Robin Miller's Mailbag for December 2, 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’m thankful that Romain Grosjean will be OK. I can’t believe F1 still race at venues that use Armco barriers (especially after the death Francois Cevert at the 1973 USGP at Watkins Glen). Will IndyCar take another look at tracks that use Armco barriers similar to those involved with Romain Grosjean’s accident?

Rob Peterson, Rochester, NY

RM: There are three types of fences approved by the FIA: concrete, Armco and SAFER barriers. Tire barriers are also used at many road and street circuits. Armco has been reinforced over the years but the fence at Bahrain failed, plain and simple, so I would imagine IndyCar will give the fencing at Road America, Mid-Ohio, Laguna Seca and Portland a thorough examination to make sure it’s sturdy.

Q: The Halo clearly proved its worth beyond doubt. In one close-up view you could see where it impacted the barrier. Without it, we’d have another horror like Helmut Koenig at the Glen in 1974. We know the Aeroscreen is more aimed toward preventing debris striking the driver, but after last Sunday do we foresee some sort of combo of the two concepts in IndyCar?

John Weaver, Camp Hill, PA

RM: I don’t know, but the fence failed and really gave the Halo an unnecessary test. I do think IndyCar is happy with how the Aeroscreen responded in a few crashes in 2020, but they’ll always be looking at ways to improve it.

Q: After last weekend’s crash, I doubt anyone will still pine for the days before the Halo in F1. I hope it also ends complaining about the IndyCar aeroscreen. While racing can never be without risk, our driver’s safety is the priority, not the look of the car. Obviously, Grosjean didn’t plan on this. They say in Hollywood that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Not many in the U.S. outside of F1 fans had ever heard of him before yesterday. His crash was even covered by NPR. In your opinion, does an event like Sunday’s near-tragedy improve his chances for attracting sponsorship in IndyCar next season?

Bary Berger

RM: I don’t know that sponsors would come flocking to a driver that escapes a fiery crash as much as they might back a driver that returns after bad injuries. The mainstream media only cares about motorsports when there’s a sensational crash or a fatality and six months later it’s forgotten, so I doubt if it’s going to do much for Grosjean’s profile in terms of raising money.

Grosjean's Halo was MVP in Bahrain last weekend, but there are plenty of questions about the barrier. Andy Hone/Motorsport Images

Q: Grosjean’s crash and the ball of fire was reminiscent of the big crashes and fireballs we used to see at the Indy 500, before the advent of methanol. I haven't seen a fireball like that in an IndyCar for a long time. Forgive an ignorant question, but I'm not a regular F1 watcher. Why the huge fireball? F1 is not still using gasoline, is it? An oil fire wouldn't create a fireball like that. A lot of the coverage is correctly pointing out that the Halo saved his life but some attention should be given to the fireball and the combustible nature of their fuel. Glad Grosjean came out OK.

Tom Knisely, Blaine, MN

RM: F1 cars use gasoline similar to what you get from the pump, but here’s what F1 managing director Ross Brawn guessed: “I suspect that (fire) came from a ruptured connection… I honestly don’t know. I think we need to look at it. Surprisingly, it looked a big fire, but those cars are carrying 100 kilos (26 gallons) of fuel at that stage, and I think if 100 kilos went up, it would be a massive fire. For me that was a fire of a few kilos of fuel, not 100 kilos.”

Q: As has been discussed in previous Mailbags, many F1 drivers are anxious about ovals. There is no way any crash at a current IndyCar or NASCAR oval could be as bad as Grosjean’s at an FIA track, correct?

Scott Simpson, Wisconsin

RM: Oh, hell yes. Grosjean wasn’t even going that fast compared to most oval-track accidents, and his G load was nothing compared to the Indy crash that sidelined Oliver Askew. The guardrail splitting and subsequent fire made it a whole lot worse than it should have been.

Q: I was surprised to see they are still using Armco barriers in F1. Thought it was banned years ago after a driver was decapitated at Watkins Glen. Also, do they not use fuel cells in F1 and what kind of fuel? Haven’t seen fire like that in Indy cars since probably 1964 at Indianapolis.

John Feeser, Wilmington, NC

RM: Armco barriers are one of the three types of fences approved globally by the FIA but obviously this particular model failed. And F1 has fuel cells.

Q: How can it be in this day in time, that one of the newer race tracks in F1 still has Armco barrier installed? Merle Bettenhausen lost his right arm in a crash at Michigan in 1972 due to the Armco barrier, and A.J. damn near lost his at Michigan in 1981. For the most part, Armco barrier has been replaced by IndyCar and NASCAR with the SAFER Barrier. Although the driver survived, that is a testament to the Halo and the rock-solid tub that F1 mandates in its rules. I know that Formula 1 is not IndyCar, but just maybe this will wake up Formula 1 to take a long look at the tracks that they participate on. Sebastien Bourdais had his wreck coming out of Turn 2 at Indy in 2017, and it can certainly be said that car construction and the SAFER Barrier saved his life.

David Lee, Baytown Texas

RM: If you look at the Armco at a place like Watkins Glen it’s built up and designed to deflect the car – not eat one like what we saw last Sunday. The old Armco fences were plenty dangerous, as you pointed out, but the FIA has new standards for them and, despite what the designer at Bahrain claims, this one did not do its job.

Q: With Thanksgiving in the rear-view mirror, let me begin by saying that I'm extremely thankful that us IndyCar fans have you and Marshall as our source feeding our hunger for info pertaining to everything IndyCar. With the announcement that Tony Kanaan has a two-year deal to drive the No. 48's oval program paralleling Johnson's deal for the street/road program, does this end any chance of Jimmie reconsidering his objection to running ovals, and eventually running the 500? With Ganassi returning to IMSA, I would think having enough people to run the fifth car properly at Indy would be difficult. Your thoughts?

Steve, Indianapolis

RM: I’ve always thought J.J.’s best opportunity to be competitive would be the Indy 500 (look at Kurt Busch) and with the Aeroscreen he’ll be able to convince his wife to let him run it. By May he’ll be chomping at the bit and I think he’ll run it.

Q: Is there any connection between Jimmie Johnson using the No. 48 and Dan Gurney, the way Tony Stewart adopted No. 14 as a tribute to A.J.? I recently learned that Dan adopted the No. 48 as a tribute to Les Richter (longtime Riverside manager) who wore that as a player for the LA Rams. If there is, any chance there will be a sticker or other tribute to the Big Eagle in the livery on his car?

Also, I was reading the article about Rick Duman in the Nov/Dec issue of Vintage Motorsport and was thinking, "Gee, I wonder if he ever crossed paths with Miller? His start with Patrick Racing sounds a little bit like yours with Jim Hurtubise except he apparently had more mechanical ability." Then at the end of the article found out that he wrenched on your midget. Now that VM is part of the RACER family, hope they use you as a resource more often. Any chance we'll see some articles from you in VM in the future?

Sean Walsh, Arlington, VA

RM: Johnson was No. 48 as a rookie with Rick Hendrick in 2002 so I doubt it had any relevance to Dan Gurney, and I’ve never heard any kind of connection. Rick Duman grew up behind the fourth turn at IMS and was a damn good mechanic as a teenager besides being a great guy. Now he’s restoring Indy cars and doing a fantastic job. I may write a few stories for Vintage Motorsport.

Q: Are you gonna sit down with J.J. and get the entire scoop from his initial wanting to try Indy, to flirting with Arrow McLaren SP, to eventually signing with Chip? We all want to know. It’s great for our sport!

Dan, Lima, OH

RM: You seem to know more than me. I don’t know J.J. very well, just to say hello, and I did him a favor a decade ago when he wanted to explain his comments about Indy cars on ovals, but sitting down with him isn’t likely. Not until this pandemic is under control and I’m allowed to travel.

Q: I am intrigued by Bryant Heating and Cooling as a sponsor for T.K. on the ovals. I recall seeing this name on Champ Cars in the A.J, Parnelli and Mario years. If in fact these are the same folks, might they hold the record for being the longest running non-automotive sponsor in American open-wheel racing?

Gary Worobec, Anza, CA

RM: The first time I saw Bryant Heating & Cooling on an Indy car was 1958 with Eddie Johnson (he finished ninth) and the sponsored him again in 1959 before moving to Dempsey Wilson in 1960. Len Sutton carried their colors in 1961 and then BHC backed Bobby Marshman in 1962. A big PR splash came in 1963 with Eddie Sachs and the oil controversy with Parnelli and Sachs rolling his tire down the pits after crashing. Phil Hedback got more mileage out of Sachs that month than everything else added up. It was back with Sutton in 1964 and 1965 before sponsoring Rodger Ward’s finale in 1966. Cale Yarborough got the nod in 1967, Arnie Knepper in 1968, Larry Dickson in 1969, Dick Simon in 1970, Denny Zimmerman in 1972, Bob Harkey in 1973, Tom Bigelow in 1974-75, Simon again in 1976 and 1977, along with Janet Guthrie, Larry Rice in 1978, Chip Ganassi in 1986, Josele Garza in 1987, John Andretti in 1994, Davy Jones in 1995, Arie Luyendyk in 1996, Mike Groff in 1998, Mark Dismore in 2000-01, Al Unser Jr. 2002 and Sarah Fisher in 2004. It’s believed Tony Kanaan has been on a personal services contract with Bryant since 2008, but the totals are pretty damn amazing. Good call Gary, glad you asked.

Eddie Johnson carried the Bryant Heating & Cooling logo to ninth at Indy in 1958, and it's been a mainstay at the Brickyard ever since. Image by IMS

Q: I've seen Marshall Pruett's articles connecting Kellett and Grosjean to Foyt in 2021, but neither one really mentions the other. Does this mean Foyt is looking at three cars for next year? Considering how poor their overall performance has even the last few years, would expansion really be the best option?

Vincent Michael, Richmond, VA

RM: Good question. Maybe Kellett is ovals only and Grosjean road/street courses, but three cars would not be good. They should concentrate on Seb.

Q: Robin, after a year of nothing but bad news, and worse, I'm thrilled to see Tony Kanaan land a good ride so he can go out in style and we fans can send him off properly. One of the best days I've ever spent in 35 years at the Speedway was when TK finally got his 500 win, and now he has a shot at another.  Please thank Chip Ganassi for us for putting something nice in our stocking this Christmas. We've had enough coal this year. We’re you surprised he’s back with Ganassi?

Jim Mulcare, Westbury, NY

RM: That seems to be the general feeling among IndyCar fans that now they can give T.K. a proper sendoff. And, yes, I think we were all surprised at the news, but pleasantly surprised.

Q: Simple question but likely going to be an interesting answer, and a fun little stray away from the common questions like, 'Why can't we race at this or that track?' or pooh-poohing about little stuff. In your opinion, who was the best and most talented driver that never got the big break or good equipment needed in IndyCar to showcase just how much talent they had?

Darrin C, Ft Wayne, IN

RM: Dick Gaines, Sammy Swindell, Doug Wolfgang, Kenny Weld, Chuck Gurney, Ronnie Shuman, Dana Carter, Bobby Santos, Sleepy Tripp, Jerry Coons Jr. and Dave Darland immediately come to mind of the generations I’m familiar with, but I’m sure the '50s and '60s had lots of candidates as well.

Q: I’ve been seeing articles about how the race at Bristol, where 23,000 fans showed up, was the most highly-attended sports event this year due to the pandemic. When I was at Road Atlanta for Petit Le Mans, I know it was at least triple that. Is this race not considered a sports event by the media? Also at Sebring we had at least eight top IndyCar drivers racing, but zero from NASCAR. Are they too busy or just not into it?

Doug Ferguson, Debary, FL

RM: It’s always tough to gauge the crowd at a road course, but Road Atlanta and Sebring looked pretty impressive and certainly more than 23,000. Some NASCAR drivers run the Rolex (and even win like Kyle Larson) and Chase Elliott will be there this year, so it’s all a matter of opportunity and scheduling.

Q: I have concerns over GM and Honda's deal to produce electric engines going forward. Whenever a European or American company gets in bed with a Japanese company, it means a total loss in quality for the Japanese company, then a major drop in sales, and ultimately a reduction in sporting investment... (i.e. Mazda, Nissan). When is this unholy alliance going to affect IndyCar and what concerns should you have?

Brett C., DFW, Texas

RM: The fact Honda and Chevrolet just re-upped with IndyCar overrides any concerns about the immediate future.

Q: As I read Michael Aldea's question/comment in the last Mailbag about Dan Gurney, your response got me to thinking. You said that Gurney was an "F1/Indy/Trans-Am/Can-Am" guy and it really made me think about the era where the true racers ran anything and everything that they could get their hands on. And I'm not talking about drivers like Kyle Busch who run the three NASCAR series, but people who will hop among all of the big series. We've seen some of it recently with Fred, as well as a lot of the American drivers from several series running in the IMSA programs, but nothing like the era from the mid-'60s through the mid-'70s or so.

I have a feeling that today it comes down to sponsorship dollars and an owner’s investment in their driver, but do you ever think we'll ever see today's drivers go multi-discipline racing like Gurney, Foyt, Donohue, Andretti, etc. did back in the day?

Brad in Seattle

RM: No, because contracts and schedules don’t allow it, and about the closest thing you’ll see is Kyle Larson running stock cars, midgets, sprints with and without wings, and maybe a sports car race or two a year. I do think Kyle Busch would drive anything if allowed, but I doubt that he’s got that kind of freedom.

Versatility was a quality that Dan Gurney shared with Stirling Moss, and the pair put it to good use when they partnered up to win the 1960 Nurbrgring 1000km in the Camoradi/USA Racing Team Maserati Tipo 61. Motorsport Images

Q: It was great to see your article on Swede Savage and the 50th anniversary of his Phoenix win. I was a kid just starting to follow Indy racing in the early 1970s, and Swede topped my favorite drivers list along with Mike Mosley and Bill Vukovich. If not for his unfortunate accident at Indianapolis in 1973, I like to think that he would have gone on to win championships and at least one Indianapolis 500. I wonder if you know the answers to questions I still have about his Indy crash. For one, what caused it? I don’t remember ever seeing a definitive answer to that question. The ABC broadcast speculated on a rear wing failure, as well as oil on the track. I have heard bad handling and driver error may have been the cause. Did USAC or any other official source ever place the blame?

Also, since Swede lived for over a month following the accident, I wonder if he ever talked about the accident publicly? If so, what did he blame it on? Did he ever mention the special foam-activated driver's suit he was wearing? Did it make any difference in his survival? Was he planning to return to racing after his recovery? Many thanks for your continued work on the Mailbag, it’s my first read every Wednesday.

Jim, Elkhart Lake, WI

RM: George Huening was the chief mechanic for Swede, and I found him right after the race and did a story saying that the wing was fully intact. The best guess came from other drivers, who said the track seemed extremely slippery in Turn 4 and Savage had a full load of fuel so it might have been real tricky. He never spoke about the accident to my knowledge, and I visited him a few days before he died but he was sleeping and I think we were all hopeful he was going to pull through. Dr. Steve Olvey’s book “Rapid Response” claims tainted blood was the cause of death, and that makes it even more tragic. Thanks for reading.

Q: One of the things that has always perplexed me about IndyCar is the random nature of its yellow-flag caution periods and the fact that when they close pit lane, it tends to shuffle the order pretty randomly and often give the backmarkers a chance to gain track position while the leaders that have been running good pace with good fuel mileage tend to be penalized, often unfairly. In Formula 1, the Virtual Safety Car and keeping the pit lanes open precludes this type of random shuffling of track position. If you're lucky in F1 and you're able to make a pit stop within the VSC window, you will gain a few seconds and maybe a couple or three positions, but it isn't like IndyCar where the leaders will essentially lose the race on an untimely yellow flag. Is there any movement within IndyCar to address this type of random behavior?

I am cognizant that you've said in the past that this evens out over time. I'm not a statistician, but you'd have to run this same race hundreds, if not thousands of times in order to balance out the times you gain track position and the times you lose track position. Given that there's usually around 15-20 races per year, that is not even nearly enough time to even things out. One race can make or break a driver’s entire career.

Furthermore, this randomness tends to render qualifying and track position and fuel mileage a bit moot. Guys in the back third of the field can essentially gamble on an early stop and hope for a timely yellow to get to the front of the field without earning it through pace or qualifying efforts.

Jonathan K., Long Beach, CA

RM: I think IndyCar has made a real effort to try and keep the pits open on road and street courses, and local yellows are always preferable if possible, but obviously any oval crash goes caution. Comparing IndyCar to F1 under caution isn’t really fair, because F1 uses local recoveries most times with cranes and fork lifts, maintains a local yellow and doesn’t have to pack up, so that allows the Virtual Safety Car to work. IndyCar dispatches safety equipment and the pits are closed, so drivers aren’t allowed to go as fast as possible approaching the accident or passing wreckers and ambulances. When the field is packed up, that allows the safety team to safely do its job. Sure, sometimes pitting out of sequence and catching a lucky yellow can change the outcome of a race, but that’s been going on for as long as I can remember and it’s part of the game.

Q: I'm sure you have seen the Dale Jr. Download. Great show; don't you just love the old stories and the guests? Chad Knaus was a hoot. How about a Robin Miller download? IndyCar and IMSA :) A 30-minute show with all the old and new guys, along with a bunch of tech videos old and new. Guess it would be a copy of the old Dave Despain show you were on a lot. Loved it too! And yes, I’m still racing karts at 75. Hit 94mph on the backstretch at WKA Daytona Kart week last year.

Jeff Troup

RM: I enjoy Dale’s shows (Lost Speedways and his podcast) and your idea sounds fantastic, but we have a couple major hurdles: rounding up the old-timers and getting a studio and someone to pay for it all. Earnhardt’s guests are mostly in North Carolina and it’s easy access, plus I’m sure he’s got a bunch of good sponsors. It would be fun, but not very pragmatic right now.

Q: Lost Speedways did have an episode on Jungle Park (S1 E7) titled "Danger Zone." Watching that episode just reinforces the respect we all should have for the drivers, and the dangers, of the early days of racing.

Dave, Florida

RM: Thanks Dave, I’ll admit I haven’t watched them all so thanks for the info.

Q: Robin, what do you think about relocating half of the pits to the backstretch at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? There has been some great history through the years on that area of the track, and it would promote even more fan interest on the backside. Also, moving a part of the pits to backstretch would promote a much safer environment for all concerned on the front straightaway. Possibly build a scaled-down version of the original pagoda, along with other reminders of the track’s illustrious history. Nostalgia is a big part of sports, and the Speedway could really build on its tradition and respect for the past with this move. Also, more stands, more suites, more income.

Mike Edwards, Maryville, TN

RM: I’d rather see the pits widened, and Roger Penske has already spent a fortune on IMS so no reason to throw money away with two pit rows. Part of the excitement is always watching everyone pit together and see who gets out first. It’s dangerous for the crew guys and I’d like to see them behind the wall until the car stops but (knock on wood), I think we’ve been extremely lucky through the years.

The idea of relocating half of the IMS pits to the back stretch is interesting, but it's unlikely to gain traction with Roger Penske anytime soon. Scott LePage/Motorsport Images

Q: This fall I went to the ARCA race at Winchester Speedway. It was my first ARCA race as well as my first time at the speedway, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was wondering if you had any stories and memories from Winchester as a reporter, crew member or driver?

Brandon Karsten

RM: I’d say my debut at Winchester in a USAC midget race is pretty much a snapshot of my career and how not to do things. I don’t care what anybody says, Winchester and Salem are daunting places and not for everyone. I almost hit the wall in Turn 1 on my first hot lap, so I figured I wasn’t getting into the corner deep enough and grazed the wall in Turn 3. Ronnie Shuman (bless his soul) was trying to help me and furiously waved me into the pits. “What in the hell are you doing, Miller?” screamed the Flying Shoe. “Jesus Ronnie, it’s my first time.” He then informed me that my arms were are full lock left going into the corners but the wheels were only turning a couple inches. Think it was pushing?

Now, I was only allowed to change gears and take out the radiator because of my mechanical ineptitude, but after that day I wasn’t allowed to touch the radiator anymore. I had put the tie rod in upside down, so it captured the steering against the radiator and I had zero cross-up. Shu fixed it and I went out to qualify with a brand-new race car. I actually made the feature but had to start last because I was a rookie. In the first few laps I passed a couple of guys and was starting to feel my inner Pancho Carter when Rich Vogler and Johnny Parsons lapped me going into Turn 3 and vanished. Hmm, maybe I wasn’t going so fast after all. I managed to run Salem that summer and not kill myself, but that was enough of the high banks for me. Dirt was so much more fun. And so much easier.

Q: Just read the last reader’s question from last week’s Mailbag about what makes a great race fan. I never really thought of it, but you guys are right. And I guess I consider myself one, too. I have been watching auto racing on TV in many forms for over 50 years. I’ve attended tracks as close as a two-hour drive, and as far as half way to the other side of the planet when my wife and I made the trip to Surfers Paradise and we saw Jimmy Vasser win. I can’t go a day where I’m not wearing a T-shirt with a print of a racetrack that I’ve visited or a driver that I’ve cheered for.

I have a checkered flag that that is framed and hangs on a wall in my home. I purchased it at The Mailroom in Speedway IN, and there were several years where my wife and I chased down past IndyCar champs and 500 winners to sign every block on that flag, I look at if fondly. I consider myself blessed to find a sport such as motor racing to follow that has brought me such joy to watch, and it has also opened my life to friendships across the country to where to meet people at all of the venues, when tracks are revisited every year. I never really thought of it until I read Horacio’s letter to you in the Mailbag and your response.

Tony Piergallini

RM: You definitely qualify as a race fan of the highest magnitude, Tony, and we’ve been corresponding for years so I know how much you love IndyCar (and especially that Mario guy). Thanks for ending The Mailbag on a happy note.