Robin Miller’s Mailbag for April 21, 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: Is it just me or is Barber the most overrated track IndyCar visits? Every year it seems pundits, broadcasters, etc., rave about the venue, but the truth is that the races are often quite dull for television audiences. I get that the facilities are top-notch, but it doesn't matter to the average viewer when the race is a parade with minimal wheel-to-wheel action. This year it was even more bizarre given that many teams opted for a fuel conservation strategy which meant some drivers hoarded Push-to-Pass (although it wouldn't have helped much given Barber's circuit layout). Even the broadcasters were practically begging Will Power to burn up his P2P time in the final laps! Is there anything that can be done to spice up the races at Barber? The lack of any hard braking zones makes competitive passes almost non-existent.

On the bright side, I am pumped for this season. It's huge that the season starts fast with a run of four race weekends in five weeks. That's a great opportunity to kick start the season with momentum and to keep fans closely engaged. I hope they continue with tight scheduling in the future, since too often the start of the season is scattered by too many gaps between weekends. Excited for the year!

Mike, Des Plaines, IL

RM: My first suggestion is to go to YouTube and watch some ’80s or ’90s road courses races when Mario, Michael, Little Al and Rahal routed the competition. Those were parades. Sunday you had Bourdais and O’Ward banging wheels in Turn 5 for position, Palou, VeeKay and O’Ward making some nice outside passes, Power pressing Palou the final 10 laps and then Pato storming back from his extra pit stop to put the top four within four seconds of each other at the checker. A few years ago Pagenaud and Graham Rahal beat on each other for two laps in one of the best finishes I can remember, and yes Barber is tight (it was built for motorcycles), but Turn 5 is as good a place to pass as any road course. Sure, Sato stunk up the joint and ran away in 2019, but the races have been pretty decent considering the constraints of the track. Much better than I ever imagined.

Q: You called it on the youth being hungry. Palou drove a great race and his CGR team had great strategy. The car showed great pace while getting him the fuel savings he needed to stay in the lead at the end. Could easily have been O'Ward who drove the tires off his car. Sometimes, driving the tires off isn't the best strategy, but O'Ward's time will come as he is fast and fearless.

Cheers to the aeroscreen and the DW12 safety overall. That first-lap crash would have easily put several drivers in the hospital -- if not worse -- had it happened 15-20 years or more ago. Newgarden basically got T-boned twice and walked away. Hunter-Reay walked away, and so huge tip of the hat to the IndyCar team that has made this car as safe as it is today. Racing is still dangerous and always will be. But at least it's not as deadly as it was in the past.

And how happy is A.J. with SeaBass's finish? Things are looking up for the Foyt team. So many competitive teams this year... it's a great time to be an IndyCar fan. Now, if only Carvana wouldn't spend so much money so we could get a tad less Jimmie Johnson coverage and more coverage of battles going on in the field. But if it brings more fans to the sport, I'll put up with it.

John Balestrieri, Milwaukee, WI

RM: Pato just got beat by strategy and Palou was flawless under pressure, but to have the top four cars finish within three seconds of each other is pretty damn entertaining. Check out Marshall’s story about RHR. The aeroscreen saved his neck, literally, so kudos to IndyCar. I called A.J. after the race and he was happy and said part of Seb’s underwing got torn off in that first-lap carnage, so fifth place was even more impressive. I think the Old Man might be going to most of the races this season. And be thankful Carvana is sponsoring J.J.; they’re spending money and promoting the series as well as the NASCAR champion.

After Sebring and now this, Bourdais is establishing himself as the go-to guy when you need someone to do some magic with a busted car. Image by Sebastien Bourdais

Q: I don’t think you mentioned Romain Grosjean in your "IndyCar guard is changing" piece. He may not be a race winner in 2021, but I think he will show he’s a damn good race car driver who had been saddled to a terrible Haas F1 team in a racing series dominated by Mercedes. What do expect to see from Romain in this IndyCar season?

Dave, Speedway

RM: He was certainly impressive in his debut, but my story about the changing of the guard was obviously aimed at youth and full-timers. We’re not sure how long Grosjean will be in IndyCar and he’s 35, but obviously he’s got a new motivation because he’s got a fighting chance in IndyCar.

Q: Great to have IndyCar back, and it looks to be an interesting year. Jimmie Johnson is obviously good for the series, and a great guy, but honestly I was disappointed by his pace. Were you thinking he would be this far off the pace? I understand there is a huge difference between a Cup car and an IndyCar, but there is just as big of a difference between a Supercar and an IndyCar and McLaughlin was much faster all week. It’s only one race, but I hope to see some huge improvement.

Chris Anderson, Mt Comfort RV

RM: My God, what do people expect? He’d never raced an open-wheel car, never run red tires and qualified in the 1m07s range with four other guys. Sure he spun once in the race and moved over for faster cars after losing a lap, but he was turning competitive laps in the final stint. I figured he might be four or five seconds off the pace when testing started, and he’s gradually improved and I think he will get better and better. Starting a new career at 45 takes guts and patience, and he’s got both.

Q: Miller, good call on Palou winning a race in 2021. But did you think it would be the opener?

Whitey, Wilmot, WI

RM: No, I predicted Road America, and he may win a couple now. But I still need 13 different winners to make my number.

Q: It seemed like Conor Daly was poised to have a good race since he was fast in practice and qualified 10th. It seems like the same thing happened to him at Barber that typically happens to him. He is not able to keep pace and can barely stay on the lead lap. Towards the end of the radio broadcast, they talked about a conversation between Conor and his team about not being able to keep up with VeeKay even after he pitted four times. They told him flat out you're not keeping pace. This is a recurring problem, and from what learned in the radio broadcast, it seems like ECR thinks this is a driver error. Do you think Daly is on the hot seat, and do you think ECR would make a change before the 500?

Tyler, Dayton, OH

RM: Not sure what happened; I wasn’t at the race, so unless you can talk to the team and driver it’s all guessing about what went wrong. But, no, he’s not in the hot seat. USAF loves him and he’s got some good races ahead of him.

Q: My wife and I were first-time visitors to the IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park. Great racing by all series the entire weekend, and the facility is top-notch and beautiful, as was the Sunday weather. Is Alex Palou the first Spaniard to win an IndyCar/Champ Car race?

Werner, Cedar Grove, WI

RM: Nope. Oriol Servia triumphed at Montreal in 2005.

Servia put Spain onto the top step of the podium at Montreal in 2005. Streck/Motorsport Images

Q: I enjoyed the Barber race and thought that Palou did a magnificent job. He held off Will Power and Dixon to win! The NBC coverage was not great; too many long commercial breaks. What bothered me most was how they doted on Johnson. Come on, he finished 19th and three laps down, and they interviewed him before Power and didn’t interview Dixon. Lost in this was Bourdais’ fifth-place finish, which had to be the best for Foyt in a long time, or Grosjean’s 10th. This is starting to remind me of when Danica raced. It was like Danica and the boys are racing. I hope that Johnson does well, but don’t dote on him, especially when he is not doing well. Do you agree?

Ron Farris

RM: I think a seven-time NASCAR champion making his IndyCar debut is plenty newsworthy, and who knows how many NASCAR fans might have switched back and forth to watch? It’s understood we don’t want to watch him running 17th if there’s a good battle up front, but I don’t think NBC sacrificed any racing to show J.J. And they interviewed Dixie and Pato.

Q: Over the weekend, I watched the Peacock broadcasts from Barber. Six slots over two days. And readers bitch about paying $4.99 per month?

Graham

RM: The only complaints I got (and there were several) was that the replay wasn’t shown on Sunday night, but NBC said those glitches will be addressed and they apologize.

Q: Interesting situation coming up at Penske in the near future. Newgarden is there for the foreseeable future. McLaughlin, barring a disastrous performance this year, is probably going to be around a while. This leaves Pagenaud and Willy P maybe on the way out. Who would Penske go after if they are gone? Herta? Rossi? Pato? At least one of those guys are going there someday. Also, what would the value of Pagenaud and Power be in free agency? They both can still bring it.

Brian Henris, Fort Mill, SC

RM: One race in and we’re talking silly season? If Pagenaud has another year like 2020 he’s likely gone, but Willy P. ain’t goin’ anywhere and who knows what The Captain might be looking for? Did you think Scott McLaughlin was going to be a Penske IndyCar driver a year ago? I would think Rossi, Herta, O’Ward, VeeKay and Palou are all on RP’s radar, but way too early to start guessing or writing about it.

Q: I want to mention Rasmus Lindh, who came second to Kyle Kirwood two seasons running by just two points both times in 2018 and 2019 in the Road to Indy. He was not on the grid at Barber. I find it strange that no IndyCar team has supported him and secured a possible champion driver for the future. We see driver academies in F1 from Alpine, Mercedes, Williams, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren. When will this become a feature in IndyCar, especially with the grid sizes increasing in the Road to Indy this year?

Oliver Wells

RM: You realize of course that most ladder champs or winners only get into IndyCar because of money, and I would imagine Lindh could have a spot somewhere in IndyCar if he raises enough. That’s just the reality. Pato may be the only guy recently who got hired and just brought his helmet.

Q: I’d really like to pull the trigger and get tickets for me and the kids for the Indy 500, however since it will be a long drive from Florida and there doesn’t seem to be a firm decision on spectator capacity, I’m hesitant. Can you shine some light on how and when the crowd size decision by RP, Boles and the governor will be made? I would love to go again (daughters first 500!) but I am wary of making travel plans and then not being able to attend because a pre-determined capacity number.

Tim, Naples, FL

RM: I don’t blame you, but I’m told that IMS will make an official announcement within the next week.

Q: RACER recently had an article indicating that Canada may have some international border crossing limitations due to COVID. If the Toronto IndyCar race is in jeopardy, I propose that Sonoma be the replacement.

I recall that the racers and their teams wanted to attack the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca. The teams may have also wanted to have sponsor-related functions in the Monterey area after years of schmoozing in the Napa-Sonoma area. California continues to have a strong car culture and will certainly support my proposal if the California IndyCar dates are widely separated. When it comes to COVID separation for fans, viewing large areas of the track at the same time, seating and grandstand facilities, Sonoma is much better than Laguna Seca. A race at Sonoma and Laguna Seca should make both the teams and the fan's happy! Do you think that The Captain might support racing at Sonoma and Monterey?

Bill in CA

RM: First off, attendance at Sonoma was never very good, kinda like a glorified tire test, and that’s always embarrassing for the season finale. But it wasn’t the track’s fault, they promoted the IndyCar race, it’s just that not enough people care. So to race there again you need a good argument for the promoter, and with all due respect, I don’t see one. It was kind of a mutual decision to part ways, and Laguna’s 2019 crowd was a pleasant surprise. And Long Beach will be a perfect place to end the season because it has tradition and atmosphere. Do I think R.P. would consider Sonoma? Not a chance. Making Road America, Gateway or Mid-Ohio a doubleheader is much easier and affordable.

Q: You have mentioned several times that Penske buying IMS and the IndyCar series saved the series from folding. That got me to thinking about what would happen to the Indy 500 if the series did fold. I'm certain the 500 would survive, but in what form? Would the rules be opened up to attract a larger variety of participants and cars/engines, or would the rules become more restrictive to try to lower costs even further? Would the purse increase by using the funds that now support the series? What do you think?

Jack, Beavercreek, OH

RM: I don’t know how to answer that question Jack, but I don’t want to find out. People have always said you could run garden tractors and draw 100,000 people at IMS, but you’ve watched the NASCAR and F1 attendance dwindle so I’m not sure the Indy 500 could ever work if it wasn’t an IndyCar event.

And so begins five years of Mailbag letters asking when Sonoma will return to the schedule. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: One of the things that hurts Indy is the road course taking over the infield. When we were much younger we could park, party and no matter which way you roamed, you found the racetrack and had a great view. As we matured, we could park, relax, cook, commiserate with whomever we were around, get to our seats and see a great race. After the race, while 300,000 people were leaving, we could repeat the morning ritual for a few hours, then leave after the crowd had gone, as Indiana's finest guided us out the gates. It was $20 a person for entry, and our ticket gave us the run of the place all day. We were close to the action and a big part of the show. Indy needs to get the fans up close before and after the race.

Drivers need to be very accessible after the racing is over. King Richard stayed until every autograph request was signed. TV promotion is the old way; being available for a quick selfie with the fans after racing, practice or qualifying will bring a lot more young people into the sport. Open the gates and let the fans mingle with the drivers after the race so everyone's social media accounts show how cool it is. Free airtime, massive distribution, great publicity. Up close and personal at no cost and great distribution. The extra time spent with the fans will pay huge dividends. It makes everyone part of the show.

Jack DeVience, Valparaiso, IN

RM: When Tony George said he was getting rid of the Snake Pit in 1989 I cautioned him that his grandfather liked the thought of kids getting into the race at a cheap price and then growing up and becoming ticket holders. Has it hurt the Indy 500? Tough to say. The spectator mounds are certainly better vantage points than up against the infield fence and the golf course and parking have limited accessibility, so it’s probably cost IMS a couple thousand people on race day. I don’t count the disco in Turn 3 as race fans, but it’s still a cash cow with 220,000 spectators. Sadly R.P. didn’t make anything in 2020 so hopefully he can recoup some of those losses next month. But the IndyCar drivers are pretty good about engaging with fans after the race before heading to their motorhomes.

Q: Regarding Paul Tracy's removal from many IndyCar event broadcasts. After watching Barber, are you kidding me? The insights PT has on the overall history of IndyCar and his own experiences are invaluable and make it much more interesting for the audience. I appreciate TBell and Diffey, but give me a break, no way they were ever in the trenches like P.T. Please have a word with those clowns at NBC and tell them we need more P.T, not less.

Gary, Anza, CA

RM: I’m the one who suggested P.T. to NBC so obviously I think a lot of him, and he’s refreshing among today’s TV analysts. But NBC has cut back in many areas and I think the plan may be two announcers in the booth and one or two pit reporters at most races except for the Indy 500. I’ve already had over 100 emails and texts about P.T. and the fans aren’t happy, but it’s business -- nothing personal.

Q: Is there more to the story that you can share regarding Paul Tracy's reduced appearances on NBC? The Indy Star article seemed to confirm it was a choice by NBC rather than by P.T. The "less is more" motto seems too vague. On the subject of TV, perhaps you've seen the announcement by CBS Sports, which has chosen its SRX on-air talent, which includes Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum, Dario Franchitti, and Danica Patrick among others. With NBC in the final year of its current IndyCar contract, could CBS be in consideration for 2022 and beyond? Perhaps it could supplement, if not replace, NBC, like the NASCAR contract? It certainly has a credible team of broadcasters now on staff, but of course interest or intent is a totally separate question.

IndySteve, Brownsburg, IN

RM: Please read my response in the question above yours. I’ve heard FOX and CBS might be sniffing around IndyCar for 2022, but I can’t imagine either expending the energy, exposure or marketing that NBC has provided the past few years. Is NBC tired of spending all that money for such sorry ratings? Possibly, but it’s become the motorsports channel, and I think as long as IndyCar doesn’t ask for more money, they’ll stay partners. There are nine races on NBC network this season. Just think about how many FOX or CBS would offer.

Q: Most people agree that IndyCar needs to increase its promotional efforts and raise its profile with the public. One thing that NBC could do to help that is have IndyCar drivers as guests on the Tonight Show. On a Thursday night show before a race weekend, have the winner of the previous race and two other drivers on the show. Some appearances could be in studio, and others might be from a team's race shop or the upcoming race's track. Who knows, maybe the public will start to enjoy the driver’s appearance on the show as much as they did when Paul Newman would appear the week of the Long Beach Grand Prix and race Jay Leno in a go-kart.

Michael Aldea, Hawthorne, NJ

RM: Well, Jimmy Fallon came to IMS a few years ago and did a couple features and seemed to enjoy himself, but it’s all about ratings on late night and IndyCar just doesn’t have any household names right now except Jimmie Johnson. If you could get David Letterman to race Fallon in a go-kart to help promote an NBC network race or get J.J. halfway through the season to discuss his career change, it might sell.

Q: If the Music City Grand Prix is a success this year, and with the reopening of the Nashville Superspeedway, what about having a doubleheader next year? Say, race at the speedway on Friday night, and the street course Sunday afternoon with one ticket getting you into both events. This would get a much-needed oval back on the schedule. Would anyone go for this, or am I out to lunch here?

Jim, Ontario, Canada

RM: A street race is three days, lots of support races, music, parties and one focus -- the Sunday race. Nobody wants to share the spotlight with an oval 30 miles away. And you need two different cars for a street course and an oval, so it’s just way too much to ask. Plus, here we go again -- why would you think Nashville Speedway wants IndyCar back or vice versa?

Q: Bright ideas? The Hawaiian Grand Prix. Just priceless, and made me laugh out loud. Looking back at some of the CART antics still has me shaking my head. Glad I got to witness some of it firsthand. Hope you’re keeping up the fight. Be well -- we need your insight, humor and occasional bitchin’. It’s time to go racing, and hope to see you at the track somewhere along the way.

Mark S. Graham, Naperville, IL

RM: I should say, with the prompting of a longtime, respected IndyCar engineer, that I stand corrected on what I said about aero kits:

“Tino Belli and Bill Pappas have done an excellent job of generating usable and benign aero packages for a car that needs to perform in a variety of guises. It's easy to point out the shortcomings of the various schemes of the past, but credit also needs to be given to Bill and Tino for coming up with such a versatile and user-friendly grouping of packages, that fit a single platform over road/street, oval and SSW tracks, for the teams. So, in this instance, I'd score one for the sanctioning body.”

Q: I have been a big fan of Alexander Rossi since his Indy 500 win. I sense he is on a mission this year, and he has said as such. I have not heard much from Andretti Autosport from preseason testing; it seems the other teams (RLL, Penske, SPM) are getting much of the press. I appreciate Rossi’s attitude and laser focus, and I think he’s due for a championship. Have you heard much from his testing this year, and does he remind you of any drivers from the ’70s/’80s that have his same attitude and drive?

Josh Meier, Louisville, KY

RM: Well, he qualified second fastest at Barber but couldn’t maintain the race pace, and of course, he will be fighting for the title to the last race. He’s got a little Mark Donohue in him with his focus, a little Michael Andretti with his ballsy passes and a little Lloyd Ruby with his dry sense of humor.

Part Donohue, part Mikey, part Ruby. That's a potent mix. Joe Skibinski/IndyCar

Q: I always appreciate your insight into IndyCar. I am curious, with a higher car count, if IndyCar has any plans to increase the number of teams that get Leaders Circle money at the end of the season? In my opinion, one of the great things about IndyCar is that smaller, less-funded teams can compete with the big teams. We saw last season what happened when Marco lost the Leaders Circle money, and I think that it could kill smaller teams if they lose out. I am optimistic to see car counts up, but I hope that it doesn’t just push out smaller teams.

Bryan Leonard, Greenfield, IN

RM: They didn’t lose any teams, but I suppose there could be a move to include 24 drivers instead of 22 someday. Mike Shank paid his dues, ran part-time and now he’s part of the full-timers club, but I don’t know that it’s kept anyone away from IndyCar. Hell, the car count this season is amazing considering the pandemic and pathetic purses.

Q: I am ecstatic that Santino Ferrucci is getting another shot at Indy. When he first came over to Coyne's team I was annoyed, thinking Dale Coyne was returning to his rent-to-anyone-who-can-pay ways from the days of old. But wow, that kid showed some real talent. He appeared to leave behind the snooty antics he displayed overseas, grew up in a hurry and became a true class act. He provided thrills for us viewers, and even tickled P.T.'s fancy. I watched the Xfinity races he ran, and there was only one mention of him that I could remember. That was a waste of an opportunity on NASCAR's part to pitch a crossover driver who has mad skills. A fledgling start-up team yielding mid-pack results is a rather impressive feat, in my opinion.

So, now he's back... kinda. RLL must see something in him. IndyCar could benefit from him returning full-time. He needs to be in IndyCar and in a competitive ride. He has the talent, growing fanbase and seems like he has the respect of the paddock to be successful in IndyCar. My question: if Santino performs well at Indy and puts a smile on Rahal's face, what are the odds of him getting another ride? A serious ride? I thought I heard Ganassi was scouting him, but Palou must bring more funding to the table.

Ken Pulliam, Naperville, IL

RM: I’m afraid Santino will simply get lost in that stock car vortex that seems to suck the life out of IndyCar drivers. He’s an open-wheel racer and a damn good one, and I’m sure RLL would run him full-time with enough sponsorship. That’s the conundrum of IndyCar racing -- no matter how good you are, it usually seems like money is a necessity to keep going.

Q: With James Davison committing to NASCAR for the rest of 2021, do you think he’s done with driving IndyCar? If a quality ride were available, do you see him attempting the Indy 500 in the future?

Brandon Karsten

RM: I have no idea, but if a David Byrd put a deal together for him to run Indy I’m sure he would.

Q: JR Hildebrand teaches at Stanford? I had no idea. This leads me to ask a question I have always wondered about. What do IndyCar drivers do for a living in the off-season? I’m sure that the highest-paid drivers can live off of their salaries, promotions and speaking engagements, but maybe not. Didn't A.J. Foyt own some funeral parlors, and Emmo Fittipaldi owned orange groves in Brazil? So what about drivers like Charlie Kimble, Conor Daly, Colton Herta, Dalton Kellett, Pato O'Ward and the others? Drivers like Simona and Juan Pablo and Sebastien drive in other series, but what are some of the more unusual or interesting careers that some of the second-tier and part-time drivers have? I’m not so much interested in hearing about their speaking engagements, but their non-racing professions.

RM: They work out, go skiing, take their wives and girlfriends on vacation and a few do public appearances for their sponsor.

Q: Is IndyCar aware of just how bad its website is? I expected it to get better when Penske bought the series, but clearly it has not. I logged on trying to find qualifying results for Barber. Hours after qualifying ends, and I can't find a starting grid anywhere. Also, the three drivers showing up on the homepage: Marco Andretti, Sebastien Bourdais, and Ed Carpenter. I get it, alphabetically they come first of drivers that will be competing this season. But wouldn't it be a good idea to have more than one driver show up on the site that will actually be in the upcoming race?

I love the product on the track. I love the drivers when you get to see their personalities. I have questioned the leadership for at least 20 years. They are the best-looking, fastest closed-circuit cars in the world. It's frustrating that it has been 30 years since anyone has known how to present and market them.

Jordan B.

RM: It’s pretty lame, especially getting results on race weekends, but I would implore Roger Penske to get Dave Furst (director of PR) some quality help because he’s woefully under-staffed. NASCAR's website posts its qualifying immediately after the session ends, and I looked Saturday and there was nothing on IndyCar’s site an hour after Pato won the pole.

Q: In 1973 I had a pit pass for all of May at the Indianapolis Speedway. On pole day, I recognized Ronnie Peterson walking about in the pits wearing a brown leather jacket. Years later, I saw a photo of him interacting with the Penske team that day. Would you know whether he ever came close to talking with anyone about racing in the 500 in any year?

I once got to ask Tim Schenken about racing in the 500, and he answered that both he and Peterson became interested and bought automatic-transmission cars to practice left-foot braking, but eventually decided that the Indy speeds were too dangerous. Peterson would've been awesome; I'm sure of that because in 1975 I saw him, in what had to be his first high-banked oval appearance and in a Chevy Camaro, beat A.J. Foyt to pole position at the Michigan IROC. Later that year, I saw him take the lead with a breathtaking pass during the Daytona IROC. So, did the Super Swede ever look like considering a bid for the milk?

Anthony V., Indianapolis

RM: I never heard that, but Indy 500 author Rick Shaffer found Howden Ganley and Frank Williams sitting on the pit wall that month and Jackie Stewart was also a visitor. The rumor was that Mario wanted Gunner Nilsson to run with him at Indianapolis when they were teammates, but sadly, cancer claimed him.

Peterson wasn't keen on the speeds at Indy, but he had no qualms about taking on the Americans in other forms of racing. Motorsport Images

Q: While looking for your latest Mailbag on Google, I unexpectedly came across an obituary you wrote for Art Pollard in 1973 that appeared in the Indianapolis Star. As a longtime fan that gets into the history of the sport, what you wrote as a 23-year old was not only a great tribute to your friend, but I honestly feel like I knew who Art Pollard was (personality-wise) and what exactly killed him, something that I didn't know for 48 years. Do you recall that day? You've been writing great stuff for a long time and I've always enjoyed your articles and insight. Thanks for your contributions over the years!

Todd J. Burnworth, Fort Wayne, IN

RM: I was sitting on the pit wall talking to him before he went out that final time and I asked why, because he was in the top six speeds at the time. He said he wanted to try one more thing. But Art was a prince of a person and a damn good racer who got a late start on his career.

Q: Love the Mailbag. Always something interesting. You mentioned your Mt. Rushmore of drivers in a recent Mailbag. In reading it, it made me think of Lloyd Ruby. While maybe not a Rushmore driver, definitely someone who had success in many forms of racing. Your thoughts on the man, the driver, and any books on his life?

Matt Townsend, Buhl, ID

RM: I was lucky enough to work on Rube’s team in 1974, and nobody drove harder or had more fun than he did. He had no luck at Indy but he was always fast and up front, and his road racing skills were greatly under-appreciated. Buy his book “Hard Luck Lloyd” at Coastal181.com or Amazon.

Q: I'm definitely reading the "Indy Split" book when it's released next month. Have you read an advance copy? If yes, are you going to do a proper review? If you’re not doing a proper review, then can you do a quick review in this forum? Also, are there any revelations in the book that we didn't know about the Split?

Ron, Portland, OR

RM: I wrote the intro and it’s a damn good read, and there are several things that might surprise you but I’m not going to share them here. I’ll review it in May.

Q: As a Brownsburg native, the Lucas Oil Raceway Park is very near and dear to my heart. I'm crossing my fingers that NASCAR brings some races back in the next few years. The absolute dream would be for them to restore the 2.5-mile road course and get some Road to Indy races on that in lieu of the oval. I was wondering if you could share a good memory or two that you had at the track in its heyday, and if you had any insight on the future of the track.

Michael Heinekamp

RM: I loved the Indy Grand Prix in the 1960s (Mario’s first win) and IRP has always hosted some great midget, sprint and Silver Crowns shows. NASCAR’s Busch series was one of its best races, but they pulled the plug because IRP wouldn’t pave or repave parking and the area behind the grandstands (at least, that was story).

Don Dakin was the promoter and a wonderful guy who use to let us practice on the road course and oval for free. I was practicing in my Formula Ford one day and noticed a truck and trailer parked on the main straightaway, but didn’t hear any noise. I drove around the first turn and there was a Formula B car crunched again the wall with the engine still running and the driver unconscious. I turned off the engine, ran into the office and we called 911. The driver broke his left leg and arm, but no head injury except a concussion. That was the end of free testing on the road course, but we still got to hot lap on the oval with Gary Bettenhausen until Mr. Liability stepped in and pulled the plug. Not sure about the future, but USAC seems to have found its footing there again.