pagenaud was a candidate for pass of the year, but really, the race was boring for long periods of time. Did you get a chance to talk to the fans after the race to get their thoughts? I like the idea of ending the season somewhere other than Sonoma.

Doug Mayer, Revelstoke, BC, Canada

RM: I did talk to a lot of people and 80 percent of them seemed happy with what they watched. Having the season finale in front of a packed house full of real IndyCar fans is a no-brainer. If people thought Gateway was boring, want me to show you some Sonoma highlights from the last decade?

Q: Hats off to Gateway Motor sports Park and their staff on a great event. Never before have I wanted to mention a sponsor in my praise, but the Bommarito Group did an excellent job. Once you were at the track, it was apparent they were part of this from the beginning. The sponsor was so involved that they seemed more like a partner. This is what it takes to make events great. Now to the event itself: they did just about everything they could do to make you feel like you were at a big time event. Parachutists and fireworks bringing in the flag. Fireworks around the track during parade laps. Excellent fireworks at the end. They made this race an event.

Now the race. For a short track, it was a good race, although nothing compares to Iowa. It was hard to pass, and the track was big enough that areo was a big deal. IndyCar looked bad in the beginning with the first two crashes. Then, the racing was good. Some pit drama never hurts. Now to the ending. Big tip of the hat to Newgarden; he was not going to be denied! Pagenaud can bellyache all he wants, but his spotter was saying "inside" long before Newgarden made the move. To be honest with you, I would had been disappointed if Pag won. Outside of pit stops, he had not passed a car all day. And lastly, a tip of the hat to Conor Daly, he had one of the fasted cars all night long. Do you think he'll be back with AJ? My group has a new yearly weekend vacation!

J.R. Rouse

RM: Best promotion I've seen since Target plastered Chicago with buses and billboards back in 2000 – a year, before the race at Arlington Park. I agree it was a decent race, not the best and certainly not the worst. Conor needed that for his confidence, but I think he'll be back because ABC Supply loves him and the kid is a racer – he just needs a veteran teammate for a little guidance and support.

Q: I'm sure you'll get a ton of similar questions, but what the hell is up with Ganassi? Can't he even afford his new tire bill now, or is he just being his usual pissy self? And while I love the NBCSN team, have to take issue with their "no teammate help for Dixon" observations? Just because they're not running with the leaders, doesn't mean TK, Max and Charlie, regardless of their position, couldn't make their cars a little wider when the Penske boys come by (although I doubt Kimball could get any wider when anyone tries to pass him!) – which makes CGR's decision all the more confounding?

David Spear

RM: Talked to Chip on Monday morning, here's his quote: "We're a couple laps behind in both cases and not going to finish better than 17th and I'm not in this business to run 17th."

Q: The last two races have seen forced retirements for the Ganassi team, namely Max Chilton at Pocono and TK at Gateway. I have been a fan of the Ganassi team for some time and this seems very out of character. Both Max and TK were fuming after the team orders, which can't be good for morale, especially with Dixon again fighting for a championship. Do you think financial issues are impacting Ganassi following the loss of Target sponsorship? How many cars do you think CGR will run next year? Who will be teaming with Dixon?

Steve from CT

RM: I think Chip could run as many as four cars and as few as two. He wants Felix Rosenqvist, but can't get him for another year because of contracts. I'd say Esteban Gutierrez would be a likely candidate, but nobody else jumps out. And I think it's more about lame duck drivers than finances for Ganassi, although TK and Max both brought money so I certainly understand their anger.

If Castoneves is not full-time with Team Penske, do you think Chip Ganassi would hire Castoneves full-time if Chilton and Kanan don't return and Rossi is back with Andretti? Can you imagine Helio winning his fourth Indy at Ganassi? That would be crazy.

Mark Fellows

RM: That's not going to happen. I asked Montoya if he doesn't get to drive for The Captain next May would he ask Chip for a ride, and he laughed and said: "Roger is not going to let me drive for Ganassi. Especially at Indianapolis."

Q: I have a two-part question for you. To what do you attribute the recent attendance spikes at Pocono and Gateway? Is it track promoter marketing? The long-awaited arrival of the second coming of Al Unser Jr? A general bump in exposure from Alonso's visit in May? And secondly, does IndyCar contractually require track promoters to spend a certain amount on advertising or provide any type of strategic guidance in that regard, or are the promoters basically on their own?

Jack Green

RM: Well Pocono was a little better than it's been, but Gateway's success was all about the track owner, his people and his title sponsor. They worked their butt off and made sure St. Louis and Indianapolis knew about the return to Gateway after 14 years. At a place like Watkins Glen, I think IndyCar shares the promotion but I've never seen a contract so I don't know about the rest of the circuits. Verizon always spent money with tracks, but haven't seen much evidence of that this year.

Q: First, how great was it to see full grandstands and an enthusiastic crowd? The great racing at the end did not hurt. Kudos to the track owner, promoter, drivers and teams. Here is hoping this is the beginning of a new day day for IndyCar.

Secondly, with Silly Season approaching its redline, the one thing I haven't seen speculated about is Alonso to Penske. He wants to win week in and week out. Could this be why Roger needs to free up the fourth car? If Fonzy is going to make the leap to IndyCar (easy to imagine after watching Belgium GP) would he sign for any team less successful than Penske?

Lastly, not that Alonso couldn't drive a Chevy but could Roger be moving to Honda now that the aero kits are equal? While no one has come out and explicitly stated the 'obvious' that the rest of us (likely) see, is there any scenario now that sees Andretti Autosport staying with Honda, now that Sato has left? Given that Sato has to have a Honda ride, and that RLL has been wanting to expand to two-cars for a while now, where does that leave Andretti? A three-car Honda team? The injection of sponsorship money will be great for RLL, but it makes me wonder who else is moving where. Kanaan and Chilton seem to be at their wits end with Ganassi, so could Kanaan perhaps move to Andretti again (if they remain a four-car team... or if Rossi moves elsewhere), regardless of the engine manufacturer situation? It seems to be the only logical move for a veteran like Kanaan at this point. Given that no one really saw the Sato to RLL move coming, what other wrenches does this throw into the Silly Season mix?

Bryan White, North Carolina

Q: Early Saturday afternoon I stood just outside the Bommarito VIP area at Gateway and watched as they introduced Graham Rahal. Rather than take questions, Graham took the microphone and spent 15 minutes giving a tutorial aimed at the novice fan on what to look for, and how to better enjoy the upcoming race. I am always impressed at just how good most of these guys are at connecting with fans. These guys seem to be able to embrace the necessary responsibility of being an ambassador for the sport better than most of the pro athletes in other sports. After all, can you imagine, back in the good old days Foyt doing this? I've been to four races this year, Gateway is closest to home, so I was proud of the turnout in the Saint Louis area. I did wonder, however, how many of the tickets were comped?

J. Nemetsky, Carbondale, IL

RM: From Gateway GM Chris Blair: "Approximately 3,000 tickets were redeemed as part of the Bommarito Race to Savings promotion and we did have some other sponsor tickets out there, but the rest of what people saw was the ticket-buying public. Our only large quantity of FREE tickets was for Friday night as part of our Free Friday campaign."

Q: So as I was writing this...TK crashes. Seriously, TK? Is this the end of his career? If it is, that's horrible. That's a great crowd, all other ovals need to study and replicate the promotion.

Jason, Irvine, CA

RM: Don't think so. He's got a new ride for 2018.

Q: Why was Will Power awarded second-to-last place instead of last place in the Gateway race? His car covered the least amount of track towards the start/finish line of that lap.

Aaron

RM: If the opening lap isn't completed under green, the finish reverts back to the starting lineup.

Q: What is IndyCar thinking of by asking $80 for a general admission ticket on Sunday at The Glen? I could understand it if the grandstands were crowded last year, the state police were handling traffic, and the amenities were up to the standards that fans see at the I Love New York 355 in August. But at least where I sat in Turn 1 last Labor Day weekend, the grandstands around me were very empty, the time to exit the track took forever (much unlike the NASCAR weekend which has five times the people), there wasn't a concessions stand to buy bottled water, and there weren't even any porta potties anywhere, (Maybe that's why they weren't selling cold drinks?). Instead of buying IndyCar tickets like I had intended to, Fulton Speedway just got my money for the World of Outlaws show in early October.

Leo Ames

RM: Seems awfully pricey, and maybe that's why there's not going to be 10,000 people on Race Day.

Frankly, today's racing mostly sucks. NASCAR is endlessly boring. Racing of every genre turns into a parade for the majority of the race as the engineers play their strategy games. F1 tire and fueling rules are ridiculous, and strategy often turns the incredible machines into slot cars. The same can be said for IMSA, as interesting as it is. The BIG exception: IndyCars on the ovals. I love the speed, the close racing, the danger, the chutzpah of the drivers. It's the only racing on TV today that keeps me on the edge of my seat. And boy, do I like that. Your thoughts Robin?

Carlton Higginbotham, Jacksonville, Florida

RM: I agree 1000 percent. NASCAR is more hokey than ever before, with stage racing to go along with Lucky Dogs and the usual slew of NASCAR yellows. Its best shows are on road courses. The cornering speed of an F1 car is impressive, but the races are usually decided in Turn 1 of the opening lap. IndyCar has a few tricks to try and inject some life into certain tracks like push-to-pass, but when you watch Indy, Texas, Pocono, Barber and Road America you feel like its edgy competition at high speeds than can make you stand up in your chair (like Saturday night when JoNew stuffed it in at Gateway). Fuel mileage races turn me off, but I guess it's not going to change. But for pure racing, IndyCar is miles ahead of NASCAR and F1. You win letter of the week, enjoy the Parnelli shirt.

Jim Kopf, Ann Arbor, Mich.

RM: Good question, Jim. I think Power, Newgarden, RHR, Rahal, Kanaan and Sato have a go-for-the-throat mentality, while Dixon, Pagenaud and Bourdais always seem to get the most out of what the car is on that particular day. I think Helio used to be balls-out but has really become more of a thinking-man's driver like that second group. Larson is a sprint-car driver trapped in a NASCAR uniform, but that doesn't prevent him from letting it all hang out most days and that's why he's so much fun to watch.

Q: It irritates me that every weekday there are two NASCAR magazine shows and not even one show a week covering IndyCar, F1 and sports cars. What is the chance that such a show could be included when all IndyCar goes to NBC?

Marvin Gray, Willoughby, Ohio

RM: I think there's a good chance, and I'd love to see Newgarden and Hinch host it. But I really wish you would hit the lottery and bring back WIND TUNNEL.

Q: I was reading your recent Q&A and saw more of your frequent mentions of the Chili Bowl. At issue is IndyCar's exposure to the grassroots. I've pretty well given up on IndyCar management, but here's an idea: what about an All-Star Indycar race in spec midgets at the Chili Bowl? And make it a minor points event where there's an incentive to race? Obviously there would be no engine manufacturer involvement. The lower horsepower would keep it even and prevent those guys from hurting themselves. How much cash would the teams be out through renting a midget for a weekend? Make it a 20-lap prelim before the A Main.

John Langston, Edmond, OK

RM: Snap out of it, John. It's a fabulous idea, and it could be done with Ford Focus midgets, and it would be cheaper than a victory banquet and it would get IndyCar drivers so much new exposure. But most of the owners would veto that idea, so just having an IndyCar booth in Tulsa all week with Hinch, JoNew, Graham, RHR, Marco would help the identity crisis.

Q: We exchanged emails a few years ago when I mentioned that I tried calling Pocono on race day to buy a ticket before I made the three-hour drive – and no one answered the phone. I drove up in 2016 despite my better judgement with the rain, and obviously they didn't run until Monday and I couldn't go. I couldn't attend the race this year, and just finished watching and reading the Mailbag and saw the notes on attendance/promotion. In the Philly area, I heard almost nothing about the race in the lead-up. One of the popular radio morning shows was giving away tickets Friday morning, but that's literally all I heard.

I keep hearing the cries of attendance blues, etc., but I think about my experience and think – there is opportunity here if they promote it! Do you agree? Especially given the good racing! I'm not the guy who needs the promotion. I'm a die-hard; been to every Indy 500 since 1990 and getting to another race in some years is a bonus for me. I know when all the races are. But what about the casual fan, or people who don't know IndyCar! I'm a firm believer that there is an opportunity to get more butts in the seats. The product is generally good!

Chris in Mount Laurel, NJ

RM: I do agree Chris, and all you have to do is see what happened last weekend at Gateway. After a 14-year absence the place was packed because it was PROMOTED like I haven't seen in eons. I hear mixed versions of Pocono, some folks say they see some ads and others say they don't even know it's running. I think the IndyCar race is too close to the second NASCAR show and people only have so much money, but the ones that came a couple weeks ago will probably be back and maybe bring a friend because it was a helluva race.

Q: I attend Pocono every year for the IndyCar race, and always enjoy it. I come for the day as I only live three hours away. Why is it that there are no support races or any other on- or off-track form of entertainment that would attract a crowd for the entire weekend? Why wouldn't they add something to pull a crowd for Saturday and make it worth traveling from a further distance for the entire weekend, or just make it a single day event?

Mike Strack, Long Beach Island, NJ

RM: The track is too big for the Mazda Road to Indy series, so it would have to be modifieds or maybe ARCA (they like running with NASCAR), so the Vintage Cars are about the only group that seems interested. Pocono is the perfect reason to practice, qualify and race in one day, because nobody cares about qualifying and it could ramp up the energy if you started at 9 a.m. and then had the race around 3 o'clock.

Q: I was at Pocono for the great race that was put on. Why is it that IndyCar does not promote its own races? They did not even have a kiosk in the fan area. If I was running PR, there would be an IndyCar kiosk at every race, promoting IndyCar, giving away stickers, race schedules and prize draws for some free stuff. People attend one specific race and do not even know that IndyCar runs a full schedule beside Indianapolis. Does anyone doing IndyCar PR even understand what merchandising their product is? It sure looks inept. If they need someone, have them give me a call. I would boost their attendance. It is not rocket science.

Bob Graham

RM: At places like Phoenix and Watkins Glen they do, and it was necessary in order to get the date, I believe. ABC Supply was the title sponsor but I don't know how much advertising and promotion it provides, and John Bommarito damn-near made Gateway a success on his own with all his promotions and advertising. The key is to have a series sponsor that spends X amount on every race, but I don't see Verizon doing much anymore.

Q: I know it is a rival motorsport magazine, but I just got done reading the article by Bob Gates in National Speed Sport News about the USAC Silver Crown Series on a rebound. As a huge fan of open-wheel racing, especially USAC Silver Crown cars, is there any chance that IndyCar may look into renewing a relationship with USAC Silver Crown? Back in the day USAC was the stepping stone to IndyCar. I know it will never be like that again, but one could only think of the what-ifs, why-nots? I know lately Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell took the NASCAR route. But could that Pocono race be something to change the minds of the Kody Swansons and Chris Wisdoms out there, and bring a few more drivers and teams to IndyCar in that sense?

I know for sure one of the best races at Phoenix this year so far (NASCAR included), was the USAC Silver Crown race. For anyone that has YouTube, I strongly advise checking it out. I really think Tony Stewart would make a great IndyCar team owner. Do you think in a dream world, Tony could own an IndyCar team and have Kyle Larson and Kody Swanson as the drivers? That would sell a lot of tickets and bring in a lot of fans!

Andy, St. Marys, Ohio

RM: I don't it's a matter of Indy renewing anything, I think it's whether any promoter (like Bryan Sperber at Phoenix) is willing to pay for a USAC race. Iowa staged USAC midget/Silver Crown doubleheaders and it was great racing. But what usually happens is the USAC show is way too early (like Phoenix) or run on another night (like Iowa), when a USAC show needs to start a couple hours before IndyCar to try and help the crowd. I do think Stew will own an IndyCar team someday, but not until he's done driving.

Q: A Steak and Shake opened in Santa Monica, CA. They're not a franchised location, they're corporate, and yet there wasn't even a small poster of Rahal anywhere. I thought maybe they're so new, or it's the end of the season, but none of that gives a corporate Steak and Shake an advertising pass. After some investigation and phone calls, I find that there are approximately 417 corporate owned locations. I made calls to only a few cities with corporate locations – none had any Graham Rahal or IndyCar advertisement. Sad to say, most managers didn't even know about the sponsorship. I've never been a fan of Graham Rahal, but I am a fan of IndyCar and I wonder, as we all do, just how many sponsors actually promote the driver they sponsor in their locations? It's an old story, but marketing in IndyCar is lacking.

Cheryl A., Los Angeles, CA

RM: That's because Graham's sponsorship is local, not national, and I believe it involves only Indiana and Ohio.

Q: I've been to a Baltimore race, three Pocono races, Watkins Glen for IRL and last year, and Champ Car at Cleveland. I've been to a few NASCAR races also, but mostly just because that's what my friends wanted to go see. I've taken close to a dozen people to IndyCar races with me who had never watched and IndyCar race in their life, and all came away amazed at how great it was to see in person compared to NASCAR. I know this is just like 90 percent of the emails you get, but I just can't understand how the racing can be so good, everyone who watches the races live agrees, yet it continues to struggle year after year. Is it seriously down to nothing other than a lack of funds? If I win Powerball this week I'll start a three-car team, sponsor a couple races, bring a street race to Harrisburg PA, which is near Williams Grove speedway and would be absolutely awesome in front of the Susquehanna river, and I would start a World SuperBike team and only hire American riders. A man can dream, right?

Rob Dixon

RM: You didn't win Powerball so let's examine why NASCAR gets three million people to watch on NBCSN and IndyCar gets 600,000 on a good day. I sat next to a couple NASCAR fans during a practice at Phoenix and asked if they'd ever seen an IndyCar race. They hadn't, so I told them an IndyCar is going 50 mph faster PER LAP than a stock car. That didn't impress them. They'd only heard of Helio and knew nobody else. So part of the problem lies in the marketing and promotion of IndyCar drivers and races, which is nothing new. The solution is a title sponsor that puts IndyCar on TV commercials and promotes the hell out of the races, but that's not likely to happen. The best plan is what you do: take first-timers and hope they have a good experience and maybe they'll start watching.

Doesn't Iowa offer a NASCAR/IndyCar two-for ticket? I thought they did, at least in he beginning, and it was unique because NASCAR usually frowns on that. But Pocono could certainly do that without turning too many people off. How much would it add to the ticket cost to offer a double ticket? $10-20? You'd be crazy not to do that. I'd love to see the IndyCar drivers start attending Sprint Car events no matter where they're held. Any hole in the schedule, let's get some drivers out there in the dirt, building up this end of the sport from that end. There should be some cross-pollination, I don't care what it is. Bourdais has driven a sprinter, so IndyCar should enter him wherever they can. THAT's a talking point for sure. Marco's cousin Jarrett is running all year in the Midwest, maybe Marco can 'borrow' a car.

On second thought...

Bill Bailey

RM: Not sure about Iowa, but Texas used to make season ticket holders buy the IRL race to get NASCAR seats, and it worked like gangbusters for a long time. Then it stopped, and crowds started declining. I doubt NASCAR would allow Pocono to offer a 2-for-1 with IndyCar, and the only way IndyCar drivers are going to be involved in a sprint car race is as spectators.

Q: I know that IndyCar is going to test the 2018 car in Sebring in September, but you know the date and if is open to the public?

Guillermo Calvillo

RM: It's September 26, and open to public – just no pit road access.