The RACER Mailbag, March 12

Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers can be sent to mailbag@racer.com. We love hearing your comments and opinions, but letters that include a question are more likely to be published. Questions received after 3pm ET each Monday will be saved for the following week.

Q: Given the lack of progress in securing a third OEM for IndyCar, and a new engine formula supposedly just a couple of years away, has IndyCar ever given a reason why it hasn’t looked into using the highly successful IMSA formula?

Scott C, Greenwood, IN

MARSHALL PRUETT: This might be the most popular question/solution on this topic in recent years, but unfortunately, the same answer applies: An IndyCar chassis has a very short, narrow, and low space provided to carry an engine. Every GTP or GTD engine – except for Acura’s ARX-06 motor, which is the same 2.4-liter engine IndyCar was meant to use – is waaaaaay too big.

The space in an IndyCar is like a Size Small, and everything in IMSA is a Large or XL.

A big part of what makes an IndyCar perform like it does is the lack of weight, hence the Size Small motors. You’d double that weight, or more, going to an IMSA motor, and it would destroy the handling with all of that wide, tall and long mass rolling all over the place. And to fit those motors, there would need to be a comprehensive redesign through which the cars would get longer and possibly wider and taller, and gain a ton of pounds.

Q: You've said you're confident in there being more than 33 entrants for the Indy 500. Is it safe to assume they will come from the Honda camp?

Don Weidig

MP: Yes. With Chevy at 15 full-time and Honda at 12, Honda’s in the relatively unfamiliar role of being the go-to for extra Indy motors.

Q: You mentioned that some of the TV crew people had moved over from NBC to FOX. I wondered if you could give us an idea as to the number of personnel and their positions are required for FOX to present coverage of an IndyCar race? I assume there are significant differences between a road course, such as Road America, compared to short oval like Iowa, but would just be interested in what the average number of people besides the six faces we see are involved.

Butch Welsch, St. Louis, MO

MP: I tried to get a number on how many went from NBC to FOX but could not. Let’s go with dozens on the trackside part, and I’ll see if I can get something definitive.

Q: Last year it was a "scheduling conflict" with Texas. This year, no Texas. Guessing it's gone for good then. Outside the 500, there aren’t any more superspeedways right? Any rumors of another large oval coming on?

Bernardo, San Antonio, TX

MP: Not that I know of. The desire to continue with IndyCar has been lost in Denton, Texas.

IndyCar had some good times at Texas over the years, but the track went out with a whimper. Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Q: I read your article "Why St. Petersburg was IndyCar’s best season opener in years," and I had to read it several times. But I would argue that it wasn’t as big as when Nigel Mansell brought the global attention when he came to IndyCar and won the Australian IndyCar Grand Prix.

Anyway, if the series gets two million viewers, do you think we could get an IndyCar/NASCAR doubleheader in the future? I know it wouldn’t happen in 2026, but dare I say in 2027 it would be nice to see it happen in Austin or Phoenix.

Alistair, Springfield, MO

MP: Thanks, I don’t recall saying it was bigger than Nigel’s debut, or even the early days of the St. Pete race with big names like Dario and Danica, so I’m not sure what what’s being argued. I was there, working as a mechanic in the Formula Atlantic series that 1993 season, and Mansell Mania was insane; having the reigning Formula 1 world champion in IndyCar was amazing.

The IndyCar and NASCAR thing is tricky, since both want top billing. I know IndyCar played the undercard at the second Indy GP/Brickyard 400 event where nobody cared about the IndyCar part, and if I’m NASCAR, I’m doing nothing to help IndyCar to gain more fans and challenge its supremacy. That’s just bad for business. But if there’s anyone who could get both sides to consider it, it’s FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks.

Q: Do you know what the weight distribution of the current DW12 is? As far as I can remember, the last time IndyCar shared some numbers was probably during the 2011-12 winter, which at that time was 43/57 front/rear. But then came the aero kits, first the engine manufacturers’, then the universal one used nowadays; then the aeroscreen and last year Harry the hybrid. So, how did it evolve from what it was 13 years ago?

You previously wrote that the current car has a “suboptimal” weight distribution and the fact that with Harry’s extra weight (which is positioned at the rear) and power boost, the rear end tends to slip very easily. However, I heard some drivers such as Dixon and Rossi seem to actually prefer oversteery cars. So, what would, in your opinion, be an ideal weight distribution? Or at least one that would make most drivers content?

Lastly, in which areas on the current car do you think Dallara could trim some weight and apply this to design the upcoming one? Also, how about downsizing the internal combustion engine a little bit? Could going to a 2.1 or 2.0L engine displacement help saving a few pounds? If IndyCar plans to increase both the hybrid’s peak power and the ESS capacity, wouldn’t it make sense to do so?

Xavier

MP: To start with the last question, you’re aware that going from a 2.2-liter motor as used today to a 2.1 or 2.0 doesn’t involve making a smaller motor, right? It’s a reduction in the cubic capacity within the cylinders of the existing motor, which is like taking a Size 12 shoe and stuffing some padding into the toe area to make it a Size 11. Neither Chevy nor Honda would spend countless millions to make brand-new and slightly tinier engines to help IndyCar save a few pounds. Not unless IndyCar wanted to pay for it.

Hard to say on an optimal weight distribution, since the answer is dictated by driver preference. Dixon isn’t a lover of oversteer as much as he wants the nose of the car to be pinned to the ground, so in his case, he’d prefer a higher weight distribution number on the front axle. My old friend Sebastien Bourdais was 100 percent the opposite, wanting the rear pinned at all times and to manage speed through understeer, so his magic number was biased towards the rear axle.

According to my engineer friends in the paddock, the energy recovery system that sits between the engine and transmission has shifted between 0.5-1.0-percent of weight to the back of the cars, which has moved the weight distribution to somewhere between 43-44 percent up front and 56-57 percent at the rear. The ERS has added a lot of rearward weight. The aeroscreen has added 50-ish pounds to the front, so together, there’s a slight tilt to the rear, but nothing to drastically alter the early F/R split. Just a lot more pounds.

There’s some weight to be saved with a new tub design, but it isn’t a huge savings, according to IndyCar’s technical department. I’ve heard of a lightweight gearbox being floated, but how it would withstand more horsepower and more torque is good question to consider.

Q: I would love to see FOX display tire history for each driver at all times on their scoreboard, the way they do for balls, strikes and outs in baseball. Green dots for alternate tires, black dots for primary. Start with a dot next to each driver's name, and keep adding dots during the race as they use their tires. It's such a critical part of strategy that viewers need to see at all times, rather than waiting and hoping for the announcers to tell us about it.

What is your opinion on the new alternate tires? Is the quick deg too much of a good thing? With everyone running the primaries even more, it seems like it has taken away any separation we would generally see. Is this why passing suffered at St. Pete?

Kevin, Fishers, IN

MP: Passing suffered because of the immediate caution that allowed many drivers to dump the alternates, which took away the ability for decent numbers of drivers to be racing on different compounds at the middle or later stints.

Great idea on the dots. Strategy was the main item missing from the St. Pete broadcast; I’m hoping that will change for Thermal. I like the wide performance and life gap between the compounds. Everybody knows they’re going to take a hit while on the alternates, so there’s added layers of driver skill and engineering skill to be harnessed here. If Driver A can coax speed from the car without torching their tires because of their softer touch or the excellence in the chassis setup -- or both -- maybe they get an extra few laps out of those tires and maybe they catch a lucky break with a caution, etc.

The bigger gap asks more of a driver and engineer, not less, so I’m a fan.

Q: We've been talking about a Mexico IndyCar race for a while, and most of time it's been said that conversations are about a race at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, which I think would be great. But I heard some years ago that the owners of Fundidora Park in Monterrey (Pato's hometown, by the way) are willing to make some renovations on the track to host IndyCar and NASCAR races there. Do you have some information about this? And is this a realistic rumor? If this happens, I believe could be huge for IndyCar, making use of Patomania. What do you think?

Leandro, Brazil

MP: I haven’t asked for updates on this but will at my next opportunity.

Who else is up for a Monterey/Monterrey doubleheader? Getty Images

Q: How do the powers that be think people consume media these days? I'm a pretty committed IndyCar fan, watched practice and qualifying (as always) and was nearly a no-show for the race. Outside of the NFL and some other much bigger events, expecting people to sit out and schedule around two hours of their weekend to watch something live on network TV seems decidedly antiquated.

What concerns me most is that these network ratings seem to be the key measure that decision makers put the most stock in when trying to gauge the health of the series. I'm just a longtime avid fan but I would suggest it's not a great indicator and that it under-represents viewership – or potential viewership. I'm 57 and if it's hard to get me to give up those two prime hours, good luck snaring the younger fans we dearly need.

I'm sure there are some who have a way to record network FOX but many, if not most, do not. I use Sling TV and get all the FOX Sports networks and was happily able to record the practices and qualifying. There are only 10-14 markets that can offer network FOX through Sling and similar services. What keeps FOX from including the race on FS1 in conjunction with network FOX? It's not like they would be losing any aggregate viewership to do so. They do lose the ability to count me as a viewer, because more often than not I am going to be resigned to watching the races via abbreviated YouTube highlights.

My guess is that this approach is of less measurable value to IndyCar ratings than if I was recording the whole race and watching it later. Maybe it's just me and If I'm missing something please enlighten me, but this seems like a big problem.

George M., Albuquerque, NM

MP: I’ve yet to hear it mentioned as a big problem. It could become so in the years ahead, but until the industry changes its valuation system, Nielsen ratings/audience size for live broadcasts is how networks will continue to measure success and how a sporting league like IndyCar and its teams assign value to sponsorships.

Q: Overall, not bad for the first IndyCar broadcast on FOX. One suggestion and question: Please give an in-race or post-race graphic of the fastest lap of the race. This has been lacking forever in IndyCar. My question: Going forward, are we to expect a full race replay on YouTube the following Monday after the race?

Rob, Rochester, NY

MP: Can’t guarantee the following Monday, but there is a priority to get the race and related content up on YouTube ASAP.

Q: I have to give FOX an A+ for their coverage of the race at St. Petersburg. From the intro with Ryan Phillippe to the graphics to the pre-race and race coverage, everything was excellent. I was also very impressed with Will Buxton, as he sounded like he had been doing IndyCar races for years. You could tell he is a huge fan of the series, while his in-depth knowledge of the Euro drivers was an added bonus to the coverage.

My one concern regarding the race is the tire situation. We seem to have a Goldilocks situation where last year’s alternate tire was too hard and didn’t degrade, yet this year’s tire seems too soft. In the race it seemed like putting on the green tire that lasted only 10 laps did nothing for the teams or the race. Will it be possible for Firestone to tweak the new compound where tire strategies will again make for better racing and a more interesting race for the fans?

Rick Schneider, Charlotte, NC

MP: The tires were made long before St. Pete, so no, redoing tires isn’t an option. Minus the first-lap caution, the short-life alternates would have given us some interesting strategies to follow.

Q: I watched most of the FOX St. Petersburg coverage from Friday to Sunday. While I wasn’t glued to the TV the entire time, I feel a mention of the Penske cheating/uproar would have been covered extensively. It didn’t occur to me until late in the race when Townsend Bell made a comment about how intensely Newgarden wanted to win the race. My cartoon lightbulb then flashed on brightly! Clearly a joint agreement was reached between Penske Entertainment and FOX to not mention a syllable about this and to keep everything rosy on the first FOX broadcast. And I’m reasonably sure the teams received the same directive.

Bob Williams

MP: I never expected an in-depth anything with the cheating from last year since that wasn’t something FOX was there for. There’s no directive Penske’s capable of giving to the teams. Chip Ganassi or Zak Brown can't be instructed how to behave or speak.

I’d put it down to a new broadcaster wanting to make a clean break from the former broadcaster and leave the unsavory bits in the past. It’s a fairly typical approach.

Q: At St. Pete roughly half the field had no signage on the side of their car identifying who the driver of said car was. FOX just spent a lot of money promoting IndyCar in general, and three top drivers specifically, but IndyCar can't expect FOX to do everything.

Standing around in the paddock area at various times over the three days I fielded questions from no fewer than a dozen people asking me “Do you know whose car that is?” Each time we were standing beside the car with an unobstructed view. And guess what? No driver’s name to be seen anywhere.

Yes, the names were on the front of the windscreen, but people don’t stand in front of the cars when they are being moved from point A to point B lest they get run over. Amazingly (or not surprisingly) I overheard more than one person point out “Pato’s car,” except it wasn’t Pato’s car, it was Lundgaard’s car. I guess if it’s orange and says Arrow on it that’s close enough… but close enough isn’t good enough.

Hardcore fans are going to know the cars, drivers, car numbers, sponsors, etc. But when street races roll into town like at St. Pete, at least half the people in attendance are probably casual fans at best. IndyCar and the teams need to do everything in their power to help them connect the dots between the drivers, cars, sponsors, etc.

Look at all of the unused space on the side of the rear wing. At least half the field has nothing above the car number on the rear wing. So why can’t they have the driver’s last name right above the number?

Yes, some cars have a small decal back there that would have to be moved, but that seems to be mostly limited to Honda and the HRC logo. And yes, now Scotty Mac has a P1 sticker back there, but that can be moved to directly behind the louvers on the end plates.

In slower sections of the track, like around Pioneer Park at the north end of the circuit, the cars are going slow enough that most people can easily read the signage on the side of the cars, so they should just as easily be able to read the driver’s name on the rear wing endplate.

And don’t even get me started on it being the first race of the year with some new drivers, some new sponsors, some drivers switching teams, etc. Even a seasoned race fan like myself can use a little help trying to identify who’s in what car when they go by, especially when they switch car numbers at the last minute (I’m looking at you, Daly).

So what am I missing, Marshall? Why can’t this be done? It seems like such a simple solution.

St Pete IndyCarFan

MP: It’s not a bad idea.

There must be a way to jam the driver's name on there somewhere. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images

Q: I don't think that there is a spin zone where Honda leaving IndyCar is a good thing, but I think the doom and gloom about Honda potentially leaving is overblown. If you were an elite driver moving into IndyCar, you would care a lot more about whether you were in a Penske, Andretti, Ganassi, or McLaren car over whether you had a Chevy or Honda engine. Assuming Ilmor has the production capability to keep all 27 cars running, and replacement sponsors can be found for the events sponsored by Honda, what would actually change?

Will, Indy

MP: Let’s go with one item, since I already spelled this out in the last Mailbag.

The first thing that happens is half of the Honda-powered teams lose free engines, so significant stress is placed on the series’ financial ecosystem. Not knowing what the new lease price would be, about 25 percent of the cars in the field are instantly $1.6-$2.0 million in the hole for each entry. Since "replacement sponsors" aren't so easy to find, tell us where these millions magically come from?

Yes, Ilmor can handle the entire field. And IndyCar would be the only significant racing series to have lost the auto industry’s vote and defaulted to becoming a spec series at a time while all of its rivals have at least three manufacturers. If that’s progress, I don’t understand the meaning of the word.

Q: I have a few thoughts on the St. Pete race and the broadcast. The broadcast by FOX was OK, but it did not live up to the hype. I am hopeful that it will improve with time. The positive was Jamie Little – I know she is only temporary, but IndyCar and FOX would do well to keep her.

One area that I thought was totally disappointing was the on-screen graphics and timing and scoring updates. Both were very clunky and lacking pertinent information that we as fans have come to expect. Maybe the FOX team should look at the product that NBC produced and set that as the minimum standard (FOX did not make that standard) and improve from there.

The race it was entertaining. The positives of this race are, no dumbass calls from the officials as far as the fans know. Another positive goes to Chevy for trying to make more manageable horsepower, which may have cost some fuel mileage but may ultimately make their engine more competitive.

The problems with the race are all the self-correctable problems that IndyCar can correct tomorrow if that could admit their mistake. Get rid of the hybrid; it adds unnecessary weight to the car, and it adds nothing to the competition the weight degrades the abilities of the car. End push to pass and allow full horsepower to be available to the drivers at all times. Let the drivers drive.

What do you think?

Michigan Matt

MP: I know FOX had some issues with receiving timing and scoring at one or more points during the weekend, which likely led to some of the graphical glitches. I’ll hold firm to my stance of not overreacting to one bad race. Throw out the hybrid. Dump push-to-pass, etc. So what happens if we do those things and the next race is terrible? Do we put the hybrid back in and re-activate P2P? Give it a few races, see what emerges, and then let’s reconvene.

Q: FOX’s St. Pete broadcasts of practice, qualifying and the race made little mention of push to pass and hybrid activation. The new graphics did not include either. Do you think this was done to avoid confusing or overwhelming new viewers with too much information?

Michael Makowsky

MP: It was a glaring omission, but both are said to be on the way for Thermal. Wasn’t a good look by making the launch of IndyCar’s first-ever season of hybrid racing go invisible, but maybe there was a benefit to not overloading new viewers with every single piece of minutia.

Q: Wow. Most-watched race in 14 years. Was it FOX's promotion, or did people finally "discover" the St. Pete Grand Prix? I'm going with it being FOX's promotion, even though I'm highly biased towards my home grand prix. There's obviously a buzz and interest around IndyCar, and FOX certainly deserves the credit. The Super Bowl ads clearly had a positive impact. Well done, FOX!

Now for the question. I remember back in the CART days, Robin Miller would talk about the carryover effect from the Indy 500 to Milwaukee, especially if the 500 was an above average race that particular year. So if IndyCar goes to Detroit and falls flat on its face with a boring race, does Roger Penske make a quick adjustment in 2026 and put oval in its rightful place right after Indy? Or does he cling to Detroit?

I have to believe that the good folks over at FOX would be very interested in following up Indy next year with an oval at Milwaukee, St. Louis, etc., if Detroit turns out to be a dud.

St. Pete IndyCar Fan

MP: Penske is the promoter of the Detroit race, so there’s that to consider. He takes his Indy 500 winner straight from his biggest event to his marquee event in Motown, so I doubt it would be easy for him to take that tour stop away from his own event where his engine partner Chevrolet and General Motors is at the heart of the event.

Q: Quick question, and please forgive my ignorance: Do the IndyCar drivers have their own equivalent of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, and if not, why not?

Is there some way for the drivers to meet and discuss things like car and track safety, race control, or any other aspects of the sport both on and off track among their peers in a frank and open way, without any pressure from team owners and other hangers-on? Even to diffuse any lingering effects from incidents on track in the previous race.

Or would IndyCar be very unenthusiastic about a racing driver union and giving them a voice!

Peter Kerr, Hamilton, Scotland

MP: All kinds of drivers’ groups have existed in IndyCar over the decades. I was told of a recent attempt to form one after Penske bought the series, and learned one or more of his drivers were involved and he allegedly, and vociferously, told his driver(s) that they would not be getting involved and giving the impression they were anything other than unified with their boss/the series owner.

Remember how I broke the news the week of St. Pete last year about IndyCar team owners banding together to take serious concerns to Penske, which was a real development that could have led to big changes, but they had a meeting, were told most of their concerns would be addressed, and then it went nowhere and nothing was done and no follow-up meeting was held and the group fell apart? Well, that was the outcome for the most powerful people in the paddock. The drivers wield nothing close to that kind of power, and aren’t taken seriously as a voting bloc.

You'd want to believe that an IndyCar Drivers Association meeting would be at least as chill as this Grand Prix Drivers Association meeting at Kyalami in 1967. David Phipps/Getty Images

Q: The race at St. Pete brought to light a pair of rules issues that, in the context of fairness for all the competitors, should be addressed. Allowing a backmarker (potentially going a lap down) to use push to pass to defend should be removed, with a new rule put in place that states this will not be allowed, ASAP.

If the said backmarker is closing in on the immediate car ahead of it for position, that new rule would not apply. The stewards should easily be able to decide this possibility.

The final results of St. Pete show Robert Schwartzman finishing 20th after completing 100 laps and Sting Ray Robb finishing 21st after completing 99 laps. Robb was in no position whatsoever to gain a position. Also, why can’t a new rule simply state that the alternate tire rule that requires at least two laps be run on the green tire now have to be two entire laps run under green flag conditions?

If you think either one of these suggestions have any merit, please pass them on to the powers that be.

Susan Bournoville

MP: Many rules go up for revision at the end of the season, but changing the rules after the first race isn’t how they do things. IndyCar reads the Mailbag each week, so these ideas have been processed.

Q: IndyCar should follow the lead of the WEC’s Hypercar class, and use both hybrid and normally aspirated engines. I think you could get more manufacturers involved.

David Tucker

MP: IMSA uses both as well. I think you mean hybrid and non-hybrid, which IMSA does with the arrival of the non-hybrid Aston Martin Valkyrie this weekend in Sebring. Hybridization is indeed starting to feel like a noose around IndyCar’s neck.

Q: Just finished with last week's Mailbag. I’m definitely on the same page with you regarding the quality of the racing for the first race. As you said, with all the hype coming in, a new viewer was probably asking what the heck was going on as it did not fit the advertised message. I also agree that an oval to start it off, as that is IndyCar’s DNA.

In regard to the removal of Michael from Andretti Global, I don't think I have seen anything on this but, how long until "Andretti" is removed from that team and all of its assets? Do you know of an agreement where they keep the name for a while? Been wondering similarly about Williams in F1.

Hopefully Thermal is a better race and the new fans that popped in for St. Pete show up, either in person or on the screens for it.

Dan Schertner

MP: I’ve asked the team in 2024 and again in 2025 if a name change was happening, and was told no. Thermal is a tire shredder, so be on the lookout for more tire conservation efforts.

Q: Obviously IndyCar has made the current chassis dramatically safer than previous versions. Are there any significant upgrades to safety that you’ve heard about with the upcoming car? Is there anything that they want to upgrade/fix?

Wally, Eden Prairie, MN

MP: A slightly wider chassis to further isolate drivers in side impacts.

Q: I was watching the St. Pete race and noticed on the steering wheel of one of the Penske drivers, the word "Cosworth." I thought that the steering wheels were typically supplied by Max Papis?

DJ Wisconsin

MP: Most wheels are from Cosworth; select few are from MPI. Scott Dixon is Max’s best-known IndyCar client.

Q: Two follow-up questions from last week's Mailbag:

First, you mentioned wanting a race with more passing to open the season than St. Pete. While I'll never argue with wanting more passing, I'm not sure more passing and better racing is what's going to get more fans to IndyCar. We've had the best racing in the world (by far) for the last decade plus. Where has that gotten the series?

Conversely, F1 races are mostly snooze-fests, but fans have been flocking to F1. I don't know that passing is as important to fans as good marketing and highlighting the drivers and their personalities.

Also, you wrote that Sting Ray Robb is a really good driver. I was surprised by this. I always thought of him in the line of below-average talent that has great sponsors who will buy him a ride. Is he a respected driver in the paddock? He seems to always be the slowest driver on his team, whether it's with Foyt or now Juncos Hollinger (granted, that's a small sample size).

Randy, Milwaukee, WI

MP: True on the first point, but at least you don’t sell people on an empty promise by pumping out six months of "great racing/fastest cars" and then put people to sleep.

On Sting Ray, yes, he’s a really good driver. He’s capable of driving an IndyCar, which places him in a small group of people who can do so from the Indy 500 to Laguna Seca, and finished one point behind Pietro Fittipaldi last season, and two spots behind Graham Rahal.

Compared to a Palou/McLaughlin/Herta/Dixon, he’s not really good. But to dismiss his capabilities altogether is silly. Most athletes, when pitted against the best in their sport, look unremarkable. If that’s the only bar for appreciation, every driver who finishes outside the top five in the championship is trash.

Let's just agree that he's way faster than most of us. Travis Hinkle/IMS Photo

Q: Just a little more on why the two Dover IRL races only had about 30k the first year and maybe 25k the final. I lived in the Dover area almost my entire life. Dover only had seating on the front straight, which faces directly west into the sun on aluminum benches. Both races were in July. Delaware gets tropical heat and humidity in summer, and I was melting at both races. The speeds were crazy, no-lift 20-21 second laps, 180mph, on a concrete one-mile, 24 degree banked track turned into a junkyard of IndyCars. It was just a bad combination of everything.

David Monnett

MP: Thanks, David. Really cool place, and yes, the old IRL cars were quick there. Too bad it didn’t take off.

Q: So if we can't fix the St. Petersburg race with different rubber, let us fix the track. Let's open up Turn 10 (Dan Wheldon Turn) so cars can pass again? Cars use to pass each other in that corner. Let's also change Turn 1.

Has IndyCar brake technology become so good that it has equalized the field too much on road courses?

John, Venice, FL

MP: Nothing different about the brakes.

Q: Nice to see Denver is in the works for an IndyCar race after having been there 20 years ago. It fills that no man's land that is the Rocky Mountains where there are no races between Iowa and the Pacific Ocean. Here is my fantasy schedule for next year with Arlington added and Denver, even though it might not show up until 2027. In parentheses are wishful thinking:

March 1: St. Pete

March 15: Arlington

March 21/22: Left open for drivers to go play at Sebring

March 29: Thermal

April 5: off (Phoenix)

April 12: Long Beach

April 19: off (What can go here) Or, two weeks off to get through the rest of the season

April 26: off (What can go here)

May 3: Barber

May 9: Indy road course

May 24: Indy 500

May 31: Detroit

June 7: off (Cleveland)

June 13/14: (Vancouver) or left open for drivers to play at Le Mans

June 21: St Louis

June 28: Road America

July 5: Mid-Ohio

July 11/12: Iowa

July19: Toronto

July 26: off (Watkins Glen – Got to get something for the New Englanders)

Aug 2: Laguna Seca

Aug 9: Portland

Aug 16: Denver

Aug 23: Milwaukee

Aug 30: Nashville

Done. Just in time for football.

Jeff, Colorado

MP: Also done just in time for all of the crew members to get home and be served divorce papers after being absent for all but one or two weekends since the end of April.

Q: I’m all in with a Louisville race, as you suggested. But let’s add a Nashville GP vibe, boogie across the Clark Memorial Bridge and take a quick spin throiugh Jeffersonville to add that "Back Home in Indiana" vibe. An IndyCar race that involves two states – can it be true?

Timothy S., Nashville, TN

MP: We have a winner right here.

Q: Cost is a significant point of contention when it comes to having new chassis or multiple suppliers, but F1 has a budget cap, and LMDh and TCR cars both have cost caps. NGTC/BTCC has a target cost per car (though inflation has harmed this cost) and shares common parts. I'm sure other series have stuff like that, so why can't IndyCar implement this?

I'll admit I'm biased. Lola and Multimatic both have local offices, and I would love to see them in IndyCar.

Dan Mayhew, UK

MP: I’d also love to see Lola return. If only IndyCar was interested, but Dallara has the contract.

Q: After watching last week’s race at St. Petersburg and hearing the commentators discuss Will Power’s final year of his contract, it made me realize that the drivers from the CART/Champ Car era are almost out of the sport. The only full-time drivers left are Dixon, Power and Rahal. How has their experience from that era of American open-wheel racing had an impact on where the sport and its drivers are at today?

Matthew Houk, Columbus, OH

MP: Not sure I see much in the way of an impact on today’s sport and drivers, other than to continue reminding folks that advancing age isn’t a negative among elite drivers. But that’s nothing new; most of their legendary predecessors in Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt and their contemporaries raced into their 40s and 50s.

If anything, I think of these three as the ones who’ve had to change more than any other IndyCar drivers due to the changes around them with the vast removal of on-track testing and the need to learn and embrace virtual testing and personal event preparation through simulators, which their younger rivals grew up with. Another aspect of interest is the decades of IndyCar experience the three carry, across different Dallara DW12 specifications, and with other IndyCar models, which provides them with an extensive mental database of info to draw from.

But for some of the newer drivers who’ve only known the DW12 in its UAK18 bodywork, there’s the possible advantage of having a singular focus on this car, and this era, with no clutter to work through. Alex Palou is a prime example. No history. Just 100-percent focus on today’s car with a deep familiarity with sim. Two very different eras of drivers at play, and of late, the kids with the singular focus have the upper hand.

Q: My wife may not have known it at first, but I planned our family trip to Florida around the opening race at St. Pete. I've attended every 500 with my dad since I was six years old ('96 season) and frankly, it's the weekend I look forward to the most every year. My parents now live a few hours from St. Pete and this seemed a perfect opportunity to introduce my freshly minted four-year-old to the sport while dragging my dad along.

Fairly certain he thought I was crazy to bring a kid that young to the track, but wow, what a great day we had! We've added +1 to the IndyCar legion, and he loved the paddock access.

The boy is still too young to tackle race day at the 500 (I'm not missing the pageantry and half the race taking him to the bathroom or getting him out of the sun, and that's a lonnng day in traffic), but we could definitely go to another this year. My question is, if we had to choose another race to attend from the options of Detroit, Mid-Ohio, or the Indy GP, which is the most kid-friendly from the standpoint of access, amenities, things to do/see, and general experience?

On-track product is of less importance (St. Pete was a bit of a snoozer) and although I'm partial to IMS, it might be neat to see some other locations. I'd love to consider Milwaukee, St. Louis, or Road America but we may need to wait until he's older to make it an overnight thing.

Nick, Auburn, IN

MP: Cleanest and newest is the Indy GP. Mid-Ohio has done a lot of modernization during the offseason, so from a stylistic standpoint, you’d need to choose between Indy, which you know, but the GP isn’t the most electric race on the calendar, or Mid-Ohio, which is a lot like going camping and enjoying the track that’s set inside the woods and local farmland. If your little guy loves an adventure, it’s Mid-Ohio, and there’s plenty to see in the paddock and the infield. If you want to start small, and easy, the GP might be the way to go but be mindful of the sprawl; to see the GP, it involves a lot of long walks from one corner to the next, which might be taxing for him. Mid-Ohio folds in on itself, so its layout isn’t as depleting.

Any other votes for Mid-Ohio? Travis Hinkle/IMS Photo

Q: After watching the St. Petersburg I was wondering if IndyCar had ever tried implementing a true push to pass system where the following car had to be within a certain distance of the car ahead, and thus could only be used as a passing aide? This would eliminate the use for defensive purposes and should increase overtaking. It would also eliminate backmarkers from interfering with the race leaders.

Keith Bunce

MP: So, F1’s DRS, but with turbo boost. Can’t say if it has been considered, but let’s not use St. Petersburg as a reason to alter an entire racing series’ character. If there’s almost no passing at Thermal, and again at Long Beach, let’s talk, because that’s three-in-a-row and that’s enough of a data sample to be concerned.

Also worth reiterating that without the first-lap crash and caution at St. Pete, we'd have had real strategy differences that make for a more entertaining product.

Q: I know this story hasn't all played out yet and might not for a few years still. And lots has been written, but I'm sure there is a lot more still not public. But I sense the opportunity for someone in your field to write a great book about the Andretti drama. What caused his ejection from IndyCar? What exactly went on with Cadillac? What really got the Formula 1 teams against him? I'd call the book "Late Braking" (get it?) but maybe a journalist could come up with a much better name than I could.

Bill Jurasz, Austin, TX

MP: Guy does a deal with an investment group for a rumored $250,000,000 or more, can’t raise the funding in a timely manner to repay the investors as the big plan to enter F1 and reap those financial rewards stall over and over again, so the investors take ownership of the entire business, which appeases the mean people in F1 who didn’t like the guy, and give the guy the boot and within weeks, announce they’re magically on the path to being in F1 and generating big dollars. Allegedly.

Might be interesting to read. Might not. One thing is for sure: Andretti Global went from being a family team to one that’s controlled by the most shadowy group I’ve come across in ages. Good luck on getting anyone to talk, because that’s another big thing that left with Michael.

Q: Overall, FOX did a good job on coverage for St. Pete. They should have been better. They have been broadcasting racing for a long, long time. I have several suggestions for improvement:

Please show the current tire compound in the graphics. And later in the race, consider an indication of which cars have not complied with the tire compound rule yet.

Please show last pit stop lap in the graphics.

Please show when Push to Pass is active in the graphics.

Please don't bother showing positions gained since the start. It isn't really very important.

See if someone can figure out how to not go completely dark when a car transitions from a bright sunlight into the shadow parts of the track.

Please don't show any more in-car footage of Sting Ray Robb during crucial race moments when we would rather see the contending cars' in-car footage.

Marwood Stout, Camarillo, CA

MP: You have your marching orders, FOX.

Q: With the Cadillac announcement, I'm seeing more of the "Herta to F1" rumors. Not being rude or demeaning, but does he even qualify for a super license?

Bob, TX

CHRIS MEDLAND: Not rude or demeaning at all, it's a valid question with a simple answer: No he doesn't. Not at present, so he will need a strong IndyCar season to be considered, which is something team principal Graeme Lowdon admits could take him out of the running if he doesn't get the necessary points.

Q: Any chance Fernando Alonso can win a third title two decades after his 2005/’06 back to back titles? Newey's first real design is 2026; will father time catch-up to Alonso? Can’t help thinking of what Palou could do at Aston Martin, keeping Stroll as reserve driver to keep Dad happy.

Yanie Porlier

CM: I think it's a long shot, but not impossible. Newey arriving is great for Aston Martin, but it has really struggled to develop a car in recent years and needs to sort that weakness out to allow Newey to work effectively. There's been so much change at the team I'm just not sure everything will settle down in time for it to all come together in 2026, but if it did then I think Alonso still has what it takes to win a third title.

I think Lance might be able to race for Aston for as long as he wants to, which will likely mean needing another experienced driver alongside him whenever Fernando retires, which wouldn't lend itself to Palou. But it would be very cool to see him get a shot in F1, even if I think he hurt his chances a bit with all of the contract shenanigans.

Q: In the Mailbag from two weeks ago, Bruce suggested modifying Monaco's track layout by going straight from the swimming pool chicane to Rascasse, to which you replied with the fact that there is no room for a run-off area at said place.

As much as I think this is a totally valid point, I still have to ask this: What would be the difference between doing as he wrote and Tabac corner? There’s literally no run-off area there either, yet F1 cars typically travel there at just under 150mph before hitting the brakes. Ditto for Baku’s T7 area, which is even faster (160mph) and located at the end of a longer stretch (around 400 meters) than the distance between Monaco’s first swimming pool chicane and Rascasse (around 300m). Now, if a bit of a run-off area is really needed there, how about having a very light sweep going left, to sort of have the racing line aim at the corner between the buildings in the area instead of going perpendicular to the walls? And regarding the grandstand, you could swap the positions of it and that of the track.

Also, here’s another proposal for Monaco: Wouldn't it be possible to lengthen the stretch after the tunnel by going down the road used for the current run-off area (which Formula E took the other way around in 2019)? In fact, this is basically what F1 did back in 1972, at the end of which they put a simple left-right chicane. And to make it a passing spot, maybe you could add a second DRS zone from the tunnel exit to this chicane. You'll also note that a run-off area could be added here on the bit going uphill to Ste Dévote.

Now, I understand that the aforementioned road is narrower than the tunnel road, but if the organizers and the city managed to create some extra land at Nouvelle Chicane and between T15 and Rascasse, why couldn’t they get extra space there as well (i.e.: by moving the trees by a couple of meters towards the harbor)?

Xavier

CM: You have to remember that Monaco is one of those tracks that would never be signed off if it was a new proposal right now. The history and evolution have helped keep it on the calendar, but changes have generally been to improve safety rather than create another tricky spot.

Tabac, for example, is not a big braking zone like Rascasse would be and is a shallower angle of corner – it's not as tight as 90 degrees. Cars are also accelerating from such a low speed to get there, whereas the speed they exit Tabac and then would be flat-out to Rascasse would result in a far higher arrival speed. I get your theory, but the reality is it would be tough for the FIA to sign off on a change that could increase the change of a major accident, however slightly, just for the pursuit of a slightly bigger chance of overtaking. As small as it is, T7 in Baku does have some run-off as well.

Grandstand movement isn't that simple, either. You need people to be able to get in and out, and the pit lane is on the other side so they would have no space behind the grandstand. There are also bars and restaurants under the pit lane that need access when the track opens up, so they wouldn't allow the organizers to cut them off and cover them with a grandstand.

That does help me raise the point of another restriction with Monaco though. It's not just a racetrack you're trying to revise, but a functioning town that is also impacted by any changes you try and make. The stretch out of the tunnel is a more feasible idea but still would include a lot of bureaucracy to remove trees and older walls, and as you point out there is so little space to fit a chicane in if you extend further along because of the edge of the harbor. Residents and businesses would have to agree to the major works to reclaim some more of the harbor for racetrack purposes, and that's what makes it so much more complex than changes to a permanent track.

No matter how you try to slice it, reconfiguring Monaco means relocating buildings, pitlane, a harbor, a wall, a hill, or some combination thereof. And then getting the locals to agree to the changes. Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Images

Q: Will we see other female drivers besides Katherine Legge in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025?

Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY

KELLY CRANDALL: The short answer is that I don’t know. The longer answer is that I don’t know who else is out there that would be in a position to make a Cup Series start this year. There is no female driver in a lower NASCAR series that is ready to go Cup Series racing, so I don’t think it’s realistic to look there. So, if there were to be someone else, I would imagine it would have to be from another racing discipline, and I’m not sure if there is any interest out there from anyone.

Q: With the demise of the Camaro, what will GM bring the NASCAR fight going forward?

David, Vancouver, Canada

KC: Chevrolet is still committed to the Camaro and continues to say so. And they do so while not giving any clues about when they might make a change, or what would be their next model in NASCAR.

Q: I was at the Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway. In person, I was impressed with the option tire. Guys were moving on up on those reds. It was cool to see a few guys that usually might not be running up in the mix at tracks like Phoenix, such as Ty Dillon, have a chance to spend some time in the top five during the race. And Christopher Bell, man he is hot at the moment and I think fans are beginning to love him and respect him more. Even if he’s not someone’s favorite driver, it’s getting hard to not be happy for him when he wins and runs great. He’s just on another level right now, it seems!

Kevin, Arizona 

KC: The option tire continues to be a success as it brings a new variable to the race, and certainly at tracks that are lacking action. It’s hard to believe, but everyone in the industry is happy with it, from Goodyear to NASCAR to the drivers.

As for Christopher Bell, this is exactly what everyone has expected from him for years, and as I wrote in a pre-season column, this was the team to watch. Bell has a chip on his shoulder from how last year ended (he claims he’s over it, but no driver gets over it), and they are the only Gibbs team that stayed the same over the winter. Plus, as I also pointed out, he’s back to running dirt races, and that just makes him so much happier. A happier, already-competitive Bell is capable of winning anywhere.

THE FINAL WORD

From Robin Miller's Mailbag, March 12, 2014

Q: I was a Geoff Brabham fan growing up watching IndyCar. He raced in a time where those with the best equipment usually dominated, and he was always on a second-tier team. How do you think he would do in the series today with the competition on this much more level playing field? What current driver would you compare him to?

Joe, Highlands Ranch, CO

ROBIN MILLER: His best day was driving for Dan Gurney at Riverside and Galles was still in its infancy. I always thought Geoff hated ovals but loved road racing. I think he’d have been very competitive today on street and road courses (and his son Matt looks like a potential badass). Geoff was always quiet and didn’t show a lot of emotion, I guess like Mike Conway.