Robin Miller's Mailbag for January 30, presented by Honda Racing/HPD

Your questions for Robin should be sent to millersmailbag@racer.com. We cannot guarantee we’ll publish all your questions and answers, but Robin will reply to you. And if you have a question about the technology side of racing, Robin will pass these on to Marshall Pruett and he will also answer here. 

Q: Recently I purchased tickets to the IndyCar event at COTA and wanted to get paddock passes. They told me they were sold out ($75 each), and I inquired how many they had. The response was 1,000! Are you kidding me? At every IndyCar event that I have been to, whether as a ticket purchaser or a participant in the MRTI in Pro Mazda, access to the IndyCar paddock was a given. That access is one reason why IndyCar is so attractive to the fans. If this is true and only 1,000 fans have passes, this is contrary to the IndyCar mantra.

Further, it reinforces some things about COTA that I am not particularly fond of, particularly after having attended other events. I was able to get passes via a race team but if true, this is insane. The paddock area is huge, and can accommodate many thousands. They also said that they would think 30,000-35,000 for the first year in attendance would be a good start. I would agree, but doing this with paddock passes on top of a premium ticket price will turn off many prospective fans.

Emmett, Texas

RM: When I first read your letter I thought it had to be a mistake, so I called COTA and inquired about buying paddock passes and was told they were “sold out.” I asked how many were sold, and was told “a couple thousand.” I responded that COTA was enormous and could accommodate more paddock people than just about any IndyCar track, and I’d never heard of the paddock being sold out. The ticket rep said between IndyCar and COTA, they had reached their capacity. So then I called IndyCar, and it acknowledged there seems to be a little disconnect, but they were working on it. I suppose after dealing with F1’s limited access this is a whole new world for COTA, but it cannot afford to piss people off who are coming to its first event. I think IndyCar will work something out by March 22-24 so paddock passes would be available to anyone and everyone that wants one. But I thank you for calling this to my attention.

Q: I'm unsure what to make of Fernando Alonso. He's seems personable. He seems likable. Money follows him wherever he goes. The guy is as good as it gets, but he seems to leave a trail of destruction – Renault, McLaren (first and second go-around), Ferrari. Would it be worthwhile financially for an IndyCar team to run him for a full season? Of course, it would cost a fortune. (And please don't counter with he's already rich, so he doesn't care about money. Guys at his level always care about money.)

Joe E.

RM: I don’t pretend to know him very well (got to spend a few frigid hours with him at his Indy indoctrination run at IMS, and a few quick sound bytes during May of 2017), but he’s as personable as any major racing champion I’ve ever been around. And he’s a racer to the core, which I love – not afraid to try different things, and his enthusiasm rings true. Not sure you can blame him for the downfall of those three teams; if anything maybe he made a couple of bad choices. But I’m sure finding him a sponsor for the full IndyCar season would be easy, and he would take a pay cut from his F1 salary.

Q: The water issues at Daytona this weekend brought to light a problem that has come up several times over the past few years – Barber ‘18 comes to mind. Managing storm water on roadways and land development is commonplace. I understand racetracks can’t have curbs and gutters, but other conventional uses can be utilized yet seemingly are not. I think the primary issue seems to be either water collecting on the track, or flowing onto or across the track, both of which can likely be solved with improvements away from the racing surface by diverting the water elsewhere. Is there a reason storm water is not more heavily considered in race track design?

Kevin in S.C.

RM: I guess the easiest explanation would be that rain is seldom a factor in IndyCar races (Road America back in Champ Car, Toronto a few years ago and Barber), so tracks can’t be expected to spend a lot of money preparing for torrential rains. Street courses have no chance in a downpour because of the parameters of the tracks, while places like Barber drain pretty well but there is always going to be some puddling. Wally Dallenbach fixed the river at Elkhart Lake once with sandbags, so maybe that’s a failsafe.

Q: As a gearhead I am absolutely glued to the TV and NBCSN app, watching every second of the Rolex 24 this weekend. What I wanted to mention was the outstanding coverage of all the broadcasters from different series (Indy and NASCAR). NBC Sports has done an outstanding job to kick off the racing season. Can’t wait for IndyCar to start.

James Bishop

RM: Couldn’t agree more, James. The combined NASCAR and IndyCar talent did an excellent job in some challenging conditions (filling two and a half hours of a red flag after being up for 20-some hours) and it was quite entertaining. I enjoyed Dale Junior’s perspectives on his road racing, Allmendinger made a smooth debut, Townsend Bell was born to talk, Marty, Kelli, Dave, Kevin and Jon got a lot of interesting interviews and Diffey and Fish did a good job of sorting through four classes, staying on top of the standings and the weather. NBC’s initial 24 hours was a winner.

Q: I have been surprised the last few weeks how many ads I’m seeing for IndyCar and the Indy 500 on NBC. I think this is great, because we have not had this kind of coverage and exposure in many, many years. Do you think IndyCar should run a Super Bowl ad? I know the Super Bowl is on CBS this year, but I think an Indy 500 ad would be amazing. Do you expect this sort of advertising to continue, or ramp up even more as the season gets closer? Do you feel ratings will be up this year? I have a feeling this will be the highest-rated season and the highest-rated Indy 500 in many, many years!

Rick from PA

RM: One quick note – IndyCar and the Indy 500 have never had this kind of pre-season promotion, and it’s no surprise because NBC is vested and a true partner for IndyCar, as promised. NBC will be the best thing that’s happened to IndyCar racing in years, and it excels at big events. Indy’s ratings have gone down three years in a row, but that won’t happen this May. And eight races on NBC will certainly help drive up the ratings. There will be an ad running during the Super Bowl, but not sure it’s national – might just be for the Midwest.

Air beats batteries when it comes to impact wrenches, at least where pitstops are concerned. Image by Levitt/LAT

Q: Watching pit stops at the Rolex 24, I was wondering why every racing series uses air-powered impact tools for tire changes? There are some very powerful battery-operated impact guns available. This would eliminate the risk of a penalty for running over the air hose, as well as avoiding a possible tripping hazard for the crew. The battery-powered guns are heavier, but I’m sure these guys can handle it. Thanks for keeping us fans engaged during the long off-season.

Bary

RM: Obviously this is out of my area, so I asked Mike Hull, the managing director of Ganassi Racing, to expound on the virtues of air guns:

“The torque of the current version of air guns combined with the high air pressure delivery is the biggest reason – a single nut takes lots of pressure based upon the tightness safety. The battery pack required to do the same, if available, might require four hands per wheel, or a group of NFL lineman to lift them. The air lines are tendered by people behind the wall, so that part is under control. Teams have spent lots of money to get us to this point with the air guns; starting again would be something very similar, that is not really, in this case, a front-burner priority. Racing people accept change quickly, so don’t want to sound old-school in this case, but it’s actually well-orchestrated.”

Q: Good to hear your recovery is going smoothly. Amidst the recent spate of good news on the sponsor front (with Arrow becoming a partner at SPM and NTT stepping up as title sponsor), I want to ask a question concerning schedule speculation. You’ve mentioned hopes that Richmond and Montreal could be in the cards in the next couple of years – good venues, both. However, you also mentioned that a couple of current venues could fall off after this year. Which tracks would you think are most likely not to see 2020? And what about Toronto? It’s a fantastic host city, but as you pointed out, the track has been decimated by construction at Exhibition Place. Does it hang on?

Garrett from Reno

RM: Despite all the great sprint-car fans in Pennsylvania, Pocono remains a challenge for the promoter, so I think it’s on the bubble. Iowa lost its longtime sponsor so who knows if it can sustain an IndyCar race (although going back to Saturday night should help attendance), and Toronto isn’t the draw it used to be but seems to be maintaining.

Q: I've been a UK-based IndyCar fan for the last nine years or so, and I've finally decided to take the plunge and head out to the U.S. to watch an IndyCar race, so heading to Barber (happens to be on a long weekend off work) in April. Any tips or advice on places to go and how to pace the weekend at the track? Already got GA and paddock pass sorted.

Jeff, United Kingdom

RM: Allow yourself at least four hours to tour the museum at the track, it’s world-class and just keeps getting better. Then eat dinner at Rusty’s Bar-B-Q in nearby Leeds, Ala. Then find me in the paddock so I can get you a proper IndyCar hat.

Q: I started out last week concerned that IndyCar would be announcing their third title sponsor since unification in what seems like a revolving door, and by the end of the week I had a totally different perspective! In the past week you've had no less than a half dozen companies already involved in IndyCar step up their investments. Arrow at SPM, Rev (a Penske sponsor) supporting Road America, Firestone doing the same at WTR Laguna Seca, and this week MSR announcing SiriusXM and AutoNation will be joining for 10 races this year. Of course the largest of all is NTT Data, a company that seems to be growing almost as fast as Arrow. To me this is a sign that international exposure of IndyCar is growing again! Hopefully we can open (or close) the season in Surfers in the near future and double up at Motegi (especially if they've fixed the oval) to split much of the cost between two promoters. What I do want to ask you about is the COTA test. I know you had someone else ask if it was open or closed about six weeks ago, and directed them to contact COTA. I've made multiple calls to the track that have gone unreturned, and I am wondering if you might have any further information on the test?

Oliver, Surrey, BC, Canada

RM: COTA will be open to the public on Feb. 12, with admission free for IndyCar Classic ticket holders and $20 for everyone else.

Q: As one of your many fans, I am happy you are doing well and still kicking. With reference to a few of the letters in the Mailbag recently about you perhaps writing a book, I too would enjoy that idea. However, after the passing of Mari Hulman George, I caught a brief story, on a news site while searching for an unrelated story. The article spoke of a more dramatic period in Mari's personal life. It spoke of her marriage to Elmer George, the ensuing drama and his death. There was a note of sarcasm by the author, I felt, in that he remarked that in the end, Elmer's son (Tony George) had gained some sort of payback towards his grandfather (Tony Hulman) because of an implied rocky relationship between Tony Hulman and his son-in-law Elmer. To my point, there has got to be a novel waiting to be written about the Speedway. If done correctly, it could be made in to a movie and bolster the fan base. Days of Thunder didn't hurt NASCAR any...

I know, a simple idea from a simple mind. I am always looking for a story and or movie that at least equals the impression the movie "To Please a Lady" left on me as young man. I'm sure there are readers out here who have no idea what I'm referring to, but it was really what generated my interest in racing. Corny I guess, but if there is a novel in you, I wish you would write it.

Ron Hampton

A.J. Foyt with Elmer George in Dayton, 1960.

RM: The Hulman/George family saga would be eye-opening on many levels, even to the non-race fan, but the only person who could truly write it that is still alive would be June Swango. She was the personal secretary of Mr. Hulman who turns 100 soon, and she knows everything but never considered discussing it with anyone because she was quite loyal. I called June 25 years ago about doing a story, and she politely told me no. I don’t know that the story you read was accurate, and I certainly don’t get the reference to payback but I was good friends with David Cassidy (Mr. Hulman’s trusted assistant) and he never mentioned any animosity between Tony and Elmer. Cass could have also written the definitive book, but would have taken cyanide before betraying any confidence of the Hulman/George family. But you have to feel empathy for the four kids who grew up in such a macabre environment. The Hulman/George book would be equal parts invigorating, tragic, successful and dysfunctional and it would be a helluva read. I know quite a bit, but not nearly enough. You mentioned Days of Thunder – did Driven not generate the same amount of interest? (kidding).

Mario in 1987. So near, yet so far. Image by IMS

Q: Mario and Michael, you know both these men. Both excellent drivers - but I suspect their 'snake-bit' jinx is their driving style. They naturally over-drove their cars. That was their nature. Do you think they could be as successful if they eased up, and weren't always balls to the wall? I guess this could be said of many drivers, except Scott Dixon.

Jon D.

RM: I think that’s one of the biggest misnomers in racing history. Mario had a two-lap lead in 1987, had shifted gears into lower revs and was picking his teeth before being blindsided by engine harmonics, which killed the ignition. Ditto for Michael in 1992, he’d also lapped the field and was coasting before his experimental engine blew up. Sure they both liked to lead and run hard, but those were two examples where being conservatively fast didn’t pay off – they were cursed.

Q: Roger Penske, Michael Andretti, and Chip Ganassi are the top team owners and their teams do most of the winning. Yet those three successful men present very different personas to the world. How would you characterize each? How are they similar, how are they different? And if they had a race driver son, would Penske or Ganassi employ them uncritically and indefinitely? (I suppose you could include Austin Cindric as 'family.')

Bosco McNab, Canada

RM: R.P. changed the face of IndyCar racing in the early ‘70s with his corporate plan, attention to detail and spit-polished operation. He’s the most driven person I’ve ever met, and likely the smartest. Ganassi inherited his wealth but has spent the past 30 years cultivating a first-class operation that has had success in three major series. He’s rough around the edges, but treats his employees pretty good. Mikey is the surprise of all, because I never saw him wanting to be an owner and yet I think he’s having more fun now than when he drove. He’s at the shop early every morning and is as hands-on any anyone. They’re all similar in doing whatever is necessary to win, and they’re dissimilar in that The Captain spends every waking hour doing business all over the world, Chip is focused on one thing (racing) and Michael is a family man that still races. Kip Penske drove Super Vees, so the answer is only if he was good enough. Same for Ganassi.

Q: Saw the comment from Rico Abreu recently about having a lot of interest in racing in the Indianapolis 500. Wouldn't he be an awesome addition to the month of May, for a variety of reasons? He already has a fan following. His story and background is interesting and would be marketable. The personality he brings to the table. And the most important thing... he's got talent. Be great to see in the near future, and hope there are some wheels already turning for this. Also any chance we see Tim Clauson associated with an Indy 500 entry (even in a minor way) anytime soon? Again, another neat storyline if that were to happen.

Drew, Gale, IN

RM: If I hadn’t gambled all my 401K away, I would field a three-car Indy 500 team of Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Rico. It would generate such a buzz for Indianapolis and make so many new fans and be so cool because those three are all gassers. And so popular and talented. Rico would become the most popular Indy starter overnight. Can’t speak for Tim, but he’s pretty busy with midgets and sprinters so I can’t see him branching out into IndyCars (unless maybe he took Tyler Courtney to IMS).

Q: In last week’s Mailbag, Max mentioned that he’s gotten rid of cable and isn’t a fan of watching a delayed online stream of the races. Please mention to all of your readers that HULU now streams live TV and sports. NBC and NBC Sports are a part of their package in Indy. I’d be shocked if they don’t offer the same package across the U.S. It’s legit… legal… I’ve been using it all fall and winter for sports, and the TV picture is great. It’s $39.99/month. Check HULU online for details in your area of the U.S. Not sure about overseas viewers or Canada. Thanks for all you do!

Greg Phelps

RM: Thank you Greg, for this information. There are so many different cable outlets you never know what’s available, but this seems like a reasonable alternative for IndyCar fans. Appreciate you letting everyone know.

Q: What's with the Indianapolis Star? The wife of three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford dies on 1/20/19 and the Star doesn't mention it (at least not in their print edition) as of 1/22/19. Anybody who has any knowledge of the Indy 500 knows that the Betty and Johnny Rutherford marriage was a great love story. Betty was at Johnny's side always until illness forced him to seek managed care for her. The current racing beat writer, Jim Ayello, wrote a lengthy article on the Pacers for the 1/22/19 edition, but Betty's passing was ignored. The Star failed to note the passing of Jim McElreath and Jerry Sneva as well. What did you do, Robin? Did you curse the paper when you were let go? The paper has shrunk to the size of a flyer with the news content equally minimized.

Bob, Indy

RM: Oh yeah, I cursed it plenty and considered arson, but was rescued by ESPN so I just continue to despise Gannett from afar. In fairness to Jim, he’s done a really nice job considering he never even saw an IndyCar race until 2016, and he was on vacation when Betty passed. And he can’t be expected to know everything about the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. He’s been a quick learner and he’s a good writer.

Q: I've been reading the letters regarding you writing your memoirs, and I agree, that would be fantastic. There is another book that I would love to see, and I've emailed several of the writers/editors at SPEED SPORT about it.  t would be a compilation of Chris Economaki's Editor's Notebook columns from all of the years of National Speed Sport News. I was a long-time subscriber, and that's the first place I went when it arrived in the mail. If you agree, do you have any stroke with those guys, and can you put in a good word? Follow doctor's orders and stay well. We need you.

Rick in Lisle, IL

RM: I subscribe to SPEED SPORT magazine and Sprint & Midget magazine, and love the fact Ralph Sheheen, Joe Tripp and Mike Kerchner have kept it alive, but not sure there would be an audience for Editor’s Notebook, and besides, it would take 1,000 pages. Maybe some kind of “Best of Economaki” in the magazine would be doable. I’ll mention it to them.

There's plenty of racing left in Memo yet. Image by Dole/LAT

Q: Racing runs on money. Fans want to support their favorite drivers. Maybe (and it would be the only way I would have anything in common with him), I have something in common with Winston Churchill, about whom it was once said, "He has 10 ideas a day, nine of which are bad." Tracks and promoters could give fans an option when they purchase tickets to add $5.00 to the price and designate their favorite driver they want to support. The promoter or track would probably need to get a slice for the operation (maybe $1.00) and the details would need to be worked out more. The driver and the team split the "tips" they get from the fans. If a race drew 35,000 fans and 10,000 opted into something like this, there's $40,000 up for grabs. All things considered, not a lot; but, if it caught on and half the races had that option, it might move the needle for somebody. If Indy got on board, well…

Kevin Eads

RM: Well considering the winning team of an IndyCar race (except Indianapolis) only earns $30,000 I’m sure the drivers would welcome your suggestion, but with all the ticket surcharges, gas prices, hotels, not sure it’s fair to ask the paying customers to give any more.

Q: Several years ago, we ran into Memo Gidley in the paddock at Mid-Ohio. He was great with my son and enthusiastically answered our questions, signed our program, and posed for pictures. I know he had a bad accident years ago and was wondering what he was up to these days?

Scott Smith, Dallas, Texas

RM: Read RACER.com’s recent story about Memo. He wants to race again, so good luck to one of the truly great guys in all of motorsports.

Q: Is it my imagination, or have most forms of auto racing become niche sports? All the talk of IndyCar and IMSA sharing a weekend seems to have people worked up. It’s like asking lions and lambs to lie down together. When I was a much younger race fan I liked everything, from stock cars to Indy cars to F1 and sports cars. Heck, I even liked boats. Is it just that everything is so narrowly marketed now?

Greg in Chicago

RM: No, in today’s world it’s more a case of, how do we get people to drive a few hours, spend money on hotels and come to our race? By giving the fans more, and that’s why an IndyCar/IMSA doubleheader makes perfect sense. This isn’t the days when Can-Am drew massive crowds. Other than Sebring and Road Atlanta, IMSA only has good turnouts at Long Beach and Detroit sharing the bill with IndyCars. That’s why The Glen would be a winner – let IndyCar run Saturday and the Six Hours on Sunday.

Q: Thanks for doing the Mailbag each week. As I have gotten back into IndyCar over the past two-three years, it has been a great way for me to stay informed and learn a little history as well. I have two totally unrelated questions here. A few weeks back on Marshall's podcast, Hinch mentioned that he didn't think Mosport would be a very good track for open-wheel cars despite its history. I have a soft spot for Mosport, as it's where my Hoosier grandfather introduced my then-teenage dad to racing in the ‘60s (they went and watched Can-Am and F1 there). Any idea why? I simply don't know enough to even come up with a wildly inaccurate answer.

Second, with our Hoosier roots and 20+ relatives still in central Indiana, we are very loyal 500 attendees. My dad has lost count of how many, and this year will mark either my seventh or eighth (I need to remember which ones I missed since the merger). For most years since the merger, a vendor has given us tickets to their Tower Terrace Suite. At some point, we figure we will overstay our welcome and will probably start looking for other seats this year or next. We have family seats about two-thirds of the way up the Southwest Vista we can snag, but dad is getting older and crankier, and wants to be closer to an aisle. If I remember correctly, you suggest sitting high in Turns 1 or 3. How hard is it to get two or four of these, and are there brokers you suggest working with? Thanks in advance.

Will Mohr, Roanoke, VA

RM: Mosport was fine for Indy cars in the late 60s before downforce and insane corning speeds. I’d love to go back there, but everyone says it’s too dangerous for today’s Indy cars despite all the improvements Ron Fellows has made. Go to Brickyard.com and see if there are any double-letter rows still available in any of the four vistas before you think about ticket brokers. Let me know, I might have a friend that could sell you a couple up high in Turn 4.

Q: Would IndyCar or IMS ever consider abandoning the season-ending road course race in California for a 300 or 400-mile championship-deciding race on the IMS oval? I feel like it would give IndyCar a lot more exposure, and a Saturday race in September should draw a fairly large crowd, despite college football.

Jim O., Fishers, IN

RM: It would damn sure have more fans and atmosphere, but it ain’t gonna happen. One oval race at Indianapolis is all we need.

Q: In several answers to questions you have posted recently you have made reference to an impending NASCAR TV contract renegotiation or adjustment in the near future. I am not a NASCAR fan so I am not that familiar with your reference, but I do know that those once-exorbitant dollars from that old contract that have kept a lot teams and tracks afloat will be significantly diminished. And soon. Just curious on what you think will happen here, and what will NASCAR look like in five or eight years?

Jim, Indy

RM: When you consider that teams get roughly 25 percent of the $900 million a year that NASCAR gets from TV and that next contract is going to be considerably less, then it’s going to have a dramatic impact on the number of cars, I would imagine. But no reason NASCAR can’t race with 25-28 good cars. IndyCar is making it work.