INDYCAR: Miller's Mailbag, 10.24

IndyCar

INDYCAR: Miller’s Mailbag, 10.24

As you might imagine, there was an onslaught of letters this week from the Tony George takeover story and his subsequent resignation from the Hulman & Co.

Robin Miller | Posted October 24, 2012

Tony George's ouster has dominated this week's Mailbag. (Photo: LAT)

As you might imagine, there was an onslaught of letters this week from you fans concerned with the Tony George takeover story and his subsequent resignation from the Hulman & Co. board of directors. So most of this mailbag concerns this subject and while there may be some duplication, we had so many first-time writers I wanted to give them a chance to vent and voice their opinions. Send your emails for next week's Mailbag to

Thanks, Robin

Q: Seems to me you were just trying to quell the masses with your article on TG resigning from the board. There is no way you will convince me that they don't want TG to buy IndyCar. This is what all of us were worried about when he rejoined the board. Not that he would be able to have a say, but that business-wise he could convince them he is the perfect way to rid themselves of the series without ridding themselves of the series (they need it for the 500). He probably learned that negotiating tactic from Versus (NBCSN). Since they snookered him into that god-awful TV deal, he thought he could do the same to the board and us. Sad thing is, since the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference, we probably won't really go anywhere since we all love Indy car as much as we hate TG, and nobody is being indifferent towards him … he knows it (so does the Board).

DJ, Anderson, IN

RM: If the board does its due diligence, doesn’t it have to look at the bottom line and see how it’s improved since Randy Bernard took over? And I can’t see how they would consider separating the series from Indianapolis as a sound business decision.

Q: Thanks, as always, for trying to keep all us IndyCar diehards informed. I’m not sure who the team owners are aligned with regarding the TG/IndyCar situation. Could you inform us as to who’s for TG, who’s against and who could give a damn?
Randy in Michigan

RM: I wrote back in June that it was John Barnes, Kevin Kalkhoven and Michael Andretti but I think Michael has had a change of heart and made some kind of peace with Bernard. I really have no clue as to what Penske and Ganassi really think but I do think they understand how unpopular TG is with the open-wheel fan and why this would be bad business.

Q: I hope IndyCar ownership, their sponsors and track owners realize the impact that Tony George will bring if he buys the series. Because of this rumor, I have put on hold purchasing tickets to Pocono raceway which I was very excited about. I will not spend another dime on IndyCar races until Hulman & Co. come out and state that they will not sell the series to any group of investors that include Tony George. I attended every race at Nazareth and made it a three-day weekend of it every year. My brothers and I spent money on three days of tickets, pit passes, food, hotels and souvenirs. A lot of money that I refuse to spend on a guy that has no clue about running a successful business and a person I still have not forgave for ruining what was once the best form of racing in this country. I hope other fans follow my lead and I hope Hulman & Co. really get it. It’s obvious that Tony doesn’t.

Jerry, Williamstown, NJ

RM: I don’t know how if the car owners and board of directors listen to the fans but I can tell you that of the 400-plus letters and emails I’ve received in the past few days, yours is representative of most of them. The backlash if TG came back would be massive and felt at the box office, as well as the TV ratings, which are already on life support.

Q: What does it take to drive a stake through TG's ongoing misguided attempts to complete his devastation of open-wheel racing? How about the board unanimously and unequivocally supporting Randy Bernard on the record? How about stating for the record that under no circumstance is the series for sale to Tony George or any group that is connected with him. Not sure what the answer is, but somebody better figure it out quickly because TG's ongoing disingenuous nonsense has taken center stage. Someone in charge take the spotlight away from this buffoon.

Bill Branagh

RM: The one glaring omission from the last couple “IndyCar isn’t for sale” press releases have not included any vote of confidence for Randy and that concerns me. I don’t trust some of those directors any more than I do TG running the show.

Q: Nervous IndyCar fan here reading all these articles regarding the possible TG takeover of the IndyCar series. All I have to say is that it better not happen and I don't think it will, just a gut feeling. With that said, I did read that one of the reasons TG wants control again is because he wants more ovals. So hypothetically, what would TG do that Randy is not doing to get promoters to promote more ovals? I know Randy wants more ovals, but it's all about attendance at the oval tracks that deters the promoters. Does TG think he can just wave a magic wand and create 75,000 fans at let’s say MIS? I think TG is delusional. Randy is doing an outstanding job and more ovals will come in time as the series grows.

Rob DeLuca in SE Michigan.

RM: The ovals Tony took over (Phoenix and MIS the best examples) went from packed houses in CART to ghost towns in the IRL and Bernard is trying to bring back Fontana and Pocono but it’s going to take a long time, if ever. Right now Indy and Iowa are the only two ovals that seem to be gaining or holding steady because even Texas has slumped the past couple years.

Q: I follow IndyCar pretty closely, but am a bigger NASCAR fan. I read all this stuff about Tony George wanting to buy back IndyCar. Since I am sorta an outsider perhaps this is a dumb question but: If Tony can't buy IndyCar back can he just go start another open-wheel series like he did in 1996? Do you think he would try it again?

Brett Baldeck

RM: I think if he had the funding he might but he no longer has the family checkbook or control over the Indianapolis 500 so, no, I can’t imagine that scenario.

Q: The current rage is about TG's efforts to purchase IndyCar. So I'd like to pile on. While this cannot be considered a shocking development, the mere possibility of such a sale and transaction sickens me. Hopefully this never comes to fruition for reasons we've seen and lived as fans in the past couple of decades. Mr. Bernard has done a superior job and has this ship righted. Any change from this direction would be detrimental to the brand in every capacity. If TG wanted to make a real contribution to the sport and maybe rectify his image along with strengthening the IndyCar brand, why wouldn't he want to gather investors and completely tear down and re-develop the Indy Lights series and make a grand effort to fortify and validate the ladder series? One would think by investing great capital and resources in the top tier's "farm system" might be a better way to put a stamp on the final product rather than wearing a fancy title and destroying its credibility? I realize you cannot answer for TG on why he wouldn't want to do this - perhaps only speculate. But would you think there is more value to investing in the product in this way versus leading ANOTHER tyrannical effort to de-rail a good thing? I would think joining Mr. Bernard's mission and demonstrating to the IMS Board a method to improve the product would be much better received.

AJV, Montgomery, IL

RM: That’s a logical question, especially since Tony George Jr. now runs the Indy Lights series. TG could help his son and the main feeder system, which is on shaky ground anyway.

Q: Does it matter who owns the series? AAA was a sanctioning body. USAC was a sanctioning body. CART started as a sanctioning body. I don't know if AAA owned the series, USAC owned the series or even CART owned the series. As long as there is good racing, does it really matter who owns the series? Personal differences are put aside, does it really matter? Although the more it's denied the stronger the possibility that it will be sold. If it is, then a group of wealthy investors will find out how to make a small fortune in racing.

Mike Cowan

RM: The only prerequisite would be that whomever owns the series has a good working agreement with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway because we saw the disconnect with USAC/CART and then IRL/CART/Champ Car and the problems that created.

Q: If TG, KK, JB, et al end up buying IndyCar, after donating all my IZOD clothes to charity, I will quit attending any IndyCar races ( despite the 105 degree heat, the race at Auto Club Speedway was the best race I have ever attended in 50 years of going to F1 and Indy car races all over the planet ), quit watching any IndyCar races on TV, quit shopping at Target, quit enjoying a frosty SunDrop on a hot day, quit filling my cars with Shell gasoline and their crankcases with Pennzoil oil, and quit drinking Fuzzy's vodka.

Pete in Tucson

RM: You fans will make the ultimate decision on whether IndyCar picks up traction or crashes into oblivion.

Q: I just read your write up on interpreting TG's departure and wanted to comment on the translation below:

Translation: Of course it was a conflict of interest and only in the best interest of Tony. If he read the forums it seems like about 90 percent of the people who still care about Indy car racing are ADAMANT that if he returns to power in any way, shape or form they are DONE watching or attending races. The best thing he can do for the organization is remain a car owner.

As one of those fans, all I can say is "see translation above!!!" And I think 90% is too low.

TJ Spitzmiller

RM: I really don’t know if Jeff Belskus and the rest of the board truly understand the magnitude of resentment towards TG but I see it and hear it in volumes every week this story drags on.

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