Robin Miller’s Mailbag for June 16, 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: Wow, you were right, this kid O’Ward is the real deal. When he passed Dixon on the restart I was amazed. He seems to have that extra bit that makes him just a bit faster. Unfortunately, Newgarden got caught out with the tire strategy, but once Pato got past, he just took off. I just hope he stays in IndyCar, but I guess if Zak offers him a seat in F1, he’ll have to take it.

Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ

RM: Not sure why Zak would take his IndyCar star for the next 20 years for a chance to do OK in F1. I predicted Pato and Colton would be battling Dixie for the title and I haven’t changed my mind.

John B. in Minneapolis

RM: I texted Craig right after the race because he’s the best (along with Nathan O’Rourke) and I figured he was the difference-maker, but he instantly deflected any credit to Will Anderson (engineer), Nick Snyder (dampers), Kate Gundlach (performance engineer) and crew chief Chris Nash.

Q: What in the world is going on at Andretti Autosport? A 21-year-old youngster is basically making his three veteran teammates look like rookies in every single race, almost humiliating them. How is this possible? I know you already wrote about how special Lil' Herta is (and he most definitely is), but he's only one half of the equation, so this can't just be a simple case of "Ignorance is bliss." What I'm more concerned about is the other half of the equation: What about Rossi, Hinch and Hunter-Reay? We're not talking about three average drivers, we're talking about three multi-race winners. We're talking about two former Indy 500 winners and a former polesitter. And most importantly, we're talking about a former champion, a two-time top-three championship finisher and a former rookie of the year.

This has to mean something, right? However right now, Mr. Aggression systematically has his race ruined by either bad luck or bad strategy calls (albeit while looking to be the only one capable of matching Colton's speed), The Mayor is nowhere near the pace he showed in his early years, and Captain America looks like an old-timer whose best days are behind him. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on them. I want to see these three guys winning races. I'm just sad to see this happening. They, too, should be battling at the front, so what happened to them? Is something ugly happening behind the scenes? Besides, Michael Andretti can't keep accepting this for much longer, something has to change!

Xavier from France

RM: Life moves on quickly these days in IndyCar and your assessment seems valid, but Colton and Nathan O’Rourke have formed a Foyt/Bignotti chemistry without all the cussing, and they’re only going to keep getting better.

Andretti Autosport has all the ingredients; now it just needs to rediscover the recipe. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: First off, I'm happy if Will Power has the matches; I have the gasoline. It's well beyond time for IndyCar to burn the red flag. It was completely understandable for Rosenqvist's accident, but completely uncalled for with Grosjean's (and what are the chances of the same guy causing a race result-changing caution in the last laps of a race two days in a row?). It's time for Roger to implement some changes to the series and thin out the ridiculous minutiae in the rulebook regarding closing the pits under caution, displaying the red flag over yellow, etc.

Ward has the biggest brass cojones since Robert Wickens and is a star in the making. His car seemed considerably faster than the rest of the field at the end of race two. Which feeds on a related suspicion. Arrow McLaren SP seemed very cagey in their response to the cause of Rosenqvist's "stuck throttle." The root cause being identified as a “singular, non-recurrent mechanical fault" sounds a lot like, "we improperly modified something (I'd suspect electronically, not mechanically) to give our cars an unfair (and in this case dangerous) advantage."

Napalm Nick, Locust Grove, VA

RM: IndyCar needs to have a hard, fast rule on a red flag, agreed. And you may have the best suggestion. I understand you are balancing competition vs. entertainment, but at what cost to a competitor who drove his heart out only to get hosed under a red? I got stopping Indy a few years with multiple laps left so maybe it’s an Indy-only rule, but I think you’re jumping to conclusions on what happened to Felix and his team.

Q: Curious to hear your take on red flag number two in race one of the doubleheader. Here’s mine: there are legitimate reasons for a red flag such as weather or because an on-track incident requires an extended period of time to clean up or fix. Beyond that, you are just another racing series trying to manufacture excitement for the fans. If I want B.S. WWE gimmicks from race control, I will watch NASCAR.

Rosenqvist’s scary crash required a red flag. Grosjean’s did not. If you can pull the car behind the wall and restart, great. If not, it ends under yellow. Power had every right to be angry even before his ECU burned out. And if IndyCar truly cares about its fans, it will let the teams and drivers determine the race outcome and stop the inconsistent and poorly applied red flags in pursuit of green flag finishes. Otherwise, quit keeping score and put the Astor Cup in the attic.

Lee from Minnesota

RM: I can’t disagree with anything you said, Lee.

Q: Congratulations to Marcus Ericsson on getting his first win. Not taking anything away from that, and I’m always happy to see a Honda win. Now, the"but." I’ve been a hardcore IndyCar fan for 30 years. I like seeing a last-lap duel as much as anyone. But sometimes, races finish under caution; it happens, we all know it happens. From a pure racing (i.e. non-entertainment) perspective, unless there were safety/track-condition circumstances not mentioned on the NBC broadcast, there was zero reason for that race to be red-flagged with five laps to go. Given the overall conditions and length of run time, just run the last five laps under yellow and call it a day.

I enjoy seeing a Team Penske car and a Chevy car not win just as much as I enjoy seeing my favorite drivers and a Honda actually win. Will Power, Team Penske and Chevy were the best car/team on the day and deserved to win that race. What happened to them is terrible luck, and can be argued should have never occurred. This should put any of those doubters about Mr. Penske controlling the series to his team’s advantage to rest, not that they ever had any legitimacy to begin with.

Chris, Chicago, IL

RM: You had people sit through a 90-minute red flag and then give your TV audience a chance to race to the end, and that’s a bad idea? I guess that was the debate. Power got hosed by a mechanical failure and you feel for him, but if his car restarted, we’re talking about Team Penske’s first win of 2021.

Q: I'm still little upset about Will Power's comments after the first race. Obviously Power was upset at losing a chance at victory and maybe his current lack of usual success overall. However, blaming the red flag on "certain drivers" who shouldn't be racing in the series was low. Everyone has to start somewhere, and we can all surmise what big name he may have been alluding too. I didn't care for Rossi commiserating with him, either. Seems like sour grapes from two veterans who are getting their tails kicked by some exciting young drivers. What are your thoughts on his comments? Do you think The Captain or IndyCar will reprimand him at all? Seems unlikely considering he drives for the boss.

Chris Kulawik, Wheaton, IL

RM: No, you’ve got a driver who just got one of the worst screwing in history responding to an emotional situation -- why should be fined or scolded? It’s passion, man, and the heat of battle.

Q: I have watched IndyCar racing seriously for 50 years. And for the past 10 my comments to the Mailbag have almost always been positive. I have consistently praised the series for its close racing and how the rules package and cars allow for any good team to compete for wins. But I am totally incensed at race control throwing a red flag at the end of Detroit race one with five laps to go. Unlike the earlier crash where the wall had to be repaired, there was absolutely no reason to throw a red flag. If the race ends under caution, so be it. Will Power would have earned a hard-fought win. But that finish was manipulated and the officials stole the race from Power. The reason I quit watching NASCAR was because of the green/white /checker, lucky dog, and other gimmicks to get people to watch. If IndyCar throws another red flag this year to keep from ending under caution then it is no longer racing, and I will quit watching.

Rick Schneider, Charlotte

RM: You are not alone in your feelings, and it’s a crucial subject IndyCar needs to address with common sense and the spirit of competition. I understand your frustration.

Not happy. Barry Cantrell/Motorsport Images

Q: Santino ran the No. 45 RLL/HY-Vee Supermarkets IndyCar with a dominant Mountain Dew display at the 500, and at Belle Isle a fun "Chester Cheetos" caricature rode along him. In my opinion, each livery seems to overlap both IndyCar and NASCAR marketing. I am high-octane excited about taking my family out to Indy to attend the IndyCar/Xfinity doubleheader at the IMS road course on August 14th! Any chance we might see a driver race in both venues, same day – same track? Maybe Santino with Hy-Vee sponsorship in the No. 45 RLL IndyCar and then again in the No. 26 SHR Xfinity car? What do you think of the concept and the odds?

Norman, Somers, NY

RM: I don’t know, but I like Ferrucci and I hope realizes his career is in an IndyCar and not being lost in the stock car shuffle.

Q: Hats off to Firestone for getting the tires exactly right in Detroit. It made for two fantastic races – Saturday was rough, obviously. I’m glad Rosenqvist seems fine.

I have a question about Rossi. He drove really well over the weekend but had a bit of bad luck. This season seems like the toughest, deepest field since the heyday of the late '90s CART grids. Everyone puts out an optimistic vibe at the start of the year, which is completely normal and expected. But Rossi in particular seemed to put out a vibe that they were going to storm through this season and win the title. I forgot how he phrased it but it was something to the effect of "championship or bust." As you correctly called, we’re on our way to having 10 or more winners this year.

My view from the couch isn’t the best to judge, so I write this respectfully. Rossi’s Andretti squad stumbled a bit at the beginning and it seems like they’ve been making mistakes out of frustration ever since. Do you think the team, especially Rossi, put too much pressure on themselves?

Eric Z, Lancaster, NY

RM: I think all good drivers and teams relish pressure, but Alexander just seems to be mired in one of those continuing Catch 22 situations. It’s not like he’s forgotten how to drive or lost any of his inner fire. He did say title or nothing, but that’s how he felt.

Q: It’s a shame to see a champion like Jimmie Johnson embarrass himself in IndyCar (on top of that not running ovals, which is his specialty). I know that he attracts sponsors and fans. Please give me your take on this.

Jack

RM: I think he improves every time he drives. Check his practice and qualifying times, and the fact is, he has closed the gap. Sounds like he’s going to run the Indy 500 in 2022, and that’s where he will excel – just like Kurt Busch.

Q: We hear Roger Penske is open to discussions about a possible F1 race at Indy in the future, and there have even been suggestions about making it a doubleheader with IndyCar, or a tripleheader with IndyCar and NASCAR. F1 still has its own garages at Indy, but how long would it take to convert from the F1 pit setup without a wall to the IndyCar setup with a wall? Is there a any way to configure it so both can be used in a single weekend? I can just about imagine it with an IndyCar road course car count and a gap in the wall to exit the F1 pits into the IndyCar pit lane before getting back out on track.

Chris Dunbar

RM: I do hear The Captain is lobbying hard to get Miami’s date, but it won’t be a doubleheader with IndyCar or NASCAR.

Q: Everyone has an opinion regarding tracks they want to see IndyCar visit, and the Mailbag has seen this topic discussed ad nauseum. So for a different approach, how about your take on a track that is within the extended realm of possibility, and where would you like to see IndyCar race? How about one outside the realm of possibility? Last question: Do you see more future tie-ups with other race series such as IMSA or NASCAR? It seems like the time is right for bringing fans from the various disciplines together.

KB in Florida

RM: Road Atlanta or Mosport would be my choices for IndyCar but will probably never happen. IMSA/IndyCar together on another road course likely makes the most sense, although IMS with NASCAR promises to be entertaining.

Q: Saw the article you wrote on Paul Page’s book. Seems like last I heard, you weren't a fan of his for some reason, so I wasn't either. Nice article, glad you worked things out!

Jim Wilson

RM: There are always things to regret writing or saying in your life, and I picked on Paul for a long time for some unknown reason. I’m glad he forgave me.

Robin was probably just jealous of Page's shoes. Image via IndyCar

Q: Do you possess any leaks, gossip, exclusives, anything, about the officialdom's analysis and decision immediately following the Indy 500 1989 Fittipaldi-Unser Jr. collision? I'm sure many Unser fans think to this day that Emmo should've been penalized in some way, because it seems his rear sliding out is what bumped Al into the wall. My own thoughts are that Al Jr. gave as good as he got seconds before, almost shoving Emmo onto the grass, that Emmo was slightly ahead as they bent into Turn 3, and that Al Jr. tried to crowd him through the corner.

Anthony V., Indianapolis, IN

RM: Yeah, let me give you the unofficial analysis: two champions racing for their first Indy 500 victory going into Turn 3 side-by-side and refusing to back off. It’s called, good, hard racing.

Q: Your response to John Graham’s letter last week was a realistic and true commentary on the state of how drivers get to Indy. USAC and short trackers in general aren’t on the radar, but it doesn’t have to be like that anymore. There is a real opportunity for short trackers.

Drivers and owners are open to having a road race program and another for ovals. There are four of those currently on the grid to various degrees. Someone would have to start a program that gives a short tracker a year in Lights. Then as long as the driver learns and shows competence, they move on – ideally to a two-year, ovals-only deal in IndyCar. The Indy Lights grid is paltry, and I’m certain any one of those teams would be happy to take on any reasonably talented, sponsored driver. A pipeline of other potential drivers would also need to be in the system doing the same program. The drivers could continue to do their own short track deals, and it would generate real interest in IndyCar on that level.

Of course it wouldn’t change overnight, but incrementally, over time, it would work on a sporting and promotional level. The IRL had that going for a short time. Obviously it fizzled out too quickly for a variety of reasons, so it didn’t make a lasting impact.

Before you say anything, yes, money. Who’s going to pay for it? The old where (if?) there’s a will there’s a way will take care of that if someone with influence can get behind a guy like Kody Swanson, for example. If someone can convince a guy like Davey Hamilton to really believe in and help push it, I think it could happen. Not just a hopeless, "good luck, kid" one-off drive at Indy. This is all hypothetical but besides Kody, who else would fit the bill to move into IndyCar in terms of talent and fan base?

Eric Z, Lancaster, NY

RM: Maybe Sunshine (Tyler Courtney) if Clauson/Marshall Racing would want to pursue it, but an expensive proposition. I don’t see a big groundswell of support from anyone on this.