Robin Miller's Mailbag for May 6

Welcome to this week's installment of Robin Miller's Mailbag! Questions for Robin can be sent to millersmailbag@racer.com. Due to the high volume of questions received, we can't always guarantee that your letter will be printed, but Robin will get to as many as he can. Published questions have been edited for clarity.

Q: The idea of these non-spectator races is insane. I have not worn a mask yet, mostly because every time I ask about them they are sold out. I will be 65 this year, I’m diabetic, high blood pressure, and I would go to a race, and I would wear a mask if necessary. It would be a great sales item, right next to the earplugs. We cannot go the rest of our lives wearing face masks and standing six feet apart. There have been much worse viruses than this, and we never reacted so radically. This has been a crazy year like no one still living probably has ever seen. I don’t want to see our whole way of living to change, but there are people out there who want that to happen. Let’s go racing!

Tim B.

RM: It is insane, but if that’s what it takes once or twice to get the season going and trying to keep sponsors engaged, it needs to happen. Obviously, it’s the last thing an IndyCar promoter wants to hear, and other than Texas and IMS, not sure it could fly anywhere else.

Q: I had plans to go to Gateway this year but due to the unforeseen circumstances and the date change, I can no longer go. I was debating going to the Indy 500 instead. But, I have some concerns about buying tickets for an event that we can't say with 100% certainty will allow the fans in. What you realistically think the chances are of fans being allowed into the Speedway in August, because either way the race is going to happen come mud, blood or flood?

M from Michigan

RM: I have no idea, but no need to buy your tickets until we see what’s in the forecast for July and August in terms of spectators and sporting events.

Q: I was just watching the 1993 Indy 500, not necessarily because it was a great race (although it probably created the greatest controversy in orange juice history) but it was the first, and so far only, 500 I have seen in person. And quite frankly, there isn’t much else to do right now. I found an interesting nugget around Lap 40 from (pit reporter) Jack Arute, who was talking about a conversation he had with Emerson Fittipaldi earlier in the month. He asked Emmo what sort of innovations he would like to see at the Speedway in the future (for context, this was the year the apron had been replaced with grass). Emmo said he would like to see the cockpit fully enclosed in a “plastic bubble” so that there would be a full survival system inside the car. Arute speculated that was something we might see in the next few years.

I guess that would be true, as long as you define “few” as 27. I am sure that wasn’t a new idea even in 1993. Can you recall when you first heard of the idea of a closed-canopy Indy car? Was there any serious development of a system prior to the last couple of years?

BTW, the following year included one of my all-time favorite lines of yours. You wrote that the first yellow during a practice session for the 1994 500 was caused because “the sandbags had fallen off Roger Penske’s cars.” (The year of the famous Ilmor pushrod engine). Thank you for the decades of great stories, insights and humor.

David Hansen, Mission Viejo, CA

RM: A.J. Foyt suggested some kind of cockpit protection back in 1973 after the first-lap crash, but I never heard anything again until after Dan Wheldon’s accident in Las Vegas in 2011. It obviously ramped up again following Justin Wilson’s tragedy at Pocono, and IndyCar did its due diligence before pulling the trigger this year.

Emmo's celebratory air-punch would have been tricky (or painful) had there been a "bubble" over the cockpit. Image by Motorsport Images

Q: When will Indy Harvest Grand Prix Tickets go on sale? The website said April 17th, but still no access to purchase tickets. Will there be pit/paddock access?

Alan, St. Henry, Ohio

RM: From Doug Boles: “You are right, we had planned on putting them on sale on April 17, However, we delayed the on-sale date to wait until our governor made more definitive statements about his phases for reopening Indiana. Our hope is that the tickets will go on sale this week or next. In the meantime, if you haven’t already, you can let our ticketing team know of your interest and they will contact you directly. Our plan is to offer paddock passes for the weekend. More details for those should be announced when we go on-sale with the tickets. Thanks for your interest.”

Q: Just read your column on starting the season. Imagine IndyCar and IMSA sharing that weekend. Road America is about a days drive away for me. I’d crawl over broken glass to see that doubleheader. And bring my grill.

Brian Bristo, London, Canada

RM: It would be a success, but not sure it’s necessary since both draw pretty well on their own at Elkhart Lake.

Q: Hope you continue to be well. Here in Texas, construction has not stopped because of the virus. I was wondering if R.P. had all of the changes/improvements he wanted to do before the race as an ongoing project are still progressing? I guess one of the few positive things that have come from people staying home is construction is going at a rapid pace, especially on the roads and interstates. I work from home and still get paid; I sure hope all of us can get back to work soon, but not too soon.

Tom in Waco

RM: Spoke with The Captain over the weekend and he said Georgetown Road was being repaved along with several parking lots, so he’s back full bore getting IMS more fan-friendly.

Q: Outside of the whole pandemic thing, would we still be seeing some of the Boston Consulting Group's ideas applied at IndyCar? Use IMS more and more, have a condensed calendar, center TV coverage on a single broadcaster, etc.? Mark Miles has also taken races to places recommended by BCG, such as Houston, and thought about doing international races in February. Will we still see other ideas in practice like tests in big cities like Atlanta and Seattle, or even a playoff in the last three races of the year with the decider in Indy? (Perhaps the Harvest GP will remain after this chaotic 2020).

Decreasing the values of the Leaders Circle and increasing the prizes for each race seems like an interesting idea, perhaps a balance between the two is possible. Miles said a few days ago that the schedule for the next regulations is still for 2022. We have seen news about the new engines, but what about the new chassis? Will Dallara continue as a single supplier, or will IndyCar adopt the LMP2/DPi formula, with a standard car concept that anyone can build? Would it be financially good to have more than one chassis builder these days? And will the new cars continue to look like CART? Will they have size 18 wheels? Sorry for so many questions, I think this pandemic state of the world has been speeding me up a bit :)

Geferson Kern, Venancio Aires, Brazil

RM: I don’t think the Boston Consulting Group has one iota of influence on Roger Penske, and I wouldn’t expect it to. IndyCar went to Houston on three separate occasions during the past 25 years – all before Miles came along – and he’s often talked about foreign races, but The Captain has very little interest outside North America and he calls the shots. Have no idea about another engine manufacturer, new cars or wheels, but Dallara has worked with Jay Frye and reduced the price during the past few years, so I don’t think another chassis manufacturer would necessarily be good for IndyCar.

Q: Any chance that with the change of dates of the Indy 500 that Scott McLaughlin will drive in this year’s race? If not, what IndyCar races are we likely to see him in this year?

Paul Fitzgerald, Indianapolis

RM: I imagine he might lobby for it, but difficult to see R.P. fielding five cars. I would think the July road race is still in play, and maybe an oval later on if the season gets going.

Q: Longtime listening, first time caller. Any word on the date(s) for the rescheduled St. Pete weekend? Keep up the good work. I met you in the paddock at Mid-Ohio a few years back, and I was impressed as you engaged an 8-year-old-boy, explaining what he was seeing in the garage!

Tom H., Wild and Wonderful WV

RM: It’s being finalized, but I’m told we could know later in the month.

"According to our research, the key to a successful IndyCar event is racing in a very humid parking lot." Image by Masche/Motorsport Images

Q: I keep hearing that things are going to work out and Texas is going to be the first race to be held on this year’s schedule. With that being said, what are you hearing about Road America? Anything? Do you hear or believe it will be run? And if it is run, will it be with or without fans?

Ken

RM: I wrote a column two weeks ago about Road America. The general manager is playing it by ear, obviously, but is optimistic they can stick to their schedule, and even if fans are restricted, they can accommodate some decent spacing.

Q: Heard you on the radio today with JMV. Thank you for keeping it real. My buddies and I are all in our 30s and are passionate IndyCar fans, and we cannot stand iRacing. I think they should quit broadcasting it and televise 30-minute interviews with all the drivers. Take an inside look at their families, hobbies and career highlights. There isn't anything to gamble on. We had shifted our attention to the Mexican soccer league until that got shut down.

Alex H

RM: Thanks, I continue to be amazed and distressed with all the hoopla about faking racing on the internet. And now Pagenaud is public enemy No.1 because he crashed into somebody on a computer screen. Auto racing is all about risk vs reward, not pretending to take a chance. I wish I could print what A.J. thinks of it.

Q: I'm not sure if this is the proper forum for my remarks since I don't actually have a question, but once again you have made it worth my while to wake up today. And I am not writing to get my name in the Mailbag or to get an "aw shucks" from you. During our hiatus there is iRacing, flashback racing, drivers getting fired and hired and sponsors getting the sniffles over this and that and no end to what-iffing, but the only things that I look forward to, racing-wise, are your Mailbag responses, your Tough Guy features and interviews with racing's lions, even your pimping of other writer's books. Thank you for making this time somewhat bearable, and I hope you stay healthy and keep making my day!

Gary Emling, Dwight, IL

RM: Well I appreciate your passion and support, and I’m just glad RACER.com gives me the forum to write about anything and everything that was and is good about IndyCar.

Q: My first IndyCar race was the 1967 Rex Mays classic at Milwaukee, dominated by Gordy. I saw every race since then, as well as every IndyCar race at Road America (I love living in Wisconsin). And you can throw in 10 Indy 500s and many USAC midget races at Hales Corners Speedway, as well. So you can see that when it comes to racing, I’m as old school as it comes. Which is why I’m surprised I enjoyed the iRacing series as much as I did. I think it was the fact that even though it’s a glorified computer game, it was the real drivers taking part, not some 12-year-old couch potato. We all know race car drivers are wired differently. If two of them start mowing their lawns at the same time, each will give 110% to finish first. So them taking it so seriously wasn’t a surprise.

What did surprise me was the intensity of the teams. Engineers, strategists, spotters, etc., treated it as if it was the real thing. Do you think it was because like everyone else, they were bored out of their minds? Or did they view it as an opportunity to ‘stay in shape’ for when real racing starts again? Or maybe those guys and gals are wired just as differently as drivers?

The two biggest takeaways from the series for me were that one, IndyCar has to get back to Motegi. I forgot how perfect that track is for IndyCars. The second, the graphics are amazingly realistic on iRacing, down to the last detail. And guess what? I never really noticed the new windscreen unless it was a cockpit shot showing the halo. You were spot-on when you told all the open-wheel purists to come in off the ledge and give the windscreen a shot before condemning it. Hope to see you at Road America this summer, even if it is from six feet away.

John Z., Cedarburg, WI

RM: Honestly, I’m hoping it was simply boredom and not real professionals losing their minds in virtual reality. When they told me there were spotters for a computer game I almost lost it. My only solace is that the best driver in the series didn’t take it seriously, and that’s one more reason to admire Scott Dixon. Like I said on our local sports talk show last week, if the iRacing series gained IndyCar a couple thousand new fans (i.e. youngsters) then it was worth it. But we all need to understand it means nothing.

Q: I was very disappointed in the actions of Santino Ferrucci and, of all people, Simon Pagenaud, whom I really enjoy seeing racing. I don't think they should be banned forever, but I think they should face a stiff penalty for their actions against Lando Norris who should have won the race. What if they did that in the real Indy 500? Think about the possibility that a driver would severally hurt or, dare I say, had their lives taken away. Image the outcry in real life had they did that. I know it was just game simulation, but I still don't find it cool.

Alistair, Springfield, MO

RM: Penalty? How about having to watch the replay 10 times? That would seem fair. Good lord, do you really think Pagenaud drives like that in real life? Did you watch the end of last year’s Indy 500? He and Rossi staged a great duel, and I don’t care if and Ferrucci crashed into the entire field of some iRace. Who cares? I can promise you this: there won’t be another iRacing question in any more Mailbags as long as I’m breathing.

It's safe to say that Robin's position on virtual racing remains unchanged. Image by Miller/Lumen

Q: I appreciate your voice throughout the years and support for open-wheel racing. You're the best. After watching the iRacing event at Indy with the wrecks and drivers taking risks, I wonder this: will spectators lose sight of the inherent dangers of real racing and not realize the harm that can occur when a car barrel-rolls or hits the fence? And will younger drivers forget they are not in a video game? Seems like bad habits and false expectations could develop. What we've watched the last few weeks may be entertaining, but is not real. I agree with others – write the book.

Rick, Homestead, FL

RM: It’s not entertaining, it’s not real and it’s not worth discussing. No real race fan places any emphasis on a computer game. It’s a cartoon, and why would anyone think it translates to real life? Sorry to be such an a**hole, but obviously I’m sick of talking about this crap. But thanks for the kind words.

Q: It’s only iRacing! But, as we have seen in past weeks the land of virtual reality can have very real consequences. Has Simon Pagenaud become the latest driver to “crap in his mess kit” during an iRacing event?

The rumor mill was at one time stirring having him leaving Penske at the end of the year headed for Arrow McLaren SP, given his close past connection to Gil de Ferran. His loss of mind during the recent iRace was a bit surprising, if not shocking, given that relationship. He not only took leader Lando Norris out, but clearly did it with premeditation, as evidenced by his discussing it over an open mic. Zak Brown and possible future McLaren teammate Lando Norris will most certainly have a dim view of his character, given his extremely poor sportsmanship.

Given the lack of any real success in IndyCar last year, I’m rather certain Zak Brown was smiling prior to Simon’s moment of very poor judgment. At that point McLaren cars were potentially filling the virtual podium. I’m also rather certain the pendulum swung rather quickly, possibly having consequences in our very real world. I’m also betting that The Captain was not very proud of such poor sportsmanship and rather ugly representation of his and sponsor brands. Lando, other drivers, team owners, sponsors, iRacing, many fans, and Team Penske surely cannot be impressed with Simon’s actions and his apparent inability to own it and issue a heartfelt apology. I know you have your ear to the ground. Do you believe this will affect relationships in the real world? Or is it only iRacing?

John B, Del Rio, TN

RM: Do you seriously think Roger Penske is going to fire an Indy 500 winner because of some crash in a fake race on a computer?

Q: Did you watch Leigh Diffey’s interview on NBCSports.com with Andretti and Tracy? Michael was really nice to P.T.! And they mentioned you!

Dan Kirby

RM: I did, and told Leigh it was damn entertaining because both of those guys were very honest about their rivalry. I think Michael had to be flattered when P.T. said he was the “fastest” guy out there, but it was true. And Paul is usually pretty honest about his strengths and weaknesses.

Q: With Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick, Simona de Silvestro, Ana Beatriz, Katherine Legge, and Pippa Mann all making the Indianapolis 500 in the last decade, I assumed we would see more female drivers. It seems we are seeing less. Where have all the female drivers gone? Are there any on the IndyCar horizon?

Scott in Portland

RM: Hailie Deegan and Natalie Decker are in the NASCAR pipeline and Keith Kunz has a couple young ladies running USAC midgets, but nobody on the immediate horizon for IndyCar.

Q: You mentioned in your most recent Mailbag that IMS has rights to the Indy 500 winner’s car for one year and uses it to display at the museum. Supposing JR Hildebrand had crossed his wrecked car ahead of Dan Wheldon, would they have displayed it ‘as is’ for one year, or fixed it back up?

Janis V

RM: No, someone asked me why IMS doesn’t keep the winner’s car for a year. Sometimes the car keeps racing after May. Pretty sure they would fix any crashed winner.

Q: Longtime reader of the Mailbag. Always appreciate reading and watching your passion for open-wheel racing from this side of the pond. For many years, IndyCar has attracted my attention more than F1. I managed to get several friends to sit and watch some of the recent 500s and they were wide-eyed at how spectacular the racing is.

I dug out an old copy of Autosport I had lying around and it had a very interesting article on unraced Indy cars. Some of the featured included the (not at all Dan Gurney) Eagle “Aircraft,” the all-carbon tub Lotus 96, and the mouthwatering prospect Ferrari 637. As Steve Horne of Truesports mentioned, it had to be much more than a bargaining chip against F1 with the level it got to!

Do you have any good stories of cars that either never got beyond the drawing board, or projects like the Aircraft flyer that were just too ambitious? Any that you wish would have got to race?

After what would have been his 72nd birthday this year, I hope you can add this individual to the Tough Guy series: Jim Crawford. Too young to have seen him race in period but after reading, researching and watching various race archives with him, I can see why he became a favorite at Indianapolis. Especially racing through a huge amount of pain. Taken too soon after various complications after his '87 crash that plagued him for the rest of his life. Do you have any recollections of Jim at all? Hope to save up enough to make my first trip to the 500 next year!

Ben, London, UK

RM: I guess the Ligier came to mind first since it actually got on the track, but I recall being so enamored with the Lotus because Little Al was going to drive it. And I saw a shot of the Ferrari not long ago so that would have also been a chapter in itself. I called Bernie up one night and woke him up to inquire about the Porsche in the late '70s before it got scuttled. Jim Crawford was one of my favorite people, and a very brave lad whose sense of humor was splendid. I remember tracking him down a couple years before he died and told him to get his butt back up to Indy for the race, but he’d moved on and didn’t really have any interest. But after his altitude record in an IMS practice crash he famously replied: “Like a Bond martini, shaken but not stirred,” when asked about his condition.

There's no debate over Jim Crawford's tough guy credentials. Image by Motorsport Images

Q: Nice piece on Jan Opperman. They don't make guys like that anymore. Living on Long Island, we didn't get to see Jan unless we road tripped out to The Grove or any other dirt track in the Northeast. But he was always in the local racing papers every week, so we were well aware of his talent. When he got to Indy, I was very happy to see him make The Show. As Indy cars got further away from the reach of many short track hot shoes, it always gave me a good feeling to see guys like Jan get a shot. Seeing Rich Vogler, Steve Kinser, the immortal Jack Hewitt, Bryan Clauson, and The Hippie, among others, in the 500 always brought a little home-grown flavor. When the Jan Opperman Fund was started, I would always pick up the latest Bob & Tom charity CDs to benefit him, while remembering the man and doing what I could to help... Still have them. Always will.

Jim Mulcare, Westbury, NY

RM: You’re a good man, and those Bob & Tom albums raised a lot of money for Jan’s parents and helped keep him going. That summer of 1976 was one of the greatest runs I’ve ever seen, and Opp was just so damn good.

Q: In the last Mailbag Brian in Indy mentioned naming the four corners at the Speedway. I've been going to the Speedway off and on for various events since 1968, and I've noticed that when speaking of the corners they are mentioned in distinctive terms; up in Turn 1, over in Turn 2, back in Turn 3, down in Turn 4. I'm not sure I agree with Brian's idea, unless you name the north short chute after Mike Mosley – Mike had a tough time up there.

John in Akron

RM: It’s never given any serious thought to my knowledge, and as far as Mose goes, he was way too good a racer to be remembered for crashing a couple times as a teenaged rookie.

Q: Robin, help me out here. I know there was a book published not too long ago about a number of second-place finishers at the Indy 500. I thought it was called Second to None but I can’t find it anywhere. Can’t remember the author or publisher. I know I’m not dreaming… can you help? Thanks from a loyal reader of yours.

Jeff Brown, Bernardsville, NJ

RM: That’s it, written by Gordon Kirby and published by Joe Freeman. You can find it at Racemaker Press or Coastal181.com, and Kirbs’ latest book on Long Beach just hit the streets and is a great read.

Q: I was just thinking about some of the past Indianapolis 500 fantastic finishes that came down to two drivers dueling it out for the win. What are some of your favorites, and what would you rank as no.1? Thanks for keeping us IndyCar fans entertained.

Joe, Indy

RM: Hunter-Reay and Helio was a classic. Ditto for Montoya-Power, and I loved Dario and Sato because Taku was all-in on the last lap. And Rossi and Pagenaud was great theater as well. But my favorite will always be Johncock and Mears in 1982. The excitement of Jim McKay and Sam Posey when they finally figured out Rick was catching Gordy by a second a lap and the last lap itself were priceless.

Q: I have never been able to sit and study all the drivers helmets. I think it would be great to see what's on each one, something new, something crazy, personal, and all the sponsors. Is there a group photo of them all, or what would be the best way to see them all without have to look at everyone’s site? What is the cost of just the helmet? And while I am at it, is there any one or two sites that has any quirks about the drivers on what they go through before a race, or maybe won’t do? Just wanted to lighten things up some. I will see you in Texas (I hope) and Iowa.

Patrick, Seguin, Texas

RM: Not sure there’s any one photo, per se, and drivers are always changing their helmets for paint schemes or sponsors. Their helmets are given to them for free, but probably cost $3000-$4000 to buy. Driver bios on team websites might contain some superstitions.

One-off helmet designs – like this Steve McQueen one sported by Alexander Rossi at Indy last year – are fairly common. Image by Motorsport Images

Q: I grew up in Chicago in the '50s, and as a kid, every summer an old panel truck would show up at a house down the street for a visit. It had a primitive camper set up (before motorhomes were a thing). The truck had stickers and signs on the sides, but the claim to fame was a mention that it was "First in line for the Indy 500 'x'  years in a row." Does this vehicle description ring any bells? The man's name was Larry Bisceglia. Did you ever meet him? He was from Yuma, Arizona and the internet shows the 1951 Chevy panel van as I remember it. When I visited the IMS Museum, I never saw a mention of this. The Museum owns the panel truck according to the internet; probably one of the many items in the basement storeroom. I know you do a lot of 'remember when' pieces about racers, and you probably met just as many interesting fans over the years, can you think of any other ‘super fans’ you remember?

Mike Adriansen, Buellton, CA

RM: There have been a lot of super fans, but nobody had more popularity and longevity than Larry Bisceglia. A mechanic from Yuma, AZ, he first attended Indy in 1926. In 1948 he decided to arrive several days before the event and drove his 1933 DeSoto, but was surprised upon his arrival that there were already two cars lined up at the gate. Striving to be first, in 1949 Larry again drove his DeSoto and left a few days earlier than before, but was beat yet again, this time by one vehicle.

In May 1950 he finally achieved his goal: the first in line. He once said, “I love racing. When I first drove to the Indy 500 in 1947, I thought if you got in line first, you didn’t have to pay. I had to pay, but I just decided to be first for 10 years, then 20, then 30.’’ He was to become famous, at least in Indianapolis and with the racing community, for being “Mr. First in Line.”

He continued to drive his DeSoto to and from the track every year through 1954. By 1955 he had acquired this 1951 Chevrolet panel truck, which over the next few years he covered with hundreds of racing decals. In 1958 the Indianapolis Motor Speedway presented him with a lifetime pass to the Indy 500. He was awarded a key to the Speedway gates by Tony Hulman. Track officials even installed an electrical outlet outside the track for Larry to use in his truck for a more comfortable stay. He drove this Chevy to IMS for the next 12 years.

On Pole Day 1967, he was summoned to the start-finish line, where the Ford Motor Co. presented him with a brand-new Ford Econoline van. Larry then donated his old Chevy panel truck to the IMS Hall of Fame Museum, where it still resides. (Thanks to the Car Nutz guys for this info).

Q: I saw that the reasons for two yellow flags at the 1972 California 500 were jack rabbits at Turn 2 from Lap 4 to Lap 10, and again on the backstretch from Laps 12 to 15. Do you remember the incident, can you tell us about it and has something like that ever happened before in Indy racing? I seem to remember that during a Can-Am race at Elkhart Lake, Denny Hulme hit a rabbit that tore off one front wheel and fender. At Westwood Raceway in Coquitlam, just outside of Vancouver BC, a section on the back straight was called Deer’s Leap for good reason.

Doug Mayer

RM: I was the vent man for Johnny Parsons that day, and all I recall is that one of the Ontario firemen said afterwards he’d never seen a jack rabbit that big. A bird hit Ebb Rose at IMS going down the backstretch and almost knocked him out, and Rube got hit by an errant tee shot from the golf course. Of course the worst accident was when a deer jumped into the cockpit with Cristiano da Matta at Road America during a test in 2006 and nearly killed him. Thankfully, he fully recovered and is living happily in Brazil with his wife and two children.

Q: Former West-Sider (School 79, School 100, School 108 and Northwest High School Class of 1985) now relocated to the Detroit area. I love the Indianapolis 500 as much as anyone, but I really wish the Indianapolis Motor Speedway would stop with this story that Jim Nabors was pulled from his seat to sing “Back Home Again in Indiana” for the first time back in 1972. I realize that the late, great Mr. Nabors tells the story that way, but that doesn’t seem to be true. Here’s the story from IMS. I’ve attached a clipping from the Indianapolis News from the day before the race that year – it clearly shows him as the singer. I hope you are doing well and that we have an Indianapolis 500 this year.

Jeff Majeske

RM: I seem to recall the story about Mr. Hulman asking Jim to sing but never knew all the details, so thanks for sharing.