Robin Miller's Mailbag for February 12, 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: Robin, what do you expect for IndyCar front-runners, fringe competitors, and non-comers as it relates to the championship? I believe Rossi will be a front-runner, while Penske might struggle without The Captain’s daily hands on. Can you give us your estimate of your Vegas odds of each driver for the championship, race winners, and rookie of the year?

Jeff, SoCal

RM: Well, how about we just focus on the contenders? I picked Power to win the title last year and obviously he was only third on Team Penske in points. But he’s still going to be one of the favorites in 2020 and R.P.’s new daytime job won’t have any effect on his team’s performance. To take the title, let’s put Rossi, Newgarden and Dixon at 5-1; Pagenaud and Power at 6-1; Herta at 7-1; Hunter-Reay and Rosenqvist at 10-1; Rahal and Sato at 15-1. Penske and Andretti will each win six races, Ganassi four and Ed Carpenter is finally going to capture Indianapolis. Veekay and Askew will have a great fight for Rookie of the Year.

Q: With R.P. running the show at IMS, is there a chance that he would move the GP to another time of year? I know they like the attention it draws leading up to the 500, but I think if you had Texas on TV before the 500 instead of the GP it would draw more national attention. It also seems to me that the GP will never be more than a local event attendance wise if it stays in May. Most people aren't going to spend the cash to travel to Indianapolis twice in one month, but if it was another time of year they might make the second trip.

John Downing, North Salt Lake, Utah

RM: I think there’s a better chance he simply removes it from the schedule some day and finds another venue rather than moving it. R.P. is all about success and growth and the IMS road race is pretty much a non-event in terms of attendance, atmosphere and prestige. People come to the Speedway to see speed on the oval and breathtaking passes -- most loyalists don’t care about a road course. Having said that, the GP still dwarfs the pole day crowds from 1996-2015 and it’s on national television, so it might always have a place on the schedule right where it is.

Are reactions to the aeroscreens evolving from yikes to likes?

Q: So along with others, my first reaction to seeing the aeroscreen back in the autumn was “yikes,” despite the obvious benefits to driver safety (which we all welcome). However seeing the new liveries in the last week and the way it has been incorporated into them I think gives Indy cars a totally unique look -- and actually makes them look more dramatic than ever before. Both these facets can only be good for the marketability of IndyCar. What have you heard from teams, drivers and third parties about their thoughts on the new look?

Chris Herbert, North Yorkshire, UK

RM: I didn’t go to COTA so I haven’t talked to any of the drivers but I think the aeroscreen is a work in progress that will undoubtedly grow on everyone after it runs for a few races. It takes a while to get use to -- like Paul Tracy in a coat and tie.

Q: While I am very happy to see the aeroscreen installed, I am disappointed in the evolution of its appearance. When it was first introduced it appeared to be just the protective transparency fitted around the halo bars. In the latest pictures of the installation that I have viewed it seems as if it is now becoming a structure in which to hang more aerodynamic fairing. The net effect is that the driver is becoming more invisible and the area has become another flat panel for advertising. The comparison to the appearance of today's midget comes to mind where more and more ugly sheet aluminum is quickly overtaking any hint of there being an actual driver in there. 

Am I the only one who is seeing this trend in appearance? Are there any rules in the works limiting this bodywork that you know of? 

Jan Burden

RM: I think most fans are upset the driver has vanished even more but the trade-off is protection and I guess it’s the same for midgets and sprints. I think IndyCar held off as long as possible but succumbed to the ways of the world today. But I don’t think it’s going to hurt the racing so we’ll all adapt. As for your second question, we just have to wait and see how things play out in the first several races if and when anything is refined about bodywork or the aeroscreen itself.

Q: I have to applaud the IndyCar Series and the adoption of advanced windscreen protection. Now that they are integrated into the liveries, they look pretty good, especially from the side. I bet the cars will be faster too. When the next Dallara is developed in few years, it can be integrated even better and will look even more appealing. Also, aerodynamicists will have their way and we might knock on the door of Luyendyk’s record. Much better than F1. This will be a big story in front of St. Pete and even Indy, but by the first third of the season, it will all be accepted.  

 Mark Lamontia, Landenberg, PA

RM: They do look much better painted and integrated and, I agree, the side view is the best. I’m told the cars might be a tad slower at IMS but we’ll wait and see what May brings.

Q: There may not be an easy answer to these questions! However, if Fernando Alonso, wants to go to Indy again, why doesn't he? I know he has a poor (to say the least) relationship with Honda, but doesn't the Arrow McLaren SP team use Chevrolet engines? He did Dakar with Toyota, do they still have a relationship?

Trevor M.

RM: It appears that Arrow McLaren SP might be his lone option, depending on whether he wants to go there and they want him. Not sure about his Toyota connection but obviously that doesn’t help his Indy situation.

Q: I have been thinking about the Alonso, Honda thing for a while now -- well, two years now. I can see where Alonso could have riled the collective proud feathers of the Honda heads, but was any of it not true? Honda's Formula 1 engine for the entire time Fernando was there was, lets face it, flawed at best and often a joke. Is it just me or is there a growing number of people, formerly Honda fans (and customers) that are beginning to see the Honda Motor Company as a bunch of thin skinned, vindictive grudge holders who can't face the unpleasant truth?

James VanMeter, Highland, CA

RM: All I’m told is that the Japanese are a proud group that doesn’t forgive and forget so I’m not sure a public apology would have even saved Fred but I wish he’d done one just to try and mend the fences. And know that American Honda was fine with him returning to Andretti.

Q: Alonso will only run the Indy 500 if he has a good chance to win. There are only three teams that have a good chance to win any Indy Car race: Ganassi, Andretti and Penske. Since Ganassi and Andretti are both Honda teams he has no chance of a drive with them. That leaves Penske. I believe now that R.P. owns both the series and IMS he absolutely wants Alonso to be in the 500, if for nothing other than the huge International publicity that would be generated. He's said he won't run a fifth car but he's done it before. Or he tells Helio it's been a great run but time to move on and makes Alonso his fourth entry. The only other team that I think would even be a possibility is Ed Carpenter, who always does well at Indy. I think Penske could help make that happen. Your thoughts?

Rick Hughes, Deer River, MN

RM: I think I’ve got a better shot at driving the pace car and giving the command than R.P. running a fifth car or bumping Helio for Alonso. Ain’t gonna happen. But I intend to ask R.P. on Friday at his IMS press conference if IndyCar would consider helping Fred find a ride for May.

Q: With Honda putting a monkey wrench in the Alonso/Andretti Indy 500 drive, where do you see him going? Alonso wants to win, so I don’t see him driving for a Chevy backmarker. With ECR interested in Kyle Busch if he runs an extra car. (I think Busch moves the needle more than Alonso), It looks like going to Arrow McLaren SP may be his only option.

Joe Mullins

RM: He only cares about having another shot at running up front and Arrow McLaren SP might have a shot at that with Craig Hampson but that appears to be his only option.

How many hands will it take to put Alonso back on track at Indy? Image by Michael Levitt/LAT

Q: Much has been said and written about the ongoing saga of where Alonso can or will end up for Indy, if he's there at all. Since Honda has pulled the rug out from under the Alonso/Andretti partnership you had pointed out that maybe Fred's best/last opportunity lies with Arrow McLaren SP. (I'm assuming they have enough steering wheels now). While I agree that is probably his best option I'd like to throw out kind of a "feel good option" as well. How about an Alonso/Juncos partnership for Indy? They run Chevys so you can check that box off. How ironic would it be for Fred to drive for the "Little Team That Could" that knocked him out of Indy in 2019?

Obviously, Alonso brings a decent amount of sponsorship and lord knows Juncos needs it. They are pretty darn good at making the most out of every dollar and I can only imagine that if this partnership were to ever happen there would be plenty more companies/people willing to throw some money at the effort. Long shot? Hell yes! But what a great story! Ricardo Juncos is an unbelievable story in his own right so I'm guessing it would generate quite a bit of press. A successful month of May would go a long way to help Juncos run some more races (with Alonso or somebody else). Thoughts?  

By the way, how's the golf game, Robin? Do you remember a trip to Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio in the late '80s with Tom Sneva and his business partner? I was the fourth that day. You rode with me in the cart. Keep up the good work! Hope to run into you at Indy this year (my 50th).

Brett Padgett, Hudson, Ohio (But a born and raised Hoosier)

RM: It would be a great story and a shot in the arm for an owner that IndyCar needs to be around for a long time but not sure Alonso has any sponsors and I don’t think he cares about being a feel-good story. He simply wants to duplicate what happened in 2017 and that’s probably not going to happen. I do remember you and I imagine Sneva bought dinner? Just kidding.

Q: With the speculation that Michael would run Alonso at the 500 this year, I got to thinking. If this were to become a reality it means that Michael would have run five cars this May. So my question: is there no maximum number of engines a team can get from its manufacturer? Does IndyCar have a maximum number of engines a team can negotiate on its engine lease per year or per race?

Also, I was under the impression that the two current OEM engine suppliers were at maximum capacity or close to it in recent years, so how is it appears that they can supply engines for at least the Indy 500 to whomever can write the check. If Michael can’t run Alonso, would he run the entry with another driver? I ask as it would seem logical that Michael had at least lined up or realigned resources within the organization to run field the entry.

Warbird Willie

RM: Actually, it would have been six cars with Fred (Rossi, Hunter-Reay, Veach, Marco, Herta) and Honda and Chevrolet always make provisions for extra engines in May. I don’t think Michael has any interest in trying to run that sixth car without Alonso and I don’t know of any maximum number of engines per team.

Q: Marshall Pruett’s podcast with Ed Carpenter was an excellent listen on one of the more understated IndyCar teams and drivers. However, Ed is starting to enter that path of Tony Stewart or Sam Hornish, of the will he or won’t he win the Indy 500? So, Is this the year that he pulls it off? Is the support staff strong enough to pull it off? Or are we going to be wondering like we did with Smoke and not able to win the 500 down the road?

Heath Florkey

RM: I hope so because he’s been so close and it would be a great story and also help cement the future of ECR. Ed led the most laps in 2018, he’s a three-time pole winner and his pit stops are right with the Big 3, so no reason he can’t win.

Q: A.J. Foyt Racing -- I love this team! They suck, but I love them! OK, Larry Foyt has to hire Charlie Kimball because he has sponsorship. Same deal as Marco Andretti. But Charlie won’t win a race. Seabass is infringing! Would like to see him full time, for sure in 2021! Having three drivers for the No. 14 will be weird. Will that car out-point Charlie?

I love the little guy! Why are there fewer Chevy teams than Honda teams? Will we ever see another Ford/Cosworth XB?

Dan, Lima, Ohio

RM: I think Seb could be the best thing to happen to Foyt’s team in a long time and I hope they find him a car for Indy as well. A lot of guys won’t win a race so don’t pick on Charlie. If Chevy only had one team it would be fine by them as long as it was Penske. Hopefully we’ll see another Ford IndyCar engine.

Robin reckons Bourdais "could be the best thing to happen to Foyt's team in a long time." Will that be enough? Image by Phillip Abbott/LAT

Q: Having just read the RACER article on Chilton running the No. 59 on road and street courses, any idea who is going to be in that car on the ovals? What about the No. 23? Gotta figure RC Enerson is a good pick for that car, though there are other drivers who I’m sure we’d all love to see drive there. Also, any chance Daly gets the No. 59 for the ovals he won’t get to do at ECR? I gotta figure no, since jumping between teams after Ed gave him a real good chance would not be the smartest move, but I’d love to see Conor run the full season.

Max Camposano, Bethlehem, PA

RM: Well we can now assume that Felipe Nasr and Sergio Sette Camara will be in the No. 31 car for many of the races but Daly isn’t going to stray away from ECR because that’s his future.

Q: Do you feel that after this upcoming season, with the new aeroscreens and recent improvements to cockpit/chassis safety, more European drivers will consider IndyCar as a career option? We know from the past, and a few recent examples such as Conway and Chilton, the danger of ovals are a concern for some drivers. Side note: I love Edd Straw's work and I'm very excited to see he is contributing to RACER. And how about some more tough guy videos?

An appreciative fan from Miami/Detroit

RM: I think the lack of F1 rides and insane expense make IndyCar very appealing to Euro drivers but the safety improvements likely gave even more guys pause for thought. Max is going to drive Indy, he just doesn’t like the banked ovals. Not sure how much Edd is going to do but I worked with him at Autosport and he’s very good. I’ve got a couple tough guy videos on the back burner.

Q: I know the dual race weekends are not popular with the owners, but St. Pete has the great weather and the spring break attendance to support both a Saturday and Sunday schedule. Being it’s the season opener after a long winter break I think everyone would welcome an action-filled weekend of IndyCar racing. I realize there are other Road to Indy series races being run that weekend, but would a two-hour race on Saturday really disrupt the schedule? I would love to see more than 17 races per year and I think most IndyCar fans would too. The fans are already there on Saturday and are hungry for their favorite series to start racing.

BTW I understand Mr. Penske reads the mailbag. Please consider installing handrails in the Vista sections at IMS.

Ray Little

RM: Can’t see it, Ray. I’m amazed Detroit remains a doubleheader because it’s really a grind for the teams (especially coming off May) but because it’s got IMSA it seems to draw pretty good both days. And both races are on NBC so that makes it attractive as well. I just sent Greg Penske your request about handrails.

Q: Enjoyed your feature on Willy T. Ribbs and the Netflix movie. In the article you mentioned that Bernie Ecclestone tried to get him an F1 ride, but the team wanted an Italian driver. Who was the driver that eventually got that particular car?

On another note, I’m glad Willie did not the racism and hate prevent him from chasing his dream. I fell in love with auto racing back in 1973 when I was a second grader and my buddy and his family took me to qualifications at IMS. I was instantly hooked. May became my favorite time of the year. Being a black kid interested in a predominantly white sport caused me to experience questions of why, ridicule and even became the victim of racist acts. However, I never let that discourage me from being a diehard fan. To this day during the month of May, I spend as much time at the track as I possibly can.

Doug from Indianapolis

RM: Italy’s Stefano Modena got that ride and made 70 starts and scored two podiums in his five years of F1. Willy was very strong mentally and that obviously helped him all the way through his career. Glad to hear you’re a die-hard IndyCar fan, please stop me and say hello this May.

Q: Fascinating story on Willy T. I was living in England at the time and had just finished a season running Danny Sullivan in F3 for Modus Cars. I had followed Willy’s success in Formula Ford and he had certainly dominated FF -- much to my amusement, as I was an American. At any rate, Willy either visited us or telephoned me and asked about a drive is F3. Unfortunately, I had no choice but to give him a stock answer, the cost would be £X thousand. We had no sponsors ourselves, so black or white, Yank or Anglo, the cost was the same.

I followed his time in Formula Atlantic and marveled that the various wealthy folks who sponsored him at Long Beach never gave him a proper drive. God, what a waste! Coming from Minnesota, I really had no racial feelings and felt that any company could parlay their support and get a multi-fold return on their investment. Of course, maybe Jim Truman didn’t need black folks in Red Roof Inns. I couldn’t then, nor now, get a handle on the depth of racism that exists in this country.

John Peterson, Plymouth, MN

RM: Very cool story about Sully -- I sent it to him. Trueman was a big fan of Willy and, as he said in the documentary, really rescued him from the depths of depression. I recall doing a phone interview with Willy T. and he was living at a Red Roof Inns (free) while trying to figure out his next move. CART and IMS both dropped the ball and should have tried to get Willy the best of everything -- especially when Bill Cosby got involved -- but nobody was looking at the big picture.

Q: Just finished watching the terrific Netflix doc about Willy T. Ribbs. I remember watching most of this live back in the day as I was a huge fan of his. Was always wondering why he was always having a string of bad luck w/equipment. Now it's been revealed: Was set up by some for a fail. He took what offers came his way & hoped for the best. No doubt had the talent. Is it that people were so blind to “color and racism” he could never get a break? Such a shame -- born too soon.

James Bishop

RM: He had no chance in NASCAR, that was obvious, but other than a couple of instances in Trans Am Willy T. got a fair shake and made his reputation. He never had anything close to the best IndyCar ride and that was pretty short-sighted of CART at the time. Had Dan Gurney been in CART in the late '80s I think he would have given Willy a shot.

F1 and Brabham could have had Willy T. Ribbs, after the American's promising test for the team in December 1985. But they got Stefano Modena instead. Image by LAT archive

Q: I just finished watching "Uppity," the documentary about Willy T. Ribbs, and I don't believe he was a problem because you had other arrogant drivers back then like A.J. Foyt, Tony Stewart, and Niki Lauda. I happened to meet Willy T. back in 1991 at the Grand Prix of the Meadowlands in N.J. and what I saw was a charming individual who I believe should have been given a chance with some of the top teams in IndyCar like a Penske, Newman/Haas, Ganassi and Gallas Racing. I watched him in the Trans Am Series back in the '80s and he should have won the series championship, which is why it's not hard to believe that behind closed doors somebody within the teams he drove for, wasn't ready to see a black man win a major auto racing series title.

Unfortunately for Willy T., and other black drivers like Wendell Scott, Benny Scott Joie Ray and Randy Bethea, racing requires money to win, having a family who has a huge bank account or a financial backer who is willing to put the driver in a winning car. As said in your article about Willy T., one wonders had Jim Trueman had stayed alive would Willy have had a shot to be in IndyCar to be Bobby Rahal's teammate.

Meantime I look at Lewis Hamilton's incredible journey in becoming by some to be the greatest Formula 1 driver in the history of the sport because he had a father in Anthony Hamilton who in some ways like Serena and Venus Williams' father, pushed his son to stardom to be the best and was fortunate that Ron Dennis and Mercedes Benz saw Lewis at the age of 12. I highly doubt Lewis would want to race at the Indy 500, which would be great for the IndyCar Series because they could use him to really boost the series.

Alistair, Springfield, MO

RM: Well, Willy had retired by the time Stewart came into prominence but a problem early on was that he was told by Don King to let people know how great he was all the time. I told him that in racing that you had to show people before you could brag and eventually he backed up everything he said but alienated a lot of people before that. Hamilton had the perfect path that few ever get and I think he realizes it. Not sure he wants to try ovals but it would be great to see him at Indy.

Q: Not much of a media follower, but I just wanted to tell you that your article on John Andretti was wonderful.  As I think only really you could do, you captured the essence of the racer and man John was. Always been a big fan of yours.

Doug S.

RM: Thanks Doug. John was just a very good person who was dealt the worst hand but refused to give up or throw any pity party.

Q: How did you feel when you heard that John Andretti passed away from cancer at the age of 56? Were you very sad when Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash at the age of 41 and his daughter was also killed in the same helicopter crash at the age of 13?

Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY

RM: Obviously both were tragedies but with John we knew it was only a matter of time while Kobe’s accident was shocking and took the lives of some young women who didn’t have the chance to blossom. But the saddest part of John’s ordeal was that he was given a clean bill of health and then his cancer returned.

Q: If John Andretti’s death does nothing else it should remind us all to “Get on with it” while we still can. Life is a crapshoot and you squander what time you’ve got at your own peril. With that in mind I plan on doubling my IndyCar intake this year. Portland and Laguna Seca. Any advice on where or how the Laguna event should be consumed? I hope to see you at one or both. 

David, Vancouver, BC

RM: Go to the Festival Curves at Portland and up on the hill by the Corkscrew at Laguna. Have fun and thanks for being a loyal fan.

Q: Just got the email about renewing the NBC Sports Gold IndyCar Pass. Renewal is $54.99 plus tax. I don't know if there is a deal for new subscribers. It doesn't say anything about country limitations. Personally, I greatly enjoyed the coverage from IndyCar Pass last year. I would put it on for practice and qualifying on Saturday. The running commentary from everyone was much more relaxed than you find on the actual race broadcast. I found it much more entertaining and enjoyable than the actual race broadcasts. It seems like you and the other race reporters and the guys in the booth are having fun and really enjoy being at the racetrack. Makes me jealous actually. Anyway, would I recommend it to an IndyCar fan? Yes I would. My $.02 and it's probably worth what you paid for my opinion.

John Balestrieri, Milwaukee

RM: Glad you enjoyed it and it should be kind if a casual conversation among the booth and pit reporters and I think everyone had fun with it (like P.T. and Townsend going into the pits, those were my favorite moments from 2019 because they were good and got some great responses from drivers and engineers).

Q: Robin, you are the man! Give me all the RLL news you can give me! Plus, remind me why I have to pay for the NBC Gold IndyCar Pass for something that used to be free? When is the testing at Mid Ohio? My daughters and I make it father/daughter day!

Gold Vette

RM: I think Hinch may wind up there for Indy, how’s that? Water used to be free. No test day set yet for Mid-Ohio.

Q: In your Mailbag for Feb. 5, is there a particular reason why Chris Economaki was omitted from your list of favorite broadcasters and writers? An inadvertent oversight, perhaps?

Rick in Lisle, IL

RM: The fan asked about all the former and current writers, not broadcasters, and while Chris kept Speed Sport News on the forefront of American for five decades, he wasn’t a writer, per se. He was obviously a pioneer of broadcasting and the most well-known media personality but his Editor’s Notebook was a melting pot of facts, rumors, opinions and not a column or feature. I probably should have included him anyway. I owe Pete Lyons an apology because I totally spaced on him and he’s one of the premier motorsports journalists and historians on the planet. Hell, I’ve got his books and posters and I simply had a brain fade. Bob Russo was another trend-setter for Speed Age magazine and a reader reminds me I also omitted Jean Shepherd, who wrote brilliantly for Car & Driver on occasion.

How different might things have been if Sam Hornish Jr.'s last-lap pass of Marco Andretti at Indy in 2006 hadn't happened? Image by Sutton/LAT archive

Q: I was watching some past Indy 500 races from the 2000s until recent. If you could change the result of any Indy 500 from that period, which one would you choose and why? Which different result would have had the biggest impact on the history of IndyCar, driver, or a driver's career?

For example, If Marco beats Hornish to the line in '06, would his career be completely different that it is now? Would you change the Tracy/Castroneves outcome? What if Castroneves outduels Hunter-Reay in '12 and wins his fourth 500? If J.R. doesn't crash in Turn 4 on the final lap, would his career have been different? I know they are all what-ifs, but I am curious on your thoughts on what we would be talking about today if any of those races ended differently.

Ryan, Lake Villa, IL

RM: You named the two that could have changed history -- Marco in 2006 and J.R. in 2011. A victory changes everything for their careers’ trajectory, not to mention their overall confidence.

Q: The interviews I just watched with you and Super Tex and Uncle Bobby are worth the weight in gold. Those stories are priceless and had me laughing and tearing. My first of two questions is how was Mario Andretti ever OK with that nickname? The second question is are you over the whole Fernando Alonso deal? I am. I know he is a world-class driver but I just don’t care about it at all. I love a good story as much as anybody, but a far better drama would be the Air Force car putting a lap on Fred before the first green flag pit stop. Thanks for getting me hip to some of the best races I've ever watched. Have a good 2020 and I'll shout at you when you pass me in your golf cart. #bbclegrandprix

Steve, Lakeview Park Beach, Ohio

RM: Thanks, they’re two of the best interviews of all-time because they say whatever is on their mind and truly don’t care if anyone likes it or is offended. Being called “The Whop” by Bobby was a more of a term of endearment and Mario just laughed it off in all their travels together. I want Alonso in the race with a good car because he’s a great driver with a massive following and he really embraced IMS in his two years here.

Q: When you were working for the Indy Star, who scared you more as a reporter, angry A.J. when you accused him of cheating or an angry Bobby Knight? What classic things did Super Tex or The General say to you when you wrote for The Star?

Ryan McKeever

RM: I thought A.J. might drag me into Lake Erie and drown me in 1982 at Cleveland before we buried the hatchet but he was always good to me before 1981 and we had/and have a great relationship. I try to call him once a week or two and just shoot the breeze because he’s an American treasure and I love listening to his stories. As for The General, I was the first local writer to really criticize him and we didn’t have a relationship. He hated me and the feeling was mutual. I always tried to ask one question in the post-game press conference so he would have to call on me and I wasn’t scared of him. But we never had one conversation.

Q: Ya know Robin, deep within the clanking old gears of my warped mind, I can see why Arrow McLaren SP chose that naming order. Otherwise, they might be forever known as...wait for it. SPAM. My wife says I need to go sit in the corner now...

Jim Mulcare, Westbury, NY

RM: No, that was suggested by a reader several months ago and Marshall and I used it all the time until McLaren politely asked that we stop. And they loved Monty Python too.

Q: Last week one of the great American originals passed away. Bill Fowler, 89, was Dan Gurney’s first employee and spent 25 years with The Big Eagle and All-American Racers. He was my mentor and such a smart mechanic and great guy. Hope you can pay him a little tribute.

Terry “Piggy" Malone, Idaho

RM: I didn’t know Bill but thankfully you have provided enough information that we can at least acknowledge his achievements. I love this photo of Bill (on the left-front tire) with designer Len Terry (right front), Carroll Shelby and Dan at the launch of the first Eagle (image courtesy of All American Racers). I read a story about him and he was a hot-rodder and he also went to Bonneville before working with Jerry Eisert at Frank Arciero’s. That’s where he first met Gurney. Anyway, thanks Piggy for giving me a heads-up on one of the true pioneers of the golden era of open wheel.

Q: Back in your August 14, 2019 Mailbag, your response to a question about the potential for increased power at Indy and relaxing the engine rules for the 500 was in part: "I told Jay Frye that I really don’t think people care anymore about a new track record or somebody upping the speed every day. Practice and qualifying haven’t drawn crowds since The Split." Although I tend to question that take on things, I didn't write until now that I know The Captain is listening.

I'm in my late 40s and have been to the 500 over 25 times with my college roommates. We've also been up for Pole Day, back in the day. What I can tell you is that the three of us liken streaming Indy 500 practice to watching March Madness at work, joking about how our company bandwidth is down while we have the video, audio and timing & scoring up. Texts will fly back-and-forth among us throughout the day about Marco going out to set a big number, whether the Penske cars are sandbagging, what effect the weather is having to the cars and what the no-tow speeds are, no name a few. To us, the speeds at Indy are still a huge intrigue.

So, are we the "old guys" hanging onto the past and out of touch with what the current masses want? I don't know, I'm not sure you know, and I'm pretty certain IndyCar doesn't know. We can speculate and have opinions, but what I do know for sure is that IndyCar and IMS both have my email address and that they've never once sent a survey or asked for feedback. Do you know if R.P. will be refocusing marketing efforts and/or agencies? My guess is that he probably has a darn good marketing team on staff and I hope they start to look into the minds of passionate fans that would be glad to provide insight.

Also, have you ever considered doing polls on RACER.com or your Mailbag? You have a nice following and I see many diverse age groups write in. Thanks for the platform to voice our thoughts!

Darren, Knoxville, TN

RM: I think R.P. is going to take this first year to observe and evaluate everyone at IndyCar and IMS before he makes any major changes -- or at least wait until after May. I appreciate your take on speeds and the three most-watched shows we had last May on NBC Gold were the three practice days, so obviously a lot of folks share your attitude. Not sure we’ve ever done any polls at RACER.com [ED: We did for a while, a few years ago] but it’s certainly something worth thinking about because we’d probably get a pretty accurate read from IndyCar’s fan base. Thanks for your note.

Q: It's now been about two years since the NBC deal was announced (March 2018). At the time I thought this could be a game changer. Immediately, any driver or team seeking sponsorship could guarantee significantly more exposure for a partner than before: eight NBC network races (compared to five on ABC), better coverage (NBC's team has done an excellent job), and the continuity of one network instead of flipping channels back and forth. As you talk to drivers and teams now, what impact do they think it has had?

Stu, Wisconsin

RM: I think everyone involved at IndyCar and IMS is thrilled with the amount of promotion that NBC has provided because it’s obviously heavily concentrated on Indianapolis but it’s also about the season. Last year’s Kentucky Derby was an infomercial for the Indy 500 and the race has never received that kind of coverage.

Q: I am interested in knowing what types of work drivers do to make ends meet in the off-season and in-season for those who are not paid, or full time. I have heard that some work as driver coaches (who pays for that, teams or drivers?). Hildebrand uses his college degree, how about others? What are some of the most interesting or unusual jobs you can recall drivers, past or present, having when they are not racing?

Tim from Hagerstown, IN

RM: I don’t think a lot of today’s drivers have off-season jobs but in the old days guys would sell cars, drive trucks and work construction. Three-time winner Mauri Rose had a full-time job at Allison’s just a half mile from the IMS gates and he would go to work in May, clock out for lunch so he could go practice, then go back to work and return later in the afternoon for Happy Hour.

Q: My bucket list race this year is the Long Beach GP. Always loved watching these races. I’m a big sports car fan too so I love getting both series together. So what do I need to know? What should I not miss? What can I avoid? I arrive Thursday through Sunday night. Going to go to the Petersen Museum on Thursday. So next bucket list I need to decide between Mid-Ohio or Elkhart Lake. What’s you opinion if I can only do one of these?

Bill Peer, NYC

RM: Long Beach has something on track from early morning to dark, then a concert on Saturday night after the IMSA race. Stay downtown so you can walk and then hit the Queen Mary one night and the 555 Steakhouse. I’d go to Road America this year and Mid-Ohio in 2021.

Q: I know you are old school, Robin, but if Tony Stewart is smart enough to help make a dirt video game, surely Roger Penske will get one going for IndyCar. It's so important to use video games to relate to kids.

Jeff Loveland

RM: I’m sure R.P. will explore whatever options there are to attract young and older fans alike but, again, give him some time.

Q: There were a lot of stops in between, but Danny Ongais was a bike racer in Hawaii. And when you think about his other stops, and other series he raced in, one of the versatile greats.

John in Aurora

RM: Yeah but he wasn’t an AMA champ like Goldsmith or Leonard or Ward and a lot of guys (Jan Opperman and Swede Savage come to mind) started out on two wheels before changing to four.

Q: I'd like to address the constant bitching and moaning about IndyCar being a "spec" series. For easy reference let's just start with the series during the Andretti/Kmart days. I think it's fair to say we all agree that's the most recent golden age of the series. We had multiple engines and multiple chassis. If I'm not mistaken all the engines (Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, Mercedes) were 2.65-liter V8 turbocharged. If you take all the paint and decals off of the Lola, Reynard, Penske and set them next to each other how many fans would really be able to tell them apart? Yes the short-lived Galmer did have a semi-unique look. I'd guess that most fans are not super-nerd IndyCar fans and they would all look alike to them. I don’t remember seeing anyone wearing a Lola or Reynard T-shirt and cheering for them back in those days.

Do you have to be an IndyCar super-nerd to spot the non-Reynards in this shot from the 1996 CART race at Road America? Image by Michael Levitt/LAT

My point is, most fans would not know the difference between the "spec" we have now and the multiple chassis we had back then. All you have to do it look at IMSA to see why spec is important these days. That's a series that truly does feature multiple unique cars and every type of engine under the sun. IMSA actively tries to make its series spec racing with BOP. It's today’s necessary evil to keep manufacturers involved and make it cost effective.

So to the fans, get over it and enjoy the really good show today's series puts on.

I know, I'm supposed to ask a question So how are you feeling Robin?

Chris, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

RM: I don’t hear too much complaining about spec cars because the racing has been so good the past few years. And you are right that a lot of people couldn’t tell a different chassis or even care but innovation and taking a chance is what helped make practice and qualifying such a big deal at IMS for decades. We loved the uncertainty and new ideas from Mickey, Andy, Smokey, Dan, R.P., etc. and it drew manufacturers and magazines as well as people to compete and come out and see. But those days are gone and today we’ve got really close racing and very few engine failures so it’s a trade-off. I feel fine, thank you.