Robin Miller's Mailbag for June 13, presented by Honda Racing / HPD

Your questions for Robin should 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: Watching Scott Dixon move into third all-time on the wins lists was pretty awesome, but it seems fans that grew up in the '60s and '70s will never consider him to be an all-time great. How come older fans dislike so many of today's drivers and never want to give today's drivers the credit they deserve? Did fans from the '30s and '40s who saw Wilbur Shaw, Louis Meyer, Bill Holland, and Mauri Rose not consider the drivers from '60s and '70s to be great? Why is it that the older fans mostly the old USAC fans feel this way about today's drivers?

Ryan McKeever

RM: It’s more a case of people don’t care as much anymore. Scott is very low profile, and IndyCar doesn’t spend much money promoting him, either. USAC fans today could care less about IndyCar drivers because they don’t watch them grow up at Kokomo, Terre Haute and Winchester. But that’s not to say that USAC, and race fans in general, don’t respect Dixie; they just don’t have a vested interest. I know Parnelli, Mario, A.J. and Uncle Bobby all think highly of him. Can’t speak for the fans of the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s, but I know Ward, Rathmann, Sachs, Marshman, Hurtubise all revered Vuky, Ruttman and McGrath. Having said all that, Dixie may well be the most invisible star IndyCar has ever had.

Q: I just attended my seventh IndyCar race at Texas Motor Speedway, and I can say comfortably, this one was my favorite of them all. I think Indycar got the package just right. So please pass on my compliments to Jay Frye, Tino Belli, and Bill Pappas. It looked like an old-school Saturday night race at the local bullring, just bigger and faster. Lots of passing, lots of unpredictability, and a lot of fun.

My wife and I took our next door neighbors, who have only ever been to one drag race prior to this, and I wish I could have gotten a picture of the looks on their faces as the field passed by in anger at the drop of the green flag. Giant smiles, eyes wide, and an overall look of “holy s*** they’re fast!” I knew immediately that they were hooked. The sights, the smells, and the sounds were all big hits with them. They both took several videos to post to their social media accounts, got their friends and parents to tune into the race broadcast, picked a driver to root for, timed pit stops, savored the sweet smells of E85R fumes and tire smoke, and asked questions about how things work in IndyCar. Despite watching both of our home team (Foyt) cars drop out early, the race was still a huge hit.

I’ve already seen some sour souls complain that Texas wasn’t a pack race, and all I have to say in response was that it earned IndyCar two new young (mid 20s) fans that have already pledged to return to TMS next year. Add in that we got to see Scott Dixon pass Michael Andretti on the all-time winner list, and I don’t know how could it be better.

Grayson, Houston, TX

RM: Glad to hear your report and thanks for recruiting a couple of 20-somethings – it’s that IndyCar desperately needs.

Q: The race at Texas was perfect. IndyCar wanted to get away from the pack racing of the past, and it seems they have achieved that. Fans were down on them because of the previous oval races, but give them a pass on Phoenix because it was so early in the season, and I thought Indy was a great classic-style race. At Texas we didn't have the pack racing, which is good, but cars could pass if they had the right set-up and took care of their tires. Passes actually mean a little more these days. Drivers have to set up the pass rather than automatically get it done with the massive draft like in the past. I have enjoyed the racing so far, and think Jay Frye has been doing an excellent job. Keep up the good work, IndyCar.

Josh, Sarver, Pa.

RM: I spent the race in the pits, but from what I could see there were plenty of aggressive passes – some for position, some lapping cars – even though the high line never came in like a year ago.

Q: I've watched racing for a half-century now. This year's 500 was as good as any, and better than most. I can't remember the last time I watched two days of qualifying and sat on the edge of my seat both days. It's been years since I yelled during a televised race, or shouted for my beloved spouse to get in quick for a replay. Formula 1 is now as exciting as a holiday parade. There are more passes in a middle lap of an endurance race. The only question is how many drivers will run into each other at the first corner.

NASCAR races consist of 195 laps with all of the excitement of a funeral. It's hard to separate the yellow flag laps from those under green. The five remaining laps look like particle traces from CERN as collider physics play out, randomly removing cars and drivers from contention. IndyCars, rallying (if you want to see drivers holding on for dear life), V8 supercars, and short-track racing of all kinds is where I point people. Trying to get a new generation interested in racing is impossible if every race is a four-hour slog.

Is the new Indy formula perfect? No. More power is needed to provide for brute force passing. The aero package is close, though. If the cars are difficult to set up perfectly, as at the 500, there will drivers who are better at one part of the race than another. The only thing that's missing is the opportunity to hit the line through a curve so perfectly that the driver can flatten the accelerator on the exit and squirt past four cars that are wiggling around. That will only come when there is too much power to allow for full-throttle curves. Agree?

Robert Meegan

RM: I think the goal is 900 horsepower sooner than later, and coupled with the lower downforce, it gets the formula Rick Mears has been campaigning for and we all want to see. Thanks for your educated opinion.

Dixon leading at Texas (Image by LePage/LAT)

Q: Hey Miller, after attending both the Indy 500 and DXC 600 at TMS, I am amazed at one simple thing – the lifting heard clearly from the grandstands. Sitting in Turn 4 at Indy, you could clearly hear the drivers lifting, and at Texas I was shocked they lifted at pit exit. How about that for a nice change, the drivers driving the cars! Don’t get me wrong, the Indy 500 has been great since about 2006 and on, but watching Will after the last pit at Indy this year chase everyone down and pass his way to the front was awesome (ABC showed none of it on TV, shocker)! I was just as amazed watching Dixon at Texas drive his way to the win, like in 2016 watching the guys go four-wide for the win in the last 10 laps. Is the racing the same? No. Is it still great watch? Hell yes! The cars look like open-wheel cars again, and look bad fast sitting still. No gimmicks needed in IndyCar, just bad fast racing driven by the drivers....

Adam, Fort Worth, Texas

RM: I think I like the fact they had to lift at Indy and Texas is the best thing about the aero kits, because going wide open through a corner on a big oval is just as insane as pack racing. Anything that makes it more about the driver is good.

Q: As much as I admire Alexander Rossi for his racing prowess, I cannot root for him since he has become the "whiner in chief.” He refused to acknowledge that his teammate (Ryan Hunter-Reay) out-raced him at Detroit, now he blames backmarkers for his failure to get by in Texas? Get over it, if you were that quick you'd find a way by. Everything that goes wrong is someone else's fault? I think not.

Dennis, Irvine, CA

RM: He didn’t say anything about backmarkers when I interviewed after the race on NBCSN but then I read his transcript from the press conference. I didn’t see what he was referring to in terms of lapped cars, but I imagine he wants to be treated like he was as a rookie at a few places when he got out of the way. Alexander has made a lot of fans in a short amount of time with his driving so, to your point, accept responsibility if you make a mistake and keep your complaints to a minimum.

Q: Your first letter from Jeff last week talks about Rossi making excuses, Well, look who he drives for? The biggest whiner and blame other drivers in IndyCar history, Michael Andretti! It was never Michael’s fault when he crashed. Seems to have rubbed off.

Robert Showmaker

RM: Rossi apologized to Wickens after St. Pete and then admitted he made a mistake a few days after Detroit, but race fans appreciate instant honesty (like Ed Carpenter last Saturday night) and that means a lot more than something private or on Twitter.

Q: Why in the heck are IndyCar fans so damned unhappy all the time? I’ve been a fan for over 40 years, and the griping has never been worse. What gives?

Greg in Chicago

RM: Got no clue. When I was a young fan I was always thrilled to be at the track, so maybe it’s the aging process that makes everyone so grumpy. But like I wrote Monday, IndyCar fans should be thankful they’re not saddled with F1 or NASCAR every week.

Q: First of all it was great seeing you on NBC, as always your insights improved the viewing experience. I'm writing in this week because I wanted to hear your take on Ed Carpenter's idea that he could "block Wickens a bit", to paraphrase his interview after the incident. As a long-time race fan and an amateur road racer, I've always believed that at the very least it's good driving etiquette to make way for a car on the lead lap, as long as it can be done safely. I also thought there were provisions made in the rulebooks for this sort of thing, but upon thumbing through the rules for IMSA and IndyCar, I only found entries that covered blocking in general. I guess maybe that sort of thing doesn't carry up to the big leagues.

Adam from Watkins Glen

PS If for some reason Detroit doesn't get renewed, you think there's any chance the Glen could step in to take its spot?

RM: IndyCar called a couple blocking penalties last Saturday night, and the rule nowadays is “proactive vs. reactive.” Detroit isn’t going anywhere, and maybe The Glen could work with IMSA if Jim France gave his blessing.

Q: It seems like Rossi wants to become the king of IndyCar hot takes. IndyCar needs a rethink on its blue flag rules? I know Formula 1 isn’t the only series that implements strict blue flag rules, but that isn’t IndyCar, and the way the series operates, it can’t be IndyCar. With that said, once a car is a lap down, I don’t see the need to do what Carpenter did to Wickens either, and apparently neither did Ed, which made the move quite confusing. Add to that the lack of a second line at Texas, and we are going to be 0 for 3 in the eyes of many with the new aero kits on ovals. Texas wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either.

Finally, I need to give some real serious props to Dixon for his in-lap and out-lap when he took the lead. Earlier in the night NBCSN picked up the ground Dixon gained on entry compared to another driver (I forget who), but when Dixon took a four-second lead after the next pit sequence he effectively gained six or seven seconds on Wickens in that pit exchange. I’m not a fan because I think he’s extremely boring, but there’s no denying what he did Saturday night was first-class.

Ryan in West Michigan

P.S. I’d actually pay money to see you go to France with Marshall and cover Le Mans with daily videos like you did for Indy. Not sure if that’d be like a bull in a china shop or what I’d expect out of it, but goodness knows it would be entertaining.

RM: We don’t see many blue flag controversies nowadays because, honestly, guys don’t get lapped nearly as often as they did in the old days because everyone is so close. Texas was different because of the new pit exit and drivers lost two laps on a pit stop, so lapped cars came into play. Ed felt bad because he doesn’t race like that and he apologized to Wickens in the infield hospital. Dixon is a cut above, it’s that simple.

Marco Andretti (mage by Gritzmacher/IndyCar)

Q: I know you discussed this with others before, but I would like to ask if you think Marco Andretti might be better served if he were not on his father’s team? I have experienced first-hand the pressure (either self imposed or by others) working for my father, and an uncle as well. Though I learned from them and opportunities where extended because of the connection, it wasn’t until I left their shadow that I found my way. I think Marco has the talent and the skill set, but I sense there is a real champion hiding inside him. His real calling might not even be behind the wheel. Does he truly have the desire? What do you really think?

Ron Hampton

RM: A lot of us have said for years the best thing would have been for Marco to go drive for somebody else, but now it’s too late. He’s a conundrum because he obviously has speed and skill, but putting it together has escaped him. His performance at Detroit, when he won the pole with a scorching lap and then led the first 22 laps, reminded us he’s more than capable, and it would be great for IndyCar if he started winning. He’s not as hungry as a Josef Newgarden or a Tony Kanaan were, but I do think he’s got pride and desire. It’s just very puzzling, because he can be lighting quick in practice and then qualify 16th.

Q: Perhaps I’m delusional, but if McLaren enters IndyCar full time, how long do you think it will take for other midfield and lower teams in F1 to follow? A season in IndyCar probably costs a fraction of what a midfield team spends for a season of F1. The austerity IndyCar has had to deal with has resulted in cost control that allows very modest start-up costs for new entrants. To be in F1 means to be in the business of designing, developing, and building cars. It has become more of a constructors’/manufacturers’ championship than a drivers’ championship. You can’t just buy cars, equipment, hire staff and go racing. While the richer teams in IndyCar can spend more on things like damper development and minor tweaks, the smaller teams still have a fighting chance. Get Alonso, get Kimi Raikkonen (who is still very popular, but probably out of Ferrari after this year), start adding some international races and TV exposure, and I think the management at Liberty Media, to put it politely, will need to start wearing adult diapers. By the way, you look very healthy on TV, which is a good thing since we fans can’t live without you.

Bary Berger

RM: I can’t see any other F1 teams looking to IndyCar. It would still cost them several million to come here, and then they race for peanuts? Their TV money keeps a lot of them afloat, and I don’t think the Leader’s Circle is going to entice Force India to come run Iowa. I feel good, thanks for your sentiment.

Q: McLaren seems to be inching closer to full time IndyCar participation in 2019. My concern is that McLaren is well underperforming in its bread and butter, F1. If this is a Zak Brown push to IndyCar, how stable is Brown’s position at McLaren? I would think McLaren would want to focus on and improve its performance in F1 before even throwing a little attention to IndyCar. It would be the same as an MLB team focusing on the success of its AAA affiliate over the major league team. I am not downplaying IndyCar, and would be ecstatic to see this high profile team in the series. I only wonder if Mr. Brown will be around to see this through.

Mike, Avon, IND

RM: I think it’s all Zak Brown and I have no idea about his job security, but my question is where will the money come from? Honda of Japan? Not necessarily; I don’t think McLaren ended on real good terms with those boys. Honda Performance Development in LA? Maybe a little help with free engines, but… I think Zak was shopping for sponsors on his recent visit to Detroit, and I’m sure if Alonso is part of the package then selling an IndyCar program is a whole lot more appealing.

Q: It now seems more likely that McLaren is coming to IndyCar in 2019. I think there is just no way Chevy can let Honda be its engine supplier. So far this season it's been Penske against everyone else, and although Penske probably doesn't mind, I would think GM would like more quality teams using its engines. Do you think it will aggressively try to land McLaren, or just let it run its course?

David M, El Paso, TX

RM: Like I said in the question above yours, not sure Honda of Japan is a big McLaren fan, but if Zak is tied to Andretti Autosport then HPD is part of the program. And I don’t think The Captain would mind at all if his team were the only ones with Chevrolet. But I’m sure Zak has talked with GM as well.

Q: Loved your reference to Bill Vukovich Jr during Texas race!

Brad from Hollywood

RM: I told Graham Rahal before the race his new nickname was “Vuky,” because he reminded me of The Mad Russian’s son. Vuky Jr. never qualified very good on ovals (except dirt) but was a damn good racer when the green flag fell – just like Rahal has been the past three years.

Q: What is going on with Carlin Racing? Charlie and Max are both bottom of the field. Is this just a new-team-based issue, or a driver based issue on results? Has IndyCar ever a had team championship as well as the driver’s championship? Would this not motivate the teams more? I understand teams would either need to run the same amount of cars, or for teams with more cars, like Andretti, they would have to pick certain cars for team points. What is the word on McLaren?  Will this be a one or two car team? Will they run on their own cars, or cars under the Andretti banner? Would they be a third engine supplier come 2021? Is the talk of Cosworth, as an engine supplier, valid?

Brent L., Denver, CO

RM: It’s a new team coming into a very competitive environment, so I imagine things are about like Trevor Carlin expected. CART had a country championship for a few years, but nobody cared. McLaren doesn’t build engines. And Cosworth would badge someone’s engine, but it won’t enter as a manufacturer.

CART at Rockingham, 2002 (Image by Levitt/LAT)

Q: Is there desire within the walls at 16th and G'town to grow their sport in Europe? With the influx of some European owners (Carlin, Scuderia Corsa, maybe McLaren) and possibly engine manufacturers, could Rockingham and Lausitzring make their way onto the schedule in the future? Not that Zak doesn't have enough to do, but I'm sure he could be instrumental in putting together a Rockingham weekend. And Mr. Wickens' contacts in DTM could be a bridge to putting together a DTM/IndyCar billing (with scheduling considerations), although I don't know how difficult it would be to convert from oval to road course multiple times in one weekend.

Derek, Arcola, VA

RM: I think Mark Miles wants to go somewhere outside North America that would pay a nice sanction fee to IndyCar and draw a nice crowd, but I don’t think either of the tracks you mentioned fit that bill. They both lost money on the CART races, so why would anyone want to promote it? It’s a tough sell right now.

Q: Yo Miller, it's great to see you back out there on NBCSN. Unlike most people, I thought this year's Indy 500 was great. I can appreciate the difficulty of the cars to drive and the struggle of the Month of May for some teams. It was never meant to be easy. With that said, I'm concerned about the broadcasting format for IndyCar. I couldn't be happier that ABC is gone. It's unfortunate that they fell off so much. It didn't always used to be this way. The days of Paul Page, Sam Posey, Jack Arute, and Gary Gerould are long over. It's saddening. I have no doubt that NBC will do a far better job.

I'm wary, though. The broadcast format itself needs a major overhaul. I can understand that sponsors need ad time during the race. No big deal. But take this for example: we had six commercial breaks in the first 50 laps of the 500. That's abysmal and embarrassing. How could any viewer stay engaged in a broadcast when nearly half of the time you’re watching commercials?

I'm worried that this won't change when NBC takes the reins. I'm not sure if this is an IndyCar or broadcasting problem. It needs to be fixed. You wouldn't cut to a commercial break in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in the last minute of play with the game tied without a timeout. You wouldn't cut to a commercial in the Super Bowl while in overtime with the game still being played. I'm hoping IndyCar looks at this moving forward, because it needs to change.

Brett, Detroit, MI

P.S. What happened with Leena Gade? Did she get the axe because Hinch didn't make The Show? Or was it something more?

RM: I don’t care if it's golf, basketball, football or racing, TV commercials are a necessity and I think that’s why the split screen is so valuable. I listened to our race last Saturday night in my headset, and I think NBCSN does a good job of blending racing with commercials. But it’s possible our NBC Gold package next year will have reduced interruptions. Let’s just say Leena and SPM didn’t work out. And opinions on Indy were 50/50.

Q: Hey Robin, longtime reader, first time writing for a question/observation. First of all, for this year’s Indy 500 put me in the 50% that like it. When the best drivers in the best series in the world are challenged, it speaks to the difficulty of the track and the racing.  It shouldn’t be an easy drive for anyone. And kudos to Hinch and SPM for taking it on the chin and moving on. 

One thing I haven’t seen much discussion on was the fuel mileage strategy. It’s one thing to look at the aero kit and the weather to talk about passing, but even ABC was able to highlight at the start of the race that good fuel strategy could result in one less stop during the race, if you save fuel right away. It’s a long race, and you’ll never get rid of fuel saving as a strategy for some teams during the race, but to have the race start that way creates a situation where drivers don’t want to pass too much. The Indy 500 can’t add laps like Long Beach did, but could they reduce the tank capacity? Will that be addressed through the future horsepower spec?

Brian (Indy transplant to Minnesota)

RM: You can have all the fuel strategy in the world and be foiled by a yellow flag. Last Saturday night at Texas was a perfect example, because Townsend kept saying that Ryan Hunter-Reay, Hinch and Graham were in great shape and didn’t have to stop again, while P.T. kept saying it’s not going to matter if another caution comes out, which it did. I hate the fuel mileage scenario but it’s a necessary evil, and smaller tanks aren’t going to make any difference.

Q: I realize after Texas there are still eight IndyCar races still to run. However, I was wondering about IndyCar's progress towards signing a title sponsor for 2019 and beyond. I was thinking because of how far into 2018 season we are that this announcement may be forthcoming soon. What have you heard? Are there particular types of companies that IndyCar would be more apt to want to sign than not?

Also, we're here in Canada where we don't have access to NBC's live streams online for qualifying. From what I could tell, unless you had U.S. cable and or satellite TV, you couldn't log in to watch Texas. Race Control on IndyCar's website wasn't showing anything. I think IndyCar needs to know we're also interested in the proceedings. I also don't understand why IndyCar now requires you to have a code and user ID for its live timing. It's a pain to remember those details to log in and watch sessions. I'm sure people like You Tube or Facebook access for that reason.

Geoff Roberts, Unionville, Canada

RM: Haven’t heard a word about a replacement for Verizon, but I do know that IndyCar.com streamed practice from Texas. Canada is a very important market for IndyCar with Hinch and Wickens so I’m positive something will get worked out by 2019.

Sebastien Bourdais, 2009 German GP - his final F1 appearance. (Image by Ferraro/LAT)

Q: Wasn’t Brendon Hartley in line for the Ganassi seat before being offered the Toro Rosso seat? I wonder if he made the wrong decision. It’s amazing how F1 chews up and spits out drivers, in some cases ruining their careers. Look at Sebastien Bourdais. I would say the biggest difference between IndyCars and F1 is that the IndyCar drivers look like they’re having fun and generally like each other.

Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ

RM: Sure looks like the wrong decision today, and now they’re aren’t any good sports car seats left. But don’t lump Seb in with Hartley. He told Toro Rosso he couldn’t drive the car they'd designed, but he still got a few top 10s.

Q: With Brendon Hartley seemingly on his way out of Formula 1 after a season and change, what does the Ed Jones seat at Ganassi look like? Was that a multi-year contract, or do you think Chip will go back to the original plan with Hartley? Is there any bad blood there because Hartley went to F1 instead? Or does Chip secretly love Hartley because of the buyout that Toro Rosso/Red Bull gave him? Also, not sure about Felix Rosenqvist's contract in Formula E but we know he's been coveted by Ganassi for a few years now. Is Ed Jones safe, or do you think he'll get replaced by one of these two talents from outside the series?

Ryan Ward, San Jose, CA

RM: I think Chip was more than happy to sell Hartley, and I think he’s happy with the Jones boy. But I do think Felix may be in line for the Scuderia Corsa ride if it becomes full-time.

Q: Has IndyCar ever considered “rovals” like Daytona uses for the 24 Hours at any tracks that could offer it? Maybe there aren’t that many, but it seems like it could be a cool concept. The only major issue I can see is the clearance for the cars when they have to transition from road course to oval, but that wouldn’t be much different from pitting at high-banked ovals, and Daytona does it all on the flatter straights. Was it ever thought about, or is it not possible since many of those tracks are NASCAR tracks?

Also, what about the idea of an endurance race for one event? OK, I realize this is an out-there concept and probably not cost-effective but how cool would it be to have a 12-hour event at a track like Road America and then partner up drivers? Then you bring in some other drivers from other disciplines to give it a go with regulars. Two-car teams can run one car, and pair their drivers or run both with visiting drivers. They do something like this in the Supercar series in Australia, and it’s pretty wild. And if they do it on a race weekend that other series have off, we can get some pretty cool names to join. Do you find that teams, drivers, or the higher ups at IndyCar shoot down anything outside the norm, or do you feel they are open-minded to even the slightly wild concepts we fans like to dream up?

Erik Steinbrecher, Oswego, IL

RM: I recall the IRL testing at Daytona on its roval, but I don’t think anyone ever gave a racing there any serious thought. There are plenty of good, natural road courses for IndyCar, it doesn’t need Charlotte or Daytona. The logistics and financing of putting together an endurance race like you proposed would likely be impossible to pull together (and bringing back IROC would likely be more appealing but just about impossible because of today’s driver contracts and schedules). I think IndyCar is concentrating on how to put together its best possible schedule, find another manufacturer and find a new title sponsor.

Q: Perhaps I swim against the tide, but I've never been a fan of teams having to run two different tire compounds, as well as having the push-to-pass technology. I do understand that, for some, these two items add more flavor (i.e. strategy) to the competition. However, I would prefer that everyone should be on the same playing field throughout the event. Your thoughts?

On another note, now that Portland is back on the schedule this year, one would think that our local sports writers/broadcasters would be highlighting IndyCar now and then, in order to drum up more local interest. Other than Indy, there's nary a mention of sport as the season progresses. I would imagine that IndyCar is sending them regular press releases, but perhaps they are being ignored. If so, that's a shame.

Bob Kehoe

RM: Firestone’s black and red tires have made strategy and racing/qualifying pretty cool, so I don’t mind that at all. Push-to-pass I could do without. Portland probably doesn’t have a full-time motorsports writer, but I’m sure IndyCar will get coverage as the race approaches. I’m more concerned about how it’s being promoted and marketed.

Q: I have been a race fan all my life. My parents would go to IMSA and NASCAR races as dates before I came into the world. I grew up watching tapes of old Camel GT, Formula 1 and NASCAR races. Even with all of that, IndyCar was only ever talked about at when the Indy 500 was on. I distinctly remember watching the ending of the 1996 500, but sadly that is it. I recently got into IndyCar, and have been watching old races when and where I can. I want to catch up on all of the stuff I missed. I want to see some of the greats like Rick Mears, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti, Big and Little Al, etc. What is your best season from the CART era and why? Love the Mailbag. It is one of the highlights of my week.

Tyler from Morgantown, WV

RM: I thought 1968 was the best season ever, because it featured 26 races (five dirt, nine road courses, 11 ovals and one mountain climb) and came down to the last laps between Bobby Unser and Mario. As for the best CART season? In terms of attendance and coverage it was 1993, when Nigel Mansell came over and won the championship. In terms of competition, 1999 was pretty good (10 different winners in 20 races) and so was 2001 (11 winners in 20 races). And 1985 was cool because it came down to Big Al vs. Little Al in the season finale.

Alexander Rossi leads the field at the start of Race 2 in Detroit. (Image by Black/IndyCar)

Q: I hope that the Dual in Detroit at Belle Isle remains a mainstay for Indy. It is a challenging track for the drivers, is a beautiful location for race fans and provides a great venue centered in America's historical motor industry as well as being a Midwestern city. Great race. I also really enjoy the dual races.

Mike Britton

RM: I think as long as Roger Penske and Chevrolet are in IndyCar, so will Belle Isle.

Q: People always ask about having an oval after the Indy 500, and I know there is no talk of Michigan coming back and Milwaukee is being torn down. So here's my question: Would it be possible for the Detroit GP and Texas to swap race weekends? Or is Mr. Penske dead set on having the Detroit race be the weekend after Indianapolis?

Evan from Youngstown, Ohio

RM: Texas used to follow Indy, and I think it would help the momentum to stay on an oval after Indy, but The Captain insists on Detroit as the next race and that’s not going to change.

Q: Used to be there were cars in '80s and '90s that were sponsored by at least two major companies, so you had cars like Kmart/Havoline, Kmart/Budweiser, STP/Kraco, Valvoline/Cummins – the cars had a two-tone paint scheme and livery looked consistent throughout the race year. Nowadays, I still see cars with at least one sponsor for close to half the number of races and another equally good sponsor for the other races, and the cars are displayed with two different paint schemes.

For example Simon Pagenaud's car with Menard and DXC, or Spencer Pigot's car with Prefered Freezer and Fuzzy’s. If these sponsors appear to sponsor for almost equal number of races, why not combine and present a car with a combined livery that’s consistent throughout the race year? It might even produce some unique paint schemes, and more consistency and identification with a particular team, driver and car. What do you think?

Shyam Cherupalla

RM: I think it’s all dependent on what the contract says and how much money changes hands. It also shows you how tough it is to get full funding these days.

Q: I think any and all double points races are stupid. I know several drivers agree with me. However on his podcast a few weeks ago, Hinch threw out an idea I wasn’t expecting (if you don’t listen to Off Track with Hinch and Rossi, you should because is hilarious and very interesting). Hinch proposed that no points be given for the Indy 500. After two weeks of thinking about this, I still have no idea what to think of it. I cannot decide if that idea makes sense or not. I can see what he’s talking about, given how different the whole month of May is from any other race with extended practicing, lots of one offs, etc. On the flipside, it’s still very much an IndyCar race run with the same cars as every other race, and the teams that show up for the rest of the season show up at Indy to try to win and get a good points haul. What do you think of making Indy an exhibition race or, as Hinch put it, “Indycar’s All-Star Race”?

Max Camposano, Los Altos, CA

RM: I despise double points and qualifying points, period. But the Indy 500 has to count towards the championship. Hell, most people think it’s the only race IndyCar runs. It makes more sense to protect full-timers at Indy than making it some NASCAR charade.

Q: Love your Mailbag posts. One disappointment I had this year was pole day. Helio won the pole, but had to defend it the following day. Pole day should be pole day, end of story. It was great to see actual bumping going on, and it looks like next year there will hopefully be more cars in the running. Not being a Rossi fan, but he is a perfect fit for Andretti (as he treats fans about as well as Marco does... poorly) but last week in Belle Isle, shouldn't he have been assessed a penalty for passing the pace car? (Not sure if there is a rule saying you are allowed to pass if the pace car wrecks?) With the switch to NBC Sports, will you still be reporting?

Jay Vandroff, Sarasota, FL

RM: I agree totally. I’d be for going back to Pole Day and Bump Day and getting rid of the silly seeding on Saturday and the boring 10-33 on Sunday. I get that the Fast 9 is good for television, but both could be compelling again with 40 cars. Rossi just tried to avoid all the carnage from the pace car crash, no, he did nothing wrong. I hope to be with NBC, so maybe they’ll invoke the “David Hobbs Rule” and protect me until I’m 70.

Q: Can you explain "The Leader's Circle" that drained $22 million from the purse? Is this IndyCar's version of Bernie Ecclestone?

Bob Traina, St. Louis, MO

RM: If you commit to running the full season, IndyCar gives you $1 million (I think it’s only $850,000 this year) per car, and it’s a form of franchising. But that’s why the IndyCar purses are so lame, that money had to come from IndyCar.

Sarah Fisher piloting the pace car at Texas Motor Speedway. (Image by Jones/IndyCar)

Q: I saw your answer in the June 6 Mailbag about the Corvette crash in this year’s 500. I seem to recall that a local Indianapolis car dealer crashed a Dodge Challenger R/T into the stands after exiting the track too fast in the late '60s or early '70s. I thought they cracked down after that and required professional drivers. (Didn’t Lone Star JR drive for many years?). Have they loosened the rules, or was this year’s driver considered a professional since he has several competition licenses?

John from Madison

RM: Sarah Fisher and Oriol Servia do most of the pace car driving, and Mark Reuss was an exception because he’s done it before and held a competition license. Eldon Palmer crashed the pace car in 1971 at Indianapolis, but there have been a steady stream of celebrities driving it for the past four decades.

Q: Racing over the years has gone leaps and bounds when it comes to safety. But a couple of weeks ago we saw a 700+ HP pace car have an accident and the two occupants weren’t required to wear helmets and HANS devices. What the heck is up with that? The track safety team that arrived at the scene to treat them wore helmets, but not the driver and passenger of the pace car that has as much HP as one of the race cars on track. Plus, that 'Vette hit the wall with a pretty good whack. So, I think in the name of safety for all, pro drives, celebrity drivers and passengers at least have them in helmets and HANS equipment. These are some great people and we don’t want to see anything bad happen to them.

Tony Piergallini, Steubenville, Ohio

RM: The slow speeds around Belle Isle in a pace car certainly wouldn’t warrant any added safety precautions. Seat belts would be plenty safe enough, and this crash was an anomaly.

Q: A buddy of mine was talking to Derek Daly at IMS a couple weeks ago, and they were talking about drivers that are purely just drivers, versus drivers that understand car setups and what is actually going on with the car. Derek was saying that guys like TK and JPM are terrible setup guys. He even went so far as to say the JPM would have been the best driver ever had he put in a little effort to understand the car. He also said that Dan Wheldon was one of the best guys at understanding the car and giving the guys in the garage accurate feedback.

This got me curious. Who today are the drivers that really seem to know what is going on with their cars? And who are they drivers that know nothing about them?

Mike R., Bloomington, IN

RM: Quick backstory. I worked for Lloyd Ruby’s team in 1974 (after I got fired from The Star the first time) and 'ol Rube knew nothing about his chassis except it was either “luse or pooshin.’’ But it didn’t matter because he drove the wheels off it. Had he known more like Bobby Unser, yes, I’m sure he could have won more races, but a lot of guys were like that back then. Scott Dixon, Simon Pagenaud and Ryan Hunter-Reay come to mind as sharp setup guys, Graham Rahal seems to know what he wants, just like Josef Newgarden and Will Power. Wickens and Rossi must be pretty savvy, and Hinch seems switched on. But I don’t think it matters how much you don’t know anymore because of computers.

Q: I finally got around to watching the Indy 500 this week, and enjoyed the more old-school racing that it provided this time compared to the last few years that were much more IRL in their style. It had me thinking back to when I first started watching as a kid, when teams had to enter their spare cars and they used to be the same number with a T, i.e. 12T or the like. What’s the story behind the T designation? Did it have a specific meaning, or was it just a random letter plucked from the alphabet?

Thomas Warren, Sydney, Australia

RM: I defer to The Man, Donald Davidson:

“The original use of the “T” designation came in Grand Prix racing in the 1960s. It stood for “training” car, which was effectively a “back up” provided for the use of a driver to become familiar with a twisting road course without wearing out the equipment intended for the race. Some teams referred to the “T” car as “the mule.” The “T” designation at Indianapolis has a different meaning, but likely evolved from the above. It appears to have been first used by Team McLaren, circa 1977. The rule at the time was that each car, “backups” included, be painted up with its individually assigned “program” number, placing a team in the position of having to designate its “prime” car and “backups” weeks before practice even started. In the event of a driver qualifying a backup car, using a number not normally associated with that driver, the team would often request that the car’s number be changed for the race. To avoid the expense and logistics of repainting a car, McLaren -- and soon all others -- would enter a second car, and maybe even a third, each bearing the same number but with a taped “T” appearing behind a second car, and “TT” behind a third. In the event of the second or third car being qualified by the prime driver, all that was potentially necessary was to peel off the “T” or “TT.”

Race start, Milwaukee, 2015 (Image by Abbott/LAT)

Q: While I don't have very high hopes for its future, the Milwaukee Mile is most definitely not being disassembled. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the State Fair Park Board is about to plan a study to determine what will be done with the speedway's grounds. They also state that The Mile is used during the state fair for parking and the grandstands for concerts. So the physical property isn't going anywhere soon. I don't see where the money will come from to bring racing back, but there's always hope.

Dennis Czosek, Streamwood, IL

RM: Thanks Dennis, I’ve heard varying reports and read an article where some of the seats were being sold.

Q: Regarding Milwaukee, I forwarded your comment about the track to a friend who is heavily involved with the SCCA, SCCA events at the Mile, and Wisconsin racing in general. His comment:

“They did sell off some of the bleachers that were not being used last year. I’d say an Indy car race will never happen again. The track is in the black if you take away the bleacher debt.”

Based upon other conversations we’ve had, the debt from the grandstand improvements continues to be the problem. If you care to, I can put you in touch with my friend. I think he would be worth a call.

John McCrory

RM: People seem to think I’m anti-Milwaukee because I said there would never be another race there. I loved The Milwaukee Mile, but it’s pretty obvious that no promoter is interested and hasn’t been for a long time. My understanding from Carl Haas (when he promoted it) was that the politics always got in the way. Thanks for the update.

Q: One section of bleachers was sold two years ago, and the scoring pylon was damaged in a storm and taken down -- all leading to rumors of the Mile's demise being much exaggerated. There is a site study to be done by a combined Racing Committee and Property Committee. The Racing Committee part is a "work in progress" according to the Board office. The racing coordinator at the Mile is a cool dude. There is a lot going on at the Mile, from sports cars on the road course to drag racing on the front straight. This is positive in the near term. In future -- 10 years -- after the bonds are paid off on the grandstands, the doomsayers could be correct and it could be the end of the Mile. Some of us are working to avoid that end. IndyCar could help.

Bob, Milwaukee

RM: Please explain how IndyCar could help? By being the promoter like they are at Phoenix? Not gonna happen. It’s a financial loser. If Milwaukee came back the week after Indy and started at 1 p.m., it might have a shot at re-establishing itself. But who is going to take a chance? I appreciate your passion Bob, and I’m anything but a naysayer when it comes to The Mile, but I do think I’m being realistic.

Q: I watched 1978 qualifying, and noticed that the first laps were at close to 25mph. Why did they go so slow back then on the first lap?

Thomas Harleman

RM: Just a precaution in warming up the engine.

Q: You, Marshall and RACER are making me into a real IndyCar fan these days. I am entered in the SVRA Brickyard Invitational next week (Formula Ford). I want to make the most of my visit to the Speedway. Aside from my on-track sessions, what are the main things and places you recommend that we take in?

John Gaither, Arden, NC

RM: Visit the IMS museum, check out the Unser exhibit, visit Lucas Oil Raceway and Bob Lorton’s memorabilia shop next to it, eat a cheeseburger at the Workingman’s Friend, visit Foyt’s Winery on Main Street, stop by the Dallara factory across the street and see Sarah Fisher’s go-kart track on the same street.

Q: Put me down as having enjoyed this year's Indy 500. As a lifetime IndyCar fan speaking to other lifetime IndyCar fans who beg for the 'old days', this was an 'old days' type of race. A driver had to work hard to pass a car of similar speed; not just suck up behind them and pull out on the front stretch like the last few years. I threw an Indy 500 viewing party, and about 20 of the 30 people attending had never seen an IndyCar race and not a single person complained about a lack of action. We had quite a few Germans at the party who follow F1 religiously; they enjoyed the strategy of the race and were blown away by the amount of people in the stands and infield. Perspective people, perspective. Thanks, and with the baton officially passed, all us IndyCar fans are pulling for your entire NBC broadcast team.

Zack, Atlanta, GA

RM: Always good to learn what a first-timer thinks after watching Indy. Glad you were able to spread the word and make IndyCar some new fans.