Robin Miller's Mailbag for June 3, presented by Honda Racing/HPD

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: I'm curious about one particular aspect of possibly having the Indy 500 in August, or even pushed back further to October. There doesn't seem to be the question, as in other states, as to whether the 500 will be allowed to run by the state, county, or local governments. The Indiana plan seems to open the state fully by July 4, assuming Stage 5 of the Back on Track Plan commences as expected.

You've said that Roger Penske really wants to have fans at the 500, and I'm sure he does and will do what he can to make it happen. It strikes me that there are three additional factors that Penske Entertainment has to consider.

No. 1: Political pressure. President Trump awarded Roger Penske the Presidential Medal of Freedom in October and a giant gathering of pure Americana would be a massive political win heading into an election.

No. 2: Lawyers. The jury is literally and figuratively still out on the question of whether you can be sued as an employer, event promoter, etc., if you host a gathering, workplace, or event that becomes a major COVID-19 spreading event.

No. 3: Insurance. Will all of the insurers who usually overlay on top of a big event like the 500 step up and offer insurance at a rate that can be justified?

No. 4: Sponsors. Do big corporate sponsors value commercial exposure that comes with having the race, or do they wish to avoid association with an event with the potential to become a COVID-19 aerosol can?

I'm wondering if you could talk to high-level officials within Penske Entertainment and/or on the commercial side of racing about what they think of any of these factors even if the state, county, and local governments have cleared the way for 250,000 people to descend on the Speedway?

Clint, Chicago, IL

RM: Until we find out if spectators will be allowed into the Brickyard weekend it’s fruitless to try and anticipate what’s going to happen with the Indy 500. But the first line on the back of your Indy 500 ticket reads: “The ticket holder expressly assumes all risk incident to the event, whether occurring prior, to or during the actual conduct of the event and hereby releases all event participants from any and all claims arising from the event, including claims of negligence.” That lists includes IMS, IndyCar, IMS Foundation. And I’m fairly certain that R.P. and his inner circle have considered all of the scenarios and possible pitfalls. Obviously if this pandemic is still motoring in late August it could change the way a sponsor thinks about participating, but nobody can answer that right now.

Q: It's killing me to see no F1 or IndyCar races, but NASCAR is running two races a week already! How about IndyCar adding a second race at Texas and/or adding COTA in June too? Any remote chance?

Martin, Henderson, NV

RM: No, it’s way too late to being adding a race at Texas, and I’m not sure IndyCar will ever go back to COTA. But, repeat after me, NASCAR has more races, always starts the season sooner and can afford to run several races with no spectators because of its lucrative TV contract. Texas got the nod to go without fans because R.P. made Eddie Gossage an offer he couldn’t refuse.

IndyCars going around that place would be mind-bending. Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Q: Since Road America’s date changed to July 11 and 12 for the double-header race, the gap between Texas race and the IMS road course is around one month. Has Mark Miles considered adding another race in between them?

Darren, Malaysia

RM: I think Miles, Jay Frye and The Captain have had a multitude of possible scenarios to try and ensure IndyCar has 12-13 races, but what they’ve got at the moment is the best way to combat the pandemic – three doubleheaders. But television has to be figured into these discussions and NBC has a lot of hungry mouths to feed this summer, so be thankful if the current schedule holds up in the face of COVID-19.

Q: With the ink not yet dry from canceling the Richmond race, Virginia now again allows racing just in time for Martinsville. Can you un-cancel a race? Are there any ulterior motives at play here?

Shawn from Maryland

RM: Naw, nothing sinister, NASCAR will just run Martinsville with no fans and that was never an option for Richmond. Spectators may not be allowed into Virginia events until August.

Q: How about having IndyCar racing at Bristol and Martinsville? If not IndyCar, how about Indy Lights, as there doesn’t seem to be that many entries?

Jeff Koopman

RM: Bristol would be insane for IndyCars and Richmond was going to provide that bullring track, but never heard Martinsville discussed. Indy Lights just threw in the towel for 2020, and that would not have been embraced by either side with only nine cars.

Q: The more this pandemic continues, the more I worry about the IndyCar Series. Do you think it will go down as a shortened championship and be thought of as a lesser accomplishment? I would hate to have it in the history books as a lame excuse for a champ. Or is there a possibility of extending the championship points into next year? Have there been other years where the points payout was shortened? Are there other options being considered?

Mark Suska, Lexington, Ohio

RM: From 1956-1964 the USAC season varied from 12-14 races, and after The Split the IRL had 3-10-11-10-9 races from its inception in 1996 through 2000. So if IndyCar at least a dozen under these circumstances it’s plenty, and doesn’t diminish the championship. Nobody wants a carryover champion and no options are being discussed at this time, but it’s way too early to guarantee the 14 races will all be run. [ED: It’s not IndyCar, but Edd Straw wrote an interesting column about how a short-format championship might be viewed in the context of F1 a few weeks ago].

Q: Texas just reopened outdoor sporting events at 25% capacity starting June 1. Please check my math. TMS has 100,000 frontstretch seats, and usually has 25,000 attendance. But Eddie Gossage said still no attendance allowed. Bummer.

Gray Fowler

RM: I think Eddie said that by the time that decision was made he wasn’t left with enough time to promote and sell tickets, so no spectators.

Q: Good thing the IndyCar opener at Texas is this weekend and not the past weekend. Last Saturday evening all programming on TV channels in SoCal was preempted by coverage of the protests and riots, including the local Los Angeles NBC affiliate KNBC Channel 4. I'm sure it was the same way everywhere else. The race we have all been waiting all of these months for would be relinquished to reruns on YouTube or NBC Sports Gold. As if things are not bad enough, that would have been a huge downer. Think about it: An IndyCar with no fans in the stands and no TV audience. What kind of business model is that?

Bob Gray, Woodland Hills, CA

RM: I imagine it could have been shifted to NBCSN unless there was already a live event scheduled, but losing network in prime time would certainly hurt. And it wouldn’t have been anyone’s fault – you can’t prepare for riots coast-to-coast in major cities.

Q: I know I might be Debbie Downer again. But if Texas TV ratings are still awful in this time of sports-starved people, could that be a huge setback to IndyCar’s chances of getting prime time TV in the future?

Jeff Loveland

RM: First off all, Saturday night traditionally isn’t good for television ratings so if IndyCar gets its usual one million on network, is that awful? No, but I think we’re all hoping there won’t be anything else for a sports fan to watch Saturday night, and if Texas is its usual Wild West show then maybe two or three million check it out. NBC isn’t in the habit of showing sports in prime time (unless it’s the Olympics or NFL), so this was an effort to try and take advantage of the situation.

Q: This is not a position on whether or not we should open during the quarantine. Texas has allowed events to take place with people now. To be fair, Texas has only been 25% filled any race in the past few years. Why don't they allow all these customers in who have tickets? Just space them out through all the grandstands. This would give box office receipts to the promoter down there. I'm damn excited to see IndyCar back. They have the best Captain to run the ship. Been a fan since Mark Donohue won in 1972.

Peter Malone

RM: We have no idea how many tickets were sold before the country closed down, but a lot of people don’t make up their mind until a few days before a race or when they see the weather forecast. Just be happy it’s going to be on NBC and we can finally start racing.

Q: With the 2020 Indy Lights season being canceled, I started wondering what caused the series to fall to only having 7-10 cars a race? In 2008 Lights still averaged 20-23 car grids a race, and 2009 grids were still respectable – between 16-24 car grids a race. By the 2013 Indy Lights season the average field size had fallen to only nine cars, and the 2019 grid was the same size. What would you say are contributing factors behind Indy Lights field sizes falling to under 10 cars a race?

Jymy Ojanen, Finland

RM: Lack of participation by the IndyCar owners (only Andretti Autosport fields a team), poor purses and it’s very reasonable by European prices but still an expensive proposition. I think Dan Andersen has tried to keep the budgets in check, but we’re still talking a couple million to do it right and that’s a lot right now.

Q: I was very disappointed to hear about the cancellation of the Indy Lights season. It’s understandable, but nonetheless disappointing. My question is, where do you think the Road to Indy fits with Roger Penske’s priorities? I know he has many, and not everything can be an immediate priority, but I believe the Road to Indy is a key step in growing the sport. I don’t pretend to know how it stacks up with other issues.

Wally, Eden Prairie, MN

RM: I think R.P. has a plan for Lights and I’m hoping to ask him about it this week. But between the Brickyard weekend and Indy 500, I imagine that’s not a priority at the moment.

Andretti Autosport had four driver signed for the 2020 Lights championship, including reigning Indy Pro 2000 champion Kyle Kirkwood. Image by Road to Indy

Q: With two sons and an ‘extended family’ in motorsports, I have to respectfully disagree with you in your RACER article ‘Enough of this nonsense’. I’ll be the first to admit that the iRacing thing isn’t really my cup of tea, and while I could lean your way with the actions of Bubba, Simon, Santino, and Daniel if it was just buddies having some fun, Kyle’s actions are just not acceptable period.

That being said, none of it is acceptable once you’ve crossed the line and present it in a public format as a TV broadcast. At that point the dynamic has changed completely, as you now are representing your sport, team, sponsors, branding, etc. Images get tarnished, bad examples are set for younger viewers, and a general lack of professionalism is displayed by behavior like that.

I also think opportunity for other growth (large or small) gets damaged when at least some level of seriousness and polish isn’t taken. If that’s something a driver, or team is not comfortable in signing up to, that’s fine. Don’t participate from the beginning. But at the same time, don’t downplay or badmouth something that might do some good and be bit helpful. That’s part of the responsibility of the whole ‘freedom’ thing that seems to have become so popular lately. You have the freedom to choose not to participate, just as others have the freedom to take part, accepting the responsibilities that go with it. And neither should hold anything against the other. Thanks for the great job you do, and for allowing me to voice my opinion, too!

W. Vincent IV

RM: My objections were to press conferences, press releases, guest grand marshals and people singing the national anthem like it was truly some kind of a big deal. And what does it do for IndyCar if some kid from F1 who has never driven an IndyCar or seen the tracks comes in and kicks everybody’s butt? We’re trying to sell IndyCar as one of the best and toughest arenas in motorsports, and I don’t think that helps. Is it good if some young people became IndyCar fans and will start following the series? Of course, and maybe that is the end result, but we all need to treat it for what it really is – a video game with no risks other than what comes out of a driver’s mouth. Thanks for your letter.

Q: Thank you for saying what I'm sure many of us who have participated in the real thing have been thinking about computer racing. I tried to watch because, just like every other fan out there, I needed a fix. Sadly, I became distracted by my neighbor's newly-planted lawn and freshly-painted house. I'm not disparaging the people who participate because there is an obvious skill level required, but how can crash out and then push reset? How do you race without being able to feel what the car is doing around you? How do you...oh, who cares! Thank you for telling it as it is one more time.

Tom Patrick, Baja California

RM: Thanks Tom. We all got hooked on racing because of the noise, the speed, the danger, the competition, the cars or the drivers. I have no idea how anyone watches two hours of sim racing or how any real racer finds any enjoyment in it, but the best news is that it’s over and I don’t have to read about it every day.

Q: Your column of May 27 was absolutely, dead nuts, center-of-the-bullseye, spot on. Sim 'racing' is 110% pure BS. And the consequences for things that happen during these 'events' would be hilarious if they weren't so pathetic. Abt and Larson losing their jobs because of their behavior during this game playing is just pitiful. When I watched my first (and last) sim 'race' about two months ago I thought, ‘I would turn my car around 180 degrees and go like hell.’ Now that would be entertainment! Forget about the 'big one' at Talladega. What's to lose? Everyone gets a 'do-over'." But I suppose the pretending, 'oh so serious,' no-brain gamers would be so upset they'd probably drop their bag of potato chips.

Demographics suggest the average racing fan is 48 and getting older. You, Miller, and I, are dinosaurs, and will soon enough, be extinct. The few young real racing fans (like my son, age 33) of today will never experience the halcyon, raucous, 'days of real thunder' of the past. And that's a shame. By the way, I have become a Kyle Larson fan. And I'm working on Daniel Abt! Is Larson done with stock cars?

Bill B.

RM: Look, there’s no denying Larson crossed the line, and the fallout was swift and expected in today’s world, but like Willy T. Ribbs said: “He didn’t kill anybody like O.J.”, and I think Kyle is truly remorseful for becoming such a lightning rod. And using a racial slur in the public forum. He’s just a quiet kid who loves going fast in midgets and sprinters, and I think Tony Stewart will bring him back to Cup if he chooses. But Ganassi had no options in the face of losing all his sponsors.

Q: I rarely have disagreement with your opinions, but I think your take on Daniel Abt is way off. Abt was being paid by Audi and their backers to represent their brands and race team. It may not have been a motor race, but it was a public event in which they wanted him to compete in a racing simulation. But he sent a surrogate to cheat for him.

Put another way, if U.S. Concrete hosted an online event featuring Marco Andretti, but instead Marco sent someone from the race shop in his place, would U.S. Concrete think it was OK because it was just an online event? TV isn’t real life either (particularly NBC Sports Gold), but I’m pretty sure NBC wouldn’t be happy if you or Diffey took it upon yourselves to outsource the job. You’re perfectly right to shake your head at a computer game being nonsense and opine on whether race car drivers do or should take it seriously. Abt tried to excuse it as just a game. If it’s a silly game that doesn’t matter to him, why did he go through the effort to cheat to improve his results? He failed to represent Audi and their partners as they pay him to do. The consequences are on him.

Aron Meyer, Tucson, AZ

RM: I can’t imagine any IndyCar driver losing his job for bringing in a ringer for a video game, and I think Audi was simply looking for a reason to get rid of Abt because he wasn’t running up front. But I did have a few “sim experts” tell me that Pagenaud should be fired by Roger Penske for crashing into Lando Norris in fake racing. I just shake my head.

Most people can see that it wasn't the sim part of the Larson incident that was the problem. But in Abt's case, the picture's less clear. Image by Romney/Motorsport Images

Q: First off, I'd take being called an old half-assed midget driver stuck in the 1960s and 1970s as a compliment. As it is, I'm one of those much-reviled Millennial types. You nailed this pro sim-racing experiment on every point. There are some positives to it, between the increased exposure for the sport, certain drivers like Conor Daly and Sage Karam have raised their profile in a good way. Robert Wickens might be the best story out of all of this, as he's used this time as another step in his rehab. That's all good, but it’s not everything.

As one of the younger generation, I watch some sim racers on occasion, and most are entertaining in one way or another. The idea is to put on a show, after all. But I have little interest in watching a virtual race the way I would a real race. There's little exclusivity to sim racing –, I can go and buy a sim game myself and run a virtual car around a virtual track. I won't be as good as the regulars, but it’s attainable. Add to that the complete lack of risk and you have people making wild, unrealistic moves all over the place (not dissimilar from a NASCAR plate race).

I watch racing for one main reason: the people who drive race cars do something I cannot do, and do it well. Yes, fast cars are cool, competition is exciting and traditions are inspiring, but race drivers are a different breed. How else do you explain how a person can crash a car at 180, 190+ mph, then turn around, hop in another car and try it again? Even if I could drive one of those cars, I'd never run near the limit like the pros can.

The risk is part of the appeal, always has been and always will be. No one wants to see a driver crash, but the risk is always there and you know they are always dancing on the edge of control for the sake of speed and the chance to win. It’s something no other sport has. Sims have a place in modern racing: teams and drivers use them for testing and learning new tracks, and the exposure that sim racers bring to the sport can only help, but it will always be complimentary to the real deal. I'm glad real racing is back, and I can't wait to see IndyCar in action at Texas.

Kyle Padelford

RM: Thanks Kyle, for delivering one of the most rational and best-written letters in The Mailbag’s 30-year history. You nailed it.

Q: Your column on sim racing was spot-on. Drivers and teams using true simulators to test car setups, learn tracks, comparisons against previous year dynamics, etc., make sense and serve a purpose. Agreed? Out of curiosity more than any recognition of the importance of it all, I tuned in for a couple of events. If you are not manipulating pedals, multiple video displays, chats with your engineers and monitoring all manner of electronics at your fingertips, these events are seriously boring for anyone who is a true fan [of real racing] and don’t reflect reality. Cars flying through the air on a video screen belongs in an arcade. Congratulations on speaking out.

Dennis D.

RM: Thanks, Dennis. Obviously simulators serve several purposes, as you stated. I remember Alonso spending hours running IMS on Honda’s back in 2017, and they help rookies learn tracks, so there are benefits. But I loved Tony Kanaan’s quote to his fellow drivers in the column I wrote on Monday.  “Be thankful you can put your helmet on and be glad you’re not racing a sim the rest of your life.”

Q: We’ve seen an uptick regarding televised sim racing since people around the world have been staying home and motorsports events have been cancelled or postponed. It reminds me a bit of the Daytona 500 of 1979. It was the first live beginning-to-end coverage, had the Cale-Donnie-Bobby fight, and a captive audience due to a major snowstorm in the East and Midwest. Have you seen any information or numbers that suggest that something similar has happened for sim racing?

Don Hopings, Cathedral City, CA

RM: IndyCar’s inaugural sim race on IndyCar.com and iRacing’s website reportedly got 500,000 viewers, but it was down to 120,000 on NBCSN by the fourth race, so I’d say fans tuned out. But NASCAR’s numbers were always over one million from what I saw before it resumed real racing at Darlington, and captured almost seven million people.

Q: I read McLaren’s revised IndyCar plans for 2020. Is today’s IndyCar racing so different from years ago that today’s non-regular would find it difficult to, and I quote, “hop into a car Friday morning and practice at a track they’ve never been at and be competitive.’ I know Can Am isn’t in your normal writing, but George Follmer would argue with that: Porsche 917/10 Road Atlanta 1972. And I’m sure you can remember other Indy examples. Thanks for all your no B.S. straight talk over the years.

Rick Koressel, Evansville, IN

RM: Tony Stewart agrees and says you cannot just jump into an IndyCar these days and be competitive, but Townsend Bell finished fourth in 2009 as a one-off, Kurt Busch dropped in and took sixth in 2014, and Fernando Alonso almost stole the show in 2017. I think if Smoke got into an Andretti car at IMS he’d be right there – up front.

Fact: Kurt Busch did a great job in his Indy 500 one-off in 2014. Also a fact: Indy's the only race where a one-off driver gets two weeks of practice. Image by Abbott/LAT

Q: With recent news from McLaren and now Williams that both F1 teams are in difficult financial straits, are there any IndyCar teams possibly also in financial difficulty due to the cancellation of early-season racing? How did you spend your Memorial Day? And where were you on Memorial Day? Must have been a strange day, indeed, for you not being at Indy.

Bruce Philbrick, Sheffield, MA

RM: There have been some salary cuts, but thankfully all the IndyCar teams have kept the doors open through this pandemic and it appears the sponsors are hanging in there, but it’s 2021 that concerns me. I watched the Indy 500 replay on NBC and then the NASCAR race, and won $600 on Kevin Harvick. It wasn’t that strange because it never seemed like May all month.

Q: Loved all the PLN stories you've been telling recently. You indicated that PLN never minded having his picture taken, he just didn't believe in signing autographs. In fairness to PLN, I have to say that several years ago at Laguna Seca, I was fortunate enough to be standing next to a young fan (maybe 10-11 years old) and PLN came driving by on a scooter. The youngster stopped PLN and asked for his autograph on (I think) a program he was carrying. Newman responded to the effect of "Son, I don't sign autographs at the race track. If I stopped to sign that, there would be a crowd here soon that you wouldn't believe. If you send that to me at my home, I'll be more than happy to sign it and return it to you." Makes perfect sense to me.

Dennis, Irvine, CA

RM: That sounds like PLN, but you know his anti-autograph stance was accelerated by the time he was taking a leak and a fan asked him to sign a program. “You want to hold this?” asked Cool Hand Luke.

Q: Since Penske owns the series and IMS, will Gerald Forsythe make a return?

Kevin, Long Beach, CA

RM: Highly unlikely. I call Gerry about once a year and ask, and he has no interest. But maybe I should ring him up now that R.P. owns everything.

Q: Now that The Captain is in charge, I request clarification on the separation of financial and operational interests in Speedway. (Outside of his IndyCar team).

The top level seems to be: Penske Entertainment Corp followed by IMS, IndyCar and a TV production studio. Which one negotiates and collects the IndyCar sanctioning fees?

The museum probably falls under IMS. What about the IMS radio network? Would the new Robin Miller wagering palace have betting windows, or just be online?

Bill in CA

RM: Everything is under the Penske Entertainment umbrella except the yet-to-be-established RMiller wagering palace. But if we get to bet on the Indy 500 it will all be online – no betting windows at IMS. Roger owns the IMS Museum but not the cars, and we’re all hoping he gives it a facelift. He also owns IMS Productions and I think he’s got some cool things planned. I believe The Captain and Mark Miles negotiate the sanction fees.

Q: Robin, you've been around a while and I'm thinking you may have picked up on the almost apologetic tone that race winners are taking after scoring victory from their competitors. Specifically, I noticed a common refrain this past week while watching the NASCAR Cup races at Darlington and Charlotte. It seems that the winners "Hate it for <insert non-winner's name here>" during their victory lane interview. When did drivers ever care that another driver lost a race? Did A.J. "hate it for Gordy" in '77 when he dropped out late to hand Foyt his fourth?

Andy Rolfe, Brighton, MI

RM: You know the answer to that, Andy. We were sitting on the pit wall one night after an IRL race and the three drivers on the podium were hugging each other, and I asked A.J. if he and Mario “hugged it out” after the 1966 Hoosier Hundred when Tex led the whole race until his brake pedal broke. I can’t print his exact response, but “no” doesn’t quite sum it up.

"I guess this feels good. I feel so bad for Gordy that I can't really enjoy it right now. Tell him if he needs a talk, a hug, anything, I'm here." Image by IMS

Q: I just finished watching the Indy 2019 retrospective that aired on NBC. Wow, big kudos to Terry Lingner and his amazing crew for putting such a great program together. Big props also to Mike Tirico, Alex and Simon for their candid and relaxed conversation as they broke down the race as it progressed to it's exciting conclusion. Perhaps this type of program could be considered in future years as a run-up to Indy. Just a thought...

David, Pittsburgh

RM: Terry worked hard and was pretty proud of it, as he should be, and Tirico is simply the best. Rossi and Pagenaud were also excellent, and it was quite interesting to hear their thoughts on those last laps. It’s certainly possible something like that could be an annual thing, because NBC promotes IndyCar like no one else ever did.

Q: Can you tell us the history of the Turkey Night Grand Prix, a great midget event held here in Southern California? I am itching for the in-person experience, especially my go-to track Ventura Raceway.

Matt Payette, Westlake Village, CA

RM: It started in 1934 at Gilmore Stadium in LA, but from 1960-1990 it mostly ran at the famed Ascot Park. Bill Vukovich, Tony Bettenhausen, Parnelli Jones, A.J. Foyt, Mel Kenyon, Gary Bettenhausen, Bubby Jones, Tony Stewart, Bryan Clauson, Kyle Larson and Chris Bell are among the winners, and Ronnie Shuman is the all-time Turkey Night badass with eight victories. It was 100 laps, and a few years ago shortened to 98 to salute promoter J.C. Agajanian’s favorite number, but it’s moved around the past 20 years, going from dirt to pavement then back to dirt, and currently runs at Ventura Raceway. The Hut 100 at Terre Haute and Turkey Night were the two most prestigious midget races in the country before the Chili Bowl joined that club 20 years ago.

Q: You mentioned the Don Smith Racing Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana, as one of the top three racing museums this week. I don't believe it was open to the public, but it sounds like you were able to see it. Can you describe some of the highlights of what you saw? From what I understand he was a cousin of Tony Hulman, so I imagine he had access to quite a few one-of-a-kind items.

Scott (born in Terre Haute)

RM: About a decade ago Don had a luncheon for everyone that ever competed at the Action Track (Vigo County Fairgrounds) because he was the keeper, protector and promoter of that glorious dirt track. Afterwards we all went to his “museum” which was three barns packed with some of the greatest treasures in open-wheel racing. Midget, sprints, dirt cars and Indy cars were on display, along with posters, pictures and everything imaginable. I was there three hours and only made it to two of the barns because there was so much stuff to see. There was an auction a couple years ago and A.J. was going to go bid on one of his old cars, but not sure he got it.

Q: Longtime reader of your Mailbag here. I was reading last week’s Mailbag and there was a question about running at the Milwaukee Mile. You talked about the ARCA race that was held there last year, and said how you didn’t see it returning to the 2020 schedule. I just wanted to say that that the ARCA Midwest Tour was actually planning on coming back to the Milwaukee Mile this year on June 14. However with the COVID situation it has been cancelled, and “talks will continue between all parties to determine if a suitable reschedule date is feasible.”

Karl K, Tinley Park, IL

RM: Thanks for that update, Karl. Bob Sargent is one of my favorite promoters, and I hope he can pull it off later this summer.

Q: Good shout-out to the Speedrome. Yes, IndyCar should run there. Under the lights. On the Figure 8. The Wayne Arnold Memorial 200. With Kevin (Lillard) O'Neal at the mic. Why not?

Dave Hascall, Noblesville, IN

RM: I think I’d settle for IndyCar drivers in late models running at the oval – don’t think their car owners would go for the Figure 8 and “trouble at the crossover.”

Q: Do you think we’ll see mid-week racing coming up on the IndyCar schedule? How has NASCAR as an organization responded to it?

Jed Blake

RM: Probably not this year, but hopefully some day because you have a captive audience. I think NASCAR has hit a home run with its weeknight races.

Q: There have been reports of Ferrari being interested in entering a car in the Indy 500 – probably the 2021 race. Maybe just talk, but I’m sure most fans and IMS are interested in the entry. Hope it happens. Race fans are likely aware of the Alberto Ascari Ferrari in the 1952 race. Started 19th and finished 31st. after fractured wheel hub put him out of the race. Moving to 1956, another Ferrari was entered. This time, according to Gordon Eliot White’s book “Indianapolis Racing Cars of Frank Kurtis”, Nino Farina had a Kurtis KK500D built in 1955.

The car was shipped to Maranello, Italy and a 4-cylinder 4.5 liter Ferrari 121 Le Mans engine installed. Enzo Ferrari kept a watchful eye. Car was sponsored by the Bardahl Oil Company office of Florence, Italy. Work however was not completed for the 1955 race, and it was shipped and arrived late for the 1956 race. Farina had trouble adapting the driving the oval and failed getting to a qualifying speed and could not compete. At some point the car ended up in Switzerland for restoration. Where is it now? Museum? Barn? Anybody know?

Evert Wolfe

RM: I think we’d all love to see Ferrari here, especially with Charles Leclerc, but as I’ve said it seems like a real long-shot. As for the whereabouts of the restored Ferrari? Try Hemmings, they might be able to help.