Robin Miller's Mailbag for August 15, 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: Have any changes to the Speedway aero kit been made since Indy? I know there was talk of possible changes being made before Pocono.

Bruce K, Philadelphia

RM: Yep, two optional front wing pieces will be available this weekend. As Marshall Pruett explained a few weeks ago: “The primary piece, which bolts to the trailing edge of the front wing from the center inwards, is an extension that creates a wider chord and gives a slight increase in downforce. The secondary piece, which has a Gurney flap at its training edge, mounts to the outer half of the front wing and offers a smaller extension to the chord. With both pieces affixed, an approximate downforce increase of three percent is expected. The four pieces are also open for teams to use however they prefer.”

Q: The 2018 aero kit has provided some of the best racing we have seen, especially at street and “motorcycle and sports car” courses. Think Road America, Mid-Ohio and Detroit. I remember when the talk surrounding Barber was that it was designed for bikes not IndyCar, yet it seems the perfect facility for the 2018 IndyCar. Not only does it look like the drivers are having to manhandle these cars, but the pit strategy has really opened up. I though Mid-Ohio was one of the best races I have seen at the track.

A tight technical track like Laguna Seca falls right into that category next year. I am excited to see added horsepower in a few years. I am sad that we won't see IndyCar at Watkins Glen in 2018. Happy to read that IndyCar is in discussion for a return to The Glen in the near future. How likely do you think that is to happen? IndyCar needs to be at that facility! And what other road courses might put on great shows when conventional wisdom used to indicate otherwise?

Jordan Glenn, Binghamton, NY

RM: Juan Pablo Montoya and Oriol Servia both predicted the new aero kits would make the cars more fun and challenging to drive because they slide around, and that’s exactly what has happened. We’re all praying Laguna can somehow be transformed into racy with these kits next year, but Barber at least has a couple of passing zones so no guarantees. Montreal and Road Atlanta would seem to be candidates, although IndyCar always says RA is too fast.

Q: I am loving the IndyCar 2018 season. I hadn't watched the series for 10 or more years because the racing was poor. I hope F1 follows IndyCar's lead with low downforce soon. One thing I don't like is the Dallara design. I have never liked the low-nose concept. I was a huge fan during the 80s and 90s. I loved the Reynard designs. Brutal looking. I think the current Indy Lights cars are far better-looking cars than the IndyCars. Noses not as low, and far more aggressive. Better looking cars, please! I know this is silly, but what are your thoughts?

Mike

RM: I don’t mind how they look as long as they continue to race as well as they have in 2018. But I do like the look of the Pro Mazda and Lights cars, so maybe Dallara gets a little zoomier up front in the next configuration.

Q: My question involves the 2019 schedule and filling the last “open” spot (Phoenix’s replacement). With the success of the aero kit at Iowa, why are Frye and Miles not locking down Richmond as the option? My father Jim and I attended our first IRL race there in '07 and the place was packed, plus the racing was awesome. Yes, Dario had the field covered that night, but Andretti-Green Racing went three for five in the “W” column between '04-'08, so they had the setup down. The most exciting part was watching my driver, Buddy Rice, start 12th and weave his way up to a fifth place finish for Reinbold’s team, which proved you could pass. This would add another oval, bring back the DC/Richmond fans and business market (opportunity for race sponsor potentially), plus provide a damn good race for 2019!

Kyle Lockrow, La Plata, MD

RM: It’s just not that easy. First of all, Richmond hasn’t hosted IndyCars since 2009 so it’s got to determine if it’s viable again. The crowds were good, maybe 30,000, but not close to being packed like NASCAR was, and the racing was entertaining the first three/four years before becoming kind of a parade. There are Cup races in April and September next year, so the summer months would work if ISC is interested. IndyCar is interested for sure, but between sanction fees, dates and tracks already scheduled, it’s not an easy equation and it takes two to tango.

Q: No big surprise that Dixon is staying with Chip. I’m not sure I would have given up that seat for an unknown, and the team seems like it’s built around, and for, him. I guess the question now is, who’s his teammate going to be? And does this mean that Pagenaud is safe at Penske? Any other silly season updates?

Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ

RM: Despite Chip pooh-poohing the idea there was a serious bidding war for Dixon, there most certainly was, and it was more than McLaren/Andretti. But Scott is smart and wasn’t going to leave one of the best teams in motorsports to take a flyer on a new team that may or may not be up and running by 2019. Read the story about the second seat at Ganassi and you wonder who is on the shortlist, or even available? Not sure what the future holds for Simon, but it’s hard to fathom that we’re wondering if the 2016 IndyCar champion’s ride is in jeopardy.

Stewart sampled some A.J. machinery at Indy last year. Could he return for real? Image by Williams/LAT

Q: Why is it that nobody at RACER.com has picked up the rumors/talks of Tony Stewart wanting to race the 500 with The Captain’s support?

Alfredo Giachino, San Diego, CA

RM: I knew we’d have plenty of letters about it this week. All Tony said was that he would like to do it and “it’s not out of the question.” I’d like to date Halle Barry and it’s not out of the question (or maybe it is), but I think this was Smoke blowing smoke. Penske seems to be his desired team, but RP already has four cars for 2019 and he’s not going to run five. And Stewart says he wants to run a race before May, but there probably won’t be any ovals, so I can’t imagine coming here cold turkey after 18 years away. Not even Stewart.

Q: I'm sure you heard about Tony Stewart before I did. This would be great for IndyCar, and it seems Roger Penske has the utmost admiration for him, but I guess there are obstacles. Being that Tony is now a Ford guy, Roger runs Chevys, which might be a conflict of interest. His best bet might be with Andretti Autosport due to them running Honda, which doesn’t compete in NASCAR. I also heard he's good friends with Marco. Your thoughts on this?

Doug Ferguson, Debary, FL

RM: My thoughts are he’s spent the past decade telling me there is no way anybody can show up cold turkey and be competitive at the Indy 500, and he wasn’t interested in running 15th. So what’s changed? He hasn’t driven an IndyCar since 2001, and as great as he was, why would he suddenly change his mind? He said he would want to run a race before May, but there aren’t going to be any ovals prior to Indy in 2019. I think he’s blowing Smoke, so to speak.

Q: Well, the big auto racing news this week has to be the announcement that Tony Stewart wants to run the 500 next year. People are falling all over themselves with glee. "Tony Stewart Comes to Indy" parties are being organized as we speak. Victory parade plans are being discussed.

But I guess I'm the only one who thinks, "Why should I care?" It's not like Stewart hasn't had opportunities to run Indy before, and rejected all of them. And his backhanded comment about not wanting to be a "...sideshow like Danica Patrick" kinda grates on me. The idea that Stewart wants to fulfill his Indy 500 dream doesn't gladden my heart, but his grandiose ego trip does make me kinda nauseous. Couple Tony with Alonso (and his game is getting stale, too) and the needle -- both TV and live -- of race watching will be negligible at best.

And don't get me started with McLaren's "will they or won't they" tease. Even if they do return, it's still going to be a Dallara underneath the orange paint. Don't misunderstand me, I'm an avid Indy 500 fan and have been since 1964. I can name every winner since 1911 – and the second and third place finishers, too. I follow the IndyCar series faithfully. And I'm damn good at Indy racing trivia. It bugs me that so-called “loyal” fans and IndyCar itself fall all over themselves whenever a driver from another series casually tosses out their desire to run (but never does) The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, and then they talk about those other drivers as if they're the saviors of IndyCar racing, yet nobody can name more than a few drivers currently in the series.

Why does the series and its fans have so little respect for the racers currently in the series, and who regularly run the 500, and are always on the hunt for other racers from other series to fill the field? Why does IndyCar and the fans always measure it against F1 and NASCAR (whose top stars won't run Indy, or even think about it)? More importantly, why won't IndyCar promote its series and drivers? Why isn't building IndyCar's brand and its commodities (the drivers and close racing) a high priority for the sport? Finally, if you were given a magic wand or three wishes from a Barbara Eden, what would you do to bring Indy racing back to its glory days?

Jake, Pasadena, CA

RM: I don’t think being excited about Alonso or Stew is overlooking any of today’s stars, it’s just a nice reminder that Indy always drew the best in the world and it still means so much to big stars like these two. I’ll agree IndyCar and IMS do a woeful job of marketing its drivers, Indy winners and IndyCar champions, but I think the fans respect Dixon, RHR, Power, JoNew, Rossi, Wickens, Pagenaud, Rahal, Ed and Hinch. IndyCar cries poverty and lacks the budget to properly promote, but hopefully it will spend some money with NBC next year and draft some cool promos with its stars. Can’t bring those days back, just have to be happy today’s racing is so competitive.

Q: I saw an interview on IndyCar’s website with Tony Stewart talking about attempting another Indy 500 run. Do you think this would ever really happen? I can’t see Tony doing it, even if he said it’s not out of the question. Not to be mean, but he would have to lose a bunch of weight wouldn’t he?

Rick from PA

RM: I’ve lost a lot of money betting on football and basketball, but I’d triple-mortgage my condo that he doesn’t try Indy again. He’s too smart and he knows the odds. And, yes, it would be a rather tight fit.

Q: I have been an IndyCar fan for several decades, but something rubs me the wrong way when you say that Scott Dixon is the best driver in the last 20 years. No doubt he is an amazing driver and one of the best, if not the best on the grid today, but did Dario Franchitti all of a sudden never exist? If I remember correctly, he has raced within the last 20 years and beat Scott Dixon to three straight championships in the same team and with the same equipment, and that was even after a year away in NASCAR. I don't mean to say that Scott is not an amazing driver, and I agree that he is one of the best ever, but I think you need to keep Dario in that conversation as well.

Shannon in Denver, CO

RM: No doubt Dario was every bit Dixie’s equal, and they raised each other’s game from 2009-2013. As teammates with Ganassi, Scott had three more wins (16-13) but Dario won three titles in a row before Dixon scored his fourth in 2013. In their first seven years of CART/IRL competition, Franchitti led in wins 17-11 and Dix had a pair of championships to Dario’s one. I guess I’m so used to Dario raving about Scott being the best I forgot to look back, because they were so similar in style and smarts. So, along with Will Power, they’re three of the best to ever strap into an IndyCar, and I appreciate your observation because Franchitti was as good as anybody from 1997-2013.

Q: Now that the Scott Dixon drama is over for now, I just want to know one thing. If McLaren intends to field a two-car operation with Andretti, has Carlos Munoz been in any discussions? I feel his talent matches his maturity, yet he’s young enough to grow with a new team.

Scott in VA

RM: I imagine if he finds a few million dollars he would be, but I haven’t heard his name mentioned.

Probably as close as Zanardi will get to an IndyCar return. Image by IndyCar

Q: With Alex Zanardi testing a modified BMW M4 DTM with plans to race the 24 at Daytona next year, are their any rules that would need to be addressed for him to run at Indy? I would love to see him in a Ganassi car again, and it would be a great feelgood story for the sport.

Alex Kjorlien

RM: Alex loves his wife, Daniella, and likes being married, so any attempt at racing on an oval again would result in all his clothes being piled in the front yard and imminent divorce. A lap of honor since he never raced at Indy? Possibly. Driving the pace car? Great idea. But racing at Indy? Not a prayer.

Q: If you had to choose between Gateway and Iowa in 2019, which would you choose to attend in person?  I took my son to Detroit and Mid-Ohio this year and I’d like to take him to an oval next year, and those summer night races are both appealing. Assume cost isn’t a factor (I have to believe they’re about equal, and if they aren’t, oh well).

Ryan in West Michigan

P.S. It seemed a bit out of place for Tony Stewart to refer to Danica as a sideshow this year. She qualified in the Fast 9, raced OK, and suffered from the same issue that Castroneves, Bourdais, and at least one or two other drivers fell victim to. Given that he was her car owner in NASCAR, the insult struck me as odd.

RM: Iowa was one of the most entertaining ovals I’ve seen in recent history and it’s going back to Saturday night, so hard not to tout it, but Gateway had a tremendous atmosphere and a whole afternoon of racing leading up to the IndyCars, so it’s also a good show. Just hope it’s got half the action Iowa delivered. As for DP, I think she and Stew parted company on less than friendly terms, and there’s been a few barbs from her ex-teammates this season as well.

Q: There's been a lot of talk in the Mailbag recently about car counts and sponsorship going up, which got me wondering: have you ever heard Tony Stewart even remotely express an interest in starting/owning an IndyCar team? I'd like to think he wouldn't have an issue with securing sponsorship, but does even the thought of losing money keep him away? Also, since all we ever ask about is what tracks IndyCar will go to next, how would you rank the likely possibilities of new tracks entering the schedule for the 2019 calendar?

Garrett Searight

RM: I’ve asked him a couple times and I think he’ll field an Indy 500 entry someday, but not necessarily a team. He’s got so many tracks and projects, and he’s still racing sprinters 50 times a year so not sure he’s got the time or interest. But Stew is smart, and he would find the money before a wheel ever turned. I think there could be one new venue and a couple of old friends returning.

Q: If someone doesn't give Colin Braun an IndyCar test after last weekend's sports car win, then I don't know what it would take. He displayed Mears-like discipline during the race, executing the fuel mileage strategy perfectly. What do you hear?

Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA

RM: I hear he’s got an IndyCar test lined up.

Q: With all the speculation around Andretti Autosport and McLaren teaming up next year, and the rumors of Andretti and Harding Racing collaborating, can you give some insight as to which current Andretti Autosport drivers would be pushed off as "satellite" entries to make way for McLaren? I can't see Rossi or RHR going anywhere. Marco makes the most sense as he was already pushed off to the Andretti/Herta entry, and Veach is under contract for two more years after this. So who would be the two guys out? Also, is Harding still looking to be a two-car team next year on top of taking two Andretti cars if it happens? Who is in the picture for the Harding seats? Chaves and Daly, or are there others?

Paul, Chicago, IL

RM: Michael told us recently he’s prepared to run six full-time entries, so nobody in the current lineup would be replaced. Could Colton Herta be farmed out to Harding? Possibly, he tested at Portland for them recently, and George Michael Steinbrenner wants to move up so it’s a scenario that might make sense. But Harding is renting out the No. 88 for the last four races because he needs the money, so I’m not sure how stable one car is for 2019.

Q: I see the rumors for teams and a few drivers making the rounds, but disappointingly absent from mention is Conor Daly. Is he lurking in numerous shadows, or nowhere to be found? It's a real shame that Chip has such a thing against American drivers, because I'd love to see him in that kind of equipment.

Glenn Jackoviak

RM: The sad part about the Harding saga is that it was making some setup progress with Daly in the seat, but it looks like he could be back at Pocono. Chip’s last American hire was Sage Karam but unfortunately that only lasted one season, and Charlie Kimball ran from 2011-2017 with his Novo Nordisk sponsorship. But Chip has made it clear Americans aren’t a priority.

Revson at Ontario Motor Speedway in 1970. Image by John Mahoney

Q: Hey Robin, love your stuff and that you always respond. I was a big Peter Revson fan back in the day. Speed With Style was one of the best “as told to” racing books, and I always thought Revvie was a uniquely cool guy and pretty darn versatile driver too, between IndyCar F1 and CanAm. Did you ever do a piece on him? Did I miss it? Do you agree about his talent level?

Jeff Brown, Bernardsville, NJ

RM: I was 19 and had just started writing at The Indianapolis Star when I interviewed Revson in the old garage area after the 1969 Indianapolis 500. He started 33rd in the Repco-Brabham and finished fifth as a rookie. I remember he was pretty pleased afterwards because all people wanted to talk about was how privileged he was, but he was a racer and that wasn’t much of a car. Then I got to write something about how he stole the pole from Mark Donohue in 1971, and by then he was getting respect. He was damn good and a nice guy to boot.

Q: I was just reading that the Indiana Economic Development Commission agreed to buy two aero kits per car for each 2018 Leaders Circle entrant. That is around $180,000 per car. Penske, which really doesn’t need corporate welfare, would save over half a million dollars its three cars for example. It seems to me that IndyCar really cannot stand on its on two feet as far as a being a profitable business is concerned. I just don’t think any major racing series is structured around a good business model at the present time. What are your thoughts?

Michael Oliver

RM: I don’t know how much money IndyCar loses annually, but none of the car owners make any profit either (except maybe A.J. with ABC Supply), and IndyCar’s financial pyramid is upside-down. The Leaders Circle seems to be a necessity, yet it reduces the purses to crumbs, and there is no big TV money like F1 and NASCAR get to share. My thoughts are that most forms of motorsports are in trouble, drawing less sponsorship and paying customers, but I don’t know how you stop the bleeding.

Q: Racing is expensive. Even televising a race weekend must cost a mid-size fortune (personnel, equipment, travel, lodging). Given the current economics (except for Indianapolis) how is the IndyCar series as a whole surviving? Do the largest, mid-size, and smallest teams make money/break-even/continually lose money and require wealthy owner financial support? Are many of today's sponsors more interested in using IndyCar as a marketing platform with its business partners than in selling to the public?

Is there a point where a broadcast network would decide that viewership drops so low that it would be easier to sell the air time to a crook who claims he can cure cancer with calcium from seashells? If so, could that happen in the foreseeable future? Is there significant revenue coming from other sources such as international broadcast rights? With the mostly small crowds and tiny TV ratings, it almost seems unsustainable, yet there seems to be interest from a number of new teams that have either recently joined, are considering joining, or considering expanding. Can you speak as to how this all fits together?

P.S. You and Pete Lyons are the best auto racing journalists I have ever read.

Robert Berlin

RM: I can’t speak for which teams break even, which ones might make a little and the ones in the red. The Leaders Circle is reportedly under $1 million per car, but teams swear they depend on it to get through the season so maybe Dale Coyne has figured out how to hire Seb, take money from other drivers and keep the doors open. More and more sponsors are business-to-business, and the days of just hanging on the sidepod are long gone. NBC has made a commitment to NASCAR and IndyCar and it will grow our audience in 2019. I have no clue about international TV rights, but it couldn’t be much. It fits together in that you’ve got to have some national television (NBC will carry at least seven IndyCar races next year) and a partner that promotes you, and NBC is going to be the best thing that’s happened to IndyCar in decades. I know I’m surprised we have these new teams when IndyCar pays out so little, but it’s obviously a formula that’s working. Pete Lyons is one of my favorite authors and a damn good photographer as well. Thanks for the compliment.

Q: I admit I know nothing about financing in F1's feeder series, but if Santino Ferrucci was able to delve into F2 and "use" some of that money to run in Detroit, shouldn't he be able to find funding for IndyCar? He obviously has talent, or they wouldn't waste time on him. Hothead or not, gotta love the name. See you at Pocono.

Dino, New Hanover, PA

RM: He’s working on an IndyCar ride for 2019, that’s all I know.

Q: Has anyone at RACER considered having a meet and greet for fans of RACER and RACER.com on race weekends? I am active in the comments section and I would love to be able to meet not only you and Marshall, but my fellow online members of the RACER.com community as well. I would certainly be willing to pay for the privilege, but I would imagine someone would be willing to sponsor it. I think you may be surprised at how many fans would be interested. In the meantime, look for me at Pocono, I’ll be the middle-aged, slightly overweight guy, hopefully with my 15-year-old son.

Bary Berger

RM: Not sure but I’d be happy to run it by our boss, Paul Pfanner. I’m always amazed with the number of fans who write to the Mailbag and the passionate people I run into at the tracks, so I think we’d have a good time with a little Q & A session.

Gateway: Making ovals great again. Image by Levitt/LAT

Q: How much more could the guys at Gateway do? They are going above and beyond what needs to be done, Do other oval owners just not care to do anything? Super kudos to Curtis and Chris! So looking forward going there in two weeks!

Phil, Homecroft

RM: Not sure other oval owners have the year-around drive and savvy they do, and never discount how important it is to have Jonathan Bommarito in their corner. IndyCar is their big event, and they treat it as such.

Q: You frequently say it is not IndyCar’s responsibility to find sponsors for its races or promoters. Maybe that was not necessary 25 years ago when CART was at its peak. Fast-forward to today, and I’m not sure that should still be the case. Sure, you occasionally get lucky with a Bommarito who loves open-wheel racing, but that is the exception, not the norm. Did CART just get lucky in the '80s and '90s with tracks and promoters finding their own sponsors, or did CART have staff that assisted their tracks and promoters? Rod Davis is the Chief Revenue Officer for Hulman Motorsports (the position Jay Frye was originally hired into), and has responsibility for securing sponsorship for IMS and the IndyCar series itself. Why is it a stretch for Hulman Motorsports to have a person(s) finding sponsorship for its various races and/or promoters?

David, Greensboro, NC

RM: Good questions. First off, CART had so many big sponsors and manufacturers back then they were tripping over each other to be the title sponsors of races, and the individual tracks really only needed to answer the phone. Today it’s not bad as Honda backs Barber, Toronto and Mid-Ohio, Chevy sponsors the Dual in Detroit, Firestone supports St. Pete, ABC Supply backs Pocono, Iowa Corn is Iowa Speedway’s sponsor, Kohler is Road America’s title sponsor and Toyota has been with Long Beach for four decades. You would think with IMS’s stature that finding a title sponsor for the Indy 500, Pole Day and/or the road race would be a snap so that’s Davis’ department, but Mark Miles has spent the past six months trying to find a replacement for Verizon so obviously that shouldn’t be his primary responsibility. And it’s only a stretch because if these people can’t see the Indy 500 and its aura, how could they help anywhere else?

Q: Expanding on last week's letter from Ron in Toronto with regard to Cleveland. Mike Lanigan is looking for a title sponsor – how about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? It’s next door. Cross-promote tickets to the race and hall. Friday or Saturday night rock concert at the track. Autograph session with drivers and rock stars. Call it the “Rock Hall Indy 200.” Should fit in a three-hour TV window. Over 150,000 attending over three days in 2007. Use your connections Robin, and make it happen.

Jeff, Florida

RM: Sounds great, but you’re assuming the HOF gives a hoot about IndyCar or even knows what it is. It would likely take a John Oates (of Hall & Oats fame who raced SCCA Sports 2000) to try and put something together like your proposal.

Q: Will the IMSA series ever come to Indy? Why not add it to the Grand Prix weekend? They could make it a three-day event again, and still keep the current support races. Plus, Mid-Ohio the weekend before would be easy travel for the teams. Your thoughts?

Erik Andrews

RM: There was a three-hour Tudor sports car race in 2014 at IMS prior to the Brickyard weekend that didn’t draw very well, but I heard IMSA is interested in a date at IMS for 2019. If I’m Mark Miles, I say, sure, but only if you share Watkins Glen with us on the first weekend of August and we’ll run on Saturday afternoon.

Q: I would much rather see another IndyCar race on the oval at The Speedway than NASCAR. Maybe a season-ending event? What are the chances, and who else is with me on this? The Speedway is the best track for IndyCars and the worst for NASCAR.

Mike Fleming

RM: No, no, no Mike. Like Tony Hulman said: “We’re like the circus, we come to town once a year so don’t miss us.” We’ve got trains, planes, midgets, stock cars, Christmas lights, vintage race cars, motorcycles and a road course race, but we don’t need another oval race. Indy is special, so please let’s leave it that way.

Q: I love IndyCar racing and think it is the best in the world. My bitch is with the red flag in qualifying. The clock should stop when there is a red flag. Who really gets penalized more than the driver? Just look at the sidepods and you see that the sponsors get penalized. Who pays for the teams to be in Indy Car? Stop the clock and let everyone qualify and show off the sponsorships.

Bob Shomaker, Dixon, IL

RM: I really don’t think the sponsors care all that much, but IndyCar might take a look at adding a little more time. Originally, people sat around for 20 minutes and then went out in the final few to post a lap, so IndyCar tried to ramp up the urgency.

Tony Kanaan is looking to build on the legacy of Foyt's iconic No.14. Image by Galstad/LAT

Q: I loved the tradition of STP and Patrick Racing returning annually to Indy with cars numbered 20, 40 and 60. Did this die with Andy Granatelli? Iconic numbers (except for Foyt’s No.14) seem to have stopped at The Speedway. What happened?

Snuffy Smith

RM: Not sure, but Chip Ganassi has run No. 9 and No. 10 for a long time, and Will Power has been No. 12, so there are a couple that keep the same number besides Super Tex.

Q: I was at The Clyde on Saturday night to see Logan Seavey drive his midget up the guardrail in Turn 3 to avoid the stopped car of Spencer Bayston. Hopefully you've seen the footage. It was a wild move in a race that was filled with absolutely bonkers racing. They call Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway the biggest little track in the country (it's like 1/7 of a mile), and ever since they put midgets out there for the first time with ARDC some years ago, it has become a must-see. During the feature, three cars were upside-down that returned to race and finish in the Top 10!

I saw the bottom of Tyler Courtney's car during earlier action as he exited Turn 4 at speed, climbed the guardrail and kept going! USAC's trips east have been phenomenal in 2018 for midget and sprint car, and while we see some fantastic winged action all season long in Central PA, there is nothing quite like what USAC is putting on-track. Open-wheel in general seems to really be on the rise again thanks to guys like Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, and Kasey Kahne, who haven't forgotten where they came from when they made it big. That kid Zeb Wise winning his first midget race at 15 on Saturday seems like no joke. These were tough fields both nights. His is a name to remember over the next few years. Open-wheel cars on dirt have never been better. It's fast, dangerous, thrilling, and still best seen in person.

Dave Long, Reading, PA

RM: Thanks for the update, Dave. I did see Seavey’s maneuver and it was impressive – just like young Wise’s victory. USAC still has the best racing, night in and night out, anywhere and sprint week was dynamic as always.

Q: I'm watching Winston-Nextel-Sprint-Monster Cup at The Glen and Kyle Busch gives up a sure stage one win and pits with two laps left. Huh? The TV announcers regularly laud stage wins and stage points and fawn over NASCAR for introducing this supposedly competition-enhancing gimmick. What gives? I thought, since the Michael Waltrip Racing playoff manipulation fiasco, all teams were supposed to give 100 percent effort. Are the stage races important or not? If not, what is their purpose?

Tim, Leavittsburg, Ohio

RM: To be honest I have no idea, but I think there’s some kind of rule that you can’t pit inside a certain number of laps before the stage is over. I only watch to see how Kyle Larson is running, and he needs a Toyota or a Ford.

Q: No, IndyCar racing isn't better than Formula 1 racing. IndyCar lags Formula 1 by a mile because of the lack of drama, the lack of stories that exist in IndyCar. IndyCar is just a bunch of guys no one really gives a damn about passing each other too often.

Racing is more than passing. It's about drama; it's a storyline. It's about the visceral experience – all of which IndyCar lacks. Formula 1 has more of that. Hamilton vs. Vettel, Verstappen vs. Ricciardo, the future of McLaren. Formula 1 has tossed aside the visceral experience with the electric engines. IndyCar has failed to capitalize. No one cares about IndyCar because it's a spec series that prides itself on the number of passes a race. The oval race at Iowa is an example. It's tedious. "Look, Horace, Dixon done passed Carpenter." The next lap, "Look, Horace, Carpenter done passed Dixon." To endure that, and the fact the cars run in a circle for 300 laps at Iowa, is misery. Everyone is on his or her smartphone after five laps.

Racing is about driving, to be sure. It's also about intrigue. Drivers with personality. Cars that intimidate. Engines that scream, skid plates that create a shower of sparks, teams that can develop their parts. That would improve the show. Racing is about uncertainty. Uncertainty would improve the show. Colin Chapman putatively said a race car should fall apart at the end of a race. Let people push the limits. Nothing fails (during or after a race) anymore because everyone drives a spec tractor. You can go on all you want about how great IndyCar racing is (evidenced by the passing, so you say). I'm unconvinced. I can get see great racing (multiple passes) on a slot car track. Why go to the track for the same experience?

Steve, Denver, CO

RM: First off, there’s no denying that F1’s audience dwarfs IndyCar’s, and most of our drivers are well-kept secrets in the USA. But watching an F1 is an acquired taste since the only real drama is what kind of tires to use, when to pit, which car Max Verstappen will hit and whether or not Hamilton or Vettel will win. I loved F1 in the '60s, '70s and '80s, but my god it’s hard to watch for very long nowadays. And the cars look like turds.

I don’t base everything on passing; Road America had a splendid duel from fourth to 14th but the top three ran hard and nose-to-tail for 90 minutes and were separated by five seconds at the checker, and I thought that was a damn good road race. Watching Bourdais carve his way from last to sixth at Mid-Ohio with no yellows is what road racing is all about. Watching Alex Rossi make one insane pass after another at Indy is why people buy tickets. I think drama is not knowing who is going to win the race. There were 10 different winners in 17 races in 2017, and this season there have been seven different winners in 13 races. I realize IndyCars are spec and the engines are very close, but having 18 cars separated by eight-tenths of a second over the 2-mile road course is pretty damn competitive to me.

Drivers with personality? Tony Kanaan, Josef Newgarden and James Hinchcliffe have more personality than the entire F1 field combined. Storylines? Scott Dixon vs. Team Penske. Rookie Robert Wickens excelling everywhere. Rossi given a shot over here in equal equipment and responds like a champ. Bourdais’ comeback from his Indy crash. Newgarden’s talent. But the best example I can give you is that Fernando Alonso loved running the Indianapolis 500 because he had a chance to pass other cars, and be competitive and use his talents. And that’s why he’s seriously considering coming over here full-time. I’m not going to change your mind and you’re not going to change mine, but Alonso should give you pause for thought. Thanks for writing and expressing your opinion.