Robin Miller's Mailbag for August 1, 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 watching Mid-Ohio and was very pleased with the racing, absence of yellows, and the TV commentary. Certainly not the parade that some folks were predicting.

Len Hermens

RM: For the second time this year (Road America being the first) I came away thinking I’d just seen one of the best road races ever, and from the mail I’m receiving from you folks, I’d say that is a popular opinion. I’ve been to so many races at Mid-Ohio that were only missing floats and big balloons, but last Sunday was damn good racing.

Q: Could you pass along my thanks to the crew manning the production booth and the director for NBC Sports for Mid-Ohio? They did a great job of using the in-car footage to show how close the guys were racing. Nothing like watching the bumping, rubbing, and "whoa whoa whoa!" incidents. That is how an IndyCar race should be broadcast. I caught myself tensing up, waiting for the inevitable crash that never happened. Great production work! My wife commented on how the guys in the booth were going back and forth giving each other crap. Yep, they were, and it was entertaining! You talk with the guys in the booth – how are they enjoying the work and the racing?

John Balestrieri, Milwaukee

RM: P.T. and Townsend can’t agree on how many letters are in NBC, but it’s not an act as much as it is their personalities – neither ever thinks they’re wrong, and that’s good television. Not to mention they both know what’s going on behind the wheel, and that rings true every race, because there are very few things that escape them. I don’t have to watch a lap to know what’s happening because they’re always anticipating what’s coming, and Leigh Diffey does a good job of keeping them reigned in and staying on top of things. And, yes, they like each other and have some chemistry, which is obvious.

Q: Great race yesterday. Was the crowd as large as it seemed on television? It seems that every week we hear about potential new teams for 2019. How many cars would be too many, and how many new teams do you think are realistic for next season?

Paul, Indianapolis

RM: It was good. Not a Nigel Mansell crowd or late ‘90s CART turnout, but easily one of the best of 2018, along with Road America and Long Beach. And the Mid-Ohio crowd is just like Elkhart Lake, they come early and stay late, and they sport swag from their favorite drivers. They are the heart of IndyCar. Too early to call the car count, but it should be up by a couple.

Q: Been reading your stuff for some time Miller; finally biting the bullet and writing to you. Ticket pricing for Mid-Ohio pissed me off. I venture to guess I'm IndyCar's target market. Early 30s, financially stable, married with children, and most importantly, a diehard fan. I grew up going to Burke Lakefront and Mid-Ohio. Back in the 90s they would have free or reduced price tickets for Friday'. My fandom began with those family days spent baking in the mid-summer sun, reveling in the sound of pop-off valves.

My son is now two, and earlier this month I thought to myself, ‘I need to get him trackside for IndyCar at Mid-Ohio’. Then I looked up ticket prices. Green Savoree wanted $45 at the gate for a Friday general admission ticket. WTF?  Sure, my boy would be free, but add on the ticket for grandpa, plus food/drinks, the paddock pass is another $40 each, and God forbid we want to park in the infield (another $30). Can I afford that? Yep. Do I think that's reasonable? Nope. IndyCar need to work with promoters, sponsors and teams to make it more accessible for families who are looking for a single-day trip. Just my two cents, as I try to ensure IndyCar has another generation of fan from my bloodline.

Zachery A. Casto

RM: Well it was a ghost town on Friday so evidently a lot of people felt like you did, and that does seem awfully pricey. Infield parking should be free at any road course, and George Bruggenthies offers a great package at Road America that includes parking and paddock passes.

Q: I was at Mid-Ohio, and spent the money for a pit pass. While taking photos from behind the pits during Saturday qualifying a Mid Ohio security (that's what it said on the back of his shirt) person told me to stop shooting because the teams didn't like people taking pictures from there. I looked at him, laughed out loud and said, ‘you're joking, right?’, to which he replied, ‘No’. So I turned and walked away from him, stopped at the next pit area and proceeded to take more pictures. I know the area behind the pits at Mid-Ohio is narrow, and it does tend to get a bit cramped as the teams move their equipment and carts around. I try to be cognizant of the crew members and stay out of the way. I was behind the lines and not in the pit stall.

Have you ever heard the teams or drivers complain about having their pictures taken? From my experience (I’ve been going to races since the late '60s), there are always lots of fans and pros pointing cameras at the cars and stars, so I could not comprehend what this guy was telling me. I make sure to stay out of the way. I'm not bugging them for autographs, I just like to get some good shots of the action.

Paul H, Lockport, NY

RM: I’ve never heard of any drivers or mechanics complaining about fans taking photos (Ashley Judd used to bitch but who cares?), and thankfully you continued to shoot. Mid-Ohio is a helluva lot roomier than every street race on the circuit, and I always applaud the volunteers and workers at the tracks because they work long hours. But that guy was way off-base.

Image by LePage/LAT

Q: Obviously, the fact that there were no yellow flags at Mid-Ohio made Rossi’s strategy possible, but it’s odd no one else tried it. I could not believe the close, fierce racing yet no banzai moves. Bourdais was in his element. How many passes were there? I can’t see how anyone could watch that race and not be on the edge of their couch the whole time. The best race of the season, I think.

Jim Doyle, Hoboken, N.J.

RM: I couldn’t either. I think RHR was planning on it but abandoned that strategy when he picked up a bad vibration, and I believe Dixon had similar plans but opted for three. Seb made 20 of the 188 passes that were recorded – including some amazing moves. And you may be right – Iowa, Road America, Toronto and Mid-Ohio.

Q: As I watched Bourdais carve through the field and sadly run out of P2P at the end, I thought it would be great if a driver who was making the race exciting got an increase in the P2P allotment. If Sebastien had gotten five seconds for each car he passed on track, he'd had another minute or so of P2P to get even higher on the grid. This would hamper the leader and might be a nightmare to manage for Race Control, but it'd add another element to the racing and reward what we tune in and go to tracks to see. It might even appeal to younger viewers, as it is the kind of thing you see in video games. NBCSN could come up with an achievement graphic and alert sound when a driver passed for position and received extra P2P. This would also have the extra benefit of penalizing defensive use of P2P, as you'd want to save it until you really need it or think you can get by. I'd also disable P2P on lapped cars so they can't defend and hold up the lead racers. Please tell Seabass thanks for making the Mid-Ohio race great.

Joe, Bloomington, IN

RM: I hear what you’re saying and it could be exciting but P2P is artificial enough without adding to it. I mean, I like that it creates opportunities but you have to manage it now and I’d just hate to see it get out of hand. I will pass along your message to SeaBass.

Q: If SeaBass was at Penske, would he be as dominant as he was at Newman/Haas in Champ Car? The best drivers in IndyCar are he and Dixon. It's a matter of the teams they are with.

Dan J.

RM: I don’t think he or anyone else could be that dominant, because Champ Car was pretty watered-down compared to today’s IndyCar grid. But Seb would have added to his championships driving for The Captain, and maybe put a baby Borg-Warner trophy on his mantle to boot. We always said if Justin Wilson and Bourdais ever drove for Team Penske, a lot of people would be moving back a spot.

Q: It also seems the silly season has really gone into effect this week with your rumors surrounding Dixon. Obviously Scott still has a lot to offer since he seems to sneak his way into the title hunt every season, but I always thought Roger Penske wanted drivers he could really invest some time in? How likely is that Dixon could go to Penske over some of the younger guns in the paddock? Also, Marshall's article talked about a team being interested in Marco. As much as I am a fan of the Andretti family, and I think stepping away from his Dad’s team could give him new-found motivation… with his driving record, what team is looking at him?

Tony, Providence, Utah

RM: Dixon and Pagenaud are the top free agents, but I think R.P. would have snapped up Wickens or Rossi had they been available (which they are not at the moment) a long time ago because of their age and obvious abilities. I’m not saying Scott won’t re-up with Chip, I’m just saying his quote spokes volumes about having a couple of options and wanting to have his contract done by today. But when there’s a bidding war for your talent, it’s always smart to weight those options. I could see Dixie signing for one year with Ganassi and then seeing what happens with McLaren/Andretti, or even taking Zak Brown’s offer regardless of what Alonso does in 2019. But I think Honda is keen to keep Scott in the family, so it could get real interesting. But he certainly deserves to be coveted.

Q: Gotta say the race at Mid-Ohio was great to watch on TV from California. The new bodywork looks like a real winner on road courses! But I also have to say NBC’s production of the race was excellent! Your producers kept showing real racing, and there was lots of it – not just the guys up front, but all through the field. Had to write and give you all an “Atta Boy”! Can’t wait for Laguna Seca, er Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca!

Larry, Salinas, CA  (4.5 miles from the Corkscrew)

RM: Terry Lingner is the best in the business at producing a race, Roger Vincent is our veteran director with lots of racing miles, Taylor Rollins is growing into a triple threat, John May is our eagle-eyed chief spotter, Matt Ford talks to three pit reporters at one time and sells their stories, Alex Caldwell handles the radios and features while executive producer Rich O’Connor has been a racer for 20 years and lets people do their jobs while being a supportive boss. It’s a good group that cares about racing, and obviously, pays attention and doesn’t miss much from green to checker. And they’re already planning 2019 and how to make May the best one ever on national television.

Image by IndyCar

Q: Am I out of my mind here, or is Simon Pagenaud about to lose his job at Penske? Given that his teammates have had zero issue getting acclimated to the new aero kit and he has struggled mightily, I don't take The Captain to be a patient man. Barring a win or maybe two to close out the year, is it likely that the 2016 champion is getting his walking papers? If so, what do his options look like around the paddock? I have to imagine teams that would have jumped at the chance to sign him before this season would be second-guessing any pursuit right now. If he's struggling to produce a result in Penske equipmen,t where would he be in a lesser team's car? I guess my follow-up would be, is there potential that Simon Pagenaud is not even on the grid in 2019?

Ryan Ward, San Jose, CA

RM: I think it’s certainly possible, because Roger was very interested in the plans of Wickens and Rossi, and now I’m hearing Dixon is on his radar since Scott is a free agent. It’s hard to imagine being the champ and two years later losing your ride, but don’t forget R.P. banished JPM to sports cars two years after he won Indianapolis. So to your point, Penske is always looking down the road. But Pagenaud is still quick, just struggling this season, while his teammates have led the most laps and have five victories, so that’s tough to overlook. But Simon won with SPM, and he wouldn’t be out of work long if he didn’t get renewed at Team Penske. I know R.P. usually doesn’t make driver announcements until after the season, but if I were Pagenaud I would want to be hearing something soon.

Q: I used to be an F1 fan but got disgusted with the unsportsmanlike actions of drivers deliberately crashing into other drivers, and dangerous start antics of chopping people. The move by Rossi at the Mid-Ohio start ranks right up there with those disgusting F1 antics. That move (or lack of movement) before the cars got to the starting line could have wrecked a whole bunch of cars before the race even started.

The fact that Race Control let him get away with it was a terrible call. The start should have been waved off, and Rossi should have gotten a warning for his actions. Once the race was allowed to continue, Rossi should have received some kind of penalty. I don’t know what the rulebook allows, but a drive-through might not have been warranted. How about holding him for ten seconds on his next pit stop? They used to do that in the CART days. By not taking action , Race Control just approved this dangerous move for the future. Bad call. Great race though, and a penalty might not have made any difference in the outcome. Seemed like Rossi had the field covered. A penalty probably would have meant a three- stop strategy.

Doug Mayer, Revelstoke, BC, Canada

RM: It did look like a California restart (that’s what they called it when Bill Vukovich used it in the late ‘60s in USAC midgets, and Uncle Bobby was good at it as well in Indy cars) but Rossi claims he just had a shorter gear and that’s why it looked so abrupt. I need to ask Power, Dixon, RHR and JoNew to see what they thought. Wickens called it “cheeky.”

Q: I think it's time for IndyCar to teach these guys how to do a start. Rossi braking or slowing way down before the green flag just about took out half the field. I would love to see if you could get the telemetry from Rossi (and maybe Power, since he was on the front row) and see what games were played. I know the pole-sitter in theory controls the field, but there has to be some guidelines too. Makes me almost miss Helio's starts.

Mark in Cincinnati

RM: God, you took the words right out of my mouth about Helio (smile), but I have to say the starts have been pretty damn good this year, especially Indy and Toronto. P.T. called foul on Rossi when he saw the hesitation, and obviously Race Control took a long look at it

Q: I have always enjoyed your insights into IndyCar. I had a question to ask about Alexander Rossi and Robert Wickens. It seems as if Rossi races Wickens differently than he does other drivers. He seems to know Wickens is going to give way, back off, get knocked over, or run off and take it from him without consequence. Rossi doesn't seem to treat other drivers on the track the same way nearly as often. Rossi seems to know Wickens is just going to take it and like any good driver would, and uses that situation to his advantage. Is this just a matter of Wickens being too nice as a rookie/driver? Do you think this will change in the future? It seems to me that Wickens is going to have to be more aggressive with Rossi in the future. What is your take on this?

Howard Martin, Harrisburg, NC

RM: I think you’re pretty observant, and their previous history in Europe may have something to do with it, but Wickens said the other day it was time to start “giving back a little more and quit taking crap from people,” so we know who he was referring to, and I imagine he meant it. But if you let somebody lean on you without retaliation they’re going to continue to do it, so it’s something to keep us watching.

Q: Wow, what a race a Mid-Ohio. Once again your recap was spot-on. I just sat there Sunday afternoon watching and feeling baffled (again) that IndyCar isn't the most popular racing in the world. After reading your article on Mo Nunn I got to thinking about Ganassi’s glory days. Did Chip really have Mo Nunn, Tom Anderson and Mike Hull on his team? What has become of Tom Anderson? He seem to fade away after his team with Adrian Fernandez folded.

Steve in Waukesha, WI

RM: Thanks Steve, it was a helluva race and I’m glad it had a nice crowd – it was also the fourth most-watched IndyCar race on NBC Sports since 2009, with almost 700,000 viewers. Chip did have that trio, and Tom was great because of his even-keeled demeanor. He’s retired now and travels the country with wife Cheryl.

Healthy turn-out for Mid-Ohio. Image by IndyCar

Q: Miller, nice piece on the Mid-Ohio race, and spot-on. Okay, so Rossi covered everyone at the end, but it was fun to watch and a great show for IndyCar. Looked like a pretty good crowd, too. No questions, just spot-on observations as always. Good job, you geezer.

Jon Jones, Oologah, OK

RM: Good point. It doesn’t have to be a photo finish to be a good race. And I’m almost 69, so aren’t geezers 70 and over?

Q: The new IndyCar might open the door for a sprint car driver. Just west of Mid-Ohio some used to slide like that at New Bremen.

Pat R.

RM: There were a couple of dirt track moments at Mid-Ohio, and it was cool to see drivers sliding their cars – just like Montoya and Servia predicted after testing the new aero kit there a year ago.

Q: I’ve heard that if McLaren does start an IndyCar team, Alonso may not be considered to drive the car because of his critical comments about Honda’s pathetic F1 power unit. Are they that thin-skinned at Honda? I’ve also heard that McLaren will not field a new IndyCar team until it gets its F1 team back to top-tier status. What does an IndyCar team have to do with the F1 team – wouldn’t they be two completely separate operations? Also, if McLaren’s return to IndyCar falls through, would there be any chance that Alonso would come over and drive for Michael Andretti, or would his salary put the kibosh on that?

Steve Sporer, Chicago

RM: I know I’ve said and written that Honda of Japan is still miffed at McLaren and Alonso for all their criticism and that Japanese pride was damaged, so what I’m guessing is that the Mother Ship wouldn’t pay for McLaren’s IndyCar entry. But when you have people writing you checks for $270 million, an IndyCar budget is but a minor expense – especially if you’re just leasing a car or two. But all the McLaren money is one pot, and Zak Brown has said repeatedly he wants to get the F1 house in order before trying IndyCar, but I can assure you he’s very serious about coming over here. Will it be 2019 or 2020? Not sure. Had a long talk with Michael Andretti last weekend and he’s prepared to run six cars and says Fernando wants to run the full season (not cherry-pick events) if he comes over, but nobody is sure what he wants to do between F1, IndyCar and WEC. And I don’t think money will have any bearing on Alonso’s decision – he’s a racer who wants to be competitive. I understand there is a bidding war between McLaren/Andretti and Ganassi for Scott Dixon, so that’s where the money comes into play. But Dixie may simply sign a one-year deal with Chip and see if this McLaren team comes alive in 2020. Like he told me: “I’ve got a couple of good options.” As he should.

Q: I'll try to be constructive, but have to admit to being a bit frustrated. Had two great days at the track on Friday/Saturday, but headed home due to the late start on Sunday. Also had a big bonus when I found out my son got in free. When I went to turn on the race on Sunday, it wasn't on NBCSN. No big deal, I have CNBC, but why not start at noon before NASCAR and air it on NBCSN? I at least understand when they're trying to get their own racing time slot, but to go head-to-head with NASCAR and to start late is extremely disappointing.

Ryan T.

RM: I asked co-promoter Kevin Savoree about an earlier starting time (noon) and he said he preferred the later starts at Mid-Ohio and Toronto, so I assume that’s based on feedback from the paying customers. Saw quite a few Indiana license plates leaving Mid-Ohio, so I guess everyone was back by 10 p.m. The starting time is usually a collaboration of television, promoter and schedule.

Q: I know I am preaching to the choir to you, but as I am looking at RACER.com's Racing on TV column, I saw the Mid-Ohio IndyCar race started at 3:30 EDT and will be on CNBC. No big deal being on CNBC to me, I watch it all the time anyway, but the reason it's over there is because the NASCAR race starts at 2:30 EDT on NBCSN. Has no one learned the lesson from George Bruggenthies and Road America? Why don't they start the Mid-Ohio race at noon, eastern? They would be done and off the air by the time NASCAR started, which would probably help both race’s ratings.

Mike, Milwaukee

RM: As I said in the answer above your question, the promoters favor a later starting time after a morning and early afternoon of the step-ladder series. I think if I were a promoter I would always want 1 p.m. to give people a chance to get home at a decent hour because they work on Monday. But starting times are usually a compromise between the track and television.

Image by LePage/LAT

Q: I guess it’s safe to say Conor Daly wasn’t the problem at Foyt.

Vincent Martinez, South Pasadena, CA

RM: T.K. was stout at Indy and Texas, where we all expected he would be, and he’ll be good at Pocono and Gateway too. Young Leist is quick but is still learning the ropes and tracks, as expected of a teenaged rookie. A.J.’s team is about where we figured, but Conor has done more for his career in the last two races than he has in the last two years, and the Harding boys are very impressed. The kid can set up a car and he can race.

Q: Robin, can you pull the curtain back on what goes into scheduling on-track activities for a race weekend? I've been going to Mid-Ohio for years and this is the first time that I ever remember IndyCar not being out for a morning warm-up session on Sunday. Is there any particular reason for this, and how does it affect someone like Hinch who damaged his car the last time he was on track before the race?

Kyle, Columbus, OH

RM: IndyCar decided to scrap morning warm-up for road courses this year because with all the Mazda Road to Indy classes competing, the warm-up would be at 8 a.m. But Jay Frye understands a lot of campers at Road America and Mid-Ohio dearly love morning warm-up, so he said IndyCar will revisit this topic for 2019. I would think Road America and Mid-Ohio are the only two venues that love and deserve morning warm-up because much of the crowd is already there.

Q: Is it just me or have we had a lot fewer cautions this year? The last two road courses have run caution-free, Toronto wasn't a crash-fest for once, and Iowa only had two minor incidents. People keep talking about how the new cars are harder to drive with the lower downforce, but outside of Indy we've had a lot fewer crashes than we did with the higher-downforce cars. I'm not complaining, but what gives?

Mad Max

RM: As I wrote on Monday, the drivers deserve a lot of credit because they’re racing hard but not piling into each other and making silly mistakes. It’s their finest season in many moons.

Q: In years past, IndyCar has held open testing at Pocono leading up to the race there. I've always wanted to attend, but would learn about the session too late to get off from work. I tried to contact IndyCar last year, but didn't hear back. So, on to our only reliable source of info – you! Do you know of any open-to-public testing at Pocono leading up to race weekend there this year? Also re: Pocono: for about the last three years, the track has held a rather aggressive TV and billboard ad campaign in the Harrisburg, PA market for their NAPCAR and IndyCar races. This year there's been nothing. Not sure if any affect has been seen with NAPCAR sales, but will be interesting to see whether IndyCar sales are in any way affected. By the way, $45 for admission and a paddock pass on Saturday at Pocono has to be the best value in racing. From watching on-track action to watching the mechanics thrashing in response to the pressures of the one day practice/qualifying schedule, I have never been more entertained at an IndyCar weekend. (Been going to Indy since '73). In no way do we notice the lack of a support series, there's so much to take in.

And the driver access on Saturday is great. Many great interactions we had with several drivers, but I was very impressed with Ryan Hunter-Reay. At one point he was in his garage, deep in conversation with his team. He looked up, noticed that a sizeable group of fans had gathered and were watching him. He immediately stopped what he was doing and made a bee-line out of his garage to spend time with his fans. Real cool. To the fans: if you want to experience a day loaded with IndyCar competition, action, sights, sounds and smells, spend a handful of bucks and check out Pocono (at least) on Saturday. It's a full and entertaining day where you can be fully immersed in race weekend.

Alan, Harrisburg, PA

RM: I contacted Pocono but didn't hear back before this went to press, so maybe try reaching out to the track directly.

Q: With IndyCar losing Verizon as the title sponsor, will the IndyCar app open all features to all fans no matter what network they are on? Currently you have to be on Verizon to get some features, especially during the race. Also, is Penske also losing Verizon as a sponsor?

Craig Mashburn

RM: Two words on the apps from IndyCar marketing director C.J. O’Donnell: “Hell yes.” As for Verizon staying with The Captain, not sure but I would imagine if it stays in racing it would be with Team Penske.

Q: I just wanted to send you a quick note about Toronto. I noticed the note from a reader last week about the erroneous rumor that the race would be moved to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, formerly known as Mosport, next year. As we know Green-Savoree will be promoting the race at Exhibition Place through 2020, and Honda and Fan Friday tradition will be back too. The confusion lies with the 2015 race having been bumped up to June due to a conflict with Exhibition Place and the venue needing to be used by the Pan-Am Games in the usual July time frame that year.

Furthermore, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park wouldn't step on Green-Savoree's toes either. Two races – and this is my opinion–  in the same market with all the same series competing wouldn't work. I think the reason the race works well at Exhibition Place is that all levels of transit in Toronto and Greater Toronto area connect to Union Station, and streetcar and Go Train have routes directly into Exhibition Place. You can't say that of Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. If you don't have a car, you're out of luck because there is no transit option or tours that I know of that go to the track.

Finally, when it comes to attendance figures, you and I were both there and saw that it was a capacity crowd. The Toronto Star's Norris McDonald wrote an excellent column that lambasted a critical Associated Press/Canadian Press article about attendance figures for Toronto. He pointed out that attendance figures for just about any event are routinely inflated, and that the race this year had a Molson Indy crowd.

Geoff Roberts, Unionville, Canada

RM: Mosport is a cool place, but not made for IndyCars at this time, so it really was never a serious consideration. The attendance at Toronto last month was definitely up from the past few years, but nothing close to those Molson Indy days when there were massive grandstands on both sides of the main straightaway – packed.

Image by IndyCar

Q: Who is Rene Binder? I have yet to see him qualify above the back row, and I’ve never heard of him having any achievements in Europe, where I assume he was trying to get to F1. Is he bringing a ton of money to Juncos or something? And more importantly, when can Kyle Kaiser have his seat back? He seems to be a damn good driver, certainly a lot better than Binder. Of course if he doesn’t have money, then that’s how it goes. Also, what is the plan for Juncos next year? A full-time car? Two? Who’s in the frame to drive?

Max Camposano, San Jose, CA

RM: He’s a 26-year-old Austrian who competed in GP2, German Formula 3, World Series Formula V8 and Formula Renault. Binder brings money and Ricardo needs it to stay in the game,so I’m glad they found each other. Kyle had his Lights’ title money but obviously that’s not enough to run the full season. I think Kaiser will run the last two ovals this month, but can’t forecast what will happen in 2019. Juncos is a racer and a hard worker and wants to go full-time, but needs financial support.

Q: I'm just thinking out of the box, and feel free to pass this on to Mark Miles, but IndyCar drivers are simply the most diverse drivers, so why not give them another challenge? I propose taking four MidWest races – let's say Indy GP, Mid-Ohio, Road America and Iowa – and have a night -efore race. Picture this: IMCA mods at Sun Prairie, Eldora, Granite City and Knoxville with our heroes strapped in. The IndyCar dirt track title! It would be low-cost, fun and a chance to show their talents. All the venues are close to great tracks and would pack ‘em in! Imagine buying a TK t-shirt with a modified on it. Pretty cool. It would be open to only drivers in IndyCar and Lights that have raced one race. You would only need a dually and 28' trailer. I bet a sponsor would love that, and it wouldn't be hugely expensive! What do you think?

Jim Gifford, Buffalo, NY

RM: I think it would have worked 40 or 50 years ago, but no chance today. Logistically, contractually and financially, it’s just way too complicated. Trying to get drivers to those tracks would be tough enough on a race weekend, but the owners would never go for it. Hell, I’m just trying to help get six IndyCar drivers to hot lap a midget in September at the Speedway, and that’s a challenge. I love the IROC flavor of your idea but, sadly, that ship has sailed.

Q: I get it there is some variable with a championship ending in an oval where things could be unpredictable, but I don't understand the attachment you and several other fans have to an oval finale. And now with Laguna Seca, everyone is up in arms about ending the championship there. The fact is, the owners want the championship to end at Laguna Seca so they could entertain prospective customers, sponsors and advertisers for the next year and near-term future.  At the moment the series is strong in the B2B economic sector, and IndyCar has to cater to where the money is. I am sorry, but ovals have had their turn and the fans didn’t go.

If you compare the revenue stream of fans going to ovals and ending a championship anonymously on a Saturday night with empty stands, it doesn't portray a series as being healthy. I will take a (possibly boring) race on a road course with enthusiastic fans on a Sunday afternoon to crown a new series champion any day, and if it showcases the series as healthy and moving up, that’s what we want. The last point, until IndyCar fans and the oval track owners make a real concerted effort to woo people, I think they are on the downward trend to being replaced by street and road races.

Shyam Cherupalla

RM: Here are the facts: Laguna is a terrible place for IndyCars to actually race. Check the history. Four races in the early 90s where the pole-sitter led every lap and another one where the winner never passed a car in anger – just in pit stops. And the attendance got worse and worse in the Champ Car days. Now, I’ll admit ovals have been an albatross for IndyCar until Gateway came back, but those guys know how to promote, and if the aero kit behaves there half as good as it did at Iowa, the race could be great. And you are going to get a lot more people watching an oval than a parade at Laguna. The owners seem to have forgotten why their sponsors got involved – wasn’t it for exposure? So run Laguna the race before the finale. Our best hope is that these aero kits can even make Laguna competitive so we’ll see, because Mid-Ohio was certainly a pleasant surprise.

Q: This is a big stretch, but what if Laguna Seca provided bonkers, go-for-broke racing? As the last race of the year, on a tight track, the drivers professionally threw caution to the wind and just raced like it was the last event of the year? It has not happened in Sonoma, but Laguna is tighter and slower. Being an optimist, I would like to see aggressive moves, unusual strategy calls and competition worthy of a season-finale. I can dream, can’t I? Like you mentioned, it is only scheduled to be the final race in 2019. Let’s give it a chance. What was the feedback from the newer owners in the series? Were they against Gateway as well?

Mike, Avon, IN

RM: Like I said in the question above yours, it’s possible the new aero kits could even save Laguna, and Will Power told me the cars can get so close to each other now that overtaking is much easier to pull off. There were 188 passes at Mid-Ohio so that should give any road course hope. I didn’t ask the new owners, I was still too stunned by the attitude of the old guard towards Gateway.

Race start, Las Vegas 2011. Image by Levitt/LAT

Q: I was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway back in 2011 for IndyCar qualifying. I was unable to attend the race the following day, and with what occurred that day I'm glad I didn't see it. I was watching Dario Franchitti making his qualifying run and noticed that when he was coming out of Turn 2, he was already at terminal velocity. I thought, "That's not good... they won't be able to get away from each other." And as it happened, they couldn't. Although many people seem to blame the track, I'm not one of them. I think it was the set-up of the cars at that time, and having too many cars on the track, that contributed to the mayhem we'd all like to forget. With the new packages and steps being taken to make the racing better, I don't see why everyone seems so dead-set against giving Las Vegas another try.

Steven Matthew, Las Vegas, NV

RM: The IRL drew pretty well the first couple races at LVMS but attendance began to dwindle, and when Champ Car tried in 2005, they shared the bill with NASCAR Trucks and as soon as that race was over, the grandstands emptied. Then Champ Car has the coolest street circuit ever in 2007, but the Easter Sunday race drew less than 8,000. And there was nobody around in 2011 either, so the real reason not to go back to Vegas is that nobody cares.

Q: Laguna Seca over Gateway as a 2019 finale was absolutely a good decision, for several reasons. Seca is one of the most famous road courses in the world and a perfect place to build a positive image of the series. Pebble Beach is even better than Sonoma for entertaining corporate sponsors, and unfortunately, as much as it is frowned upon among the fan base, in the current economical reality of the series, it is necessary to prioritize sponsor happiness. I also believe Mark Miles understands one thing about motorsport’s fan base – we are terribly nostalgic, and Laguna evokes a lot of CART nostalgia. It worked with the return of Road America. And what about Gateway? I think both fans and series management should change their attitude towards races and their scheduling to an "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" attitude.

Does the race in Gateway have issues attracting sponsorship with its current date? No, it has arguably the best possible sponsorship partner in Bommarito Group. Does it have attendance issues? No, it's probably the best-attended oval race outside of the Indy 500. Does it is struggling with marketing? No, as attendance clearly shows. So, why should we risk it all with schedule changes? Stability is what brings attendance success, not playing magic chairs with race dates. This issue blends with another one – oval decline. As the history shows, neither IRL's NASCAR-without-fenders, or late CART/Champ Car’s ‘Diet F1 on street tracks’ works as a vision for open-wheel racing in America.

From what I understand, oval races have better ratings on TV, but have attendance issues, and road course races are very well-attended, but fail on TV. The root of the oval attendance problem lies within a simple issue - you don't have to go to an open-wheel race to go get your oval racing fix. There is probably a dirt track hosting something on Fridays or Saturdays, or even something like ARCA or Xfinity. In terms of quality road racing, there are far fewer options to consider, and IndyCar may be the best one on the market. It all comes down to a question.: Can IndyCar survive having only two or three ovals and not become F1.5 or a pay driver disposal facility? What happens if one or two oval tracks drop out, or get bought by NASCAR?

Filip G., Częstochowa, Poland

RM: All salient points, but IndyCar is going to repeat the same mistake over and over: a season-finale on a bad track for racing with no crowd or atmosphere that pays double points and will be decided in qualifying and feature no drama and no TV audience. Contrary to what all the experts say, Gateway was prepared to run Sunday on national television and take a chance on getting away from its winning Saturday night debut. But thankfully Laguna is only promised the finale for 2019, so IndyCar can still do the right thing. If you want to wine and dine your sponsors, great, make Laguna the next-to-last race. My mistake was thinking the owners might be impressed with better national TV exposure, a packed house and a real race in the middle of its fan base. That’s why I’m just a 50-year hack who obviously doesn’t understand anything about today’s racing and flunked out of Ball State.

Q: Robin, I love the coverage and the Mailbag, but fan negativity can be a drag on what is the best product in motorsports. This includes the debate about whether the last track is a Midwest oval or CA-based road course. The competition and business-side arguments are both valid. However, there are multiple options to lessen the competitive impact of where the last race is held. Option A would be the elimination of double points entirely, or reserve them only for Indy. This removes the impact on the standings of awarding double-points for a tough-to-pass road course.

Option B would be to keep double-points for Indy, but apply 1.5 times the points for all ovals. This, while gimmicky, would accomplish a few things: 1) Preserve the stature of Indy as the only double-points race 2) Make the total points available on ovals more equal with those on road/street courses, which comprise about 2/3rds of the schedule, and 3) Standardize where extra points are earned and thus deemphasize where extra points fall on the calendar. Neither option allows for a title to be decided on the unpredictability of an oval under the 2018/2019 schedule, but it's never a guarantee the last race will decide a title wherever its held. I prefer Option A, but Option B could be interesting and would probably generate a ton of emails about how the world has gone to go hell in a hand basket.

Instead of bickering about the schedule and how things have changed, folks who attend races can bring two friends who have never seen one. Meanwhile, IndyCar can build out its digital content platforms, continue the momentum of great cars and a new TV deal, and search for more people who think fast – awesome to become fans.

Michael Sherrill, Chicago

RM: My feeling is that no race should have double-points. Why confuse the fans, and more importantly, why have a year-long championship be held hostage by the final race? IndyCar doesn’t and hasn’t needed any gimmicks to have the title come down to the last race. Keep it pure, but Indy is the only race that should pay double if IndyCar insists on double-points.

Surfers fell off the IndyCar map after 2008. Image by Webb/LAT

Q: Can you tell me why IndyCars no longer race at Homestead, Portland, Surfers Paradise, Cleveland and a few others? Seems to me these were great venues and had some good races, but for whatever reason they get dropped from the schedule. Also, the IndyCar season ends too soon. They have the guys racing in blistering hot weather and then when the nice, cool fall weather comes, the schedule concludes. I’d like to see IndyCar racing continue at least until late October. Thank goodness we have the wonderful Petit Le Mans here in north Georgia in October! Different series, but a great weekend of racing. I enjoy your columns and especially your TV paddock interviews!

Sue Gray, Roswell, GA

RM: Well Portland is back on the schedule and runs next month, while downtown Surfers has grown up and is no longer accommodating for an IndyCar race. Homestead looked like it could return to replace Phoenix in 2019, but that’s probably not going to happen (and it wasn’t much a draw either). Cleveland was one of the best venues ever, and Mike Lanigan would promote it again in a heartbeat if he could score a sponsor but that’s the rub on most tracks – without a big title sponsor, it’s impossible to stage an oval race, while street courses can draw great crowds like Baltimore and still lose millions. A lot of us would like to see the season to until at least October and get Fontana back in the mix, but that’s not going to happen. And Road Atlanta has always been one of the top road courses, but IndyCar is wary of the run-offs and speeds.

Q: It should be obvious to most people that automobile racing is becoming less a real competitive event and more of a media buy. Sponsors rule in auto racing like in no other sport. Participants from the lowest to the highest levels of the sport are constantly looking for someone to pay for their ability to participate. The cars, as well as drivers and crews, are nothing more than advertising billboards, and at the top level there are probably as many advertising and public relations people as there are participants at an event. Finding a large company with a big advertising budget whose CEO loves auto racing is like finding a gold mine, until the board of directors figures out racing is a large money pit with little real results in terms of sales or brand awareness. Television has caused racing to become this because events need people watching, not just in the stands, but mostly on TV, so sponsors get exposure. The events need to be close and exciting to capture the TV audience’s attention.

No other sports fans dislike dominance like auto racing fans. People love a Triple Crown winner or an undefeated football team, but not a driver or team that wins all the time. Sanctioning bodies adjust the rules to increase the competition – there are spec series, BoP, wave-arounds, green-white-checkers, full-course yellows and rules for who-knows-what to even the competition and make the last 10 or 20 lap of an event compelling so everyone is excited and eager to run out and buy all the sponsors’ products. Or at least watch the next event. Could auto racing survive if it had to be self-supporting? Would it be better if teams and drivers were paid from only what they earned in each event? What active drivers would still be in IndyCar?

Michael Oliver

RM: You make lots of good points, but here’s some things to consider. Even though IndyCar racing pales in comparison to NASCAR and F1 in terms of budgets, it’s still a multi-million dollar proposition that relies on sponsors’ because the purses and or TV ratings/money cannot sustain teams like NASCAR and F1 receive. And IndyCar purses are a joke (including Indy)’ so other than the Leader’s Circle, sponsors are the lifeblood. Rossi earned $30,000 for his team last weekend so, no drivers could not sustain a living on what they make. It’s all about your salary. Most drivers have to bring sponsor money and take a cut of that to make a living. Nobody has had better racing than IndyCar the past few years, but obviously it’s not enough because NASCAR gets three-four million viewers watching a ho-hum cookie cutter that either Harvick, Busch or Truex win and IndyCar struggles to get 400,000 (which is going to change next year when NBC takes over everything and has seven or eight races on NBC). When Team Penske or Ganassi dominated, it didn’t hurt the crowds – CART races were packed all through the 1990s and 2000s – and F1 has had the same winners forever, but still draws the largest audience in sports. Thankfully, other than those stupid double-points, IndyCar’s only gimmick has been push-to-pass, so I pray it remains in its current pure form and rides the wave of having a real TV partner like NBC.