Robin Miller's Mailbag for January 22, 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: Your story on James Hinchcliffe didn’t mention the team, just the sponsor! What’s up, ol’ wise one?

Dan Kirby

RM: That’s because he doesn’t have one nailed down yet, but I’m leaning towards RLL or Ganassi.

Q: While all eyes are on James Hinchcliffe and where he will land, I noticed that it was rumored that Dalton Kellett may be entering IndyCar in 2020. I think the No. 4 Foyt car was one option open to him. I was just wondering what you know and which races are likely? I imagine Toronto would have to be part of any deal. While Hinch's sponsorship deal is for IMS road course and the 500 thus far, what's your take on whether he will be driving in front of his hometown crowd in Toronto?

Geoff Roberts, Unionville, Ontario, Canada

RM: Looking like T.K. for all the ovals with the No. 14 after Seabass runs that car the first four races, and then maybe Kellett on the road/street circuits the rest of the year. And Charlie Kimball in the No. 4 car. Hinch will run Toronto and hopefully a few other races, just not sure which team.

Q: I've got two quick questions. How serious is Penske about putting Supercars ace Scott McLaughlin in an IndyCar either this year or down the road? After watching him the past few years in Supercars and hearing the feedback from his Sebring test, it's pretty obvious he's seriously talented. And my second question is, does NBC have any plans to include IndyCar on its new streaming service? I saw that it is going to include Olympic coverage as well as some Premier League games ,and am curious to know if IndyCar is going to have a place on that platform.

Jordan from Greenwood

RM: It sounds like Tim Cindric is giving serious consideration to trying to test Scott McLaughlin at COTA next month and possibly providing him with a fourth car at selected races. He impressed Rick Mears and the team with his initial run at Sebring last week. IndyCar will still have the NBC Gold package in 2020, so it’s separate from what you are talking about.

Q: Do you have any info on the Canadian TV or streaming coverage for IndyCar/Indy Lights for 2020? Last year I had to buy and setup a VPN and buy Gold to get almost-full coverage. I'm OK with the price and all for the Gold, but needing a VPN sucks exhaust.

Paul, Brantford, Ontario

RM: Nothing has changed from last year to my knowledge, but I do think R.P. is looking at the situation to see if there are other options down the road.

Q: Your piece on the HOF omissions really struck home here. As a boy I watched Jim Hurtubise at Trenton and listened to his exploits from my late dad, who was a big fan. I read Bob Gates' book on Herk and the part about his wife sending thank you cards to those that wrote him after his horrific burns at Milwaukee. She bought a hundred, never thinking that she'd use them all. They were gone in a hurry. I was a recipient of one of those cards, and while it's been long misplaced, I still remember it with the awe of the 10-year old that I was. He belongs in. Newman and Haas belong in, too, as does Finley. I don't know much about the man, but your stories of his involvement, even as one of Donald Davidson's "lesser lights" in Speedway history is the type of thing I love to read about.

*Definite* Hall of Fame material. OK, we'll let Paul Newman in as well.Image by Miller/LAT

While we're soapboxing, if they aren't in the HoF, the omission of Drs. Steve Olvey and Terry Trammel is an absolute disgrace. These two men are almost single handedly responsible for many drivers that are still here to talk about their exploits. As a 50-member in emergency services, I understand and deeply respect their work to bring better safety to the sport I love. And, maybe it's also time to consider some Ball State dropout with 50 years of opinionated musings on racing...his name escapes me at the moment... it'll come to me.

Jim Mulcare, Westbury, NY

RM: Herk did more for the Indy 500 in the '60s than anyone, and is more deserving than a third of the people already in the HOF. Newman and Haas competed at the highest level for 25 years and were loyal to CART but nobody gave IMS a better run. And Finley is what made Gasoline Alley so mercurial. I imagine Olvey and Trammell will be nominated some day after they retire, because they certainly changed the face of safety in racing. And that’s kind of you but if Herk, PLN and Finley can’t get nominated, I don’t deserve a sniff.

Q: So, what'd you get Super Tex for his birthday?

Andy Rolfe, Brighton, MI

RM: A phone call to wish him well, a setup sheet from Andretti engineer Nathan O’Rourke and a year’s supply of Blue Bell ice cream.

Q: My wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Pocono IndyCar race from the 300 level of the Donohue tower for years. Well, looks like we will be in Richmond for the first time. What’s the best place to view the race and enjoy the weekend?

Keith & Lorrie Blaisdell

RM: Commonwealth Mezzanine, or anything up high on front stretch is perfect. Have fun.

Q: What is the best way to train USAC/World of Outlaws stars for an IndyCar career? Do the Road to Indy teams just need to be willing to give them an opportunity (for a price), or does a special feeder series need to be created? If a new series is the answer, what variety of tracks should they race on? Should the cars be like roadsters? (See the Bentley Barnato concept car for a modern interpretation of an Indy roadster.) Considering the dollar amounts for healthy purses, paying staff, insurance policies, etc., IndyCar would be in great shape if they received about $400-500 million per year from a series sponsor and a TV broadcaster. I understand they are paid not much more than $10 million each from NTT and NBC. How far from reality are those figures?

Steve in Redding, CA

RM: When Randy Bernard brought Bryan Clauson to the Indianapolis 500 in 2011, it was an opportunity to get one of the best racers in the country a ride in the biggest race in the world. But B.C. knew Indy would be the only race he ever ran, because he wasn’t a road racer and he didn’t have the time or money to stop USAC racing and run Indy Lights cars. Kyle Larson and Chris Bell made their names in USAC and then went to NASCAR because they were hired to drive and it’s primarily ovals (although Larson has become a good road racer). There is no path or opportunities for midget or sprint car drivers without millions of dollars, so a star like Tyler Courtney might be able to get a one-off at Indy with Clauson/Marshall but he knows IndyCar has no future for him. B.C. was content to know he could make a decent living racing midgets and sprinters as long as he kept winning, and Indy was simply a perk. Your last numbers are much closer to reality than the first ones you listed.

Q: The way you write about these guys like Bubby Jones (most I've never heard of unfortunately) makes me feel like I do know them, and that story about the coke is hysterical. Thanks for writing them, and making these guys more than just a stat or a trivia question answer – feels like to me you're giving them a good send-off.

Jake Murray

RM: Jones was one of the best to ever strap on a sprinter and, like Clauson, knew that getting to drive at Indianapolis once was an unexpected bonus because USAC stars were starting to be phased out in the late '70s. But he had fans all over the country, and was probably a bigger name than most IndyCar drivers. He was also a great character and a man with great character.

There's no easy road to the Brickyard for short-track stars like the late Bryan Clauson. Image by Levitt/LAT

Q: I am hearing news (if not rumors) about Penske potentially lighting IMS in the future. This talk also has opinionated racing commentators and fans alike coming up with ideas for what could potentially happen, including maybe an IndyCar/NASCAR doubleheader in Indy. My question would be, do you in your opinion see a potential – let's say, several years down the road – that IndyCar could have two dates at the IMS oval? The 500 in its traditional mid-day Sunday Memorial Day slot, and maybe a couple months later in July or August, a potential night IndyCar race on the oval?

Kevin, NC

RM: Mark Miles told me once it would cost $20 million to light IMS, and that was an expense they didn’t need. I understand R.P. had the same reaction when he learned the price tag. Lights are not going to save the Brickyard 400, because it would still be a bad race. But the road course could help it if NASCAR was smart enough to adopt it for Cup. Watkins Glen and Sonoma are two of the best Cup shows because it’s good, hard racing and IMS could offer the same. Hopefully the Xfinity race this summer will help prove that point, although there aren’t many good road racers in that series compared to the big boys. And one oval track race a year is all IMS ever needs. Indy is special because it’s once a year, and Mr. Hulman understood that better than anyone.

Q: This year I plan to hit up all three weekends at the Speedway during the month of May. I've been including the grand prix the last three years with my annual pilgrimage to the 500. What suggestions would you have for a first timer to Fast Friday and qualifications, and is that weekend alone worth the price for a bronze badge?

Alan Bandi, Sarver, PA

RM: I would think so, because you can wander Gasoline Alley and get up close to the cars and drivers in the pits, and probably get lots of cool photos with your phone.

Q: Perhaps a significant purpose of the IndyCar series could be to facilitate having enough entrants to make a good/thrilling Indy 500 show? After the significant trouble some teams had in 2019 getting their cars to work properly on the Speedway, improving Indy 500 qualifying is probably a serious IMS goal for 2020. I'm suggesting that IndyCar squeeze in an oval race before the 500 this year! A noteworthy and sad example that money doesn't buy everything was the embarrassing struggle that McLaren went through, to not qualify for the 2019 race with a two-time world champion. An early oval race, between the west coast swing and the Indy-500 could make it easier on team and transporter logistics. If anyone can schedule that, it would be The Captain. Possible locations could be Phoenix or Fontana.

Bill in CA

RM: Add an oval race prior to Indy for 2020 right now? You got a better chance of getting Bobby Unser and Johnny Rutherford to fight over a dinner check. No chance. Phoenix was a bust and Fontana has NASCAR, and no track is going to add a race with zero time to promote it. Indy qualifying was just fine last year, and so was the race. An oval before Indy would have certainly saved McLaren, but it’s tough to find a venue willing to take a risk because ovals are a tough sell and IndyCar learned its lesson about renting its own track at Phoenix.

Q: Please ask RP & IMS to bring back the Purdue Marching Band to play Taps at the 500 - I hope you will agree!

Bill Harper, Canton, GA

RM: You just did Bill, thanks.

Q: I read in the Jan. 15 Mailbag that R.P. reads it, and you also pass along some emails. I don't care if my suggestions are published. If nothing else I'd like you to be the conduit to get them to someone at the Speedway.

Sam Strickland, Nutter Fort, WV

RM: I sent your note to The Captain on Sunday at midnight, and he responded 10 minutes later with: 'Sam, we’re working on No. 1 and No. 3. Need to Review SP this year. Thanks for your interest in IMS. R.P.'

Q: In this new R.P. era, what possibilities are talked about to lure more spectators to IndyCar? Seems to me that young people today aren’t drawn to the smells, the sounds, and the excitement, as we were. When the big name European drivers would be at certain races, the draw to see these major stars would also be ways to increase attendance. From what my two sons tell me, young people today aren’t as interested in motorsports as we were, and that most of us are still. R.P. is one very smart man, surrounded by many great people. I hope they can come up with ideas to lure the levels of new spectators back to our sport so we don’t lose the racing we love!

Mike A, Bayonet Point, FL

RM: Roger has a lot of ideas on how to make the fan experience better, and I’m sure he’s got some ways to try and increase interest from drivers and teams around the world (larger purse, for one) but let’s give him a year or so to act. But IMS has his undivided attention, and that’s a good thing.

The Snake Pit. A.J.'s probably there, he's just out of the frame. Image by Porterimage/IndyCar

Q: The museum at IMS is one of those gems that I have soaked in when I visit, and I realize that the cars in that collection are for the most part best left 'on display.' But I know that there are vintage Indy cars that are out in the hands of private owners, and they run them at vintage historic events across the country. I also know that there is the Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational for sport cars that utilizes the road course in the summer. Has there ever been a vintage Indy event on the oval as part of the 500 weekend? And I don't mean just some ceremonial parade laps as part of race day. I mean it as maybe something like a Saturday event with Sunday's 500 where various vintages of cars run an event?

Brad in Seattle

RM: Every May the vintage cars are allowed to run laps during a few mornings leading up to the race, but nothing in terms of a race. A couple crashes in the past two years have made that even lesser of a possibility. But watching the old cars circle the track on Race Day is always cool – even at 70 mph.

Q: Your answer ‘11 rows of 3’ in the Jan 15 Mailbag about sacred transitions at the Indy 500 brings to mind one that has been trampled. I do not understand why the field cannot maintain the rows and spacing coming down for the start of the race. Come on drivers, look at the archive photos of the beautiful race starts of years ago. It can be done.

Mike, Milwaukee

RM: It’s always breathtaking to see how close the rows were when the green flag dropped and they charged into Turn 1 in the 1950s and 1960s. I understand the cars are 100 mph faster today, but being too spaced apart can ruin the flying start.

Q: I visit RACER.com every day, and I just saw the article about Scott McLaughlin at the IndyCar test. The photo with it shows his Team Penske car, with aeroscreen, from the side and a bit to the rear. I have to say that from that angle the aeroscreen makes the car look really cool, kind of like a jet fighter. If they could just make the thing narrower, I think it would go a long way toward improving the front view. Is there any way they could do that without compromising its safety improvements?

Bob Ward, Puyallup, WA

RM: Way too early to be making any changes, let’s let them race the cars for a while. But they do look better from the side than head-on.

Q: Every story out of the tests at Sebring has keyboard pundits deriding the aeroscreen rather than comment on the story. Funny how folks with zero skin in the game want to determine what safety equipment the drivers should have on the cars. Dan, Justin and Robert's accidents were the reason for the aeroscreen. I do not want to lose one more IndyCar driver due to debris striking their heads. The aeroscreen will help decrease the chance of similar accidents reoccurring. Plus, I happen to think the aeroscreen makes the cars look even faster. Funny, A.J. had an aeroscreen on a few of his awesome Gilmores.

Jack Homen

RM: If IndyCar tried to appease all the internet experts then we’d be screwed, and I get that the car doesn’t look like an old Eagle or McLaren or Penske, but the aeroscreen can no longer be ignored. IndyCar had to join the club, and we’ll all get use to how it looks. I’ve got a story from 1973 after the first-lap crash where A.J. talks about putting canopies on Indy cars.

Q: I’ve heard comments from a few different people who believe that 2020 is going to be like starting from scratch on the setup sheet. What do you think, Miller? Will this even out the playing field, or will the rich get richer because they’ve got more/better people? I realize the playing field is already quite even, but the better teams started to rise and the lesser teams have been falling back since the introduction of the UAK, and maybe even in the past few years of the manufacturer aero kits. On that note, do you think there is anything creative the teams can do with the aeroscreen within the rules (or outside of them without getting caught) to gain an advantage?

Ryan in West Michigan

RM: I’ve heard both opinions. A couple respected drivers and engineers claim it changes everything and it’s back to square one, while a couple other drivers said it didn’t make much difference when they tested. We’ll see after a couple races. I’m not smart enough to answer your last question.

Q: I was reading Chris Medland's piece on Haas' F1 team. For the money he's throwing at that program, he could field a four-car team in IndyCar and be competitive right away. According to Medland's article, "The Haas team owner wants to be competing on a level playing field." Anyone in racing knows that's not F1. Do you know if he has ever been approached about owning an IndyCar team?

Vincent Martinez, South Pasadena, CA

RM: Not sure, but that quote cracked me up, too. Level playing field? It couldn’t be any more slanted than F1 today, but I guess Haas enjoys being part of the scenery rather than competing in a spec series where you have a chance to win. But I don’t know that he’s ever considered IndyCar, and I’ll try to remember to ask Stew next time I see him.

Q: I remember back in the day SPEED would run a F1 show on F1 weekends called Formula 1 Decade. Basic premise was Bob V and David H would watch a race from a decade before and talk about it. I think a show like this would be great for IndyCar, and could be hosted by you and Mario. Plus NBCSN could put it on in the middle of the night and everyone could DVR it. Wishing you good health, and a happy racing season!

Tom Ross, San Luis Obispo, CA

RM: I like your idea so I’ll pitch it to NBC for the Gold package. But Mario calling an old race would be entertaining and historical as well.

Q: Been watching a lot of old IndyCar videos on YouTube from the old Ontario speedway. I remember back when I was a kid, how it was such a big deal up here in NorCal... go watch the California 500 on closed circuit TV at the local arena. Looked like a great track for Indy cars back then. I know the story -- high real estate prices and shrinking crowds meant its downfall. I guess my boggle is, driving from NorCal to Arizona once a month, I drive right by where the old track used to be and where Fontana is now. They are very close.

Why would someone (Penske) build a track so close to another track where IndyCar failed, and now has also failed at Fontana? In an area of 20 million people, I just don't understand how you can't get at least 60,000 or 70,000 fans once a year to come there. Marketing? Weather? And why didn't they know this when one track had already failed just right down the highway?

Mel in Oakley, CA

RM: Ontario opened to massive crowds,and then moved from Labor Day to March and that was the beginning of the end. Plus, it wasn’t run efficiently. Penske built Fontana 15 years after Ontario folded, and told me once he wishes he could have just bought OMS instead of building a new track because it would have saved him millions. But he got a sweetheart deal on the land, so that’s why he wound up in Fontana -- which also started off with big crowds. I think the NASCAR race still draws OK, but IndyCar’s last try came on a 95-degree day on a Saturday in June and had zero chance to succeed. Could it work on a Saturday night in October? It might have a fighting chance, but I doubt we’ll ever know.

Q: Perusing the gallery of photos celebrating A.J.’s 85th... Happy Birthday to one of my heroes. It was hard to miss the full-grown, male, African lion. C’mon Miller. You gotta spill the beans on this one? Or as A.J. would put it; please ass@ole.

Tom Patrick, Lake Arrowhead, CA

RM: It was at DuQuoin in 1969, and they wanted A.J. to pose with the lion, and for some reason he started running and the lion chased him and knocked him down. Nobody was injured, but I do remember Tex saying he was scared S%$#less. He’s laughing in our photo, but I think it was nervous laugh.

A.J. getting mugged by a lion. There's no point even trying to spin a caption out of this one.

Q: You have been a huge proponent of bringing Milwaukee back to the schedule, and I thank you for that. Being a resident of West Allis, I can say that it is a travesty that our track sits largely unused, save for some track day and racing school events. Are you aware of any ongoing efforts to get the track the race and support it needs to survive much longer? Rumor here is that the city is looking to buy the track from the State of Wisconsin, rip it up, and develop the property for retail/condos. The clock seems to be ticking faster. With Road America (great) and Chicagoland (no comment) both within a very short drive, I fear the end of the Mile is near.

Todd McKee

RM: I know Bob Sargent staged an ARCA show there last year and it did OK from what I was told, but unless someone like John Menard would get behind it and spend millions on the facility and promotion – it’s likely doomed.

Q: Just wondering if you have any updates on how John Andretti is doing? I was always a big fan, and felt he never got the credit he deserved for being such a diverse driver.

Tom, Allentown, PA

RM: He’s still battling cancer, and nobody has more resolve or fight. He won in IndyCar, NASCAR and USAC, and that’s a pretty exclusive list.

Q: Strike up the band!  Wasn't that a tremendous win by Kyle Larson, or what! When he passed Christopher Bell two thirds of the way in the race, I stood up and cheered. I then held my breath hoping that Kyle would continue in the lead. I thought his restarts were excellent, and he stayed out of trouble, too. Kyle this time sounded much more confident in the interviews I read or saw on TV. I loved what Kyle said in his post-race interview about the importance to him winning the Chili Bowl! A great quote! I am still smiling broadly this morning, and not just because Kyle won. My other two faves (C. Bell and Rico) were in the top five, and I was introduced to two very young warriors, who I think will be important to the sport – Cannon McInosh and Buddy Kofoid. Thanks for your coverage on RACER.com of the entire week's events. I greatly appreciate it.

Deb Schaeffer

RM: I think everyone (sans Chris Bell and his fans) were happy for Larson, since it was the one victory in a midget that had eluded him. I’ll admit when CB jumped out to a two-second lead I figured it was all over, but Kyle battled back and it was great racing.