The RACER Mailbag, January 26

Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers can be sent to mailbag@racer.com. Due to the high volume of questions received, we can’t guarantee that every letter will be published, but we’ll answer as many as we can. Published questions may be edited for style or clarity.

Q: What do you think about the girl that A.J. signed for the '22 season? Do you think that she will run Indy, and if she does, will she qualify?

Amy Passafaro

MARSHALL PRUETT: Tatiana Calderon is signed for the road and street courses, so we’ll see someone else to be named in the No. 11 Chevy at the Speedway and the other ovals. At 28, she’s one of the most experienced rookies we’ve seen in a long time. By my informal math, she’s raced in 21 different series since she got her start as a teenager in 2009, and there’s some major plusses and minuses to consider.

Calderon has something like 300-plus races under her belt, which is amazing. She’s battle hardened from more than a decade of racing in the Road to Indy, every level of European open-wheel that feeds to Formula 1, and she’s raced at the top in Japan. Jumping from series to series – sometimes doing multiple series in the same year – has given her tons of opportunities to quickly adapt to new machinery, teams, and circuits. Those are things that will help as she visits new tracks with a new team in a new car this year.

The downside of all that constant change is she’s rarely had opportunities to stay in one series for more than one season and focus on honing the finer aspects of her driving talent. Her super adaptation skills were evident last week in testing at Sebring; she was within a half-second of teammate and reigning Indy Lights champion Kyle Kirkwood. That was impressive since he’s tested an IndyCar four times and she was doing her second test after a six-month wait.

There’s no question that Calderon has something worth developing in IndyCar. I’m hesitant to place many expectations on her to deliver fireworks in her first year; my biggest hope is she gets a second and third season to build on what she has and find out where the full measure of her talent compares to the Newgardens, Dixons, Hertas, Palous and O’Wards.

"That girl that A.J. signed" has only spent a couple of test days in an an IndyCar, but she has a ton of other open-wheel experience to lean on. Joe Portlock/Motorsport Images

Q: I saw the press release about Foyt going to three teams this year. I think it's great, and good for the sport. But what immediately popped into my head is, how are the teams doing for finding needed employees? Are they, like the rest of us, struggling to find people?

John

MP: Yes, indeed. Consider how IMSA is going through a growth spurt with more teams in its top series and its many feeder series, and there’s a huge demand for crew with across all major series where road racing experience is prized. From what I’ve heard, the Foyt team was looking to fill some holes in its two-car operation, and with Tatiana Calderon’s new third entry, there’s a lot of work going on to find a full complement of personnel.

It could be offers to good Road to Indy mechanics, or reaching out to local technical/mechanical schools to hire the standout student, and however it happens, each car must have the right people to put forth a proper effort.

Q: Many years ago, I was told by John Tzouanakis, the Newman/Haas team manager, that painting a CART-era IndyCar cost $60,000. With vinyl wraps in use today, have costs to livery a modern IndyCar come down from this price range?

Shaun Fagan, Berwyn, IL

MP: That sounds like an annual budget for a multi-car team for an entire season!

From what I’m told from those I’ve spoken with in the paddock, it’s close to a financial wash. Going to an outside vendor for a wrap can cost between $5000-$7000 and takes about a day to complete. As many IndyCar teams do all of their graphics – and now wraps – with in-house staff and printing equipment, I’m sure the number is lower. Some teams still prefer to paint their cars and have in-house staff and bodywork/booth resources. Painting, from the time the prep process starts to having the car back on the shop floor, takes about three days in most cases. Add up all the labor involved and the materials, and it's said to be close to the same as wrapping.

Why do some paint versus wrap? Preference, for sure, as some like the finish quality of paint over a vinyl wrap. And to a larger degree, the entries with one or two main liveries for the year might steer towards painting compared to some who run through a half-dozen liveries or more per season and might opt for the faster changeover option that wrapping offers.

Q: A few years back I wrote into the Mailbag to preach about how affordable the Iowa race was, and how everyone should make the trip and go to an exciting IndyCar race because IndyCar needs Iowa on its schedule. I still think IndyCar needs Iowa on the schedule, but I’m not so sure about how affordable the race weekend will be this year.

If people buy tickets before January 25, they are a lot cheaper. The first price hike has $60 tickets jumping to $110, or $65 tickets jumping to $95, and other price jumps. I don’t know how many people buy tickets for an event like this in the middle of a pandemic when they go on sale. That $65 ticket is $125 in race week, and while I’ll say you really don’t need to worry about where your seats are at Iowa, those are cheaper seats.

It is worth clarifying those ticket prices are per day, not two-day tickets. I don’t want to whine or complain, but I worry the success of the event may be hamstrung before it even gets a chance to make a comeback. Based on my IndyCar experiences in the past, this is a genuine sticker shock. I’m not certain if the kids are still free like they were in 2019, but I went to the race in 2019 and the weekend cost less than $150 for two tickets and a hotel room and food for my son and I. If kids aren’t free I might be at $400 for tickets alone.

Ryan in West Michigan

Q: Received an email today touting the "very special pre-sale opportunity" for the 2022 IndyCar weekend at Iowa Speedway. The "reduced" single-day ticket prices they're offering through January 25 are at or above what IndyCar tickets cost back in 2020. And the closer you get to the event, the higher the prices go. The garage passes alone are $60... double what they used to be.

It seems like it would be easier to fill the place and build some momentum for the future if you priced the tickets to ensure a full house. The Iowa Speedway was DOA before HyVee threw it a lifeline this year, but this pricing scale looks set to deliver a one-time only doubleheader weekend of empty seats. When good racing at multiple Iowa dirt tracks can be had for a fraction of the cost of IndyCar at Iowa Speedway, these prices seem pretty shortsighted.

Jeff C., Des Moines, Iowa

MP: I forwarded your questions to IndyCar – which is a co-promoter of the event – and asked for a response. Here’s what we received:

“We appreciate the feedback from the race fans interested in attending Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway. Ticket prices are set to encourage early purchases and they will increase as announcements are made to reveal the unique entertainment experience for fans during the festival-like weekend in Iowa. The valuable input we receive from our loyal fans may help us adjust accordingly. In fact, we decided to lower our initial pricing tier for the public on sale that begins this week, in order to extend savings opportunities. We feel that once the full line-up of the weekend’s events are announced, including premier concerts and other activities, ticket pricing for Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will represent a good value for fans.” – Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Organizers

You're going to need a lot of beans if you want to spend a night sitting amongst the corn this year. Phillip Abbott/Motorsport Images

Q: I recall reading stories about the Copper World Classic, a recurring multi-series event that was held at Phoenix Raceway but had the vibes of a small town bullring event. Supermods, late models, and USAC all ran as part of the event. I believe for a time IndyCar was part of the event, and I know the NASCAR trucks were during their inception. I can find USAC data for the event up to 2006 but see no information for why the event just went away. I can assume all the normal reasons why an event might fail would be valid, but am curious if there is more to the story of the death of the Copper World Classic. Would NASCAR also have any appetite for reviving the old event name/format with their Championship event in November?

Bob Smith, Arizona

MP: We’re going to call upon the expertise of our Mailbag readers to help you with this one, Bob. Other than being at some Phoenix IndyCar events where the Copper World Classic was part of the festivities, the history of its demise will need to be told by our readers in next week’s edition.

As for NASCAR looking to add a really cool outlaw event that takes way from its championship finale, that would be outside of the company’s playbook. But would it be amazing? Yes.

Q: In today's world, drivers always seem to be very mindful of what they say on air because a slip of the tongue could lose sponsorship dollars. This, in my opinion, is one of the reasons for IndyCar's lack of rivalries. My question to you: What are some of the best driver or team rivalries in IndyCar that you might know of behind the scenes? Surely, there are a few that can't stand one another.

Hutch, PA

MP: The last driver that comes to mind who was universally liked and respected by their rivals was the late Justin Wilson. Couldn’t find a driver with a bad word to say about him. I mention JWil because other than the Big Man, I’m fairly confident almost every driver talks smack about another at some point in private each season. But sniping at someone who ruined your qualifying lap or ran into you under caution isn’t necessarily the stuff that forms rivalries.

I can’t think of any true heated rivalries between drivers right now, just natural rivalries among championship contenders. A decent number of drivers actively dislike Santino Ferrucci, which is not a secret if you follow their social media posts. Now-former Indy 500 driver James Davison was also a favorite target of a few drivers. Hardly compelling stuff, I’d say.

Same with teams. I only know of one real hard-edged rivalry, and it’s more of a one-way deal where one team isn’t fond of the other’s business practices, but it isn’t my tea to spill, so I’ll quit while I’m ahead.

Q: Lewis Hamilton's current silence about his future (as of 1/19/22) is intended to put pressure on the FIA to take substantial action. Taking a page from Senna's playbook in 1992, do you think that anybody from the IndyCar world offered Hamilton a chance to do a test drive? Nobody is under any illusions that he'd leave F1 in favor of IndyCar, but it could be a symbolic way to light a fire under the FIA's ass by showing that the world is bigger than just F1. Sponsor commitment issues could be overcome by running a blank car. Wondering if anybody tried tilting at this windmill and making history repeat itself almost 30 years later?

Peter Ebright

MP: I’m a natural fan of anarchy, so this sounds delightful. But the Senna situation was a play by the Brazilian to get what he wanted from McLaren which, if my memory serves, was $1 million per race. Hamilton’s already under contract for 2022, and there’s no way the FIA is going to send F1 race director Michael Masi over to Verstappen’s house to sneak in and steal his world champion’s trophy while he’s sleeping.

So other than asking the FIA to switch Masi over to officiating Monster Jam events, I’m not sure how much pressure Hamilton needs to apply on the FIA to jettison its top judge after losing the respect and confidence of too many F1 teams and drivers.

But if we play along, I do want to see a Penske or Ganassi inviting Lewis to test after requesting permission from IndyCar to use an "evaluation" day. Because, you know, seven world championships aren’t enough to say whether he’d be any good in a Dallara DW12…

Q: About how many gallons of fuel does it take for a car to complete the Indianapolis 500 race, and how does that compare to previous decades/years dating back to (let's say) 1960?

Steve K, Hilliard, OH

MP: Getting exact fuel consumption rates for an Indy 500 that took place more than 60 years ago is a bit of a challenge since most of the surviving crew members and drivers are in their 80s and 90s, but I can share that one friend who worked on the crazy cars from the early-mid 1970s with 1300-horsepower turbo Offenhauser engines recalls consuming 3.5 gallons per lap… Explains why they had 75-gallon fuel tanks and frequent refueling!

As for today’s cars with 18-gallon tanks, I’m told anywhere from 85 to 110 gallons is about right, keeping in mind that the lower number would be during a 500 with many cautions and the higher would be during a mostly green race. On average today, approximate burn rates would be 4.5mpg while leading, 4.8mpg while following, and 12mpg-plus under caution.

For extra Senna cred, Hamilton should do his IndyCar test in a Penske PC22. Motorsport Images

Q: Your response to Dave of Cranford, NJ, was spot-on. For many years I had Reserved Parking Spot number 79 on the back stretch just prior to the cars entering Turn 3. As the cars went by at full song, it was difficult to wear a hat. The speed was incredible.

Pat Rizk

MP: Thanks, Pat. The only other place where I’ve experienced a similar punch in the chest is at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the top prototypes fire through the kink near the end of their blast from Mulsanne to Indianapolis. It’s common to crouch down next to the Armco barrier and shoot back at the cars as they clip the apex, and once they’re close, the barriers rattle as the air is displaced in an instant at 200-plus mph. It’s the kind of experience you never forget.

Q: I saw that Ben Keating is listed on the Daytona entry list for both JDC Miller Motorsports Cadillac DPI and the PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2. Is that correct or a typo? Is it common for one driver to drive for two different teams in a 24-hour race? I would assume his seat time will be tracked on both cars and he wouldn't be able to exceed the maximum amount of hours behind the wheel. I just wonder if Ben running between two teams and trying to dial in two different cars would be less effective than having one driver exclusive to one team.

Tom, Greenwood, SC

MP: Ben is the hero of every person who dreams of being a success in business and racing. He’s been doing the dual entry routine for many years, often with his name on a Pro-Am prototype and a Pro-Am GT car. This is his first foray into full-pro waters in DPi with the JDC Cadillac, and he’s back with the PR1/Mathiasen team in LMP2 where he’s been among the fastest non-pro drivers in the class.

IMSA does monitor and limit a driver’s maximum drive time, and that’s also nothing new for Ben. Keep in mind that with three-four drivers per car in the long enduros, Ben’s handling needs will be considered, but a compromise will be found that every driver can live with. Also, since Ben brings sponsorship to teams that rely on sponsorship, there’s a business need that comes first, so that’s a priority that comes before thoughts of having an exclusive lineup. Plus, he’s just about the nicest guy you’ll ever meet.

Q: Had a thought on how the average fan could show their appreciation for Robin Miller during the forthcoming Indy 500. What about t-shirts of a loud color that could be clearly seen in the stands on TV.

Thanks, Doug

MP: I love the idea. Miller wasn’t a wearer of loud shirts, though. He spent most of his days in a t-shirt or sweater with an old-timey driver or car on it, so that would be the first step for showing authentic appreciation. Next would be baggy sweatpants. Then add sunglasses, a RACER or NBC Sports hat, a 2-liter Pepsi bottle in one hand, a pork tenderloin sandwich dripping with mustard in the other, and we’ll have the official Robin Miller costume for the cameras to spot with ease.

Q: Lewis won that last F1 race but the FIA stuck it in him. Like to hear your two cents worth on it.

Jacob

MP: Well, as much as I wish he did win the race, Verstappen crossed the finish line ahead of him and the FIA has shown no interest in reversing the running order. We had a few questions that came in after the race where I wrote plenty of words on the subject, Jacob. Might be worth taking a look at some of the December Mailbags.

Q: Good news! IndyCars will not be electric while we are alive. It is not the motor, it is the batteries.

1. Cannot go 500 miles slow, much less 500 miles at 220mph.

2. Cannot recharge in a reasonable amount of time. (Imagine 15 minute pit stops)

3. Cannot change out the significantly large battery. (That was the original Formula E idea).

4. Can have eight cars/eight pit stops (maybe some recharging so four cars – that sounds cost-effective)

In defense of electrics, there are new battery technologies being developed, but the standard car application is a far cry from race cars, and as everyone knows, the money required to develop such a technology just does not exist in racing anymore, including F1. FE rules/races are all centered on the battery limitations. I will say they hide those limitations well – it almost looks like a real race.

Gray Fowler, Texas

MP: Your ability to predict the future is impressive, Gary!

Q: We know that Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron will be Penske LMDh drivers in 2023 (and the car looks awesome). Felipe's schedule seems set with drives in WEC and IMSA, but what about Dane? Will he co-drive with Felipe in the WEC, or fill his calendar with gigs in the GT World Challenge?

Since he is under contract to Penske, would Tim Cindric put him in a third Next Gen car at Watkins Glen or Road America? Dane in a Penske-prepared chassis would not be something your average NASCAR driver would want to see in their mirrors...

Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA

MP: Dane, who I’ve known since he was about two years old – his father Ricky and I were mechanics on the same team when Dane was a pup – will be doing the full WEC schedule with Penske in P2 with Nasr. The rest of his year will be busy developing Porsche’s new LMDh prototype that’s coming in 2023. I can only hope The Captain throws Dane into an IndyCar, Cup car, and whatever else he has to offer. Cameron would be a beast in IndyCar.

Q: I am a college student looking to purchase tickets for the Indy 500 or to practice/qualifying. Do you have any recommendations of what ticket or package of tickets/pass to buy to have a great experience without having to take out a small loan?

Bernard Klespis-Wick

MP: IMS president Doug Boles was kind enough to share this in response to your question:

Practice days are $15. Quals are $20. Carb Day is $30 ($40 at gate). Race day GA ticket is $40 pre-sale. Race day reserved seat ticket is $60 in South Terrace (however, I would suggest a G or H Stand for $77 if budget and experience factored).

Here is the link to ticket prices.

Listeners to a certain popular racing podcast can insert their own Dane Cameron joke here: ..................................................................................................... Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: With the Beijing Winter Olympics starting in a few weeks, I have a question: Why haven't NASCAR or IndyCar held a race in China?

Kurt Perleberg

MP: I think the answer to the first item is two-pronged: NASCAR doesn’t want its fans’ heads to explode, and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok all asked NASCAR to avoid holding a race in China to ensure their social media platforms do not explode from the venomous responses.

As for IndyCar, former CEO Randy Bernard tried to bring IndyCar to China early in 2012 for a street race in Qingdao, and the series went as far as announcing the event, but it fell through when sanction fees and transport fees failed to materialize.

“As the world global economy continues to grow and evolve, China, the world’s second-largest economy, has become a top priority with most American businesses and the sponsors that are committed to IndyCar,” IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said at the time. “Last year, at our sponsorship summit, China was the No. 1 place our sponsors wanted to go outside of the United States. We are very excited and truly grateful for the full support of the Chinese Government, Qingdao City Government and related Government Bureaus in providing the opportunity to bring the IZOD IndyCar Series to China. We are committed to doing our part in making this a fantastic race event weekend to be seen on the world stage.”

Q: Dave from Cranford, NJ asked about tips for visiting IMS for practice and qualifying. If he is going for three days, he should really get a bronze badge. The Gasoline Alley Access and “free” daily admission are worth it.

Fred, Indiana native currently in St. Louis

MP: Great call, Fred.

Q: Hello there. I stopped sending mail when the Cleveland Grand Prix emails ban went into effect, but I've got to say I enjoyed the article you did about how Conor Daly has had a career path similar to that of his father's. I don't have much of a rooting interest in the sport, but I pull for this guy. I always thought he was a little aloof, then I heard him speak at one of those driver events at a downtown Indianapolis hotel. You know, the ones they have Indy 500 weekend. He came in with a smoking hot blonde on his right side, too. I like the story. I hope he gets a win.

And lastly, no offense to T.K., but Foyt should have kept Daly and Munoz instead of pulling the plug so quickly on that deal. Two young drivers with not enough time? Come on, Larry! And lastly, again on the Foyt topic, I'm starting to get the feeling French Fry and his 16th place in the points is about to be missed on that team.

Steve Lorain, Ohio

MP: If it makes your day a little bit brighter, Steve, you -- and only you --get to submit a Cleveland GP question next week. (Note that I didn’t say I’d answer it, but you’re free to send it…)

It’s always interesting to hear how differing views are formed. For as long as I’ve known Conor, he’s been among the realest drivers in open-wheel racing.

Q: Love the Mailbag. I don't suppose that through your contacts in the IndyCar media department that there's any news on who has the broadcast rights this year over here?

Thanks very much!

Daniel Francis, Burton upon Trent, Staffs, UK

MP: From the aforementioned media department: Sky Sports is the answer. Same as last season.

Q: Hey MP. I know in previous articles, or maybe in your "Week in IndyCar" podcast you talked about renting a skid pad and putting Jimmy Johnson in an older champ car to develop the feeling for how far you can push the IndyCar before the handling limits are exceeded and he spins/wrecks. What is to stop them from doing it with the current car in the offseason? I understand that there are restrictions on number of tests but how are they enforced? If this is simply on the honor system I think "If you're not cheating, you're not trying."

Jeremy, Des Plaines, IL

MP: I’m thinking "big picture" here Jeremy, and a headline of “Johnson caught cheating testing rules, banned for one race” is the last thing the champ would risk being attached to his name, much less his sponsors’ names. Engine mileage is tracked by each manufacturer and reported to IndyCar, so you’d also need to rope Honda into this grand scheme…which isn’t happening.

Testing rules are very clear, and while I’m sure IndyCar would let the Ganassi team burn one of its four private test days on a skid pad with Jimmie’s No. 48 car, it would be an epic waste of time and resources, which is why I suggested pulling out one of the dozens of old CART/Champ Car/IRL machines CGR has in its inventory for Johnson to wheel.

Q: Is talent poaching common in IndyCar? Is Gavin Ward committing mortal sin leaving Penske? Would he ever step into any Penske position again?

If you can't publish this I'd greatly appreciate any insider info. I mean I'm having a difficult time comprehending what would drive him to leave Penske – unless it was Penske that hinted on ending the relationship. But I find that hard to believe with Josef being the lone Penske driver with consistent good results.

Jon Litorja

MP: Hey Jon, thanks for sending this in. Talent poaching has always been part of the game, but not to the level I’ve seen of late where it feels like half of the crew from 2021 will be seen at new teams once we get to St. Pete.

As for Gavin, I wrote about this exact subject at length earlier in the month.

Ward will NEVER be allowed to grace this pit stand again. (At least, not until they hire him back sometime in the future.) Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images

Q: In the January 19th edition of the Mailbag, there was a question about NASCAR repositioning the side numbers. I think part of it is related to the fact that cars just don’t have the broad quarter panels like they used to. As pioneered by Alec Issigonis in the original Minis, moving the wheels closer to the corners of the car frees up usable space for people and cargo. Consequently there just isn’t as much space between the rear wheels and the back end of the cars.

I found the discussion about the Cicada and other one-off Indy cars to be fascinating. I remembered most of them, but it took that discussion to bring them back to my consciousness. While many miss those days of attempts at technical innovation, and perhaps few more than me, being a retired mechanical engineer, we have to understand that current times are nothing like the '50s through the '80s. Innovation costs money. The days of laying out chalk lines on the garage floor, or one or two guys on drawing boards, are history. No one is going to invest money in back-of-a-napkin designs without CAD, finite element analysis, CFD, precision manufacturing, etc., and all that costs cubic money. These days, just the cost of buying an autoclave big enough to cure a carbon fiber tub would kill any thoughts of doing some sort of home built one-off.

Anyway, it seems that many don’t really understand what has happened since technology was introduced to the sport. As always, there are pluses and minuses, but I doubt that race cars would be as fast and as safe as they are now without the applied technologies over the last 40 years.

Don Hopings

MP: Lots of good points you’ve raised, Don, no doubt. But there’s another main item to consider, and that’s the change in your average IndyCar team owner’s willingness to make the wrong choice.

Thanks to the excellence of Chevy and Honda, there’s no bad choices among either engine supplier, but when we had three to five during the 1990s in CART, gambles were involved and the losers weren’t happy. Same with tires. Goodyear was the only choice until Firestone came along, and once Firestone took charge, Goodyear runners became second-tier competitors. Same with all the chassis options between Reynard, Lola, Swift, Penske, March, and then between Dallara and GForce. Pick the wrong chassis, engine, and tire partner, and you were triple-screwed.

So, with so many things in IndyCar having gone the way of single suppliers, the safety net of being almost incapable of making a bad technical decision has become a warm and comfy blanket that nobody wants to lose. And if you can’t choose the wrong chassis, engine, or tire, you’re also putting your sponsors at a lower risk of running at the back due to poor calls made by the team owner or team manager.

Sure, we never know whether Chevy or Honda will have the upper hand at Indy until we get there, and teams can go with the wrong damper vendor, but after that, there’s no real risk to incur.

Q: Who won both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 in the same year? 

Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY

MP: Chip Ganassi won the Daytona 500 and Indy 500 in 2010, the first to do so with Jamie McMurray and Dario Franchitti. Among drivers, A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti are the only two Daytona and Indy winners.

Q: Just reading the bit from Pirelli on the self-proclaimed success of the 18” tires. All the images I’ve seen from track-testing the mule cars are not running wheel covers as the 2022 cars will be required to. Given the airflow through the wheels in 2021 and prior cars, wouldn’t this have had a cooling effect on the tires? I’m sure this has been taken into account, but still wondering.

CCNO23