Robin Miller's Mailbag for August 21, 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: How do the drivers really feel about Pocono? Even though some may enjoy the challenge of the track and the speed, do they ultimately want the series to be there? Would most of them agree with Wickens' feeling that IndyCar and Pocono should consider a divorce? I have attended for several years and I don't think I'll return. If nothing else, there's bad mojo there. With the likelihood of a car going into the fence, I don't want to see the drivers seriously hurt or worse. And even from the best seat in the grandstands there isn't a whole lot to see other than cars screaming by on the straight. Watching qualifying with a paddock/garage pass might be worthwhile, but race day is better enjoyed on TV. (Kudos to NBC).  

Peter Ebright

RM: I think most have mixed feelings, and Graham Rahal’s response in our pre-race show pretty much nailed it. He said he’d be lying if the drivers didn’t think about Justin and Robert and the bad mojo that Pocono seems to have developed. But he also said he loved driving at Pocono, while Power and Dixon both were lobbying IndyCar to stay after the race.

Q: I know a lot of fans want to know if Pocono will be back. Let me rephrase the question. Do the drivers and teams want to come back? Three drivers with actual on-track experience immediately took to social media after the Lap 1 incident and said Pocono just doesn’t work. I asked Sage Karam why Pocono is different than Indianapolis and he basically said the track width creates a different racing dynamic that invites disaster. In the past five years at Pocono we’ve had multiple hospitalizations and a fatality. 

Ryan in West Michigan

RM: I don’t think the teams care one way or the other, and the drivers seem pretty divided. Carpenter, Power, Dixon, Rahal, RHR and Kanaan were pro-Pocono in interviews prior to the race, and T.K. even said something like "of course it’s dangerous, that’s why we get paid the big bucks.” I know that Ferrucci was a big fan after his initial try, but I can certainly understand Wickens’ viewpoint.

Q: I just saw Robert Wickens’ tweet about the Pocono race: “How many times do we have to go through the same situation before we can all accept that an IndyCar should not race at Pocono. It’s just a toxic relationship and maybe it’s time to consider a divorce. I’m very relieved (to my knowledge) that everyone is okay from that scary crash” I have to say, my thinking has always been the same when there is a bad crash – IndyCar racing is dangerous, especially at the start, and everyone knows this as a fact. Sato could have made the same mistake on any oval, and if he would have pulled that stunt going into Turn 2 at Indy it would have been the same result or worse. As much as we as fans hate to see deaths and injuries, it could happen on any track at any time. 

Jack, Ft Myers, FL

RM: Why are A.J., Parnelli, Mario, Rutherford, Johncock and the Unsers still so revered? Because they thrived and survived the most deadly era in IndyCar history. A big part of the attraction was cheating death and they were the gladiators of the day with a mindset that fascinated the common man. Racing is 1000 times safer than it was in the '60s, but it’s still open-wheel cars going 200 mph and that’s always a recipe for big crashes.

Wickens was quick to make his feelings about Pocono felt after Sunday's huge accident. Image by Galstad/LAT

Q: I'm torn. I love IndyCar, I love ovals and I love super-speedways. However I hate crashes, I hate injuries even more. I don't want to see Pocono go. Is it the track, or was it Sato? I get up at 6 a.m., drive over 200 miles, drop a few hundred bucks, sit on the surface of the sun to see half a race, sit in the parking lot watching it rain for two hours trying to get out (couldn't imagine that egress if the grandstand was full), and then drive another 200+ miles home to get up and go to work the next day. Just to see all the drivers complain about having to go there.

Well, hate to sound like a heartless SOB, but no one made them be there. It's their choice. They could all be like Chilton and sit out of the ride his daddy bought him. I'm sure there's a list of guys, helmet in hand, 500 miles long ready to jump in. Racing can never be 100% safe until esports takes over and we just watch people play video games. Then they'll probably complain about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Nothing in life is 100% safe. Driving almost 500 miles across Pennsylvania roads had me, statistically, more in harm’s way. Which I guess is all my choice, too. I could just stay at home and watch it on TV. Which, since I'm in grumpy old man mode, I'm already paying to have NBCSN, a premium sports channel on my TV, now they want me to pay more to watch IndyCar on my phone so they can show yet another episode of Mecum. 

Shawn, Baltimore

RM: You are spot-on Shawn. Nobody holds a gun to anyone’s head to race midgets, sprints, stockers, sports cars, motorcycles or IndyCars, and danger is part of the job description. But I didn’t hear any complaints about racing there before the race, just a little trepidation from a few veterans. But thanks for making that long drive and hanging in there. And you are correct – the Pennsylvania Turnpike is a lot more dangerous than the Tunnel Turn at Pocono. Especially on the weekends.

Q: I've attended Pocono every year since IndyCar returned, and I would hate to see it removed from the schedule. For many of us in the northeast, it's our only chance to see an IndyCar race. As a result of the first-lap crash, it seems the social media mob and a few news media outlets are coming down on Pocono as "too dangerous" for IndyCars. Amazing how people say a particular track should be banned or complain about ovals being too dangerous. Racing is dangerous by nature, and always has been. An accident with injuries can happen at any track.

Over the years, if you take all the tracks a driver was injured at and banned them, there would be few, if any, tracks left – including many road courses. If people think racing is dangerous now, they obviously don't know too much about the early days of racing. Thank goodness for people like Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt. If they thought the same way, we wouldn't have racing today. Before this weekend, it was questionable if IndyCar will be back at Pocono. Now throwing in some negative press, is it too late for Pocono?

Mark Kirlin

RM: In the good 'ol days there was a place called Langhorne. It killed 18 drivers before being converted to pavement in 1965, and some of the greats like Rodger Ward chose not to run there because of the risks. Bill Vukovich gave Winchester and Salem a pass, and Parnelli told Bones Bourcier he’d never run the high banks if he had to do his career over. The point is that some drivers have always been wary of certain tracks and they had two options: grit their teeth and race, or put somebody else in their car. But if you were a rookie or a journeyman, you didn’t dare tell anyone you were scared or wanted to sit out, because that would have been the end of your career. Power and Dixon gave big props to the race afterwards, and negative publicity has no bearing on Pocono’s future.

Q: Just read your article on whether this is the last Pocono. It would be sad to see it go; I think the racing is good, but several drivers have said the current car design limits passing. I agree with that assessment just from watching the race. But for a large oval, it is still a pretty good show. But I was really disappointed in the first lap. Last year was a racing accident. Wickens was trying to get below RHR -- and unfortunately touched wheels.

Sato was just stupid. Where was his spotter? There was no way he should have pulled over. He might have been boxed in, but then he should have just lifted and backed out of the situation. It has to be one of the worst wrecks cause by a driver that I can ever remember. Sato should be sat down for a race to make a point that Indy drivers have to be better than that – period. Your thoughts?

Bill Cantwell

RM: I’ve only seen one replay and it does appear Takuma moved over, and he said afterwards he thought he was clear. But was he turned, like a set of photos show? And it wasn’t as bad as Indy in 1966 or 1973, or Michigan in 1996 – just more violent. I have no idea if he was using two spotters like some drivers, but it was close racing at high speed in open-wheel cars and one wrong move can always be disastrous. But I don’t think he needs to be suspended.

Sounds like the only think we can all agree on about Sato is that he was definitely at Pocono. Image by IndyCar

Q: So where does Pocono stand after this past weekend? Crowd seemed the largest since IndyCar returned, there was an article about some drivers liking the track and wanting it to return, but there was another article saying that Pocono wants IndyCar to return but the series hasn’t responded and isn’t going to... I have attended every race since IndyCar returned and would love nothing more than for them to continue, but it seems very unlikely. Am I an a**hole for wanting IndyCar to return to my home track and not believing what some are saying in regards to the supposed dangers of Pocono? Also, what would we be discussing today if Sato hadn’t made that move and the race was clean?

Matt From Phoenixville, PA

RM: Of course you’re not an a-hole for wanting to keep your home track on the schedule, and it was the best crowd since 2014. And I agree with Dixie in that the previous crashes and Sunday’s could have come at any high-speed oval. But I think if Pocono wanted an audience with IndyCar it could have found Jay Frye and Mark Miles real easy at the IndyCar trailer. Without a pileup we’d have hopefully been talking about how close the championship is between four drivers with three races to go.

Q: Well, I guess we are not going back to Pocono. With all due respect to Wickens, where are people on the east coast going to go to see a IndyCar race? The Glen, Nazareth, Loudon, Milwaukee, The Meadowlands? IndyCar needs races within driving distance for people on the East Coast! As far as Pocono, I think it's been having bad luck. Wilson's accident could have happened anywhere, and Wickens could have happened at any oval. I do think that few tracks need to move the catch fence closer to the SAFER barrier (including Indy) – the fences were originally constructed level with the concrete wall and the racing line, but now with the SAFER barrier there’s an 8-10 foot difference between the track wall and the beginning of the fence.

We have seen too many cars slide along the top of the SAFER barrier or pinwheel after leaving the track. If the fence was even with the SAFER barrier and slightly angled in, the car would be thrown back to track immediately after the leaving the track instead of flying through the air before making contact with the fence. Also, the vertical fence post needs to set behind the fence with less vertical posts, more horizontal posts. Hope we don't lose Pocono and also get Richmond!

Tony, New York

RM: I was talking to a young man from Boston on Saturday and he was pretty bummed about his favorite sport. He’d supported Nazareth, The Glen, Richmond, Baltimore and Loudon and drives to Indy every May, and he was disgusted to hear the rumor that Pocono was now going away. He said he was done chasing IndyCar and would simply watch the races on television, and I imagine a lot of East Coast diehards might chose the same option.

Q: I’m writing this from the Newark airport where I’m spending the night after attending the Pocono race and finding the rain that ended the race also canceled my flight back to Indiana. I came to Pocono for my first time, thinking it might be my last chance to see IndyCar race at a place I had always thought they belonged. It was designed for Indy cars, takes its turns from IndyCar tracks and A.J. won four times! The crowd size looked good to me and the racing reminded me of Indy. Yet the word in the paddock was that IndyCar management didn’t want to come back. Do you think it is a business decision brought about by threats of a major insurance rate hike to the series if it doesn’t drop Pocono?

Steve from Bloomington

RM: First off, sorry your flight got cancelled. What a crappy way to end a long day. Like I wrote Monday, I don’t think there was any real urgency for Pocono to continue with IndyCar until NASCAR took away one of its dates and suddenly it needed another big event. And the crowds were never great but they were improving, so maybe if last Sunday’s turnout would have been in 2018, everything would be good to go for a new contract. But I don’t think the decision will have anything to do with insurance.

Q: I’ve been an IndyCar fan since 1981. However social media has people thinking their opinion is the most important one. IndyCar fans have almost become the same way. Everyone jumped on Sato for the wreck on Sunday, calling for a suspension or even wanting to kick him completely out of the sport. Sato is an Indy 500 champion and has won this year, so to say he has no talent is to discredit the series and the 500. In watching his on-board and having a deep racing knowledge myself, you can clearly see RHR moving Rossi up the track. Rossi is only down there because he is trying to block RHR, leaving the outside wide open for a fast Sato. Sato didn’t move down. RHR and Rossi moved up! Why wasn’t Sato’s on-board available so that the IndyCar lynch mob didn’t form against Sato?

Thomas Harleman

RM: I think his on-board may have been destroyed when he flipped. But as to all his critics, a former Indy 500 winner texted me after the race and said he thought it was Rossi’s fault – not Sato’s – so that was interesting even though Race Control did say the 2017 Indy 500 winner was given a penalty for unavoidable contact. Facebook is great for looking at old IndyCar photos but I try never to read what the “experts” are saying about racing, sports or politics.

Rossi made no secret of where he thought the blame lay on Sunday. But do the replays back him up? Image by IndyCar

Q: Sato has been in a lot of crashes, far too many for me to recall, but his attempt to pass Franchitti on that last lap at Indy was ill-advised (in my opinion) and could have had a far different ending. And if I’m not mistaken, it was he, who ended Franchitti’s career in Houston. Your thoughts?

Carl Schmidt, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

RM: First off, his attempt to pass Dario at Indy was exactly what a racer does on the last lap of the Indianapolis 500, although maybe he should have waited for Turn 3. He’s a fast, brave, talented driver prone to making big mistakes (Texas this year while leading when he ran over his pit crew) and he’s been that way his whole career. Every time you think he’s purged those moments from his career one surfaces. But people who say he doesn’t belong in an IndyCar know nothing about racing.

Q: Does Sato have a leg to stand on after looking at what he posted – the four images and the video? Can’t say for certain, but it doesn’t appear that his wheel goes left. Not sure what to think; just want your opinion on what he posted.

Dan Michaelian

RM: At least one former Indy 500 winner feels he does, and his images gave us another view. I’d like to see an overhead shot of the straightaway heading into Turn 2, because I think that would really tell the story.

Q: My over/under on Sato emails is 500. To save everyone's time, can you please give us your perspective on Sato's driving and if any suspensions are warranted?

P. Worth Thompson

RM: It was over 200 and counting at 4 p.m. on Monday when I quit adding letters to the Mailbag. My perspective is that he’s always been fast and skilled and exciting and prone to big mistakes. But I thought he’d really smoothed out until Texas last June. No suspension warranted for hard racing in close quarters.

Q: I wonder why it’s so difficult to point fingers at people instead of more inanimate objects. Any proper crash or accident investigation requires a deep look into what, where and when before determining how and why. But in many instances we seem to place less emphasis on determining the human factors involved. Why is ‘Who?’ such a hard question? So we get another (near) big one at Pocono on Sunday, and there is rightful debate from those deep within the sport to those in the distant periphery. Many search for reasons to blame the track; anything from the banks, to the speeds to the ever-popular catch fencing. Some speculation rested on preparation time. Others have spoken of the schedule. All of these may be valid and worth discussion. But why is it so hard for these drivers to pull Takuma Sato aside and tell him “Knock this s*** off!!”?

It is so maddeningly obvious the genesis of this latest shunt was a completely ill-advised racing maneuver by a driver whose reputation is unquestionably that of a brilliant bonehead. His skill is always on display; equal parts breathtaking and brainless. His win at Indianapolis was hailed throughout the paddock, but with the carnage he’s left in his wake so many times previously, I have always wondered why. The most frequent argument for keeping Pocono on the schedule that I seem to hear is that ovals are part of IndyCar’s heritage and I agree wholeheartedly. But do you think A.J. would have put up with this from Sato if they were driving against each other?

You’re around the drivers whom we revere as the past of the sport. What do guys like Parnelli, Mario, JR and Al Sr. think about pointing the finger? Sports like baseball and hockey and even motorsports like NASCAR allow the athletes to police themselves to an extent while on the field, rink or track. Obviously this can’t happen on the track in IndyCar, but when is it appropriate to point the finger at a person as harshly as we point it at a place, date or component?

Dan W., Ft. Worth, TX

RM: Drivers didn’t lean on each other like they do today because the cars and tracks were way too dangerous and there was a lot more respect for life and each other. And nobody was dumb enough to pick a fight with Rufus or Super Tex. I’d like to see today’s drivers confront one and another instead of tweeting for 15 rounds, but I guess that’s the new way of the world. Sato got in Bourdais’ face at Toronto so it can be done, and I think sometimes it’s the only way to get someone’s attention.

Q: Does IndyCar have some type of policy like penalty points in F1 for serious driving infractions? I agree – and in fact, I’ll brag a bit – I said that the sheer level of stupidity Sato showed and the consequences of his stupidity deserves a suspension before Paul Tracy said it. It really does. I like Sato, but his career has been dotted with the spectacular – good and bad. If they don’t, do you think it’s time for driving infractions penalty points that lead to suspension?

Eric Z, Lancaster, NY

RM: Not to my knowledge. P.T. was suspended for the 1999 season opener for rough driving by chief steward Wally Dallenbach, and I believe that was the last time it’s happened. But Sato didn’t do anything premeditated, he simply thought he was clear and moved over. That’s what he said immediately afterwards. A costly mistake? Hell yes. Worthy of suspension? Hell no.

Q: Is Pocono statistically more dangerous (more or worse accidents) than any other super-speedway?

Kris Leach, Three Rivers, MI

RM: Not at all. Ontario, Michigan and Texas never had an IndyCar driver fatality, while Greg Moore lost his life at Fontana in 1999 and Justin Wilson at Pocono in 2015. Forty-two drivers have perished at Indianapolis.

Q: Wickens crashed last year because he made a poor pass attempt. The wreck Sunday wasn’t a track issue. It was drivers not using their head (blocking and trying to go three-wide into Turn 2). I feel bad for Pocono because they are getting a bad rap in this. Drivers need to stop talking and drive better. Has the drivers running their mouths hurt the chances of IndyCar coming back?

Tom Harleman, Carmel, IN

RM: There was more praise than criticism about the track from the drivers last weekend, especially Dixon and Power, and nothing that’s been said – negative or positive – has any affect on Pocono’s future with IndyCar.

Pocono's fate might already be sealed. Image by LePage/LAT

Q: The true difference between today's IndyCar fan and guys like me who are the much maligned old guard: The cries of – alternatively – "Pocono must go, it's too dangerous for IndyCars." and "Sato is an idiot and needs to be sat down and/or fired." To both I say, those who says such things (and reading social media, the idiots are loud and strong) really don't have a clue about IndyCar racing. I pointed out to one such "fan" that Franchitti had his career-ending accident at a temporary street circuit (Houston), so things can happen anywhere. And Sato? He's aggressive, there's not a damn thing wrong with that.

Looking at the video of Sato tagging Rossi and then listening to Sato's take, I come away with this: He knows he made a mistake but I bet he thought (unspoken) – in the heat of battle – that he'd clear the No. 27 because Rossi wasn't as quick as either Hunter-Reay or himself. And Rossi himself said he wasn't totally focused at the start. So, in my mind, while the incident took the title contender out, I'm not going to sit Sato down for this one, despite what the booth-yakkers and "fans" say. You're either a racer or you're not – and there's not a driver ever who hasn't made a mistake. It's the nature of the game, which is pretty much what Scott Dixon said when interviewed about the accident. 

Jake, Pasadena, CA

RM: The knee-jerk reactions of race fans, be it accidents, schedules, rules or hybrid never ceases to amaze me. Nobody is going to intentionally initiate contact at 190 mph, and maybe Sato’s spotter told him he was clear or maybe the seams in the track moved him.

Q: Just read your article about Pocono. I am a big IndyCar fan in Upstate NY. I have gone to races at Loudon, The Glen and Pocono, and am bummed to see the potential end at Pocono. I think one of the main problems with Indy on the ovals is the lack of support races. It is a long drive to see 22 cars stretched out on such a big track. I like your idea for two 150s, or maybe put qualifying and the race on the same day?  What are the chances that we see IndyCars coming through the Boot again at The Glen?

Mark Hay

RM: I couldn’t agree more, and just watch this Saturday’s action at Gateway compared to the last few ABC Supply 500s at Pocono. There is something going on from noon until the checkered flag falls on the IndyCar race because Curtis Francois, Chris Blair and John Bisci understand you have to give the paying customers more for their money to keep them entertained and coming back. A 500-mile race with 22 cars on a big oval is ridiculous. If IMSA ever sees fit to try and appease NBC with a doubleheader at The Glen on its six-hour weekend, IndyCar will be back there.

Q: I’m sure I’m one of many writing about Pocono. Many of the comments I’ve read so far are calling for the end of Pocono and that may be the case, but I don’t blame the track for what happened. Sato dove in where he didn’t belong. It wasn’t the track’s fault, it wasn’t the car’s fault, it was all Sato. Had that type of incident happened at Indy, I’m sure we would have has a similar outcome.

I can appreciate the delicate situation; we’re still reminded of Wickens, and his response doesn’t surprise me, but it’s not just Pocono. We can’t stop crashes from happening. We can’t stop humans from making errors. We can only try our best to make things safer, discipline drivers who make bad errors when needed, and understand that this is an extremely dangerous sport. If getting rid of Pocono is the answer, so be it. But I don’t agree that the track is to blame. We should be talking about suspending Sato. Paul Tracy said it best when he said he had been suspended for lesser offenses.

Erik Steinbrecher, Oswego, IL

RM: I agree with everything you said except suspending Sato. It was a racing accident. Nothing more, nothing less.

Q: So we have another bad incident that required repair to the obviously deficient fencing. It seems to me that IndyCar needs to find a safer venue that can afford to host cars running at 200 mph in reasonable safety. If Pocono cannot afford safety upgrades, then let them host the tiddlywinks championships or some other such event. Plus, the race itself was a snooze. My question: Why continue to bother with this loser venue?

Gary Kellogg

RM: Please check my answer in the question above yours, but you are spot-on about the fencing and willingness to upgrade. I think we’ve got a photo of the fence after IndyCar repaired it properly last Sunday compared to the amateur job Pocono had tried. The 2020 schedule will be out the first week of September.

We do indeed have a photo of the repaired fence, and here it is. Looks a little better than when they tried to patch the hole with a gate and some zip-tie...

Q: What was attendance like at Pocono on Sunday? From the angles I saw just before the cars rolled off pit lane it looked like it was maybe the best yet, but those TV angles can be deceiving. What's the word from the men and women on the ground? I ask because if the crowd is growing, I'd hate to have a racy super-speedway oval get dropped. I don't buy into the drivers' complaints that the track is super-dangerous for Indy cars. Justin Wilson's fatality was a fluke that should largely be taken car of by next year's halo/wind screen. Robert Wicken's crash seemed the result of poor judgment (sorry, Robert!).

Same with Sunday's mayhem, which overshadowed a damn entertaining race. I don't want to see my racing heroes doing sheet time or worse, but at the same time I want to be thrilled by their daring and the awesome side-by-side racing that Pocono requires and supplies. Wasn't Pocono specifically designed for Indy cars with the three different corners inspired by Trenton, Indianapolis and Milwaukee? Agreed, when Pocono was built, Indy cars weren't going 215 mph, but when Indianapolis was built cars weren't going 230 either, and you don't hear the number or level of complaints about Indy as you hear about Pocono.

I respect the decisions by Mike Conway and Max Chilton not to race ovals anymore, and maybe a few other IndyCar drivers should make the same decision regarding Pocono, but to drop the track because it's "too dangerous" doesn't make a lot of sense to me – admittedly not a driver who's not putting his life on the line to race. But for every racing seat that goes empty at Pocono, there will always be another driver willing to fill it. If it makes business sense, please let Pocono remain on the schedule!

Steve, Sheridan, IN

RM: It looked like the best in six years so maybe 20,000, but no official attendance figures are available. Pocono was built for Indy cars and then taken over by stock cars, but I didn’t hear one driver say it was too dangerous – before or after the race.

Q: First off, I wanted to say looked like a decent crowd showed up. When it comes to having danger in the sport, that’s obviously a big part of IndyCar and I love that. I can convince myself that Indianapolis (of course) and Texas are just great races, and I can accept the danger I might see while watching it. For some reason I just can’t with Pocono; I just can’t wrap my head around the dangers that track has for the drivers, and then on top of that they zip tie a fence to fix it.

Max Chilton was 100% correct in calling out the track for that; it’s embarrassing and should not have been the solution, especially after being called out last year by Sebastien Bourdais. I don’t want to lose a 500-mile race, but I don’t know where else to go. Fontana? Michigan? Maybe slow the cars down a little? What would be your solution, or what would you want to see happen, because right now I have no clue. 

Kyle Winslow, Salinas, CA

RM: First off, check out the photo in my Monday column of the track trying to fix the fence with a gate before IndyCar intervened with the proper materials. Pocono’s fences aren’t up to the standards for an IndyCar traveling 200 mph, but it’s a NASCAR track and I simply don’t think it ever considered spending the money to upgrade. I’d go back to Fontana in a heartbeat if it were a night race in the fall, because it was always a good show. But getting 20,000 would be a challenge.

Q: Didn't get to vent to you at Pocono Sunday, so I'll do it here. I think it's short-sighted for some to blame Pocono for these accidents when the root cause is IndyCar's hideous speedway aero package. You cannot pass, and so drivers are forced to revert to cannibalism on every restart.  Bring back the wheel guards or something. Honestly, that seems like a safer and quicker fix than the aeroscreen. How can a series that can put on a whale of a show on any road course you throw at it simply bore you on an oval?

Greg (quite sad) from Belleville, NJ

RM: Agreed, it’s not the track, it’s the drivers’ choices in most instances, but I thought Indy and Iowa were damn good shows this season. Only having 22 cars on a big oval for 200 laps isn’t conducive to good racing, regardless of the aero package.

Q: I personally witnessed Donohue’s '71 win, and Power’s today. But I can smell the end of something. There will never be another Pocono 500 unless they knock down Turn 2 and remake it flat like Turn 3, where nothing bad ever happens. There is a second fundamental flaw with Pocono not shared with Daytona, Charlotte, or other tri-ovals – the stands are on the wrong side of the track. All you see when looking left (or right) is other heads looking left (or right). The 2020 windscreen can’t come soon enough. That was too close again; look at Rossi’s in-car. I don’t care what they look like, they are safer. When the drivers find the cars are faster, they will love them.

Mark Lamontia, Landenberg, PA

RM: Well that’s not going to happen, so treasure those memories. You are right about the windscreen because Rossi damn near got pounded by big pieces of Sato’s car as it shredded itself against the wall.

Q: Didn't Greg Moore's fatal accident at another high-speed track teach race organizers about the dangers of having an unprotected retaining wall perpendicular to the track on the inside of the track? Fortunately Herta's impact wasn't very significant, but why does such a potential danger still exist in today's safety-conscious racing community?

Mike Medlen, Livonia, MI

RM: Greg’s fate was sealed by the transition from grass to pavement more than that inside barrier. After his accident, ovals removed the grass and paved everything.

The circumstances of Moore's crash were different to what we've seen in more recent accidents. Image by Levitt/LAT

Q: In the name of safety, at any high-speed track (Pocono and Texas for sure), IndyCar should be providing more practice. Two hours of practice on one day, and then the next time drivers are in the car is 24 hours later for the race? Even without rain that would have essentially been the schedule. At Indy, by my count, there are at least 36 hours of combined practice. This does not count the open tests that preceed the official start of practice. At a high-speed oval, there should always be at least a 30- 45-minute practice the same day as the race. It would also give the fans something to watch. Practice on Friday. Practice and quali on Saturday. Practice Sunday morning again so drivers have time in the cars on the same day of the race.

Yes, this costs more, I understand that. Perhaps cut Tuesday practice from Indy before qualifying, and use those savings toward more time on track at Texas and Pocono or other tracks. Three full days of practice before Indy qualifying is more than enough. Good for the fans, and has to at least help some with safety. Now, as for the veterans taking too many risks on Lap 1 of the race (and by the way, Dixon and Rossi nearly had a big one immediately preceeding the actual accident), perhaps we can have Santino Ferrucci speak to them about patience, maturity, and using their brains when going 230+!

Mark B

RM: Two hours was all the practice they would have had if the normal schedule held up, and that’s enough by most accounts. Indy has too much practice time, and USAC used to have race morning practice on ovals but finally abandoned it because too many drivers crashed. Ferrucci was impressive again, wasn’t he?

Q: Would you kindly get some tape measure out at IMS this week and measure the height of the walls and tell all these folks its the same as it is in Pocono? Anything we've seen the past five years at the Tricky Triangle could be easily replicated at Turn 1 or Turn 3 at Indy ,and I dare anyone to say that should be cut from the schedule. No disrespect to Wickens, but these are just unfortunate coincidences. Agree or disagree? 

Gabe in Northwest Indiana

RM: I agree that Pocono didn’t cause the accidents, but you cannot compare it to IMS on terms of fencing and safety because it’s not even close. I don’t care how high the walls are, check out the fencing and bracing because you won’t find any better than Indianapolis. As it should be.

Q: Yes, once again we had a crash at Pocono that, luckily, didn’t end like last year’s with horrendous injuries to a driver. I watched the replay over several times. It’s obvious that the problem both yesterday and in years past is cars getting snagged in the catch fencing. So, a suggestion: in areas that there are no grandstands where it would impede viewing, why don’t they added another tier of SAFER barrier above the existing one – say, doubling the height of the barrier? That would provide a smooth surface for an errant car to slide along and not get entangled in the fencing. Expensive? Yes, I’m sure it would be hideously pricey. But it makes a track viable again for an open-wheeled car, and would save a life or avoid serious injuries. It would seem to be worth the investment.

John Vecchi, Sarver, PA

RM: Maybe if IndyCar had a long-term future at Pocono it could help with new fencing or your idea, but that won’t be necessary.

Q: So after watching this weekend’s race at Pocono and hearing the feedback, I wanted your opinion on something. Could the SAFER barrier be stacked through the corners at the track? No one sits out there, and if you went three or four sections high it might keep the cars from getting caught up in the fence. You’d keep the arms at the top to keep the cars in the track and the rest would be a solid wall for the car to slide down (in theory). You’d go some distance before and after the corner to accommodate the distance the cars travel at that speed. Since it’s modular, you replace the damaged sections from a serious impact and they should be better than fence patches done on the fly. 

Bobby Moran

RM: I don’t know, but what IndyCar needs is a fencing system that deflects the car instead of grabbing it, and Felix was so lucky he didn’t get snagged.

Q: Are the claims that IndyCar officials have not returned Pocono’s calls about extending the race likely to be true? If so, that is a terrible business practice and is so unprofessional that I really can’t believe it. I remember the first race there in 1971, and think it’s a great track. To those calling for removing it from the schedule because of safety: what’s next, removing all ovals because none of them are safe? Racing isn’t safe! Should IndyCar just run on road and street circuits? Just drop the Indy 500? Oh yeah, that was tried before by another series and we learned IndyCar can’t survive without the 500!   

James Bost

RM: I don’t know. I saw IndyCar’s Stephen Starks with Pocono’s Nick Igdalsky over the weekend, and Mark Miles and Jay Frye were both in attendance, so I’m sure if any negotiations were necessary they could have been held easily. We don’t know the backstory from a few months ago, so I wouldn’t be too hasty to call out IndyCar on this one.

Q: My question is, why in the hell would Race Control penalize these guys 10 laps for being taken out needlessly? I kept waiting for an explanation. Clearly it was not their fault, and it was Lap 1 of 500 miles; you would think they would want them back on track instead of watching 17 cars go around that huge place? This is one of my favorite races, but I think as you said many times, they need to shorten it or turned into two 150s. Love your input, NBC Sports and NBC Sports Gold.

CAM in LA

RM: Good question and I’ll ask it this weekend, but that rule sucked back in the '60s when Gordon Johncock and Jim McElreath had minor damage in 1966 at Indy but weren’t allowed to touch their cars until the race resumed. And when you’ve only got 22 cars for 500 miles and five of them are in a first-lap crash, you damn sure need to let the damaged cars be worked on immediately if there’s a chance to fix them.

Q: What are the chances for a return to Pocono in 2020? Second, Pato O'Ward to McLaren? If they are seeking one young gun to groom alongside a veteran, seems like a logical choice.

Jim, Indy

RM: Slim. I emailed Pato last week to see if McLaren had called but he hadn’t heard from anyone there and he said he was concentrating on getting his Super License so he could pursue F1 with his Red Bull deal.

As good as he looks in orange, the idea of O'Ward being in a McLaren IndyCar next year is probably wishful thinking. Image by Portlock/LAT

Q: The announcers stated that last year Rahal worked on his car during the red flag and took a one or two-lap penalty. Yet this year Rossi, Hinch, and RHR took 10-lap penalties. Why were they penalized so much more this year than Rahal was doing the same last year? 

Chris, Michigan

RM: Don’t know, been swamped with Sato, Pocono, fence questions, so I’ll ask at Gateway.

Q: Honda has to be upset that Sato took out Rossi, who is in second place in the championship points. I know Sato said he thought he was clear, but he was nowhere close. Any insight into how the Honda camp feels about the accident? Last question, it’s starting to sound like Harding might not be back next year and young Herta could be in an Andretti-Steinbrenner partnership. Any word or knowledge? So if RLL goes to three cars next year, does Pocono mean RLL would have two open seats and maybe Hinch and Conor?

John Balestrieri, Milwaukee

RM: I haven’t talked to anyone at Honda since Sunday, but obviously no manufacturer wants to see a crash that eliminates five of your best drivers/cars triggered by the pride of Japan. But I don’t think it will have any bearing on his status with RLL, which may have a third seat for 2020. I’ve written that Herta will be driving for Andretti next year, and I expect George Michael and Hank Steinbrenner to be involved as well as Sean Jones. Don’t know about Harding yet, but he’s good buds with Michael so I’m sure they’ll try to work on keeping him on board as well.

Dan Spata

RM: No, I see Herta driving what will amount to a fifth car for Andretti and Honda helping Hinch get with Rahal Letterman Lanigan. Have no idea about Rossi continuing with Penske’s sports car program.

Q: I’m going to try and ask this question delicately. I’m a huge fan of Tony Kanaan and have been since day one in Champ Car. With his immense talent and his on-screen personality, I can’t help but feel like he might not be a great teammate – volatile perhaps? Please tell me I’m wrong. Why do I feel this way? Ganassi let him go after Andretti let him go. Now we hear he might not be back with Foyt next year. In my mind, his talent is at a level with Dixon or Power, but he has never found a long-term deal somewhere. 

Dan Maldonado

RM: He was with Andretti Green for eight years and got along famously with Wheldon, Herta and Franchitti and Dixon as well when he was with Ganassi. He’s 44 and wants to run one more year as a farewell tour so I think A.J. might bring him back – if he wants to stay. Can he be a hot-headed Brazilian? Of course, but I’ve never heard anything negative about him as a teammate. He sucks at basketball and throwing a football, but he’s got a pretty wife. And he’s still the most popular driver in the series.

Q: You didn’t mention Marco as part of your silly season equation. Will he stay in a car full season? Should TK take a seat in the No. 98 or team car? I believe TK always gave Marco support.

Skip Ranfone, Summerfield, FL

RM: Marco co-owns his car and has never indicated he wants to stop racing. But Herta would fill the No. 98 seat if it suddenly opened up. T.K. is too old for Andretti unless it would be an Indy 500 ride only.

Q: I thought Charlie Kimball had a solid run at Pocono last weekend. Is he going to get to drive any more this season? And what does 2020 look like for him?

Dan Nordhorn

RM: Charlie is back in the saddle for Trevor Carlin this weekend at Gateway and has a new sponsor on board: ripKurrent, an energy services company based in Boca Raton, Fla. that delivers 30-50 percent energy savings for clients with a high intensity of energy consumption, is backing Kimball with a zoomy blue paint scheme, and ripKurrent is bringing 30 clients to Gateway in the hopes that some day it could lead to the Indianapolis 500. Jason Clark, who worked in sponsorship and client sales for IndyCar and IMS, is now the senior account executive for ripKurrent and put the deal together with Kimball, whom he befriended through Novo Nordisc. Charlie wants to be a full-timer in 2020 and he’s working hard to make it happen – likely with Carlin.

The cars haven't turned a wheel at Gateway yet, but ripKurrent has already gotten a pretty solid return on its investment from this page of the Mailbag alone.

Q: Say Newgarden ends up winning another championship. He’ll obviously have two, plus a growing number of victories, save for one. So when does the "hasn’t won an Indy" chatter start to really build around him? What do you think the color scheme/livery is going to look like for our Arrow/McLaren conglomerate? Each brand has a brilliantly distinct look, and I’d and hate to see either be left out.

Pat Jenkins, Columbus, OH

RM: JoNew has nothing to be concerned about unless he gets to 35 and still hasn’t won Indy for The Captain. And he’s only 28. How about black and orange for Arrow McLaren SP?

Q: Zak Brown (through McLaren) has big bucks, but does he have any IndyCar credibility? At this year's Indy 500, despite Zak's presence and endless windy boasts, the best driver in the world was unable to get their car into the field over the amateur team of Pippa Mann. Now Zak's talking even bigger! Why should we believe him, and why would any sensible drivers go there?

Anthony Jenkins, Canada

RM: No doubt his image took a beating last May, but McLaren has shown a resurgence in F1 this season and I think Zak will adapt to IndyCar because now he’s got a good partner. And money talks in big-time motorsports and he’s got plenty of it, but he’s probably a year away from getting the driver he wants to anchor his team.

Q: I’m confused. How does Sato not end up in last place? He caused the wreck, and Rosenqvist ended up farther down the track than Sato (I think), yet Rosenqvist is classified last. This makes no sense at all. I wonder if Robert Wickens is right? Should IndyCar refuse to return until Pocono does something to prevent cars from getting into the catch fencing? Rosenqvist could easily have ended like Wickens. Which brings up another question. If catch fencing is not going to catch a car but rather tear it to pieces (let’s be honest, that is what it is doing), would we be better off not having it at all? As for the race; that was an awesome display by Will Power.

Doug Mayer, Revelstoke, BC, Canada

RM: Since the first lap wasn’t completed, scoring reverts to the starting lineup. You cannot prevent open-wheel cars from climbing wheels or each other and getting into the fence. There does need to be a better way to contain cars and spit them back on the track instead of grabbing them, but it hasn’t been developed as yet. But you damn sure need debris fence for the spectators.

Q: A quick thought about the aeroscreen. I understand the need for the screen, especially on the ovals, because as we know, when there is a crash bits and pieces go flying, and cars are in very close proximity with very little or no reaction time. With that said, is it feasible to use the aeroscreen on the ovals only and just use the halo on the road courses like F1? It seems to me that on road courses the need for a screen just is not there, and also if it is raining, then there are no worries about that, either. Your thoughts, and have the higher ups considered this option? Keep up the great work. I am a loyal follower.

Dan C.

RM: I don’t think it’s that easy to just alternate, because it’s a heavy attachment that’s going to change the dynamics, aerodynamics and the way to set up your car (that comes from RHR, not me), and Hinch got knocked out by debris on the IMS road course. So to answer your question: No. But thanks for asking and reading.

Q: Driving back from the mountains yesterday, I was thinking about the future of the IndyCar series. After reading about The Split, I can't help thinking the series is at an existential turning point similar to the events of 1996. The impact of dropping Pocono from the calendar will change what the series is and what it will become. What is behind this "Toxic Relationship" that is keeping IndyCar from signing a new agreement? Is the track safety at Pocono really that different than years past?

Indy has had some horrific wrecks over the years, but no call to walk away from that event was heard. There seems to be larger issues brewing beneath the surface. Something is amiss here. What’s the root cause of this disconnect? Is it the drivers? I can understand the bad luck and tragedy that has befallen the drivers at this circuit in recent years, but their lot is not any different than all the drivers who slid into the tub of an open-wheel cockpit. I can't ever remember A.J. saying, "I don't want to drive ovals."

Is it the speeds? Arie Luyendyk qualified the Pocono triangle at 211 mph in 1989 – that that far off from today's speeds? I don't remember drivers saying that the cars "outgrew the track" during that period. Is it the inability of today's driver to cope with Turn 2? Over the years many drivers made it through the "Indy" part of the track without incident driving with a healthy respect for the science of speed (aka one line, one car). Is it money? Sunday’s crowd was impressive. I've been to every IndyCar race at Pocono since 2013 and thought there were significantly more people in the stands for this race than previous years, thus proving the adage that "if you build it, they will come." I have been of the opinion that IndyCar has been the series in North America for three or four years now. I thought the return to Pocono was part of that resurgence. Dropping Pocono will not only be a disappointment, it will mark the end of another chapter in open-wheel racing in America.

P.S. Richmond is for the USAC Midgets. Running that track will be an embarrassment to the series and truly a sign that the series has "jumped the shark".

Edward F. Casey Jr., Horsham, PA

RM: Whoa. Losing Pocono would have the same impact as The Split in 1996? Not even close. Neither side seemed enamored with the other for five years, and like I wrote on Monday, I don’t think Pocono gave IndyCar much of a thought about continuing until NASCAR dropped its second race. By that time I think IndyCar was pretty far down the road with finding an August replacement on the schedule. But IndyCar was gone from Pocono from 1989 to 2013 and it had its highest attendance, sponsorship and TV ratings in the early '90s with CART so not having it hardly ended any chapter then and it won’t now. IndyCar has a plan in place, a racy package, great competition, a true TV partner and at least nine solid venues. I think a lot of fans would miss Pocono, but it won’t change the course of history if it goes away. And I’ll just say that Richmond had some good races, a couple stinkers and decent crowds in the nine years it ran there (2001-2009).

Starting to run out of interesting ways to illustrate letters about Pocono, so instead, let's enjoy a slice of pre-race entertainment from the 1966 Indy 500, which – for reasons possibly lost to the passage of time – involved somebody riding in a sled. Image by LAT

Q: While my emotions, like many others, ran high on Sunday, I can't conclude that Pocono is any more dangerous than any other superspeedway we race at. Perhaps it's lack of track time compared to Indy, for example, maybe it's irresponsible driving, maybe it's just bad luck? Whatever reason demons haunt this track, I don't think it's because of the circuit itself. It would be a shame the track loses its spot on the schedule for any other reason than attendance. That being said, I can't say I would be heartbroken if Pocono did not return in 2020.

Michael, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

RM: Nobody with a brain blames the track for the last two years of first-lap carnage or Justin’s tragedy. Bad mojo is how Graham Rahal described it prior to Sunday. It’s always been prone to big crashes with its tricky layout but one fatality in 24 years hardly classifies it as the most dangerous oval. Could the fencing be improved? Absolutely. Attendance was nothing special until a noticeable increase last Sunday, and it never felt like a big event since returning in 2013. Seemed like a well-kept secret to me.

Q: What are the chances that IndyCar may try to visit New Hampshire again now that the track only has one Cup race? In my opinion the racing was great (although it was kind of funky the way the last race ended there in the rain) and the track seemed better suited for open-wheel cars, modifieds, etc. IndyCar has a better package with the accessibility to the teams in the garage area, and I feel it is headed in the right direction as opposed to some other series.

If the powers to be really put in the time to promote it and make it an event, it could be a nice stop on the calendar. Hmmm…Toronto, NHIS, The Glen, Pocono, Mid-Ohio, and Iowa; a nice mix of tracks in six stops. If you can make it happen, they'll be a half-dozen lobsters in it for you when you come. Please tell me that no one has mentioned the idea of fabricating a “chase”, “stages”, or “play-offs”, and that IndyCar will remain to race on to the end and see who wins, like racing should be.

Tim Layne, Randolph, ME

RM: Haven’t heard Loudon mentioned for years but NASCAR’s schedule shuffling could change everything. There were 50,000 for the CART race in 1995 and less than a fourth of that number for the inaugural IRL race in 1996, so The Split certainly took its toll. But the ’93 race between Mansell, Tracy and Fittipaldi still ranks as one of the best oval shows ever. No NASCAR gimmicks to my knowledge.

Q: If you had the ability to jump into the time machine and go back to watch any five car races in history – any class, whether you were there the first time around, or not – what would they be?  And 'how' would you watch them? Would you want to analyze them for how you already knew they turned out, perhaps to answer questions or re-see things in a different way?  Or would you want to just sit in the grandstands and let Robin Miller 'the fan' soak in the experience without any ulterior motive?

Brad in Seattle

RM: I’d just like to hang on the fence at Langhorne in 1964 for A.J.’s fourth win, watch Parnelli lap the Turkey Night field at Ascot Park in 1965 and then show up for his test in the turbine at Phoenix in 1966. Cheer on Herk’s comeback at Phoenix in 1965 and be at Spa in 1967 to witness Dan’s victory in his Eagle before pitching a tent at Riverside in ’67 to watch Jim Clark and Gurney battle in the USAC finale.

Q: Hate to remove an entire subject matter from your Mailbag readers but on the Cleveland news this week they reported on a real possibility of closing down Burke Lakefront Airport, redirecting the four flights per day, and developing the lakefront property. On another note when are they bringing back Michigan?

Don Weidig

RM: Good one Don, and thanks for the update. Lot of good memories at Cleveland.

Q: I was at the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono. I had a great time, minus the rain of course. I've paid to be at every race at Pocono since IndyCar returned, and I was there as a teen back in the '80s multiple times as well. I talked to a lot of people, as I often do because race fans are friendly. There were multiple first-time attendees there yesterday. Many of them said, "I've been here for NASCAR but never came for Indy before." This race is drawing new fans to IndyCar. The crowd seemed larger again, as it has been every year. It is truly the Indy of the East…. and yet I saw a story that IndyCar isn't returning Pocono's calls.

I watched three drivers squabble over the same piece of road entering Turn 2 and cause a big accident that has some people up in arms calling for the end of racing here. Driver error is to blame for that crash, and not the raceway. That corner they crashed into is exactly the radius and banking of Indianapolis' four turns. Why do drivers think they can navigate it three wide at Pocono if even two wide at Indy is rarely attempted? If we should jettison Pocono from the schedule due to safety, then shouldn't we also stop racing at the Speedway?

Robin, I go to auto races to see speed, close competition, and highly skilled car control by professional racers. The best IndyCar races I have ever attended have all been where they are at the edge of those three things. The only two places left on the schedule that I've been to where it's like that are Pocono and Indy. You take away Pocono, and well, I'm really running out of time and money for this series. They already took away New Hampshire, Milwaukee, and Watkins Glen... all places where I was immediately impressed by the speeds and the driving. I enjoyed going to Mid-Ohio a few weeks ago, but it is nothing like the spectacle of Indy and Pocono. I can spend my money on sprint cars (wing and non-wing), super-modifieds, midgets, and Silver Crown. The Outlaws aren't tweeting about the racetracks when a driver makes a mistake. They go have a talk. They also have a lot more respect for the speeds and the danger in all the above.

The racing at Pocono was thoroughly entertaining, as it has been since the first event when they came back. New fans are coming out to see them there. Drop the race from the schedule and IndyCar is going to tick off a lot of people.

Dave Long, Reading, PA

RM: Thanks for capsulizing the weekend Dave, and giving your take as a rabid IndyCar fan.