Robin Miller's Mailbag for November 4, 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: I've been watching the latest driver changes with interest and I've always wondered: when drivers get replaced, do they typically think it's just business (contract has expired and/or funding-related), or do they take it personally and hold grudges? I'm sure that, since we're dealing with human beings, the reactions vary. You've always been a writer dealing in more in personalities rather than the nuts and bolts of the car, so I'd bet you know. Recalling a quote from one of the very best movies of all time..."It's nothing personal, its just business." What say you?

Rick in Lisle, IL

RM: I say that’s a damn good question. As you can imagine, emotions are all over the board when a driver is replaced, but I think shock, anger and surprise would be the three key reactions. I think we were all stunned when Chip Ganassi split with Felix Rosenqvist, especially since the team pursued him for a few years and he won his first race in 2020. James Hinchcliff was understandably furious when he was dropped while he still had a year on his contract with Arrow McLaren SP. And I think Zach Veach knew he was on a short lease with Andretti unless his sponsor re-upped with him. Here’s another example. Michael Andretti rescued Ryan Hunter-Reay’s career 10 years ago and they’ve won Indy and a championship together, but if they hadn’t been able to bring back DHL, I’m not sure RHR would have kept his ride. That’s the definition of just business, nothing personal, but thankfully it looks like everything is good with the No.28 car for next year.

Q: With all the driver movement, we have seen one new car: McLaughlin for Penske. What is the likelihood of an extra car from Rahal? AMSP racing? Shank? Who is a possibility to be driving the second car at Coyne?

Paul Fitzgerald, Indianapolis

RM: Bob always talks about a third car full-time, and I suppose it depends on what Robbie Buhl and Spencer Pigot can put together. Meyer Shank is running a second car but only part-time, and I’m sure AMSP will have a third at Indianapolis. Got no idea on Coyne question. Hell, it’s only November.

Q: Was Felix Rosenqvist asked to leave Ganassi, or did AMSP approach him?  While all drivers want to drive for a top three team like Ganassi, the No.10 team has only won about three times since Dario’s 2011 championship season. Except for one year, a talented championship-caliber driver has driven No.10 (Dario, TK, and Felix).  Same timeframe, Scott Dixon has won about 23 times and four championships!  Stating the obvious, Dixon and Mike Hull, along with Simmons/Cannon, are the best in IndyCar. With this huge difference between the No.9 team and No.10 team, would a current top shelf driver (contract or not) want to move to the No.10 team for 2021?

Ralph, Indianapolis

RM: I don’t know if Alex Palou approached Chip with a sponsor and that triggered Felix’s move, or if AMSP was after him. But I don’t expect anyone to tell me the truth, so your guess is a good as mine. As for the No.10 car, I think it gets everything the No.9 has except Dixie, and a lot of drivers would love to try it.

Whatever the circumstances that led to Rosenqvist changing teams for 2021, there's no doubting that AMSP is heading into the new season with a stout driver pairing. Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: My question is regarding the paddock and silly season. It’s fascinating to me that so many parts have moved so quickly, what with Rosenqvist and Palou changing teams, Marcus Ericsson and Pato O’Ward re-signing, and Jimmie Johnson, Sebastien Bourdais and Scott McLaughlin confirming their 2021 participation. Which brings me to Friday’s RACER.com article regarding Romain Grosjean’s apparent interest in coming Stateside.

Here’s the problem I see: What seats in IndyCar could he conceivably consider? My assumption is that the Team Goh partnership went with Palou to Ganassi, so Dale Coyne would be looking for a funded driver to play second fiddle to Santino Ferrucci. There is a non-oval ride available with Ed Carpenter that could be possible, and I see Michael Shank is looking to expand to a second car. I don’t have a clue about Trevor Carlin’s plans, but I saw that Elton Julian closed up shop, which is a shame. Andretti, Ganassi, AMSP and Penske are already maxed out. So what it looks like is that for a guy like Grosjean to come to IndyCar, assuming he could bring $7 million with him, he would have to be willing to go from a full-time F1 driver to being the No.2 driver at a mid-pack team, or a part-timer for a team that specializes in ovals? Or is this the type of opportunity Bob Rahal has coveted for years in adding a third car?

Dan W., Ft. Worth, TX

RM: This may sound a little harsh, but why would any of the big teams want a 34-year-old driver that has never won a race and is squeamish about ovals? He wouldn’t sell one ticket over here, but I’m sure if he finds $3-4 million he could find a home with Coyne or Carlin.

Q: As I was reading the news about Grosjean considering IndyCar for 2021, I once again see references to ovals as being a deterrent. Why is it that so many F1 drivers look at ovals as bad juju? Are they bored by the prospect of it? Are they intimidated by it? I realize it requires a different skill set to only turn left for 500 miles, but why does there seem to be so much snobbery about it? I seem to feel like there are lots of F1 studs in history who have come to the States and been humbled by the oval at the Brickyard, and others who have come to Indy and conquered it and felt it was a crowning achievement. And yes, I understand that Indy is a different animal from any other oval on the U.S. circuit, but still... why the widespread aversion?

Brad in Seattle

RM: I think they see the crashes on ovals and want no part of 225 mph laps on a track with walls all the way around it, but as we’ve seen with Emmo, Nigel, Arie, Zanardi, JPM, Sato and others, running ovals is an acquired taste. But when guys like Alexander Rossi and Marcus Ericsson sing the praises of oval racing, it might change a few minds.

Q: Well, it looks like the 2021 grid in IndyCar is taking shape. Penske running four cars, Ganassi, three-and-a-half.  Do you know if there are plans to run another driver in Johnson’s car on the ovals? Have you heard anything else about Ferrucci or Askew?

Jim Doyle, New Jersey

RM: Absolutely, Ganassi has said since Day 1 they want an oval driver as Johnson’s teammate, and maybe that would be a nice spot for Askew. I think Santino returns to Coyne.

Q: Question for Scott Dixon – if he could only have one of the two and 2021 was his last year driving, would he take a seventh series title or a second Indianapolis 500 win? I think I know which he would take.

Jim Osborn, Fishers

RM: From the six-time IndyCar champion who is testing at Barber: “Ha ha. Both! Indy would be amazing, and so would tying A.J.”

Q: Can we spare a thought for Willy P.? The fact that he got the St. Pete pole wasn't too surprising, but even with the pole in hand he goes out and knocks a few more tenths off his time. That's a rare thing today where a driver gets a 'free' lap like that to just run fast and have fun, and it was great to watch. He had five poles from 14 starts this season, and has won pole in more than a fourth of his starts over his career. Where do you rank him all-time among IndyCar's best qualifiers?

Kyle P. in MA

RM: Well he’s second only to Mario on the all-time list, so obviously he ranks near the top, and Will takes great pride (as he should) being able to find those extra 0.2s when it counts. Pappy Branson and Greg Weld on the dirt were masters, and Uncle Bobby was also real good at wringing the most out of a lap.

You'd have to imagine that Will's garage is completely wallpapered with those pole award flags. Levitt/Motorsport

Q: What's your crystal ball telling you based on Sebastien Bourdais' performance in the No.14 at St. Pete? Should this long-time A.J. fan be optimistic about a top 10 car next season based on this one performance? Maybe the team just needed a ‘still on form’ frontrunning driver all along?

Andy R, Brighton, MI

RM: I wrote a column saying this was probably A.J.’s last chance to be near the front, and if they listen to Seb and improve their pit stops it can happen. All I know is that when I called Tex the day after St. Pete he was downright giddy, and Bourdais may force him to go to more races (smile).

Q: Hey Robin, Sato is aging like fine wine and continues to pick up a win or two per year. You think he can keep going for the long haul and retire like Mario Andretti at 53? I hope so, since I've been fan of his since his F1 days. Would love to see him to get championship or get few more LBGPs and Indy 500s before his time is done. Do you think Honda of Japan have a successor after he does hang the helmet in IndyCar?

Kevin, Long Beach, CA

RM: Man, that’s 10 more years and that’s a real stretch in this day and age with all the talented kids. I imagine if he can get to 47 or 48 he’d be thrilled.

Q: Did any IndyCar owners even make a run at signing Larson?

David Spear

RM: No, and Kyle doesn’t want to run IndyCars – just the Indy 500.

Q: Despite not making it to any IndyCar races for the first time since 1983, I enjoyed the coverage on NBC and the streaming service is a bargain. So thankful we had Penske to steer us through this year. I really think Johnson is going to add some vibe for next season. Do you know what European or South American country Johnson got citizenship from to convince Chip he could drive an IndyCar?

Kent, Brazil, Indiana

RM: He used Dixie’s passport and Chip thinks he’s a Kiwi. JJ will attract the national media and some new fans as long as he can be competitive. But it won’t be easy.

Q: JPM should be on a top four team! He still has it! If Helio wants a full-time ride, The Captain should give him one! They are better than a lot of the drivers in the top 20. And don’t say it’s all about sponsorship. The both could still win the Indy 500! Look at Sato. Best regards, love your platform!

Dan, Lima, Ohio

RM: I don’t disagree that both could still win Indy, but other than Al Unser, once R.P. cuts you loose from IndyCars you are done. And if they couldn’t drive for Ganassi or Andretti, why would they go anywhere else, except maybe ECR or RLL at Indy. Actually, JPM would be a good fit to run JJ’s car on the ovals.

Q: With about 15 minutes to go in Petite Le Mans, Pipo Derani and Ricky Taylor were going at it tooth and nail. PT and AJ saw how heated the racing had become and predicted it would end in tears. It did. Pipo ended up in the kitty litter and Ricky spun. After the race, Pipo decided to give Ricky a piece of his mind. Helio stepped in to defend his teammate (Ricky), which resulted in Pipo and Helio exchanging words. I'm pretty sure they weren't passing along Christmas greetings in Portuguese. It seems the Whelen Engineering and Penske teams have genuine rivalry on their hands. At present, IndyCar doesn't seem to have a Seabass/PT Champ Car type of rivalry. It all seems very corporate. The message is controlled (it was a racing incident, avoidable contact, blah, blah, blah). Do you think we will ever see a genuine rivalry in IndyCar again?

Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA

RM: Oh yeah, I think you can have good rivalries without hate (although that always makes them better). Herta vs Rossi, Herta vs O’Ward and Santino and Veekay vs the paddock all have possibilities. And I like the fact Pipo went down and confronted Taylor instead of sending a text.

Q: Can you please give us as a breakdown of what the driver lineups are looking like next year team by team, and how many cars we can expect on the grid? Seems there have been a few signings lately and things are definitely looking up for the series!

Jason Hay, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

RM: Marshall’s latest Silly Season story pretty much lays it out but here’s a quick look: Andretti (5): Marco, RHR, Rossi, Herta, Hinch; Ganassi (4): Dixon, Ericsson, Palou, Johnson; Penske (4): Power, Newgarden, Pagenaud, McLaughlin; RLL (2): Rahal, Sato. AMSP (2): O’Ward, Rosenqvist; Foyt (2): Bourdais and Fittipaldi, Kimball or Kellett; Meyer Shank (2): Harvey and TBA for second car in selected races; ECR (2): Veekay, Carpenter, Daly; Carlin (1): Chilton. Dreyer & Reinbold and Juncos Racing: ???.

Q: A few weeks ago I thought we might go down to 20-21 full time cars for next year. Am I wrong to think I was way off and we might have more than this year at 25 full-timers, and with a couple of part-timers, even have 27 at some events? Thank God we have Roger on our side, and you too, Robin, with the Mailbag.

Ron, Toronto

RM: See the answer right above yours, and I imagine if Dennis Reinbold and Ricardo Juncos can find sponsorship there could be 25-26 at some races.

Q: I just read that DragonSpeed is ending its IndyCar program and sold its chassis to Meyer Shank. When a car is sold like that, obviously the engine goes back to Chevy. But I am curious about the wiring harness, steering wheel, engine management system, etc. Are those items specific to the engine manufacturer, or generic/spec to the chassis? I enjoy your column.

Kevin Kovach, Allen Park, MI

RM: From Mike Hull, managing director of Ganassi Racing: “If a team would sell as in this case a Chevy-specific chassis to a Honda team, the Chevy-specific items that are team purchased and not part of the lease remain the team’s property by agreement. You’re meant to return them if you don’t continue. Yes, the engine itself is returned, but then the chassis’ OEM-specific items which are owned by the team as can be sold to another like team with OEM permission. You lease the engine itself, which includes the engine engineers and technicians trackside. The OEM sets the mileage limits for the purchased parts that that are specific to the chassis. Those items would be the engine installation kit specific items that include the engine harness, sensors, wastegates, exhaust and tailpipes, some aero engine ducting, fuel pump, and cooling-specific items.  These items have a mileage limit, so are exchanged during the race season once they find full term.”   

Who knew that buying an IndyCar was so complicated? Abbott/Motorsport Images

Q: Will the IndyCar Series ever race on the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Road Course at Daytona International Speedway?

Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY

RM: Josef Newgarden drove on the Roval and there was talk of IndyCar going there, but nobody has mentioned it lately.

Q: This year's doubleheader at Road America seemed to be a hit with everyone involved, even those of us just watching from home. Any reason we aren't getting another doubleheader next year?

Mike, South Dakota

RM: The doubleheaders at Iowa, Mid-Ohio and Road America were cool but they were also out of necessity, and I think IndyCar, its teams and the promoters are happy to have just one big event on a weekend. Although depending on what happens with COVID in 2021, it’s possible that doubleheaders could return.

Q: Roger should take a hard look at the schedule to grow the sport in the stands and on TV. After watching the race at St Petersburg, it has become more evident that the season finale should be in St Pete. Watching season ending races at Sonoma and Laguna Seca have been follow the leader events with passing done during pit stops!

I would also start the season at Long Beach. Start and finish the season with a bang!

John Sedlak, Venice, Florida

RM: I don’t disagree IndyCar needs a better race and atmosphere for the finale (I like Gateway), but Laguna was surprisingly good in 2019 and watching young Herta hold off Will Power was entertaining. But I think St. Pete likes being the season opener and Long Beach isn’t about to change its date.

Q: Now that the season is over, does anyone have an estimate of the amount of the Captain’s additional investment in IndyCar and IMS? We all know he bought the track, series and assorted assets. Nobody is saying, but the amount has to be in the hundreds of millions. Then he invested another $15 million in IMS improvements (even though you didn’t get the apron issue worked out yet). But there must be another huge amount he has spent to keep races on the schedule, personnel employed, IMS open, purse paid, and other costs. Any idea? My estimate is plus or minus another $10 to $15 million in direct out of pocket expenses, but that’s a total guess. On top of that is the lost revenue from sanction fees, and ticket sales. All in all, a huge number.

I could be way off. But we all know he has spent a lot more than he expected, and the amounts are in the millions. Yet have you ever heard him complain for even the briefest second? Penske has picked up the sport of IndyCar racing and carried it on his back this whole year. Do all racers, owners and fans really appreciate the magnitude of what he’s done? I for one just want to say, “Hey Roger, we see and appreciate what you’ve done. Thank you.”

Gerald Oliver, Midlothian, Texas

RM: There are a few people who know how much R.P. shelled out in 2020 to keep IndyCar and the Indy 500 running, but when you count the price of IMS, the fact he made zero revenue on ticket sales until the last two races, co-promoted and rented tracks and likely gave major discounts in sanction fees for doubleheaders, it could be as much as $400 million. And I do think that IndyCar fans are aware of his commitment and appreciate all he’s done, and are thankful he bought everything.

Q: As a big fan of open-wheel racing on ovals, I, too, am disappointed there aren't more on the schedule, but I’m not surprised. Looking at the tracks that opened since the track-building boom of the ‘90s, oval tracks have not been wholly successful. Fontana and Texas have done pretty well, but look at some of the others: Homestead and Las Vegas have soldiered on with major layout changes. Pikes Peak and Disney World have disappeared, although I guess the track is still there in Colorado. Nashville and Gateway were pretty much closed for a time. Chicago Motor Speedway was a complete flop.  Chicagoland appears to be on its way out. Kentucky has had major reconfiguration and lost its Cup date.

So it appears that building an oval is pretty risky, in retrospect. Could that be why Penske sold his tracks? Did he see that coming? Are we actually lucky to have three ovals as opposed to being cursed by just three?

Thanks for your great work through the years.

Randy Beegle, Fairmont, WV

RM: No, The Captain sold his tracks when NASCAR was booming and looks even smarter than he is for unloading them. I’d say we’ll be lucky to have two ovals in two years.

Q: With the Freedom 100 off the IMS schedule for May 2021, is that a race that could move to Lucas Oil Raceway? I would assume the cars could run on the track, but would the lack of soft walls be an issue? You would think the series would want to take advantage of all the race fans that week.

Jim Osborn, Fishers

RM: Lucas has soft walls but here’s what Road to Indy president Dan Andersen has to say: “We discussed this briefly but it was clear to my competition people that the track is inadequate for an IL15. The cars are too fast and the safety system is not up to the standards needed for that car. We enjoy Lucas Oil Raceway for our other two series as it is an appropriate venue for them, and we chose to create a doubleheader at St Louis for Indy Lights to maintain our oval count of two races.”

Chicago Motor Speedway, in all its glory. Motorsport Images

Q: Does IndyCar have a plan to reduce the marbles that build up on tracks and directly impact the racing? As a fans we all know how treacherous these rubber deposits are. I think that since the introduction of the soft compound tires for road and street courses, the marbling has gotten worse and leads to a single racing line, and then a race becomes a bit of a parade. I understand that having two different tire compounds adds competition to both the racing and the strategy, and that’s a good thing; it just seems that if there were a way to remove the deposits it would lead to better racing in the latter part of the race.

Is consideration routinely given to extending a yellow caution period to allow for this? While a competition caution might also be an answer, this would impact pit strategy and I’m not sure that the drivers and teams would be in favor. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Dan, Anaheim Hills, CA

RM: Let’s ask IndyCar race director Kyle Novak: “Hi Dan, thanks for the question.  Track sweeping during the Race is not an IndyCar procedure on road/street courses with the primary reason being to reduce the amount of safety vehicles on course. Road/street courses present blind corners and tight confines, and IndyCar expects drivers to pack up behind the pace car as quickly and as safely as possible so that the AMR Safety Team can quickly respond to the incident. Every safety vehicle on course adds a new obstacle and distraction to drivers, and we seek to reduce those obstacles as much as possible.

“Additionally, the track sweeping equipment simply doesn’t have the ability to reduce the marbling in a short amount of time during the yellow period. It often takes 10-15 minutes of multiple laps with a clear track to have enough of an impact to make the exercise worthwhile. That would more than double the length of most yellow periods just to do a single pass. IndyCar’s priority is to maximize green flag racing so that race craft, strategy, and engineering are the primary factors of competition for our fans and competitors.”

Q: I just saw an article saying that Honda is pulling Mario from driving the two-seater. I believe it’s fake news, said something about liability with him being 81. I call bullcrap, the old dude still has it. Got any intel about it?

CJ Eisman, Terre Haute

RM: Honda didn’t fire him but it did end its sponsorship of the two-seater program on Monday. Mario still wants to drive and is looking for a new ride, and IndyCar intends to keep The Fastest Seat in Sports operating.

Q: I read Honda is dropping its sponsorship of the two-seater, so I have a better idea. I would think Honda or IndyCar or whoever would get more bang for the buck giving people rides in the pace car or some other suitable street car. I know it's not an IndyCar but who wouldn't like taking a hot lap around St Pete, Road America, Laguna Seca, etc. during some downtime at the track during a race weekend?  Honestly, would you rather take a hot lap around the track in the pace car, or watch some celeb you'll never meet drive by in the two-seater? Personally, I'd love to go for a hot lap at my beloved St Pete Grand Prix, even in just a street car. How many people actually got to ride in the two-seater during a race weekend anyway? A dozen? It’s a lot of overhead for a relatively small number of people.

Put a passenger in the right seat of the pace car, his or her two kids in the back seat and off you go. It doesn't have to be Mario driving. Oriol, Zach, Carlos, any former IndyCar driver would be a thrill for most people. And it doesn't have to be at 50 percent of race speed either. ‘Fast’ is fast enough. Give the kids pictures of themselves in the car (they can be emailed for free). Give them a hundred trading cards of IndyCars and drivers to take to school and give to their friends. Post the video online so they can show their friends and families they got to go for a ride on the race track.

JRT88

RM: Gotta disagree, and all you have to do is talk to someone who rode with Mario in the Honda two-seater to understand the once-in-a-lifetime reactions. Trust me, a CEO from a company considering an IndyCar sponsorship is a lot more likely to sign on after having his breath taken away by Mario. It works. I saw the Texaco CEO nearly have a heart attack at Laguna Seca after two laps with Andretti. They put a cold compress on his head, helped him to his feet and then he went in and re-upped a contract for millions. Pace car rides are cool too, and they already happen at most races, but they’re nothing like hugging the ground at 170 mph with M-A-R-I-O.

Q: I hope all is well for you health-wise. Said health has kept you away from the track, which means you’ve been watching the races like most of us do, on television. Whenever you are asked about some aspect of the TV broadcast, you have answered with some form of “I didn’t see it because I was at the track.” So, what do you think? Did you see things in the broadcast that made you think "this is pretty good and that’s really bad," or "I wish they’d do that and not this?" Do you see why certain questions are asked? Your thoughts please.

Tim Davis, Detroit, MI

RM: I’m always impressed that our booth guys stay on top of the races, and Townsend correcting P.T. every five laps can be entertaining. I hear a lot of complaints about the engine sounds drowning out our announcers, so I guess that’s the biggest obstacle. I’d like to see us do more fun things in pre-race and have a historical segment, but you can’t do much in 30 minutes and I appreciated my bosses letting me do essays this season because the fans seem to like the themes. There are always instances when you wish someone would have said something different, but it’s live television so I think the NBC team has good chemistry and solid reporting.

Q: In what way is Sarah Fisher involved with IndyCar now?

Dick Lee

RM: She was occasionally driving the pace car, but I think between her go-kart tracks in Indy and Florida, Whiteland Raceway and her two kids, she’s pretty busy.

Fisher's current schedule doesn't allow much spare time for IndyCar. Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: Unfortunately due to my age, I spent my formative years in the ‘80s. So the only Gary Bettenhausen I really saw was the Indy part-timer. I am aware of his 1974 Syracuse crash and the effect it left on his left arm. Yet I am curious to know how Gary was able to drive Indy cars and shift while steering? From what the internet tells me, I see that Gary B raced in three road races in an Indianapolis Car in 1977 and 1984. In ‘77, he finished second at MoSport, ran 13th at Portland in ’84 and didn't qualify at Road America. So my question is, how much of a struggle was it for Gary B to run those races and how did he pull that second place off? He had some unfortunate runs at Indy in the ‘80s, but in hindsight, do you think he could have been competitive running a full schedule in something a little better than the Leader Card equipment?

Ryan T from Nebraska

RM: He did it because he was most determined racer I’ve ever met, and he came from 32nd to third in a ^%$# box in 1980, so of course he could have won Indy in a good car. We always kidded him that if he hasn’t been so stubborn and not got fired by Penske, he’d be a five-time Indy winner and we would have never heard of Sneva or Mears. But let his son Todd tell you how he handled road racing with one arm: “I believe both of those cars shifted on the right side, and he was able to steer well enough with his left arm to shift. When he started road racing in Indy cars, he took the Skip Barber racing school and was the fastest of his class if I recall correctly.”

Q: CART declared bankruptcy after the 2003 season and the remains of the series went into bankruptcy court. The judge ruled against Tony George even though he had the higher bid. I believe the judge's reasoning was this was to satisfy the contracts of the sponsors and vendors. Do you believe this was the correct decision? To me, all it did was delay the inevitable merger.

Alan, Indianapolis, IN

RM: It probably was at the time, because you had all these teams, cars and contracts and as I recall the judge’s logic was that they might be put out of business if Champ Car was bought by T.G. In hindsight, it prolonged open-wheel agony for five more years.

Q: I know you get tired of answering Nazareth Speedway questions. Now that we are post-season, I figured I’d do a little online research to satisfy my own curiosity. As far as there being any hope of racing at the facility again, the answer is a resounding no as evidenced by the YouTube videos I saw: Local news report from 2017-no racing was a condition of sale to the current owner.

Harrison L.

RM: No grandstands, no track and no chance is what I’ve said for years, and thanks for your reporting.

Q: Hey Robin, just thought I’d let you know that I received an email from organizers of the Portland G.P. They are transferring all tickets from this year’s race to next year’s race. My rooms are booked and can’t wait for the race. Hope to see you there.

Brad Heuer, Coeurdalene, Idaho

RM: Good to hear, thanks for sharing the info.

Q: I wanted to give you, hopefully, something beyond a Canadian perspective of where IndyCar is today. I was on the Champ Car team and it has taken me a long time to heal.

First, as a Canadian, I have to thank Roger Penske for fixing the TV coverage in Canada. I wrote to you in March of 2019 (like many other angry Canadians).

In a year where it's easy to complain, I am grateful that IndyCar was able to put together a season. It’s such a competitive series, with a strong and diverse field of drivers, and this is before Scott McLaughlin joins. As many as 26 cars in 2021? Aeroscreen protection for the drivers... Hopefully things will improve, and in the not-to-distant future I can visit Road America or Mid-Ohio for a race. For now, I am happy to be a fan in the ‘Penske Era’ of open-wheel racing.

Carlo Ardizzi, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

RM: Thanks for the update on Canadian TV coverage. I had not heard anything one way or the other so that’s good news.

A Nazareth return is a non-starter. Williams/Motorsport Images

Q: What were the TV ratings for St. Pete? A late fall date on the main NBC network should be good. Especially the finale to decide the championship. It showed the best of IndyCar. The veterans did well (outside of Power, who still mastered the track in his pole run). Fan-favorite Hinchcliffe did well, though he botched his chance to win. Rookies did well, A.J. Foyt’s team showed well, and Marco Andretti showed some brilliant driving by passing multiple cars before being crashed out of the race. Fans and IndyCar should be so proud they managed to finish the season on a high note with fans in the stands and great racing. You, Robin Miller, are great too. Loved your answer last week about doing the original Cannonball Run with Brock Yates. People notice your answers to the whiners of IndyCar, and I think of Brock Yates. He didn't take any crap in his columns, and people like me loved him too. Keep it up.

Bob Hunt, Lodi, WI

RM: Considering it was NBC network and the race had quite a bit of drama they weren’t very good – 675,000 – but the overall ratings were up slightly from 2019.

Q: A few evenings ago, I re-watched the 1994 Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix held at the always-entertaining Nazareth Speedway. In Paul Page’s opening monologue on the ESPN telecast, he did an excellent job of chronicling Al Jr.’s incredible season, while also highlighting PT and Emmo’s push to achieve a Penske 1-2-3 in the PPG Indy Car World Series Championship. I enjoyed the monologue, as I did most them, but the conclusion of this one struck me as particularly apropos. Referring to Roger Penske directly, Page asserted, “Why is there a Penske dynasty? Because while most of us dream of the future, Roger is already working on it.”

In my humble opinion, this sums up the greatness of Roger Penske quite succinctly. His visionary rather than reactionary mind has facilitated successes in almost everything he’s attempted, and such is the reason the NTT IndyCar Series stands a snowballs-chance-in-hell of surviving, as we enter the third decade of this ridiculous century. In sum, please let me join the long list of Mailbag participants in congratulating Mr. Penske and his team on giving us an Indy 500, an IndyCar season, and at least the hope that there will be many 500s and seasons to come. With much admiration and respect (for you and Mr. Pruett),

Daniel Pratt, The People’s Republic of Austin

RM: Thanks Daniel, we’ll end this Mailbag on a positive note, and a good job by Paul Page.