Robin Miller's Mailbag for June 17, 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: Primetime, Saturday night, on free network TV (NBC) with no other (sports) competition. And the Texas race garners just a tick over one million viewers. More people watched the Xfinity race earlier in the day on Fox. And while it was down, nowhere close to the NASCAR Atlanta event which drew just under four million. This was supposed to be a showcase for IndyCar and the ratings are still second-tier. How does IndyCar and R.P. attract sponsors and drivers when it's a niche sport, and what does that say about the long-term health of a sport? I honestly expected higher ratings simply due to COVID-19 and the dearth of live sports on TV right now.

Doug Palmer

RM: I think we were all hoping that two or three million people might tune in, but one million seems to be our usual number for every network race except Indy. It’s disappointing because Jon Miller and Sam Flood got NBC to give IndyCar a primetime shot, and that rating couldn’t have helped make a case to do it again. The bottom line is that NASCAR gets four times the audience of IndyCar, and it’s been that way for a long time. The Indy 500 is the exception and main reason sponsors sign up so I’m not sure any marketing plan can turn the tide, but NBC has easily been the best TV partner that IndyCar has ever had, yet it can’t make people watch.

Q: You've stated a number of times that R.P.'s desire is to have the 500 run before fans this year. However, does Roger Penske have a drop dead date concerning this year's Indy 500, as to when a decision has to be made on whether or not it will be held on August 23? Thanks for your outstanding and informative updates on IndyCar racing!

John, Milwaukee, WI

RM: I’m sure he has but he’s not going to tell anyone outside his inner circle, and The Captain is full speed ahead right now for Aug. 23 so let’s see how the next few weeks play out.

Pagenaud probably wouldn't have minded a little more social distancing from Rossi over the last couple of laps at Indy in 2019. Image by Scott LePage/Motorsport Images

Q: I recently read a story in the Indy Star that seemed to coincide with a recent poll I took about attending big events and what would make me want to attend or stay home. The story outlined a lot of the things that seemed to be in that poll, and the two seemed to go hand in hand on what our future could be at the 500 and all events from here on out. I don't want to be told when I can go to the bathroom, grab a beer, or where and when I have to enter and exit The Speedway. I sure don't want to be a social science project and data gathering guinea pig under the pretense of public safety and the convenience of a 5G network with the use of temperature scanners and/or apps.

Is any of this even remotely close to happening this year or in the near future at IMS? I'll put up with windshields on IndyCars, running races without crowds, masks in a so-called victory lane, people not putting their hands on their hearts for the national anthem, increased ticket prices, long yellows to wave around lapped cars, rain in May, and heat in August. I'd almost put up with them telling me I can't bring a cooler of beer and food into the facility. But I'll tell you this, the day any of these things that happen, especially the scanners and apps for crowd control, it will be the last time I walk into IMS.

Bob Gangwer

RM: “That story was an interview with Eddie Gossage and was likely his thoughts on how he might manage things at TMS. We have not discussed anything like this at IMS – certainly not related to restricting the times a customer could leave his/her seat, use the restroom or purchase a concession product. We will likely remind people (but not require them to use) the best gate to enter based on their seats. And we working to find ways to use the IMS app to message gate wait times. Often – especially at Gate 1 (Turn 1) and Gate 9 (Turn 4) the waits are longer and just a short distance away we have gates with quicker access. So trying to better inform fans on quicker access is the goal.” Doug Boles, IMS president.

Q: Interesting to read negative comments about the aeroscreen’s debut in last week's Mailbag. I think they look badass. Sort of like a fighter jet. And a nice point of difference for IndyCar from F1 and Super Formula. Given the financial impacts of COVID-19, do you think we will still see 33 cars at Indy?

Zac from Melbourne, Australia

RM: Yes. When the Indy 500 finally takes the green flag it will have 33 cars.

Q: Robin and the rest of the population, Is this America where you are free to be a citizen here? No! If you work for most of your life, do you have every right, like my father and his friends, to attend anything you enjoy? Not anymore. I have nothing against anyone, but I do when they take my rights. Same with racing and races. If you think you might catch something or if you’re sick, stay home! But if you want to attend the Indy 500 and that is what you live for, then leave me alone and let me attend it!

Matthew H.

RM: I think (and hope) by the time we get to the end of August that people will be able to choose whether Indy is an option. If you’re aged 20-50 you’ll probably be going, and if you’re 60 or older you’ll be weighing the temperature, humidity and risk of the virus in whatever form it’s in by then. But as much as R.P. wants fans, he’s still got to work with the state and local government. I hear what you’re saying and don’t disagree, it’s your life and choice to follow what makes you happy and we can’t be shut-ins for six more months. Unless it’s deemed too dangerous. Then we go to October.

Q: Still waiting on Iowa. I haven't received tickets yet, and nothing has changed on its website. I'm guessing they'll announce something by this Friday, it being one month out, since that was the timetable with Texas, Richmond and Indy GP announcing either no spectators or cancellation.

Andrew McNaughton, Chicago

RM: There is supposed to be an announcement on Friday.

Q: With Oregon's governor not backing off her ban on big events until at least the end of September, my question is when is the "drop dead" date on canceling the Portland IndyCar race if they can’t have fans?

Jerry Liudahl

RM: Here’s what I’ve been told: “No date has been established and the Grand Prix of Portland remains on the IndyCar schedule.”

Q: I am curious to know what insight you have on next year's schedule. You mentioned that you doubt COTA will be returning. If so, is there another track not currently on the schedule that can take its place, or will they move a current race to its spot on the schedule? Or will they simply move St. Pete, Barber, and Long Beach slightly later in the schedule to close the gap between those races and the Indy races? I was also wondering if Richmond or Elkhart Lake would have to move their dates, given that the Indy 500 would be May 30, which would seem to place Elkhart Lake on Father's Day weekend and/or Richmond on July 4 weekend?

Kevin in CA

RM: IndyCar is just trying to weather all the obstacles for 2020 and make sure they can pull off 12-15 races, so 2021 isn’t on anyone’s radar right now. Long Beach is scheduled for April 16-19, 2021 and the Indy 500 will be May 30, 2021 –– that’s all I know for sure.

Q: What is the impact on IMSA and IndyCar race at Laguna Seca if there may not be any volunteers to support the track? If this includes the course marshals, it would be hard to hold a race.

Frank Vessell, Phoenix, AZ

RM: Volunteers are the backbone of any race and it sounds like the new Laguna boss has alienated just about everyone – including some of the heavy hitters.

Laguna Seca produced a good IndyCar race last year, but there was certainly a lot less off-track drama during the Sonoma era. Image by Scott LePage/Motorsport Images

Q: Kudos to NASCAR President Steve Phelps for banning the Confederate flag at racing events, though it took a long time do so. Now, I'm an African American, I've attended IndyCar racing events with my parents or are fans of the series for 30 years, and believe it or not, unless I'm blind as hell, I’ve never seen a Confederate flag waving in the infield during the Indy 500 or other IndyCar events. When did IndyCar ban Confederate flags in their events?

Also, I really hope R.P. and COTA can work out a deal to have IndyCar race there, because me and my parents were suppose to be in Austin for the race until it got postponed because of COVID-19. I also hope the IndyCar Series will expand to 20 races next year, because 17 races is way too short for a race season.

Alistair F.

RM: I don’t think there are any rules about flags in IndyCar because it’s never been an issue. To be honest, the only time I recall seeing Confederate flags was when I was covering Daytona and Talladega, but I never went to all the races so they may have been prevalent in many of NASCAR’s infield crowds.

Q: So, I have been following the latest NASCAR rules which apply to the displaying of Confederate flags at their events and proper conduct during the playing of our national anthem. It appears that the vast majority of the comments that I have read from fans are about the flag issue, but not very many regarding the national anthem conduct for team members.

Let me just say that I personally don't care what anyone's individual thoughts are regarding our national anthem. It is something that many have fought and died for, and it deserves our attention and respect. I have been to the Indy 500 several times and do not ever recall any disrespectful behavior in my section of the stands or on the starting grid. I sincerely hope that IndyCar does not follow NASCAR's lead in allowing any type of demeaning behavior during the playing of our anthem. I am not a flag-waving patriot, but I do have strong feelings about proper respect for our country and for all the service men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we have.

I don't know if IndyCar has an official position on this issue, but I hope that the IndyCar team members will stay the course and give our anthem the respect it deserves. Every time I have attended the Indy 500 I was moved to see several hundred thousand fans and participants stand with their hats removed and be so quiet that you could literally hear a pin drop during the opening ceremonies. I know this is a touchy subject because if anyone voices an opinion that is not in line with what the mob thinks then you are labeled a racist or some other derogatory term, but I would like to hear what you think on this subject. If you chose not to delve into this, then I understand completely.

Paul in AZ, Proud Army veteran (1966-1968)

RM: I haven’t heard any discussion about the flags, anthem or how IndyCar is going to react if anybody decides to kneel. But I can tell you that I think veterans like yourself have a reverence for the flag and anthem that people who didn’t serve may not. I can understand why African Americans are offended by the Confederate flag just like I understand why Vietnam or Iraq vets are angered by athletes kneeling during the national anthem. The jocks are saying it’s not about the flag or patriotism, but obviously that’s not how a lot of Americans look at it. I guess my undying memory of what the flag means to some came after 9/11 in Germany. During the national anthem at the CART race, all the teams held the American flag and several of the mechanics were crying, and it was pretty powerful because they were a long way from home and unsure about what was going to happen, but felt unified by a song and a flag.

Q: First, I am an African American who has been promoting the sport for years in my circle in an effort to engage and bring in more fans of color. I felt our sport fell short last weekend in highlighting with a bit more context the recent disturbing events that have gripped our country. I felt we talked around the subject during the broadcast instead of tackling it head-on. I am not blaming the crew (Leigh, Townsend, & Paul) as they are the best in the business. NBC should have crafted a better narrative on behalf of IndyCar and the network. I know IndyCar put out a statement, but I felt there could have been more from the body as a whole (kudos to Newgarden on his tweet).

There’s a base of “people of color” who love the sport and encounter the struggles of racism on a constant basis, yours truly included. I must state that NASCAR nailed it with Bubba Wallace and Jimmie Johnson leading the charge in messaging. As we all know, words spoken will have to be supported with actions. As I write this, NASCAR is banning the Confederate flag, which is extremely uncomfortable for any American attending a race where they were displayed. Full disclosure: I have never felt that way at any IndyCar event. Lewis Hamilton called out F1 and its drivers in an effort to wake the F1 community, and the drivers and F1 responded in kind. However, IndyCar, it’s time for your “woke” moment, and a need to strive for more diversity and inclusion into the sport from a driver and fan standpoint.

I salute the likes of pioneers and heroes like Wendell Scott, soon to be one of the greatest Lewis Hamilton, the audacity to be black (“Uppity”) Willy T. Ribbs, and the smoothness of Bill Lester. Each of these pioneers have a story of triumph to tell, as the barriers and obstacles they encountered centered mainly around the color of their skin. Just let that simmer for just a moment, in your mind, and in your heart. I encourage and challenge each to have dialogue with a neighbor of color, listen, learn, and receive. We can change this pandemic of racism one conversation at a time followed up with a personal action plan. As Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “We will not remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” Friends we will see you at Road America. Be Woke! Robin keep up the great work. My brothers and I met you at Homestead about six years ago. We enjoyed the conversation.

Andrew J., The Woodlands, Texas

Herbie Blash and Charlie Whiting look on as Willy T. Ribbs prepares to test the Brabham BT54 at Estoril in 1985. Image by Motorsport Images

RM: Thanks for the letter and your passion for IndyCar (I do remember talking with you and your brothers), but I just don’t know what NBC could have done differently. It’s a two-hour sports show in primetime that kicks off a season that’s been dormant for eight months, and besides identifying the tumultuous events in Minneapolis and subsequent aftermath of social upheaval, what else needed to be said? Our guys aren’t there to pontificate on police brutality or spend 10 minutes giving their opinions, it’s a race and NBC devoted plenty of hours and manpower to the nationwide protests in its news shows. That’s where it belongs, not on an auto racing show in Texas.

But on the subject of African Americans in IndyCar, be it fans or participants, I’ve always thought it was more about interest than inclusion. Willy T. and George Mack remain the only two black Indy 500 starters, the late Hardy Allen was the longest-standing crewman for Gurney and Foyt and the only black full-timer I can recall until a young man came along in the 1980s and '90s for Dick Simon’s team. Why is that?

I remember doing a story with Benny Scott, a Formula 5000 driver in the '70s, and he said the biggest problem wasn’t the color of his skin but the color of his money, because he couldn’t get anyone in black corporate America interested in financing his dream of getting to Indy or F1. The offshoot was that black people had little interest in auto racing because it wasn’t part of their heritage. And young African Americans don’t gravitate to racetracks because it’s not even on their radar. Basketball, baseball and football doesn’t require much money to get started, whereas a lot of impoverished black kids don’t get a car until after high school or later, so there is no connection to explore mechanics or driving.

Willy T. had his racing father for guidance, Ron Dennis hand-delivered Lewis Hamilton to F1 and Bubba Wallace got an early start thanks to his family before NASCAR gave him the breaks he needed. Is it going to be tougher for a black driver to make it? Might be tougher to get started, but then they still need money and desire. Wallace came through NASCAR’s Diversity Program and has driven for Joe Gibbs, Kyle Petty and Richard Petty, along others, and he’s the best example I can think of where he got opportunity based on his potential and not his wallet. Chase Austin was also on that track and ran Indy Lights, but fell by the wayside after his Indy 500 deal with A.J. fell through. NASCAR is way ahead of IndyCar on that platform. I recall CART giving Bill Lester a test and announcing a diversity program, but he was already way too old and it seemed like more of a token gesture than anything serious and, of course, it never materialized into anything. CART’s biggest mistake was not embracing Ribbs and Bill Cosby in the '90s and making sure they had every chance to succeed, because Willy had the talent and personality to get black American engaged.

Q: It’s one thing for NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag. I’m sure it looks like the Nazi flag must look to Jewish people. That’s not a big thing in my book. I’m surprised it took them this long to do it. But eliminating the guideline for all drivers and crews to stand when the American flag is shown, and allowing them to “take a knee in protest,” is too much. They gutlessly caved in to political pressure.

Here are my rhetorical questions – why does everything have to have a protest involved with it? Why can’t we watch one sport as a relief from day-to-day politics? I’m sure this won’t get printed and that’s OK. I’ve enjoyed IndyCar, F1, NASCAR and sports car racing since 1968, and I’ll continue to enjoy them. I’ll just excuse myself and take a potty break while drivers and crews dis the entire country because of a few bad people.

Sean Raymond

RM: That’s a good question for which I have no answer. But sports was always an escape for people from the daily grind, and now it’s become a battleground for civil rights, politics and the almighty dollar. What baseball and basketball best be careful of is that if they decide not to play, we might not care – or ever come back.

Q: I’m just satisfied, and a little amazed, that 24 cars (almost) started at Texas. Carlin being the only team that parked a car. Can we expect that consistency for the rest of the season? Will DragonSpeed show for any races?

Pat Stewart

RM: So far, so good but I’m more concerned about 2021 than I am this season. As for DragonSpeed, owner Elton Julian recently tweeted he was looking forward to the Indy 500 in August, but beyond that it likely depends on his IMSA, WEC and Le Mans commitments.

Q: Will Power claimed some cars went over the 35-lap limit with no penalty. True or false?

Brian

RM: According to IndyCar, four or five teams went one lap extra because there were some issues with timing and scoring and teams rely on that data. But there were still 163 laps to go, and it didn’t change the outcome of the race or give anyone an unfair advantage.

Q: IndyCar being back at Texas was great therapy, and I was happy to see the series back and running. I enjoyed the Texas race and the fact that it was difficult to pass and seeing driver skill in making passes, but soon as it was over I knew the Debbie Downers would be out in full force, and of course they were calling Texas boring, being angry with the lapped cars not being moved to the back, not getting a photo finish, or mad about how Dixon just ran away with it.

I am a racing fan and a sports fan, and racing fans called Texas boring while in other sports we just call that a beatdown, blowout, curb stomping, domination or a good, ol’ fashioned ass whipping handed to the field by Dixon, kind of like Tiger Woods did at Majors in his prime. In other sports, the fans would be talking about Dixon's accomplishment of tying A.J.'s record for most seasons with a win, which I saw Mike Tirico do when he talked with Leigh Diffey. If we took the fans who were unhappy with Texas back to the 1967 500, would they complain? I wonder if they would be mad about Rufus dominating the race, saying it was boring with no passes for the lead, the turbine had an unfair advantage and it should be banned, etc., etc. BTW, how is Rufus?

Ryan McKeever

RM: Today’s IndyCar fans bitch about everything, so who knows what they enjoy? But somewhere along the line things changed, because I never remember anyone complaining about Parnelli dominating in 1967, or Mears winning by two laps in 1984, Mario lapping the field in 1987, or Team Penske destroying everyone in 1994. Dixie’s superb performance was lost among the moaning about single groove, mandatory pit stops for tires and the ugly aero screen. Rufus sounds pretty damn good for 86.

Q: The Texas race left me feeling a little bit reflective since we've now started TK's farewell season. I started watching IndyCar racing in 2008 just as the civil war was coming to end, and with TK wrapping up his open-wheel career along with Helio and Seb, that leaves one man left standing from IndyCar of the 2000s... Scott Dixon. As he showed us in Texas, he's as good as he ever was, with no signs of slowing down.

I'm not trying to send him to sports cars or to the rocking chair before his time, but we can't ignore that he's going to turn 40 this season. For a guy that's his generation greatest racer and has no holes on his resume, what's next? Is it matching Foyt's title count? (I don't think he can catch him for wins.) Is it winning Indy again? Is it to keep going until he can't, or does he knows exactly how he wants to see his career play out from here?

M from Michigan

RM: Hard to say what the future holds for Dixie, but he’s got three kids and he might just pack them up with his lovely wife and move overseas somewhere in a couple years. Obviously he’s still on top of an IndyCar, but I don’t know if he wants to hang around and do sports cars after he’s done with open-wheel. Scott is a private person and a humble superstar who loves going unnoticed except at the racetrack, and he’s had an amazing career.

Dixon's post-IndyCar plans are a mystery – and that's exactly how he likes it. Image by Mike Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: Personally, I find the aero screen butt-ugly. I realize safety is paramount so no problem with that. I’m wondering if they could use the halo (which I think doesn’t look too bad and is certainly more attractive than the screen) for road and street courses?

David Young

RM: No.

Q: Never heard it mentioned in the race broadcast or written news afterwards. Did any teams use the tear-offs?  If so, what was the average across the field? Never saw the TOGs in action!

Dave Sutton

RM: They were used by some teams, and other drivers told IndyCar afterwards they didn’t really need them.

Q: After reading your Mailbag from last week I just wanted to be one of the guys to throw my support behind the aeroscreen. In no way did it affect my experience. If it helps the chance of saving lives like it could have with Wheldon or Wilson, then I am all for it. OK, so it’s not the best from the front, but the side looks like a jet fighter and I am guessing that once it is implemented into the next chassis design it will look better. My question comes from TK’s comments. Do the IndyCar drivers wear coolsuits like some of their tin-top counterparts? If not, then maybe they should be looking into it for Indy. It could turn out to be an advantage.

John, Newcastle, Australia

RM: The concern seemed to be more about air circulating, and that’s something IndyCar will be looking at as the season progresses. There is a hose to help, but some kind of a vent might be in order.

Q: Are they going to try to have an open tire test at the Speedway before August? I know there will be hurdles with the virus, but to my knowledge they haven’t tested tires or any aero packages yet with the new aeroscreen. I know Dixon and Power were there in October, but not sure how much they learned that could be applied. Hope you are staying safe and well.

Don Weidig

RM: No plans to test -- they got what was needed last fall, according to IndyCar.

Q: I am not a particular fan of crow. Nor do I take any delight in eating it. But my apologies go out to young Mr. Veach. You set me square replying to a previous post of mine to Mailbag saying Veach's sophomore slump is not a fair representation of his ability, but more of an issue with team performance and just plain bad luck. So to you Zach, I apologize for doubting you. I really never doubted your ability, per se. As for Hinch, I'm sure he'll do just fine. Can't wait to see him on the NBC squad this season.

I am encouraged by IndyCar trying to keep racing "affordable." Implementing phased in improvements to the current chassis without a total replacement is a good plan in my view. I would like to point out, though, remember the fan appreciation when they removed the "Kardashians" aero package and restored the car to a resemblance of the CART and Champ Car years? Take note in your new car design. Those cars were gorgeous. Let's not stray too far from what the fans loved. Last year at RA, they brought out Bobby's MGD car as Graham ran the same livery. The crowd around that car was huge. It was a thing of beauty.

I also remember them doing a fan vote for the new car design. Are there any rumors of them going this direction again?

Ken in Naperville, IL

RM: Crow goes good with mustard, I know because I’ve had it a few times. Zach admitted he was pressing last year but got off to a great start and vowed that he was going to have more fun in 2020. I think Jay Frye has been about making IndyCar more affordable for the past four years and understands the challenges all of motorsports face in 2021, so it’s good common sense. No idea what the new car might look like.

Veach 1; Ken from Naperville 0. Image by Chris Owens/IMS

Q: What races are Seabass running for Foyt in 2020? Will he be at Indy at all?

Dan, Lima, OH

RM: Looks like Portland and St. Pete will be Seb’s only races for Super Tex.

Q: I was under the impression that Sage Karam had the funding to run the entire IndyCar Series this year? Can you provide some insight into why the he was not at Texas or if he will run the series this year?

Todd Mitchell

RM: No, Dennis Reinbold told RACER last winter he was adding St. Pete and Toronto to go with both races at Indianapolis for Sage, but not the full season.

Q: By the time you get to this for your Mailbag you’ll have probably written a couple articles on the subject. Penske said he is considering requiring Leaders Circle teams run a Indy Lights car to help revive the series. I figure you knew about this quite some time ago already.  I would like to suggest to Roger that it not be a requirement for Leaders Circle teams, but rather a requirement teams have drawn from the Leaders Circle for three-plus seasons to field half a Lights season. For most teams that’ll end up being a full season. For some it’ll be one-and-a-half. Let’s not whammy Mike Shank his second full season with a big additional cost, or deter entries who want to give it a go and see if they can make it work.

Ryan in West Michigan

RM: I believe R.P. made those comments on Jack Arute’s podcast and that would be the one guarantee of replenishing the Lights’ field, but not sure if The Captain has anything set in stone yet. He just told me to stay tuned.

Q: Do you know why Draft Kings does not include IndyCar with their game play options? I am not a big NASCAR fan, but over the past few weeks I've played in some low wager contests and really enjoyed the experience, and become a much bigger fan of NASCAR in the process. The IndyCar fantasy game is good in theory, but their prize options are laughable. I understand it's a free game, but without any real incentive to play I didn't even submit an entry for the first race. Putting some money towards picking a particular set of drivers could certainly make watching the races more interesting. Having IndyCar on the Draft Kings platform seems like something that the series would be wise to work on.

Keith, Madison, WI

RM: I don’t know the answer to that, but Draft Kings did post odds on the Texas race, which is encouraging, and I believe Mark Miles intends to meet with them to discuss the Indy 500 and the myriad prop bets that could be available.

Q: I am concerned about the number of ovals where lapped cars have restarted at the front of the field. Do you think IndyCar has any plans to change this rule, and what is your opinion of it? Luckily I don’t think anyone would have challenged Dixon in Texas regardless, but I’m frustrated since this isn’t the first time this has happened and affected the race (Indy 2018).

Sam Smith

RM: So it’s happened twice in three years? And both times it was because IndyCar wanted to ensure a green-flag finish? I don’t think that’s a concern, and whenever possible and pragmatic the lapped cars will be moved.

Q: Can you elaborate on the ‘full’ IndyCar simulator? Is it near Speedway, or possibly inside the Dallara factory? This isn't an iRacing question, or about the public IndyCar simulators. It appears that some IndyCar teams used an IndyCar simulator to practice and refine setups prior to the Texas race. Is it a full-motion simulator; like some airlines and the military, uses? Furthermore, The Captain appears to have a shock simulator somewhere, which may have a different purpose. Some clarification would be helpful.

Bill in CA

RM: Honda has a Driver-In-Loop simulator in Brownsburg that is available for Honda/Acura teams, Dallara has a similar facility in Speedway, and Chevrolet has one in the Charlotte area. There are more (RACER’s Kelly Crandall wrote about Ford’s NASCAR simulator last month) and they’re not cheap to set up or run. As for their effectiveness, Scott Dixon had this to say after winning Texas: “The car rolled off the trailer really fast. We’ve been using the Honda simulator in Indy for the last three weeks, and that was a big help in our preparation." (Thanks to Honda’s Dan Layton for his help answering this question).

Manufacturer driver-in-loop simulators are on a different planet to even the most sophisticated iRacing set-up that someone might have at home. Image by Mike Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: Robin, let me start by saying how much I admire you and your column. I flunked out of Ball State too! '79. Too many12 oz. curls with my mates in Whitcraft Hall, I believe. The tenderloins in the Dugout were to die for. My question: As a Marco fan, (which is getting tougher everyday), I was wondering if at the Indy 500 they would ever consider a 10-minute warm-up session before the start. Marco had all kinds of issues with his center of pressure. It seems he was chasing it all day. Wouldn't it make for a better show if everyone could dial in for the conditions on race day? Please don't play the tradition card. Racing has evolved, and these cars are finicky (as you are well aware).

Mark R., Indianapolis

RM: Can’t ever see it happening. Part of Indy’s allure has always been the flying start, the unknown and that first glimpse of everyone at full throttle. USAC tried morning warm-ups on ovals in the '70s and scrapped them because of the obvious risk: crashes. Can you imagine wiping out a bunch of cars before the race started? Yeah, yeah, I know, look at 1966, 1973 and 1982, but with all the pageantry and pre-race formalities, just can’t see turning cars loose for 10 minutes. Part of a driver’s racecraft is to figure out how to make the car adapt to changing conditions, and that’s also a big part of Indy’s challenge.

Q: Watching Dixie dominate at Texas got me thinking. We all know your Mount Rushmore. Since, IndyCar was devastated by the Split, I was wondering who would be on your Mount Rushmore post-Split. Dixie for sure. Who else?

Chuck K., Fort Myers Beach via Indy

RM: So from 1996-2020. Obviously Dario Franchitti, with four championships and three Indy 500 wins, would be there with Dixie. Then it gets tricky. Juan Pablo Montoya was only here for two years yet won a CART crown and Indy on his way to F1, while Alex Zanardi had three great seasons in his initial go-around in America. Easy to make an argument for Sebastien Bourdais even though he ran minimal ovals prior to 2010, and Sam Hornish was the guy to beat in the IRL’s bread and butter (pack racing) and both became better at their weaker disciplines. Paul Tracy, Helio Castroneves, Gil de Ferran and Tony Kanaan would also merit serious consideration. But I’d put JPM with Dixie and Dario and then flip a coin.

Q: With regards to the CART/IRL split, do you consider the winners of the Indianapolis 500 from 1996 to 1999 as illegitimate? The competition certainly wasn't the best on the track.

Brian M. Breen, Farmington Hills, MI

RM: One night in 1998 when I worked at Channel 13, Dave Calabro and I hosted a panel with A.J., Big Al and Lone Star J.R. They were all gung-ho for the IRL and I was the antagonist, because I dared to point out that Indy was all about the best and none of their victories would have meant nearly as much had they not beaten each other along with Mario, Bobby, Gordy, Gurney, Ward, Mears and Sneva. During a commercial break, Al Unser said that “Miller has a good point,” and that started a small firestorm with the other two. Then we argued about it in the parking lot until way past midnight. But to answer to your question, all of the best drivers did not participate from 1996-2007. Greg Moore and Zanardi never turned a wheel in IMS competition, while Michael Andretti, Al Unser Jr., Paul Tracy and Bobby Rahal missed several prime years. Obviously, it was much closer to the true Indy 500 from 2003 on after Penske, Ganassi, Rahal, Team Green left CART for the IRL, but ’96-99 should probably have an asterisk.

Q: This past Christmas I received a couple of great racing books. One of them was a Dick Wallen book called "Seventies Championship Revolution." In the section of the Sprint Car Championship, there was mention of a driver named Jackie Howerton. I must admit that up until I read the book, I'd never heard of him. What can you tell of him, and is he still around?

Skip Conner, Dayton, Ohio

RM: Jackie came from Oklahoma and was a good fabricator that wanted to drive Indy cars. He was competitive in USAC midgets and sprints and scored his biggest victory in 1974 when he held off Mario and Big Al at the Hoosier Hundred. He got to test an Indy car at Phoenix, but never got to race one.

Q: Regarding the traction compound at Texas, one thing I did not hear was if anyone was thinking about how to remove it to some extent. Everyone seemed predisposed to complain about it. From what you heard, is anyone looking at ways of dealing with it?

Don Hopings, Cathedral City, CA

RM: I heard IndyCar would make sure it was gone before they raced there again, but with no testing and a track that sat silent for months, it obviously caught everyone by surprise.

Q: In light of the issues faced by the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team with Takuma Sato at Texas, wondering if you could elaborate on how teams prep their back-up cars. Are the backups configured to match the primary exactly, in that the teams continually apply adjustments to the back-up cars during the weekend as applied to their primary? What is the typical decision tree that determines if a team would go with the back-up car, or try and ready the damaged primary for a weekend/race?

Doug S, Indianapolis

RM: From Ganassi Racing director Mike Hull: “If a team has a spare car that’s complete, it’s by rule not allowed out of the trailer, unless required as a replacement. The pre-event preparation of the car is a team decision. Some teams carry a complete spare, a common team spare, or a complete car in spare parts. If the spare car is ready in advance with a basic Texas setup, that would includes aero, transmission, and suspension. It would need a fresh engine. The engine supplier would roll the engine, undressed to the team, who would then install it, hopefully find time for a setup, go through an IndyCar safety inspection and find the grid. If it’s a multi-car entry such as RLL, I would think that they carry a common spare, so could also include livery change, and driver fit (think about those pedals between Sato and Graham).

“The second option is to repair the damage. The team would assess the chassis itself for structural damage. Honda in this case would inspect the engine, plus look to see if in the accident, the engine turned over for a period of time in a reverse! If it’s OK, then as in Rahal’s case, it’s all hands on deck vocationally to change the suspension, bodywork, and the rest. That’s no easy feat. You would include the pre-built components that are carried as spares, plus multiple trips to the Dallara Parts Supply trackside. It could include underwing, sidepods, radiators, exhaust, front and/or rear suspension, electrical components, complete transmission, and much more. It also requires the cooperation between the team and IndyCar based upon the time frame to cooperate to make it happen.”

Hull makes a good point about the adjustments that would be required on RLL's spare car depending upon which driver it was being prepared for. Image by Scott LePage/LAT

Q: I am confused about something regarding the Texas race. I recall the announcers describing the 35-lap limit on the Firestone tires as being 35 green flag laps. When the field pitted around Lap 160, I expected that someone would stay and out and stretch the stint until Lap 195, hoping someone else would bring out the yellow flag for at least five laps (which Rosenquist did). Instead, everyone split the stint 20/20. Since everyone acknowledged that Dixon was uncatchable, why did no one try the alternate strategy? Are any teams kicking themselves for not doing so?

John Campbell, Oregon

RM: Let’s go back to Mike Hull. “First, hindsight is always 20/20. So why did people decide to short-pit? It was a play to best improve their finishing position versus the people they were racing – it was very unlikely that anyone could catch Felix and Scott, and they knew it. The next-best thing was to try and beat the guy in third. Sounds arrogant, but that’s how it played out – anyone who stopped before the yellow went two laps down to P1 and P2.

“Taking it a step further, Scott and Felix were far enough ahead that someone who stayed out would’ve only put them one lap down, not two laps. Then, that driver would’ve had to stop under the Lap 191 yellow and the field, including Scott and Felix, would’ve gotten a lap back. Given the 2020 IndyCar rules, that should have led to the lead lap cars restarting without any lapped cars between the front-runners. Again, given Felix and Scott’s pace, it wasn’t a race-winning strategy unless there was another, immediate yellow that ended the race.

“Was it an opportunity missed? Perhaps, but we’ll never know – that’s why most strategists lament the ones that got away more than they revel in the times they nailed it!”