Robin Miller's Mailbag for May 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: Hopefully no one will ever mistake Will Power's introvert nature for lack of emotion ever again! The images speak for themselves. About the race itself, more like a pre-2012 500, but that's OK. My whole group thought it was great, but I won't be surprised if Dallara looks into ways to reduce the wake a little bit.

I really wanted to write to make sure Oriol Servia is given some credit for his race. I've been to 15 500s now, and his performance was easily the most exciting I've seen -- I don't know how many cars he passed on the outside in Turns 3 and 4, but it was a lot. At one point he went three-wide through Turn 3 and passed the two inside cars – it was amazing and not something I'd ever seen. Hats off to Oriol, and of course Will.

John in Dayton

RM: As I wrote Monday, Will’s quiet demeanor is mistaken by some for arrogance and others as indifferent, and he’s neither. He’s about as passionate about racing as I’ve ever seen. Last Sunday was my 50th Indy 500 as a reporter and I can’t remember a more demonstrative winner. And it wasn’t an act, he really was that excited about finally winning the only race that truly counts. And I feel bad we didn’t give Servia more love, but I didn’t see a lot of the passes you were describing because of, well… you know why.

Q: Really enjoyed the podcasts over the course of this month, but I feel obligated to share my thoughts on the post-race podcast. I couldn't disagree with you guys more on your thoughts of the race. I thought it was one of the toughest days these guys have had in decades. I really couldn't believe your comments about "the show" – I HATE that term. I get that motorsports has gone off towards the entertainment biz direction, but let's be real here for a second. Every time these drivers strap in, they are risking their lives. I don't know about you, but that isn't a "show" to me.

As for the race and outcome itself, just look at Will. He was not only over the moon about winning, I suspect a LOT of that emotion came from how difficult the race was. That was probably every single driver’s toughest day in a car! How could it not have been?

As for the on-track action, sitting in Turn 3, the action was enough to keep me from relocating during a caution period (which I do every year!). Late restart, five-wide heading in, and they all made it! Unbelievable. But, when that is happening every few laps like in prior years, it became less exciting because of its frequency. Trust me, as a life-long attendee, the race is MUCH better when things happen organically. And not every five laps! That, to me, is way too manufactured.

Will Power won, in my opinion, one of the toughest Indy 500s of all time. I don't feel that calling it "one of the worst 500's" is fair. That was one rough race. And that win was ALL driver, ALL day.

John Keefe, Indianapolis

RM: I appreciate your point of view, and the Mail this week is about 50/50 in terms of some people like yourself loved it, and others thought it was too boring. I went back and listened to our podcast, and I said the restarts presented much of the overtaking opportunities (like usual), but we’ve been spoiled the past few Mays with the non-stop passing. To your point, the Hanford Device was manufactured racing, and Alex Zanardi hated it but the fans loved it. What we saw last Sunday was a very tricky 500 miles, and again to your point, with the heat it may well have been one of the toughest Indy 500s. Rahal, Rossi and Servia managed to find ways around people, so they were rewarded for the most part, and I would have liked to have been able to stand in a corner and watch them. I’ve seen a lot worse Indy 500s than this one, and we’ve been spoiled the past few years, but there was still enough drama at the end to keep you folks entertained.

Image by Michael Levitt/LAT

Q: Hope you enjoyed the race from a nice air-conditioned area. I was sure glad I got my upgrade, because that shade was a lifesaver as the day progressed. I was mostly rooting for Carpenter, although I can't root against Kanaan really, so some of those laps were pretty tough. Once Kanaan got knocked out of the equation, it became pretty simple for me.

I just don't understand how Power got such an advantage on Carpenter on the pit stops. They both had good stops. ABC totally missed it. They just came back from commercial and said Will had taken the lead. No explanation. Do you know what happened? It basically came down to Will negotiating traffic so much better. He got around Dixon in one lap near the end, while Ed was stuck behind him at the later yellows. I think it was a very exciting race. I don't know how they made it through Turns 1-2 at times! I know I saw four-wide in Turn 1at least once! It was a crazy race. I was happy to meet you finally in the garage area. Thanks for the selfie we did together.

Tim B.

RM: Will had a great in and out lap on that deciding pit stop, and was a fraction quicker and that was how he got in front. Of course ABC didn’t bother to show us, and we were screaming for a replay – which we never got. Power said afterwards if Ed had remained in front, he doubted he could have beaten him.

Q: A lot of talk in sports today is about one's legacy. With an Indy 500 win under his belt along with his other accomplishments, what is Will Power's IndyCar legacy, and where would he rank in the Penske driver pantheon? Also, were you nostalgic or sentimental for the last Indy 500 to be broadcast on ABC? Good or bad, a 54-year media partnership is the end of an era.

Jesse Murphy, Hummelstown, Pa.

RM: Statistically, Will has now tied with Al Unser Jr. for victories (34) and is eighth on the all-time list. His 51 poles put him third all-time behind a couple guys named Andretti and Foyt. And his 3,627 laps led is 12th on the list. He legacy remains to be seen since he’s only 37, so ranking him in the Penske line-up has to wait as well. ABC was good in the 1970s and 1980s with McKay, Stewart, Page, Uncle Bobby, Posey, but it’s been a downhill slide the past three decades. And it’s time for a change.

Q: The race was excellent. The new aero package threw a curveball at just about everyone, and it was a near nail-biter until the very end! Local hero Carpenter being up there all day, alternate strategies, rookies and veteran Servia hanging it out there at the end, and you have to give the epic hard-charger award to Rossi, bar none! When the dust settled, it was great to see Power finally pull it out. I think Eddie Cheever nailed it when he stated that the "curveball" was the result IndyCar was looking for. Now, if only Servia and Daly can get a full-time ride.

Also, being an airline pilot by trade, I have to tell you about a passenger I had recently. He said he was working with a promotion group working toward bringing Burke Lakefront Airport back on the schedule in 2020, maybe even 2019 if they're lucky. Have you heard anything from the "head shed" across the street from IMS regarding this? I have layovers in Indy next month, so I'll be making a mandatory stop at The Workingman's Friend! Lunch is on me if you're there!

Brian L, Spring, TX

RM: I love the fact that drivers were lifting in the corners because that’s what most of them wanted, and it had to be one of the most challenging races in recent memory. Maybe an aero tweak next year would allow them to get closer, but like I said earlier, a lot of fans like yourself thoroughly enjoyed the scenario that played out. As for Cleveland, if what you say turns out to be true, IndyCar fans will rejoice and I’ll buy your lunch at the Friend.

Q: When you see good race car drivers crash (Helio, Kanaan, Bourdais, Danica) plus many others making unforced errors, I figure the track had to be really, really tough. Makes it all the more impressive for those who finished, and Rossi's outside moves.

One bad thing about the coverage. At the end of the race they focused completely on Power, and ignored what was going on with positions two, three and four. I'm assuming Servia dove into the pits because he was way down the finishing order. Nice to see Stefan Wilson leading the race, must have felt pretty cool! And when was the last time a Foyt car led Indy? While there were a lot of heartbreak stories this year, there were more good and great stories.

Curt Larson

RM: We didn’t see Carpenter get around Dixon for second, Servia wasn’t ever mentioned again after losing the lead, and yes he did have to pit and that’s why he finished 17th. The last time one of A.J.’s car led Indy was in 1999 with winner Kenny Brack.

Q: First off, thoroughly enjoyed the 500, despite the lack of lead changes at full speed. Differing strategies, plus the lack of handling was very good. Just need a little more adjustability in the speedway kits. So to quote yourself, we need to stop with the double points! Beyond that, we need to stop with the wave-arounds. In a largely spec series, we have great competitive balance before the green flag drops. However, it should end there. I'm fine with waving cars around so the leader is first on a restart, but those cars CANNOT be allowed to pit as well! Even NASCAR isn't so pointlessly generous.

Greg, Belleville, NJ

RM: I hate double points at Sonoma more than I do Indy, but to your point, Newgarden and Rossi have been the class of the field so far in 2018, and in one race Power overtakes them and now leads the standings. That sucks. Wave-arounds on ovals come within the last 15 laps and simply screw the leader sometimes, but it does give the fans a better show.

Image by Michael Levitt/LAT

Q: I've read a lot of comments on Facebook and various websites like Reddit complaining about this year’s Indy 500. I admit I really wish it was like the other Indy 500s from 2012 to 2017, but fans wanted see an IndyCar go back to the era of the 1990s, and they got it. So what's there to complain about?

Alistair Fannell

RM: Like I said, it wasn’t the best Indy 500 I’ve ever seen, but it was still more competitive and compelling than some of those years when Mario or Michael had a two-lap lead.

Q: Should we really be alarmed at the reaction of the drivers regarding the new aero kits at Indy? Bourdais said it was hard to go flat. Shouldn't it be? Just seemed to me some guys found the answer and some didn't. Having said that, not being able to pass continues to be a problem. Hats off to Meyer/Shank and Jack Harvey for throwing everything they had at it.

John Fulton, Akron, Ohio

RM: Damn straight. We all want the drivers to lift in the corners and make it tougher, and that’s exactly what we got. There was a point where everyone seemed to be running in place, a couple seconds apart, but that happens more often than not and then somebody crashes and the restarts and mayhem that ensues makes us all forget.

Q: I’m sure not a fan of this year’s aero package. Everyone I talked to back at the hotel thought the race was the most boring they’ve seen. The cars were strung out in single file in a lap or two after the restarts. Even as strong as Carpenter was at the start, he couldn’t get around Conor Daly when he caught him. Sure hope they figure it out for next year.

Chris, Winona Lake, IN

RM: Marshall Pruett said the mandated rear wing angles need to be loosened up and more rear downforce is necessary, and I’m sure it’s something IndyCar will look at for 2019. But I also wonder how much the oppressive heat and humidity played a factor.

Q: Do you believe that there would have been closer racing if the temperatures at Indy were normal for this time of year? Do you think there will be a rush-to-judgment regarding the lack of overtaking and the new aero package? Based on Rossi's performance drivers could pass, but it required a lot more commitment than the previous aero package.

Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA

RM: I’m sure it played a factor because the drivers were predicting as much after Carb Day, but I don’t see any big changes. Here’s what IndyCar competition boss Jay Frye says: “We have a lot of data to sort through and will in the coming days. This car has incredible potential and performed well at its first superspeedway race in very difficult circumstances. We can learn from all of it and always looking for ways to improve.”

Q: The first half of the race was a borefest, and if it hadn’t been for Rossi and the restarts, the second half might have been too. Please tell them to bring the old aero package back. We are going to Detroit this weekend. Should we get general admission and walk around, or book a reserved seat?

Paul, Indianapolis

RM: See the question above and Jay Frye’s response to changes. I’d buy a GA and a paddock pass, and watch the big screen.

Image by Phillip Abbott/LAT

Q: I'm going to go against the grain and say that I really enjoyed the race with the new aero package. I know there were some drivers complaining about lack of grip. I guess I'm old-fashioned, but I like the fact that they have to work harder to race. I think it's great that the cars are getting trickier to drive. I can't wait for the higher horsepower engines to show up. Your thoughts?

John in Medford, Oregon

RM: Like I said earlier, the fans are split evenly on last Sunday. Many like yourself enjoyed the difficulty that faced the drivers, and others want the drafting exhibition of the previous few Mays.

Q: Are you thinking they missed the superspeedway aero package? From my spot in the Tower Terrace it seemed that no one could really get close except for restarts and early in the run. It kind of reminded me of one of the final races at Richmond, with cars being able to get close but not overtake. I sure hope the Texas package kicks ass.

C.J. Shoemaker

RM: IndyCar says it’s going to look at all its post-Indy data, but I guess if nobody was able to pass it would be an immediate cry for help. Although Rahal, Rossi and Servia managed to do plenty of overtaking considering the conditions.

Q: I always enjoy the 500, and Power deserves his win. I thought it was one of the strongest fields in a few years. That said, was it just me. or did it lack some race day excitement? I wondered if the heat plus the new aero kit made everyone a bit more timid -- especially for the first 40 laps? Then as they seemed to get more racy, the crashes took over. I’ll be back next year, but I just wanted your thoughts.

Jim Bryan, St. Louis, MO

RM: I think it was treacherous, and those who handled it were rewarded, and those that didn’t were in the wall. The race didn’t have the duel at the end like Helio/Sato or Hunter-Reay/Helio or Montoya/Power, but there was enough drama with Wilson, Harvey and Servia that people probably stayed tuned in.

Q: To watch two Aussie drivers win their respective races on two of the grandest stages in the history of the sport, on the same day, is just an amazing feat! All together now: "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie"!! Ol’ Willy P. might have won the race, finally getting that monkey off his back, and snagging another Baby Borg for Roger Penske, adding yet more to the grandest of legacies in IndyCar racing, but don't you agree that the star of the race was Alexander Rossi? We always thought TK and Marco and Graham made some moves up in the high groove but, man, Rossi's passes up there and down low were just something to behold.

The one pass ABC actually captured on the onboard where he passed, Pagenaud I think it was, on one of the restarts, where there didn't seem to be anything but wall to the right and the yellow car to the left, and somehow Rossi made it through… impressive stuff! When he got to third, I really thought he had a chance of spoiling Chevy's dominance!

Tony Mezzacca, Madison, NJ

RM: Daniel Ricciardo winning Monaco and Willy P. taking Indy got high marks from Australian fans. Rossi and Servia stole the show in terms of breathtaking passes, but sadly, we didn’t get to see many of Oriol’s. I also thought Rossi was going to win after he disposed of Hunter-Reay and Pagenaud in one fell swoop.

Q: I thought the race was decent. I think the heat made it worse because it really emphasized over-the-top downforce, which really made it a struggle to pass after about seven laps on the tires. It was different, and I'm glad it wasn't 2013, where you could just slingshot every straight, but I think IndyCar needs to try to find a happier medium between the slingshot-style racing and the racing that took place Sunday, and try to help the cars follow through the corners. Do you think it would be feasible to for IndyCar to try to change the package up a bit before Pocono?

Also, thank the lord ABC is gone after Detroit. Ten minutes of post-race, two interviews, and it leaves 54 years of coverage with a shot of Liz Power's butt to go to a rerun of Monaco. Not to mention commercials every four to seven laps. I could go on and on, but I'm sure other people already have.

Zac, Atlanta

RM: IndyCar says it’s going to review all its data so it’s possible there could be a tweak for Pocono, but way too early to tell. ABC has left the building. Almost.

Image by LAT

Q: Not the greatest 500 ever and I'm not a Power fan, but boy did he deserve that win! The race definitely had its moments. Why was Davison still out there? The one thing ABC did right was the pre-race show – it was really good and really informative for the first-time Indy car viewer. The race itself was normal bad coverage! I think ABC stands for A Bunch of Commercials!! Glad they’re gone, can't wait for NBC next year. See you in Portland!

Brad Heuer, Coeurdalene, Idaho

RM: Not sure how many laps Davison was off the pace, but IndyCar usually black flags anyone not keeping up and his crash might have been avoided if Sato had been warned (and maybe he was) by his spotter.

Q: What a race! Congratulations for a well-deserved win by Will. And yes, I do not think I have ever seen a driver so thrilled to be the winner. Such genuine emotion from Will and Liz! I was at Fontana in 2012 when he crashed into the wall, but have had the pleasure of seeing Will build his oval skills since. I do feel for Ed Carpenter and his strong second place finish. Some people have said that he should hang up his helmet and solely be an owner. No, I think Ed showed he still has the skill and drive to be a winner. And his team qualified well, but had some bad luck.

Deb Schaeffer, L.A.

RM: Ed is the same age as Will and his pole run drew the admiration of every driver. He also drove a helluva race, and ECR pushed Team Penske to the checkered flag after putting all three cars in the Fast 9.

Q: Danicrash in a green car with the number 13 provided a predictable outcome for her final race. Then, after one last visit with her friends on the safety team, and some quality time reminiscing with her old pals in the infield care center, she graces ABC with her presence for an interview where she fails to thank her fans, her sponsors, her team, or even Ed Carpenter for giving her the privilege of destroying one last race car. And she wonders why so many people dislike her? Luckily for the rest of us, a kickass deserving driver and team won the race! Congrats Will Power!

Josh Wagar

RM: I think it was only the second time she crashed at Indy, and she was much more gracious in her media center interview. I figured if she ran all day a top 10 would have been possible and she was 12th for about half the race.

Q: While listening to a post-qualification weekend podcast that Hinch did, the topic of being bumped obviously came up. Hinch presented the idea of making the 500 an exhibition race. He explained that it is unlike any other series race – longer, more practice and qualifying time, bigger purse, etc. Make it the “All-Star Race” of IndyCar. It doesn’t lose its luster, and if they make it not count for championship points, it can’t hurt or help a series driver, or only give points for pole and winning. Drivers still want to be in it, it’s the Indianapolis 500. If a series driver isn’t fast enough to make it in, then they aren’t. I kind of like this idea. Thoughts?

Carin Hollandbeck, Brownsburg, IN

RM: It’s an interesting concept but I’d rather see Indy just pay the same amount of points as any other race and get rid of that stupid double points at Sonoma. Winning Indy should be rewarded in more than cash, because it’s the oldest, most prestigious race we have.

Q: I hope the powers to be at IndyCar aren't blowing smoke up our backsides about 900 horsepower. I would like to see that, and then some – the "then some" being outrageously loud engines that spin at a couple thousand more RPM. I suspect that won't happen.

I attended the CART GP of Denver in 2002, the last year Ford, Honda, and Toyota were involved. I was told the engines were spinning at 17,000rpm. They sounded great because they were intimidating. I attended the Monaco GP in 2006. I was told that Cosworth produced an engine that approached 21,000rpm. Your ears could take only a couple minutes of the scream, which was great. Nothing elicits attention more than a screaming, high-horsepower, high-decibel engine. Intimidation is part of the attraction. I would say it's the MAIN attraction. It's something IndyCar and F1 have forgotten. You can talk about passing all you want. Drama and the visceral experience are much more important, which is why oval racing is dying.

Steve M., Downingtown, PA

RM: I think IndyCar, Honda and Chevrolet are all serious about upping the horsepower, and whether it’s Mears, Sato or de Ferran, we all know that an IndyCar should be a beast and sound like one as well. When we were young, it was the sound that hooked a lot of us.

Image by Michael Levitt/LAT

Q: First it was great to hear Paul Page with a truly moving tribute. Hopefully NBC will bring him on in some capacity. Second, it is clear Helio doesn't want to be done with IndyCar. Based on Penske's comments it seems unlikely he is back next year. With the McLaren rumors heating up, any chance Helio bails and teams with Alonso? Taking my 9-year old to Iowa for the first time. Hopefully we see you brother.

Tate in Kansas

RM: I said the same thing when they asked Roger about Helio on ABC, but afterwards Tim Cindric said the three-time winner would be back at Indy next year.

Q: It appeared that ABC could not wait to end their relationship with the 500. All the stories people were waiting to hear about, just set aside for a replay of the F1 race. Good riddance, ABC.

Doug Faulkner, Wichita, KS

RM: Monaco supposedly got its highest cable rating ever, while Indy continued its downward spiral and only had a 3.4 overnight.

Q: What is the history of betting on the Indy 500? Given how old it is I'd imagine there are huge stretches of time where LOTS of people bet on the 500. Was there a time when you could bet on a car right at the track before the race?

Doug B

RM: The only place to bet on the Indy 500 has been Las Vegas, and not every sports book has odds for the race. It just doesn’t generate much action. But it there were betting windows outside IMS, I guarantee you there would be a huge handle and now that Indiana has the OK for sports gambling, it’s going to happen some day.

Q: I saw on IndyCar.com that Bobby Unser was honored guest to celebrate his first win at Indy 500 years ago. Sounds like he was roasted pretty good by Roger Penske, Rutherford, Mears, Little Al, and Parnelli. Will there be any video available?

Brian Stevens, Willoughby, OH

RM: Marshal Pruett and Jim Roeder filmed the Unser roast, and hopefully we can have it posted on RACER.com and YouTube sometime in the next week or so.

Q: I don’t know if you realize that this year marks 40 years since the Triple crown was won by Big Al (Unser Sr) and his crew chief Hughie Absalom, something no one in Indy thought would ever happen, but they achieved the impossible in 1978. I hope we may see a tribute in RACER from yourself, as I think IndyCar has forgotten about this important achievement.

Emyr Price

RM: I’m planning to write something for RACER, thanks.

Q: Hey Robin, I was wondering if you and Pruett were collecting checks from Government Motors this past month. The both of you could not stop gushing about the apparent engine advantage Chevy had at the Speedway this year, and a rather embarrassing question you pressed upon Mike Hull after qualifying (I seem to recall you mentioning a "butt-kicking"). I don't remember the same kind of obvious bias when Honda destroyed Chevy last year.

Rob, London, ON

RM: Stating the obvious that Chevy had the advantage in qualifying was one of the big stories so we reported it, just like a year ago when we said the same thing about Honda. And after Chevy-powered cars led 150 of the 200 laps during the race, I think GM deserved the plaudits were gave them. Just like we did in 2017 with Honda.

Image by Chris Owens/IndyCar

Q: I know the big story from Bump Day was Hinch, but can someone spare a few words for Pippa Mann? If anyone got screwed by the new, confusing qualifying rules, it was her. She didn't get her first run until about an hour before the gun went off, and if her car had an issue (as she's since asserted), her crew didn't get a shot at diagnosing it. Oh, and then to add insult to injury, while she's still in tears they make her pose for a qualifying photo with her unqualified car and then go hold a press conference. I've seen a lot of fans say she's slow, untalented, and undeserving (usually in much harsher words). I know it's been a while, but let's not forget that this is still a driver who won an oval Indy Lights race, won a Freedom 100 pole, and bumped her way into the Indy 500 field in 2011 at the expense of guys like Mike Conway, Sebastian Saavedra, and Ryan Hunter-Reay. I'm not saying she was a threat to win the thing, but c'mon, she's also no Milka Duno!

Ansen, Arkansas

RM: Screwed? She went out three times in the last hour and just wasn’t fast enough.

Q: Finally, drama on Bump Day. This Fast 9 stuff and the re-qualifying for the rest was set up because they wanted to manufacture some drama and didn't have the cars to do it.

Hopefully, this upward trend in IndyCar racing will bring more entries, and the need to fall back to a more "traditional" qualifying structure. It was long and drawn out, but it was set up to ensure that the best had every chance to make the race. Plus it was great drama on its own. Also this thing with the TV to cut off at 5:50 is BS. This is the Indy 500, arguably the greatest race on the planet. Play that card.

Bryan, Memphis, IN

RM: There is a 5:58 deadline for national television so I imagine it could have gone another five minutes, but it’s been 5:50 for the past three years so it’s not like the teams didn’t know. But I think we’d all like to see Pole Day followed by Bump Day, and get rid of that insane round of seeding on Saturday. And watching 10-33 on Sunday is hardly great theater either.

Q: IndyCar needs to pull its head out of its ***! Sam Schmidt has given IndyCar so much, as a driver (almost his life) and as an owner a great IndyCar team! And what does he get from IndyCar? A “screw you.” Teams that support the series should be treated with respect, even the fabricated staged racing series understands that. This is 2018, not 1970, and your full-time teams are what makes IndyCar what it is.

Mike, Cincinnati

RM: Roger Penske said last week in the Indianapolis Business Journal that it’s time IndyCar guaranteed its full-timers a spot in the Indy 500 because “the world has changed.” And he’s right. Just because two cars got bumped doesn’t mean the great old Bump Days are back at Indianapolis, and they won’t be unless we have 40 entries again. And was Indy better off without Hinch and Arrow? Of course not. Thankfully, Arrow seems to be secure enough that missing Indy won’t run them off, but in this day and age you can’t afford to lose any sponsors. And like Bobby Rahal said in the story we did here at RACER, it’s time IndyCar takes a hard look at protecting its assets.

Q: I'm sure you are being inundated with questions and opinions about Hinchcliffe and whether or not he should have been in the show. Regarding sponsor considerations, my question is about the real impact of him not making the show and whether it really is a negative for the sponsor. Obviously, Arrow wants the car in the race, but one could argue that it got a lot more coverage from Hinch not making the show. Not sure how the advertising agencies quantify this info, but it seems he may generate more airtime from arguably being one of the bigger stories of the month. Thoughts?

Steve M. Danville, CA

RM: There is no doubt that Hinch missing the show got more press than Ed Carpenter did for winning the pole position, but I’m not sure that offset the 400 Arrow guests who came to the race to cheer on James. Or the investment. But it was certainly one of the big stories of the season, let alone the month. There use to be a service that timed and added up TV exposure, and it would be interesting to see how much Hinch logged.

Q: I just compared last year's IndyGP to this year's GP to compare last year's aero kits with the new aero kit. The differences are stark. For 2017, there were 28 laps that had at least one pass. Total passes (under green; drivers fighting for position) were 39. Pigot had the most passes at five. RHR had four, and Marco, Pagenaud, and Munoz had three apiece. The others only managed a few the whole race, if at all. Four cars never mustered a single pass the whole day (Power and Helio didn't need to, but TK and Hinch couldn't do anything). Not one yellow flag was thrown.

For 2018, there were 40 laps of passing; which is an improvement. But what is amazing to me were the sheer number of cars making passes. As best as I could figure, there were 117 competitive passes under green. All but Hinch and King made at least one pass. TK made nine passes; Chilton and Sato each made eight; Kimball and De Melo made seven apiece. Dixon had five. Pretty incredible. The road course aero package did its job at the Indy GP.

Brent from Maryland

RM: Thanks for those stats Brent, I sent them to IndyCar. It’s been obvious all season that the aero kits for road racing have improved the racing.

Q: I really enjoyed your story about your experiences with Herk. I also learned that we have something in common. The lead-in to the story mentioned that you flunked out of Ball State in two quarters. Impressive. I flunked out of Purdue after two semesters. Then I flunked out of Indiana Technical College in Fort Wayne. Twice. I wanted to get a degree in mechanical engineering so that I could hopefully design race cars. However, I could never learn to master triple integral calculus and differential equations. Perhaps I should have enrolled at Ball State and went for the Indiana trifecta.

Ron Ford, Muskego, WI

RM: You would have been a scholar at BSU, and certainly a candidate to run USAC or CART or the IRL. We could have teamed up.

Image by Michael Levitt/LAT

Q: Really enjoy your written reports and TV work. The Indy Star hasn't been the same since you left. 1) What happened to the electronic position numbers located behind the driver on either side of the roll bar? I read an article explaining the reason, but did not understand it. (Guess it's too complicated for a former Terre Haute resident). 2) We have attended the three races at PIR and really enjoyed them. The crowds decreased each year, but that meant more room in the stands.

To us (there are six former Indiana residents who now live here, all big 500 fans), it appears there was little to no promotion for the race. Mr. Sperber give us the impression he's not interested in continuing the race, but IndyCar is also responsible. Why didn't Honda arrange for Hinch to appear at a Honda dealership, and why didn't Roger Penske have his drivers appear at his museum in Scottsdale? We will be disappointed if the Phoenix race were discontinued. Do you have any insight on a possible continuance of the race? Thank you for your excellent and truthful reporting.

Tony Schmitz, Mesa AZ

RM: Thanks for the kind words and being a loyal IndyCar fan. The LED panels were pulled because of some glitches and won’t be re-installed until they’re fixed. I do think Sperber wants IndyCar to continue and he was gung-ho about celebrating Mario’s last win, but we have to remember that IndyCar is the co-promoter at Phoenix. So its IndyCar’s responsibility to help promote the race as well. My niece lives in Glendale and she said the race was a well-kept secret. But I imagine it will continue as long as IndyCar pays the bills and doesn’t charge a sanction fee.

Q: I read your article about the gloom and doom that is IndyCar oval racing, and I had an idea. Is there any possibility of IndyCar using a temporary oval/roval like what Caesars Palace had in 1983 and '84? If you don't know the answer, please harp on the drivers and Mark Miles to make it happen at a new venue. I think it can save, if not rejuvenate, oval racing as we know it. Imagine a flat oval as bumpy as Long Beach, Edmonton, Cleveland (and yes, the IRL almost made that happen)...

Believe it or not, one of the worst F1 tracks became one of the best oval tracks ever... and it was a temporary one. The 1984 race was a classic, and any IndyCar fan, self-respecting or self-hating, needs to watch that. None other than Michael Andretti debuted there in 1983, and about eight people could have won 1984. For those of you who remember the races in Rio, well, imagine that... but like everything you love about NASCAR short track racing from 20 years ago. Reminder to watch the 1984 Caesar’s Palace Grand Prix. Yes, the TV broadcast was 30 minutes. It's worth it.

C.W., Chicago, IL

RM: Caesar's started as a road course and was modified by CART in the second year as a roval, and sported some good racing. The CART attendance seemed a little better than the F1 draw three years before, but Caesar’s wasn’t enamored because it didn’t bring the international crowd. Airports remain the best options, Edmonton was a bad-ass circuit that drew massive crowds for a couple of years and lost millions in Champ Car. Burke Lakefront at Cleveland was a well-attended bastion for CART before it lost its sponsorship and fan interest in Champ Car. The key is finding a piece of property in a city that can afford to invest in a race that won’t make any money, and can’t even break even with a big title sponsor. Good luck.