Robin Miller's Mailbag for September 9, 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: Have you heard anything about Mid-Ohio being confirmed? I know reports were saying 90%, just wondering if anything was solidified or if an announcement is imminent.

Rob Pobiega, Lemont, IL

RM: It’s on, and reportedly 6,000 people will be admitted.

Q: With a lot of these places letting fans in, what are the chances that the IMS Harvest Grand Prix will be letting a certain amount of fans attend? They have tickets for sale on the website. I don’t want to pay for them and then just have them as a credit towards my account. If they do have fans, what do you think the demand will be?

Tim B.

RM: IMS says it will make an announcement in the next few days, but why would you buy them until you knew? It’s not like it’s going to be a sellout.

Q: When does the IndyCar Series close for the 2020 season, and what new races will be on the 2021 IndyCar schedule?

Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY

RM: Supposedly on October 25 at St. Pete, and, so far, it looks like Nashville may be the only new venue next year

Q: Just wondering if an IndyCar race without fans at the Milwaukee Mile was ever considered? After all, they’ve raced there with almost no fans before, why not now?

Jeff, Brookfield, WI

RM: Not to my knowledge. If anything, I think R.P. would go back to Iowa if he needed another race, because he’s already invested in it and plans on it continuing as part of the schedule.

Q: Is there enough money on earth to bring Virginia International Raceway up to IndyCar safety standards? Probably would involve the addition of a lot of kitty litter, guardail and even SAFER barrier in some locations. The sports car racing there never fails to be close and entertaining, but that doesn't necessarily translate to good IndyCar racing.

Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA

RM: I have no idea – never been there. But if you spent a couple million upgrading the track, then had to pay for the IndyCar race, you’d best have a big-time title sponsor to help defer the costs. Where would people stay? I think it’s a real stretch to think IndyCar could ever wind up there.

We can't show you an IndyCar at VIR, so here's an IndyCar team there instead: Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian's Mario Farnbacher and Matt McMurry putting the No. 86 Acura NSX GT3 GTD through its paces at the venue in August. Jake Galstad/Motorsport Images

Q: I've always thought IndyCar reached the top of its popularity when it went international, i.e. when it not only had drivers from outside the U.S., but also ran on racetracks outside North America. In fact, as a European, I do see IndyCar as a U.S.-based international series, just like I see F1 as a U.K./Europe-based international series.

Some might disagree with me since this is basically a U.S.-owned racing series, built around the Indy 500, run on U.S. soil for the most part and by U.S.-based teams. And so for all these reasons, American people kinda expect an American driver to win it. But you can't ignore the fact that many pages of the IndyCar (and the Indy 500) history were (and still are) written by drivers that didn't came from the U.S.. Funnily enough, I remember very well the late 2000s-early 2010s era when the show was all about Dario, Dixie, Helio and Willy P, during which time a lot of people were craving for more American drivers... but what do you think?

So that's why I think looking for a worldwide audience is the right way to go for Mr. Penske. Now, I can already see you replying "Not gonna happen unless: people want you out there/the track owner finds a big-a** sponsor/agrees to pay the sanction fee and all teams and IndyCar staff travel expenses." But then I'll have to ask: what is the difference between IndyCar putting on a race outside North America and F1 putting on a race outside Europe? How come IndyCar struggles to put on a 17-race schedule with only one race outside the U.S., while F1 has over 20 races with two in the Middle East, three in Asia and four on the American continent? Also, what exactly is the sanction fee?

Xavier Sanson

RM: The history of international races for IndyCar is a mixed bag. Some, like Australia, were a success, but others were a disaster and the promoter stiffed CART. R.P. isn’t a big fan of racing outside North America because he doesn’t see the value for sponsors, but I imagine he’d listen if Mexico City wanted a race to showcase Pato in the near future. But the reason CART was so popular was because of Emmo, Mansell, Zanardi, Montoya and Villeneuve – not because of the international races. And today’s IndyCar line-up has drivers from Sweden, Japan, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and the Netherlands, so it’s got plenty of international flavor. F1 races are subsidized by countries so it’s easier to find money than U.S. racing, where it depends on a promoter and sponsorship. A sanction fee is what the promoter pays for a race – maybe $15 million for F1 and anywhere from $500,000 to $1.2 million for IndyCar.

Q: I do personally dislike marketing and consumer research, but... does IndyCar know who its audience is? I just wonder, because F1 is always complaining that its audience is getting older, and they seem to be throwing various gimmicks at 'fixing' that, not that I as a 44-year-old do feel it needs fixing. Does IndyCar likewise also have an audience with a bit more salt and pepper in their hair than they would like?

I do enjoy the mixed bag of driver ages IndyCar enjoys. On one hand I think it's great that a new wave of youngsters are racing at the sharp end of the grid, but on the other hand I'd be more than welcome as a driver even at my age! Do you think driver age correlates with the audience, or is attracting viewers these days enough of a dark art already?

David Herron, High Handenhold, England

RM: IndyCar is always looking for new fans, younger fans, because the average age of today’s die-hards is much closer to 50 than 25. But getting those young people interested in watching or driving to a track is far from easy, and nobody seems to have any good solutions. The Indy 500 rating was the lowest ever and you can blame the date, but the fact remains that IndyCar is a very niche sport that just isn’t very popular anymore.

Q: My wife and I are on our way back to California after a Midwest tour of IndyCar racing. Elkhart Lake, Iowa, Mid-Ohio, the Speedway, then St. Louis – we were all lined up for a perfect motorhome vacation. We all know what happened to the spectator situation at a couple of those races, but the idea was a good one. I’m hoping when IndyCar comes up for the 2021 schedule they will make it so that a Midwest tour is practical again. Use your influence.

Rodger in Oklahoma

RM: You are great fans for making this trek, but I think we got lucky in terms of all the Midwest grouping of races because the pandemic made it so nobody could, or wanted to, travel outside IndyCar’s wheelhouse of Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois.

Q: Aside from the virus, the biggest story going into the 2020 season was the influx of new, fast, aggressive rookies who represented the changing of the guard in IndyCar racing. Nine races in, the story is exactly the opposite. The rookies haven't won, the veterans keep winning. You can debate the reasons, and there are many, but it hasn't happened yet. They have shown flashes, and they have shown their speed and talent, but it takes a complete driver and a complete team to win in IndyCar. No doubt they will have their day, but not yet, and that has been a surprise for this season. It just shows how tough it is to beat the experienced guys.

GS, Concord, Ohio

RM: With a little luck, Pato O’Ward could have three wins and Ferrucci, Veekay and Palou aren’t that far from victory lane. Of course it’s tough to beat Dixon, Newgarden, Power, Rossi, RHR and Sato, but those kids have shown a lot more than flashes. Herta is fifth in the points and Rosenqvist has a win, so the changing of the guard isn’t complete yet, but it’s damn sure on the way.

Q: I noticed this season on the ovals, minus Indy, that Ed Carpenter still runs the USAF car that was partnered with Conor Daly even though he only does the road and street courses for the team. First, I think it's in very poor taste from Ed to get a sponsor full-time but only allow the driver that brought it in part-time. Providing that is the case, I don't know the behind the scenes info, but on the outside it doesn't look good to me.

To my actual question: is there a chance Conor will have a full-time ride with one team next year? He's been a solid driver and I think one team that he can work and grow with will make a great difference for him, instead of his bouncing back and forth.

Anthony A.

RM: Why wouldn’t it look good for a three-time Indy 500 polesitter to carry the colors of one of his sponsors? It’s all about exposure, and USAF has taken a liking to Daly and Carpenter so I’m sure they’re not disappointed to see their colors flying at some ovals. Depending on what Ed decided to do in 2021, Conor could get the call for the No. 20 car, and he might also be drafted by Trevor Carlin if he gets the funding for two cars. Or it’s possible Daly could be in both cars next year like he was this season.

A 'Come back soon Conor' livery with a giant picture of Daly's face on the sidepod would have been much more tasteful. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: What's happened to Ed Carpenter? He's an oval-only specialist and is known to be prodigiously fast at Indy (three poles). But this year he has been nowhere at Indy, and on ovals, generally qualifying midfield or worse. Some of his woes are down to Chevy power, but he is being outperformed by his younger and much less experienced teammates on ovals. It is not all bad luck, either. Ed wouldn't have been caught up in that first-lap crash at Gateway had he qualified higher up at. Is he simply past it now?

Anthony Jenkins, Toronto, Canada

RM: It’s certainly one of the mysteries of 2020, because it’s like someone flipped a switch and Ed went from the front to the back. I don’t think he’d blame Chevy because Veekay and Penske have both performed quite well with BowTie power, but something is missing from the guy who was always a favorite on any oval. I’ll wait until the season is over and ask him if he’s considering just running Indy or possibly concentrating on just being an owner, but he’s not that old (39) and I can’t imagine the fire has gone out yet.

Q: I read your mid-season report card and I have a question about MSR and Jack Harvey. I can’t help but root for these guys to do well, as both Mike and Jack seem to be the kind of guys that IndyCar needs to have on the grid. And they seem to really be on the cusp of being regular challengers. So, every time that Jack qualifies well I am hopeful that they are going to have that big breakthrough weekend. Then they seem to run well at the start but fade at the end. I know you haven’t been there to observe, but any idea what the missing piece is – besides “cubic dollars” – that is keeping them from finishing up front? It seems like if Mike can figure it out that they have the potential to grab some big results from the Big 3.

Royal M. Richardson

RM: Mostly unlucky yellows or a mechanical problem have deprived them of good results, because Jack has been qualifying and racing quite well. It’s not money, it’s racing luck.

Q: Dixon is very well placed to nab his sixth championship. In fact, I think he is going to wrap it up with a race to spare, short of the cartoon anvil falling repeatedly on him. When Mike Cannon joined Ganassi, obviously that was bad news for the rest of the paddock. I don’t know every driver he’s worked with, but doesn’t Cannon usually work with up-and-comers more than not? There are some obvious reasons, but what exactly led him to Dixon?

Eric Z, Lancaster, NY

RM: I think Michael enjoyed working with all the kids at Coyne and A.J. Allmendinger, but with Chris Simmons moving into an overseeing role, an opening came up. And I imagine it took Cannon five seconds to say yes. It’s Scott Dixon, for God’s sake.

Q: I'd like to offer a rebuke to Marco Andretti's detractors who say he either doesn't have the desire, the talent or the courage to compete in the IndyCar series. If he didn't have the desire, he wouldn't have humbled himself a couple years ago and gone overseas for coaching, if he didn't have the talent or courage, how do they explain the ballsy driving at Detroit last year when he ended up getting screwed by race stewards? The real problem with Marco is his pit crew. I've been watching this as closely as I could for about the last three years, and time and time and time again he gets shuffled back in pit stop sequences. During the Indy 500, in two consecutive stops he lost a total of five positions. It makes it doggone hard to win races when you constantly have to regain lost positions in pit stop transitions.

This isn't to say there aren't other problems with AA overall this year, but the failures in the pits are strikingly clear, and something I've not seen or heard anyone address, including Herta and AA and, not surprisingly, Marco himself, who has too much class and integrity to point the finger at his team and throw his crew under the bus. Sorry this is so long, but I've been stewing on this for to long and had to get this rant off my chest.

Doug Manahan, Goshen, IN

RM: I’ve not noticed anything quite that bad, and remember that your in- and out-lap also figures into your pit stop time, so I don’t know where Marco stacks up in that regard. But his pit stops aren’t why he struggles so in qualifying, and no wins since 2011 would indicate the problem isn’t just a few bad pit stops. I wish he could have led every lap at Indy, it would have been a great day for many reasons. But, obviously, he lost the setup and his confidence. Or both.

Q: I think this is the last year for Zach Veach at Andretti – I think he had a three-year contract. I assume he wont be back, so who do you think is in line for that ride? Herta to the full Andretti team? Hinchcliffe?

GS, Concord, Ohio

RM: I think it’s the end of the three-year deal with Gainbridge, but how do you know he won’t be back? What if Gainbridge re-signs? And Colton is on the full Andretti team right now.

Q: Did Fernando Alonso really participate in the Indy 500 this year? I didn’t see any kind of coverage near to his previous two participations. With this kind of media presence and with his low-key result in the race, it looks as he really was not there. So, what are your thoughts about Nando 2020 Indy 500, both in the circuit and out of it?

Rafael Lopez, Sevilla, Spain

RM: I didn’t get to go into the pits or Gasoline Alley so I never got to talk to him, and I can’t give you any kind of critique other than he didn’t seem comfortable. It was disappointing because I doubt we’ll ever get to see Fred back at the Indianapolis 500.

There weren't a lot of headline moments for Alonso at Indy this year, although it was the first time in three visits that he actually made it to the checker. Phillip Abbott/Motorsport Images

Q: After Ganassi shut down its sports car program, Chip entered a third IndyCar because he had the people and the facility. With Penske and Acura's split and Penske telling his drivers to look for other work, it could open up the possibility of a fourth IndyCar. Or do you see Roger using the people elsewhere, or letting them go all together?

Joe Mullins

RM: I don’t know what will happen to the sports car crew, but I’d be surprised if R.P. ran a fourth IndyCar because Tim Cindric doesn’t like it. Of course if that’s the only way to get Scott McLaughlin, then who knows?

Q: Does J.J. have to go to a Chevy team? Do you see T.K. doing his oval races?

Dan, Lima, Ohio

RM: I guess it wouldn’t have to be a Chevy, but it certainly makes the most sense. And I see T.K. getting sponsorship for Indy, just hope he lands a top-shelf ride.

Q: This idea is so brilliant I wish I’d thought of it. Tony Kanaan wants another year on the ovals. Jimmie Johnson wants to run IndyCar, but no ovals. Problem solved? This would be a PR/advertising/marketing dream scenario. The T.K. and J.J. show would be a good one. Maybe a third car at Arrow McLaren SP?

Don Mulder, Naperville, IL

RM: I like your logic, but it will all depend on sponsorship for both of these veterans. Sharing a ride would be an ideal pairing in terms of marketing and PR – Jimmie’s Fresh Start and TK’s Last Hurrah.

Q: We rarely see new teams in Formula 1, and it's not like in the '70s and '80s, when former F1 drivers founded their own teams. In IndyCar it's a bit different with Chip Ganassi, Michael Andretti and so on. From the current drivers in the field, who do you think could enter his own team in future? Marco Andretti? Helio Castroneves? Tony Kanaan? Any others? Thanks for your opinion.

Frank Lehmann from Germany

RM: That’s a good question with no obvious answer. I didn’t dream Michael Andretti wanted to be a car owner, but he jumped in with both feet and loves it. Would Marco want to do it? Got no idea. Helio and T.K. could probably raise the funding with their personalities and stature, and I imagine if R.P. were to help put then Castroneves could be a candidate. Kanaan has four kids so not sure how much time he’s got to devote. I could see Graham Rahal eventually following his dad’s footsteps or simply buying into RLL, and guys like Charlie Kimball or J.R. Hildebrand would seem to have the aptitude if they desired. Maybe Takuma Sato.

Q: So I got around to watching the ESPN "30 for 30" documentary about Janet Guthrie’s relatively short career in racing. I found it very well done and went into details about her career and her struggles with gaining sponsorship and being in a male-dominated sport. In your opinion, why was it that she struggled so much to gain sponsorship when she clearly posted some good results, and would things have turned out different for her if she were racing today?

Brandon Karsten

RM: Yes, Janet was capable of running four fast laps by herself and did finish ninth in 1978, but she was 10 laps behind. And she certainly wasn’t a racer like Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick, Simona de Silvestro or Katherine Legge. She did a good job under pressure to become the first woman to qualify for Indy and that’s her legacy. But those other four women mixed it up with the big boys, and only Danica had the best equipment. Maybe if Janet started open-wheel racing at 23 instead of 43 she would have lasted longer.

Q: As I've read the many defenses of the yellow flag ending to the Indy 500 over these past couple of weeks, my observation is that diehard Indy fans are simply too close to the sport to be objective about what may actually be taking place.

Having grown up in Indy, I've been a lifelong fan and attended many 500s. However, I believe the future of the sport rests in large part not with the purists or the historians, but with IndyCar's ability to attract new fans. With IndyCar races over the past couple of years resulting in less on-track passing, the sport is not terribly exciting to potential new fans. I persuaded a couple of friends to watch this year's Indy 500; suffice it to say they weren't especially impressed. The lowest TV ratings ever for an Indy 500 can't be completely explained away by a change in date. NASCAR's Brickyard race has been held on a variety of different dates, and no one seem to take issue with the impact on ratings. When will IndyCar and its purists recognize that, yes, it does have to put on a great show?

There's no shame in that. The NBA long ago installed a shot clock and a three-point line precisely to create a more exciting show. The NFL protects its QBs with a new contact rule and even moved the extra point line back... to create a better product. While it's terrific that NBC has made a strong commitment to IndyCar, if new and greater numbers of viewers don't materialize, there is no guarantee that the network will renew its deal in 2022. R.P and his organization would be wise to consider stepping out of the bubble to consider the big picture by asking what needs to change. The cars? The tracks? The airwaves are filled with viewing options for sports fans. The future of IndyCar, in my humble opinion, rests with serving up something more competitive than follow-the-leader racing. So, RM, please tell me what I'm missing.

Mike Linville, Noblesville, IN

RM: How can you put on a much better show than Indy the past five or six years? And are you telling me that more people would have been watching this year’s race if they knew it was going to finish under green? I think not. Rick Mears won the 1984 Indy 500 by two laps and the TV rating was a 12.9. Think anyone quit watching or didn’t watch because it was a rout? No, the problem is that IndyCar’s popularity has consistently dropped since 1996. The 2019 Indy 500 had a red flag so there could be a green-flag finish, but obviously that didn’t mean much to this year’s viewership. And some of the road and street course races of the past few years have offered some of the best racing you’ll ever see. So, sure, there are a few follow-the-leader shows, but the racing has never been better.

We'll be getting emails about this finish for a while yet. Gavin Baker/Motorsport Images

Q: Robin, just wanted to get your thoughts on IndyCar adopting a page from the short track that I grew up around, Oswego Speedway, with the likes of Bentley Warren, Jim Shampine and Nolan Smith to name a few. As I recall they always reverted back to the last fully completed lap and the laps did not count under caution. Now I was thinking that IndyCar could use a modified version of this rule – let’s say, revert back to the last scoring line and caution laps don’t count with 10 or less laps to go. I am a diehard open-wheel fan and Indy 500 attendee of 40 years, and think we could make the racing a lot better without going to the dangerous gimmicks of NASCARs green-white-checkered, but still racing for the win.

Darren Butler

RM: What you proposed is the same thing as overtime and, as we’ve said for the past couple weeks, if there’s enough time and walls or fences don’t need to be rebuilt, IndyCar has shown its willing to try and finish under the green.

Q: I've been reading with interest all of the whining regarding the GWC race finish option.  (For the record, I'm not in favor. To me it's a gimmick.) There is, however, another consideration that I've not seen being discussed. Years ago, USAC/CART (I don't recall which organization was in control then) mandated a specific allotment of fuel to each car based on a target MPG. I've not heard of that in quite some time. Perhaps it's that the engine manufacturers have gotten so good designing their engines that it's no longer a factor, but I wonder, is the fuel limit is still in effect?

Having extra (overtime) laps would therefore require additional fuel to be delivered to each team. Not at all practical! NASCAR has no such fuel restriction, so other than a car needing to stop for additional fuel, GWC can work for them. Can you address the fuel situation I've just described?

Rick in Lisle, IL

RM: From Marshall Pruett: “I have no recollection of the USAC/CART total-fuel-limitation you've referenced, but it was popular in 1970s-1980s European sports car racing, and especially at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was popular with the rule makers, but not the teams, or fans, because it forced teams to run slow enough to make the finish on a tight fuel allocation. IndyCar ensures there's more than enough fuel in the refueling tanks to cover the length of the race, and more, to avoid the situation you've hypothesized.”

Q: What's with the bashing of The Tricky Triangle? Pocono's corners were designed after three different IndyCar tracks. Is it the banking, poor fencing (like IndyCar repaired, at their last race), the long distance from a commercial airport or the possible lack of nearby lodging? A dispute over the IndyCar sanctioning fee or maybe racing politics? I'm curious about its apparent scheduling avoidance.

Bill in CA

RM: Who is bashing Pocono? A couple of drivers criticized it after Robert Wickens’s accident, and again in 2019, but it’s not like there’s been any vendetta or even much talk. What if I told you that neither side had much interest in continuing until NASCAR dropped one of Pocono’s weekends and it suddenly needed IndyCar back? It was a great venue when the Triple Crown was alive and kicking, but for whatever reason it lost its luster with the paying customers. And poor promotion was a key.

Q: IndyCar purists mock NASCAR for its gimmicks (stages, GWC, the list goes on), but it seems to me that NASCAR is trying to keep its eye on the big prize: the television audience. If building TV viewership is a race, then Cup is lapping the field. TV coverage today is vastly greater than it was in the days of the open-wheel heroes, and because of it, the money spent on racing is vastly greater – it is possible that Jeff Gordon was paid more in his final year than A.J. was paid in his entire driving career. You have covered two generations of racing, the heroes and the TV stars; how has television, including its money, made the racing world different, for better and for worse? And, again, thank you for an always-entertaining Mailbag.

John Sims, St Petersburg

RM: ESPN put NASCAR on the national map, and The Split put it so far ahead of open-wheel that it will never be caught. NBC has given IndyCar the best ride and exposure it’s ever had, but it’s not enough to overcome the ambivalence. CBS, NBC, ABC and ESPN all televised IndyCar in the 1970s and '80s but now we should be thankful that NBC wants to keep airing us because nobody else does. Television ratings drive sponsorship so that’s why NASCAR is on another plateau, and I’m really concerned about IndyCar and 2021.

Q: Hi Robin, miss seeing you at the track. Since Mr. Penske was a original architect of the White Paper that launched CART, any chance the name of the series going back to CART and we call The Split as going full circle?

John Whitehead, Indianapolis

RM: Dan Gurney authored the “White Paper,” while R.P. and Pat Patrick then funded CART for a few years, but we don’t need to go back to CART or IRL or Champ Car. IndyCar is the perfect moniker.

OK, who was bashing Pocono this time? Scott LePage/Motorsport Images

Q: After long hard consideration of no fans for the 500, do you think it is possible that it wasn't the race itself and safety that was the issue, but the party outside? As a veteran of a few weekends in the Coke lot, I could see where the events outside of the race were more of an issue than the race itself. Bad press over the gathering could have easily overshadowed the safety of fans in the stands. Just a thought. Also had two great days at WWTR (Gateway) as my son chose the venue for his engagement.

Bryan Davis

RM: I guess the campers and partygoers could have figured into the decision not to allow fans, but not that many were going to be in the infield anyway so I doubt it was much of a factor.

Q: Having had some time to observe the aeroscreen, I have some concerns and suggestions and I would really like your opinion. There’s no doubt we need a device like this, but despite all of the hype; to date the screen has only (maybe) prevented one injury (VeeKay). I’m sure that with time, the device will prove itself. However, I see downsides to the screen as well. If a driver is injured and the car is upside down and burning, the driver isn’t going to get out through that small aperture by him/herself. Hinch crashed at Indy and almost bled to death before the best response team in racing history could get him out. If it had been F1, we would have lost The Mayor, for sure. But would Hinch have survived if the team had needed to spend the extra time detaching the screen?

The aeroscreen has brought mentally and physically debilitating cockpit temps. A new chassis and new engines are coming for 2022, and that now seems like the time to incorporate air conditioning like some sports cars have. They are required to maintain a certain cockpit temp and are monitored by a censor. I realize that open-wheel chassis are very compact, but space could be made for the plumbing, compressor and small radiator. We will never officially know this, but I’d be willing to bet that the heat in the cockpit has already contributed to a few accidents. And what about some power assist for the steering in a car that generates up to three tons of downforce?

John in Sacramento

RM: How do you know the cockpit temps have been mentally and physically debilitating? Or contributed to accidents? I haven’t heard any complaints since the first couple races. I know Conor Daly needed some assistance after Iowa, but how is that any different than hot days at Cleveland or Indy? I don’t know what’s going to happen the first time somebody gets upside down, but I imagine IndyCar and Red Bull Technologies have considered all scenarios. It doesn’t look easy to get out of, but hopefully the safety team has a good plan for quick extradition.

Q: Been waiting for a break in the action to ask you two questions, but with Mid-Ohio back on, will ask now anyway. Who was Bob Jenkins’s first broadcast partner in late '70s? Do you remember him and have a story? In my last conversation with Bob he volunteered that a day doesn’t go by that he doesn’t think of him. Wonder what Bob’s career might have looked like had his first partner not passed away? The second name is Dennis Torres. I always said he was probably the only one making money at the Speedway during the month of May. Did you purchase any of his professional works? I know he got a lot of my money. What ever happened to Dennis?

Tom Kayuha

RM: That would be Larry Nuber, who died at a very young age. He and Bob were ESPN’s first motorsports voices, and did a lot of USAC before moving to NASCAR and IndyCar. Larry was also Jeff Gordon’s first unofficial agent, as I recall. But Bob had a great career with ESPN. He, Bennie Parsons and Ned Jarrett helped make NASCAR so popular. Then Bob moved to VERSUS and NBC and did IndyCar after also calling IndyCar for ESPN/ABC. Torres died of cancer after spending 25 years shooting IndyCar and USAC races. We all bought a lot of his photos, but Jim Chini, John Mahoney and Gene Crucean remain the best of their profession.

Q: The 1984 Indy 500 finished under green, Mears’ third win in 1988 finished under yellow.

Cincy

RM: Good catch, obviously I cannot read the small print of the Indy 500 Record Book anymore.

Q: I am watching Bump Day for the Little 500 right now and am wishing I could be there! Will USAC want to keep the “Night before the 500” as an event next year? I watched it on YouTube and I would love to see the midgets and sprint cars at IRP next May. I know it would conflict with the Little 500, but would they call it the “Weekend before the 500” and run it after the first day of qualifications at IMS? I would love to have a race to see during the qualification weekend at IMS.

Jon, Bemus Point, NY

RM: Depends on whether USAC was happy with the turnout last month and what the schedule looks like. They could run Thursday and Friday nights and not go up against the Little 500. And what if Bob Sargent brings back the Hoosier 100 again? Where would it fit?

Q: I'm currently at the Swanson Sweepstakes (Little 500)... first yellow. It was cool to hear Doug Boles give the command to start engines. Hopefully he's around for many years! Any chance Swanson gets beyond sprints? I know he's early 30s, and maybe that's a hindrance.

DJ Odom, Anderson, IN

RM: If you can find him $1 million we can get Kody into the Indy 500. Ditto for Bobby Santos. And Eric Gordon would have been deserving of an Indy ride as well.

Q: My favorite A.J. Foyt story happened at a Michigan International Speedway race. We would eat dinner every night at Gilbert's Steakhouse – excellent steaks! One night when we were seated I noticed A.J. at the adjoining table. So we when our waitress took our drink order, we also ordered a drink for A.J. "Get A.J. whatever he is drinking and put it on our tab." When A.J. was served his drink and told that it was from us, he stood up with his glass of iced tea raised and said: "Thanks, guys, but all I drink before the race is iced tea." The following morning while driving to the track for practice, we looked out the car was window and there was A.J. waving at us! Inside the track with pit passes, we again saw him waving at us to come over to his pit. He talked with us for about 15 minutes. What a great guy!

Jim McGlynn

RM: Are you sure you didn’t have a pretty woman with you? That’s cool. People are always buying his breakfast at Charlie Brown’s, and I think he’s both flattered and a little embarrassed. But he’s The King is many aspects, and an American treasure.

Mailbag readers have had some pretty cool 'A.J. in a restaurant' encounters. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: Why did the sports prototypes quit Lime Rock? I witnessed some great races there in the '80s. I stopped when the prototypes left (and prices went from $50 per car to $50 per person and more.

Jeff Alan

RM: From our sports car maven, Mr. Pruett: “The quick answer is speed and safety. What's odd is faster prototypes, mostly the old IMSA GTP cars, had greater power and straight-line speed, but there was less emphasis placed on adequate runoff space and barrier technology back in those days. Today's IMSA DPis might not be the brutish prototypes of the 1980s, but there's a recognition that with the immense cornering speeds they produce, they're still plenty fast through some of LRP's more daunting sections. Just a case of IMSA being more responsible with where it sends its fastest cars.”

Q: Last Sunday was the 50th anniversary of the inaugural race at Ontario Motor Speedway, the California 500. I've seen a lot of races all over the world in person, and this is still the wildest race I've ever attended. Once Al Unser and his Johnny Lightning Special was out of the race, it was a free-for-all for the win, multiple lead changes all over the track, and Dick Simon still thinks he won, that USAC missed scoring him a lap. USAC had to go to hand scoring when the Honeywell computers overheated early in the race – this was the first ever use of scoring transponders on cars in racing history. During a pit stop, A.J. Foyt got out of his car, took a hammer and knocked his transponder off the car, saying that it was interfering with his ignition!

Now, a large furniture store sits about where the central concourse grandstand was, and an indoor sports arena is near where the garages were. A Target store parking lot is at Turn 2, and Turn 3 is a vacant field. A lot of us still think this was the best track ever built. Your thoughts?

Dan Rendant, Arcadia, CA (former CART stockholder)

RM: Without a doubt it was 25 years ahead of its time, and just the coolest place with concrete garage floors, valet parking, suites and great support the first few years. Then they moved the date and some greedy people intervened, and not even Parnelli could save it. What a waste. Roger Penske said after he built Fontana that he could have saved millions if Ontario had been for sale.