Welcome to the Robin Miller Mailbag as presented by Honda Racing / HPD. You can follow the Santa Clarita, Calif.-based company at http://hpd.honda.com/ and on social media at @HondaRacing_HPD and https://www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD .

Your questions for Robin should continue to be sent to millersmailbag@racer.com We cannot guarantee we’ll publish all your questions and answers, but Robin will reply to you. And if you have a question about the technology side of racing, Robin will pass these on to Marshall Pruett and he will also answer here.

Q: An American 1-4 finish is pretty amazing in today’s IndyCar Series. I thought it was all over for Graham when he had his mid-race problems but the fact that he raced back to second shows that this kid had the fire in his belly. You have to fight until the very end if you’re going to maximize your results. IndyCar should be capitalizing on this and getting these guys some exposure in the mainstream media. My question is around Sage. Was he really squeezing Ed Carpenter as much as he’s accused of? It didn’t look that bad but the camera was not on them every lap. I kind of like his attitude (as you pointed out; memories of PT) and we need a young bad-ass in the series. Are there any plans to post the video of PT and Seabass? I found the clips of them talking so insightful and refreshing. You don’t get that enough, just two veteran racers talking about their experiences. Plus, Seabass’s comments about F1 were equally interesting. I’m happy that PT has found his place in the broadcast booth because it was kind of sad how his brilliant career ended. Speaking of that, what is Gerry Forsythe up to these days?

Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ

RM: I was in the pits and didn’t see everything on the track but Ed, Graham Rahal and a few spotters were upset because they claim Sage kept swerving and chopping. Carpenter is one of the cleaner drivers in the series but I guess my response is that I heard the same complaints about Helio, T.K. and Graham after Fontana so maybe it’s a product of hard racing at high speed with cars that have too much downforce. Spoke with Gerry last year and asked if he had any desire to get back into Indy car racing and he said not a bit.

Q: I became a big fan of Graham when he didn’t have a ride. He showed what he was made o during those tough times. It was also a tip to Bobby’s character. His driving this year has reminded me of Michael Andretti in his prime. The difference is Graham doesn’t crash as much as Andretti. He consistently credits the team for his success this year. Too bad National Guard aren’t around to have him as a spokesperson.

Brian Brist, Waterdown, ON

RM: In 2010 when he jumped around driving for four teams, Rahal spent his time between races looking for sponsorship and scored a nice one with Service Central, which led him to Ganassi in 2011-’12. He learned another side of the business and I think it’s helped cultivate his current relationships with Steak & Shake, Maxim and D.A. Lubricants. Obviously he lost his way in 2013 and 2014 but he’s driving today with the confidence and talent he displayed 2007-’09 and has added a dimension of toughness. It’s fun to see but let’s not compare him to Michael Andretti just yet, he’s not at that level and few ever were.

Q: Sage Karam drives like an a**hole but I’m loving every bit of it. Please encourage more drivers to be assholes. That Iowa race was amazing. Also, Ed Carpenter is the last person to tell people to grow up. Actually, no, he’s not Will Power.

C.W., Chicago, IL

RM: I’m not sure that’s accurate, maybe Sage just drives like you have to on ovals these days or maybe he’s a little rough around the edges because he’s 20 and brave. But he’s got talent and the confidence it requires to mix it up with the big boys. And he should have a bright future.



Q: As much as I try to understand and accept the road and street courses for IndyCar, the ovals have been the BEST racing so far this season. Fontana, Milwaukee and now Iowa . Non-stop, edge of your seat racing. Just awesome to watch. Wouldn’t you agree Robin?

Lawrence, Sanford, FL

RM: Those are the three best ovals in a row I can remember in a long time and that’s good because it’s IndyCar’s heritage. But I also like the diversity of road and street circuits and those draw the most people, save for Indianapolis.

Q: After watching the race, I couldn’t help but notice that Marco jumped out of his car frustrated. From the radio talk with his dad during the race, it seemed to sum up that his relationship seems to be similar to what G. Rahal had and the results seem to be similar. Do you think Marco’s lack of success and confidence would change without the voice of his father? Next year Marco will be starting his 10th season: seems like it might be the time to make a drastic change. Perhaps he can team up with Graham and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing?

Paul Hirsch, Erie, Pa.

RM: I think everyone in the paddock feels like Marco needed to make a break a long time ago and drive for somebody else but now it’s probably too late because Ganassi and Penske aren’t knocking on his door and where else could be better than Andretti? Maybe RLLR this year but that’s not ever going to happen. And Graham and Bob had a good relationship but I think the three-time CART champion just wanted his kid to have a fresh start so he stepped down. But Graham’s success isn’t because Bobby isn’t calling his races anymore, it’s because the driver is surrounded by good chemistry and has regained his confidence.

Q: Five Americans in the top 6 was really good for the series because if more Americans can win races, maybe the public could get more involved and interested. Talking about ovals, if they want to expand the schedule to 20 races next year, it should be nice to add two or three more ovals, like Phoenix. By the way, if I’m not mistaken, in one of your articles you said there could be a race in June at Elkhart Lake next year. That’s great if it really happens but maybe they’ll need to cut some race because that’s a really busy month for IndyCar. By the way, is there any other news regarding Cleveland getting back to schedule next year?

Thiago Viana, Sao Paulo, Brazil

RM: Exactly, that’s why I’m a broken record about making American heroes because that’s what it’s going to take to revive the fan base and get back in the media mainstream. Dixie, T.K., Helio, JPM and Willy P. are all good racers and good people but we need to restore some passion in the USA. I think Phoenix and Richmond are both on IndyCar’s radar for 2016 but not Cleveland.

Q: Americans sweeping the top four spots was great for the series and it was a great race. I guess not newsworthy enough for a hint about it on the Sunday morning USA Today online lead sports page. They could have plugged it somewhere between Brett Favre, The British Open and the Deflategate ball auction. Had to dig for any mention of it. RHR seems to own that place for some reason. Rahal second in points is very cool and I think Ed needs to calm down because Sage was just racing. Another ovation for the NBCSN booth team. That’s entertainment. Great to see your pre-race pit run again and you weren’t too breathy at the end.

Jeff, Florida

RM: USA Today ran a story on the Iowa race in Monday’s editions on Page 9 at the top with a headline about Montoya so that’s progress since it used to be three-four grafs in Sports Briefs. But IndyCar had to get into the pay for play business at USA Today like NASCAR so it’s only fitting it had a presence, albeit way at the back.



Q: I’m not a fan of Sage Karam, but here’s some advice for Ed Carpenter (who, in fairness, I’m also not a fan of). You are not God’s gift to IndyCar oval racing. You might have thought you had a car to finish in third but you clearly couldn’t get it there and the kid isn’t obligated to yield to you. Did he run you wide? Sure, but you’ve never ever done that have ya Ed? C’mon. Let’s look back at some of your early career highlights when you were clogging up the back of the field on road courses, no doubt pissing off people who had been around longer than you. Decide if you are going to be a team owner or a driver because you aren’t helping the team by just driving the ovals. Give the No. 20 car to someone who wants to run a whole season and can benefit the team and not waste the first four of six oval races trying to come to grips. If you want to take up space at Indy each year, run a third car. Step-daddy doesn’t run the series anymore. Eventually, someone will grow tired of your endless pouting and heat of battle comments and put a fist someplace entertaining for all to see.



Now, that aside, it was a great Saturday at Iowa and the support races were entertaining. Seeing Max Chilton win the Lights pole and race knowing what he had gone through with the passing of former teammate Jules Bianchi was an inspired drive. Help me understand why the Pro Mazda series can’t adjust the wings while waiting to qualify? (Juncos). Are they technically in parc ferme at that point? Seems to defeat the purpose of a multi-car team.

More people are willing to show up in the middle of a cornfield than ventured to Milwaukee the weekend before (I was at both) How? Why? No one bitched about qualifying and racing in the same day at Iowa like they did in Milwaukee. Roughly the same format except for Friday practice. The Iowa format drew people, maybe Andretti and Co. should follow? Simon Pagenaud might want to spend some time with Rick Mears or the word “ex” is going to appear in front of “Team Penske driver, Simon Pagenaud.” He was absolutely brutal on restarts at both Milwaukee (constantly bottlenecking the field out of Turn 2) and at Iowa (this time in 3 and 4). Penske drivers don’t stink on ovals but right now one does.

Chris, Oak Forest, IL

RM: Don’t be too hard on Ed, he’s an old sprint racer who understands what happens when open wheels touch and he wasn’t alone in his criticism of Karam’s aggression. But Carpenter also admitted on local radio Monday afternoon that he probably pissed off some people when he was a rookie as well. I think they want to keep Mazda as close to equal footing as possibly and not give a big team any kind of advantage, which I like. Iowa has a lot of loyal, knowledgeable fans just like Milwaukee always did. And I think Pagenaud will either win Mid-Ohio or Sonoma but he is in a rut on ovals right now.

Q: First, has Honda caught up to Chevy? It seems since Fontana the Hondas have been a lot more competitive. Fluke, or have the Honda teams figured out how to make their cars work? Second, with all the other feel-good headlines lately, it seems we’ve all missed that the small teams in general are all closing in on Penske and Ganassi. It seemed before Indy, those eight cars were just pummeling the field and without some luck, nobody else had a chance. But at Iowa, the top four cars were all from different teams (and an equal number of Hondas and Chevys). Do you think the small teams have caught the big boys, or was Iowa just a lot of bad luck? Finally, any chance of getting Sage Karam into Sato’s car? I know he’s got a seat at Ganassi, but it seems if Chip has any more sponsor troubles Sage will be the first to get cut.

I admire Sato’s guts, but he’s just been nowhere and the goodwill of his past exploits have sort of worn off. Send Takuma to DCR where I think he would genuinely be a good match (yeah yeah, joke about him crashing a lot, but a well-sponsored Honda driver with some experience is what that team desperately needs) and pop Sage into a car mentored by the greatest American racer ever and the stories practically write themselves.

David Zipf

RM: Not in qualifying but at race pace Rahal and Briscoe have been right there and RHR joined in last weekend. It did appear it was going to be a Penske Benefit a few months ago but now it looks more like the past couple years when you couldn’t pick a winner before the race (nine different winners in 13 races). And nobody has been stronger than Newgarden and little CFH Racing. A.J. and Sage would be a delightful pairing, although I don’t think Ganassi is going to let this kid get away.

Q: Can it be Mid-Ohio yet? The way the racing has been from Toronto until now is everything that could be asked for (besides a longer season extending past Labor Day). Has Mr. Penske been scratching his head realizing with hiring the Pagenaud, maybe he hired the wrong guy? Maybe he should have hired the 24-year-old from Tennessee? And the way Rahal has been driving, the guy is a wheelman. IndyCar is getting everything it needs as far as storylines and positive momentum to build the series. Please pass my message on to Hulman and Co. to regain the passion that there was for IndyCar racing back in the CART days.

Alan Bandi, Butler, PA

RM: I’m amazed The Captain didn’t snatch up JoNew a couple of years ago because it’s obvious the kid is Penske Perfect in terms of ability, personality and professionalism. He interviewed with Tim Cindric a few years ago and wasn’t deemed worthy but I’ll bet they’re re-evaluating that decision.

Q: I noticed all the signs around the Milwaukee Mile last week promoting “#IndyRivals.” This is an odd marketing campaign since the only #IndyRivals appear to IndyCar Management versus Everyone Else. Even when the drivers are asked about #IndyRivals they answer it like an awkward teenager asking a date to prom. Just seems like a silly forced fit marketing ploy to me. Is it having any success or is it another “Indy or Bust” idea?

Jimmy Ray Purser, Milwaukee

RM: Great analogy Jimmy, I may steal it for a future column. You are spot on: you don’t invent rivalries like Tracy and Bourdais – they evolve through fierce competition at the front of the pack. Yes, it is another in the long line of laughable marketing “strategies.”



Q: Hear a lot about IndyCar’s poor TV ratings in the U.S. but not much about international exposure. I would hazard a guess that the sport is bigger in other parts of the world than it appears to be in the U.S. Here in Australia we get great live coverage on FOX Sports and night races like last weekend’s great show (except for the Aussie drivers) at Iowa are on at a friendly time in Australia. With great Australian and NZ drivers in the series it is a travesty that no Down Under races are on these days. I attend the V8 Supercar races at the Gold Coast every year but the event is just not the same these days without the Indy cars. However Chevy and Honda should realize that the exposure they get from the series is not just confined to the U.S. market even though that is the target market. Also great to see Honda getting some results with Rahal now second in points and Hunter-Reay winning again. Bring on the nicest road course in the USA next week at Mid Ohio.

Ken Bright, Melbourne Australia

RM: I asked IndyCar for a ratings breakdown but haven’t heard anything yet. I can tell you the last two ovals on NBCSN have pulled good cable ratings (over 500,000) so between Fontana, Milwaukee, Iowa and the NASCAR exposure things are getting better. Of course IndyCar needs to race down under with Dixon and Power and Briscoe – makes more sense than Dubai.



Q: Let’s cut to the chase: The sale rumors are true. No one is going to continue using profits from one area (the Indy 500) to continue subsidizing an annual loss (the series). Whether or not this has been a self-fulfilling prophecy is debatable but it’s irrelevant. The Hulman brood, while obviously still being fabulously wealthy, still owns something for which they could give a rat (in this case, the series). For instance, I think that more time and energy was recently spent pushing a single Rolling Stones concert than anything IMS has cumulatively done over the last five years for the IndyCar Series. And there’s no way that the owners aren’t tired of being embarrassed by crowds that are at times no larger than a Tuesday night sprint car feature. In other words, all sides know the current trajectory is simply unsustainable for everyone involved.

The buyer? Yes, the owners, but led by RP and some manner of private capital outside of the industry. It’s the only speculation that makes sense. Not only is he a billionaire in his own right, but Mr. Penske can get a meeting with virtually any institutional investor on the planet.

Look, I concede that I’m not in the business of reading minds, but I think North American open-wheel racing has been the man’s passion for the majority of his adult life. Someone like that wants to ensure a legacy and leave things better than when he found them. And anyone not recognizing the current crisis in IndyCar is either blind or living in willful denial. Something’s gotta give, and I don’t think IndyCar’s biggest benefactor lets the sport drown on his watch. Just my $.02, but always value yours more.

S.F., Scottsdale, AZ

RM: I don’t think anybody would consider buying IndyCar without owning IMS because it’s pretty worthless on its own and real expensive to maintain. Mari always said the Speedway would never be sold because it’s for her grandchildren but the Hulman-George clan isn’t involved in the day-to-day decisions anymore, so it’s hard to know what the fine print says about the trust, any potential sale, etc. But Penske helped start CART and then got out of the sanctioning body and the track business and I can’t see him getting back in at age 77.

Q: It’s A-M-A-A-A-A-A-Z-I-N-G what a great Fontana race and the buzz from it does for the following race, Milwaukee and Iowa – TV ratings were through the roof – OK, it was a dollhouse roof, but still. Anyway, now the hot rumor is that someone or a group of someones wants to buy the IndyCar Series. So, this gives pause to a few questions: 1. Who would be nuts enough to do this? Outside of the France family and NASCAR, who would kill IndyCar racing before the ink was dry on the contract, who wants to buy a series that can’t consistently have the same schedule from one year to the next?

2. If the series were to be sold, do you think it would be to a group of current IndyCar owners or to some super-secret group of unknown racing enthusiasts (and geez, why aren’t they already in IndyCar?) or are we seeing a new and improved Tony George movement afoot here? 3. Who would buy a racing series which can’t attract new owners (I mean I really fear for IndyCar since there’s no new blood waiting in the wings and wanting to come into the sport) or race sponsors?

JJ, Studio City, CA

RM: The only guy I could see buying IMS would be John Menard because he’s a multi-billionaire, he’s pals with Tony George and he still loves the Indianapolis 500. I have no clue who the supposed “interested parties” are but I do agree with you that the lack of new owners is a serious problem down the road. Remember, three owners own HALF the field.

Q: I don’t really have a question, just a quick comment from an old guy who has followed all forms of racing for about 55 of my 68 years. I have watched the splits and the sales and the mergers and my observation is this. For all of you fans who think IndyCar should sell out to the France family, be prepared to see U. S. open-wheel racing disappear and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway be reconfigured into a progressive banked oval to provide better side-by-side racing for the Brickyard 400.

Jim in Phoenix

RM: I couldn’t agree more Jim. Selling IndyCar or IMS to NASCAR just accelerates IndyCar’s death.



Q: It seems most of the negative comments concern the sanctioning body, what with race control, rule enforcement (or lack thereof), the BCG issues and more. How much does the sanctioning body charge and just what do they really do? And more importantly; are they worth it? Given that the teams build the cars, sponsors cover driver and other car expenses, track owners build and operate the tracks and promote the event, just what does the sanctioning body bring to the table of value? How about a quick tutorial?

John Boltik

RM: There is a sanction fee for each event that is paid to IndyCar and it varies from track to track. It covers officials, timing & scoring system, logistics and the purse. You can’t race without all these people and, for the most part, they do a good job. But IndyCar needs to understand that it’s the promoter as well as the sanctioning body and must do a much better job of spreading the word.

Q: I recently read that Juan Pablo Montoya would like to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I think this would make him eligible to join the club that has only Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt in it: racers who have raced in and/or won in multiple series. I think you would agree with that, right? The only problem I can see you having with this statement is that JPM probably hasn’t raced on dirt.

You’ve always said that Roger Penske was the how and why for IndyCar’s Detroit races. Now you’ve thrown GM’s involvement in IndyCar into the mix. Very interesting. Are you holding out on us? Since you don’t need to wear a firesuit, I like to see you out there just once in a tux, brother. Maybe some (gullible) media types will see this and think that the race is bigger than it really is and give it more publicity. It might even help you with the ladies. Remember: Shaken, not stirred.

Tim Davis, Detroit, MI

RM: Well don’t forget Dan Gurney, who won in F1, IndyCar, NASCAR, Can-Am, Trans Am and sports cars along with co-driving to victory at Le Mans with A.J. And you can argue cases for Jimmy Clark and Stirling Moss, too. I had JPM set to take a sprint car school back in 2000 but Ganassi nixed it, and Montoya was fun to watch at Eldora in Tony Stewart’s Prelude race. My point about Detroit is that without General Motors’ involvement, IndyCar wouldn’t even need to be there and Milwaukee could easily slide back to the week after the Indy 500. But it’s important to Chevrolet to race in Motown and The Captain has done his best to polish up Belle Isle. I’d rather wear Nomex than Tails but thanks for watching NBCSN.

Q: As evidenced by recent NASCAR events, leaving HP high or increasing it in IndyCar along with reducing downforce to leave mechanical grip and talent to do the job seems to work. Big tires again for open wheel too! Would it not be wild to see 250mph by the Pagoda at Indy and hard braking for a 200 MPH mid-corner speed? Are you listening F1? Mr. Miles? This seems like a no-brainer. What’s wrong with me Dr. Robin?

Kerry Altiero, Rockland, ME

RM: I don’t know of an increased horsepower in IndyCar but the added downforce likely played a big part of Fontana’s frenetic pace. Rick Mears wants to see big straightaway speeds at Indy, followed by backing off and/or braking for the corners so there’s nothing wrong with you.

Q: As I was reading the Mailbag yesterday, I was thinking about IndyCar’s lack of marketing, sanction fees and whatnot. Obviously, there is no one answer to fix it all. I started thinking about what is missing in the broadcast that you would see during other sports broadcasts. It seems to me that we spend an awful lot of time in articles and on forums talking about the lack of fans in the stands, but are the people in the stands having a good time? Are they happy that they spent their money and time on a IndyCar race? We as fans ourselves know they are but, what about somebody just tuning in? What if their was a reporter in the stands that could interview fans during the broadcast so people could hear what a good time an IndyCar race actually is?

Make it a little more personal. Let them tell their story of how they come with their family every year and wouldn’t miss it for anything. How they camp out and party, and who their favorite driver is and why. People always want to be where the good time is, and I think anything that helps get that out there can only help. Again, nothing that’s going to shake the world, just an idea. Thank you very much for your time.

Nick Murray, Monroe, MI

RM: I think if we had a longer pre-race show that could be a good segment because I would like to know what attracts them. Is it a certain driver? The speed? The close racing? How far did they travel? I can tell you the few thousand at Fontana stood up for the last 25 laps and they were entertained and it sounded that way last Saturday night in Iowa.

Q: I attended my first Indy Car race in 1976 watching the Unsers, Foyt, Rutherford, Andretti, and Johncock at MIS. Definitely was in awe of the machines and the men. Back in the day it was a treat to see these races in person. Part of it I am sure was that it wasn’t covered live and there was no internet. There was definitely more that 3,000-5,000 people at the race. And I continued to attend races over the next 20 years off and on. The highlight race was when the “Beast” won at Indy. You can say it was boring but it wasn’t. Now, what I watched on TV on Saturday was a disaster. Everything is wrong; the cars, the marketing, the owners, the tracks, and the drivers.

I really don’t know where to begin. So I will recommend three starting points. If you are not going to raise the horsepower get rid of the bodywork. My ultimate vision of an Indy car are the ’90s cars. That PC24 is the cat’s meow. Get rid of Mark Miles and the crazy schedule. Put out an open Request For Proposal for a new series within 18 months that does not guarantee exclusivity. Maybe Audi comes with a diesel. Maybe Nissan comes with electric motors. Maybe McLaren comes with aerodynamics. In closing, you are never going to get the sport 100 percent safe. Don’t get me wrong. I am not looking to see someone get killed. But that five line racing doesn’t appeal to me nor seeing stands empty.

Steve Selasky

RM: I understand we’ve lost the luster of big horsepower and innovative cars and big stars but I think the racing is as good, if not better, than it’s ever been. Everything else around may need help but the car manufacturers you’ve listed (plus Ford) are interested in Le Mans – not the Indy 500 – and it would take a HUGE purse to ever change their thinking, if that. But getting rid of the bodywork isn’t going to sell any more tickets or make anybody start watching TV.

Q: So Mark Miles has a plan? Isn’t the last we heard about his “plan” it was to go racing internationally so that the teams could split up the sanctioning fees to add to their pockets? A strategy on par to increase revenues by inordinately raising prices and further alienating your current diminishing fan base. Neither approach is sustainable long term nor will they do a thing to grow the product. Penske was right. IndyCar should concentrate on North America. The U.S., Canada and Mexico. Plenty of venues available. Why spread yourself so thin by going international when you’ve shown little success domestically? While it would be a nice addition, I don’t think you need a bunch of Canadian or Mexican drivers to be successful in those countries. I would have no problem opening the season with a couple of races south of the border. And with two or three races in Canada during the heat of the summer or on a Saturday during the NFL season (even though the NFL thing is a stupid argument).

I still believe that Hulman & Co. needs to spend some money and promote a race or two outside of Indy in order to build a model of success that is transferrable to other tracks and promoters. It might be easier to “sell” other promoters and event sponsors if a template for success were available. Budgets, promotions, ticket pricing, etc. And as so many others have mentioned, cross promote the hell out of your events with ticket deals and packages and more. A free kid’s ticket for each adult ticket purchased. Better than all those embarrassing empty seats, plus, going after kids wouldn’t be a bad approach. It ain’t brain surgery. Still, you have to promote yourself big picture as well. Does IndyCar do anything besides that USA Today print ad, on a national scale? Visual ads on network TV? A great product no one knows about. Even with the little bump with NASCAR on NBCSN, IndyCar needs to be on network TV. That should be Miles’ No. 1 priority, if series growth is indeed the goal.

So, what else do know about Miles’ game plan? The guy has no passion for IndyCar. So how can anyone have any confidence in his ability to turn this around?

Jim, Indianapolis

RM: The only reason to go outside North America is for a big payday for the teams and for the series. Don’t hold your breath. IndyCar buys space in USA Today for stories to be placed but not aware of anything else nationally and a huge opportunity was missed by not making a 30-second highlight promo of Fontana and running it on a network or two. Miles says his plan is to lengthen the season but he prefers to start earlier rather than finish later but that’s a huge challenge given NASCAR dates, available tracks and the weather. I always thought his long-term plan was mayor or governor.

Q: The idea makes too much sense to me. Which means IndyCar won’t like it. I can’t think of any reasonable reason for the IndyCar ratings at 5 p.m. on a Sunday to be the best ever at Milwaukee other than Fontana creating buzz for the series. Wednesday was the day without sports. If IndyCar tried to do Fontana on a Wednesday night in July they wouldn’t get much of a night race, but they would probably get the largest TV audience possible. Or go to MIS and put up temporary lights.

Ryan in West Michigan

RM: Kevin Lee of NBCSN has been saying for the past few years that IndyCar needs to run on the Thursday night following the baseball All-Star game because it’s the slowest night of the year in sports and I think he’s right. If Mark Miles can get a couple of races on NBC for 2016, Milwaukee or MIS or Richmond might be a better fit for prime time but IndyCar would have a captive audience.

Q: Been feeling frustrated for Michael Andretti and all the effort his group put into a fabulous event at Milwaukee with a poor turnout. The family friendly activities, entertainment stage, and vintage (Miller) Indy cars on a vintage track, and an exciting race, made a near-perfect event. Maybe Michael should look outward and bring in more people interested in making Milwaukee a success, like Rusty Wallace who runs a race experience business at the track. Rusty likes Milwaukee and now that brother Kenny has stopped racing, they might be interested in co-promoting a stock car race at Milwaukee. Rusty along with Matt Kenseth helped bring a crowd of 12,000 to the Mile on a Tuesday night a couple years ago, so not such a crazy idea. Milwaukee’s historically had the Miller 200 (sponsored by Miller beer) stock car race as a premier event. Milwaukee needs two major racing events to promote the track and each other. What are your thoughts? A shame if Michael Andretti quits now, there is a hotel planned to be built by the track in a couple years, too.

Bob Hunt

RM: Not sure you’d want to have a NASCAR/IndyCar twin bill on the same weekend but maybe with one ticket price for both it could work. I would hate to lose Milwaukee again because it’s unique, cool and historical. But I don’t know how to save it.

Q: In reply to JJ in Studio City, CA, not your fault, living in a part of the world blessed with lovely weather year ‘round, but Milwaukee can never be earlier than the week after Indy in any year, as we have been sometimes been known to be shoveling snow in May. There is a reason Miller Park for the Brewers has a retractable roof on it. There isn’t anything magical about Milwaukee being the week after Indy other than Milwaukee was ALWAYS the week after Indy. Whatever date Milwaukee has is fine, they just need to pick one and leave it alone. This year’s race was a good date as far as minimal competition from other major events in the area. The small turnout I lay at the foot of those that were supposed to be marketing the race to the area; there was very little.

Mike in Milwaukee

RM: That’s what I kept hearing from my friends in Milwaukee, that it wasn’t promoted very well and I was distressed to hear there wasn’t any big IndyCar promotion at Bastille Day when thousands of people were in downtown Milwaukee on Friday and Saturday nights. But I also think Kevin Healy of Andretti Sports Marketing does the best he can with what he’s got to work with budget-wise.

Q: I know there is a lot of talk about the future of Milwaukee and I just wanted to throw out there something I’ve been hoping would happen for a while. When they first announced the double-headers were back, all three of them were road courses and I always felt it needed an oval. I think Milwaukee would be the perfect venue to do that. It might not be a street course, but being smack in the middle of a suburb I don’t see why a similar plan as a place like Belle Isle couldn’t work, plus it would give the series one more much needed oval race. Belle Isle has a free day on Friday for anyone to come in, see the practices, walk through the garages, and I have to imagine Milwaukee could get quite a draw from the suburbs for that. Then at Belle Isle they have plenty of action from support races before the IndyCar event, with the TUDOR Series, PWC, and in the last two years Robby Gordon’s stadium trucks as well. I’ve been to Belle Isle every year since Penske brought it back and it really seems to have thrived off of that double-header format.

I know support races are harder to come by for ovals, but being “Indy Fest” it seems like a good time to showcase the Mazda Road to Indy system. USF2000 and Pro Mazda both run at IRP and Pro Mazda does Iowa as well, so I don’t think Milwaukee would be too much of a reach for them. You could run Indy Lights as a double-header too on both days before IndyCar, and you could have Pro Mazda on one day before the Indy Lights and USF2000 on the other. It would be a true “Indy Fest” showcasing everything the sport and its ladder system has to offer, and I can’t think of a better place for it than American open-wheel racing’s most historic fairgrounds. Seeing the boost that the double-headers gave Toronto and Detroit, is there any reason to believe this couldn’t work for Milwaukee? And is this an idea that might be considered for next year?

Alex M

RM: I always loved the twin 125s or 150s at Michigan and of course that could work at Milwaukee, Texas, Fontana or even Pocono. Giving the fans more bang for their buck is exactly what IndyCar needs to do at the ovals where apathy has taken over. It worked fine at Texas a few years ago, just like to see better purses so maybe each race could be sold to a different title sponsor, or something like that. Granted the last three ovals have been superb but Texas needs a shot in the arm, as does Fontana with paying customers, and I even like the day/night twin bill format.



Q: My 15-year-old daughter and I drove 1,800 miles round trip to attend the Milwaukee race because we want to keep the ovals alive, especially the Milwaukee Mile. This is the second time in four years my daughter and I have made the trek. But this time we picked up my NASCAR-loving brother-in-law and his six-year-old son, neither of whom had ever attended an IndyCar race. We bought good seats and paddock passes and were able to meet many drivers and owners, which really amazed my brother-in-law. After an eventful day in the paddock and seeing an entertaining race, my brother-in-law and his son are now IndyCar fans and bought shirts and diecast cars and plan on attending a race in 2016.

I have two questions: 1) when an oval like Milwaukee has 12,000-18,000 people attend a race, why is it considered a bad crowd but some road and street races get the same crowds and nothing is mentioned? The TV numbers certainly improved for Milwaukee but what is more important; the race attendance or the TV numbers? Because a 4:35 local start is not ideal as you have mentioned many times. Keep up the good work.

Steve, Winston, GA

RM: First off, thanks for going above and beyond to support Milwaukee. If you come to Indy next May I’m buying you guys some IndyCar swag. And you make a good point. Toronto didn’t have any more than Milwaukee but we blamed a new date, the Pan-Am Games and construction on that one whereas Milwaukee will always be compared to the good old days of packed houses. Truth be told, any crowd approaching 30,000 is a good one for ANY IndyCar race these days. Sponsors seem to care more about TV ratings than butts in seats and even though I work for NBCSN, I still think all races should start at 1 p.m. and cater to the paying customers and let us tape delay it if necessary.

Q: I’ve just read Justin Wilson’s idea for moving the fans to the inside of tracks and the subsequent kudos coming from media types and other drivers on what a great idea that is. Clearly these people’s view of the track over the last view decades has been from the cockpit of a racecar, the pits, or the media center because if they spent any time at all watching a race from the grandstands they would understand this idea is complete nonsense. So, I say to all these folks who think this is an option to protect the fans…. stop! Go to IMS, Take a seat in Stand E, (Robin you’ll have to show them where Stand E is), and look around. Now walk to the infield, stand at the apex of Turn 1 if you want… look around. Note the sight lines and how much you have to CRANE YOUR NECK to see what part of the track is visible from that location. Ridiculous.

Andrew Rolfe, Brighton, MI

RM: It was more food for thought than anything else, Andrew, and Justin was thinking more about his concern for fans with flying racecars. But we all know the expense would likely make it next to impossible. I know longtime track designer Alan Wilson has some ideas and I’ll see if it’s OK to share them next week in the Mailbag.

Q: I can’t help but point out that Justin Wilson’s idea to have the grandstands on the inside of oval tracks is not original. This idea was first voiced by none other than Dale Earnhardt the elder who was, despite his skill at the game, no fan of restrictor plates or pack racing. He always said, “It ain’t racin’,” or words to that effect. Since restrictor plates, and the resultant pack racing, was a reaction to the Bobby Allison wreck at Talladega when his car almost breached the catch fence, just missing the spectators (several of whom were injured by debris), Earnhardt’s simple suggestion was to move the fans where the cars couldn’t reach them…to the inside of the track. At the time of Earnhardt’s suggestion, in the late 1990s, the idea was discounted since fans would only be able to see half of the track. Now, however, with the advent of large screen hi-def digital displays at the tracks, this idea may have some merit. It certainly is worth a try somewhere, and we could only hope, at least for stock cars, that if successful, we would see the last of restrictor plates and pack racing.

That said, I’d like to reiterate that what happened at Fontana was not pack racing. Pack racing is exemplified by that happens at Daytona and Talladega where a driver is at the mercy of whatever line he is in, and can’t pass without help from other drivers. Fontana featured several racing lines for the drivers to take, overtaking was possible, and drivers were not dependent on help to make a pass. Therefore, I would urge IndyCar not to overreact to some of the drivers’ objections and a few vocal fans who don’t know what they’re talking about.

Chuck Koch, Los Angeles

RM: Thanks for the history lesson Chuck, had no idea Earnhardt made that suggestion. I don’t think IndyCar will overreact because most of the officials, like most of the fans, believe it was a great show.

Q: First off, consider all those vintage shots you show of packed stands at IndyCar races of yore. If you check, many of those were won by a lap or two or three. Some weren’t. The point is, people did not go to the race necessarily to see close racing. They went to see some of the best technology and best drivers go at it and find out what happens. Sometimes that would mean a runaway by one driver. Sometimes that would mean a battle between two or three drivers, occasionally even more. The point is, you really didn’t know what was going to happen. Now, more or less, you do. You are, for benefit of the “show,” guaranteed a close race. Almost everyone will be on the same lap. Few cars will blow engines. It will be a close race between a number of drivers. One of them will win often for some random reason. NASCAR is, of course, the master of this – and its success has caused IndyCar to follow suit.

But something has been lost. And I think the empty seats show that. (As an aside, I will note that I attended the 1965 Southern 500 at Darlington won by Ned Jarrett by 14 laps. No one complained. It was like going to a college football game that turned out to be a blowout. We didn’t know what was going to happen. We found out.)

So, here are a couple of ideas. One, I believe you mentioned a few weeks ago that if IndyCar went back to using non-composite materials, the costs would plummet so much that many more cars would be competing. So why not do that? Mandate a spec driver’s capsule made of carbon composite for safety reasons, then ban carbon from everywhere else. And let the design battles once again begin. Two; on the current Dallaras, eliminate wings on the shorter ovals. Just have wingless noses and tails that would fit like the current ones do. When NASCAR reduced downforce recently on one track, the drivers were ecstatic over getting to actually drive their cars, sliding them around, etc. Imagine the open wheel version of that. Might be worth buying a ticket for. Because you wouldn’t know what was going to happen.

Michael Hill, Baltimore

RM: I like the wingless idea on short ovals except Milwaukee and Iowa were damn good with wings. To your point, there were a lot more IndyCar routs in the ‘60s, ’70s and ‘80s because one or two teams would get it right more often with its chassis and engines exploded at an alarming rate. Spec racing should be close like it is but having said that it’s still damn good racing.



Q: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer.” Imagine if you could have a $10 million dollar purse for the winner of the 2016 Indy 500? Then have a commercial with the top IndyCar drivers staring at the camera calling out all NASCAR drivers saying “You think you got what it takes to beat me”? Then offer any NASCAR driver $15 million if they win the race? Crazy idea I know, but man the TV ratings could be astronomical. I know this will never happen, but it sure would be fun to watch if there were any takers!

Brad Heuer, Idaho

RM: I like your thinking and I’ve been saying the 100th Indy 500 needs to pay $10m to win and $1 million to start and we might get Richard Childress, Joe Gibbs and Rick Hendrick to enter a car. Not sure we’d get many NASCAR drivers but Kurt Busch would give it a go and hopefully Kyle Larson and Kasey Kahne.

Q: After watching your YouTube video on Pancho Carter I thought I’d share my recollection of him with you. In 1984, it was my first year performing tech inspection for CART at Pocono which happened to be the next race on the schedule after Pancho’s accident at Michigan. My duties involved getting under the cars to check the sidepod height. Evidently the team only had one tub and didn’t have the time to repair it in time for Pocono. To my surprise when I crawled under the car, I noticed he was sitting on a piece of PLYWOOD! From that point on, I knew this guy had balls of steel!

Jim Knipe, Bethlehem, PA

RM: No question Jim, Pancho was as brave as he was talented. He would have made it in the 1950s and 1960s too because he loved the high banks and he was also tough on the dirt.

Q: Some months ago, Mark Miles said that he thought IndyCar is a viable alternative to F1 (or something like that). As long as he is in charge that will never happen. Here are a few reasons why: pack racing on ovals; strung-out cars on ovals; nobody at the oval races; no standing starts; sloppy strung out starts everywhere else; ending races early due to rain; halting practice and qualifying due to rain; starting rainy races behind the pace car; no innovation; spec racing; inconsistent penalties; no penalties; penalties four days after the fact; race control (TGBB and Derrick Walker and others); Boston Consulting Group; lost tracks; introduction of sorry tracks (NOLA); inconsistent scheduling; inconsistent start times (all should start at 1 PM); whiney drivers; manufactured drama at Indy (bump day!); changing rules due to flipped cars (Indy); hideous aero packages (Honda).

That said, IndyCar DOES produce the best racing by far over F1. It’s just that IndyCar management sucks.

Jerry Wilt, Houston

RM: I didn’t consider Fontana pack racing but it’s hard to dispute most of the rest of your observations.

Q: I know every once in a while someone asks who might be a promising driver coming up through the Mazda Road to Indy program, USAC, or even from Europe, but do you know of any drivers from the TUDOR Championship (or teams for that matter) that have expressed an interest in trying IndyCars? I’m thinking about Wayne Taylor’s boys in particular – two young, fast Americans who might help infuse some more youth and American interest in the series.

Scott Cooper, Bargersville, IN

RM: There’s been talk about Ricky Taylor testing an Indy car but that’s about it because none of these kids have the financial backing and/or interest but I always thought Dane Cameron and Jon Edwards would have been good IndyCar drivers based on what they did in Atlantics. Obviously Joey Hand had plenty of potential, ditto for Jonathan Bomarito. Marshall Pruett thinks Tristan Nunez of Florida would be a good candidate as well.

Q: I attended the Texas race (my first ever speedway race, and my first pavement open-wheel race, road or oval, in years), and wanted to share a couple of insights about the in-person fan experience. I waited until after the Fontana race to write, so I could see that event on TV for comparison. For perspective, I am a RACER reader, read RACER.com daily, and receive the IndyCar e-newsletter; so I am a fan, generally familiar with the IndyCar world.

First, I was surprised at how difficult it was to simply identify many of the cars as they sped by at 200+ mph. Part of this was due to rotating graphics at different races on some cars. (A few cars were easy to identify from their paint schemes – Hunter-Reay’s DHL car stood out.) I looked for numbers on the cars, and while a few stood out clearly, others had mildly contrasting numerals that could not be picked out in the second or two available. Several cars could barely be identified when in the pits, with binoculars. Without being able to read all the car numbers, the scoring tower had limited value.

My suggestion: look at the mid-’60s F1 cars where, for a period, every car had white number circles with black numbers. At the same time, a white rectangle with the driver’s name in black letters was near each cockpit. Something like that would be a real plus for IndyCar. The proposed illuminated position numerals would help some, but knowing a car is in a particular position, without knowing who it is, is not a total solution.

Second, despite the aero kits, manufacturers are still difficult to distinguish from the stands at 200+ mph. My suggestion: let the manufacturers set up display cars, in the appropriate road/oval configuration, painted in Honda/Chevy colors, and put them at the entrance area for the stands. The fans would have a lot more understanding of what they were seeing with a display like this, and the manufacturers would get more direct exposure. Yes, there would be a cost, but I suspect there are some unusable tubs out there that could be acquired cheap (and there are probably some used wing bits laying around, also).

A related aside: I was able to visit the pits after the race, which gave me my first up-close look at the DW12 and aero kits. I’m led to believe that fans at other tracks don’t have this opportunity, but it was greatly appreciated at Texas. I enjoyed the Texas race, but felt badly for some around me who don’t follow IndyCar regularly. While they enjoyed the spectacle, they were not able to get the depth of experience which would make them follow the series more closely. The TV side of the fan experience is very good, but there is room for improvement for the fan in the grandstand. Do you hear this very often?

Eric Hinz

RM: The biggest criticism I hear (besides starts and officiating) is that fans can’t identify car numbers or tell a Chevrolet from a Honda at speed. Glad you had a good time at Texas.

Q: First-time writer and longtime reader. Not to say I am special or anything since basically every writer on here is a long time fan but I am 26 years old and have been attending multiple races every year since my dad took me to the 1996 Marlboro 500 at MIS. Since then I have watched the series split and nearly implode into the state we are in right now. I am as baffled as the other fans as I watch a great race every single week and seem to be the only one watching. It seems to me that IndyCar needs to humble themselves and get off their “high horse” and accept the current economy and state they are in.

At the road courses where they team up with IMSA Le Mans and the Pirelli World Challenge it seems to bring a great crowd with lots of action! This is how I want to spend my money! Give me a solid road course with non-stop action on the track. The problem with many of the ovals especially Auto Club Speedway is IndyCar is the only series there! They used to have the Indy Lights race there so they need to do everything in their power to bring them back. Bring the NASCAR Truck series like they do at Texas. They should even try to team up with the NASCAR Xfinity Series if they need to. I honestly would be happy if IndyCar accepted it is a second-class series at this point (in sponsorship and viewers) and raced on Saturday with NASCAR on a weekend. There is no reason they couldn’t race with NASCAR at Fontana or other tracks and ran the Saturday race. They may look like they have been defeated for a few years and that’s fine, but in the end they would come out on top!

IndyCar needs to show their product and right now the best way may require them to become a support series for NASCAR at a few tracks so the taxi cab fans can see what real exciting racing is. Tell me what you think about this.

Luke from Prescott, Az

RM: Thanks for writing Luke and most of the teams from TUDOR and PWC like to run with IndyCar because, as you said, it brings out a good crowd and big-time atmosphere. And I don’t care if IndyCar runs on Saturday and TUDOR runs on Sunday, they need to be joined at the hip whenever possible. However, there is no chance NASCAR is going to partner with a series that runs 50mph faster and puts on three times a better show on ovals. Not a chance.



In case Robin resents having TWO sportscar pics in his open-wheel Mailbag, here’s an antidote – Mario Andretti piloting the Vel’s Parnelli Jones-run Eagle-Offy at Pocono in 1975.

Check out all of Honda Racing’s behind-the-scenes interviews and race recaps at the Honda Racing HPD Trackside YouTube Channel.