Robin Miller's Mailbag for January 13, 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 am considering going to the Texas doubleheader in early May as a lead-up to the Indy 500. However, considering the cost involved (travel, accommodation, meals, race tickets, etc...), I have a couple of questions before I make a commitment. Based on last year’s race there and the lack of on-track passing, what is IndyCar doing to remedy this? Last year’s race was boring. Second, like you, I do not care for lengthy downtime at the track. So what, if any, support events will there be for the two days to keep the momentum going between IndyCar practice/qualifying sessions? And no, infield concerts do not count. As always, thanks and stay safe.

Dale, Chesterfield, VA

RM: Here’s what IndyCar’s Jay Frye said: “We did a six-car test at IMS last fall and learned a lot, which we will apply to speedway configuration at IMS and Texas. Should enhance overall passing opportunities/passes.” And here’s Texas promoter Eddie Gossage on his race: “As for other events, there are no other racing events planned. We’re still working under pandemic protocols so keeping infield/garage/pit road population to a minimum limits what we can do to create a more complete slate of racing. We’re hoping like everyone else to get back to a full schedule as soon as possible, but the decisions to do so aren’t in our hands.”

Q: Are there any updates or announcements pending for unconfirmed or vacant rides? We have not heard confirmations on three Andretti seats. Is RHR set? Marco and the No. 88 or No. 29 car? Dale Coyne hasn’t announced anything. Is Ferucci back, or have we lost him to NASCAR? Carlin Racing, assuming Chilton is back with Daly running ovals? How about a 22nd car that was rumored? Any word on a third full-time car at Rahal or Foyt?

Eric, Hayward, CA

RM: Marshall Pruett’s latest silly season story covers everything but RHR is back in the No. 28 with DHL, Hinch will be with Andretti and Marco stays in the No. 98. Coyne claims he’ll announce something soon and Conor is with ECR for all the road races and Indianapolis, but no word from Carlin yet. No third car for A.J., but Rahal working on one and Santino is NASCAR-bound.

Q: With the Chili Bowl running as this week’s Mailbag will be posted, I figured now would be a great time to ask this. This may be more of a Doug Boles question, but what is the status of the BC39 and IMS dirt track? It was on the initial USAC schedule that was released with a TBD date, but has since been removed. I attended both and it’s some of the best midget racing I’ve seen, and brought in solid car counts. I think this race is something IMS needs, and it was packed both years! They barely have to open the track up, it brings new fans to the track, and it bridges the gap between short tracks and Indianapolis. And having guys like Daly, Briscoe, Larson, Bell, T-Mez, and Tyler Courtney makes it a great talent pool. Not to mention, it’s just dang cool to have a dirt track inside IMS. Would love any insight you can give on this!

Ben, Noblesville, IN

RM: From Doug Boles: “Still trying to determine a date. Likely not able to make it work with Brickyard weekend due to Knoxville Nationals and the many conflicts it would create. I have hope we can get it done!”

With the first round still a couple of months away, teams like Carlin have plenty of time to hammer our their 2021 plans. Barry Cantrell/Motorsport Images

Q: What’s the real deal on Zach Veach? He seemed like a star of the future but he wasn’t getting the full support of his team or sponsors. Tell us the real story.

Jim Fischet

RM: Not sure anyone had him headed for stardom, but he had a fine rookie season and then struggled to repeat that pace on a consistent level over the last two years. I wrote that he exceeded expectations and Gainbridge seemed satisfied until getting a chance to go with Colton Herta. That’s racing -- perform or get replaced (or lose your sponsor and get replaced) -- and we’re all happy Zach has a full-time sports car ride, and hopefully we’ll also see him at Indy.

Q: Throughout the 2020 season I heard what seemed like a lot of drivers complaining about a lack of practice time due to the condensed weekend schedule. I never felt a lot of sympathy for them, and to be honest, it all grew a little tiresome hearing them whine about it, especially when it was some of the more experienced drivers. It's part of the reason I love IN and PA dirt sprint car racing -- five laps and you get it done, then you go racing.

Spring forward to a recent article on IndyCar.com where Jay Frye was interviewed about the challenges of 2020 and what IndyCar learned going forward about how to make IndyCar more efficient without hurting the fans or the promoters. That article leads me to wonder: was it just me, or were there really that many drivers complaining about a lack of practice, and is it fair of me to think they are just whining? And, how much heat did Jay and his crew receive from owners and drivers about the lack of practice?

Finally, could you provide some insight to how USAC and CART did things in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s verses the 2020 condensed practice schedule, and your personal thoughts on this subject?

Bobby G.

RM: I only went to the races at IMS so I don’t know if the drivers were bitching about a lack of practice time, but it’s certainly been condensed from days gone by. Some of that was the pandemic and some is because of all the support races and a tight schedule. I feel for the new guys because testing has been limited along with practice, but it didn’t seem to hinder Palou, VeeKay, O’Ward, Ferrucci or Herta that much. In the old days at Milwaukee, Phoenix and Trenton, it was always a one-day show with an hour of practice, qualifying and then line 'em up. With today’s economics and limited fans because of COVID, I would imagine Texas will be only one day, but Gateway makes two days work because of all the extra races.

Q: Nice article remembering Pat Patrick. Makes me feel old (which is true) that the people I rooted for in my youth are now passing away. Anyway, I'm sure you'll get a bunch of these comments, but when you said that the Wildcat was the last American-built car to win at Indy, I think you're forgetting the series' partner Dallara, which, while an Italian company, has its IndyCar factory in Speedway. Not to be a nit-picker, but should we give Dallara its due?

Paul, Streetsboro, OH

RM: Let me stress that the Wildcat was built on West 38th Street by Harold Sperb, Dave Flick, Alex Greaves, Bob Hatch, Owen Snyder and George Huening without a wind tunnel or aerodynamicist, but was designed by the talented Gordon Kimball (father of current IndyCar driver Charlie). It was American ingenuity and elbow grease and the last American-built Indy winner. Dallara does a nice job, but it’s an Italian company with a production line and the cars may be assembled here, but it’s hardly a white, red and blue effort.

Q: Come on Miller, the Wildcat wasn’t the last U.S.-built car to win the 500. Technically that was the Rahal Letterman Panoz with Buddy Rice in 2004.

Ethan Donahue

RM: Panoz also won Indy with Luyendyk, Montoya and de Ferran as well, and Elan Technology in Georgia was its birthplace, so I guess technically you are correct. But mass-produced cars with no personality can’t hold a candle to that ’82 Wildcat, so I’ll continue to champion it as the last “true” American car.

Q: Could you refresh us all on the story/history in 1989 between Pat Patrick's team and Chip Ganassi when Emmo was the team’s driver? Did that team evolve into Ganassi Racing?

Tony Piergallini, Titusville, FL

RM: I believe Floyd Ganassi told Chip that if he quit driving he would buy him a team, and Patrick Racing became Ganassi Racing for 1990. Then Pat resurfaced with Alfa-Romeo.

So of all the American-built cars to have won at Indy since 1982, the Wildcat was the American-est. Image by IMS

Q: My first Indy 500 race I attended was in 1995, and I was hooked. In 1996 Buddy won and I just became a huge fan. That purple and yellow 91 car was a badass machine. I attended every 500 up till 2016. Just getting harder for me to get around, so my son and get our fix at qualifying. Just wondering if you knew what Buddy is up to these days? I know he lost his dad to COVID this year.

Gregg Cutter, Hamilton, OH

RM: He and his lovely wife Kara are running the Tivoli Lodge in Vail, Colorado and keeping an eye on son Flinn as he comes up the open-wheel racing ladder.

Q: My dad used to tell a story of JPJ and his dad at Mid-Ohio in his SCCA days. You know how tight it was to get out of Mid-Ohio after a race on the two-lane roads. Well I guess JP senior wasn’t liking the hold-up, so he put his big black car -- a Mercedes, I think – into the other lane and was going like a madman. Someone up the way saw him coming -- sure he didn’t know who it was -- pulled out of line, and blocked them from going any farther.

JP senior jumps out of the car hot as hell, yelling, and starts running up to the car that blocked the road. Guy in the blocking car gets out, and without a word coldcocks JPS and he goes down like a sack of potatoes. JPS picks himself up and walks slowly back to his big fancy car with his tail tucked. Got in his car and got in line with all the others, and just waited it out with everyone else. Other guy just got back in his car, and that was that.

From the way my dad tells it, JPS was not popular in and around the pits/garages back in the day. But I will give them this: they built a hell of a 935 Porsche, and JPJ could drive that super turbo-lagging Porsche like no one else. Super-talented driver, and was said to be super nice and the polar opposite of his dad.

Ted K.

RM: God, I wish I could have seen that. The fact JP Junior turned out to be such a good person is amazing in the face of being raised by that nasty, evil man.

Q: Thank you for your excellent article on JPJ's career. I first met John as a fan at Laguna Seca when he took the time to lower himself to one knee and talk with my 5-year-old son about my son's go-kart racing. Having seen many racers, I was impressed with John's attitude and demeanor. In later years, when John became a friend, my first impression never wavered, John was not only a great racer, but an excellent human being. He never lost his grace and humility. Like many, I felt time spent with John was most valuable. Thank you for sharing your insights regarding this truly gentle man. Wishing you good health.

Bob Pirtle, Indio, CA

RM: He was humble in victory or defeat and genuinely thankful for the opportunities he got, and made the mechanics feel appreciated.

Q: John Paul Jr. and I got caught up with a spinning car on the Friday open practice for the May SCCA National. Both of us were driving Formula Fords. My car was broke, and the weekend over before it started. As I loaded up to head home, JP showed up with his mechanic and offered to see if they could help patch my car up. It was a sincere gesture -- both of us being young, he seemed genuinely disappointed that I was done. It was a brief encounter, but thereafter I was always a fan.

CD, Beer Hill, PA

RM: That doesn’t surprise me, sounds like him.

Q: Thank you for keeping us entertained and up to speed during the long off-season. I have purchased the NBC Sports Gold package for IndyCar and Supercross since they were first offered. With Supercross set to start in 10 days, I just got notice that indeed, the NBC Sports Gold package is no longer offered, but is moving to Peacock Premium. Pure speculation on my part, but I'd guess IndyCar will go the same way. If so, it appears to be a good deal at $5 per month. Obviously don't know if the same level of coverage will be offered yet.

Josh Harris

RM: Again, I’m not sure what’s going to happen and when I get the word I will gladly pass it on to you loyal fans, but I imagine Peacock is the logical landing spot.

Q: For the love of all that was once great from the golden era of the Indy 500, please tell me that you’re reminding The Captain every week that he needs to bring back the apron at IMS. ASAP.

Thomas

RM: I’d say he’s got a few more important fish to fry right now but I mentioned it once and I imagine if he deems it a good idea he’ll act on it.

Q: Hope you are doing OK! Happy 2021 for us all. I would like to know your opinion on push-to-pass and different types of tire compounds. I tend to think both make racing a little too artificial; drivers would be much more pressed to overtake in old fashion way (use draft, brake late) and compromise speed with tire durability over a stint. You think IndyCar someday is going to change the rulebook for one of them (or both)?

Daniel Borges Martins, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

RM: I’d say as good as the racing has been in the past few years there is no reason to change anything, and the tires go off and some guys can hang on longer and it obviously promotes passing.

Q: If you were going to write a movie on one race car driver who would it be? Based on name recognition alone, A.J. or Mario might be at the top of the list, but in my opinion they lack the drama off the track that will sell tickets. As I learn more about the life of John Paul Jr., maybe he’s the one? Maybe a better way to ask the question is, who is the driver that has led the most interesting life one and off the track? I will limit it to drivers that have competed in Indy, NASCAR and Formula 1.

Andrew O’Neal, Ann Arbor, MI

RM: Hurtubise or Zanardi would be naturals for a movie of their life, but Mario might be the most compelling because of where he came from and how quickly he rose to the top.

Who gets to play him in the movie? Phipps/Motorsport Images

Q: One of the few good things to come out of the pandemic, for me, is the discovery of your Mailbag. I look forward to reading it on a Wednesday afternoon, which is when it lands in the UK. I enjoy the insights in to the history of this type of racing which isn't usually available in such depth over here.

I have just finished reading the late Andrew Ferguson's excellent book Team Lotus - the Indianapolis Years. Ferguson is very even-handed and understands why the roadster drivers/entrants/builders did not take kindly to Europeans bringing different cars and drivers to the Speedway, potentially walking off with the prizes which had always been shared between the American racing fraternity. In fact, I get the impression Ferguson admired the American scene, although the month of May might have been a bit too long. He even compliments the swiftness with which A.J. Foyt paid his bills. Ironically, the one person who does not come out of the book particularly well is Colin Chapman, for his dealings with people both within and outside Team Lotus. What were people's opinion of Chapman at the time?

Mark Jones, Chester, UK

RM: I defer to E.P. “Chalkie” Fullalove, the wing commander and fabricator, who came to Indianapolis with Lotus in 1967, and he recalls Chapman being, “Like Ron Dennis and Frank Williams, all the same -- they were nice when they wanted something. But you must admit he was a great innovator and did whatever was necessary to keep Lotus on the racetrack.”

Q: My question regards Janet Guthrie’s last race at Indy in 1979. As best I can tell, she finished next-to-last last in a Lola/Cosworth. I recently watched the '79 Indy 500 on YouTube, and when interviewed on TV after falling out early with apparent engine failure, she is clearly livid -- to the point of being essentially non-responsive and almost incoherent in the interview. Is there any interesting backstory here that you can share? Where the chassis was obtained, who engineered the effort, etc.?

Her book, which is otherwise very detailed and an interesting read, completely omits May 1979. As best I can tell she again had Texaco sponsorship, on a Lola-Cosworth this time, and qualified mid-pack. Wondering if she felt she was sandbagged by whomever supplied engines and/or prepared the car? From the TV broadcast, I gather she had a teammate that day whose engine also only lasted a handful of laps.

Mike Newby, Marietta, GA

RM: She had one of the best engineers in Huey Absalom, who won Indy the year before with Al Unser, plus F1 vets Alan McCall and Kerry Adams, but no teammate to my recollection. I imagine she was pissed her engine only lasted three laps because that was clearly her best equipment, crew and chance at Indianapolis.

Q: I’ve been following IndyCar racing for 50+ years and was sad to learn that Donald Davidson retired at the year’s end. He is such an icon, and I wonder if IMS has any plans to honor his contributions to the Indy 500 over the last six decades? My wife arranged to have him call me on my birthday last year and that 15-minute conversation was the highlight of my 2020. I hope you are well, and wish you a healthy 2021.

Dave Fowler

RM: I’m sure Roger Penske, Mark Miles and Doug Boles will do something to honor Donald’s contributions in May, but nothing official has been announced yet.

Q: I'm reading John Barnard's biography The Perfect Car by Nick Skeens on my trusty Kindle. Around page 170 the author is discussing the Barnard/Jim Hall situation. It is sort of obvious that Mr. Hall did not design or build the 2K. As proof, the author mentions Mr. Hall confronting you about your article in The Star. The author said that you and Mr. Hall did not speak for five years. True?

Dave Thurston

RM: Absolutely. I’d written that Buckshot (Bob Sparshot) had assembled the car in England in his shop after Barnard designed it and it was delivered to Midland, Texas ready for an engine and to start running. Jim threw The Star at me the morning after JR’s victory and wanted to know where I got my facts because that car was designed and built by Chaparral Racing. I’d always admired Hall and his innovative mind, but it was sad that he never gave Barnard any credit, and it led to Al Unser quitting the best ride at the Speedway. Hall and I didn’t speak until he announced he was retiring, and then I wrote a nice story about his career. I’ll always admire his achievements, just can’t understand why he wouldn’t want to share some of the credit.

Q: The first Indy 500 I remember watching was 1992. I watched it with my grandparents; the name "Robin Miller" was a curse word to my late grandfather for many years, but that's a story for another day. Anyways, my parents have been ticket holders since the early '80s, and they still talk about how dreadfully cold it was that day, which you mentioned in last week's column. I know the late duel between Little Al and Scott Goodyear was the highlight of the race, but 8-year-old me remembers two things: 1) My mother dropped my new radio/cassette player through the gaps in the grandstand, and 2) Roberto Guerrero's sharp green Quaker-State sponsored No. 36 sitting on the pole... and spinning out on the pace lap.

To this day, that's one of the most bizarre wrecks I've ever seen. I knew at the time that he had some solid runs at the 500 in the years leading up to that, and it seemed like that was his shot to go to Victory Lane, but it wasn't meant to be. After that, it seemed like he disappeared from the sport altogether. So for this week's edition of "where are they now"... whatever happened to Roberto Guerrero? I thought about looking it up on Google or Wikipedia, but I appreciate your candor and rapier wit much more and would rather wait a week to learn from the master storyteller!

Jeremy Webster

P.S. I love reading your Mailbag; I found it thanks to Google News a few months back, and its release is the highlight of my Wednesdays every week! In some bizarre way, it reminds me of both of my late grandfathers, both of whom were avid racing fans.

RM: First off, thanks for reading The Mailbag. As for Roberto, it’s amazing he only had two wins considering his talent, and a lot of people blame his testing accident at Indy in the fall of 1987 for tempering his results and impeding his progress, but he looked pretty damn good in his 1988 comeback at Phoenix (finished second). His crash warming up for the ’92 race was the wake-up call for Firestone and Goodyear about tire temps, and his lesson probably saved a lot of damage for other teams down the road. He and wife Katie live in California and have two grown sons, and the last time I saw him was eating barbeque at Squealor’s on Indy’s northside, and I think he was doing ride-and-drives and coaching.

This was obviously taken before Guerrero taught Firestone and Goodyear an unfortunate lesson about tire temperatures. Image by IMS

Q: I remember Al Loquasto and Jim Hurtubise (although his antics with a car and no engine besides) but is there a list of drivers who have been bumped the most times? And wasn’t there an award at one time for the last person bumped? Thanks for keeping us IndyCar racing geeks informed.

John Brinkley

RM: I don’t know of any list like that. Ralph Ligouri got bumped a couple times but sadly never made the race, and they had an award for the 34th qualifier for a few years. The Jigger Award was named for Jigger Sirois, whose run was called off but he would have won the pole position in 1969, and his classy demeanor in the face of that heartbreak is why an award was created for the tough luck story of the month.

Q: I was reading an article of yours from a while back about Jack Conely, and you mentioned him not being allowed to run Indy in '66 because he ran some outlaw races. I’m definitely not a historian, but I was unaware that guys were blackballed from Indy for this. Was this common back in the day, and were there other notable instances you can think of?

Kevin Clark

RM: Triple A and USAC were notorious for insane suspensions or playing God with a driver’s career. It was either Sam Hanks or Jimmy Bryan that got suspended for driving a pace car, and Paul Goldsmith was banned for one year after running a non-sanctioned USAC stock car race at Riverside in 1963.

Q: I have been a longtime reader of Mailbag, but never written. The article on Aldo's passing brings back the Rex Mays 1964 Milwaukee race. I was in the stands glassing the infield when I saw two little guys walking around, one in a driver suit and the other in jeans and a white shirt. I didn't know who they were, but both looked just alike. Finally when the driver climbed into the big Dean Van Lines Offy and I looked at the driver line-up, I saw it was Mario. I had heard of him, but never seen him. That race was a Parnelli runaway in the green Lotus -- he won by two laps, but Mario was third. Was that his first IndyCar race?

Richard Salmi

RM: It was actually his fourth race, and second start for Clint Brawner and the Dean Van Lines team. Mario always tells the funny story about sending Aldo down into Turn 3 to stand and show him where the fast guys were backing off, so his twin brother went 20 feet further and Mario spun out. “Mario was mad but I told him he was going to have to drive deeper to beat those guys,” recalled his brother.

Q: Do you think IndyCar will ever return to using methanol? I enjoy your Mailbag each week.

SJN

RM: Well, Speedway E85 fuel is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, so not really sure there is any reason to change. Thanks for reading.

Q: I have a Pat Patrick story to share. My son, Patrick, was a fan of Patrick Racing because of the name link. He got to meet Mr. Patrick at Homestead in 1999 – Patrick was 10 years old. It was after the race had been run, Mr. Patrick came out of the hospitality tent to meet Patrick and was very gracious and generous with his time and after about 20 minutes sent Patrick into the tent to sit down with Adrian Fernandez, who was also very gracious with a young kid.

While Patrick was with Adrian, Mr. Patrick told me about some of his experiences from his time in the Air Force. At the end of this visit, Mr. Patrick had my son added to his hospitality tent guest list for future races. In 2001 we attended the Michigan 500 and the “Patricks” were reunited. As we got ready to leave, my son went to Mr. Patrick to thank him. As they chatted Mr. Patrick, from his chair, put his arm around my son’s shoulders, occasionally patting him on the back, introduced him to everyone at the table, then when Patrick was ready to leave, Mr. Patrick pulled him and gave him a big hug. It was like watching a kid with his grandfather.

Tragically, we lost Patrick in 2012, but I will never forget those two days and the genuine affection Mr. Patrick showed my son. Does that sound like the man you knew? My sincerest condolences to the Patrick family, particularly Steve, who was also generous with his time in Michigan. Mr. Patrick, from one Air Force veteran to another, Godspeed. May you rest in peace. Thanks for the memories.

Mick, Trinity, NC

RM: Pat could be a charmer and your story is how fans are made. My best memories are calling him up for quotes or information or scoops. I asked him once, “Pat, could you please tell me the truth for once?” And he said: “Robin I always tell you the truth.” We both laughed about that for a few weeks.

Q: Tom Bigelow was a mild cool-headed racer, except if you got him mad. Tom was a tough, tough race driver. Any plans to do a tough guy article on him?

Dick Morganti, Reading, PA

RM: Yes sir, Biggie is on my list. He was good on dirt and pavement (especially the high banks) and made the most out of his IndyCar opportunities, which were never top shelf.

Q: Have you ever raced in a cold race in your racing career? If so where was that race?

Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY

RM: Eldora in spring or fall, Ascot Park on Turkey Night and the Cannonball Run (New York to LA) in November.

Q: Just purchased my reserved seats for the SRX series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park. I am very excited to see what Ray Evernham and Smoke have come up with. I really like the drivers announced so far – Helio, TK, Willy T!

My question for you is, how do you think these technical drivers will do against the door-slammer/fender-banger stock car drivers on the half-mile short tracks? Do you think this racing series will live up to the hype? I like how it gives semi-retired drivers a chance. Plus it gives us the possibility of having Helio vs J. Gordon-type crossovers. Love what Levi Jones is doing with USAC; would love for some of his guys to get a shot at the 500.

Andy, St.  Mary's, Ohio

RM:  If the cars are all fairly close then maybe a good chassis man has a little edge, but Steve Kinser won an IROC race, Al Unser Jr. was hell on wheels in IROC, Uncle Bobby took the FastMasters series, and I have no idea whether it was setup or talent or just a better car.

Not even Helio can believe the line-up of drivers he'll be going wheel-to-wheel with on the dirt later this year. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: Loved your piece on racing in the '70s. An interesting item from the USAC stock car series in 1979: Foyt won the title that year driving Camaro battling a young Rusty Wallace. The 200-mile race at the state fair in August at Milwaukee was rained out, and USAC rescheduled it for Saturday, August 18. Foyt won the rescheduled race and then went to the Springfield Illinois mile for the 100-mile stock car race on the dirt the next day and won with the same car. Some real old-school racing. Were you there? Those were A.J.'s last wins in a stock car and on the dirt. Looking forward to your piece on the '60s. [ED: That one was published earlier this week]

Tony Ucho

RM: I wasn’t, but I do remember interviewing Rusty that season and he was jazzed to be neck-and-neck with Anthony Joseph, and some of those mile dirt races in stockers were the best (like the State Fair Century here in Indianapolis). Watching Foyt, Parnelli, Herk, McCluskey, the Unsers, Norm Nelson and Don White was always a treat.

Q: In honor of Chili Bowl Week, whom was the tallest driver you can remember that raced Midgets on a regular basis?

Todd J. Burnworth, Fort Wayne, IN

RM: Jon Backlund comes to mind. I think he was about 6’3”.

Q: After dinner and drinks at the wonderful St. Elmo's on New Year’s Eve, my wife and I needed coffee for the long drive from Indy to New Orleans the next morning. We stopped at the Starbucks drive-thru at 15th and Capitol. The tall, handsome (albeit masked) young man who served us was a dead ringer for Graham Rahal, even with just his eyes visible. I asked, “Has anyone ever told you that you look just like Graham Rahal?” As I might have deduced, my question was met with a puzzled, “Who?” “You know, the IndyCar driver.”

The lad was intrigued enough that he was willing to Google a photo of his alleged doppelganger. “What’s his name?” “Graham. Rahal. R-A-H-A-L.” “Gra-ham Ra-hal.” Oh, OK. I can kind of see that,” he said, obviously smiling under his COVID covering.

The kid was probably in his early 20s. He had no clue who Graham Rahal was, and I think he came this close to asking what IndyCar was. I might have driven off in tears, had that happened. I won’t even ask, because I know the answer: there is probably no way to lure this kid into the sport. Sadly, all this took place maybe 10 minutes from the Speedway, as the crow flies.

Bruce Buchert, Metairie, LA (by way of Anderson, IN)

RM: Well this is a sad way to end The Mailbag, but a friendly reminder that IndyCar is a niche sport with a small fan base that needs more exposure but, other than NBC, how does that happen?