Might a new sponsor for Long Beach be on the horizon? Image by Nelson/LAT

Q: Has there been any progress in the search for a title sponsor for Long Beach? Also, with rumors of A.J. Foyt joining Andretti Autosport and looking to branch into Indy Lights, are there any other major teams that at least have a plausible chance of doing the same?

Garrett from Reno

RM: Jim Michaelian says he’s talking with people, and I would imagine something breaks by January because Long Beach is a valuable commodity. Haven’t heard anyone else talk about doing Lights; be nice to get Sam Schmidt back and hopefully keep Pelfrey up and running.

Q: Suffering through winter with only good memories of the 2018 series, I recently reread the stories of the Whittington brothers and Randy Lanier. So with money so tight for drivers wanting to get on a good team – or any team – what safeguards does IndyCar have to keep drug money out?

Doug Parker

RM: There’s no system of checks and balances to keep drug money out of IndyCar racing to my knowledge. When the Whittington brothers would pay $45,000 in cash for a Cosworth, obviously we all figured something was going on besides “good business.” I played golf with Don Whittington once and asked him how they made all their money. “We sell drugs,” he said with a straight face and then started laughing. “That’s what everybody thinks, isn’t it?” I said well, yes, and then he talked about trailer parks and other investments. There was a team called Pacific Coast Racing that paid in cash out of paper bags, and everybody snickered, but they all took the money. And there was a team owned by a former narc that supposedly used confiscated drug money to run Indianapolis, but how could you prove it?

Q: I purchased four reserved tickets for three days at COTA plus a parking pass and everything was $540, so to me that is a steal, and yet I hear people complaining about the ticket prices. I think it is a great deal considering I went to the F1 race for one day, sat in the rain half the day, walked on mud and straw to visit the port-o-potties. On the plus side, Elton John was worth it, and I was wearing my Indy 500 lanyard and sat in the VIP section just to prove I’m still Hoosier enough. I’m glad you’re feeling better; I really enjoy reading your column. I always tell people when you come from a State shaped like a boot, the one place you will fit in is Texas.

Eric Merrill

RM: Thanks for the update and kind words. Those prices sound pretty reasonable to me.

Q: I am so glad to see you back on the Mailbag, and the video with Will Power was great, and the Christmas book list was excellent. I liked it when you took your hat off; there is nothing like a shaved head – I have had that for years and it gives you character. I just talked to Laguna Seca for a Sept. 22 general admission ticket: it’s $100.00 plus $10.00 handling fee. That is way too much, and totally out of line. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Barney Colburn

RM: Now that seems way too steep for one day, but I just went on the Weather Tech Raceway website and they’re selling a three-day GA/paddock pass for $160 and that’s pretty reasonable. Friday is $25 and Saturday $60, and for the IndyCar test on Feb. 8 you can go for $20, so that’s all good. Thanks Barney.

Q: I’ve decided to bite the bullet this year and make the trip from Indy to Birmingham for the Grand Prix. Any advice on good seats?

Danny Wampler

RM: My advice would be buy the GA/paddock ticket and just roam around the hillsides, because there are so many cool views.

Q: In 2014, I was on my way back from a job interview with American Honda in Torrance when I saw you walking out of the jet bridge at LAX. I stopped you and just wanted to shake your hand at-the-time, because I’ve always followed you regardless of the form of media. I ended up getting the job, and have been with American Honda since. Sure I’d like to be at HPD *nudge-nudge, wink-wink, Art* but I must be content rallying my Element and running the Honda Power Equipment Karting Team from here in the Atlanta area in the meantime. That being said, with Michelin’s new reworking/overhaul of Road Atlanta, will someone please make a push for IndyCar to run here? Please? Wouldn’t it be grand to have a Firestone-sponsored event at a Michelin-branded facility?

Andy Loscavio, Alpharetta, GA

RM: I think if they widened certain parts of the track and improved a couple run-off areas then IndyCar would certainly take a good, hard look at Road Atlanta. It’s a fabulous layout, and I think it would draw. I’ll tell Art you want to be transferred.