Robin Miller's Mailbag for March 13, 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. 

A note from Robin: Counting The Indianapolis Star, ESPN, SPEED and now RACER.com, I’ve been writing the Mailbag for almost 30 years, and this week's is the angriest group of fans I’ve ever encountered. I read over 100 emails Monday from Canadian fans that vowed to quit watching or attending IndyCar because of this year’s television package with Sportsnet. By contrast, I received less than 20 about the season opener at St. Pete. But instead of trying to answer each person, I decided to print some of the most passionate letters and let a lot of loyal supporters have their say. I’m going to forward them to IndyCar’s front office, because I don’t think most of these people are bluffing.

Having said that, this will be the last forum in this space for bitching about the Canadian TV deal, because I’m not spending week after week trying to answer the same questions, so please don’t waste your time writing any more letters about it. I’ve always championed more races in Canada, be it Montreal, Mosport, Mont Tremblant or Calgary, because our neighbors to the north are some of IndyCar’s most passionate fans, and I wish we had two or three races in Canada. We know the eight NBC races will be available to everyone, but I also wish there was a way IndyCar could find some kind of a streaming solution like NBC Gold ($50 a year) that was more reasonable, and I hope they will down the road. As always, thanks for contributing, reading and caring. ROBIN MILLER

I have been reading all the hype and praise lavished on NBC as a boon to IndyCar. I ignored all the blather about the races being on pay channels. I have a slew of Canadian pay channels where I have watched every race for the past many years. I'd assumed that would continue. I sat down all pumped for the season opener this afternoon, only to discover that those sports channels don't now carry the race, and that I must pay an extra $18 a month for NBC's special sports channel. Well, I won't! IndyCar just lost a long-term hardcore fan for half the season. I'll be at Indy and the Toronto race, but will be able to see only eight races on NBC. I'm pissed! Buddies paying extra for cable sports are as well. How is it in any way good for the sport to alienate the hardcore fans that have supported it for decades?

Anthony Jenkins

Blah, blah, blah! You paid $100 plus for the Chili Bowl. We are not all interested in the Chili Bowl, nor do we all make as much money as you. Will you support me in calling for Robert Mueller expanding his collusion investigation into NBC Sports, and NASCAR’s collusion in interfering in the growth of IndyCar? I believe there is overwhelming evidence that with NASCAR’s demise and IndyCar’s growth, the NBC Gold Pass is a conspiracy into the death of the IndyCar growth spurt. Why should true IndyCar fans be punished and have to pay for things that were free in the past? The free live practices and qualifying on YouTube and other sites was what helped IndyCar grow. If it’s not a collusion/conspiracy, explain why NASCAR is listed on the NBCsports.com website as a major sport but IndyCar is not. Also, why would NASCAR not require a Gold Pass? Typical collusion if you ask me! Is this several of the first nails into reduced viewership of IndyCar? Don't even get me started with the poor quality and bad broadcast that froze up!

William Forest

I spent a few hours Saturday figuring out how to get televised coverage. Got on the Sportsnetnow website, signed up for the plus package, went well there. PC is too old to play the content, so fired up my 8.1 laptop and after a few browser tries/updates, a failed Java update, a couple of browser and windows crashes, and another crash simply from plugging HDMI into my TV, I finally got it working, and it worked actually pretty good. As a bonus, my laptop now doubles as a forced air furnace and will help heat up my basement office. Paid about $29 CDN for the monthly plan. Will just buy for the months required, since I don't do stick and ball. IndyCar is great now, and I'm happy to have some access even if it’s quirky. Hoping for a better TV deal.

Barry, Calgary

All Canadian IndyCar fans have been shafted big-time on TV coverage. Sportsnet is the only broadcaster here for IndyCar and its greed and incompetence is already at government levels – and I haven't even seen the first race. You have to subscribe to Sportsnet on a new channel (Sportsnet World), which isn't even available for the first race, or live stream it through Sportsnet Now. I tried to live stream qualifying on Sportsnet Now, and could not receive any coverage. Sportsnet tech support is, to put it accurately, s****y. It took close to an hour to get any response online, and it was a complete waste of time.

The cost per month to live stream is $20.00. If you want to go with the new cable channel it is $17.00 per month, but you must sign up for a two-year program with your cable supplier. There are a lot of IndyCar fans in Canada, and I believe a great many are really ticked off being treated like this. Mark Miles needs to intervene and get it straightened out. It's a horrible deal. I would love to use the NBC online app, but no can do. Thank God some of the races are on the NBC network which is available in Canada – that is unless Sportsnet doesn't blackout coverage, as TSN has done in the past. Someone should tell Sportsnet to pound sand and give us Canucks the NBC deal. Haven't we suffered enough with Justin Trudeau!

Dave Whiting

With all of the great things that IndyCar has been doing in the offseason to improve the product, folks like myself on the other side of the northern border of the United States have been all but frothing at the mouth anticipating like many around the world for the start of the 2019 schedule. However ... in the article IndyCar secures wide-ranging international broadcast deals on RACER.com, all of the races will be broadcast here in Canada on Sportsnet World and SN NOW+. That means that I need to spend an extra $20-25 a month for the regular coverage that I used to get last year. This doesn’t even include the added value advertised for the ‘Gold’ NBCSN content.

Here I am now trying to figure out whether I spend the dollars on the upgraded TV package, that other than the IndyCar races, I really don’t want. Or, do I aggregate the dollars and buy a fabulous pair of tickets for the Toronto race? That is assuming that I’m still interested in the sport by the time that July 14th rolls by. Frankly, it will be a little hard to follow and stay interested if I’m just reading the articles following the race.

If IndyCar is trying to build brand awareness and brand value for their product and sponsors, they need to make sure that the product is easily accessible and in the hands of those who support them. The mistake that IndyCar has made is that now I, like my many fellow Canadian IndyCar fans, are left measuring the value of IndyCar instead of simply making time on the weekend to watch the race.

We now need to decide: is the product worth the extra $175+ for seven months of coverage, considering it was inclusive in regular TV packages last year? To some it might be, to the rest it won’t be. That’s a big risk to IndyCar and their sponsors. If they need a marketing executive, tell them to give me a call!

Keith, Toronto, Ontario

I'm a longtime reader and IndyCar fan (about 45 years), and first-time writer to your Mailbag. As with many fans I stuck it out during the split, siding with CART, held my nose during the first few years after the merge. I was excited by all the positives that have happened – full fields, sponsors coming back, cars that look like IndyCars again. Over the winter I was greatly looking forward to the first race.

I would like you to convey to IndyCar my profound disappointment in the Canadian TV package. I have two choices. Pay an extra $18 per month on top of the $140 I already pay for six Sportsnet channels, or $27.99 per month to stream. At the 11th hour, Sportsnet showed the first race for free on their website via streaming. I attempted this today. The stream crashed three times in the first five minutes, and when it was working, the resolution was poor and there was a slight lag between the video and audio. I'm not paying $27.99 a month for this. It saddens me to say that I might be done as a fan – it’s just too hard. As of now I will only be able to watch the races that are on NBC. Perhaps IndyCar would consider posting the races on their website so the Canadian fans could watch after the fact?

Thank you for all the good work you do.

Doug Garrod

One flag, many unhappy TV viewers. Image by Mauger/LAT.

What was IndyCar thinking when it signed this horrendous Canadian TV deal? Streaming the St. Petersburg race free online for Canadian fans was a positive development, but so far nothing has changed regarding the rest of the season. The cost to watch the complete IndyCar schedule in Canada this year is close to what someone would pay for MLB Extra Innings or NBA League Pass, which are dedicated services that provide daily coverage of their respective sports. The Canadian deal lumps IndyCar in with a bunch of non-racing content, and for people just trying to see an IndyCar race every couple of weeks, the value simply isn’t there.

Ryan A.

First off, you should tell your buddy Marshall that there’s no need for Miles to issue any clarification to us screwed Canadian fans. We know we’re being screwed. We’re not stupid. We know what the new deal entails. And to clarify, an NBC network channel is part of every basic TV package sold across Canada and then tiers are sold, or a la carte channels can then be added. There’s at least a dozen different TV suppliers, so packages and prices vary a little. NBC is not ‘free’. We all pay for it and the other U.S. networks as part of the basic package. As far as IndyCar is concerned, we will be able to see the races that are being broadcast on the network. Sim-subbing (substituting a Canadian channel feed of the same event and its own commercials) has been deemed illegal, so there should be no problem. I say ‘should’, because if Rogers insists it has exclusive rights and tries to block the network, it could mess things up further. However, I suspect that shouldn’t be the case.

The other races, plus Indy qualifying on NBCSN and qualifying on NBCSN Gold, are now only available if we purchase an extra channel called Rogers Sports World. If we already have the other many Rogers Sports channels, (East, Ontario, West, Pacific, One, 360) which are sold as a package usually, then Sports World “only” costs on average, $20/mo, plus tax. Sports World on its own costs $28/mo. plus tax. Except of course St. Petersburg, because it’s not available at all. Sports World shows nearly all soccer. No other motorsports. With most people getting six Rogers Sportsnet channels, nearly every sporting event will be on four of them. That happens without fail. It could be baseball or curling, but, it’s always on multiple channels. No-one has ever justified such duplication, but we pay for it. Maybe that’s it. Are we sensing how much of a total ****-up this has been? There’s no argument about not being anywhere to put the race. Considering the majority of people already pay for up to six Rogers channels, the thought of paying a lot more for the only added value of IndyCar is galling. And of course, it’s not even commercial-free. At a time when every single GD eyeball IndyCar had was valuable, it’s like deliberately sabotaging its awaited growth spurt.

Given what Miles said in Marshall’s piece, he seems to be firmly on Rogers’ side. i.e. we’re screwed, too bad. We don’t really care. The only solution I see to this is if NBC becomes the sole channel for races, and then perhaps qualifying can be an upcharge, somewhere else. Otherwise, as a fan of IndyCar for 50 years or so, I’m pretty much so pissed off that my level of interest will never be the same. I won’t bother going downtown to the Honda Indy. I won’t buy swag. Thanks for listening, have fun at the races you guys. I might be tuning in on May 11.

Rick Moris

First of all, thank you for your coverage of IndyCar. As a recent fan (2011) you are a wonderful resource for the history of the sport, and I always enjoy reading your Mailbag. Sadly I'm writing in today to join the chorus of upset Canadians who got the raw end of IndyCar's new international media deal. I will not be paying upwards of $200 per year to watch IndyCar. Full stop. I'd happily pay $50-$100, but I'm not subscribing to a streaming service to watch one sport 17 times. Please tell the powers that be instead of going to the Honda Indy Toronto, I've made the decision to go to the F1 race in Montreal this summer. My dollars won't bankrupt the Toronto event, nor will the series care if my 26-year-old eyeballs (with disposable income for sporting events) moves on. Chalk me up to yet another has-been fan of a dying sport I would really love to help sustain.

Kyle Ferris. New Brunswick, Canada

So Canadians got a TV deal. Too bad it’s complete and utter trash. I understand when special events like a Mayweather vs McGregor cost $100. Or the Chili Bowl, or UFC. But this Canadian “deal” isn’t a deal. And I know Sportsnet management changed, and the budget was cut. But if they didn’t leave it till last minute, it could’ve been much better. It’s not the price that kills me. I’ll probably pay. But this all but eliminates potential/ future fans from scrolling through and seeing a race. Not to mention all the longtime fans that won’t pay. I know contract negotiations are a two-way street, I’m in a union. But Sportsnet and IndyCar didn’t even come close to 50/50.

Vince, from the country to the North

I remember how excited I was when the new TV deal with NBC was announced. I thought finally they are going in the right direction. Listening to Scott Goodyear explain everything like he is talking to a four-year-old was frustrating, however nowhere near as frustrating as having IndyCar throw its Canadian fans under the bus with this awful 2019 SportsNet deal. It seems quite clear that IndyCar does not care about its Canadian fans. I live in Vancouver and subscribe to Telus TV, where SportsNet World is an extra $15 per month. So, if I were to subscribe for the seven months that IndyCar is racing – excluding the eight races that will be on NBC along with Toronto, which will air on SportsNet 360 – it works out to about $22 per race. As they say on Shark Tank, for that reason, I’m out.

Mark Pooley

I’m a nearly lifelong IndyCar fan from the West Coast of Canada and was dismayed reading today’s news about the 2019 TV package for the series in Canada. We went from having every race on our basic cable sports channels (Sportsnet, Sportsnet One, or Sportsnet 360) last year to now having most races air on an expensive, super-niche sports channel (Sportsnet World) which no-one I know subscribes to and has no other programming of interest to me. The other option is to subscribe to a service from Sportsnet for cable-cutters (Sportsnet NOW+), which is extremely expensive because it includes all the stick-and-ball sports (NHL, MLB, NBA, etc.)

I’ve loved where the series has been going these last few years and had a great experience attending my first race last year when the series returned to Portland International Raceway. However, this new TV deal feels like a big step backwards. I know TV deals are complicated business, but I feel like IndyCar and/or Sportsnet really dropped the ball here by decimating the availability of coverage for the series in Canada. I wrote an email to IndyCar, Sportsnet, and Honda Canada voicing my displeasure with the situation, and although things looks grim right now, I’m still hopeful we can return to good coverage for the series in Canada this season.

Mark McLaren, North Vancouver, British Columbia

It’s looking pretty bleak up here for any coverage in Revelstoke, BC. I’m on Telus Optik TV, which comes to me along with my internet connection via a fiber optic cable. This is the only available coverage here unless I get a satellite dish and sign up for some other provider. Needless to say, I’m not impressed. For the past several years, coverage has been on SportsNet. They don’t show anything on the auto racing page on their website. No mention of IndyCar at all. I’ve checked the channel guide and did a program search, and there is nothing scheduled for the race on Sunday. The NBC channel we get doesn’t show anything, either. If I’m not going to be able to watch the race on my large screen TV, I may as well forget about IndyCar and find something else to do. I’m definitely not going to watch the race on a puny computer screen. IndyCar is in jeopardy of losing a lot of fans up here in Canada if they don’t get their act together. How long do you think the Toronto race will last if nobody in Canada can watch it on TV? The sponsors won’t get the exposure they expect if the race isn’t broadcast up here.

Doug Mayer, Revelstoke, BC

Rosenqvist didn't waste any time making his presence felt in the IndyCar Series. Image by IndyCar

...and now, onto the questions that aren't about Canadian TV.

Q: I was watching the qualifying stream at the office on Saturday, and just hearing the cars on my headset was a great feeling after another grueling Chicago winter. I am looking forward to a great season on the track and in the broadcast booth. The most exciting takeaway from Sunday has to be Felix Rosenqvist. I felt like I was watching Robbie's debut last season with how he managed his weekend. Is there something about St Pete that lends to a strong start for rookies, or is he really that good? Will the second Ganassi car turn from a field-filler to a championship contender?

Desmond, Oak Lawn, IL

RM: Marshall said Felix is the “Swedish Robert Wickens” because they had a similar path to IndyCar, tons of experience in different cars, and both of their debuts were dazzling. St. Pete does seem to favor rookies, but Rosenvquist is a badass and I think he’ll be a title contender as long as he’s here.

Q: IndyCar is unpredictable. Anyone could win any race! Felix was fast, just like you said he would be. Penske and Ganassi traded blows, just like they always do. Andretti was fast just like they always are. Hunter-Reay got hit with a cartoon anvil just because that’s what happens to him. It is unlikely anyone who finished in the top seven finishes outside of the top eight in the championship. And yet that was still an awesome race wasn’t it?

Ryan in West Michigan

RM: As street races go, it had a great pass for the lead and plenty of hard racing throughout the pack, and was as good if not better than a whole bunch of old street shows in CART’s heyday when Mario or Michael or Al Jr. would destroy everyone. And while I love the uncertainty of IndyCar’s results, I think realistically that 12 drivers (half the full-time field) have a shot at winning.

Q: Fantastic race! The passing was spectacular! The coverage was great too; I especially liked the post-race interviews. In the past we were lucky to get the winner’s interview, much less other drivers. I don’t recall the competition ever being this intense. Kudos to race control for not yellow flagging the race for the banner that was on the outside of one of the turns. The racing was great on its own; we didn’t need a debris flag to close up the field. The Gold Pass was great, I got a lot of other content when I wasn’t by my TV. I highly recommend it to my fellow Mailbaggers. Qualifying: they should guarantee everyone gets at least one flying lap in qualifying -- unless someone isn’t ready to qualify, then that’s their problem. Agree?

Wally, Eden Prairie, MN

RM: Definitely. There should not have been a red flag for Marco, he was already in the pits so push him to his stall and then everyone gets a shot. It was a terrible show for the fans and television, and people come to see great competition, not some rulebook exercise. I agree I thought Kyle Novak made a good no-call on that banner, and I think he and Jay Frye will take a long look at modifying some of the qualifying rules.

Q: I am disappointed by the lack of driver head protection and feel more urgency is necessary to get it right. After seeing the terrible crash in Macau, I know FIA mandated all series adopt the halo. The metal vertical blade IndyCar showed seems woefully inadequate. Why isn't the shield ready or a safer alternative? They have had lots of time to get that perfected. Can you explain more of the aero changes coming for the fast tracks like Indy? Will these get the cars to stick and not swap ends?

Finally, what is the Speedway doing to celebrate Mario Andretti's 50th anniversary of his 500 victory? Heard they will have a museum display, and he ought to be Grand Marshal and drive the pace car, too. Get your book going please. When is that history of IndyCar complete book going to come out also?

Craig Bailey, Palm Bay, FL

RM: Be patient. Ovals present a totally different set of challenges, and IndyCar is working on something that may debut in the next few months. You can’t make a race car not swap ends; at least not to my limited knowledge of physics. The IMS Museum has a cool tribute to Mario and he should be driving the pace car, but not sure he will because of the two-seater.

Q: The pre-race NBC coverage was very good. I hope they keep it up. Wickens: "My goal, more than even getting back to racing, is to be able to walk down the aisle of my wedding." I gotta admit, that made be a bit misty.

Chad R. Larson, Phoenix

RM: Robert inspired a lot of people over the weekend, and like I’ve been saying, don’t bet against him walking or driving again.

Here's one clue to Hanley's background: A shot from Renault's 2008 F1 launch, where he was included (just to the right of Alonso) as part of the team's young driver program. History now shows us that he'd be the only driver in this photo NOT to start a grand prix – but he'll be one of two at this year's Indy 500... Image by Renault F1

Q: What do you know about Ben Hanley as a driver, and what do you think the DragonSpeed team will do this season in their five races?

Paul Fitzgerald, Indianapolis

RM: Don’t know anything about him, but he did a tidy job in his debut at St. Pete and his team owner, Elton Julian, is a racer to the core who will undoubtedly struggle this year, but I think he’ll figure things out and hope he stays for many years.

Q: Robin, please assure your many readers that Firestone and the Tampa Bay Times did a great job publicizing the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. And Savoree Green gave all general admission ticket holders full access to both the paddock and all grandstands on Friday for $20.

John R Sims, St. Pete

RM: Will do John, glad to hear about that $20 deal on Friday and I thought the crowd was larger than usual. That’s the kind of thing that makes fans.

Q: I keep seeing reports that Roger Penske believes that full-season cars should be guaranteed spots in the 500. What gives? Has he forgotten the 25-8 rule?

Tom O.

RM: I’ve not heard The Captain say that, but it wouldn’t surprise me because things are much different today than in the mid '90s when big sponsors were plentiful. Arrow had a great attitude last May after Hinch missed the show, but not sure others would be as understanding so I wouldn’t be against 24 guaranteed spots for the full-timers and 13-14 going for the other nine positions. Of course the most dramatic day in Indy qualifying history was 1995 when Team Penske failed to qualify, but again, different times and a helluva lot more cars.

Q: In the history of motorsports, Is there anyone you can think of that can compare to Roger Penske and his accomplishments?

Todd Broeker

RM: Dan Gurney and Colin Chapman left their mark in IndyCar and Formula 1, and The Big Eagle also soared in sports cars, but nobody can match The Captain’s success at Indianapolis, in IndyCar or NASCAR. R.P. didn’t design his own cars like Gurney and Chapman, but he was a constructor who never hesitated to change chassis if his wasn’t working, and his drive to get an advantage speaks for itself in the record books.

Q: Has the paddock passed Graham Rahal by? Past couple of years, the collective narrative has been that RLL’s performance is what’s holding him back from contending on a weekly basis. I’ll read about a change here, a change there, but when looking at practice speeds he’s bottom half most weekends leading into Sunday. Is it the team or driver? Do you have any insight/feeling that results will be any better in 2019?

Denny, Dallas, TX

RM: Bob threw his son a lifeline after the Ganassi experiment failed, but Graham responded with good seasons in 2015, 2016 and 2017 as a one-car team. Last year was the first time in four years he didn’t win a race, but I think with Allen MacDonald as his new engineer they’ll be formidable – especially at Indianapolis. But as far as the paddock passing him by, I don’t think anybody even considers hiring him because he’s signed up with RLL and he’s not going to the big three, so what’s out there that’s better?

Q: I was watching qualifying on Saturday and have a few questions. First, why doesn’t the clock stop during a red flag? I went to the IndyCar website and couldn’t find an explanation in the Qualifying Procedures section. I’m just curious as to the rationale behind that policy. I don’t watch qualifying regularly so I’m not aware of an example, but couldn’t an entire session be wiped out by a red flag? Would they revert to practice times or points under this circumstance?

Second, why was Scott Dixon not penalized for impeding Matheus Leist in round one? When he got back going after his spin, it looked like Leist had to slow down because Dixon got back onto the track right in front of him. I think one of the commentators made a quick mention of this when it happened, but nothing ever came of it. Was Leist not on a flyer, resulting in race control overlooking this situation?

Edmond from Milwaukee

RM: From Race Director Kyle Novak: “Both Groups of Session 1, as well as Session 2 are time certain, meaning the clock continues to run during a red flag. The Firestone Fast 6 is the only segment during qualifying in which a red flag would stop the clock. The rationale behind time certain segments are two-fold; first, guaranteed green time in every segment can severely disrupt the weekend schedule and impact the ability of NBC to fit the entire qualifying session into the TV window should there be multiple stoppages. There was a time where segments were up to 15 minutes long, however most cars would sit for the initial five minutes of the session, which is how segment 1 & 2 evolved into the current ten-minute format.

“Second, an entire session could not be wiped out for a red flag because should there not be enough cars with a timed lap to fill the advancing positions in each group or segment (six), IndyCar would extend the session just long enough to allow each car the opportunity for one timed lap. In the case of group 1/segment 1 on Saturday, there were six cars that had posted a time, so that particular procedure was not implemented. The No. 9 was not penalized for causing a local yellow in T4 because although the No. 4 passed through the local yellow zone, the No. 4 was on an out lap and off the pace.”

Q: So let me let this straight: Under IndyCar’s qualifying rules it’s possible to not have a single driver complete a single green flag lap in a clear/dry qualifying session? Not stopping the clock on a red flag is completely asinine. If a red flag comes out before the first car completes a timed lap, the entire session can be compromised. We all but saw that on Saturday. (I also don’t understand why it was more than two minutes from Marco getting cleared from pit entrance to the drop of green again.) I get it, it’s about TV scheduling. But R1G1 viewers were left with bewilderment instead of excitement. We can do better.

Aron Meyer, Tucson, AZ

RM: First off all, see Kyle Novak’s explanation in the question above yours, but I agree that even though TV does dictate certain situations, what happened last Saturday robbed the paying customers and television audience. It looked pretty unprofessional but it was by the rulebook, which needs to be downsized or redone – or both.

The NASCAR/IndyCar overlap at places like Texas might eventually lead to the two series working more closely together. Image by LaBounty/LAT

Q: So, I'm thinking that the optimum number of IndyCar races would be 20 per year. I'm also thinking about where the additional races could/should be held. I'm wondering if, with IndyCar's current rise in popularity and NASCAR's current drop in popularity, there might be some reluctance on the part of NASCAR and partner tracks to grant dates to IndyCar and support a rival series? I realize that there is a certain animosity between International Speedway Corporation and Speedway Motorsports Inc. and that ISC is effectively owned by the same owners as NASCAR. I also realize that SMI owns Texas and NASCAR owns Iowa (directly, not through ISC), so there's already that precedent, but what about future dates at other tracks? It would seem that SMI would like to grant dates just so as to aggravate NASCAR. So is there a conspiracy by NASCAR-affiliated tracks to deny dates to IndyCar, or is it totally a business decision? Does SMI risk losing NASCAR dates if they book more IndyCar?

Rick in Lisle, IL

RM: Jay Frye has said 20 “strong” races would be his desire, but IndyCar is still quite a ways from that number. As for NASCAR conspiring against IndyCar, not now, not when both sides are scrambling to fill seats at ovals and with Jay’s contacts and friendships, plus the NBC affiliation for both, an IndyCar/NASCAR doubleheader could be in the cards down the road. It’s all about good business right now for SMI, NASCAR and IndyCar and NBC has preached togetherness, and I think all three are buying into it.

Q: Now that NBC Sports is covering all the IndyCar races, what are the chances they have a nightly show or even a weekly show like they do for NASCAR? It would be great to have Paul Tracy, Townsend Bell and yourself being the host, and they could call it, IndyCar Tonight or IndyCar Weekly! Just an idea, and I know you can make it happen!

Brian Lancaster, West Lafayette, IN

RM: I think the plan is to have IndyCar segments periodically on the nightly NASCAR America show (Townsend Bell was on last week to preview the season opener), but no plans for an IndyCar show at this time.

Q: I'm assuming that NBC are the ones who are actually providing the cameras, personnel and equipment to actually record the races? If that’s the case, is it also fair to assume that they therefore hold the rights as to how and who their broadcasts gets rebroadcasted too? Or does Indy have ownership of the actual 'media' of the race? Lots of complaints about "not on YouTube" and "no one gets that channel" or "that’s a $30+ online only option." I'm guessing that NBC has to approve and get paid for another broadcasting company who is unaffiliated in another country to use their broadcast of the race, correct? NBC isn't just going to give that away for free if it costs them to distribute it.

It also doesn't make sense if NBC is spending the time and money to make a production of practice and qualifying to just put it up on YouTube for free. Nor does it make sense for IndyCar to give away or pay out of pocket to get the race broadcast somewhere else. While IndyCar is growing quickly, it isn't as huge as F1 or NASCAR, and even less so outside the US. Partners who not only want to broadcast races but also pay IndyCar/NBC for the rights to broadcast them don't grow on trees. Am I on point in my thinking? Any insight would be most welcome.

Tyler, Milwaukee

RM: My understanding is that it’s a partnership between IndyCar and NBC, and the former sets the table and both share in the revenue. Not sure who controls the rights to replays, but I imagine IndyCar would own them after a year. Neither want to gouge the diehard fans, so the $50 Gold Pass is about as reasonable as you can get in this day and age – it’s just too bad Canada isn’t eligible. NASCAR is kept alive by its monstrous TV deal and, to your point, IndyCar doesn’t have that luxury so you are spot-on in your analysis.

Q: It is hard to believe how badly IndyCar has bungled the international television package. They want to go back to Surfers, but Australia can't even watch the races this year. Almost every international market has worse viewing options in 2019. What happened here?

Justin in Indy

RM: I’m not quite sure, but obviously IndyCar needs a dedicated TV person for all its international deals (there is a person in London, Heather White, employed by IndyCar that handled the Sky Sports contract) because the deals, or lack thereof, have created a firestorm in Canada and Australia.

Q: Emergency, Emergency. The IndyCar season opened, and all of us Aussies have been screwed over by the international TV rights. A one-hour highlights package per race! Are you kidding me? We have had over 20 years of uninterrupted live/replay of races, and now we go back to this. Now I understand that this is not all IndyCar’s fault and that most of it would lie with our monopolized pay TV provider who has utter disrespect for their customers on a lot of levels, but please let the people in charge of IndyCar know that we would prefer other options – NBC Gold Pass, YouTube, hell put them on delay on Netflix for all I care. Just don’t give us the half-assed version we are getting. We need help, Robin. You’re our only hope.

John, Newcastle

RM: Not much I can do except print some letters from passionate fans like yourself and make sure IndyCar sees them. Mark Miles said they can’t make TV networks/affiliates take their races, and lots of times you’re at the mercy of a new CEO that has no interest in auto racing. Or they get greedy. It’s complicated and maddening because IndyCar can’t afford to lose people that want to see the races.

Q: What happened to the live TV coverage for IndyCar in Australia this year? Somehow it moved to Fox Sports from ESPN International, and Fox are only going to give us a one hour highlights show the day after the race. This is terrible news! That’s only 35 minutes of racing action at best, and a day late at that. How could IndyCar drop the ball on this when they are trying to get the Surfers Paradise race back on track?

Bananspeed

RM: I can’t answer that because I don’t pretend to know the landscape of Aussie TV or the politics, but I do agree it’s a terrible scenario and certainly no way to get Surfers back on the schedule.

The 2000 IRL season kicked off with a January race at Walt Disney World Speedway (won by Robbie Buhl, for those keeping score). Image by Williams/LAT

Q: A couple of things have popped to mind recently that give me cause to write. Now that the NASCAR season is in full swing and IndyCar finally got going, I find myself thinking back to one of the few things that the IRL did right. They started the season in January at Homestead. By the time mid-January rolls around, I am starving for major league racing, and they were the first series out of the gates each year for several years. Has IndyCar thought about bringing this back? Also, the piece on Mark Martin winning the Rolex 24 brought back some good memories. For years, he was my favorite NASCAR driver. Having attended the three consecutive races that he won at the Glen cemented this. He sure was a road coarse ace in his day. As one that wasn’t afraid to try something different, did he ever consider IndyCar?

Duncan, Port Perry, Canada

RM: It was actually Orlando and an oval at DisneyWorld for the IRL opener, and Mark Miles has been trying to come up with a foreign race in February but so far hasn’t scored one. I’d rather see the season open early in the USA, but your options are limited, unless IndyCar went back to Homestead like CART in the late '90s. But attendance steadily declined in CART, then IRL, so not sure either side wants to try again. Never heard Martin mention IndyCar, but I’m sure he’d have loved to test one on a road course.

Q: One month of May tradition that I enjoy every year is watching every practice session all day long that I stream from my desk at work on IndyCar.com. Now that IndyCar has the NBC Sports Gold package, I have two questions: 1) Will this be the only way to view all the week day practice sessions at IMS in May because it’s no longer going to be streamed on IndyCar.com? 2) If that is the case, does that mean it will be all the NBCSN crew (including yourself) doing commentary all week long? These answers will definitely influence my decision to go ahead and get the season-long subscription.

John Baadilla, San Bernardino, CA

RM: The only way to watch Indy practice will be NBC Gold, and we will be on the air from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with our regular IndyCar crew. The first five hours of qualifying on May 18 will also be exclusive to NBC Gold before we switch over to NBCSN for the final hour.

Q: I understand that NBCSN had technical difficulties Sunday, but it was exacerbated by going to a commercial after they got audio back up. We had just sat through over 10 minutes of commercial – the least NBC could've done for the fans was to stick with the limited broadcast that they had for a little longer than usual. Also, no offense to you and Jon Beekhuis (you two are great), but I could do with a lot less Peacock Pit Box, and a lot more racing.

Tom from Newark, NY

P.S. NBC Sports Gold is definitely worth the price.

RM: Gotta pay those bills Tom, sorry, and I think Jon and I were on for about five minutes total during the race so I don’t think we hogged too much time from the action. But if there was something interesting going on, our producer would have cut to it and simply used the audio from the Pit Box. Glad you enjoyed Gold Pass.

Q: Hope you are doing well. Just want to say the NBC Gold Pass is excellent. We are cord-cutters and I have satellite TV mainly to watch IndyCar. And $49 per year beats $200 per month. So far, so good.

John P, Glendora, CA

RM: Good to hear John. People praised it for being like an actual telecast, and that was the goal – to deliver a qualifying show to practice.

Q: I am writing this on Friday night. All I've watched is the two practice sessions on NBC Gold, and I am amazed! I've never cared two shakes about practice sessions until now. Watching you, Leigh, PT, Bell, and all the others put on a full-blown broadcast was entertaining and exciting. I never dreamed watching practice would be as fun as watching qualifying. Kudos to NBC for this excellent coverage. Regardless of what others say, I think the price is a bargain if we're going to get this kind of coverage all season. I just hope you and the rest of the NBCSN crew don't get tired of working all the overtime. If they would just add live qualifying and races, the app would be absolutely perfect.

That being said, I'm not the smart tech guy in the room, so I've got to ask, isn't the internet global? Didn't they used to call it the World Wide Web? What's to stop NBC from offering the Gold package worldwide?

John in Arkansas

RM: Thanks for the kind words and I believe you can watch qualifying all year on NBC Gold (plus all the Indy Lights races). I’m not the smartest tech guy either, but I imagine that they’re required to restrict it to fans inside the U.S.

Q: How good is the NBC Gold? To all of those who are moaning about the cost, stop already! It delivers great value.

Justin, Park City

RM: Thanks Justin, appreciate your support.

Q: Just watched the second practice on NBC gold and it was fantastic. Both practices were by far the best practice coverage I've ever seen in 25 years. It's worth $50 bucks a weekend; you guys did a great job.

CAM in LA

RM: Thanks. I will pass along your compliments to the NBC brass. I was just thinking how much I would have paid to watch USAC practice at Langhorne in 1964 or Riverside in 1968, and $50 for the whole season is a bargain.

Will these three be in the front row photo at the end of qualifying at Indy this year? Image by Abbott/LAT

This may have been asked before, but do you anticipate a possible controversy should someone who didn’t qualify fast enough to make the last row on Sunday, qualify faster than the slowest car(s) already locked into the 10-30 positions? After all, it is supposed to be the fastest 33 cars.

Al Schonberg, Rockford, IL

RM: Oh yeah, when I wrote my commentary on qualifying a couple of weeks back I said the only negative was that somebody who got locked in on Saturday could actually be slower than one of the last row qualifiers on Sunday and still make the race. So it’s possible the 33 fastest don’t make the show.

Q: In last week’s Mailbag, many were critical of taking away the suspense of bumping into the last three on Sunday due to the one-run limitation. People missed the fact that it shifted to Saturday with teams trying to make the top 30. Multiple runs are allowed, and I would think teams would be desperate to avoid the Sunday last-three run. Am I missing something? Also, I grew up going to midget and sprint car races with my dad. I really enjoyed the midget races at IMS last year and plan to take my six- year old grandson (two-time 500 attendee) to a dirt race this summer. Other than IMS, which occurs when school is back in session, what track in central Indiana would you recommend?

Jim, Fishers

RM: Nope, you are spot-on. Drivers can make as many attempts as time allows on Saturday, and there will be plenty of drama to see who gets in and who gets left out for Sunday morning. Take your grandson to Bloomington, Paragon, Kokomo, Putnamville or Gas City to see a weekly sprint car show and he’ll be thrilled.

Q: So having read your latest commentary on the new Indy qualifying schedule, can you please clarify one thing: how many attempts will be given to each car on Saturday? If it’s as it has been in the past (multiple tries until the gun goes off), the "bump” has simply been redefined. Instead of racers clamoring to get in a run that keeps them in the 33, I would think you'll see similar efforts to be one of the 30. Is some team sitting in the slowest group really going to shrug their shoulders and say, "Oh well, I'll just wait until tomorrow and see how that plays out"? Perhaps Saturday doesn't have exactly the same stakes, but there should still be drama. And at the end of the day, you will have nine cars eager for the next day and the chance to earn the pole, 21 relieved that they're in, and the other six or so about to get little sleep as they fret about their chances for making the race. Now, that all said, if the rules on Saturday are different, I reserve the right to flip my opinion!

Thomas Manheim, West Lafayette

RM: Yes, multiple tries and, to your point, the jockeying near the end of the day for that 30th spot could be as entertaining and dramatic as anything we’ve seen in the past decade. And the pole and last row will be decided on NBC.

Q: Reading the Mailbag this morning and it seems most people are missing the mark on their takes for Indy 500 qualifying and the one shot to make it in on Sunday. I think this will make Saturday as compelling as Bump Day was last year. Each car with an unlimited amount of attempts to lock their car in to the field of 30 – it's just like bumping into a field of 33, but now we have five or six cars shooting to make that mark and assure their spot in the field. Then, Sunday you get one more chance to make the final three spots, so it seems like Saturday and Sunday have both become bump days. I am looking forward to it!

Kaleb H., Anderson, IN

RM: I totally agree Kaleb, because Saturday has a lot more meaning, and all the theatrics will play out Sunday on national television.

Q: On Saturday, the first five hours will be carried on Gold with the final hour on NBCSN. Am I reading this right? Only one hour on ‘regular TV’ on Saturday? If so that’s a huge fail. Secondly, for the gentleman who asked about hotels for Road America, I think you had that backwards. Sheboygan is closer (under 20 miles). Fond du Lac would be further.

Mike

RM: The last hour figures to be the most exciting and Sunday is all NBC, so I don’t think that’s a big drop. How many people stayed tuned all afternoon on Saturday? I like ramping up the intensity on Sunday. And thanks for the geography lesson, no wonder I always get lost going to Road America.

Q: First, with IndyCar working on making the car more difficult to drive and putting more back into the driver's hands, has the series ever considered converting back to standard sequential shift levers as another element? I find myself watching old footage of years past in awe of drivers keeping the car under control in traffic while still "grabbing a gear." Second, considering taking my dad and fiancee to an IndyCar event this year or next, any recommendations for newer IndyCar fans? Dad went with me to Richmond in '07 and seemed to enjoy it, but my fiancée has never seen open-wheeler in person, so working on two new fans for the series!

Kyle Lockrow

RM: Shifting gears was an art in road racing, but sadly, it’s never coming back. I hate paddle shifting but it’s here to stay. Depending on where you live and how much your fiancée likes you, Road America is splendid because you can walk all around (golf cart is advisable) or camp and enjoy road racing and brats. Iowa and Gateway are good short tracks if you like ovals, and Toronto would likely score you brownie points with your lady because it’s a cool city with lots to do.

Naoki Yamamoto has Honda support (and a flag to prove it). But is IndyCar on his horizon? Image by Ishihara/LAT

Q: Have you heard of any rumors about another Japanese driver joining the series? Naoki Yamamoto is a Honda driver and twice Super Formula champion. Jenson Button is quoted as saying he should be in F1. He should know, the two having won the Super GT championship together last year, so how about Indy next? I doubt Red Bull/ Toro Rosso would have him at 31 years old.

Oliver Wells

RM: I asked RACER’s F1 man, Chris Medland, about him, and here’s what he said: “Honda rate him very highly, and would love to put him in an F1 car at some stage as a bit of a demo, but he's right that it seems like he's too old to be shoehorned into the Red Bull program. I'm pretty sure Button and Yamamoto are teaming up again to defend their crown this year -- he's right that JB speaks very well of him, too -- so I don't know if IndyCar is realistic right now. Wouldn't be the craziest call in the world for him to have a test though, his profile has definitely risen.”

Q: With Acura taking over Long Beach Grand Prix, would they bring back Pro/Celebrity race but with a twist? Instead of celebrities (thanks to social media no one cares as much) they should it make Gamers vs Pros. Ten winners of esports, Forza, iRacing, Gran Turismo etc. against 10 pros from all types of racing in 20 identical Civic Type Rs. Good way to get more younger demographics into motorsports.

Kevin, Long Beach, CA

RM: I haven’t heard of any return to the celebrity race, but I imagine Acura would consider it if the right people were involved. I sent your suggestion to a pal at Honda.

Q: How is Johnny Rutherford doing these days? I read that his lovely wife Betty passed away several months ago, and I have a good memory of the couple from the 1986 Pocono 500. Somehow I managed to sneak into the pits during qualifying, and JR qualified very well. When I was hanging around the Rutherfords I was struck with how much like any other couple they were in their banter. Betty was reading about a prominent Dallas Cowboys running back signing a new contract in USA Today, and she quipped that he better stop fumbling. JR was talking about his hobby, like guys do, although his hobby was flying WW II airplanes! The Rutherfords were great representatives of the sport we love, and I hope JR is doing as well as possible given his loss.

David Lind, Alexandria, Louisiana

RM: Last time I spoke to him he was obviously down, but Betty’s health had been failing for quite a while so it wasn’t one of those shockers. But it was tough on him going to see her twice a day in assisted living, and sometimes she recognized his voice. J.R. is an old-school warrior and he’ll bounce back, and we’ll see him in May where he belongs, talking with fans and seeing his old pals.

Q: Just wondering, when Chip Ganassi downsized his team from four cars to two before last season, what happens to the equipment from the two cars that were parked? (Cars, parts, transporters, etc.) Do they still have that equipment, or would it have been sold, perhaps to one of the new teams? If he kept them, would any work have been done to update them to the new aero kit so they are available for use, or are they just mothballed?

Joe Weidt

RM: Over to Mike Hull: “Most of the Dallara-related chassis related items can be used as we move forward due to component life cycle. We did sell some of the items. In terms of support equipment, trailers – with the IMSA team, some of the equipment went in that direction, but we did sell one trailer to another team. We retained quite a bit of the set up equipment, plus tooling specific to IndyCar in hopes that we can add another full-time entry in our system as we move forward. Nothing’s not being utilized in some way.”

Q: To the reader who inquired about the Detroit GP: The main grandstands on the front straights behind the pits are… the pits. You're blocked from seeing anything until cars emerge from under the bridge, then they're into Turn 1 and gone. Now, sitting in the No. 1 grandstand is pretty good, and No. 2 should have a great view of the run down into Turn 1. Looks like there's a new reserved grandstand outside of Turn 3 that seems promising, should give a great view of the cars coming down the long straight and into the short chute to Turn 4. A new GA grandstand outside of Turn 7 looks fantastic. There used to be a GA grandstand in Turn 5 that was spectacular, especially watching the stadium trucks jumping the ramps between 4 & 5. If there's standing room on the inside-track side of Turn 5, that's a great viewing position. But the GA Turn 7 looks like the best seating in the house, and with the big screens all over the place you don't miss any action.

Curt Larson

RM: Great scouting report, thanks Curt.

Q: I just have to say, Mike K saying in last week’s Mailbag that his total cost was $181 for his whole package for NBC Gold is way off. Or he overpaid. Our Roku Primere was only $34.99 at Target (which includes the HDMI cable!), plus $49.99 for Gold. That's it. Boom, $85. And we will use our Roku for much more. Now, if you want to add in the cost of my TV that I bought four years ago, my electricity bill for each month of IndyCar season, the cost of my race day beer/snacks, then you might as well say it costs me $200 per weekend to watch a race and argue I should just travel to each race. Come on people... IndyCar is quickly moving into the 21st century of the entertainment world, and any good business isn't going to provide their product completely free of charge. If it is really that big of a deal and you just want to watch the race and qualifying, then head over to your local watering hole, rack up a $35 food and drink tab and call it even...

David Leiting

RM: Appreciate that information David, and I’m sorry Mike paid so much when it wasn’t necessary.

Q: The fan who wrote in last week and said he spent $181 on Roku got taken for a ride. All you need to stream if you do not own a smart TV (Samsung/LG) is a standard Roku Express device. The HDMI cable he says he had to buy comes with the product. Setup is quite simple, as you plug in the power cord and then the HDMI into the device and then into the TV. Setup of the device is less than 10 minutes. So, cost breakdown: NBC Sports Gold: $49.99 Roku device: $29.99. Total before shipping: $79.98 As you reference, it’s not that pricey, and the total cost is less than the Chili Bowl. From reading the description of NBC Gold, the coverage during the month of May alone is more than worth it. But this guy should probably pursue other avenues than Best Buy.

Brandon

RM: Again, thanks for the breakdown and information.