Robin Miller's Mailbag for July 25, 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: Just finished your “Right Place, Wrong Time” article.  Your frustration (as well as A.J.’s) with IndyCar overlooking a great opportunity to transition back to an oval to finish the season is shared by many of us old-timers. The season-ending oval-track races were consistently great, drama-filled events, and Gateway held some promise to replicate the experience for sure. But your article was also properly balanced. The true fuel for our beloved sport is sponsor dollars. The owners apparently lobbied IndyCar about how the wallets of prospective sponsors could best be opened in Monterey, arguably one of the most exquisite and opportunity-packed “wooing” venues in the U.S.

If I read the press correctly, Laguna Seca has a three-year deal, but only has the finale guaranteed for 2019. The jury’s currently out on whether the new aero package will make the race exciting there, and we won’t know about that until it happens. The prudent thing would be for IndyCar to evaluate the key growth factors (sponsorship increases, attendance, quality of racing) at Laguna Seca in 2019 and make an advised decision for 2020 and beyond on where the series should be concluded. As fans, we need to be positive and see how this plays out. Thanks as always for your insights and candor.

Ed Koenig, San Diego

RM: I should point out that the owners didn’t make the final call on the season finale, and there wasn’t even a vote. The ones I talked to were just opposed to finishing at Gateway, and that’s why I wrote what I did. I totally understand trying to keep your sponsors happy, but wouldn’t they be happier if a million or two viewers watched the season finale on national television at an oval in the Midwest that has a chance to pack the house and provide some drama? Evidently, after talking to owners and drivers, the atmosphere in the restaurant is more important than the one at the track.

Q: Countdown to Robin bashing Laguna Seca: 3… 2…1. Come on Robin, it’s 2019! Oh wait… Me and my racing buds are super excited to have IndyCar back at our (second) home track (LBGP being numero uno). We all know that you want to go to Gateway. You and Tex keep saying IndyCar was born on ovals. Needs to be on ovals. And I get it, I like them. I was California Speedway when Gil hit 245mph. I was also there when RHR won his championship in front of (maybe) 20k people. Texas used to be fun race to watch on TV until IndyCar took away all the downforce. Try and move the Gateway race to Sunday at the end of the season, and I don’t think it sells out. And that what IndyCar wants, a Sunday Championship race. Hope to see you at Long Beach in April, and Laguna Seca in September!

Tom Ross, San Luis Obispo, CA

RM: I’m not bashing Laguna, I’m merely pointing out the facts. The last few “crowds” at Laguna for Champ Car were as poor as the racing. I hope there’s a big crowd next year and the aero kits work their magic and turn Laguna into a racy place, but read a little further (two questions down) to see why that’s very unlikely. And I’m not saying Gateway was the greatest race of the year, but it did have a pivotal pass for the win, and imagine if that had been the season finale. I think there will be more people at Gateway this year than Laguna will draw in 2019. But I’m glad you and your pals are going and are big IndyCar fans, and I thank you for supporting both races on the west coast.

Q: You are right about IndyCar not having the last race of the season at Gateway. What the hell is Mark Miles thinking? Jay F wanted to end on an oval, and look all what he has done to improve IndyCar. The Rams are not there anymore. The Cardinals could be on the road in September. Just think of the crowd it could bring! This is what us die-hard fans wanted! Also, why does the Captain have so much pull with having Detroit after Indy?

Believe me, I have a lot of respect for Mr. Penske, but he is not on the board of IndyCar and he should not have a say. I understand that he has a lot of pull, being in Detroit, but I truly believe that if Milwaukee ran right after Indy, it would start getting people back to the race and improve the attendance. I think IndyCar should have an open forum for us die-hard IndyCar fans at the Speedway. Have car owners, the sponsors and track promoters there to hear what we have to say and help IndyCar move forward in the future. I truly believe it would make a difference.

Terry Gobble, Urbana, IL

RM: Mark Miles was in favor of an oval finale and got pushback from some owners, but that’s not why it didn’t happen. There’s more to the story, but I was miffed because the owners I talked to were dead-set against ending the season at Gateway. R.P. and Chevrolet are joined at the hip so I understand the Detroit doubleheader with GM sponsorship, but it simply kills the momentum from Indy to go to a street race. The only way Milwaukee could ever have a shot at returning to its glory days would be to run the Sunday after Indy at 1 p.m., or maybe during the State Fair in August like the old days. If you could get those people to read The Mailbag every week it would be a victory, but an open forum could be productive.

Q: While I’m happy the series is returning to Laguna Seca, I’m wondering if it will be any racier than Sonoma, which is usually a parade. The new aero package has been great on road courses, but any chance there will be track enhancements to make more passing possible?

Vincent Martinez, South Pasadena, CA

RM: Here’s a stat I didn’t use in my commentary last week that’s a great argument for not ending the season at Laguna. From 1990 to 1994, four of those CART races only had one leader – the polesitter – and he led flag-to-flag. There were two passes in 1993 – both in the pits. There are no enhancements that I’m aware of that could be in place by 2019.

Image by Levitt/LAT

Q: IndyCar should want to end its season with an exciting oval race, worthy of double points, that will deliver good attendance, and more importantly, good TV numbers. That is the return on investment that sponsors are looking for. You can wine and dine sponsors all you want, but if they are not getting what they feel is a good return on their investment, they will stop being sponsors. If car owners feel that St. Louis is not appealing enough to entertain their sponsors for a non-racing good time than an adjustment needs to be made.

I see two options to end the season on the right double-points race note. End the season at Gateway with an exciting oval race that should have good attendance and hopefully good TV numbers to impress the sponsors. Then the following weekend, have a season-ending celebration in Northern California or Las Vegas with current sponsors and potential new sponsors. The car owners would not be distracted by racing activities and could spend the entire weekend working their sponsors in a desirable location that the sponsors will enjoy. End the season with an exciting oval race at Texas Motor Speedway in September or October. Dallas/Fort Worth may be more appealing to car owners and sponsors than St. Louis. Having not been to either city, I don't know how they compare for entertaining.

As much as I love road racing, I think both these ideas make more sense from a marketing and IndyCar racing point of view than ending the season on a road course. I'm surprised that the brain trust at IndyCar hasn't already realized that this would be the best marketing solution for ending its season and convinced the car owners of the wisdom and value of doing it this way.

Michael Aldea, Hawthorne, NJ

RM: I’m sure the owners would only want to woo the sponsors on a race weekend, and Eddie Gossage said a long time ago he wasn’t going up against college or pro football in September. IndyCar’s decision-makers liked the idea of an oval finale, but sometimes you can’t reason with car owners, and other factors played into the decision to end at Laguna. But the overall attitude that ending at Gateway was a bad idea is what made me mad.

Q: If a Juncos, Shank or Reinbold were able to find a sponsor that enabled them to run a full-time entry, because the sponsor happened to like crab legs more than ribs, would it be worth it? Laguna Seca has three years to prove itself, just as Phoenix did. Why doesn't it receive the same benefit of the doubt? Plus, if it doesn't work out, then I suspect Gateway will get its shot.

John Q.

RM: If taking a prospective sponsor to Laguna to eat and drink is the deal-maker and has nothing to do with the quality of the race or the attendance, then that’s great – make it the next-to-last race of the year. Then fly them to Gateway for a steak in St. Louis to watch the season finale in front a good crowd, and they’ll feel like it’s a big event.

Q: Why listen to IndyCar supporters? I became disgusted and more or less lost interest during TG's attempt to destroy this form of racing once. By eliminating the core fan and catering to his perceived money crowd (suites, F1, elimination of infield party atmosphere, etc.) and basically changing the atmosphere and aura that was Indy, he basically spit on the real racer. I returned over the past four-five years and am now again discovering that the fans voice is being ignored. Put the sport back in focus with the fan, or choose to look like a complete idiot and repeat the same disastrous business plan that failed before. The season-finale needs to be in the Midwest and on an oval. Sponsors only benefit if the consumer takes notice.

Lynden

RM: When you go to Road America, Mid-Ohio, Iowa and Gateway you always feel like you’re in the heart of IndyCar country because of all the T-shirts, hats and educated fans. They watch the races on NBCSN, read RACER.com and all the other IndyCar websites, and they identify with the drivers. There are already three buses from Indy going to Gateway, and you know if it hosted the season finale they might have to open that Turn 1 grandstand.

Q: See you at Laguna Seca next year. Yes, there are IndyCar fans on the West Coast. I was there for The Pass and Mario's Last. Looking forward to the return.

Michael McGill, San Diego, CA

RM: Absolutely, Michael. I’m always telling people who say that claim Long Beach is just a party with no real race fans that there are thousands of die-hard IndyCar fans at The Beach, and they all came from those days at Riverside, Ontario and Fontana.

Q: I appreciate your article about the location of next year's finale. I feel so cheated! Trading one mediocre road course for another, and probably with double-points too, just isn't a smart move for fans. After having the pleasure of experiencing Road America, Sonoma and Laguna Seca pale in comparison. Not that I might not go next year. I am a big fan of the Monterey Peninsula area and have wanted to experience Laguna Seca for a long time, but just not for an IndyCar race. So the dream of ending the season on an oval with a great size crowd from the Midwest just isn't enough for the sponsors? That is a sad commentary on the state of the series. Thanks for the photo from the last episode of Wind Tunnel in last week's Mailbag. It made me smile, although very wistfully. My Sunday nights just haven't been the same.

Deb Schaeffer

RM: I’m not sure the sponsors had any say, nor did the owners vote, but almost to a man (you can guess the two who were opposed) made it sound like it was inconceivable to have the finale in the Midwest at an oval when Laguna or Sonoma were available.

Image by Abbott/LAT

Q: Does the failed negotiations with Sonoma make continued negotiations with Texas difficult and tenuous? On one hand it sounded like there wasn’t the best communication between IndyCar and Sonoma; wouldn’t bad business dealings with one SMI track cause difficulty with other SMI tracks? Sonoma said the word from Charlotte was they could not continue to lose money on the IndyCar race, and I’m guessing Texas got the same word. What are the odds that another oval appears on 2019 schedule – or another is lost?

Cradler, Brownsburg, IN

RM: I think “difficult” is the proper term, but there are a lot of things that may or may not come out that would paint a clearer picture of what happened or what might happen. I think Texas hangs in balance right now – could go either way. IndyCar is trying to find a replacement for Phoenix, but right now there aren’t a lot of options for 2019.

Q: Have the IndyCar powers that be even checked out downtown St. Louis for a great dinner and event? The Cardinals owners have a great venue in Ballpark Village where I am sure they could have knocked it out of the park (so to speak) for an end-of-the-IndyCar-year event! As you said, they must only be interested in good wine and I hope not a snoozer of a race! When I go to a venue like Gateway, I don’t think about what is around me, I am interested in the track and racing.

Phil, Homecroft

RM: Wish I could have printed all of A.J.’s comments about rating restaurants over racing, but to me the atmosphere at Gateway last year was electric and Laguna will be just like Sonoma – a glorified tire test. St. Louis has plenty of fine dining, just no ocean and mountains, but in all fairness, the owners did not make the final decision on the 2019 finale. They simply didn’t want it to be Gateway. But it should be about the crowd, the chance of some drama, the speed and the fact something special is taking place in the heartland of your fan base.

Q: Very excited to see Laguna Seca added to the schedule next year, and for the season to end later in September. Part of the story that worries me is whether IndyCar has upset a track that was willing to host a race (Sonoma). There are not many of those around anymore, and the list is getting shorter with Phoenix leaving the schedule after this year as well. How do you see this affecting IndyCar long-term, especially with Laguna Seca being a venue that has a very unstable management group?

Chris Ellis, New Berlin, WI

RM: I guess the best answer is that Sonoma did a good job in a tough environment, but never drew much of a crowd and it had to be tenuous financially, so I understand wanting to reduce the sanction fee. I was amazed Sonoma continued to be on the schedule, but Laguna Seca has new management and believes it can sell IndyCar, so it’s supply and demand – although not nearly as much demand as the old CART days. Hosting any major racing series is a tough sell these days, so IndyCar is just trying to hold on to its good tracks and cultivate a couple new ones (or old ones).

Q: While I’m happy to see IndyCar retuning to the venerable venue of Laguna Seca - especially given that the facility was superior to Sonoma in terms of its character, its raceability, and its history with the sport (about the only thing Sonoma has on it was sightlines) – I can’t help but wonder if IndyCar is making the same mistake it made with Sonoma. Yes, Laguna Seca has history, and yes, it’s hosted season-finales in the past, but even with these cars, I’m hard-pressed to deny that it’s just as narrow and difficult to overtake as Sonoma was. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to put a racier venue like Gateway at the close of the calendar instead? Or does IndyCar know something I don’t?

Garrett from San Diego

RM: Of course it would have made more sense, but evidently there were some contributing factors that swung things in Laguna’s favor. But it should be pointed out that Laguna only has the finale for 2019, and I think there’s still hope for Gateway in 2020. Sonoma and Laguna are both fun road courses for drivers but neither is conducive to good racing, whereas Road America and The Glen are both old, fast tracks with places to pass and great history.

Q: While reading your Mailbag last week you mention that trading Sonoma for Laguna Seca is like "swapping sisters because neither track is good for racing" and also that "the bottom line is that all our favorite road courses were built 60 years ago for smaller cars, and only Road America and Watkins Glen offers inviting passing zones." It seems Barber was a pleasant surprise since it seems it was build for motorcycle racing, and COTA will never happen as long as Texas is on the schedule, even though I'm not sure COTA would be all that great of a race. That being said, are there any recently-built road courses in North America that would be good for IndyCars to race on?

Jay in Chicago

RM: Good call, Barber was built for motorcycles and has been a very pleasant surprise in attendance as well as good racing. I think we’d all like to see Road Atlanta and Mosport get the nod some day, but they need major work according to IndyCar, and obviously COTA looks inviting. Never been to Utah Motorsports Campus (formerly Miller Motorsports Park that was built in 2006) or VIR, but it seems like both would be a stretch to afford IndyCar and/or draw a crowd.

Halcyon days: Alex Zanardi leads in front of a packed house at Laguna in 1996. (Image courtesy of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca).

Q: I have been a supporter of IndyCar for over 30 years and I have attended two-to-five races per year for almost the past two decades, but it is becoming tough to support a series that no longer puts fans first. Leaving Sonoma, I figured finally we would get a track better-suited for the finale – a track like Gateway, Iowa, even a second round at Road America. Or, I would settle for the Indy road course. But we get Laguna Seca? I’m fine with it being on the schedule because they are paying decent money, but I’m tired of the series putting corporate big-shots ahead of the fans and the quality of the event.

The car owners still have too much power, and that’s where I miss Randy Bernard – he actually put the fans first. BTW, they can have Laguna Seca towards the end of September, but the series refused to accommodate Fontana with a similar date? This entire finale situation finally convinced me enough is enough, and after Gateway this year, because the tickets are purchased, my family and I will no longer give IndyCar our hard earned money and will end a 16-year streak of attending the 500. Enough is enough.

Brian, Joliet, IL

RM: Fontana actually wanted a night race in October, so there was never a chance of that happening under the current regime. I’m sorry you won’t be attending Indy, but don’t give up yet. This year’s schedule may not look anything like 2020 so stayed tuned, but thanks for being a loyal IndyCar fan for three decades.

Q: In regards to Laguna Seca, I went for 10 years. Was sitting on the hill when we heard a huge roar and saw Zanardi going into Turn 10 in front of Herta. Saw Servia flip at Andretti, even went to spring training. How can they make the track better without breaking the bank? Well, make Turn 4 a lot tighter, which would push Turn 5 down towards the “infield”, which would then open up a huge back straight if you cut into the hillside in Turn 6 and make it like a Long Beach Seaside straight (other side of 6 is a cliff), which would create the greatest passing zone in the world, the Corkscrew.

P.S. A lot of us SoCal people attended back in the day, probably more than the NoCal-ers.

Jeff in CA

RM: Laguna needs a straightaway (obviously lengthen the short one it has now) and that would likely cost a fortune, but I don’t see any other places to make the racing better. We use to get up at 7 a.m. and try and beat the crowd into Laguna during CART’s heyday so, yes, it was very well-attended at one time.

Q: Your comment in your last Mailbag about ovals being an endangered species got me thinking. Last weekend, I decided to go to Eldora to watch the World of Outlaws run the Kings Royal. I have not been at the Big E in over 15 years, but I just decided to make the 400-mile round trip from SE Michigan because I wanted to see some dirt car racing. Absolutely worth it. I have never seen a larger crowd at a race at Eldora. The stands were full, and actually, it was really difficult to move around on the grounds.

My point is, oval racing is not an endangered species. I just think folks are returning to the roots of oval track racing, which just so happens to be in the Midwest. (Maybe explains why St. Louis was a success.) Everywhere else, it’s just a novelty. I left there looking for the next big show to attend, which I believe will be the USAC 4-Crown Nationals for me. Maybe some of the readers of the Mailbag should get out to their local dirt track to satisfied their itch for some oval racing and let IndyCar do what it does best, which, right now, is great road and street racing. Enjoy it all while you can!

Andy, Brighton, MI

RM: There are more short track race fans (total) in this country than all the NFL attendance added together, so I guess the proper phrase is that ovals for IndyCar have become an endangered species, with NASCAR not too far behind. Gateway and Iowa (moving back to Saturday night) can be the exceptions, while Texas and Pocono struggle to regain their old form.

Q: All this negative talk about attendance at ovals. As we saw last year at Gateway it "worked because it’s got some smart people and a home run for a title sponsor with Bommarito," to quote RM last week. So we know the solution, and surely it's not beyond the expertise of the promoters to not only use Gateway as an example, but to actually do what they presumably profess they are good at. Also, as is often mentioned on your letters page, it must be in the series’ interest to up their marketing budget a tad. Confused.

Oliver Wells

RM: Let’s put it this way: Gateway was the first oval since Iowa opened back in 2006 that has hosted a winner at the box office. They had to bring in extra grandstands at Iowa but now it’s barely half-full, so the hope is that a return to Saturday night will bring the crowd figures back to 30,000-plus. The key to having success is a good group that knows how to promote coupled with a big-time title sponsor, and both of those seem to be rarities nowadays. Ovals are a tougher sell because they don’t offer the non-stop action of street and road courses, but Gateway has something going on from mid-afternoon to the green flag next month so, again, Curtis Francois, Chris Blair and John Bisci truly get it.

Q: Well Miller, we are swapping a track owned by people in the business of staging races for a track owned by fickle, NIMBY voters, many of who are hostile to auto racing. WTF could go wrong?

Lew

RM: It should be a bonanza, drinks on me at the Hog’s Breath Inn.

Q: Do you see any benefit to moving the Indianapolis Grand Prix to an early/mid August weekend? I understand the past benefits of having the event in May, but just wonder if you think attendance would improve? It fills a scheduling gap and doesn’t interfere with college or NFL football. I live in Indy and attend the 500 every year, but have not attended the Grand Prix. I would likely go if it were held in August.

Tony, Indianapolis

RM: I really don’t think so Tony, people come to IMS to watch speeds on the oval, not road racing, and I don’t think it matters when it runs because it’s going to have the same turnout.

Image by Levitt/LAT

Q: You keep mentioning Kevin Lee’s suggestion of having Iowa as a Wednesday night race during the MLB All-Star break. In the same paragraph, you mention how you think moving the race back to Saturday night will help the crowd, and that’s so people can travel to the area. I understand how Kevin’s idea would help the TV numbers, but for attendance your two opinions conflict each other pretty strongly. Which part of this riddle am I missing?

Kyle, Edwardsville, IL

RM: It’s no riddle. Iowa is definitely going back to Saturday night and that’s a huge positive, while having an oval race on Wednesday night during baseball’s All-Star break is only a great idea that may or may not ever be acted upon.

Q: First of all, you have the greatest job in the world – covering IndyCar racing – and I want to thank you for your in-depth stories and everything you do to keep the fans in the loop with the best form of racing on the planet. I am currently away at school and therefore will be unable to attend my home race at Pocono Raceway this year. I'm extremely distraught over this, and am hoping that you have some good news about the series returning to the track for years to come. The past few years (including the race on Monday afternoon in 2016) had pretty good attendance and the energy in the stands was great. Please give some good news, otherwise I will be flunking some classes in order to make sure that I can make it to the last race there.

Trevor, heart of NASCAR country (bleah), Port Orange, FL

RM: I don’t know about years to come – that’s a decision that must be reached by both parties, and it’s tough for Pocono because it’s got Cup races in June and late July before hosting the ABC Supply 500 in mid-August. I imagine it’s got a chance to break even with ABC Supply as the title sponsor, but attendance has been less than impressive since returning six years ago. But I think you’re safe for 2019, so don’t cut class.

Q: You talk a lot about getting more fans at Sonoma and now Laguna. One problem I have with the final race is the double-points thing. I get how it allows more drivers to have a shot at the title, but It leave a poor taste in my mouth when a driver who kicked ass all season has his one bad race at a double-points weekend and loses big. How about having a dual standard-points race at Laguna like they have in Detroit?  It is novel, more TV time, high-pressure for the teams, more tension, so good hype to increase the draw. What do you think? Also, tell those guys to do some marketing south of the track. There are a lot of people that would head up if they know it was happening. It is not just a Bay Area draw.

Paul Rubel, Santa Barbara, CA

RM: I’d much rather see a doubleheader with split points than one race, but not sure Laguna would be on board with it. It does give the promoter a better shot at getting a Saturday crowd,but it likely costs more as well, in terms of the sanction fee. But there were twin bills at IRP, Kent, Brainerd, Mosport and St. Jovite back in the 1960s, and they worked fine. Make it look special, and maybe it will be.

Q: I wholeheartedly agree that Canada deserves a second venue, but I think racing on the Grand Prix circuit would draw inevitable comparisons to F1. What do you think about the Trois Rivieres course? The current 1.5-mile configuration might be a bit short, but I think there is a 2.1-mile configuration as well. Mont Tremblant is a beautiful location, but it is a ways from the Big City...

Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA

RM: When Champ Car ran Montreal from 2003-2006 there were big crowds, and as long as you have a couple of French-Canadians (Zach Claman de Melo, and they also loved Seb) it can work again. Comparisons didn’t make any difference back then and wouldn’t today, because the racing is so much better than F1. St. Jovite (Mont Tremblant) is gorgeous but too far away from civilization, while Trois Rivieres is too small.

Q: With Homestead out of the picture to replace Phoenix, Laguna confirmed to be replacing Sonoma, and Mark Miles saying we will have 17 races next year, what other tracks would be in contention? Heard Richmond was also in play – is it still in play? With Pat O'Ward leading the Indy Lights points, where does that leave Mexico City? If I recall correctly, someone in a previous Mailbag a month or to ago alluded to someone trying to get Cleveland off the ground, could that be close at all if a promoter is found? Is Detroit in as much danger as the local news outlets say? Is there another track that we haven't heard about yet that's interested?

Zac, Atlanta

RM: I think IndyCar is looking at all ovals, from Kentucky to Richmond to Rockingham to Martinsville to Michigan to Milwaukee, but it takes two to tango, so nothing is confirmed yet, or even close. If Pato O'Ward wins the Lights title and gets an IndyCar ride it might be a good time to revisit Mexico City, but he probably needs a year or two of seasoning to grow his following. Cleveland is dormant, and I think Detroit will be fine.

Image by Galstad/LAT

Q: Take a deep breath, because when Mid-Ohio hits I don’t think there will be time to catch your breath before the season ends. For me, the title fight is down to Newgarden versus Dixon. I think Power is too inconsistent, Pagenaud just hasn’t shown the outright speed, and Rossi isn’t likely to be given any room by many of the others competing up front. What are you most looking forward to down the stretch? [My answer is seeing if Wickens can get his first win].

Ryan in West Michigan

P.S. I’ll give a shout if I see you at Mid Ohio.  I’m taking my five-year old because he didn’t get to go to the Indy Grand Prix this year, and he keeps asking when he gets to go to another race.

RM: I want to see if Wickens, Marco and Graham can make it into victory lane, but I’m afraid Dixie could sit out a couple races and still win the championship. He owns Mid-Ohio, and a bad race for him at Sonoma would be fourth. Look me up this weekend and we’ll get your son a souvenir.

Q: I saw an article in which Ric Peterson said he was working with Green-Savoree to get a street race going on the grounds of the famed Calgary Stampede. I know you have mentioned Calgary in the past and thought you were just spit-balling. It is great to hear that there is a plan in the works, provided city council can agree. However, as I understand it, the mayor and council currently in place are somewhat disinterested in funding sporting events with any public funds. Thus, I imagine this race would need to have a well-funded title sponsor. If a title sponsor were required, Calgary, which is Canada’s oil hub and therefore hub of business and industry (Sorry TO and Vancouver, it’s not you) would be the best bet for a successful event.

As a former account manager for a consultant’s business with an oil giant, I know that Calgary is probably the only place left in Canada where business runs on hospitality between vendor and clients, trickling down to the very blue-collar roots of the oil field workers themselves. That’s where you’ll get the numbers, hospitality suite sales and ticket packages purchased by vendors wishing to comp their clients. The casual fan is just gravy, but there are enough fans who miss Vancouver that would make the trip to Calgary or Portland to get their IndyCar fix. Hope to bump in to you in Portland.

Trevor Bohay, Kamloops, BC Canada

RM: Last time I asked Savoree about Calgary he said it’s still got a heartbeat but nothing imminent, and I’m sure he and Kim want to see how Portland turns out before moving further northwest. It was a hot topic a couple years ago, and then I think the oil business went south and cooled everything off. But it’s still a potential place for IndyCar to try down the road.

Q: Does the current state of auto racing offer IndyCar some potential opportunities as far as potential permanent venues? Fully aware of the current state of all motorsports. Sponsor dollars drying up. Attendance and TV viewership declining. Aging fan base. As an example, a rain delay in New Hampshire for the NASCAR race, still run on the same day, and still in daylight, and the attendance was a joke. Even without rain, attendance would have been dismal. Nobody wants to lose money. So I'm wondering what is going on in the minds of big-time track ownership these days, where every year they are experiencing declines.

Hypothetically, if IndyCar would forego sanctioning fees, and operational costs can be negotiated, why wouldn't a track owner have interest? I get it's all about money and what makes sense. The only reason I ask is because I would think track owners may be more willing to get creative and negotiate since their main attractions are not as profitable as they once were. I have zero illusion that IndyCar would get more involved in "promotion" (even though Gateway has proven a racing event works if done right, and after the IndyCar failure at Phoenix), because it isn't going to happen. I am more curious about the economics and future of these big-time tracks and their ownership now and in the future, based on current state of affairs. Is it simply more sensible to do nothing and live off the tax depreciation rather than to do a race?

Jim, Indy

RM: If you rent Watkins Glen or Phoenix like IndyCar did, of course the tracks are going to be interested because their risk is minimal and they might even make a little profit. But IndyCar supposedly bleeds money every year, so doing away with sanction fees at tracks that actually draw people is not going to fly. But that’s why I wrote a couple years ago (before Gateway) that IndyCar could be down to a couple of ovals, because nobody is willing to take that risk without a big-time title sponsor. I don’t see IndyCar or IMS wanting to be partners with anyone if at all possible.

Q: Have we seen all Marco Andretti has to offer, or might he bloom in a few years? Could he lose his seat if someone with sponsor dollars appeared?

Terry Clevenger

RM: Two numbers jump out. This is Marco’s 13 season in IndyCar racing and he’s still only 31 years old. He drove like we all expected at Toronto, charging to the front and making some nifty passes on a tight track. He won the pole at Detroit with a magnificent lap. He’s always good at Indy. Two wins in 212 starts is hard to fathom, and of course, without his father’s team he would likely be in sportscars by now. But I still think he’s going to break out, put together a few wins and contend for a title some day.

To your question, well, Zach Veach has a three-year deal for good money and has been a pleasant surprise in 2018, RHR is the team leader with loyal DHL as a sponsor, Rossi is the future and Colton Herta is in the on-deck circle. What if Alonso comes over for a few races and Dixie jumps ship and goes to Andretti? How many cars could Mikey field? And all these scenarios could put Marco in jeopardy, but I don’t think it will.

Image by LePage/LAT

Q: I was looking back at all the races this year and I can’t remember a time where Bourdais has made more unforced errors in a season. Am I correct? Yes, all drivers make unforced errors, but it seems like Bourdais is making more than I can ever remember for him. He has such a strong group behind him it just doesn’t compute. Granted, I am still upset that Dale has pumped so much money into his program for Bourdais, whereas Justin didn’t have a fraction of that money pumped into the program. I remember you always saying that if Justin Wilson had driven for Ganassi or Penske he would have had a totally different legacy in IndyCar (which I completely agree with). However, I feel that if he would have had the money influx that Dale has done in the past two years, Justin would have flourished – not to the level of Chip or Roger, but definitely more wins and consistency. Still miss the guy.

Josh R., Salem, OR

RM: Seb crashed at Indy and Toronto (his tangle at Long Beach wasn’t his fault) and I don’t think that’s excessive, especially since he’s trying to keep up with the Big 3. He’s got a win and a pole, and was looking at victory in Barber with a little luck, so I don’t think he’s lost too much. No doubt JWill would have flourished with the tech staff DCR has assembled today, but he and Bill Pappas won Watkins Glen and could have blossomed if Dale had kept them together.

Q: Why doesn’t IndyCar on road and street courses start two-wide after a yellow? Wouldn’t that be a little more exciting then single-file restarts? Well, I am ready for another oval race, so I will taking the 700-mile trip to Pocono next month. I’ll come down and say hello, if that’s okay?

Brian Lancaster, West Lafayette

RM: I understand it would be difficult at narrow joints like Toronto, but all the road courses would be fair game and it just livens things up for the fans. So does standing starts at places like Long Beach and Toronto (although this year’s Toronto start was the best I’ve seen in eons). Please say hello at Pocono.

Q: Your piece on Morris Nunn is a delight to read; really well done. Elements of Dale Coyne. Any good side story you can tell?

Ron Ford, Muskego, WI

RM: Bernie called Morris for the F1 pre-season press conference and he declined because he didn’t have enough money for the plane ticket (I think it was in Paris). So Ecclestone sent his private jet to deliver Mr. Nunn. In the press briefing, Mo was asked about the coming season and said it was looking shaky because he had no sponsor and no prospects. Afterwards, Bernie read him the riot act and said: “Don’t ever tell people you don’t have any money or any future. Just lie until we can figure something out.” Then I believe he gave Mo two new engines and $50,000. But I can tell you that Morris and Bill Finley came from the same cloth – self-made racers that could do everything.

Q: Helluva testimonial to a pillar of the IndyCar community of the past. Wonderful tribute to a robust, successful and varied racing career. May you rest in peace, Morris Nunn, and thanks for all the happiness and fun that you provided to race fans across the Pond and in the USA.

Tom Fitzgerald, CPA

RM: Thanks to Derek Daly, Juan Pablo Montoya and Alex Zanardi for providing their perspectives on “Momito,” His wife, Kathryn, just sent me a photo of him sitting in his first race car [above] and that smile says it all. He was a born racer, he just didn’t know it until he was 25 years old. I always felt honored to be his friend and listening to his amazing stories while he was kicking my ass on the golf course.

Q: It seems Santino Ferrucci’s European racing career fell apart in just a few days. What’s your take on his behavior and the response to it? I’m personally unimpressed with him for all of it, but I still feel badly to see a young American gunning for F1 going out like this. How do you think his behavior would have played out if he had done it in, let’s say, an Indy Lights car instead of F2 and American racing was to be the judge of how he acted?

Max Camposano, Los Altos, CA

RM: It sounds there was more to his termination than what happened on the track, but I would imagine he’d have been fined or suspended (or both) over here.

Q: I attended the Toronto Indy race. The Indy Lights race featured a grid of seven cars. Colton Herta, who was injured, pulled out after a few laps (and points gained) and another guy parked it for financial reasons. He told the crowd in a broadcast interview that a crash would financially ruin him! So that left a race with three real runners and two no-hopers. This is ‘The Road To Indy? More like a shabby little back alley, going nowhere. Why does IndyCar allow this farce to continue?

Snuffy Smith

RM: You can’t penalize or blame Michael Andretti, Brian Belardi, Ricardo Juncos and Dale Pelfrey for fielding Lights cars, and sure it’s sad there aren’t double digits in terms of entries, but five or those kids are damn good racers. Hopefully it will get better, but I was looking at an old On Track magazine the other day and there were some Atlantic and Lights fields of 11-14 back in the day, and Pro Mazda and F2000 both have strong fields this year so Lights will come around.

Q: I love Formula 1, but sometimes they are just stupid. I'm watching an empty track in Free Practice 3 because the FIA would not allocate an extra set of rain tires. Any team that goes on track will be at a disadvantage and qualifying in the race. I guess when you have 400 million fans you can afford the cheese off a few million of them. Please tell me IndyCar has somebody watching Formula 1 and NASCAR, taking notes, and making sure they don't repeat their mistakes.

John Masden, Georgetown, IN

RM: Hate to say it but there are periods of times at IndyCar races when there’s not much going on because there aren’t enough tires. I think that’s one reason the practice sessions have been reduced to 45 minutes at some places.

Image by LaBounty/LAT

Q: I'm from Brazil and I read your Mailbag every week. One thing that I can't understand is why people are aways painting NASCAR as a rival? Motorsport is becoming more and more a niche sports, since kids nowadays are not as into cars like we used to be, so every series and its fans must help each other and appreciate racing. IndyCar will not just grow if NASCAR falls or F1 struggles. IndyCar will grow if more people follow motorsports in general. For a long time I only watched open-wheel races, and I really regret how much I lost through not following other series.

Rafael Placce

RM: It wasn’t much of a rivalry in the '60s and '70s because USAC was light years ahead of NASCAR in everything, but when ESPN put stock cars on the map, everything changed. CART and NASCAR were vying for the same sponsors, eyeballs and paying customers so it became a natural rivalry. And since NBC and NBCSN have both series, NASCAR has helped grow the IndyCar audience. Open-wheel fans get a little testy about all of NASCAR’s gimmicks, but I think there’s a mutual respect when talking about Harvick, Truex, Keselowski, Larson and the Busch brothers.

Q: Curious to know if IndyCar has put any thought into giving the support series broadcasts better production? I was watching the Pro Mazda races from Toronto online, but there wasn’t a ticker or anyone operating the cameras, so there was a lot missing. The commentators were decent, so at least there was that going for it. Just seems like a missed opportunity to promote the junior categories if the infrastructure is already in place during a race weekend and the races are already online to begin with.

Ryan

RM: Pro Mazda and USF2000 have live streaming with timing and audio commentary from Rob Howden, and it’s available on racecontrol.indycar.com – although the cameras are locked down.

Q: Please pass these kudos along to Mark Miles and the various IndyCar support entities mentioned below. Prior to the Dallara tubs and the restriction to Honda and Chevy engines, us gearheads and devoted Speedway race fans used to get plenty of hot-poop on why on-track events weren't turning out as planned (like, back in the day when A.J. would get out of his racer and start wrenching on it). Now we are finally getting some decent info on what isn't (or is) working with the cars and teams. Prior to 2018, we would get (mostly) "Retired due to mechanical issues" on the leaderboard. I had assumed that the series wanted to keep the info behind closed doors, so the different teams wouldn't be privy to the strategic information associated with their competitors. Now, through the combined efforts of the IndyCar staff, RACER, IndyCar radio, all of the pitlane staff (including team strategists), NBC, and the various contributors to Verizon app reporting, we fans are finally being brought back into the picture. A shout out also goes to Sonoma Raceway for supporting IndyCar since 2005.

Bill in CA

RM: Not sure you always get the truth, but at least there is some information out there and not just DNF next to the driver’s name.

Q: I am kind of new to the dirt stuff but I have been checking out different shows around the Midwest over the past few years. My kids, 9 and 13, love it. Losing Milwaukee made me go searching for oval racing. What are Robin Miller’s top five must-see dirt races? You have never sent me wrong. We go to Mug’n’Bun every time we go through Indy because of you.

Jeff Loveland

RM: Kokomo, Lawrenceburg, Bloomington, Gas City, Putnamville, Paragon and Haubstadt are Indiana’s finest, while Knoxville (Iowa) and the Devil’s Bowl (outside Dallas) are two of the best anywhere. Wish you could have seen Ascot, Manzanita and Little Springfield in their heyday, and Eldora when it had dirt. Head for the Workingman’s Friend next time you’re in Indy.

Q: The answers are never that simple, and the problem is at myriad different tracks. This sickness comes from within. It will take an entire overhaul of the series and the principles it is built on today. Indy would be sold out if they were actually allowed to go as fast as they can possibly go. The walls used to be the determining factor regarding the speed limit. Innovation was about keeping the speed, but avoiding the walls. They didn't use the same cars over and over for eight or nine years straight with only window-dressing changes. The engine rules were limited by boost and fuel. Physics determined the displacement versus weight. IndyCar was built slowly over the decades the old-fashioned way.

There are no simple quick fixes. No gimmicks that will change that. No wave-around or show enhancers will, either. One hundred or 500 passes in spec racing are not putting butts in the seats. It’s time to recognize that fact. It’s time for IndyCar to go back to its roots. They were going 236 mph at Indy in 1996. They should be pushing 250 mph in 2020. Necessity would spur the engineering to get it done, as it always did over 80 years. That would put people in the seats at Indy and all over this country as they used to be. Some have forgotten. Some are too young to ever know. The only limit to the speed should be the wall. The sport is dying a slow death through being strangled by public disinterest in its present form. What you are doing is not working. Stop doing more of the same.

Chuck, Avon

RM: Would new track records suddenly start filling the grandstands at ovals? Or bring back the Pole Day crowds? Or make Car & Driver, Road & Track and Automobile send writers to Indy for the month of May? I think not. As much as we loved innovation and surprises and Tom Carnegie wailing on the PA system about a “new track record,” I’m afraid those days are long gone. Most of the major engine manufacturers in the world are spending millions on Formula E, so they’re obviously looking at the future and not interested in going back in time. I wish we had five engines and six chassis and two tire companies doing battle, but I just don’t see it ever happening again.