Robin Miller's Mailbag for June 26, 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: What a great day in Elkhart Lake. The rain stayed away, Rossi made a statement, and I am back home in west suburban Chicago at 5:30 p.m. Thanks to the team at Road America for sticking to their guns and having a noon-ish start. The crowd appeared to be significantly bigger today, both in the paddock and in how much further away from start/finish line we parked, than in years past. I think the attendance is growing year over year. I hope so, because even though I enjoy my yearly trek to Indy for the GP and the 500, I really think Road America is my favorite track. Started my day off in Canada Corner for the Indy Lights race and migrated through the paddock and on to Turn 1 by IndyCar green flag. Great day in Wisconsin!

Joe Z in Naperville

RM: You are exactly the person that Road America boss George Bruggenthies targeted when he agreed to bring IndyCar back four years ago. He said the race would never start later than 1 p.m. because he wanted people to get home at a decent hour, and I know several people from Indy that made the trip and were back home by 9 p.m. The sunshine really helped the walk-up crowd but it was another nice turnout to our favorite road course in North America.

Q: I’m wondering about Road America’s date equity. Without going into too much detail, I think putting Road America a week earlier and Texas somewhere later in the season with NASCAR gives teams a break after Detroit, and puts Road America on a weekend where this healthy discussion that’s on a low simmer can have the heat turned up a little bit. I’m referring to F1 drivers starting to complain about how easy their cars are to drive and IndyCar drivers telling us F1 cars are too easy to drive. That said, I’m not sure why Will Power weighed in how he did. I’m not sure he’s driven a modern F1 car to have any real basis for said opinion, so is he trying to bait some F1 drivers to coming over? What can we do to get Ericsson to recruit some of his former competitors to give it a try? You and the comments below can call it whatever you want. I’ll call it creative marketing.

Ryan in West Michigan

RM: I asked Roger Penske if Detroit could move back a week to give the mechanics a break after Indy and he said no, and I imagine Texas might be amenable to a change as long as it’s not in football season, but Road America is staying right where it’s been. I think Will was simply talking about how physically demanding an IndyCar is compared to F1. And I’m sure some of Ericsson’s mates are watching his progress over here.

Q: After watching an earlier broadcast of the F1 race and then watching the Elkhart race, I think IndyCar is far more exciting than F1. The F1 race was like watching a parade for the most part. It was very dull. The Elkhart race was much more exciting even though Rossi dominated the race. There was much more action than F1.

Jim Ross

RM: Pagenaud and Dixon passed a bunch of cars and the race from second to seventh was damn good most of the day, so it’s possible to have a runaway winner but still put on a racy show.

Dixon (pictured) and Pagenaud kept the Road America crowd entertained while Rossi was marching away out in front. Image by LAT

Q: With all of the emphasis on driver safety over the last few years, why was a yellow flag not thrown at Road America for the large pieces of asphalt on the track? If one of those had been hit by a car and thrown in a driver's direction, someone would have had hell to pay. Lawsuits may have bankrupted the series. What does Race Control do if they don't protect drivers?

Jim Osborn, Fishers, IN

RM: It wasn’t asphalt, it was a piece of the rumble strip and, according to the drivers, it wasn’t on the racing line anyway.

Q: Start by praising Road America for putting on another great show. Fourth year back and fourth year we’ve gone, certainly a special place for our family and IndyCar. Not to sound like a jackass, but why in the hell didn’t Race Control throw a caution for that chunk of pavement on the track? We have this huge push for the aero screen and driver safety but fail to protect the drivers now. (Think back to the banner at St. Pete). Obviously it would have changed the race, but race control shouldn’t be playing big brother like that. God forbid a driver hit that thing, popped a tired and went flying, or worse, sent that thing in the air. I don’t know, if I was racing and they pulled that crap I would be screaming on the radio. But then again I’m just a fan so what do I know.

Heliofor4

P.S. That was an entertaining stunt you pulled with Cindric in that interview about Rossi. Had me and the old man laughing our butts off seeing him try and shake that one away!

RM: I think there are a lot of returnees at Road America because it’s the essence of road racing and a friendly environment that you can walk around (or drive if you have a golf kart) and see most of the track. It wasn’t concrete, it was a piece of the rumble strip. I ambushed T.C. but he’s always ready for me.

Q: One of the reasons why I'm a fan of IndyCar is they put on a great show on Road Courses even though Alexander Rossi’s performance put everybody to sleep. Anyway I am concerned that the race at Pocono could be the last race, and if it is there will be no IndyCar race in the northeastern part of the U.S. The next will be in Toronto, but I also feel that IndyCar can add two races in Canada, one at Mosport and the other at the Mont-Tremblant Circuit in Quebec. In 2007 the Champ Cars put on a great show, especially under wet conditions when Robert Dornbos won a thrilling race against Sebastien Bourdais. I also hope that the series add a couple races and bring the schedule to 20 races; that includes Charlotte on the Roval and the race in Mexico City since F1 will not race there after this season.

Alistair, Springfield, MO

RM: It was an entertaining race excluding Rossi’s rout. Not sure what’s going to happen to Pocono, but a lot might hinge on whether Richmond is added for 2020. I like both Canadian tracks you mentioned but who’s to say they want, or can afford, an IndyCar race? The Roval could be considered for an IndyCar/NASCAR double-header.

Q: Just finished watching the French F1 parade and IndyCar at Road America.  You cannot compare the racetracks or the action and in IndyCar there are 10-12 possible winners and F1 maybe three. IndyCar is the winner on both fronts. Even with Rossi’s total domination there was plenty of action up and down the field. Better first tire choice by Herta, and we may have had a little race for first. Both series have trouble passing, but a couple of simple tweaks and IndyCar would leap ahead. Would like to see 100 hp, less efficient brakes and less downforce.  I am not the biggest short oval fan in the crowd, but current mix of tracks is good and maybe an early season expansion to Mexico or Australia would give additional opportunities for sponsors. Do you think a trip to Europe and use Imola and or Brands Hatch as possible sites could happen? Expand the audience and exposure.

Richard Glass, Camarillo, CA

RM: As I’ve said, Pagenaud and Dixon passes a slew of cars on their way to the front and the combination of tires going off made it pretty racy. People keep suggesting IndyCar go to old F1 venues, but as of now I don’t know of any that want to have an IndyCar race.

Q: It seems that many internet experts are declaring Road America a "bad race" and "boring" because of the margin of victory. I feel sorry for these people, because they must've missed a great race! There was some great battling for positions two through 10, and any true racing fan had to appreciate the sheer dominance of Rossi's performance. Not every race has to be decided by less than a second to be considered good.

Tom, Newark, NY

P.S. Cheers to IndyCar for not throwing a debris caution for something

that was clearly off-line.

RM: I always wonder how many of our internet experts actually attend a race, but all I can say is that the Mailbag is 90 percent in agreement with you about last Sunday’s race. Lots of good, hard racing and passing – just not for first place.

Q: Was Colton Herta required to run new red tires before the end of the race even though he started the race on used reds?

Russell Mill, Austin, TX

RM: Yep, every driver must run a new set of reds during the race, and I’m quite sure Colton wishes they’d have started on blacks or at least new reds.

A different tire strategy for Herta on Sunday might have made for a completely different race. Image by IndyCar

Q: You’ve long expressed desire for a promotable rivalry. Hang on, brother. Somebody is going to clean little Herta’s clock. The kid (and not the first time) drove like a pinball at RA. Asinine moves and challenges that wouldn’t go nowhere all day. What did Pagenaud have to say?

Lew

RM: I never heard any complaints. Herta is aggressive but what’s not to like about good, hard racing? He and Rossi going side-by-side through Turn 1 on the opening lap was a nice show of trust and skill.

Q: I'd have to say that it says a lot about Colton Herta that Rossi was willing to go outside in Turn 1 and trust Colton for a clean pass. Impressed with Herta every week, even in this defeat. And man, does Dixon get better every week, still, or what?

Bill Bailey

RM: I agree 1000 percent about Herta, and that was a great way to start the race with those two wheel-to-wheel at 150 mph.

Q: Good running into you at the ice cream shop in Elkhart Lake on Friday. I've decided that while Indy is the best event on the calendar, Road America is the best venue: a kickass track with an awesome camping scene, right next door to a unique little village with great restaurants and bars. Is there any other track in North America that offers anything like it? If so, do tell – I want to go.

Justin in Indy

RM: Not to my knowledge, because RA also comes with some of the best and most knowledgeable fans anywhere, plus everyone is always friendly.

Q: Attended Saturday and Sunday and had a great time except when attempting to leave on Sunday. Took forever! What’s with that? Not like they ever had an event before. Organized to the extreme to get in the place, but nobody around after. And Rossi first and Marco last. Just like at Indy, Marco was just bad. Is he done? They did have holes dug at Turn 5. Are they to bury the remnants of Marco’s career?

Bob, Milton, WI

RM: Marco qualified 10th but had some mechanical issues right from the start, so it was another one of those forgettable days. I don’t think he’s done, but it certainly can’t be much fun. Sorry about the traffic, yours the first complaint I’ve heard about it.

Q: Greetings and great race albeit, a clinic by Rossi. Curious, as I have been amazed that one of the most experienced drivers on the circuit has twice this season basically said he has no idea how to figure the car out. Sebastien was pretty vocal in some of the daily reports you all did with him from Indy about how much trouble be was having "feeling" the car and understanding it. That was on a high-speed oval, but in an interview on Saturday he was basically saying the same thing about it at R.A. Have not heard this level of frustration out of other drivers – not even T.K., whose season is currently a disaster. Amazingly his rookie teammate does not seem to be echoing it, and has shown some real signs of having the car figured out. I have tremendous respect for Bourdais and have been greatly surprised by some of his openness on the subject. Any thoughts on what is going on there? Hope you are staying good and healthy.

Forrester L Morgan

RM: How about an honest and thorough analogy from his engineer Craig Hampson:

“Happy to answer. Maybe some reader has a solution! For sure, we've struggled to make the universal aerokit car work to Sebastien's liking. It seems to be very aero sensitive, in that if we get it to turn well mid-corner, then it is very neutral – tail happy – entering the turn. Or if we get the rear secure going in, then for us it plows off the track when we try to corner. Sebastien wants to the car to do one thing, and he wants it to do that thing predictably and progressively – and I haven't been able to solve it. It's frustrating because I'm convinced Sebastien feels pain, like physical and emotional pain – when he knows the car is supposed to behave in a way, but instead it is fighting against him. When the car is right, the guy is untouchable, but I can't seem to get this car to work right, despite a lot of intensive work from the No.18 Sealmaster DCR-VS crew.

“The other thing to note is that the tires have changed a lot through the years. They are made of environmentally friendlier stuff now, but whereas in the Champ Car days you had good tire longevity and could do multiple fast laps in a qualifying session, pretty much now you can do one hot lap before the edge of the tires is gone. It's not that they wear out and have no tread, but the grip goes away more quickly. That makes it hard to qualify, and hard to evolve the setup in practice.

“Also, I'd say the tires are less predictable. There is a sharp limit to the grip, and it’s very easy to fall off that edge and lose the front or rear of the car. Ideally, I'd like to be able to set up the car so Sebastien feels that grip progressively – so he knows when the car is approaching that limit. But instead we seem to be struggling with the grip being more digital; either on or off ... and often being a surprise to him from corner to corner! One session we will be OK, and in the next the temperature will have changed or the wind shifted – and we lose the balance again. Where we have our current setup is clearly not ideal, and not well suited to Seb's sensitivity.

“For sure when the grip level from the track and tires is higher, we tend to go better. There has been just one track this year where we were able to bolt on last year's setup and it worked. Everywhere else we've been chasing our tails pretty much all event. And yes, that's awful frustrating, not to mention hard work. Santino has generally been able to cope because (1) he is willing to drive a far more neutral, tail-happy car, and (2) he's young and doesn't know anything different.  Thanks for being a fan.”

The current aero kit has proved to be a puzzle that Bourdais and engineer Craig Hampson are yet to crack. Image by IndyCar

Q: We know you're pushing the Rossi to Penske rumor but how secure is your info – or is it just speculation? More importantly, as tough as it is to say "No." to The Captain, would Rossi really leave Andretti and Honda – is Rossi tied to them the way Sato is? It appears Rossi is the Number 1 at Andretti, so how's the relationship between him and Hunter-Reay? How much longer can Veach hang onto his ride? Same for Marco? And back to Rossi for a second, is there a sleeper ride in the mix who could woo him to their team? If so, who might that be? Could somebody like Ed Carpenter Racing be in the mix if Rossi leaves Honda for Chevrolet?

Jake, Pasadena, CA

RM: Brother, I said a few weeks ago that Penske would never run four, full-time cars again after Roger told us on NBCSN that only four at Indy, but since then I have very good information that The Captain is making his bid for Rossi’s services. He and RHR get along fine, but if he leaves Honda it won’t be for anybody but Andretti or Penske. Veach has another year on his contract/sponsorship and Marco co-owns the No. 98 car.

Q: With veteran/likable American IndyCar reporters (Katie Hargitt, Rick DeBruhl, Jon Beekhuis) available, why did NBC use a rookie, non-American at Road America?

Mike Kellen, Phoenix

RM: I assume you are referring to Dillon Welch. He was born and raised in Indianapolis and is the son of longtime ESPN/ABC/FOX pit reporter Vince Welch, who also calls the play-by-play for NASCAR trucks. Dillon is a damn good racer in his own right (owns the USAC midget track record at Kokomo and makes the A Main in the Chili Bowl every year) but more importantly he’s a great kid with a bright future in television because he’s knowledgeable and a fast learner. He’s been working on MRN radio for a couple years doing NASCAR races and plied his trade as a USAC announcer before that. He will be with NBC the rest of the season as a pit reporter and Jon returns for the final seven races as Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast have moved over to NBC’s NASCAR coverage. So we’ve got Kevin Lee (Ben Davis H.S.), Jon (Northern California) and Dillon (Noblesville H.S.) to call all the action in the pits.

Q: Robin, you were always quite critical of ABC (Always Bad Coverage) but if you watched NBC (Nothing But Commercials) this weekend at Road America I can't imagine that you would be behind what your employer produced. They went to a commercial break – no joke – every other lap, and constantly missed action. There is no way this is what IndyCar signed up for. How do we, the fans, send the message to NBC to knock this stuff off? Do we channel through folks like you, hope Mark Miles and IndyCar send the message or do we actually need to turn off the TV for a race or two to get the message across? How do the fans get results here, because this was embarrassingly bad on NBC's part.

Ryan Ward, Alexandria, VA

RM: You’re the only complainer about commercials this week Ryan (and this will be the final letter ever about them), so I don’t know what to say other than somebody has to pay for the telecast, and did NBC miss anything important? And do you really believe ABC did a better job of covering IndyCar than NBC is doing?

Q: All the comments about Road America being rough reminds me when I first started going to RA in the early 1960s. Back then the track was owned by Cliff Tufte. Tufte was a civil engineer and the president of Elkhart Lake Sand & Gravel, which built roads and railroad track beds. As such, he knew a bunch of paving contractors. At the time, the track was billiard table smooth. And after each Wisconsin winter, they looked over the track for any damage the snow and ice might have caused, and fixed it. Do the drivers complain?

Chad R. Larson

RM: No, Will Power kiddingly said he’d like to see the track repaved but knows that would cost a fortune and then he added that he loved the track the way is was. I don’t hear many complaints.

Q: While he’s not one of the all-time greats, I don't know if PT's career gets the kudos that I feel it deserves. Are there any plans for a "PT retrospective" piece on NBC? He raced against a lot of the greats and more than held his own. Would love to hear the stories. What is the feeling about him in the paddock by those who know him? I know he's a polarizing figure, but racers recognize talent don't they?

Doug

RM: I imagine something like that could happen down the road, and P.T. was certainly one of the best of his era. I think the drivers respect him as well as like him because he’s one of them – just maybe a little crazier.

Who's up for a Paul Tracy career retrospective? Image by LAT

Q: I am writing this before the Road America race. Pato O'Ward, great talent was promised certain things it didn't happen and we know the story. Is he gone after this year and off to Red Bull’s driver program? We know Fast Fred (not really) missed the 500 and it was a huge story, but when O'Ward missed out as well my first reaction was ‘no Mexico race in the near future.’ Is IndyCar missing out again on a young talented driver who would/could help bring a needed race to Mexico?

Ron, Toronto

RM: I don’t care about a race in Mexico as much as I do about having Pato in the series full-time in 2020. I believe Red Bull has plans for him if he can ever get his Super License, but in the meantime Trevor Carlin wants to try and find the money to keep him and I know of at least one other IndyCar team that’s interested in him. I’d hate to lose him to F1 but that would be a lot better than having him sit on the sidelines over here.

Q: Since Roger Penske has a history with McLaren, and it sounds like Alonso will probably be only at Indianapolis in 2020 since McLaren isn’t running a full schedule. What do you think if Alonso would run the fourth car for Penske at Indy? Especially if Helio doesn’t return in 2020?

Steve in Lebanon, IN

RM: I guess The Captain might consider it and I wouldn’t count Helio out yet, but what happens if Rossi goes there? They’re not gonna run five cars.

Q: In the 6/19 Mailbag you answered one letter: "Not sure if Miles is against it as much as he is wary of NASCAR out-drawing the IndyCar show." In a later reply you say: "The goal would be to get fans of stock cars to watch IndyCars and vice versa." What if it's one ticket for both races? That would get the oil and water to mix in the same stands... but it would have to be all GA.  Perhaps whatever track hosts this can make some GA seating available on a 'super-ticket' with the understanding that you probably won't get those same seats for both races, just deal with it and sit nearby. But you will be seating IndyCar fans right next to NASCAR fans. That's the point, no? My wife thinks they should do this at an oval that also has a road course so IndyCar can run road-course and NASCAR can run oval. Not many tracks can do that, but Charlotte comes to mind. Think they'd take open-wheel back if it wasn't on the oval?

Bill Bailey, Fresno

RM: I think everything is a possibility because right now it’s just talk, but I would assume the promoter will make sure it’s a fan friendly-priced ticket for both races – that’s the goal to draw more people. And yes, I think Charlotte would be considered.

Q: Robin, plenty of Mailbag letters recently concerning the possibility of an IndyCar/NASCAR double-header, virtually all of them positive. But I will be the Nattering Nabob of Negativity. Such a double-header will be a fruitless enterprise. NASCAR fans will watch the NASCAR race, and IndyCar fans will watch the IndyCar race. The number of fans of each who will “cross over” will be insignificant, and the number of potential new fans lured in by the concept will be close to zero if not exactly zero. If “moving the needle” is the goal, such a double-header will not move it. If IndyCar wants to find new fans, the best idea ever floated was that of a midweek night race during the baseball All Star break. A double-bill with Cup ain’t gonna do it.

Bob in New Jersey

RM: Well that’s why The Mailbag is a great sounding board, because we can all voice our opinions. It might not work, but why in the hell wouldn’t you try with all those empty seats at ovals these days? And if you could get a big name driver swap, it could create the kind of publicity that auto racing no longer receives.

Q: I’ve been an IndyCar fan since I was eight years old when Al Unser won Indy in the Johnny Lightning Special in 1970. I like the idea of a NASCAR/IndyCar double-header. It makes sense to me to have Kentucky Speedway in the conversation as the venue. NASCAR seems to do well there on Saturday night, and IndyCar always had good racing and attendance. Kentucky is in the middle as far as fan base to both series. I think it’s a no-brainer. I never understood why Kentucky doesn’t have the IndyCar race anymore. Was it deemed too dangerous after the Dan Weldon tragedy at Las Vegas?

Joe S, Shelbyville, IN

RM: I think it’s simply a matter of desire – does Kentucky want IndyCar back? I think Chicago, Charlotte and Kentucky would be desirable for a double-header, and the latter is right in IndyCar’s Midwest wheelhouse.

Q: I don’t share the view that a IndyCar and NASCAR race has any real advantages for either series. Why? Because the fan bases are drastically different. Always have been. Always will be. Yes, it might happen, but what would be the long term upside for either series as people that follow racing are in declining numbers as evidenced by attendance photos of the venues and the TV ratings. Notice the vast number of empty seats at the Texas IndyCar race. Not a good look, and NASCAR has the same problem. OK, lets say it’s on. What’s the venue? Texas? I don’t think it would produce the racing that would excite both fan bases.  Me, I’d say do it at Watkins Glen.

Warbird Willie

RM: The desired format would be a Saturday night IndyCar race followed by NASCAR on Sunday afternoon, so that eliminates any road course, although I imagine you could run IndyCars on Saturday afternoon and pull it off. But you made my argument. If nobody is going to ovals anymore, why continue to do the same thing year after year? Try something outside the box.

Q: I am watching Dale JR Download. Some shows are very good (when NASCAR is not overdone). Several of his shows are devoted to IndyCar and non-NASCAR. Simon Pagenaud was on the last show, and mentioned he spends four weeks in France a year. I know a lot of the foreign drivers live here full-time. Have any become American citizens?

Lew from NJ

RM: Tony Kanaan became a citizen back in 2013, and Will Power just claimed America a few weeks ago.

Will Power's won the Astor Cup, the Borg Warner Trophy and passed the citizenship test. Image by LePage/LAT

Q: How about a report card for mid-year on all the big news in IndyCar that did or didn’t happen? I’m always reading about some huge announcement that will occur in coming weeks, but I’m never sure if it happened or not.

Chuck Ney

RM: It was going to be the third engine manufacturer.

Q: When you speak of your Mount Rushmore, Parnelli Jones is included. I have been following auto racing for about 50 years, so Parnelli retired before my time. I know he won Indy and some other IndyCar races, in USAC stock cars and a few in NASCAR, the Baja 1000 and a Trans-Am championship for Ford. But what else does he have on his resume that puts him on the mountain ahead of others, like Mark Donohue? Thanks for the education, I'm sure you'll provide.

Bruce K, Philadelphia

RM: This is the identical question I had last week, are you guys in a club? With a little luck Rufus could have won Indy in 1961-62-64-67 and AJ Watson said the three greatest Indy drivers he ever saw were Troy Ruttman, Bill Vukovich and Parnelli. He was as good in a midget and sprinter as anyone that ever sat in one. He was a great road racer as well (Colin Chapman offered him a ride with Lotus), and won in sports cars besides putting Trans Am on the map. Then he conquered Baja. Donohue was damn good, but no Parnelli Jones.

Q: First of all, I hope you are feeling well. You are a treasure to us old guys and I can't imagine IndyCar without you. IndyCar racing is much better, isn't it? While I miss Gary B. Uncle Bobby, Al, Sr., Gordy, Wally, Mel, Mike Mosley and Mario, it's been great. So much admiration for Dixon and what he does and the way he does it. So, yes IndyCar has many things that could be better, but I'm going to be happy with what it is. So many people bitch, but the world is different and it ain’t 1973 anymore so get over it. Keep the faith, Robin. The true IndyCar fans count on you for the truth and you've never let us down.

Mark Bell

RM: Thanks Mark, I feel fine. Today’s racing and close competition is probably the best ever, and the depth of the teams is partly responsible along with a racy spec car and two engines that are very close. We don’t have the characters and mega stars of the 1960s and 1970s, but thankfully we’ve got our memories, photos and YouTube videos along with Dick Wallen.

Q: If you’re right that IndyCar and IMS didn’t mention the White House visit because of anti-Trump sentiment shows you just how stupid they are. My guess is there are a lot more IndyCar fans who are Trump supporters than haters. And all of them are proud Americans.

Bill C.

RM: That’s all I can assume, but thankfully we never discuss politics in The Mailbag because there should be a bounty on most politicians.

Q: Has Roger or Team Penske ever competed at Pikes Peak? Either on USAC trail or even a one-off? Would be surprised that he never wanted to claim overall title and record with his own cars or drivers, especially in the unlimited class which is everything that Roger wants in rule book. Safety, then whatever your heart desires. Dream scenario would be Tim Cindric calling up Porsche to use the 919 EVO run by Team Penske with Simon Pagenaud behind the wheel. Side note, maybe with the aeroshield on IndyCar we can add Pikes Peak back on the schedule. Would be intense seeing Rossi and Newgarden up the mountain in modern IndyCars.

Kevin, Long Beach, CA

RM: Nope, that’s something The Captain never tried, but I’d love to see Will Power try it because he grew up on the dirt. Wait, Pikes Peak is all paved now, so forget it. That was its allure in Uncle Bobby’s heyday.

Q: As anyone who has followed motorsports for a while can tell, it is clearly a different landscape than it was compared to even 10 years ago. More series have, or are strongly considering adopting, hybrid powertrains. As a retired mechanical engineer, the technical side of motorsports has always been an important part of my enjoyment. It complements the competition and the personalities. However, so far I draw the line at full electric race cars: Formula E and the Jaguar I-PACE eTrophy Series. To me, motorsports has always had a deeply visceral quality, and so far I’m not able to let go of that. So, the questions are: there are rumblings about hybrid power trains being a part of future rules packages. Do you think this is likely to happen, and if so, when? Is there any thought given to full electric race cars, albeit further into the future?

Don Hopings, Cathedral City, CA

RM: Over to Marshall Pruett: “Hi Don--I've been fairly consistent in saying IndyCar needs to add -- not replace, but add -- an electrified power system to its internal combustion engine formula for many years. I've written it in passing a number of times, and started on a more formal proclamation a few months ago that i need to finish and file here on RACER.com that spells out the reason for the need, and it's a simple one: It's what most auto manufacturers want and need to get involved in brand-new road racing racing programs.

“I believe, although it's unconfirmed, that IndyCar knows it must include hybrid powerplants ­– the same basic twin-turbo V6 engines with a battery-based electric boost added in – if it wants to have more than Chevy and Honda involved. I would be surprised if the 2021 engine regulations to not have electrification in mind, and from a practical standpoint, the new Dallara IndyCar chassis in 2022 would be the first chance to design the space and cooling needs for a hybrid powerplant to happen. As for the day we would see all-electric Indy cars, we'd have to watch the automotive market. If and when the majority of vehicles sold are electric, I'd expect racing, as it's always done, to mirror the road.”

Hybrid technology is commonplace in motorsport now. How long before we see it at the Brickyard? Image by Portlock/LAT

Q: I was wondering what you could tell us about IndyCar's plans for using hybrid power plants in the future? The rumors seem to say that Porsche cooled on the series because they didn't like the stance the series was taking on hybrid technology. It seems NASCAR is moving forward with hybrid tech and it would really be a shame if we got beat to the punch. Companies like Porsche and Ford are pouring huge amounts of money into the new technology's research and development. Isn't that the draw for OEMs, to be able to show off their innovation?

It's long been my opinion that IndyCar won't be whole without Ford, because Chevy guys hate Ford and Ford guys hate Chevy, and I don't see Ford making a move without hybrid tech in the plans. Fans want speed, safety, rivalry, and cutting-edge technology that can be used under their own hood. Hybrid and all electrics is where the technology is taking us. Hopefully IndyCar doesn't shoot itself in the foot again.

Joe Fulbright

RM: Not sure IndyCar shot itself in the foot with Ford; it was more a matter of Edsel Ford not liking open-wheel racing the way I read it. The day Indy becomes an electric race is the day they better get out the padlocks.

Q: I'm no financial brain, but I can't make sense of the benefit of sponsoring IndyCars and teams. At Detroit, for instance, there aren't a plethora of grandstands and even those few didn't look full. I can't imagine the television viewership numbers would be huge either -- two races on a summer afternoon when casual viewers would have a lot of outdoor options. How do sponsors, or teams soliciting sponsors, justify the costs of completely new paint jobs and a full team's worth of branded overalls and team gear, signs etc. when so few are likely to see them, especially with the smaller teams?

Anthony Jenkins, Canada

RM: To be honest I thought it was the best crowd Detroit’s ever had, but to answer your question: many of IndyCar’s sponsors are looking for B-to-B relationships and entertaining clients at races, so while TV ratings are important, thankfully they’re not always the determining factor.

Q: Let's say you were asked this question in 1995... and maybe you were asked it. But if you were asked how many years two open-wheel series could survive in this country, what would you have said? Were you surprised the two series survived as long as they did? I'm not asking you who you thought was going to win the war.

Ron, Portland, OR

RM: Attendance at both was good at many places those first few years before people began getting disillusioned with Triple AAA at Indy and CART fans were miffed that nobody broke ranks and went to IMS until 2000. By then it was obvious that open-wheel was in a downward spiral. I didn’t think both could last five years.

Q: How will nominees for the Robin Miller Award be selected and voted for going forward?

Wally Eden, Prairie, MN

RM: I think we’re going to look for the people who have devoted their lives to Indy or open wheel racing and it could be a journalist, mechanic, driver, promoter, sponsor or maybe an official.

Q: I'm a lifelong Indycar fan (I'm 41 years old and have been to 27 Indy 500s) and am an unapologetic oval fan. On top of all the Indys I've been to, I live in Milwaukee and grew up in the grandstands of the great ol' Mile, watching Mears, Foyt, the Unsers and Andrettis and so many more. For some odd reason, though, I've never been to Road America for a race. I was probably biased against road courses, and our family vacation happened over the weekend for the last few years. Last weekend, however, I took my whole family, and let me tell you, it was magical. I've got a couple of thoughts: First, it was so great to meet you. I stopped you in your golf cart and told you that you're a treasure to IndyCar (true story) to which you said, "I'm an old man." You are a treasure, Robin, and it was so great to meet you in the great state of Wisconsin.

Second, my family stood in line for the autograph session and I got to watch the way the drivers interacted with the fans. I give each of them credit for doing that, but the guy who stood out by a long shot was Simon Pagenaud. I've never been a huge Pagenaud fan, but I can tell you I am after today. While I could see a number of drivers pretty disinterested in the fans and more interested in joking and bantering among one other (I won't mention any names), Simon was completely engaged with each person who was in front of him, he smiled and looked the fans in the eye, didn't hesitate to jump over the table to take a photo with fans and stayed late signing autographs and broke the rules in order to accommodate fans. What a total class act. I'm guessing you already know this.

Fans are starting to discover for themselves what people in the paddock already knew: Pagenaud is a good dude. Image by IndyCar

Finally, I've been one of those fans that hate the growth of road courses and have been dying for more ovals. I've said I didn't get why fans flock to (mostly) processional road course races and stay home for amazing oval races. Today, I got it. Road America is a friggin' gem, and every IndyCar fan needs to put it second on their list to the 500. It's amazing. Also, the experience at a road course was completely different than that of an oval. An oval is all about the practice, qualifying and race. Today (the first day of practice), I was able to park anywhere I wanted, grill out anywhere I wanted, move around to watch the cars in different parts of the track, watch numerous kinds of cars practice and race and we got up close and personal with the cars in the garage area and even met Marco. It was a top-notch experience.

My four kids are instant lifelong fans because of the whole deal. I've never had an experience like that in my countless visits to races at ovals. I get it now... but, please, don't take away more ovals! Kudos to IndyCar for having the best fan experience with the most contact with the star athletes of any type of racing, much less major sport.

Randy (Milwaukee)

RM: Glad you gave it a try, and happy it worked out so well. Road America is the treasure and it’s just non-stop racing for three days on a fantastic circuit with lots of access and a great atmosphere. Pagenaud has always been a class act, so no surprise he charmed your family.

Q: Thank you for always keeping the IndyCar nation informed and up to date. (Write that book!). I just wanted to relate to you a recent meet and greet with Simon Pagenaud at a Menards near Road America. He greeted us very warmly and couldn't have been nicer. He signed our photos and cards and was very generous with his time. Simon was the one who suggested we take our picture with him. He even was helping me set up my camera phone. He also had a fellow attendee take the photos. I had never met Simon Pagenaud before, but had seen him at the races and thought he was perhaps standoff-ish. I couldn't have judged him more wrong.

Also I wanted to mention an old hero of many (including me). A.J. Foyt was leaving the team transporter after qualifying Saturday and was stopped by some fans for a picture and selfie. A.J. not only stopped for this, but accommodated several others before he could get away. We could tell he was tired and wanted get to his car, but he stayed until everyone had gotten their time with him. My wife could tell he was tired and we both felt too guilty to also ask for a selfie. I've met a number of Indy drivers now and must say that they are the nicest bunch of guys off the track that you can meet. On the track may be a different story though!

Ron Hofslund, Wisconsin

RM: Simon has always been one of the most personable drivers in IndyCar, and the whole group is pretty damn charming when they chose to be. As for Super Tex, he acts like he hates signing autographs but deep down I think he still likes the fact so many people treasure him after all these years.