Robin Miller's Mailbag for February 20, 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: I'm curious to know if there is something more to the story with Pato O'Ward. If he has money for five races between his Indy Lights prize money and some other sponsorship he found, why is Harding not running him in the first five races of the season? Given the hubris to sign him without a sponsor lined up and assuming they could find one, it seems funny that they didn't just start running him, hoping that they could find the money to finish the season. From Pato's standpoint, isn't five races with Harding Steinbrenner (backed by Andretti) a better ride that just about any other team he might find a partial season with?

Steve, Pittsburgh, PA

RM: First off, the Lights money is good for three races – St. Pete, Indy GP and Indy 500 – at least, that’s been the standard operating procedure in the past. And Pato pulled the plug on Harding because he had no confidence there would be a team for him in 2019. The Steinbrenners were responsible for Colton Herta and O’Ward’s fate was in Harding’s hands until Michael Andretti tried a last-second save, which I’ll try to explain in another question.

Q: What are the rules around the Indy Lights scholarship funds? Do they have to be used in IndyCar, or could Pato O’Ward take that cash to another series?

Tom Anderson, Mesa, AZ

RM: No, the money has to be used in IndyCar – Dan Andersen and IndyCar are 50/50 partners in the distribution. Does it have to be for St. Pete, Indy GP and Indianapolis? Not necessarily, although that’s been the trend.

Q: As I read your Mailbag and the RACER website this morning (Wednesday, Feb 13 at about 11:00 am PST), I see no reference to Michael Andretti offering O'Ward an eight-race deal this past weekend. Per Andretti, at least according to the article on another online auto enthusiast site, O'Ward turned him down by insisting on a full season ride, which Andretti could not supply. The tone of the article suggests/implies that Andretti was flummoxed by O'Ward's response and that Andretti thus now has little empathy for O'Ward's situation. Yet on the RACER website as I write this, there's an article in which O'Ward is quoted as saying he's presently looking to get at least six races through May with a team, fully realizing that the top rides are all full. So what am I missing? Is the timing quoted in the articles incorrect? Did Andretti even offer O'Ward a part-time ride? Please clarify!

Confused Joel

RM: Other than during the racing season, I start putting The Mailbag together on Sunday night and finish it by Tuesday at noon, so the Andretti-O’Ward story transpired after I’d already finished last week’s. As for the story itself, yes it’s true that Michael intervened and reportedly offered eight races, but Pato evidently declined because Mike Harding would have still been involved. We don’t know all the behind-the-scenes stuff between O’Ward and Harding and nobody is allowed to discuss it after their settlement, but my take is that he feels cheated and wants nothing to do with Harding. Having said that, going with Andretti for eight races would have given Pato his best shot, and there’s nothing out there to compare with it. But, again, we don’t know the contractual ramifications of what the lawyers decided, and obviously, the O’Ward group feels very strongly about severing its ties with Harding. I don’t blame O’Ward for feeling his IndyCar career got derailed, and you can’t blame Michael for being angry for trying to help his Lights champion. In short, what should have been a feel-good story about two teenage talents is pretty much a mess.

Q: Is report true that Michael Andretti offered an eight-race deal to Patricio O’Ward and he turned it down? Does he have something better in the works? I can't imagine what it would be at this point in time. Sorry for him losing his ride, but taking a first-class ride with Michael for almost half the season seems better than more races with a lesser team.

Dave, French Lick, IN

RM: Read the answer above yours, but no, I don’t think there’s anything available for Pato that rivals what Michael offered.

Q: As much as I don't like NASCAR, I watched the Daytona 500 since it is the kick-off of racing season and I'm desperate for racing. But watching the end of that race, I was thinking: really, this is our competition? Over an hour to finish the last 10 laps of their biggest race of the year? Their so-called greatest drivers in the world cause three wrecks before the finish? C'mon, this should be easy! Watch the last 10 laps of any given Indy 500 and there's no comparison!

Jack Pallett

RM: I told somebody that the last hour of Daytona was the best free advertising IndyCar could ever want. When you crash going in a straight line, time and time again, and then one of your expert announcers acts surprised, it’s all pretty comical. And it’s not racing.

Q: Just wanted to provide you with an update on Paddock Passes for the COTA race. Per previous discussions in your Mailbag, my buddies and I originally were not able to buy paddock passes as they had sold out. Last Monday I called the COTA ticket office to buy our weekend race tickets, and at that time I inquired about Paddock Passes and was put on a wait list. Today I received an email from a COTA ticket rep saying that more paddock passes were being released at $90 per for the weekend. She is getting us three since we called and were on the list. Not sure if they will be released online, as it sounds like it is a limited release. Might be good for other people to call the ticket office as well.

Brandon "MillenialRaceFan," Chicago, IL

RM: Thanks for the heads-up, Brandon. I’m told paddock passes are available right now if you call COTA, but will be limited again because they’ve sold a few thousand and are supposedly concerned about space.

Image by IndyCar

Q: I think I was as stunned as everyone about Harding. I thought the addition of Steinbrenner meant an influx of money in the hope of building a powerhouse team by supporting a driver that we all think can deliver. If you can do that for one or two years, you can likely get a sponsor that can foot the bill. (Ask Ed Carpenter). Racing is not a good business, have to spend to win and be successful. Investing in Pato was the right move. Although the Mexico IndyCar race plans were not moving at the speed of light, I thought there was momentum – likely lost now. I don’t know the details and hope the two are not connected, but overall I am disappointed Steinbrenner couldn’t deliver at least one season of investment.

Carlos in Seattle

RM: None of us know the fine print between Hank and George Michael Steinbrenner IV and Mike Harding, but as I’ve been saying, the unofficial box score is that the Steinbrenners were funding little Hertamania and Harding was to take care of O’Ward, so I wouldn’t be too disappointed in Steinbrenner.

Q: If I’m a Steinbrenner sitting in Yankee Stadium, I’m thinking Hank just did the family brand a disservice. What Steinbrenner would put their name and reputation on the side of an IndyCar and have no resources to apply to the venture? Can you see George launching himself into an IndyCar team and then essentially dissolving half of it and leaving the other half hanging by a thread a short time later? It appears, and I’ve never met the man, that young Hank has a Hall of Fame last name and little else, including business acumen. Granted sponsorship is a big nut to crack, but before you lend the family name to a big venture that’s splashed all over NYC newspapers, all those issues must be settled beforehand. Seems he’s all hat and no cattle.

Jim Fling, Trenton, N.J.

RM: Hank’s original premise was that he wasn’t just going to write a check for his son’s venture, and between his people and George Michael IV’s contacts they would find sponsorship. Well, to this point we haven’t seen any sponsors, but I can assure you that Hank is the reason Colton was at COTA last week, and Hank will be the reason young Herta competes in 2019. It’s a consortium between Harding, Steinbrenner and Andretti, but we don’t know the specifics, and I certainly don’t blame Hank for Pato’s situation.

Q: Mike Tirico? Where's Leigh Diffey!? Somebody with no Indy 500 experience is the host? Yes, his supporting cast (or even trained monkeys) will surely be better than the Scott and Eddie fiasco, but a definite part of the ABC problem was the main host as well (at least ever since Paul Page went his way.) What's up with this?

David Leigh

RM: To quote the wonderful AT&T ad, “Stay in your lane, bro.” Mike is the host of the Indianapolis 500 and will set the stage, keep the pre-race show moving, do some interviews and add his observations as a first-timer. Leigh, P.T. and Townsend will be in the booth as usual (and I imagine Little E will join them at some point) and having Tirico simply states the obvious: It’s a big deal for NBC.

Q: First, congratulations on being accepted into the Indiana Sports Writers Hall of Fame! They finally caught up to me, who inducted you into “My Favorite Sports Writer Hall of Fame” years ago! Anyway, I will accept what you say because you are always correct when it comes to IndyCar. Please convince me that Mike Tirico knows enough about IndyCar to do a good job with the Indy 500. I have never heard of this guy before because I only follow auto racing. What are we in for? Is this NBC’s first mistake with all of the good they have planned for IndyCar?

Sean Raymond, Corona, CA

RM: Mike has replaced Bob Costas as the “face” of NBC for all its big-time sporting events from The Olympics to the Kentucky Derby to NFL Football Night in America. He’s a polished pro who's easy on the ears and a bright guy who will have no trouble picking up on Indy’s mystique and enormity in the sports world. To me, it shows how serious NBC is about making Indianapolis one of its primary headliners.

Q: I see so many comments questioning IndyCar’s marketing savvy related to free content versus charging for streaming programming with the IndyCar Gold Pass. Emmerson from Cincy mentioned the need to grow fans through free content. As someone who has worn a sales and marketing hat for 30 years, free seldom if ever converts to paying customers, and it doesn’t matter how you package it. When you get something for free, you have no vested ownership. Psychologically, you don’t value it, so you don’t convert into a paying customer. Look at it this way, based on Emmerson’s observations, if the free content was so valuable in growing the sport, why has attendance been an issue at ovals? Content has been free for years, and there are hours of compelling oval content. Yet it hasn’t converted the casual fan into a paying customer. For fans who have ownership in the sport, buy tickets, read RACER, write to you, they appreciate the content. Those same people see the great value in paying a one-time $50.00 cost to have professionally-produced IndyCar programming streamed on their device. IndyCar Pass builds loyalty. Loyal fans bring new fans. So, from a grassroots marketing perspective, IndyCar Pass checks the box and free content misses the mark.

Greg Phelps

RM: Well said Greg, and that’s been my feeling. A broadcast-quality production with practice, interviews, old races and features is made to order for your hardcore fans, and that’s basically what IndyCar has nowadays. We’re a niche sport (other than the Indy 500), so why not cater to your diehards with a very affordable alternative?

Image by Levitt/LAT

Q: I haven't watched a lap of NASCAR since Austin Dillon's "win" in the Daytona 500 last year. Listening to the reports of this year’s Clash confirms my decision, along with hearing that it took an hour to run the last 10 laps of the 500. On the other hand, IndyCar is all set for a great season. I bought the NBC IndyCar Pass, so I am ready! My question to you is, do you think this is the best way forward? There are a lot of cable-cutters who will either pay $50 or miss half of the season. With IndyCar showing so much promise for future growth and NASCAR actively chasing fans away, I just hope the pay-per-view strategy doesn't become a barrier to new fans.

John Masden

RM: Qualifying and the races will be on NBCSN and NBC (eight races), so I don’t think the Gold Pass is going to cost IndyCar any fans, but it’s got a chance to make a few new ones and probably appease the diehards. If it stays reasonable (and $50 a year is plenty reasonable), I can’t see it hurting.

Q: I haven't gotten past the first couple of comments on Page 2 of last week’s Mailbag. I don't know how you can stand to read/listen to the clowns who think everything should be free. I thought that the NBC Gold would be about $50 - per month! Of course I have enjoyed having the YouTube stuff, especially in May, but I considered it to be a gift, and I'll bet that there will still be some content available -- perhaps just audio. I do understand that it is nice to have free stuff, but I also understand that I prefer St. Elmo's steak to Hamburger Helper. The IndyCar pass looks like St. Elmo's at Hamburger Helper pricing. Now, I will read the rest of the Mailbag, skipping the price bitching parts.

Jon Wright

RM: I get that people feel gouged by cable companies (I know I’ve got DirecTV) and it costs fans extra to get NBCSN in many places but I look at this as a cheap alternative for fans that want more.

Q: Robin, to be honest the NBC Gold package makes me mad. If you get NBCSN, you are already in most cases paying premium cable prices. Is this a case of NBC being greedy? Or did not enough people watch Indy Lights and IndyCar qualifying to keep it on regular NBCSN? I think this is a real bad step for Lights.

Jeff Loveland

RM: I think it’s a case of NBC investing in the IndyCar Series and trying to expand its coverage, but I don’t think at $50 it’s greedy or thinking it’s going to break the bank. And some practice, all of qualifying and the races will still be on NBCSN. Lights will get better exposure on Gold than running at midnight.

Q: I'm interested in your thoughts about the long-term health of IndyCar in the 21st century and IndyCar's decision to put interesting content behind a paywall in an era where people have nearly unlimited entertainment options in their pocket. In your Mailbag, which I've never had the displeasure of reading before today, every question you chose to answer was someone, to a certain extent, disgruntled with NBC Gold and IndyCar's decision to take a sport that is moderately more healthy than it was a decade ago and decide to hide it away from the public. We pay for cable as fans. Part of that already goes to Comcast. I would wonder if you could explain to me the rationale behind paying for cable, in large part to watch IndyCar, and then paying (essentially) for cable again in the form of NBC Gold.

And please spare me the ridiculous "Boo hoo, it's only $50 more" viewpoint. "Oh! That's only $5/month over the course of 10 months!" "Oh! That's only $1.25/week!" "Oh! That's only 17.8 cents per day!" "Oh! That's only 7/10 of a penny per hour!" If NBC Gold works to the point NBC and Indycar want it to work, then bigger stuff goes behind a paywall. Qualifying goes behind a paywall. Then the next year, Indy qualifying goes behind a paywall. Then maybe a smaller race like Gateway or the second Belle Isle race. And don't tell me Comcast wouldn't do something like that. It's exactly what they do with the English Premier League. Are you a fan of any team not including the words "Manchester," "Chelsea" or "Liverpool?" Well, if you ever want to see your team legally in the U.S., you better give us even more money for that privilege!

We live in a society where cars are no longer on the upswing. I'm 30, and my generation doesn't care about cars, and they damn sure don't care about racing. And anyone curious enough to check it out is going to see a paywall and say "To hell with that, I can watch YouTube for free for 1,000 lifetimes before I'd ever run out of content." The sport I love is going to die in my lifetime due to lack of interest. None of my peers even know what an IndyCar looks like. When I tell people I'm going to the Indy 500 they tell me, "Oh, I think NASCAR is boring." Comcast will milk every penny they think they can maximize from this sport even if it means fewer eyeballs watching races in the future and rear ends in seats. To me, the future of IndyCar means a hell of a lot more than "just $5 a month.”

Charles Grove

RM: My thoughts are that IndyCar is offering more content behind a paywall (your term) but not at the expense of the competition (qualifying and racing will still be on NBCSN and NBC) and I think it’s a sign of the times. You’ll be paying for streaming to watch F1 on ESPN soon, and we’ve been hearing for years the NFL will be pay-for-view eventually. Paying for IndyCar races? I don’t see that, and I don’t think $50 is going to make or break the product, nor do I expect it to have any major affect one way or the other on viewing. I guess my big concern is making sure our Canadian fans have some kind of outlet since they won’t get the Gold Pass.

Image by LePage/LAT

Q: So we all have seen the NBC commercials for the Indy 500, but shouldn’t NBC advertise all IndyCar events nationally if they want to promote and build the series and its fan base? COTA and St. Petersburg are the first Grands Prix and the most visually colorful. Do you know if NBC and IndyCar will use these venues to promote these races as a launching point to get viewers hooked on the whole series? If not, I am hoping you can motivate them to promote nationally and internationally and let the local promoters handle their territories.

Brent L., Denver, CO

RM: I think NBC will promote the series like you’ve never seen it promoted before and we’re still a month away from the season opener, so just be patient.

Q: I knew we wouldn't have to wait long for all the moaning about comparing lap times between Indy cars and F1 cars after the COTA test. Lest all the armchair engineers have forgotten, there are a lot of reasons for the gap. Both cars are "purpose built," the difference being that the purpose of an IndyCar is to work and be safe on a huge variety of track types. F1 cars are built for one thing, and that's going around these Tilke- designed courses. We see how well they perform on street courses by the "excitement" they produce at Monaco these days. F1 cars are tens or hundreds of millions of dollars worth of engineering exercises; tons of downforce with power steering.

All this has produced predictable boredom where between two and four drivers are capable of winning on any weekend, and the outcome is determined at the first turn. Sport depends on drama and competition, and the only competition in F1 now is which company will write the biggest check. IndyCars are also marvels, and anyone who has walked through the paddock and seen them up close will be impressed. But the series, in my opinion, has been a lot smarter about controlling costs and keeping the competition front and center. You can't really tell the difference between 180 and 200 mph from the stands or on TV anyway, so what's the problem? I'll take it when 12 to 18 drivers have a shot at winning every week, thank you very much. I'll be sitting at the top of the grandstands at Turn 1 at COTA next month and I guarantee it'll be worth watching now that IndyCar is running there.

Steve C., Ithaca, NY

RM: I totally agree. Who cares if F1 is faster as long as the racing is better, and without a doubt, it will be. To your point, people can’t tell 180 from 200 mph, but they do seem to like the fact IndyCar is pretty unpredictable in terms of the race winner. And there is usually more passing in one race than F1 has in a month. I get that F1 cars can be breathtaking flashing through a corner and Ferrari is iconic, but I watch racing for the competition and uncertainty.

Q: Do you think Pato will find an IndyCar seat this season, or do you think it’s too late to sign a deal? I know Michael offered him an eight-race deal, but Pato reportedly turned him down. If no deal is struck, how will he stay sharp and relevant? IMSA? The kid is a phenomenal talent and the IndyCar series needs him.

Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA

RM: I think he’ll get a few races with somebody, and Carlin looks like a option. I would steer him towards Dale Coyne, since Craig Hampson and Michael Cannon are two of the best engineers in the paddock and also really good with rookies.

Q: My son and I were given tickets to IndyCar at Gateway when it returned there two years ago. We knew nothing about IndyCar, and didn’t know one driver. As the cars came out that night my son (eight years old at the time) picked Charlie Kimball as the driver he would cheer for simply because he liked his car the best. He and I fell in love with the sport and have paid attention to virtually everything IndyCar since then. He still roots for Charlie as well as some others, (Dixon, Veach, Newgarden). He was disappointed that Charlie is only running five races in 2019 – we understand that it is sponsorship, but wondering if you could help us understand how all this works a little better, as we are still very new to this? I see another driver ran the No.23 car at COTA but did not appear to have any sponsorship on the car. Wondering how one driver is in a car over another when there doesn't appear to be any sponsorship for either? Confused a little as to how all this works, and would appreciate any insight.

Seth and Aiden, St. Louis

RM: Charlie has been sponsored by Novo Nordisk since 2011, and it’s been a great partnership as he’s promoted his fight with Type 1 Diabetes using their product. To have a sponsor that long is pretty rare, and I’m just glad they’re still going to help him with Indy and four other races. R.C. Enerson, who did a nice job in his brief IndyCar debut back in 2016, looks set for some races with Carlin Racing, and it’s likely his father is footing the bill. Of the 24-25 cars expected at St. Pete, almost half of the drivers either brought money or a sponsor. Many times a driver takes a salary or a cut of his sponsorship to make a living because IndyCar purses are so puny. Roger Penske may be the only IndyCar owner that’s never had a ride buyer, but it’s simply part of the equation – IndyCars are very expensive to operate and most owners need help. Even a proven winner like Tony Kanaan had to bring some money to Chip Ganassi in 2017.

Image by IndyCar

Q: Is R.C. Enerson racing part-time in the No.23? He’s been testing for Carlin and Kimball only has five races, so it’d be great to see a talented young driver get mileage in that car.

Max Camposano, Bethlehem, PA

RM: It appears so, although nothing official yet from the team. Enerson opened a lot of eyes back in 2016 when he qualified 11th and finished ninth at Watkins Glen in only his second start for Dale Coyne after a nice debut at Mid-Ohio.

Q: I, along with a number of other IndyCar fans in Australia, are growing concerned that there has been no announcement regarding Australian television coverage of the 2019 IndyCar series. I was wondering if you happen to know of any update on whether a TV deal is in negotiation for Australia? If not, are there any plans for the series to be made available to international viewers via a streaming subscription? Secondly, I am planning a trip across to attend the races at Iowa and Mid-Ohio this July. Given the distance involved in getting there, it is difficult to attend more than one race every couple of years, so I am wanting to do what I can to maximize the experience on each of these race weekends. Do you have any tips on things that I should do to make the most of it?

Aaron Smith, Toowoomba, Australia

RM: If you’ve never been to Indianapolis it might be a good chance to drive from Iowa to Indy and visit the IMS Museum, take a lap around the track, stop by the Dallara factory on Main Street in Speedway and run a go-kart at Sarah Fisher’s track a couple blocks from Dallara. You are from Will Power’s hometown so you must look me up at one of those two races and we’ll get you a quick audience with Willy P. Details still be worked out on Aussie TV for IndyCar.

Q: Do you have any insights on a potential Lazier family entry in the Indy 500? Do you foresee any USAC drivers entering the Freedom 100?

Michael Boyd, Gadsden, TN

RM: I know they want to run Buddy’s son, Flinn, at Indy someday, but he’s not ready yet so not sure they’ll have an entry this May. I do believe David Byrd intends to bring USAC star Chris Windom back to IMS.

Q: Hey Miller, you said last week that a set of Firestone IndyCar tires cost $600, and I call b.s. No way in hell they’re that cheap.

Terry H., Florida

RM: You are spot-on. I typed $600 a set instead of $600 a tire. Thanks.

Q: It would seem to me a lot of things at Porsche have changed since the boost debacle of 1980. Hey, even Penske won overall at Sebring in a Porsche-powered P2 car. Porsche now has a large American market and will shortly debut the all-electric Teycan to challenge Tesla. Doesn’t it make sense to get Porsche back in IndyCar?

Jerry Ream

RM: Haven’t heard Porsche mentioned, but I suppose it’s always a possibility.

Q: There is currently a minor controversy in F1 about the 'return' of tobacco sponsorship through logos of such as 'Mission Willow' on Ferrari -- which to some Nervous Nellies hints too much of Marlboro branding. Is there any rumored trend to this in IndyCar, that could desperately use a return, even slyly, of big buck tobacco firms such as Marlboro and Players?

A. Jenkins. Canada

RM: To my knowledge, the North American tobacco advertising laws haven’t changed, and if they did Roger Penske would be all over it.

Q: Watched bits and pieces of the Formula E race in Mexico City and noticed the huge crowd. Race cars need to make a noise. Auto racing in Mexico is very popular, and always seems to be well-attended. Understand it's all about a promoter, but why can't IndyCar seem to make any inroads on getting an event on the calendar? You hear any rumors of anything happening there? Perfect location for a February or March date.

Jim, Indy

RM: Mark Miles had some meetings a couple years ago so there’s interest, and I’m sure if Pato O’Ward becomes a star it’s got a decent chance down the road.

Q: How much did you have to pay to buy your way into the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame? Seriously, this is such a huge and well deserved honor that is long overdue. Thank you for all that you have done to promote IndyCar racing over the years. I sure hope that you are planning to write a book about your adventures as a writer, racer and reporter. Come to think of it, I'm not sure that one book would be enough. How about it Robin? Can we expect to see a book in the future? I'm sure it would be a huge hit with all your fans in the IndyCar world.

Ed Davis, Plain City, OH

RM: You pay $1,000 to be voted in or $5,000 to have somebody famous like A.J. Foyt say something nice about you, but I opted for the discount package: $200 and a shout-out from West Coast modified great Ace Duncan. Thank you for your kind words, and I’m starting to lean a little towards writing something because all you Mailbaggers seem enthused.

Q: Why are the results from the 1950 Indianapolis 500 listed on Formula1.com? Does this mean Indianapolis 500 races between 1950-1960 and 2018-present are Formula 1 races?

Joe S.

RM: Indianapolis was part of the F1 championship from 1950-60 before it was decided that made no logistical sense, even though Ferrari and Alberto Ascari competed in the 1952 Indy 500. World champion Juan Manuel Fangio also tried Indy in 1958 but withdrew after trying a couple of different car/engine combos.

Above: IndyCar President Jay Frye (Image by LePage/LAT)

Q: If you could make a Top 10 list of people with the most power and influence in IndyCar, who would you put on the list, with number one being the most powerful? This list could be any executive or official in the sport, sponsor executive, driver, car owner, track owner, mechanic, or journalist.

Ron, Portland, OR

RM: Jay Frye, Mark Miles, John Miller and Sam Flood of NBC, the Hulman/George family, Roger Penske, Michael Andretti, Dan Andersen, Dallara’s Stefano dePonti and Firestone’s Cara Adams.

Q: Did you attend the 2005 US Grand Prix at Indy, and could you believe what happened? I'd like to know your thoughts. Who deserves the most blame for the disaster: Bernie Ecclestone, Max Mosley, or Tony George – or perhaps someone else like Bridgestone or Firestone? And finally, what do you think could have been done to save the event? F1 was never that big in the U.S. and this race certainly did not help.

Alan, Indianapolis, IN

RM: No, I was at the Champ Car race in Portland, sitting next to Mario and Paul Newman in the Newman/Haas compound getting ready to watch the start of the U.S. Grand Prix when I got a phone call from a buddy at IMS. “Michelin is going to pull out before the race starts,” he said. I told the 1978 world champion and “Frank Capua” the news, and they didn’t believe me until all 14 Michelin-shod cars pulled in and six Bridgestone cars took the green. From what I recall, Bernie Ecclestone blamed IMS for resurfacing the track and Max Mosley blamed everyone but himself. There was reportedly an offer by IMS to install a chicane to slow the cars and appease Michelin, but Ferrari (on Bridgestones) voted against it. It was a fiasco in every way and the end of F1 at IMS after TG had spent a fortune to accommodate Bernie & company. But F1 was damn big in the ‘60s and 70s at Watkins Glen, and in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s at Long Beach, and 200,000 showed up in 2000 for F1’s debut at IMS. So there was an audience – but not at IMS after 2005.

Q: I just wanted to add a bit of information on Driven after a reader asked who the driving force was behind the movie. It's actually driving forces. Sylvester Stallone wrote, starred and produced the 2001 film. Director Renny Harlin had the same passion as Stallone and worked with him for a few years to do a film where auto racing was the backdrop to a fictional story. The pair soon figured out that Formula 1 wouldn't give them the access they wanted to drivers, teams and tracks. They ultimately approached CART. CART gave them the ability to film around actual events up until the second engines started on the grid, and use real race footage in the film. They also liked using the real crowds at races such as Toronto because they never had to pay extras a cent for these scenes.

I only wish that Harlin and Stallone took the time to research and understand open-wheel racing before the cameras rolled. The crashes are horrible CGI and overblown. A lot of the races, if you look really closely, contain shots used earlier in the film, and are a blend of two or more tracks to make you think you're seeing action of different circuits. They also made it rain on an oval. I really wish they had made a story about CART drivers that depicted what they really endure on and off track during a season that had real heart. I'm not sure of the relationship between PacWest and other teams with Stallone and Harlin, but do remember the series was extremely accommodating to the production. In the end, moviegoers got a horrible film and CART nothing more than a glossy 117-minute ad with a ton of explosions, cars and impossible crash sequences. You know a film is a real flop when the making of feature proves more interesting. I actually worked as an extra on a Renny Harlin film called Long Kiss Goodnight. I recall from the experience that the Die Hard 2 and Cutthroat Island director knew how to film action sequences, but not how to tell a story – or, for that matter, what he was looking to capture. The production was rather careless. They actually burnt a 100-year-old Canadian landmark Windermere House to the ground during filming. It was later rebuilt.

Geoff Roberts, Toronto, Canada

RM: Thanks for that info, Geoff. CART thought Drivel was going to put them on Broadway, but instead it made Days of Thunder look like Citizen Kane.

Q: Kudos to NBC to showing everyone they are serious about this by bringing in Mike Tirico. There wasn’t ever any doubt, and you’ve been beating this drum for a long time. The article on RACER wasn’t clear on his role. Will he be in the booth at all? I expect that he won’t be, but rather be somewhere in the Pagoda or near the red carpet. I wondered if you could add any details to that. I saw a few fans commenting to that end.

Ryan in West Michigan

RM: My understanding is that Mike will be by himself as the host, but I’m sure he’ll have the ability to talk to the booth as the race progresses. Maybe instead of the grid run we’ll just walk some drivers over to talk to him, but he will be very involved in the race from start to finish.