Robin Miller’s Mailbag for May 19, 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.

Todd J. Burnworth, Fort Wayne, IN

RM: The best thing about IndyCar is that if you’re a good driver with a sharp engineer and decent pit stops you can be competitive right out of the box, because the cars and engines are so even. Ask Grosjean. I’d call it a driver’s series without any limits on experience, because if you’ve got talent, you can run up front.

Q: OK, we all now know what's happening. Let me lay it out for those who don't.

Robin is a fan of making a wager or three from time to time. And Robin got with ol' Cap'n Penske and drew up a scheme. They said OK, we're gonna have all the rookies win a race (except J.J.) and before the season starts, Robin will run a story "predicting" the success of the rookie and youngster class of IndyCar. Both of them place large bets on the kids, and then Roger rigs the race. Actually, that's a good name for a book about the Ilmor Beast motor from the ’90s that blew everyone's proverbial doors off... Roger Rigs the Race, starring Ricky Bobby. You can pay me royalties later. Mob Boss Rog is giving out at least $10 million per team in hush money, so nobody finds out that IndyCar now has a BoP system. The more experience you have, the less boost you can run. Rinus had 7,500 lbs of boost Saturday at the Indy GP, while poor Willy P was stuck with only 25.

Roger and Robin are placing huge wagers on the young kids to make back the money they lost during the pandemic. Roger gets 95% and Robin gets five. Seriously though... you nailed it, these kids are fast, and seeing Grosjean lead a race on merit was awesome. This might go down to the last lap of the last race of the year, and then a tie-breaker. Wherever you're hiding your crystal ball, protect it. Then give me lotto numbers. Who is next to break through?

Mike in Tampa

RM: Back in the ’80s Chris Economaki was telling people that R.P. paid off $100,000 in gambling debts for me, and that’s almost as funny as your "rigged" scenario. The Captain doesn’t gamble on things he can’t control, but Caesars Palace was so worried about a “fix” in the CART races in 1983-84 they closed the sports book early and would only take $200 wagers. I picked Pato, Palou and VeeKay to win their first race, so still got to get Jack Harvey and McLaughlin into victory lane. And still need nine more winners to get to 14.

McLaughlin's figured out a foolproof way to tell his helmet apart from those of his teammates, and you'd have to think that cracking the code for getting into victory lane isn't too far behind. Miller/Motorsport Images

Q: I always enjoy your writing — anyone who knows that Jim Hurtubise drove number 56 is my kind of Indy car guy. However, I was struck by your comment that oval racing is dying because "you can’t make people go to oval races, where they usually face a long drive and then lots of sitting and waiting for the race.” I would argue that people were more than willing to do this in the past because they loved to see their favorite drivers go wheel to wheel at breathtaking speeds, whether it was at Indy or even on the dirt tracks of the 1950s-1960s. And who were their favorite drivers likely to be? Well, when you watch the Olympics, who do you cheer for?

Road and street racing can be very entertaining because, as you point out, it’s an all-day party and many of the fans go to just have fun even though they may not be familiar with half the names in the field. Which is to say that the steady decline of American drivers from the 1990s onwards doomed the oval roots of the sport and its fan base. In days gone by, I attended IndyCar races at Milwaukee, Atlanta, Riverside and Elkhart Lake, not to mention 17 Indy 500s, going all the way back to 1966. Now, the latter is about the only race I still watch, even though for a decade fewer than a half dozen Americans have had a top-notch ride.

Before anyone accuses me of being xenophobic, I should mention that I was a great fan of Clark, Stewart, Emmo, Arie, Dario and Helio. But what we have now is not simply a good mix of foreign and American drivers, but near total dominance of foreign drivers — all of whom are certainly talented and nice guys, but at the risk of repetition, when you watch the Olympics, who do you cheer for?

John Davis, Dunnellon, FL

RM: Fair point, but how do you keep car owners from hiring Palou, Pato or VeeKay when they exhibit so much talent at a young age? The ladder system caters to foreigners because it’s affordable compared to Europe, but Newgarden, Herta, Pigot and Daly used it as a springboard. The days of going to Kokomo to cheer on your favorite and follow him to Indy are long gone, and they’re not coming back. Oval racing is all but dead because nobody wants to promote it and not enough people want to go watch it. But to answer your question, Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves are still the two most popular drivers at Indianapolis, so what does that tell us?

Q: You are the Nostradamus of IndyCar this season. So far you’ve predicted the young guns would break through this season, and Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward and Rinus VeeKay have won races. Roman Grosjean almost got his first win, but I’m quite sure that you’ve penciled him to win an IndyCar race this season. I also believe that Scott McLaughlin and Marcus Ericsson will both find themselves in victory lane. When was the last time in the early stages of an IndyCar season have seen this many of young drivers get there first career win?

Alistair, Springfield, MO

RM: Thanks to NBC stat guru Russ Thompson for this comprehensive answer: Three in the first seven races in 2013 – James Hinchcliffe, Takuma Sato, Simon Pagenaud. Three in the first six races in 2008 – Graham Rahal, Danica Patrick, and Ryan Briscoe. In 1997 there were seven first-time winners in the first 10 races! Four new winners in the first four races – Scott Sharp (Loudon), Richie Hearn (Vegas), Eddie Cheever (Disney), and Jim Guthrie (Phoenix). Tony Stewart, Robbie Buhl, and Eliseo Salazar also won by race 10. The only other one that comes close is 1965. Three first-timers in the first eight races, and six in the first 13.

Q: I wanted to weigh in on the driver debate about getting Americans into Formula 1. While the sentiment is fantastic, the argument is fundamentally flawed. To get an American driver the appropriate hype here in the States is to see said driver prior to shipping him off to Formula 1. No one will know his name or credentials enough for his talents to be sought or exploited when F1 makes its upcoming two-stop tour of the U.S.

With all due respect to Alexander Rossi, he made his way up the European ranks just like a good F1 hopeful should. He won races in the junior series, climbing steadily up the ranks every other F1 driver has to climb and even got a GP2 win. He did his time as a test and reserve driver. Everything on the resume that was necessary, short of having a benefactor. Yet when he got his shot with Manor Marussia, hardly anyone in America outside of the die-hards, knew anything about him, let alone had even seen him behind the wheel anywhere besides YouTube. When he came to the U.S., I heard an awful lot of, “Who is that?” and, “Who’s the Italian?” from my fellow spectators at Indianapolis and Texas. I mean, how many people realize that Conor Daly spent two years in GP2 and won two races in GP3?

If you want an American in F1 to matter to Americans, they have to make it in IndyCar here before moving up. That’s how you get the American motorsports fan interested. Otherwise, he’s just another face in the crowd except for two weekends a year in Miami and Austin. And even then, without proper equipment, the American flags in the crowd will be waving for a hard-charging back marker three laps down whose team is struggling for fifth in the constructors championship and hasn’t scored a point in two seasons.

Right now, the F1 model is you must drive in Europe and Asia because track familiarity is so important, to say nothing of sponsor visibility. It takes the same skills to master Monaco that it takes to master St. Petersburg. But somehow, not knowing those tracks seemingly disqualifies an American from getting that shot. If talent is a prerequisite, it does not seem logical that a talented American be shut out because Yas Marina is just too much of a technical challenge in a car that requires far less skill and wit to drive than these Dallaras.

Dan W., Ft. Worth, TX

RM: There was no bigger name in American or international motorsports than Andretti, and from what I’ve been told, Ron Dennis did everything possible to make sure Michael failed. Sure, Michael didn’t help himself by commuting, but F1 doesn’t want Americans – isn’t that obvious? They don’t need them. There is no plan to develop a U.S. driver for F1, and nobody took it further than Daly before he threw in the towel. And why would anyone want to see Herta battling his teammate for 15th place in some mid-pack operation?

A future Indy 500 winner leads a future two-time IndyCar champion in the Sunday GP3 race at Hockenheim in 2010. They eventually finished eighth and 19th respectively. Fun fact: Five other drivers from that season's GP3 field went on to compete in IndyCar. See how many you can name; no Googling. Gibson/GP3 Media Service

Q: I know you are on the Jimmie Johnson bandwagon but, after his performance so far… If Jimmie Johnson wasn't Jimmie Johnson, what would you be saying? Honestly.

Dan Schertner

RM: I’d be saying he’s made great progress in six months and I truly don’t know what you people expect. Jesus, he went from stock cars to Indy cars at age 45. I was hoping he’d be within four-five seconds of being competitive, but check out his lap times last Saturday compared with JPM.

Q: I watched Jimmie Johnson yesterday. He actually tried to allow other drivers to pass him in the pits. Of course, they could not because of the pit speed limiters. That is no different than NASCAR, but it seemed to slip his mind. That demonstrated the fact that not only was Jimmie not able to race with the other drivers, but he also was quite aware of the fact that he was not able to race. We aren't talking about a damaged car making laps, but a perfectly good car whose driver did not belong in the series. Milka Duno and Mad dog Marty at least tried to race. This was a bad joke.

This is supposed to be the highest level of open-wheel racing in the U.S. What is someone whose skill level doesn't allow them to race, but only ride around, doing in the race? Oh that's right, "He's going to save the series because he's a seven-time NASCAR champion and the publicity will save it.”

When consumers will not buy your product, you either change the product to what they will buy or go out of business. But no, IndyCar knows what's best. Quickie hair-brained rescue schemes in the exact same manner that Gary, IN has used for decades now. They never make any difference in the end. You want crowds? Change your product and build your brand slowly over time the same way you were successful before. It didn't happen with overnight schemes. It will be long and painful, in increments over years. The sport keeps doing the same things over and over again, expecting a different outcome. How has that worked so far?

Remember the fact that the series has gone back to a track that they haven't run in years and get a decent crowd. But in subsequent seasons, the crowd dribbles down to nothing. Why? They saw the product and chose not to purchase it again. Time to face the facts, Mr. Miller. The more it has become apparent Johnson belongs in a lower feeder series, the louder, shriller, and harsher you will continue to defend him. That genius, pal!

Charlie, Avon

RM: First off all, nobody ever said or wrote that J.J. was going to save the series, so I have no idea where you came up with that. And as far as waving drivers by, he did it once leaving the pits because it was his teammate (Alex Palou) who was running third and in contention. But when you rate Milka Duno and Marty Roth higher it shows me you know nothing about racing. Johnson has brought a lot of attention to IndyCar it would never have gotten, and is steadily improved in a foreign discipline. I hope he runs Indy next year because experts like you will be eating your words with a shovel.

Q: I know he's had some bad luck this year, particularly at Texas, but I'm getting a little bit concerned about Felix Rosenqvist. Will he and Arrow McLaren SP get it together?

Jordan, Warwickshire, UK

RM: Five races in, kinda early to make any predictions.

Q: With the cancellation of Toronto, what are the odds of there being a Mid-Ohio doubleheader? And, are there discussions to put the 2022 Mid-Ohio weekend back to an early August slot where it had been for years and years?

Terry Johnsen, Germantown, MD

RM: It seems most logical since it’s Green Savoree race, but it’s not moving because of NBC and the Summer Olympics.

Q: I love going to any type of racetrack, from Indy and Daytona to the little 1/4 mile dirt tracks all over Indiana. It always is better at the track – no commercials. I have started to enjoy Formula 1 because there are no commercials during the race, just like when you are at a track. All kinds of advertisement on the cars, drivers, billboards, track buildings, crews and everywhere you look.

How about an Indy 500 race with no commercials? Sell the TV time as billboards, car sponsorship, race sponsorship, corner markers, grandstand labels etc. Instead of buying ad time and interrupting the show, just show the advertising while they race. I'm sure IndyCar has an advertising person with the talent to sell this. The announcers can call the race as they do now, identifying the cars and drivers using the sponsors, car make or engine brand. Something to consider when they negotiate their next network deal. I think it would be great for the 500 ratings and a huge advertising hook to get viewers to watch the Indy 500 or any other race. If a sponsor wants ad time, paste it all over the cars, track, grandstands and anywhere there will be a camera shot. From green to checker – no interruptions, just racing.

Jack DeVience, Valparaiso, IN

RM: Do you know why there are no commercials in an F1 race? Because they have a billion dollar TV contract and the teams all share in the revenue. They don’t need commercials and Sky Sports chooses not to run any (thank you Chris Medland for that info). But IndyCar doesn’t have that luxury, so commercials are imperative to try and make ends meet.

Q: Everyone continues to talk about a lack of ovals on the schedule, and I know you’re getting tired of answering those questions every week. One possible solution that’s never been discussed is, why not use our very own Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Roger Penske wants to use the facility for world-class events; why not have the traditional Indy 500 Memorial weekend, add lights and have a limited capacity (no general admission/infield) 4th of July 400-mile night race, then end the season at Indy on Labor Day weekend with a 300-mile sprint race? The Triple Crown comes back. Tie in some big-name artists for concerts and that final race for the championship would be especially entertaining. Just a thought from a lifelong IndyCar fan. I’d like to know your thoughts, Robin.

Joe Stieglitz, Shelbyville, IN

RM: I truly don’t want another oval race at IMS. Let Indianapolis stand alone as the granddaddy with its mystique. I don’t think R.P. minds a couple of road course races, but my guess is that he feels the same way about the oval and keeping it sacred.

Q: A big problem I’ve noticed or see about improving fan attendance at oval racing for Indy cars. Maybe it’s you guys at RACER magazine! For some reason, I can’t understand why, I read on RACER.com about how it’s not the fan favorite, or the push-push for road and street course races because you keep saying nobody wants ovals! I say it is a lie!! You keep banging that drum to the point, that your new readers don’t for one second consider going to see one in person.

Your own influence is potentially one of the reasons we have no new race fans in the seat for ovals. Please stop this. You say, “ovals are long gone”… gee, that sucks, but I don’t see that at all! How come when I do go to a NASCAR race – and I do because I love oval track racing – I overhear the NASCAR fans laughing at the boring IndyCar zig-zag go to sleep tracks? I’m 51 and I went to COTA… snooze. My son is 31 and he says Belle Isle is boring twice every year! How about ask the current IndyCar drivers what they want to race on: ovals or road and street courses? I rest my case!

James H., Kalamazoo, MI

RM: Gee, I never considered all those people quit going or never showed up at Iowa, Phoenix, Texas and Fontana because RACER told them to, and now I feel bad. I guess all the oval track promoters must read RACER.com as well because they sure aren’t flocking to IndyCar, so maybe I need to send them all a letter of apology. And I can certainly see why you’d rather watch one of those thrilling 1.5-mile NASCAR shows than Indy cars on a road course. I guess NASCAR is going to COTA to prove your point.

Genuinely can't think of a caption that clears the bar set by James from Kalamazoo's letter, so instead we'll use this space to note that about two-thirds of the unedited version of his correspondence was ALL CAPS. Jake Galstad/Motorsport Images

Q: I just read the Mailbag for 5/12, and there are obviously still so many questions about IndyCar and ovals and our sport's future. I know it costs millions to stage an event and ovals are usually rural; don't have other support events; all the things mentioned. What if they attack it from the other side?

I know it's a crazy idea, but I still think somebody somewhere needs to put an IndyCar driver in a midget or sprint car a couple of times a year. Indy used to award FIA points. Let the major small ovals (I'm specifically not saying dirt here because there are enough events on paved tracks to make it work), give points towards the Astor Cup. Points don't cost anything. In the still-massive budgets these teams have, a sprint or midget car would be comparatively cheap. Hell, they can rent ’em, for all I care. Wouldn't you go to, say, a Winchester, Lucas Oil or Salem if there were an IndyCar driver or two (or five?) entered? I know that'd be enough to get me to Madera. Tell me I'm not more than 49% crazy!

Bill Bailey, Fresno, CA

RM: I thought putting the late, great Bryan Clauson in an IndyCar might register a little bump in TV viewing and/or practice crowds, but it had zero effect. Just like putting Will Power in a Silver Crown car at Salem. James Davison ran USAC dirt cars a few times last season, did a good job and nobody noticed because nobody that supports USAC cares about IndyCar. I want Tyler Courtney, Justin Grant, Brad Sweet, Buddy Kofoid and Chris Windom to get to try the Indy 500, but only for their resumes. You’re not crazy Bill, but you’re dreaming.

Q: Rather than ask the typical "why aren't there more ovals?" question, please allow me to ask this way: If the interest and demand just isn't there, then why do you have to answer so many questions about it? According to an answer last week, about 10k of them. This after VeeKay winning Indy GP with about a 4-second margin – typical for most non-ovals. I just don't buy road course popularity, with speeds my own car can reach, follow-the-leader racing, little to no passing, and finishes that are far from photo. No thanks.

Matt Cast

RM: For the sake of argument, let’s say we’ve had 50 letters in three months about a lack of ovals. Wouldn’t it be fun to know how many of those people would be willing to drive to Gateway, or fly to Fort Worth, or vice versa? And does that represent the fans that actually care? You say no passing; did you not watch Saturday’s race at IMS? There was non-stop passing, and I’d venture to say that many road and street races have been much better than any oval except Indy. Dixon led 206 and 163 laps at Texas – did that keep you riveted to the TV? Look, we all know ovals are Indy’s heritage, and nobody loved Phoenix, Milwaukee, Trenton and Michigan more than I did, but somewhere along the way, people quit showing up. You can spin that anyway you want, but it’s a fact.

Q: I read an article in Sports Business Journal that NBC may bail out of IndyCar and sell it to CBS. CBS in turn would stick it on its streaming service. What's going on here? I thought NBC wanted to be the racing channel. But apparently not. What are you hearing lately? My opinion: IndyCar/R.P. should start his own streaming service, and the hell with the big networks. I'd rather pay for IndyCar directly to IndyCar rather than to some other service that has 99% garbage shows that you have to take to get the 1% you want.

JB

RM: NBC picked up its option this year and I imagine if IndyCar doesn’t ask for more money it would likely want to keep going. I’ve heard FOX and CBS might be interested, but IndyCar would get buried on those networks. To hell with network when you have trouble getting one million viewers? Good luck selling sponsorship with streaming only.

Q: All I have to say to contribute to this week's Mailbag, Robin, is thank you. Thank you for suggesting that Paul Tracy be an IndyCar broadcaster. The insight he brings, the experience he brings, and the intelligence he brings are second to none. I'm also glad NBC realized he was an asset and kept him on for all the races this year. Just as a case in point, in case anyone doubts me, I believe it was around lap 50 or 60 in the GMR Grand Prix when he pointed out the chunk of rubber that got lodged right in front of Rossi's aeroscreen. He always seems to notice subtle little things that others don't, and it really enhances the broadcast. God bless.

Eric, Mequon, WI

RM: Thanks Eric, I need to send him your note and remind him he hasn’t paid his agent in a few years. Love him or hate him, P.T. is authentic and he was a helluva racer, which gives your booth instant credibility. I think we’re all glad NBC changed its mind.

Q: Are the teams thinking about what could happen if the cicadas happen to come out right around race day? We all know what chaos a hot dog wrapper can cause for the cooling system. Or maybe the exhaust fumes will keep them away? I drove through a small swarm yesterday and wished I had a tear-off on my windshield.

Scott Heavin, Indianapolis

RM: I gotta say Scott this, wins question of the week, maybe the year. I guess we’ll just have to hope the aeroscreen does its job.

So a few weeks ago IndyCar had to deal with this thing, and now the cicadas are coming. Boyd/Motorsport Images

Q: Long Beach has always been there for open-wheel racing, even at its worst times. It's now the season finale which means its stage just got a little bigger. How can IndyCar capitalize on this? Here goes a small suggestion that may help the racing and boost publicity. I propose IndyCar allow full boost to all engines for this year's Long Beach race weekend. Let the Long Beach season finale be where Honda and Chevy are allowed to take the handcuffs off the monsters they created.

This would not only create longer breaking zones for passing opportunities, it would also showcase some of the better driver's skills. Imagine the press headlines: "Indy cars to go full power for season finale at Long Beach." Imagine the hype it would create. It would also be a thank you to fans for being so loyal to IndyCar and the LBGP all these years. Yeah, we might blow an engine up, but the season will be over, and they will have all winter to rebuild it. Fans in Indy get full boost for qualifying; how about a little love for the west coast?

Jonathan from Long Beach

RM: Why would you want to waste full boost on a tight street course? And I don’t think it would sell one extra ticket. Just hope for good weather and a close points race.

Q: Robin, you have raced in the past and you obviously talk to drivers post-race, but tell me – just how frustrating is it for a racer to not complete one or just a few laps in a race? Is it more frustrating to be taken out by another car or if your car just quits?

Janis from Fishers

RM: The absolutely worst thing is being KO’d at the start (ask Conor Daly) when you’ve got a good starting spot and you get knocked off the track. Or blowing up with victory in your grasp. If your car sucks, then having it fail is almost a welcome relief.

Q: Now that Eddie Gossage has stepped down from Texas Motor Speedway, this must mean the end of IndyCar racing in Texas, right?

Just Jake

RM: Good question. Probably too early to know, but I’ve been wondering for five years how it’s still on the schedule.

Q: I think you're being proven right on track for the number of different winners this year in IndyCar. Now that Eddie Gossage is leaving his post at Texas Motor Speedway, and he and his wife are looking for their "next adventure," would or could that adventure be a post at IndyCar? Would IndyCar even be interested? Could it work, or would it be a good idea?

David Parker, Jersey City, NJ

RM: I can’t imagine Eddie working for anyone, and I can’t imagine a job in IndyCar for him unless it was some kind of promoter liaison. I would think he’s simply going to enjoy his retirement and all that money Bruton paid him.

Q: Which position do you think requires the highest level of intelligence: NFL champion quarterback – Tom Brady, for example – or a Formula 1 champion driver – Lewis Hamilton, for instance. My partner, not a fan of either sport, posed the question the other day. I told her that’s a tough one, but I know the man to ask.

Mark Holdren

RM: A QB has to control 10 other guys and make snap decisions while managing the game and trying to stay upright. A racer has to work with his chassis, keep his tires under him, work traffic and concentrate 110 percent for a couple of hours. Tough call.

"OK, you stumped me on that one, but you won't know this: What's the anti-matter counterpart of an electron?" Motorsport Images

Q: Has Al Unser ever discussed with you any regret about jumping out of Jim Hall’s team at the end of the ’79 season? The Chaparral certainly looked prime to dominate for the next year or two. I know there was some personnel movement on the crew that influenced Al’s decision, but that would have been a tough car to move on from.

Tony Lynch

RM: He quit because he was embarrassed that John Barnard was never given credit by Jim Hall for designing the Yellow Submarine.

Q: I heard the top 10 earners in sports for 2020 today on the radio (internet actually), and it got me thinking, what do the current top notch IndyCar drivers earn? The Dixons, Powers, Newgardens earn each year? Since there is not a purse announced at races anymore, what do you think? And expanding on that, who do you think was the top one-year earner and lifetime earner in IndyCar’s heyday?

Tom, San Diego

RM: I think Dixie is the highest paid at around $4 million and Power, Newgarden and Rossi are in the $2 million neighborhood, but everything is a guess. Michael Andretti and Al Unser Jr. reportedly had $6 million retainers in the ’90s and I imagine Carl Haas had to give Mansell at least that much.

Q: I’ve been watching IndyCar racing my whole life and I think A.J. Foyt should call it quits. You never see A.J. give an interview anymore; is that because he is embarrassed by his team? Foyt Racing is a last place team and they are non-competitive. Take any current driver, put him in an a Foyt car and he will finish last. He has to see he can not compete with the big teams. Before any race starts you can bet his team is looking at a 19th or worse finish. A.J. is one of the greatest drivers of all time and should call it quits, or maybe join forces with another small team. Robin, you are one of the only people who can talk to A.J. and it would interesting to see what he would tell you. He needs a young gun charger, or get out. Agree?

John Pendola

RM: Well, Bourdais finished fifth in the season opener at St. Pete, and qualified fifth at Barber and finished 10th so I’d say that’s being competitive. He got crashed out of both races at Texas from behind so the results don’t look great, but he’s definitely give A.J. a reason to go to the races again. You want to call him and tell him he should quit?