Robin Miller's Mailbag for August 19, 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. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of RACER or Honda/HPD.

Q: Robin, our family has always been fans of the Andrettis. We have been waiting a long time for Marco to do something positive. Over the years I have become critical of him for not living up to the name. I am so happy for Marco and the Andrettis. The family has done so much for IndyCar. Andretti on pole is exactly what this strange Indy 500 needs. Agree?

Jeff Loveland

RM: I think if you care about IndyCar and its history, you had to feel good for Marco and his family. He’s struggled mightily the past few years and last May was probably his lowest point in the race, so to see him deliver in the clutch was not only good for his confidence, but also for IndyCar.

Q: Great to see Marco on pole for Indy 500 and the press that IndyCar will finally receive. This lead me to wonder, if there are any other IndyCar family names that have new generation of racers in the open-wheel pipeline (Mears, Unser, Andretti, Gurney, Rutherford, Luyendyk, Villeneuve)?

Todd from Michigan

RM: Just Johnny Unser’s daughter, Loni, at the moment.

Q: I've been critical of Marco for years, and that's on me. I hoped, he would be the next. The name resonates. IndyCar needed him. That was totally unfair, he was just a kid. What he did on Pole Day with that pressure, under those conditions? This old man almost got a tear in his eye. I hope this gives him the confidence going forward. VeeKay and Palou were really impressive. Doesn't hurt when you have, Arie and Oriol helping you find your way around that old beast. Your picks for the race?

Ron Rush, Louisville, KY

RM: I think Marco would be the first to admit his career has been frustrating up to this point, but like Mario said, maybe this is the turning point – we all hope so. I bet on Graham Rahal a few weeks ago at 30-1 and he’s got a shot, but I think beating Dixie is going to be very difficult.

Q: It was a very exciting weekend for IndyCar. Saturday had all the close racing one could expect from field of excellent drivers. However, Sunday was the icing on the cake. We all waited to see if Marco Andretti could take the pole from Scott Dixon, and he did. Did I miss any bumping? Hell no. We were treated to the best racing one could expect. Did you miss bumping?

Pat Rizk

RM: I never got excited about bumping one or two cars, and I’d have started them all because for money, bumping is what it was when there were 40-60 cars going for 33 spots. And the dramatic windup to qualifying more than made up for no bumping.

Q: You’ve mentioned in the past about how awkward the atmosphere was for the first Indy 500 after the split. Where does this year’s rank with it being three months later in August and not in May? Without having fans, and none of the usual things like the Freedom 100 and the pit stop competition on Carb Day?

Phillip Schmitz, Dallas, TX

RM: Well it certainly doesn’t seem like the Indy 500, but if the race is as good as it has been the past few years, then it could make us forget how strange it’s been. Or at least temper it.

Marco's Indy 500 qualifying performance was met with universal Mailbag approval. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: Sure do miss you on air. Any ideas on how Rinus Veekay‘s Chevy was so much faster than all the others in qualifying this year? I was curious about the increase in speed over the years and the main developments that have contributed to that.  For instance, I started watching in 1969 when Mario’s average speed was just about 170 mph – pretty typical for that time period. Evolutionary leaps appear to take place in 1972 when the speeds jump to the 190s, 1977 when Sneva hit 200 mph, and then the gradual increase into the 220s. Do you recall the equipment changes in those years that lead to these leaps?

Brad Cloud

RM: Are you sure it wasn’t his car instead of his engine? Chevy and Honda don’t play favorites, and Veekay has been so impressive – just like Palou. As for speeds, the wings started the jump in speeds, then the Gurney flap, more aerodynamic tricks, 1,000 horsepower, ground effect, wind tunnels and the progress of tires.

Q: As much as I was cheering for a Hinchcliffe pole, I couldn’t be happier for Marco. After all his trials and tribulations over the last few years, and all the gnashing of teeth about him on the web, what a great story. I’ll be cheering for him on race day. On another topic, are Penske’s difficulties this year a reflection of Roger’s efforts on behalf of IndyCar’s future? Perhaps his focus isn’t on the team as much as the past. Your thoughts?

Doug Mayer, Revelstoke, BC, Canada

RM: No, Tim Cindric runs the racing team and I’m sure R.P. talks to him every day. It just seems like they’re lacking something right now in setup, but they’ve got 500 miles to figure it out, so don’t count them out.

Q: I never have been a Marco fan, but felt so happy to see him to get the pole. Even though I am a Penske guy, I would not be upset for him to win. How did Chevy get it so wrong on horsepower? If the engines are basically the same, did the windscreen upset the HP that much? Is there anything Chevy can do to offset those possible Honda beat-down they are about to get?

RB, Hampton, VA

RM: Not so sure Chevy got it wrong as much as Honda made big strides with the increased HP for qualifying.

Q: I hope this email finds you well, and I hope the Marco haters take a vacation for the next week so I can enjoy this.

Kyle in PA

RM: I’ve seen nothing but positive comments for two days.

Q: Seeing Marco win pole is awesome, and I hope he’s able to capitalize in the race considering he has also been strong in practice. I saw on RACER he received $100k for getting pole, and it got me thinking – how much of that will he actually pocket after paying sponsors, team, etc. (of course a piece will go to Uncle Sam as well)? I’m sure it could be different for every driver, depending on the team and contract specifics, but do you have a general estimate of how that gets divided out?

JP Fort Wayne

RM: Hard to say. Could be 40 or 50 percent, or all of it if that incentive is built into his contract. It’s also possible he doesn’t get anything, depending on his salary. Everyone is different.

Q: They’ve ruined a good practice day with the extra boost for qualifying deal. I want to watch 20 or 25 cars out there running together and mixing it up.

Dave E, Speedway, IN

RM: Regardless of extra boost they would still be searching for openings to try and simulate qualifying runs, so the best time to watch was Sunday after the Fast Nine. It looked like race day.

Q: Why doesn't IndyCar just settle on a boost pressure for the entire month of May… er… I mean August? I really don't get why they just don't run full boost the entire month. If it’s for safety reasons, then they shouldn't run it even for a single lap. And if it's to protect the engines, then just run the lower boost. I think in general, there needs to be a rethink on all these silly little rules. Just unload and run 'em. Second, can you talk to Mr. Penske about running a race at MIS to make up the 14 if they need to? It is close for all the teams, and would be a great race. Third, I signed up for NBC Gold on Wednesday before practice started... This is a very good value for your dollar. I have practice streaming all day in the background while sitting in my home office doing my work. Love it!

Andy R., Brighton, MI

RM: IndyCar and IMS still feel like 230 mph is a way to attract viewers and create excitement, so that’s why the extra boost is added. I think The Captain already has some options in mind to make it to 14, but MIS isn’t going to be one of them. Glad you like NBC Gold.

Q: Enjoyed watching the qualifying show. I have a suggestion for a small change to the qualifying format. We want to see a driver going for it at the end as the gun goes off on Saturday, not running out the clock so someone else doesn’t get a chance. So here is my suggestion. In the last 30 minutes of Saturday qualifying, if you are in the first 9, you must withdraw your time regardless of which lane you are in if you want to do another attempt to improve your time.

Russell, Zionsville, IN

RM: It’s probably worth considering, as most people are confused by two lanes anyway.

Q: I’m not expecting this to be in the Mailbag, but I was so offended by something Marty Snider said on Saturday I thought I would ask your opinion. He was talking about Conor Daly and said that since they have Cole Pearn as engineer and that he is so awesome, that makes everyone on the team step up to do their best. They also interviewed Pearn and no other engineer. It was like he is the best ever and all the IndyCar engineers are second-rate. I can’t stand that NASCAR crap. Should I have been offended?

Paul Fitzgerald, Indianapolis

RM: I didn’t see it, but I imagine Marty was playing off Pearn’s NASCAR title and maybe making a point about making everyone step up their game. Sorry you were offended, but I doubt he meant to do that because Marty is pretty politically savvy.

Based on reader feedback, Daly's presumably wondering if he's going to catch NASCAR germs if Pearn leans any closer. Image by IMS

Q: Robin, thanks for your great Marco article. You are always insightful, to the point, and slightly gritty. Another shout out to the NBC team for the Indy qualifying show. Diffey/Bell/Tracy have become a personable and informative team that is entertaining without causing us long time IndyCar fans to feel like we're being schooled by teachers who know much less than their students. I was a little worried about Paul when he first started, but he's become the confident, no-BS P.T. we all knew when he was racing. Townsend is always positive and well spoken, and is still kicking ass on the racetrack. Leigh is incredibly knowledgeable (and/or has great researchers) and keeps the pace up with his Aussie enthusiasm. Great job from all three.

Robert Keith

RM: They have good chemistry and don’t miss much, so that’s about as good as you can hope for on any sports telecast. And P.T. still has that raw edge, which is what we love about him.

Q: Oval-track racing for IndyCar has lost so much appeal to fans in the last several years, I think mostly around safety concerns. My opinion is that drivers don’t have the oval skills they used to because of the way they enter the series. Midgets, sprints and championship dirt cars taught drivers better about how to manage their open-wheel cars in traffic. I know money and sponsorship from drivers is a huge issue, but do you know why IndyCar and team owners don’t do more to promote development at those levels? They work on track and car safety, but don’t seem to focus much effort on developing better driver skill from a safety standpoint. Indy Lights was a good step, but seems like there could be more. Maybe these are just old school thoughts, but I wonder if some of the mistakes made by drivers in recent years would have been made by drivers who did hone their skills coming up through the ranks. Thanks again for all the good reporting!

Lynn Gulch

RM: The Split did more damage to oval-track racing than anything, because Indy was compromised, Milwaukee shared the bill with both series and failed, Phoenix became a loser, Fontana had no continuity, MIS lost its crowd and only Texas seemed to hang in there because you had to buy a season ticket in order to watch NASCAR. Road racers can learn how to run ovals quicker/easier/better than the other way around, and dirt racing is a great way to learn how to race but doesn’t prepare anyone for an IndyCar. So Kody Swanson, Bobby Santos, C.J. Leary, Tyler Courtney, Justin Grant, Chris Windom and Tanner Thorson will be content to make a living in USAC, because they know the drill and the odds.

Q: Hello Mr. Miller, and thank you so much for all you do! I am very disappointed that I will not be attending my 54th Indy 500. I was also a little surprised to just read that the indoor major movie chains in Indianapolis will begin opening August 21. Does that make sense? We are not allowed to spread out outside over the spacious Indianapolis Motor Speedway grounds, but we are allowed to be indoors in a cinema? And I agree with your comment in the previous Mailbag – I certainly believe that Mr. Penske deserves a lot of praise for trying to make this work. Thanks again!

Miles Barker

RM: I saw that, and all I can say is that R.P. had a workable plan to spread out 60,000 people in 200,000 seats and 300 acres. I asked him if he took a bullet for the team and he said he took one for a lot of people, so draw your own conclusions, but he was gung-ho about having fans, and something abruptly changed his mind.

Q: I'm wondering if the politicians, IU Health and the Indianapolis Star would have been so hard on the Speedway for wanting the hold the race with spectators if the Hulman/George family still owned the track? Or would they have supported the 2020 race with limited spectators under Hulman/George ownership?

Mike J.

RM: I think so, Mike. Gannett has no love or connection or empathy for Indianapolis or the race, and the people who wrote all those stories have no ties to the community, so they just blathered opinions without facts. And they still keep saying 90,000 people were coming to IMS when, of course, it was only 60,000-70,000 max if they bothered asking anyone from the Speedway. In the heyday of the Pulliams there was almost a partnership between The Star and IMS.

Q: My thoughts on the Indy 500. Yes – it’s not the same with no fans. No celebration, no pomp that truly makes the race complete. The fan piece of the race is undeniably at least as entertaining as the race – and some years, better. That said, kudos to R.P. for doing the right thing. There was really no doubt in my mind there wouldn’t be an option for him but to go with no fans. It was correct and courageous. In the face of all the lost fan revenue for the facility and the state, a truly exceptional man had no choice. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and these are those. Even though I was heartbroken it was postponed, as my Memorial Day holiday is the race, it was understandable and a correct move in hopes of having fans.

Bottom line: racers get to race, sponsors get their exposure, fans get to watch and Roger’s company gets TV revenue. I’m thankful we’re going to get a race. This year that’s a blessing. Keep up the great work. Stay snarky.

Tim, Apex, NC

RM: All I’ll say is that I think there was a good plan to spread out 60,000 people and it would have worked, but R.P. had his mind changed. And the NBC TV money isn’t a fraction of what he lost at the gate. But the race will be run and that’s a positive in this crazy time.

No fans is weird, but no race would be weirder. Barry Cantrell/Motorsport Images

Q: For all the folks that have taken exception to Indy without in-person spectators this year, what did they believe the future would hold without a 2020 Indy 500 on TV? I suspect that a large majority of every team's budget is funded by business to business sponsors who believe the 500 TV audience and business entertainment at and around the race is worth the expense, No TV audience, would have been an economic disaster that I don't believe most teams would have been able to recover from. Mr. Penske stepping in and taking the reins as he did has saved the sport for now, giving IndyCar racing a chance to live to fight another day.

CD, Beer Hill, PA

RM: As Bobby Rahal said last week in my column, not having Indy would have been disastrous for car owners because they would have had to return a lot of money. At least there’s a chance to get a good audience on Sunday.

Q: As much as it pains me to say this, I truly hope the singing of "Back Home Again in Indiana" is omitted from the pre-race routine this year. Far too many fans are not able to be "back home again." It's one of the most magical moments of the year for all of us, but right now it just doesn't feel right to hear the tune. Hearing it next year will be an extraordinarily emotional moment, and it can't come soon enough. Wishing you the best of health and a wonderful May-gust!

David Mitchell, New Castle, IN

RM: Here’s a response from IMS president Doug Boles: “We did discuss whether or not we should have Indiana performed this year, for the reason that David suggests. But, ultimately, we have decided to have it performed. It is an integral and longtime part of pre-race. David is right though–- heading it in 2021, will be even more emotional and powerful.” 

Q: How come IndyCar doesn't try to get David Letterman to do any IndyCar driver interviews? He used to interview the Indy 500 winners on his late show, yet doesn't do anything like that for his Netflix specials. It would be fun to watch him interview Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Graham Rahal, or even one ‘Fred’ Alonso.

Speaking of TV, are you going to do anything special for the Indy 500?  While NBC has done a pretty good job with the TV coverage, it is just not the same without your on-air words of wisdom, especially for the 500.  You could try to do a Zoom chat with A.J. Foyt (Note the sarcasm.) FYI, great column on how everyone needs the Indy 500 more than ever. What do these whiners who complained on your Mailbag want instead? No Indy 500 because it is not in May this year? I'll give credit where credit is due to Roger Penske and IMS staff for trying to run the Indy 500 during these abnormal times.

Raymond, Toledo, Ohio

RM: Dave is interested in a cross-section of celebrities and interesting folks, and Fred or A.J. would be good, but I’m pretty sure he’s got a long list of potential guests and doesn’t need IndyCar’s advice. I interviewed A.J. on Tuesday about his 65th straight Indy 500, so hopefully it will play Sunday in the pre-race show on NBC. I think everyone agrees that R.P. has done everything possible to keep some normalcy and run Indy.

Q: Did I miss something, somewhere, that said there would be no radio broadcasting of practice? I get the whole "gotta take care of our TV partner" thing, but it seems a bit much to not have the IMS Radio Network on air. Guess it's back to the ‘70s when I first started listening to the team at IMS Radio on race day only.

Bobby G.

RM: The IMS radio network called qualifying and will do the race.

Q: What ever happened to Carlos Munoz? Was not really a fan of his, but I was thinking he might be a good selection for an owner for a one-off driver at Indy as it seemed he always ran well there. Your thoughts?

Chris, Greenfield, IN

RM: I always heard his father either ran out of money or decided to quit spending it on racing, but no doubt Carlos was tough at Indy – finishing second twice and fourth once.

Q: Fernando Alonso has been experiencing all kinds of race cars in the last few years. Since the drivers have some down time this week, how about you and Tony Stewart sneak him off to Eldora and let him have some sprint car fun on the dirt?

Dave Lake, Ft. Wayne

RM: Well he ran the Dakar Rally so I’m sure he’d be up for Eldora, but not sure Renault would let him do it since they’ve already vetoed next year’s Indy 500.

Q: If Fernando Alonso's new Formula 1 ride doesn't find the podium, do you think he'll be serious about a career in IndyCar, not just the 500?  Could he be this generation's Emerson Fittipaldi?

Ryan Tunks

RM: No, I think if he was serious about going full-time he’d have pulled the trigger a year ago, and he admitted he didn’t fancy running a full schedule. Just Indy on Sunday, and sadly we probably won’t see him again after that.

Q: This would have been my 62nd 500, but since I can't be there this year do I have to reset my races to one next year? Or can I call that 62 or 63?

Jerry, Lima, OH

RM: I’d say 62 with an asterisk.

Munoz had an instant affinity for the Speedway. Motorsport Images

Q: Does Firestone supply a different tire for qualifications and the race for the Indianapolis 500, and if so, are the teams allowed to use them during practice depending on quali or race simulations?

Richard Cross

RM: Nope, same compound for practice, qualifying and the race.

Q: People need to get off Roger’s back!  When we are watching IndyCar in 2021 and beyond, people will need to understand the reason we still have the sport is because Roger spent out of his own pocket to keep the sport alive in 2020. There are plenty of large and small businesses struggling and shutting down. Roger is giving IndyCar a fighting chance to survive!

There have been stories over time about drivers from other series wanting to try IndyCar, but only the road courses, most recently Jimmie Johnson. Most of the rationale for this was the high speeds, open cockpit risks, and chance of getting airborne, etc. With the addition of the aeroscreens, do you see that risk calculation changing for ovals? The risk of launching is still there, but we have already seen the safety benefit of the screens. Finally, Murphy’s Law says that the Indy 500 this year will be epic, with no crowd to see it.  It just seems like some historic thing should happen like an extremely close finish, Helio’s fourth win, or a winner who would be super-popular with the fans like Ed or Marco.

Brian, Woodbury, MN

RM: To be honest, 90 percent of the Penske mail is complimentary, and I think IndyCar fans realize what a godsend he’s been and why we might not have a future without him. There might be a couple NASCAR guys who want to try Indy, but I have no idea what their contracts say so I imagine it’s a long shot. Although Kyle Busch would be a nice addition. If Sunday’s race is anything like the last few, we’ll all be entertained.

Q: I don't understand all the moaning about the IMS road course. What is the real issue? It's like any other circuit – good parts and not so good parts. But is there really a bad circuit? OK... maybe one where there is not even one place to pass, or one that is simply too dangerous for IndyCar. This course is neither. Do I want to watch 14 IndyCar races at one circuit? Not so much, but damn I will. If I had a circuit close enough to go to every weekend, I would. Same course over and over, right? I love the racing. I would watch them push cars around in bare feet and Bozo the clown costumes! Is it perfect? No. Somebody tell me what a perfect spectator race is. I don't really care, nor do I believe there is one. I don't believe it's the circuit, or the cars, or any of that. People love to moan and bitch. It seems to bind us together. We can all share a negative opinion on something!

Randall, Winters, CA

RM: I think it’s more moaning about the potential of three races on the road course, but to your point, the IMS circuit has three passing opportunities and that’s pretty damn good by today’s standards since so many of the tracks were built 50-60-70 years ago and are so narrow. But IMS is better than Sonoma, Portland or Laguna in terms of being racy.

Q: As always appreciate your insights and comments. Several weeks ago you made a comment that didn’t seem to get any reaction, which sort of surprised me. You said you could picture Roger P keeping IMS and selling the IndyCar series to NASCAR. That seems like sort of a “wow”, although anything is possible these days. Do you think it could happen?

Jeff B, Bernardsville, NJ

RM: I just said that because R.P. is so focused on IMS and he’s in good standing with NASCAR, so if they made a deal to run the series and actually promote IndyCar, I imagine he might listen. The IndyCar series is a financial loser and I’m not even sure NASCAR could turn it around.

Q: I have a suggestion for people who wanted to donate $100 to the Indy 500 prize fund. Check the web sites of the smaller teams and their drivers. I occasionally send a check to Sage Karam to help with expenses. It is always well-appreciated.

Wayne Smitreski, Allentown, PA

RM: That’s a very generous gesture Wayne, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Q: Will I be able to purchase an Indy 500 shirt on the interweb? I would gladly make the purchase to help off set the costs of putting on the race sans fans in the stands. I would not mind if it had the May date on there, either. I don’t really understand why the drag race at IRP was able to allow fans but the Speedway is not. Maybe nitromethane kills the virus better than ethanol does. Have you attended any of the drag races held in you home state recently?

Bob from Boston

RM: Yep, go to brickyard.com. Drag racing was limited to 1,000 people the way I recall it, but none of the politicians seemed concerned or interested. No, I haven’t been to a race all year.

Q: In the '70s, during the halcyon days of Trans Am, a friend once said to me that Parnelli Jones was a better road racer than Mark Donohue. I thought a valid argument could be made for that. Later, I read an interview with Al Unser (Sr.), in which he echoed that assertion. He followed up by saying that Parnelli was a better road racer than Jackie Stewart. That made me scoff. I'm bringing all this up because, comparisons aside, Parnelli performed eminently, in sports cars and pony cars on road courses. That's always made me wonder why he was not part of the Ford GT program, as were his Champ Car colleagues Foyt and McCluskey; particularly given his ties to Ford. Do you have any explanation for this enigma?

Anthony Valdettaro, Indianapolis

RM: Colin Chapman offered Parnelli a seat at Lotus as Jimmy Clark’s teammate under orders, but Rufus declined: “I’m nobody’s B driver.” He then told Bones Bourcier in the book Well Yes I Am Parnelli Jones that Ford made him an offer to drive the sports cars, but he declined because he couldn’t finish two-hour races – let alone 24.

Parnelli (pictured during the 1967 Can-Am Challenge Cup race at Riverside) had some serious road racing chops. Motorsport Images

Q: The REV Group doubleheader at Road America was great. I don’t know if you saw the August 2nd IMSA race at RA, but Sunday’s rain really added to the excitement. If Roger needs a couple more races, another IndyCar doubleheader in October at Road America would be great. And RA has proved it can handle race events during this pandemic. October weather would be chancy (hot, humid, cold, rain maybe even snow) and definitely no cockpit heat problems! If it’s season-ending, use The American Club for a socially-distanced banquet. Can RA deliver another crowd for a late new event schedule? You saw the crowd turnout in 2016 for the IndyCar testing session for its return to RA. Plus, make is a little more exciting, throw in a few variables. Give every car 165 millibar of race boost; no limit on fuel; extra set of race tires; 300 seconds of push-to-pass that adds another 150 hp. Of course, I’d have to diet again to prep for a daily dose of brats and beer, but well worth the effort.

Tom Nelson, Somers, WI

RM: You might get another race in 2020, but you won’t get any of those other requests. I imagine R.P. is considering Iowa and Road America if he’s got to replace two or three races, but all quiet right now.

Q: Now that the big college football conferences are postponing their seasons until next year, do you foresee the possibility of IndyCar's season being expanded to Saturday races into warmer states (like Florida, California, etc.) since there won't be a big TV sports presence?

Jake, Somewhere East of Eden

RM: Considering the COVID-19 situation in California and Florida and the fact IndyCar wants to stay in the Midwest, no chance. And there will be a TV presence when the NFL goes to Saturday/Sunday and college football figures out some kind of round robin league.

Q: People say you can't schedule races against college football. Well the Big 10 and Pac 12 just said they are not going to play, and it may be the other three Power Five will have to follow along. Do you see any changes to the schedule as at least some college football will not happen? I know if is probably way too late, but maybe?

Tom in Waco

RM: Depending on what happens with Mid-Ohio and St. Pete there could be changes, for sure, but it won’t be because of the lack of college football.

Q: Do so miss you on NBCSN Gold broadcasts! Given the story on the aeroscreen success at Iowa, how did Will Power's wheel pose a risk? I know there was a problem in the pits, but what happened to wheel tethers to prevent runaway wheel/tires? Who could best drive an IndyCar with the handling of a garden tractor?

Pat C.

RM: Not sure I follow you, but it was either Colton Herta or Rinus Veekay’s wheel that sailed over Will’s cockpit at Iowa, and wheel tethers can only handle so much impact. Rufus, A.J., Mario and Gurney would be my choices.

Q: Has there ever been anyone that had a career sadly go downhill as that of Roberto Guerrero? Man, I watch the old races, and then after the crash in 1987 he was just not the same. Did everyone think that way?

Jeff Edwards

RM: He made a helluva comeback and damn near won Phoenix in 1988, was on the pole at Indy in 1992 and was still competitive for several more seasons despite not having the best rides. That test crash at Indy affected him, but he didn’t decline that much until his IRL days when he seemed to crash a lot.

Q: Enjoyed your article ‘A heroic near-miss’. What a front row in 1970! At the time A.J. was the only former winner, but ultimately 11 victories came from that front row. Since I don't think AJ, Al and Mears ever lined up together in front row (or did they?), there cannot be any with more wins. Do you know of any that come close to that? Also, since this is 50th anniversary of Al's first victory it seems IMS could do more to recognize this year since he is four-time winner. I realize 2020 is way out of normal, but I don't remember anything planned pre-COVID, either.

Roger Arthur

RM: That’s the most wins from the front row, you are correct. Mario, Mears and A.J. comprised the front row in 1991 and they combined for nine Indy wins, so I think that’s second. IMS was going to honor Big Al before the country shut down.

Q: I would love to hear your opinion on Jim Clark. It seems to be he gets short shrift whenever conversations occur about the greatest F1 drivers and the greatest drivers of all. I think Clark is the greatest F1 driver of all time. He died at 32 and already had two world championships, an Indy 500 victory and held the record for the most F1 wins and poles. Given that F1 has doubled the number of yearly races it holds and has completely changed the point system, I think the current records don't give the true measure of the driver. Also he trails only Fangio and Ascari in percentage of races won; with all due respect to those great rivers, the field in the '50s was filled with playboys and rich amateurs, unlike when Clark drove. Finally, Clark started only five Indy 500s, arguably the most difficult and dangerous race of all. In those five starts, he finished first once and second twice. Unmatched! Did I make a case? And thank for your column. I look forward to it every week!

Bob Isabella

RM: He had the instant respect of A.J. and Parnelli at Indianapolis, and Dan Gurney always championed his ability so that’s a good start. Clark didn’t have to crash people like Senna or Schumacher, and that sets him above them for me. I think Clark and Jackie Stewart were as good as anybody – then and now.

Q: Thanks for the fine article remembering the life of Don Edmunds. Don hired me in June 1976 to help him build the run of Roman Slobodynskyj-designed Lightning Indy cars for Lindsey Hopkins. I worked at his business, Autoresearch, for a challenging but unforgettable three years, and Don and I became lifelong friends. I also came to appreciate how a for-profit race car operation was run. Seeing a midget, sprint, or dirt champ car leave the shop almost every week was an impressive achievement! He usually employed young people from around Anaheim, California where Autoresearch was located. He coached and mentored them all, in addition to helping them acquire useful skills they applied to his business and could use later in life. No matter how busy the shop was, Don always found time to relax flying radio-controlled gliders, building and collecting model race cars and engines, or hunting for artifacts in the desert. Do you have any memories to share of Don or his cars over the years?

Bruce Selby, TX

RM: My memories are the stories that Jim Bob Luebbert and Jerry Weeks tell because I didn’t get to meet Rotten Red until later in his life, but I’ve read his book four or five times and it’s fascinating. He built so many different types of race cars, and gave a lot of guys their start in the business and he was also a damn good racer. Makes me wish I’d have been in L.A. in the mid-'60s.

Q: I noticed the IndyCar employees in the flagstand are now wearing helmets.  Is this a change brought on by Penske's purchase of IndyCar, or was there another reason for it? Just curious on the reasoning in either case. I'm sure it is a safety thing – just wondered.

Steve, Mooresville, IN

RM: They’ve been wearing helmets for years.

Edmunds' broader contribution to the sport and racing community went far beyond his Indy 500 Rookie of the Year honors. IMS Image

Q: So sad to hear of Bruce Flanders passing. I remember his voice on the PA when I raced motorcross in the infield of ascot in the mid '80s. He also made Thursday night speedway at Ascot fun, and of course the LBGP. I remember talking to him at the Indy airport during the IRL/CART split, and I was excited to hear he was going to be announcing the CART races. His voice was always on the radio doing Southern Cal Toyota commercials back in the ‘80s. Such a cool guy. SoCal race industry lost a good one.

Fred, Rolling Hills, CA

RM: I first heard him calling Speedway bikes and then at Ascot and finally he became the voice of Long Beach. He was bright, witty and a helluva a good guy.

Q: Was sorry to hear that The Indy Star no longer does the 11 rows of three for the 500 line-up on race day. [ED: The Star is planning to run the 11 rows of three chart as part of its race day section]. I used to go over that to see how consistent the drivers were, like all four of Parnelli's laps topped the 150 mph mark in '62, etc. I imagine the scorecard is gone, too. Dad used to sit down with that front page and he would chart the progress of the race as we listened to Sid Collins’ broadcast. Great memories. Gannett has a knack for bringing in people who think they know more than the local editors/reporters about what the readers want. I could go on forever on that subject, but not worth it really. Guess there isn’t a question here, but want to say thanks that we have you and others on RACER.com for auto racing coverage. Hope you are doing well.

Paul Borden, Miami, FL

RM: There is no question but you badmouthed Gannett so I ran your letter (smile). The Star has tarnished every good thing we produced for 50 years.

Q: Since it was announced that the Indianapolis 500 would be run with 50%, 25% and ultimately no spectators, many people, including myself have had to come to the realization that our streaks of attending the race will be coming to an end. I’ve read many posts on various social media sites from people sharing their extraordinary attendance streaks and their disappointment in them coming to an end on August 23rd. I’m no different in that my streak of 38 in row that began in 1982 will be coming to an end as well.

It wasn’t until things were put into perspective that any disappointment I felt over my streak ending became inconsequential. One of the comments that really stuck with me read that it’s not about how many in a row, but rather how many in the end. There are many people out there that could have streaks of 40, 50 or 60+ years, but they made the unselfish choice to put their lives on hold to serve our country.  Many returned home and were able to increase the “how many.” To those who didn’t get that chance, they are with us each Memorial Day weekend and we honor them through the words of Jim Phillippe, for making it possible for us to witness as free men and women, the world’s greatest sporting event and for making racing the world‘s most spectacular, spectator sport. I look forward to my 39th Indianapolis 500 whenever that day may be.

Joe Gangi, Libertyville, IL

RM: Thanks Joe, we will let your thoughtful letter take us to Sunday’s green flag.