Robin Miller's Mailbag for July 4, 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: With all the talk about Scott Dixon as a possible driver for a new McLaren IndyCar team, why wouldn't it make sense for McLaren to partner with Chip Ganassi rather than Andretti? CGR ran a four-car team for several years and I think the only reason they cut back this year was money. McLaren would be a high-quality partner and would presumably bring plenty of money to the table. Dixon could finish out his career still associated with Chip but also have the opportunity to drive (and probably win) for Team McLaren, any Kiwi's dream.

Alan Hummel, Saint Petersburg, FL

RM: I suppose it makes sense except that Michael Andretti and Zak Brown have become friends and partners and their collaboration in 2017 was a success so why change?

Q: The recent rumors about Scott Dixon to McLaren are very interesting. Here is an angle that I am not sure has been discussed. Certainly McLaren could offer Dixon big money, a ready-made transition to sports cars with Zak Brown's United Autosports team and possible re-entry to full WEC prototypes with the 2020/2021. What if the other carrot would be a one-off F1 drive to replace Alonso if he is off doing a WEC race next year? Dixon’s one of the few on the IndyCar side to meet the SuperLicense qualifications. Crazy idea for sure.

D.J.

RM: I guess it all depends on what Dixie’s plans are for the next five to six years but I don’t think he’s got any aspirations to do a one-off F1 drive in a bad car. And people say McLaren could offer big money but where is it coming from? Not the F1 side. Scott seems to enjoy sports cars so that could be a caveat.

McLaren at Indy with Alonso and Andretti in 2017 (Image by Steven Tee/LAT)

Q: What does a "partnership" mean? There’s all the buzz of McLaren possibly joining IndyCar full- time if they can “find the right partner,” but what exactly does that mean? I know in 2018 Shank is partnered with SPM so I figure that’s the best example of what a partnership provides.

Also, if McLaren signs Dixon does that mean there’s no room for Alonso? I haven’t ever seen a rumor that McLaren will field a two-car team in 2019.

Ryan in West Michigan

RM: When Alonso drove at Indy in 2017, Zak Brown and McLaren partnered with Andretti Autosport -- using their equipment, crew and experience. If McLaren does come to IndyCar full-time next year, it’s likely to return to Andretti or find a new partner that already owns everything so it’s almost like a lease deal for McLaren. Nobody (other than a couple people) knows what McLaren, Alonso or Dixon will be doing next year -- it’s all conjecture. One car? Two cars? No cars? Might as well guess like everyone else.

Q: Growing up a Chicago sports fan in the glory days of the Bulls dynasty (those teams would eat Golden State's lunch by the way), the saddest day of my teen years was when it was confirmed after the '98 Finals that Bulls management didn't think keeping the team together another year was the right direction. Are we on the verge of the same thing happening at Chip Ganassi Racing? Target goes away, Honda money helped but I'm guessing isn't making up the shortfall again this year, PNC comes on, seems like a great sponsor but can't be spending what Target spent, the extra money from Chilton and Kimball goes away. Now you've got Dixon who is the perennial all-star, but can Chip sustain him with a huge offer from McLaren? Or is Ganassi going into "rebuilding" mode and trying/having to find cheaper talent? Steinbrenner money + amazing young talent means Colton Herta with the Chipster next year?  

Clint, Chicago

RM: Too early to say but, obviously, Ganassi would not want to lose Dixie and if he wins another title it may be a moot point. But I do like the sound of Colton Herta to the Chipster with George Michael Steinbrenner as the partner.

Q: It seems to me the only contenders in Chevy are Penske. All other top teams are Honda. Is there any chance of a major shakeup with this? Also, I believe you said last week in the mailbag that Roger Penske would love it if they were the only ones running Chevy. Why would that be? How would that benefit them? After being a longtime fan (CART, Champ Car, IndyCar), I (and family) will be attending my first race in Iowa (happen to be in the area) and will keep an eye out for ya.

Craig Mashburn

RM: The Captain always likes having his own brand, be it a chassis or an engine, and lives for the Unfair Advantage. He’s got three of the best drivers so that’s all the information Team Penske needs and, by the way, they’ve already won five of the 10 races this season. I doubt if GM would mind if RP was its only customer except it wants more than three engine leases. See you this weekend.

Q: About your recent article and interview with Mark Miles on the 2019 IndyCar schedule, do you know/have a sense how many races they would like to have annually or set as a goal moving forward? I’ve hoped we could reach 20 races and want to say that Derrick Walker seconded that emotion while he was president of operations/competition (or maybe I made that up…).

Cody Decker, Greenwood, IN

RM: I think 20 would always be the goal but only if it was 20 solid events and, right now that’s not even close. Just finding 15 good partners that can operate in the black is difficult at the moment.

Q: After reading Marshall’s article about Scott Dixon going to McLaren I have got to stop and think that a great part of Scott's success comes at the hands of Mike Hull. Do you honestly think Scott would be as successful with someone else calling the shots?

Tom Conlon

RM: Dixon’s success came with engineers Eric Bretzman and Chris Simmons, great pit stops, some good calls by Hull and Scott’s tremendous talent. Yes, I think he’d be successful driving for just about anyone with four wheels.

Q: So IndyCar is looking for a title sponsor, Indianapolis is trying to lure Amazon and Indiana benefits from both. So here is the plan: if Amazon agrees to move to Indianapolis the state will pay for, “The Indianapolis 500 presented by Amazon. Amazon, the fastest way to the checkered flag.” Just a thought.

Joe W., Cherry Hill, NJ

RM: I’m pretty certain Mark Miles has already made some phone calls or made a visit or two.

Q: Reading the latest bits about how McLaren just MIGHT enter two cars for 2019 (when I previously thought the best we could hope for is a single-car entry), I tried to do a quick "good-case-scenario" car count, including all the teams that seem to have at least a decent chance of running full-time in 2019: Penske (3), Foyt (2), Schmidt Peterson (2), Ganassi (2), Juncos, Rahal Letterman Lanigan (2), Dale Coyne (2), Carpenter (2), Scuderia Corsa, Andretti/Herta (4), Andretti-Steinbrenner, Carlin (2), Harding (2), Shank, McLaren (2), and Dreyer & Reinbold. That's a grand total of 30 possible entries that are not even necessarily unrealistic -- although they may not ALL happen, of course.

Then there is the possibility of a third Rahal car, or yet another additional entry I didn't think about that could materialize (Belardi and any others that might be lurking in the wings?). Let's say we get 30 full-season runners, would we introduce qualifying on certain tracks (pit stall space limitations?), would they all be allowed to start each race (same argument about economics we had at the Indy 500 bumping topic)? Presuming we get a lot more full-timers, what impacts will this have on the Leader’s Circle money, and subsequently overall purses? What do you think might be an optimistic-realistic car count for the 2019 full season?

One more thing, if the Dixon $8 million offer is real and true, it could have far-reaching impacts on costs in IndyCar... might we run the risk of a cost explosion that could paralyze smaller teams in the long run, like what happened in that other series?

Max from Florida

RM: I think IndyCar would be thrilled with 25 full-timers but it’s way too early to be drawing any serious conclusions. Let’s just say that considering the costs and how little money can be made, it’s amazing to have 22-23 cars, let alone what might happen in 2019. Have no idea about LC or purses. As for pit stalls, CART ran with 28 cars in the '90s and early on the IRL had big fields as well so I doubt it would present a problem. Dixie’s $8 million is pure speculation but it’s not going to start a bidding war because nobody has that kind of money or has to pay it anymore. Michael and Little Al broke the bank back in the mid-'90s (I wrote a story in The Star in 1998 that said they were making $7 million each in salaries) and the engine money was good to Dario, Dixie, T.K., Gil, Helio, Brack and a few others but nobody makes that kind of money nowadays. I’m sure Scott is the highest-paid IndyCar driver but I’ll bet he doesn’t make more than $3 million a year in salary.

Darlington Raceway (Image by Nigel Kinrade/LAT)

Q: As in previous mailboxes I saw a comment about Darlington. I agree 100% about seeing Indy cars return to that track. Almost but not quite shaped like Trenton. A tough track and only the toughest drivers could tame. IndyCar could also use what NASCAR has done and turn it into a throwback race. Bring back Jack Arute, old graphics and filters to the racing and logos. Would probably be a huge hit. You could advertise true racing, gimmick free.

What’s your take on some oval tracks you’d like to return? I would love Richmond to come back. New Hampshire could be possible since NASCAR lost a date. This September is the first ever Whelen Modified Tour race, the Musket 250 at the track! Open wheel racing would be a great weekend at the track for next year. Other than that how about IRP? Leading up to Indy 500 would be great and racing the same weekend as USAC. Martinsville, I’ve seen a few videos of some IndyCar iRacing at the track. Tight and fast, with lap traffic always a constant threat. It would feel like a sprint car race. Constant side-by-side racing. The track is flat and drivers need to manhandle the cars. Even if IndyCar would try an all-star race to test a potential oval track would be encouraging.

Joe, Shelton, CT

RM: The challenge going to a new oval or back to one that was previously on the schedule is that it takes two to tango. Even if IndyCar was interested in Darlington, there’s no guarantee Darlington would be interested in IndyCar. Loudon hosted one of the greatest races ever between Emmo, Mansell and Tracy and it drew 50,000 in 1995 but then became a casualty of The Split, and when IndyCar went back in 2011 it was a dud and one-and-done. Richmond drew a nice crowd every year and that’s the place I’d like to see IndyCar try again. And possibly Kentucky because it’s in the Midwest where IndyCar’s fan base lives and had decent attendance when the IRL started. If George Bruggenthies and his people could take over Milwaukee, obviously that’s a favorite but it needs a good date, a 1 p.m. green flag, a title sponsor and a promoter in for the long haul. Two IndyCar races at IMS is enough, we don’t need one at IRP.

Q: Just finished reading today’s mailbag (June 27) and you mentioned that IndyCar would never go back to Charlotte due to the three people killed in 1999, in which I was there. But, even though I don’t like seeing anyone being killed at a race, whether it’s a fan, crewman or driver, unfortunately it happens. If that were the case, the greatest track in the world (IMS) would have closed a long time ago. I love IndyCar, but I’m tired of watching road course racing and I would love to see more ovals. IndyCar needs Michigan, Kentucky, Charlotte and what about Atlanta?

Brian Lancaster, West Lafayette

RM: That’s what I remember being the sentiment after '99 but I imagine attitudes could have changed since then. USAC, CART and the IRL tried Atlanta and none of them drew as many people as ex-ESPN reporter Marlo Klain had at her wedding. One year there was a free Charlie Daniels concert and the traffic jam was trying to get into the track after the IndyCar race. No, Indy cars and Atlanta were never a good match.

IRL IndyCar at Milwaukee, 2007 (Image by Dan Streck/LAT)

Q: Not a question, but some views from my perspective. I kind of grew up at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway, and loved the place. Tom Marchese was a great promoter. Five times out there during the fair, besides other weekends. It breaks my heart to see its demise. Dealing with the fair board makes racing unlikely in the future. The old grandstand needed repairs, but the big mouth former governor wanted to spend lots of money on a new one that provided no protection from the sun or rain. I do not believe it is paid off yet. As much as I wish to see racing return there, my practical side says it is not going to happen.

Milwaukee Mike

RM: I’m not sure it could ever work again Mike unless it was the week after the Indy 500 because that was the attraction -- the boys of Indy coming to Milwaukee. But when Carl Haas was promoting The Mile he told me it was a bitch to fight all the politics and I doubt if anything has changed. I mean we all wish it could be reborn but I’m not sure anybody cares enough to try again.

Q: I was shocked to hear you mention the possible return of Homestead to the IndyCar calendar. You had mentioned in the past that it did not draw a good crowd. My family and I went to every IndyCar/Champ Car/IRL race there until they bailed, and there was always a decent crowd. My nephew and I went back last year to do the Andretti IndyCar Experience, and were amazed at how the area around the track has built up. When we went there for the last races, there were nothing but fields and swampland for miles around the track. Now it is right in the middle of the Homestead residential and business area. This could be a great help to bring in crowds, and if the Miami crowd is within earshot of any promotions, it could be a winner.

p.s. It was interesting to see some viewers complain about the sound quality of the NBCSN NASCAR race broadcasts. I can attest that it is most certainly the sound settings on their TV/surround sound system. I have adjusted various settings to get the optimal sound out of the IndyCar broadcasts. It’s the next best thing to being there!

Mark Suska, Lexington, OH

RM: I guess if half the grandstand is occupied it could constitute a decent crowd nowadays, but the only time it had good crowds were the first few CART races when Marlboro, Honda and Toyota gave out freebies. And I do understand the area has become much nicer but it’s just tough to draw people for open wheel racing at Homestead. Glad your sound quality works and I hope people read our NBC trouble-shooter last week in the mailbag.

Q: I’m actually not a fan of Homestead being on the IndyCar schedule in 2019 because Miami has proven time and time again not to be a big sports town. Another disadvantage is the fact that it cannot draw from other states as easily as other tracks can. It does have the potential to draw from fans that attend the St. Petersburg GP and hurting an existing successful event would make Homestead even more of a negative.

Brian, Joliet, IL

RM: CART drew a decent crowd when it ran Tamiami Park from 1985-88 and then it had a huge turnout for the street race down by the harbor in 1995. But when the late, great Ralph Sanchez had an opportunity to get land by Homestead he took it, and that was CART's opener in 1997. He told me the morning of that ’95 race that he was worried he might lose half his crowd by going 25 miles south -- and he was right. Champ Car tried a downtown race in Miami in 2002 and 2003 but the track was rinky dink -- just like the turnout. And I really don’t think Homestead will have any affect on St. Pete.

Q: What a shame about ISM Raceway being dropped off the 2019 schedule. And which racetrack will replace it? And by the way, how many races will compete in 2019 season since St. Pete, Long Beach, Barber, Indy (road course and the 500), Sonoma, Road America, Mid-Ohio, and Gateway are included the list? And which will be added for the list? Oh, by the way, if the schedule still remains in 17 races, can Jay Frye end the season finale in October, as September is way too early for the fans.

Darren, Malaysia

RM: Probably going to be Homestead in April because IndyCar needs a warm weather date to replace Phoenix and there’s not many candidates. It also needs a place for Spring Training and Homestead fills that bill. There will be 17 races next year, but the finale will be in September.

Q: Why doesn't IMS do the USAC show on the Friday and Saturday night of Indy 500 qualifying? I would think it would double the crowd for Bump Day and don't see it moving the needle for NAPCAR. Grow the Month of May instead of feeding the dead horse.

Bob from Minnesota

RM: Depending on how things go in September, I imagine IMS is entertaining doing that very thing in May.

Q: I've been watching IndyCar all my life and have been working in IndyCar since 1989. In those years I remember Laguna Seca jam-packed in an October race from the '80s to the Zanardi last-lap pass in 1996. I'm not alone believing we screwed those fans over and that race up with multiple date changes. We had great crowds at Fontana the first weekend of November right through 2000. I've never been a believer in not racing once the NFL started -- just make the racing exciting and give them a reason to come out. Stabilize the schedule. Look at the crowd they get at Road Atlanta for Petit Le Mans. All the major road courses have fan bases that would rather go drive their BMW, Corvette, Porsche, Audi than spend a nice fall day watching football.

Jim Cooke, Royal Oak, MI

RM: I remember leaving our hotel by 7 a.m. in the late '80s and '90s to get into Laguna because the traffic was so bad but the last few years the racing was terrible and the crowds got worse and worse. The date did fluctuate from season opener to season finale to late May so that may have played a role in attendance, but the track is narrow with no straightaways long enough to make a pass. If IndyCar would swap Sonoma for Laguna, it’s kinda like trading twins. But Jay Frye has tried to stabilize the schedule in the past two years, it’s just hard when tracks go away.

Q: I remember back in the early to mid 1970s I went to a race at Michigan International Speedway called the Norton Twin 200s. It was a doubleheader with Indy cars and stock cars (I don't think it was called NASCAR yet) on the same day on the same track! And in between races there was a one-lap riding lawn mower race. Do you have any history on this or similar events that may have happened at other tracks during that era?

Randy

RM: It was USAC stock cars and Indy cars and USAC’s stock car division was as good, if not better, than NASCAR’s in the 1960s and '70s as Parnelli, Troy Ruttman, Paul Goldsmith, Jerry Unser, Don White, Butch Hartman, Roger McCluskey and A.J. (three-time champion) all competed in the mix of dirt and pavement tracks. There were various doubleheaders with Indy cars and I think USAC may have run a stock car/IndyCar twin bill at the old Ontario Motor Speedway, Texas World Speedway and maybe Trenton but I can’t find any records.

Q: What if the field were split into two groups; all the odd number points positions in one, and evens in the other. Invert each group, and hold two pursuit races for 15–20 laps. Starting position would be based on how long a driver runs before being passed. Then, take the top three of each group for a fast six qualifying based on speed. This could lend to much more track action for fans on the short ovals. Could this work out, or would there be too much pre-race equipment danger? Also, bring back the Cleveland race. Make it a doubleheader with the road course one day, and a flat oval the next.

Greg, Cleveland

RM: To have anything like what you’re suggesting would take good sponsorship because the risk vs. the reward isn’t worth it if it’s only starting spots. If it paid $20,000 to win a prelim and $10,000 to make the Fast Six, then we’re talking. There was talk once of Cleveland hosting a road course/oval doubleheader at Burke Lakefront (yes they had a plan for an oval layout on the airport) but the logistics were too crazy and not enough time. We all want to go back to Cleveland. Except LeBron.

IndyCar's Triple Crown trophy, 2013 (Image by Michael Levitt/LAT)

Q: With the Six Hours at The Glen in the books, I’ve had a thought: much as the Triple Crown of old was an interesting idea, in practice, it had quite a few flaws, chief among them being the very high unlikelihood of resurrecting it in its classic format (let alone finding a sponsor that was even willing to kick up some money for it, like Fuzzy Zoeller did last time). But I wonder if, perhaps, the concept could come back again (if -- a big “if” -- we could find a sponsor) and actually work in a format closer to IMSA’s North American Endurance Cup? I know you’ve floated something similar in the past, so why not opt for the four most well-attended and popular events on the calendar, and one from each “discipline” at that: Long Beach, Indianapolis, Road America, and Gateway. At the very least, I would think it would help pad and preserve these four events on the calendar, and competition-wise, I think it would be a better fit than the original Triple Crown or the misbegotten and half-developed oval and road racing championship concepts in that it stresses versatility rather than over-specialization. Just a thought.

Garrett from San Diego

RM: It only needs to be one road race, one street race and Indianapolis and you’ve named them but the only possible reason to have it would be financial. And Mark Miles is searching for a series sponsor, a sponsor for the Indy GP and possibly a pole position sponsor so the Triple Crown is pretty far down the list.

Q: I recently heard you exclaim that IndyCar has a Triple Crown! Long Beach! Indianapolis! Road America! This is what makes IndyCar racing so great. It is a discipline without equal. That being said, and agreed to by me, with such a diverse set of tracks how would you determine a ‘champion' in this series-within-a-series? The current IndyCar point schedule?

Jeff Stone, West Chicago, IL

RM: Using the current format, Will Power would have won the Triple Crown with 159 points (thanks to double points for his Indy win) while Josef Newgarden would be second with 136 and Alexander Rossi third with 133. But, without double points, JoNew edges Rossi by three. I think for the Triple Crown it would be best to use standard points and not some gimmick.

Q: I saw on a post today a theoretical question that asked: If you could magically bring back the IndyCar Triple Crown, what tracks would you include and why? After thinking about it, I said Indy for the 500 and Road America for the road course. Then I would use Toronto and Long Beach as the street courses, each one getting an alternate year to accommodate attendance/viewers for both coasts. I would make an exception and use Watkins Glen were it available. I would extend the street and road courses in length to give them a three-hour window, similar to the 500. So what would your dream list consist of and why? Fun to dream, anyway!

Jerry Laake, Iowa

RM: Triple Crown so we only have three races and everyone agrees Long Beach, Indy and Road America but you would never want to use a track that wasn’t on the schedule. Not sure we need any three-hour races except Indianapolis but maybe you make Road America a couple of 150-mile heats to spice things up.

Q: One of your contributors suggested running an IndyCar race in conjunction with the Six Hour at Watkins Glen. I that would be a great fit. I remember going to the Five Star Weekend at the Glen back in 1974. It featured the Six Hour on Saturday and a Can-Am and Formula 5000 on Sunday, along with a Trans-Am somewhere in there. It was fantastic seeing all of the top-tier classes together in one weekend. Plus, many of the drivers did multiple races -- Mario (won the F5000), George Follmer. Jackie Oliver (Can-Am winner), Brett Lunger, Elliot Forbes-Robinson and many more. And I read a N.Y. Times article that claimed 65,000 fans. Hopefully IndyCar can get something worked out to get back to Watkins Glen. Love the track!

David K., Traverse City, MI

RM: Not sure what the attendance was last weekend but it would seem to be a perfect place for a doubleheader like Long Beach and Detroit. I know Watkins Glen president Michael Printup would be all for it because he likes that date (compared to previous IndyCar dates) but it’s all up to Jim France.

Meyer Shank Acura at Watkins Glen (Image by Richard Dole/LAT)

Q: Watched a bunch of the Six Hours from Watkins Glen on Sunday from the Couch Concourse and while I thought it was an entertaining race, I couldn't help but notice that the overall attendance looked about as good as IndyCar was getting... in the rain... if that? They might sell a few more camping pads given the length of the weekend, but that really didn't look like a crowd that can support a race there any more than IndyCar? I was there for IndyCar the last two years and I'm sure it was at least as full. The grandstands specifically had a LOT more people in them. The Glen needs to find a date for IndyCar and vice versa. Attendance being a problem seems like garbage to me.

Also, how about that dirt track kid Larson? He really makes it a show in NASCAR along with the Busch brothers, Harvick and Truex. Running out at the wall like that... did you notice even Rowdy didn't want to sail it in right against the outside fence? Kyle Larson did it lap after lap. Even better, I'll be going to see him race a sprint car tonight and tomorrow here in PA, for a measly $7,000 to win in a PA Speedweek show! The connection from the top level to the dirt tracks simply can't be overstated for fans. He's an awesome dude and gives us reason to tune in and come out to the races.

Dave Long

RM: That’s why everybody thinks a doubleheader with IndyCar/IMSA would be a better draw, and it won’t rival the NASCAR crowd but I promise you it would be better than standalones were from both groups. When I worked at SPEED and "Wind Tunnel" I nominated Larson for Driver of the Year when he was 18 or 19 after he won everything he drove that season in USAC and during our conference call Darrell Waltrip chastened me for not sticking to major league racing. Think he’s got a different viewpoint today?

Q: Watching the Sahlen's 6 Hours has me missing IndyCar at Watkins Glen. On "Trackside," Kevin Lee suggested the addition of IMSA to NBC's portfolio might entice IMSA to reconsider a Glen doubleheader with ICS. This seems like such a no-brainer for all parties involved. Motorsports should be working together instead of further dividing the shrinking pie. Do you think a WGI doubleheader could happen in 2019 or 2020? If so, would IndyCar be willing to play the "undercard" and race on Saturday? If IMSA refuses, why doesn't IndyCar tell them to take a hike at Long Beach or Detroit?

Justin in Indy

RM: The promoter controls the show and I know Jim Michaelian (Long Beach) and that guy named Penske both love the IndyCar/sports car mix so it isn't up to IndyCar to tell IMSA to take a hike and it wouldn’t anyway. They’re both good weekends. And I don’t think IndyCar would have a problem running on Saturday at The Glen. But NBC could be the deciding vote with Jim France since all the equipment is already at The Glen for sports cars so the IndyCar race would almost be like a freebie and likely no conflict with NASCAR.

Q: Normally I agree with you 98% of the time but must take issue with your reasoning for naming Turn 12 "Canada Corner" at Road America. We were told back in the early '90s CART days that the reason they call it that name is because it is the turn/corner nearest Canada, meaning it was farthest north of all the track. RA is such a cool track because it has names for some turns and straights like Morraine Sweep (at the end of which was The Speed Trap), Hurry Downs, Carousel, Kettle Bottoms, and Thunder Valley. Other than the Carousel, the only named corner is Canada Corner.

Mike Hickman, Beech Grove, IN

RM: It wasn’t my reasoning, Mike, it came from the track and it’s the same story that’s been repeatedly told since Road America came into this world in the 1950s.

Q: Disappointed to hear that Phoenix has disappeared from the schedule but not surprised -- it should've been the opening race of the season (after the Super Bowl and before the Daytona 500 would've been a good spot -- it's a dead time in sports). So, I read with some amusement that Denny Hamlin is part of a "super secret driver's council" and that he's working really hard (barf) to fix all the ills of NASCAR and is considering mid-week races. Their problem, like the NFLs, isn't having enough exposure, it's having too much. A solid weekend -- Friday, Saturday, Sunday -- of practice and qualifying and then the "big" day of racing, which starts before the chickens get up and ends when the owls fall asleep, is simply too much in today's modern world. Nobody but diehards (and even they get bored by it all) care to watch racing that much...

And here's the part which IndyCar is getting right: Schedule: It doesn't last from Ground Hog Day until Thanksgiving. That's the good part -- even though an additional few races for a total of 20 or 22 wouldn't be bad and a reach into October would be good (and it would bring back Fontana). Sponsorship on every race car. More would be great but it wasn't that long ago when there were cars (as many as a third) absent sponsorship of any kind. Diversity of racetracks. Even with the demise of ovals the courses IndyCar does have are a pretty good mix. Driver talent...On any given race day just about anybody in the field can win. A consistent TV partner in NBC. Management who don't seem to have their collective heads up there a**es.

There are downsides, of course: purses are shameful, there's no series sponsor, and IndyCar itself won't enter in joint partnerships to promote itself and drivers...But, hey, it's way better than it was in the recent past. A question: if you were building a team, who would be the people you'd go after to make the team legit? What drivers, engineers, crew would you want? And would it be a two-car team or a single entry? And what drivers not presently on the horizon do you think can cut it in Indy car racing?

Jake, Pasadena, CA

RM: I would love to see IndyCar have a mid-week race in the summer because you would have a captive audience and NBC’s Kevin Lee always suggests the week of the baseball All-Star game and that would be perfect. If I were starting from scratch and planning for the future, I would hire either JoNew or Rossi to team with Colton Herta and pay Craig Hampson an obscene amount of money to engineer everything. I think Pato O’Ward is a little badass that will be good in Indy cars and Santi Urrutia, Aaron Telitz and Victor Franzoni have all looked good at various times this season in Lights. Parker Thompson and Rinus Veekay are atop the Pro Mazda points with Oliver Askew waiting for his first win after dominating F2000.

IndyCar at ISM Raceway (Image by Scott LePage/LAT)

Q: On Phoenix: I’ve gone all three years and had six tickets, for all three years and even got pit passes and the Friday GA tickets as well. I tried my best to give IndyCar everything out here in Phoenix as I wanted it to work so bad -- hell, I would even go to the spring testing as I just love watching the cars on track at any track. I thought the racing this year was decent though -- watching Rossi go through the field was enjoyable and that pass for the win by Newgarden was ballsy, but I do admit the race in 2017 was a snoozer and I took another friend that year and they refused to go back in 2018. But I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut with them leaving. Every year there was no marketing for the race and I would hear a radio ad here and there or a DJ on the local classic rock station giving out tickets or a billboard on the I-10 but other than that nothing compared to when NASCAR is out here, where you are bombarded with TV commercials and such.

I watch IndyCar racing religiously but this past weekend while I was watching RA practice online and that race on NBCSN I just felt deflated and kind of betrayed. Some of my first memories of IndyCar are going to the race out here in 1993 when Mario won his last race and Mario autographing his visor and giving it to me. Maybe I’m just whining but I just find being an IndyCar fan kind of hard right now as the closest race to me will now be Long Beach. I went to the Texas race this year and enjoyed it a lot but traveling, tickets, rental car, hotel cost a pretty penny. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth knowing now that if I want my oval fix I have to watch a NASCAR race out here.

Michael Kelso, Phoenix

RM: I feel your pain, Michael, because Phoenix was a bastion of IndyCar for 50 years and opened and closed the season many times in the USAC days. I got to help tow Bill Finley’s Indy car to PIR many times and it was always a thrill to leave cold Indiana and drive into the desert with our car on an open trailer. PIR was built for Indy cars but after The Split the crowd went from 60,000 to 6,000 and it never recovered. IndyCar was the co-promoter the past three years and that’s why there wasn’t much promotion or marketing as we saw by the empty grandstands. Had the racing been better it might have made a little difference but probably not because it’s an expensive proposition these days to take on any oval race – especially IndyCar.

Q: Now with NBC in control will we see more pre-race? Example: the National Anthem and the fly over? I think that adds up to the build up of the race.

Terry, Elkhart, IN

RM: We usually only have a 30-minute pre-race show and try to jam as many interviews and features in it as possible to get the viewer a little closer to the drivers, so they take precedent.

Q: We all know that NBC pays significantly more to televise NASCAR than Indy, but what are the chances that NBC decides to increase the amount of Indy races shown on the big peacock? I would love to see some night races (Gateway or Texas) get some network attention.

PS: I'm taking my kids to see their first Indy race at Gateway this year, hoping the parking is better this year.

Rob, Cape Girardeau, MO

RM: I believe NBC is hoping to show seven or eight network races in 2019, which would be superb, and I think you’re going to love what NBC does with the month of May. The parking will be much improved and so will the roads leading in and out.

Here’s an update and some travel tips from Gateway GM Chris Blair: “In 2017 we had just acquired an additional parcel of land to the west of our drag strip prior to our race and, as a result, the parking conditions were not ideal. The development at that time provided us with finished access to a very small parking area. Since August of 2017 we’ve been working on that new land and, by race time, we will have an additional 6,000 parking spaces. This area features new gravel roadways and parking surfaces and is much closer to the entry gates. (6,000 parking spaces typically reflects room for another 18,000 fans).

In addition, we are working with additional parking companies to make the parking process much more efficient. One thing we do want to remind the race fans -- our local St. Louis sports crowd is used to showing up at the venue less than 30 minutes before the start of any event. As a result, there will be a tremendous push late in the afternoon (between 4 and 6 p.m.). We are recommending that race fans who want the best experience to arrive between 2 and 3 p.m. so they can attend the driver autograph session, see the Icons of Open Wheel event with Vintage Indy Registry and watch the Indy Lights and Pro Mazda races. Get in early and make a day of it.

Also, most everyone likes to head straight for the main gate but the best route in is via Collinsville Road on the backside of the property. Reminder…this year’s race starts one hour earlier than the 2017 event. Our “Know before you go’ information is posted on Gatewaymsp.com and all ticket buyers will receive one of the brochures in their ticket mailer. Please check it out.”

Q: Big fan of your "Tough Guys" videos. Simple question, what made those drivers so tough? Many of them returned to racing after suffering horrendous injuries (that picture of Johnny Rutherford flying through the air unconscious should make anyone uncomfortable and Jan Opperman removing his goggles to let the blood drain out, wow). I'm guessing beyond their passion for racing, it was simply how a driver made a living.

Regarding the lack of passing at Road America, well there was. Rossi's passes weren't picture perfect, but they got the job done. With a very competitive series, passing anybody is a difficult thing to do. Senna, Earnhardt and Montoya were/are much admired for their on-track aggressiveness. I recently read a quote from Scott Pruett in RACER Magazine -- "We're not out there to make friends."

Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA

RM: They were hungry and lived for the moment with little regard for their own safety, let alone the tracks they raced. The guys in the '50s and '60s were the gladiators of the day because racing was so dangerous and so many drivers lost their lives. I tell Parnelli, A.J., Mario, J.R. and Uncle Bobby that they are still revered so much today because they thrived and survived that deadly era. It seems like most great drivers possess a little ruthlessness and your friends cease to exist when your helmet goes on. But that’s not to say today’s drivers aren’t brave because they are (going into the corner at Indy at 230mph) it’s just that safety has improved twentyfold and it’s a different kind of bravery.

Johnny Rutherford

Q: I was wondering if you've ever thought of doing a book about Indy and the drivers from (for lack of a better word) the heroic era from the 1950s to the 1970s. I ask because I just read Tom Wolfe's classic "The Right Stuff" and it seems there's a huge overlap between the test pilots and the racers of same era, at least in temperament, as seat-of-the-pants all-Americans putting their lives on the line for glory. Actually I was thinking this already while reading even before I got the part in the book where Jim Rathmann appears as a Chevy dealer in Florida befriending Alan Shepherd and Gus Grissom and even giving them some racing lessons. And of course I saw the picture of Chuck Yeager and A.J. Foyt together at Phoenix this year. Could be a great read...

Patrick

RM: That’s a great analogy and I know A.J. thinks the world of Yeager for that very reason. Not sure about a book. I’ve got reams of notes and old interviews from A.J., Mario, Parnelli, Dan, Uncle Bobby and Lone Star J.R. so it could be fun but I just finished my very first book on the history of the ABA Indiana Pacers so I need a rest (smile) before I tackle anything else. But I appreciate the suggestion.

Q: Are 5,000 seats enough for the USAC midget race at the Speedway?

Ralph Power, Indianapolis

RM: Probably, unless Tony Stewart enters and then they might have to add some more.

Q: In the 6/20/18 Mailbag Jason (Champaign, IL) was asking about crew members and their life on the road. You explained that most teams use a pair of truck drivers to get each truck back and forth to the shops, while the rest of the crews typically fly back to Indy. My question: Do the teams ever keep the equipment and crews on the road and rebuild the cars away from the shop during short turns (like Phoenix/Long Beach this year)? Just the drive from Phoenix to the Central Time Zone then back to the West Coast would eat up a huge chunk of time, and I can't imagine how hard it would be to get to the East Coast (Penske) and back.

Eric (on the road)

RM: If it was back-to-back races like Phoenix and Long Beach this year then a team might opt to pitch a tent and try and fix the damage instead of going back home, but it likely depends on what parts were needed. Dallara always has a truck at the races so it’s possible to get everything with one-stop shopping and not return to Indianapolis or Chicago (Coyne) or North Carolina (Penske).

Ed Jones gets a splash during a pit stop (Image by Michael Levitt/LAT)

Q: When Indy cars pit and refuel, after the fuel line is removed, something is sprayed at the car from the fuel line. What is this and what is the purpose?

Alan Gunderson

RM: It’s water and it’s simply a safety precaution against fuel leaking out and onto the bodywork or headers.

Q: Hi Robin, first time e-mailer, long, long time fan, of both you and open-wheel racing. I love every single direction IndyCar is headed. NBCSN has by far the best coverage, I was literally at the limit of what I could stomach with Always Banal/Boring/Bogus Coverage, and I truly hope they get a deserved ratings increase for all their efforts. I love all the tracks we go to now, I love how competitive the series is, I love that the management seems to “get it.” It’s the only series where you truly don’t know who’s going to win on a given week, with that randomness being entirely based on merit!

The winner almost always is among the most-deserving for that race -- not some silly fuel gambit or lucky caution, or “phantom caution.” There aren't any silly, ridiculous "stage" gimmicks to create the illusion of competition. I love that almost any team can show up to a track and, if they get everything right, take on the big boys. Maybe most of the American viewing audience has been too brainwashed by NASCAR to expect something “exciting” to happen the last laps -- gee, another caution with 2 to go, 20th race in a row, how…predictable… -- but I’ll take a merit winner any day of the week, and I don’t care if they’re 30 seconds ahead at the end. Love me some IndyCar! And not to blow smoke up your butt, but I love how you promote American drivers, but are also very fair and welcoming to the foreign talent we’re graced with. And how you hold the upper management accountable!

I have an actual question for you: How does IndyCar enforce the pit lane speed limit during qualifying? I assume there is one, because you always see the drivers slow down when they’re changing from blacks to reds. But I can’t remember anyone ever receiving a penalty for pit lane excessive speed.

Matt

RM: From IndyCar Race Director Kyle Novak: “Hi Matt – IndyCar considers qualifying to be “Race Conditions.” In other words, any infraction such as excessive pit lane speed are penalized exactly as they would be in the race. IndyCar allows a small leniency to pit lane speed during practice only, to allow teams to properly calibrate their pit lane speed, and avoid a potential penalty in qualifying or the race. Hence, the reason why we see so few pit lane speeding infractions throughout the season.”

Q: Hi Robin, love your Mailbag! I just want to point out to you, in case you haven’t read it, Jeff Olson’s piece regarding road racing, camping, and shenanigans! It is a wonderfully written article that really struck home with me.

In 1980, on our first anniversary, my wife and I attended Laguna Seca for the Camel GT races, and camped in the super campgrounds there. We met an Australian couple from Canada, and a friendship ensued which added many other lifelong friends, lasted many, many years, and started a long tradition of camping at all the major Laguna Seca and Sears Point races as well as Long Beach. The real shenanigans started at Laguna with a wild bunch of hooligans who called themselves Laguna Tuna! I won’t endeavor to list everything (even though the statute of limitations has expired) that transpired over many fabulous racing seasons. Anyway, Olson’s article was right on, but that’s been going on for a long time, and at many beautiful road courses worldwide.

Dan Moore, Placerville, CA

PS: Why are there no races on the Nazareth oval anymore?

RM: I did read it (on IndyCar’s website) and Jeff is one of the best writers in the business and he captured the atmosphere and attitude of Road America perfectly in his column. It’s always the happiest group of people we see each season because they’re generally thrilled to be at the IndyCar race rubbing shoulders with their favorite drivers and enjoying the track and the outdoors. Nazareth lost its promoter, sold its grandstand and is filed away in former tracks.

Q: I've always been a fan of the "little guy" in racing, and came up with a question that in the last couple years nobody has been able to answer. Who was the last driver/team to attempt the Indy 500 arriving with an open trailer? I've seen photos of several low-buck NASCAR Cup teams in the '70s and '80s with open trailers, but can't seem to find any info on the Indy side.

Rick Hansen

RM: It would likely have been either A.J. Watson or Bill Finley in the early 1980s, unless Dale Coyne did it later so I’ll ask him this week at Iowa.

Q: As I live about an hour away, I've been to many IMSA and CART races at Road America, but didn't get up there for the last two IndyCar races -- last time I was there was the test they did in September of 2015. Wow, this year was the biggest crowd I've seen there since the Pabst 500 sports car races back in the '80s. Traffic jam on the way in! There were fans everywhere.

I watched the start from the top of the hill outside Turn 5, then crossed the bridge to inside Turn 6. Between 6 and 7 I saw a vehicle with Wisconsin plate "6N7 at RA." Then went up the hill to outside of Turn 7, stayed for a few laps, then down the hill to inside Turn 8. There I saw a truck with Wisconsin plate "TURN 8." Obviously two sets of rabid fans that park in the same place for all the races. Then went across the Speedville bridge to inside the kink and the camping area, then another newer bridge to the outside of the Carousel and you can see the cars into the kink. Very cool. Then back across the bridge and took the new trail from the kink to inside Turn 12. There were hundreds of fans along the fence the entire length of this trail!

Then along Kettle Bottoms and watched the cars going into Turn 13. You could see many of them sliding -- very cool. Then back up to the outside of Turn 5 to see the end of the race. Then up the hill to the paddock and winner’s circle. As there were no cautions, that little jaunt took up the entire race. One very cool thing is that both into Turns 8 and 12, the cars are braking and going down at least three gears in about 100 feet! I even got myself on TV. I was watching you interview Hinch, and when I watched the NBCSN coverage later at home, there I was in the red shirt so you must have an extremely wide angle lens on that camera. A great day all around. What did you estimate the crowd?

Scott Simpson, New Berlin, WI

RM: After Friday and Saturday were so well attended, I asked George Bruggenthies what he expected on Sunday and he was leaning towards 45,000. Last week Road America announced its $100, four-day ticket for June 20-23, 2019 that includes garage access and free parking. Fans have until Oct. 31 to buy them and it’s the best bargain in racing.

Q: Amen, brother, to everything you have written about Road America. We have been the past three years and plan to be there the next three years. Is there any possibility IndyCar can simply have George Bruggenthies run all the races? You touted the Saturday crowd on the NBCSN broadcast. The reason for the big crowd on Saturday is not hard to understand: plenty of racing and things to do all day. Walking around the paddock area is a great experience. And, it doesn't hurt that the facility is gorgeous. Finally, many thanks to James Hinchcliffe for stopping to take a photo with my daughter. He could have not been more gracious and friendly about it. It made her day and turned a more casual fan into a more avid one.

Bob Lawless, Champaign, IL

RM: George made a bid for Milwaukee and didn’t get it, and I think his plan was to make some kind of a Milwaukee/Road America package. So, to answer your question, I wish he could do more than one race for IndyCar but it’s not likely at the moment. What Hinch did doesn’t surprise me; when Greg Moore took time to talk to him back in the late '90s, that moment never left him so he’s happy to return the favor. And Hinch is not only a good racer and a great ambassador for IndyCar, he will be the funniest color analyst in TV history when he retires from driving. I’m hoping to be his chauffeur at that point.

Charlie Kimball at Road America (Image by Scott LePage/LAT)

Q: A good friend of mine is a huge race fan -- IMSA mostly -- but I've been taking him to IndyCar races (the last two 500s) and he has started a tradition of taking his boys to Road America for a camping/racing weekend. He "Facebooked" and share with me a very special weekend they just had.

Last year, his oldest son Conner (who has type 1 diabetes) was able to meet and talk with Charlie Kimball for a while -- made Conner's year! This year, on Saturday afternoon he and the boys were enjoying everything that was offered at the track when they got autographs and pictures with Takuma Sato and Graham Rahal at the RLL team session... making for the first part of a great weekend. Later that evening, after qualifying, Chris was with his boys at their camp site when Conner came running up to his dad saying "Charlie Kimball's here..." Dad was a little skeptical, but when he stuck his head around the open trunk lid -- there was Charlie.

At the encouragement of his wife, Charlie went out to walk his dog and try to regroup from a disappointing qualifying experience and "spend some time with fans and kids." Charlie saw Conner with his Charlie Kimball team shirt on and came up to talk. He spent over an hour talking to Conner and his dad (and little brother Camden) about all types of things -- racing, how he deals with diabetes, etc. Conner even gave Charlie a juice box of a new drink his mom found that has zero carbs -- so "you can drink all that you want," according to Conner. Charlie later tweeted about the whole experience and thanked Conner for "the best juice box ever!" Dad was so thrilled and taken aback that he replied to Charlie to express his thanks.

And, just so we don't leave Camden out -- when RLL updated their Facebook page after the race, they featured a picture of Camden with Graham -- his favorite driver! Dad (Chris) shared with me last night that before he "liked" Indy Car, but now nothing else comes close! Only with IndyCar and only at a facility like Road America.

DeWayne Salter

RM: The best way to end the mailbag is with a good story and I thank you for that one, DeWayne. Charlie is a great guy who always has time for fans and media alike and he’s probably made as many new fans for IndyCar as any driver during the past few years. Thanks for sharing.