Q: I love going to any type of racetrack, from Indy and Daytona to the little 1/4 mile dirt tracks all over Indiana. It always is better at the track – no commercials. I have started to enjoy Formula 1 because there are no commercials during the race, just like when you are at a track. All kinds of advertisement on the cars, drivers, billboards, track buildings, crews and everywhere you look.

How about an Indy 500 race with no commercials? Sell the TV time as billboards, car sponsorship, race sponsorship, corner markers, grandstand labels etc. Instead of buying ad time and interrupting the show, just show the advertising while they race. I’m sure IndyCar has an advertising person with the talent to sell this. The announcers can call the race as they do now, identifying the cars and drivers using the sponsors, car make or engine brand. Something to consider when they negotiate their next network deal. I think it would be great for the 500 ratings and a huge advertising hook to get viewers to watch the Indy 500 or any other race. If a sponsor wants ad time, paste it all over the cars, track, grandstands and anywhere there will be a camera shot. From green to checker – no interruptions, just racing.

Jack DeVience, Valparaiso, IN

RM: Do you know why there are no commercials in an F1 race? Because they have a billion dollar TV contract and the teams all share in the revenue. They don’t need commercials and Sky Sports chooses not to run any (thank you Chris Medland for that info). But IndyCar doesn’t have that luxury, so commercials are imperative to try and make ends meet.

Q: Everyone continues to talk about a lack of ovals on the schedule, and I know you’re getting tired of answering those questions every week. One possible solution that’s never been discussed is, why not use our very own Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Roger Penske wants to use the facility for world-class events; why not have the traditional Indy 500 Memorial weekend, add lights and have a limited capacity (no general admission/infield) 4th of July 400-mile night race, then end the season at Indy on Labor Day weekend with a 300-mile sprint race? The Triple Crown comes back. Tie in some big-name artists for concerts and that final race for the championship would be especially entertaining. Just a thought from a lifelong IndyCar fan. I’d like to know your thoughts, Robin.

Joe Stieglitz, Shelbyville, IN

RM: I truly don’t want another oval race at IMS. Let Indianapolis stand alone as the granddaddy with its mystique. I don’t think R.P. minds a couple of road course races, but my guess is that he feels the same way about the oval and keeping it sacred.

Q: A big problem I’ve noticed or see about improving fan attendance at oval racing for Indy cars. Maybe it’s you guys at RACER magazine! For some reason, I can’t understand why, I read on RACER.com about how it’s not the fan favorite, or the push-push for road and street course races because you keep saying nobody wants ovals! I say it is a lie!! You keep banging that drum to the point, that your new readers don’t for one second consider going to see one in person.

Your own influence is potentially one of the reasons we have no new race fans in the seat for ovals. Please stop this. You say, “ovals are long gone”… gee, that sucks, but I don’t see that at all! How come when I do go to a NASCAR race – and I do because I love oval track racing – I overhear the NASCAR fans laughing at the boring IndyCar zig-zag go to sleep tracks? I’m 51 and I went to COTA… snooze. My son is 31 and he says Belle Isle is boring twice every year! How about ask the current IndyCar drivers what they want to race on: ovals or road and street courses? I rest my case!

James H., Kalamazoo, MI

RM: Gee, I never considered all those people quit going or never showed up at Iowa, Phoenix, Texas and Fontana because RACER told them to, and now I feel bad. I guess all the oval track promoters must read RACER.com as well because they sure aren’t flocking to IndyCar, so maybe I need to send them all a letter of apology. And I can certainly see why you’d rather watch one of those thrilling 1.5-mile NASCAR shows than Indy cars on a road course. I guess NASCAR is going to COTA to prove your point.

Genuinely can’t think of a caption that clears the bar set by James from Kalamazoo’s letter, so instead we’ll use this space to note that about two-thirds of the unedited version of his correspondence was ALL CAPS. Jake Galstad/Motorsport Images

Q: I just read the Mailbag for 5/12, and there are obviously still so many questions about IndyCar and ovals and our sport’s future. I know it costs millions to stage an event and ovals are usually rural; don’t have other support events; all the things mentioned. What if they attack it from the other side?

I know it’s a crazy idea, but I still think somebody somewhere needs to put an IndyCar driver in a midget or sprint car a couple of times a year. Indy used to award FIA points. Let the major small ovals (I’m specifically not saying dirt here because there are enough events on paved tracks to make it work), give points towards the Astor Cup. Points don’t cost anything. In the still-massive budgets these teams have, a sprint or midget car would be comparatively cheap. Hell, they can rent ’em, for all I care. Wouldn’t you go to, say, a Winchester, Lucas Oil or Salem if there were an IndyCar driver or two (or five?) entered? I know that’d be enough to get me to Madera. Tell me I’m not more than 49% crazy!

Bill Bailey, Fresno, CA

RM: I thought putting the late, great Bryan Clauson in an IndyCar might register a little bump in TV viewing and/or practice crowds, but it had zero effect. Just like putting Will Power in a Silver Crown car at Salem. James Davison ran USAC dirt cars a few times last season, did a good job and nobody noticed because nobody that supports USAC cares about IndyCar. I want Tyler Courtney, Justin Grant, Brad Sweet, Buddy Kofoid and Chris Windom to get to try the Indy 500, but only for their resumes. You’re not crazy Bill, but you’re dreaming.