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, remember that Marshall Pruett tackles them in his Tech Mailbags. Please send tech questions to PruettsTechMailbag@Racer.com.

 

Q: I found your thesis about Simon Pagenaud going to Penske interesting. However, I have a question: What about the money? Penske just spent a bunch of his own money to buy a V8 Supercars team, and I have a hard time seeing Verizon sponsoring two cars next year, so does that mean he has to fund two cars? Power and Helio sound like funded vehicles, but what about JPM? It would be great for Simon to finally get a chance with one of the big teams, but… Thanks for all of your work! And sometimes speculation can be fun!
Sean Simpson, NY

RM: The whole Pagenaud story is fascinating, when you consider his Honda connection, how Sam’s team was built around him and the fact The Captain has never fielded four cars. As I said in that story, the hunt to find out who is going where first is always fun and even tougher in this day of all the websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Having said that, nothing has been confirmed but it’s my best guess because if Chip is telling the truth (and I believe him this time), then it’s got to be Pagenaud to Penske. I heard last week that RP was hiring IndyCar mechanics so that’s a pretty good indicator. So is the fact I haven’t received any correspondence from The Captain or his PR staff to refute my story so maybe they’re waiting until Oct. 2 (Pagenaud’s contract with SPM expires Oct. 1) to make it official. Or maybe it’s not true and so far-fetched they’re laughing every day. But, knowing what I did about Simon saying goodbye to Honda and going to the best team, it could only be Ganassi or Penske. And while it appears Penske may have to fund two cars out of his pocket, let’s not assume too much since nobody is better at finding and nurturing sponsors. If he is paying for Pagenaud out of his own pocket, consider it an investment for the future. And I think he can afford it.

Q: Don’t you think it’s a damn good thing that IndyCar was so scared of going up against the NFL that they stopped the season on Labor Day? After all it’s not like they could have taken advantage of the seemingly endless controversies in the NFL right now. Or courted Anheuser-Busch, Radisson, Nike or any of the other corporate NFL sponsors who have issued statements condemning the actions of the NFL and its players. I mean racecar drivers are only squeaky clean compared to their pigskin counterparts, so what?
Tim E.

RM: I detect a little sarcasm Tim. What I really find funny is that Mark Miles tells everyone the ratings are up because the season ended before football. Really? First off, the ratings were so bad in 2013, they almost had to be better this year and, secondly, maybe people watched because THE RACING WAS GOOD! I can pull out stats from days gone by in CART that shows ratings held steady in NFL season so I don’t buy his logic.

Sage Karam made it into IndyCar’s circle at the Indianapolis 500, but nowhere else this year.Q: While it’s natural for drivers in the ladder series to want to move up, I like seeing the number of other drivers – several in Europe – who see their futures in North American racing in IndyCar. Throw Sage Karam and James Jakes in the mix, and there obviously aren’t enough seats to go around. Any word of existing teams looking to expand, dormant teams coming back (DRR), or totally new teams showing interest in the VICS? Also, can we expect the full 2015 schedule anytime soon, or does Mark Miles not want the announcement to conflict with the NFL season?
Scott, Bargersville, IN

RM: I understand the schedule will be announced the week between the divisional playoffs and the Super Bowl – in Dubai. Tyce Carlson was trying to put something together for Stefan Wilson but I haven’t heard much lately. The Byrd brothers are running Bryan Clauson at Indy and I’m sure Dennis Reinbold and Davey Hamilton are looking to hook up again this May. I hope Bryan Herta can answer the bell in 2015 and if Penske goes to four and Andretti drops to three, 21-22 full-time cars is likely.

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Q: When it was announced that Verizon would be the new series sponsor, I thought IndyCar hit the jackpot. Verizon is one of the largest and most visible companies in the country. Now that the season is over, I have to admit I’m very disappointed in their activation of the sport. Where are the TV ads, the in-store promotions, text messages to their customer base? It seems like you can’t go two blocks without running into a Verizon store of some type, yet you never see any in-store mention of IndyCar. I appreciate their sponsorship of the mobile app as well as the Team Penske racecars, but that does not help to expose the sport to new fans. Am I off-base in my disappointment? Will their promotion increase for the upcoming season?
Jason, Champaign, IL

RM: They ran a couple of cool driver promos during prime time TV shows and I heard from people in cities that no longer host IndyCar (Cleveland) they had daily radio spots about watching the upcoming races. I saw lots of signage and heard radio spots constantly in places like Iowa and Alabama. Verizon had Indy show cars placed at Road America and other tracks throughout the summer. Considering Verizon didn’t come on board until last winter I thought it was a good start and it’s going to get better.

Q: Do any of the IndyCar drivers use driving simulators like they do in F1? If not, how do the drivers stay sharp during this long off-season?
Jim Doyle

RM: They watch NFL Live and listen to Ray Lewis explain domestic violence on ESPN to stay focused and sharpen their reflexes, Jim. OK, not sure how many have their own simulators, if any do, but some of them make it over to Dallara in Speedway to turn some laps and quite a few used to run go-karts at Mark Dismore’s track in New Castle. But, other than running in the Rolex 24 and a few test days, it’s way too much downtime.

Q: My boys and I attended the Dan Wheldon Memorial in New Castle. We had a blast. Everyone thought it was the cutest thing that Sebastian Wheldon kept running on the kid track during parade laps and the drivers had to sit and wait each time! Also, although we didn’t get up to the autograph table in time, we did get several autographs and pictures as the drivers milled about before and after the race. Every one of them was gracious and accommodating as always. If their attitudes toward the fans could be accurately portrayed to the general public, I believe IndyCar wouldn’t have any of the attendance and viewing problems they have nowadays.
DJ, Anderson, IN

RM: It was a fun event and showed the respect his friends and fellow drivers had for Dan and his love of karting. Little Sebastian stole the show, hands down, but it was a nice turnout and the drivers were very appreciative. We had a letter a couple weeks ago that a fan was troubled by the lack of friendliness shown by IndyCar drivers at Houston but, for the most part, I always see them as very accommodating. On race weekends, sure, they’re more focused and rushed but at an event like last weekend I think people like yourself saw their true colors.

Q: Last weekend’s sports car races at COTA in Austin – was anyone there? Now that Houston is toast, why can’t the IndyCars go there? They would bring more than 20 fans to the track. Also, the NASCAR crowd at Kentucky was the same thin group – maybe 10,000. Why can’t IndyCar go back there on a “dual” with the trucks? Sad – but I bet I know your answer to both. One more thing: make one section at all Indy oval races $20 for adults and $10 for teens and under 12 free. That is how you build for the future.
Bill Krill, Wauwatosa, WI

RM: No official figures but RACER‘s Marshall Pruett reckons 20,000 each day. I know Mike Lanigan has looked into going to Austin but IndyCar seems reluctant to risk offending Eddie Gossage. Big mistake. It’s the nicest road course in North America and it would draw as many as Texas nowadays in the first year.

I don’t think there were 10,000 toes for that Nationwide race so maybe they could try and pair IndyCar and Nationwide… Nah. But I like your idea about a special section for ovals – like the Tread Heads at indoor supercross.

Q: Except for Indy, did IndyCar draw an honest single-day crowd of more than 62,000?‬ I picked 62K because that’s how many folks came to see Ole Miss play Division 1 patsy Louisiana-Lafayette. If Vaught-Hemingway had room for 120K, that’s how many would be there for the Oct. 4 game with Alabama. Ole Miss is supported by the metropolitan areas of Batesville, Water Valley, Holly Springs, and Tupelo. Is racing dead and we won’t admit it? ‬
Indy car fan from the Deep South

RM: I suppose you could make an argument for Long Beach, but the grandstands are much smaller than the glory days of CART (and there aren’t as many) and places like Birmingham and Mid-Ohio may have had 30,000 on race day. Street courses count all three days if they give out an attendance figure so I imagine Detroit would claim more than 62K for three days. Racing isn’t dead but all forms – short tracks to NASCAR to IndyCar to sports cars – are hurting.

Q: There seems to be a lot of secrecy around the injuries of Mikhail Aleshin. They keep saying “chest injuries” but no specifics. Is it a bruised heart/torn aorta? Or did debris penetrate the cockpit and enter his chest? Is this the reason for the recent closed-canopy cockpit discussions? I know it’s all for safety but they already have half the wheels covered, now they want to close the cockpit? In reality a closed cockpit would not have saved Dan Wheldon or Greg Moore
Tony, New York

RM: Heard everything from Mikhail was unresponsive for 90 seconds when the safety crew reached him to a damaged aorta but it’s all speculation unless it comes from Dr. Trammell and I figure he’ll share if he feels it’s appropriate. The good news is that Aleshin is healing here in Indy and I’m taking him out for Mexican food this week. I’m not a fan of canopies on Indy cars and I don’t know if a closed cockpit would have saved Moore and Wheldon, but it might have.

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Q: I have a question about next year’s Milwaukee race. IndyCar should be at Mid-Ohio on Aug. 2. The next weekend IMSA will be at Road America. This year’s race weekend will be during the Wisconsin State Fair. The 23rd they should be at Sonoma according to the Pirelli World Challenge schedule. The last weekend in August the NASCAR Nationwide Series is at Road America. If IndyCar wants the season to be over by Labor Day, I don’t see how an August date works for Milwaukee. So where would the race go?
Freddie Fredrick

RM: That’s a good question and right now I’m told the Milwaukee date is a work in progress – just like the season finale.

Q: Now that Roger Penske has business interests in Australia, an IndyCar race somewhere there is more likely, right?‬

Regarding Formula E: It’s just one race. Give them a chance. Sure the cars are slower than we’re used to (at least it could be said that they succeeded in slowing the cars down like a lot of series are trying to do), but I think the series has lots of potential and a lot of room for growth. In time the technology should improve and that should improve the racing. And some of that technology will someday be available to the general public. Isn’t one reason why we race cars is to improve them? I will continue to watch because I am an auto racing fan.
Tim Davis, Detroit, MI

RM: Not sure there’s any correlation with RP but considering Australia always supported CART and Champ Car without big-name drivers from Down Under and now Power, Dixon and Briscoe are racing, it should be a no-brainer. If, of course, Australia or New Zealand desires a race.

Q: Curious why you include Calgary in that list of potential Canadian race sites for IndyCar. Why is that? Do you not think Edmonton could host the race once again? What is so special about Calgary?
Mike

RM: A new track is being built in Calgary and, other than the Stampede, it’s void of major sporting events and Canadians are passionate about racing. I’d love to go back to Vancouver as well, and Montreal, and try Quebec City. But Edmonton drew great crowds and lost millions, so I don’t see IndyCar going back.

Q: The Indy Lights season has begun early for Belardi Racing with the acquisition of current F3 Europe driver Felix Serralles. And, with December around the corner, this is huge. 8Star has made plans to enter the series hopefully with Sean Rayhall and a possible second car with a driver to be determined now that Andretti Autosport has bowed out (unless a driver brings a sponsor for possibly one car). Rayhall is possibly the best U.S. prospect along with Spencer Pigot and Serralles who can take the Road to Indy series to the next level. Former NASCAR driver Parker Kligerman also raised eyebrows in the Chris Griffis Memorial IMS test this past weekend. ‬Where will Zach Veach will land? And who will make a return to Indy Lights? The series needs more drivers. As far as Rayhall goes, there could be a ray of hope that he can become the next-best thing whether it’s in IndyCar or make the jump into Formula 1.
JLS, Chicago, IL

RM: Lights need more owners, not drivers, and a lot of Euros evidently see more value (or cheaper prices) in the Lights-IndyCar package, so maybe we’ll have a few out-of-country teams. I imagine Sam Schmidt will return but, beyond him and Belardi, not sure anybody else has put in an order. Also not sure where Veach is going – nowhere without funding, so he’s like a lot of other young drivers. Rayhall for Rahal some day?

Q: If I’m in Bobby Rahal’s position, I’m planning on doing absolutely everything I can no matter what it take to prove that my son is a champion. I’m going to do it because I’m his father before I’m a businessman.

I was embarrassed for you when you claimed Formula E as Formula Ewww. I understand you’re old, but the future is not with internal-combustion engines. The longer you hold onto the idea that it is, the longer you will help to hold IndyCar down. You’re a public figure, use it to help the IndyCar series, not hinder it. Personally, I get more excited hearing rubber gripping the road, the pit crew, and all the other sounds involved in racing, more than I like engine noise.
Austin, West Michigan

RM: I think Bob is doing about all he can for Graham. As for Formula E, how do my feelings on it have any impact on IndyCar? You think if IndyCar adopts electric engines it’s going to fill the grandstands or send the TV ratings skyrocketing? I think we’ve got too many racing series now but because of the companies that are showing interest in Formula E, maybe it will survive or thrive. But it bores me. Gil de Ferran said in an article for RACER.com that he likes Formula E and that’s fine. He also likes 1,000 horsepower and Indy cars that take your breath away.

Q: Just wondering whatever happened to Cosworth being able to bring in aero kits with a partner for 2015? There hasn’t been any news from that front. Also wanted to address what I felt was pretty detracting this year in IndyCar racing: too many yellows, or rather that yellows were thrown much too often. And for the silliest of reasons and then to go back green took forever. I was recently watching some of the old CART races from 1990s where I saw lots of local yellows displayed with disabled cars or the marshalls were able to move car out of the way for the racing to continue without yellows. I feel that lately there are too many yellows. For instance look at Sonoma and Will Power’s spin, the fact that Huertas’s disabled car made it close to a place where it could have been pushed behind concrete block would have let the action continue with a local yellow. Any comments?
Shyam Cherupalla

RM: I don’t think anybody in Race Control tries to draw out the caution periods other than to sweep the tracks of the marbles. It does seem to take an inordinate amount of time for a tow-in or restart but a lot of that is closing the pits, then opening them and letting everyone cycle around.

Q: First off you made a new fan, my wife thinks your hilarious! She and I attended the Toronto race in the rain and like troopers we stayed and got soaked. She heard your comments on television and had a good laugh at Paul Tracy being dry in the booth! Anyway, since IndyCar is on NBC, why hasn’t anyone been on Jimmy Fallon? Will Power is on Letterman, which was great, but the only race guy on Fallon was Jimmy Johnson? What gives?
Frank Pelleja, Toronto

RM: Tell your wife thanks for laughing at me or with me – it matters not as long as she’s watching and is entertained. IndyCar is on NBCSN, not NBC, and NASCAR is coming to NBC in 2015. As I’ve said, we’re going to miss David Letterman in many respects, because he was IndyCar’s lone link to national TV on a consistent basis.

Arie’s Indy winner in 1990: Note the Bow Tie.Q: After reading your September 17th mailbag, the picture of Arie Luyendyk reminded me of something I have noticed the past few years. I have been attending Indy 500 practice for the last six years and have visited the museum most of those years. It is one of the best deals going. And the attention to detail is good. But if you read the sign at Arie’s Domino’s Pizza Indy 500 winner, it incorrectly states that his record-setting car is powered by Cosworth. It clearly is powered by Chevy-Ilmor. You can’t miss the big Chevy bowties on the engine cover. Can you please tell the museum to fix this glaring mistake. It drives me crazy that this mistake has not been corrected all these years.
Jerry from Pittsburgh

RM: Good catch – it sounds like the wrong sign in front of the wrong car. Arie’s IMS qualifying record of 236.986mph was set in a Ford-Cosworth in 1996 and his initial Indy win came in 1990 in a Chevrolet – at a record speed of 185.981mph, which was broken in 2013 by Tony Kanaan at 187.433mph.

Q: I love the mailbag and look forward to reading it every week. I also look forward to seeing the current and historic photos that accompany each mailbag. I have to ask you, who decides what pictures to run? Who is LAT (credited with the images)? This week’s mailbag (9-17) with the photos of Arie in the Domino’s car and the CART glory years photo on the last page are great.
Steve Ruedy, Redmond, WA

RM: Thanks for reading. Our editor, David Malsher, was born 30 years too late because he’s as old school about Indy car as anyone born in London could possibly be. He has a great appreciation and knowledge of tradition and he selects the photos (when he’s not outside smoking) along with executive editor Andrew Crask. LAT is the most respected agency in the business and has been a partner of RACER since Paul Pfanner started the magazine.

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Q: Since the whole series switched to the V6/turbo format in 2012… what happened to all the Honda IndyCar engines from 2011 and prior? Are they sitting in a warehouse somewhere? Scrapped? Available for sale at a decent price?! OK maybe not, but seriously, where did they go?
Michael Ducharme, Bristol, CT

RM: A direct reponse from Marc Sours, senior manager and chief engineer for Honda Performance Development’s Production and Commercial Divisions:

“The 2011 IndyCar engine pool is slowly being torn down; and, either scrapped, or turned into show engines. Only about nine running engines remain assembled. We did consider selling them, but we were not in a position to offer rebuild parts for the long term. Strong customer support is intrinsic to the Honda philosophy. Without a maintenance parts program in place, we elected to discontinue the engine model altogether.”

Q: Remember when Senna was undecided whether to drive for McLaren in 1992 and he tested one of Penske’s Indy cars at Firebird? Just speculating, how do you think Senna would have done at Indy?
Late Apex

RM: Emerson Fittipaldi was trying to convince him to come race in CART, at least the Indy 500, and he seemed keen on the idea after the test. Driving for Penske with his talent, I think he’d have done just fine. Can you imagine having Mansell, Senna and Fittipaldi at Indy that May?

Q: Well, the off season is upon us, and now, just like many other fans, I have a few questions and ideas I would like to share, and get your opinion on. For starters, why are the Indy Lights cars so different (by design) from the Verizon IndyCars? I feel, for the benefit of the series, and its potential of rapid growth from within, they should be similarly designed with universal use (basically a swap of an engine only).

I look at the Indy Lights series and wonder, “WHAT IF” the cars were the same design, and interchangeable? Teams could reduce cost in buying one car that can run both series. You would ALSO boost the opportunity/potential of Lights teams taking a chance, and securing an engine package to field a car for the Indy 500, or other series events (including a “TRUE” Triple Crown series).

As everyone has been mentioning here and on other forums, the IndyCar Series would greatly benefit from having more cars/filled fields at the primary events (the 500-milers), for starters. Instead, now, if teams like Belardi Auto Racing, Fan Force United, Team Moore Racing and MDL Racing want to step up their programs, they have to either sell their current cars and acquire new ones, or spend excess money to support two entirely different programs. As well, I would like to introduce an idea that would take the Verizon IndyCar Series to an all new level – a 6-8 race off-season series (competition and driver development).

For instance, IndyCar could use the off season (with the Indy Lights package) as an off season series. Following the championships in September (or October), IndyCar could promote a “winter league” schedule where teams could run sanctioned events with current series drivers, and development drivers (Lights, Pro Mazda, etc.) looking to land a seat for the upcoming season, similar to a pro/am series (with designed restrictions). This would allow IndyCar to continue to gain spectators and much-needed TV ratings year round rather than just seasonal – thus adding the potential for much needed sponsorship growth.

Along with this, IndyCar could use these same sites/events for testing dates where teams would be able to start developing their cars (and the manufacturers with the new aero kits) for the following season. Imagine a testing/racing swing in Brazil, Australia, Mexico, the U.S. (Sebring, Monterey, etc.) Yes, this would mean increasing testing opportunity, and costs, for teams in IndyCar – going against the current mold of reducing cost and promoting parity between the teams. But I, for one, feel that this “parity” initiative is hurting the series more than it is helping it – most importantly with sponsorship.

We, as fans, enjoy close racing, but we want to be more amazed than entertained. And to do that, they need to open the rules a bit, increase testing, and bring back to the series engineering and technology. We need more team development and team designs.

I know my ideas seem farfetched, more of a pipe dream, but as we continue down this spiraling path of idiosyncrasy that IndyCar has had since the merger (one-dimensional operation), very little progress has been made to increase ratings, and returning the series to the good ‘ole days, and a radical idea like this could change that all.
Jamie Doellinger, Wrightsville, PA

RM: First off, I let you pontificate because it’s a slow week (only five months, two weeks, three days and 13 hours until the season opener) but your letter is way too long for most Mailbags. Having said that you make some interesting points and, obviously, Indy misses those days when owners changed cars every year and there were lots of older models to do one-offs at Indy. I suppose a Lights/IndyCar tub with the ability to add a Honda or Chevy would make sense and I believe it was discussed a few years ago. And a winter league sounds like a winner, especially with six months off, but it takes a lot of money and interest – neither of which IndyCar has at the moment.

Q: Always great to read and/or see and hear your reporting. I enjoyed the times when you were on “Wind Tunnel” with the old windbag, Dave Despain. As to the Indy car schedule, I agree with you that ending on Labor Day weekend is idiotic and asinine, to be polite.

NHRA still goes on until mid-November and the attendance at their nationals has been dropping for years now. Also, NASCAR goes on til November if I remember correctly (last year’s Homestead finale [ABOVE] was Nov. 17, -Ed.). OK, these two series, both have seen declining butts in seats, as has IndyCar. Still, they DO continue into November and show no signs of changing this. IndyCar racing does NOT compete with stick and ball sports.

Boston Consulting has about zero clue to anything motor racing-related; it sure shows in their “advice” to IndyCar. There is absolutely NO valid reason at all for ending a finally growing-in-popularity series this soon. The extended layoff from season end to the start of the new season is intolerable. I know you must be swamped with more comments like this than a large team of helpers could begin to count. I just needed to add my disgust with this early ending to what has, these past few years, become a super-fantastic series. Close racing, multiple winners, this season as a prime example. The rise of the next great racers, in particular Mr. Newgarden. His season alone was worth the time to watch IndyCar this season. IndyCar needs to have a longer season and start earlier in the calendar year as well.
Charlie (the bear) Alexandria, Louisiana

RM: Charlie takes us out with the predominantly popular theme of an unpopular decision: to end the season on Labor Day.