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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Miller’s Mailbag, 11.15
Always genuine, never lite: It's Miller time. Here's the latest Q&A from SPEED.com's IndyCar guru.
Where Indy 500 polesitter Ryan Briscoe will end up in 2013 is just one of the questions in this week's Mailbag. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
Hello open-wheel types and thanks for all your questions. I intend to answer your questions every week during the season, so just email me at . Don’t feel left out if I didn’t directly respond. I appreciate your interest and passion.
~Robin Miller
Q: Boy is Kyle Larson impressive. Ganassi should put him in both a stock car and an Indy Lights car for 2013. It would be a great way to expand his brand. I'd hate seeing another young American go to NASCAR and never consider another form of major racing for the next 25 years.
Ray Hando
RM: Let’s see, he’s won in USAC, World of Outlaws, 410 sprints and NASCAR this season (27 total victories) and should have won the truck race last Friday night. He’s fast in everything and obviously adaptable but I fear he will get thrown to the wolves like another Ganassi development driver — Bryan Clauson. I wish Tony Stewart would have signed him the night he watched him sweep the 4 Crown at Eldora.
Q: Any word on another race to fill that gap in September next year? I usually have more to ask but still bummed about all that chaos.
Jake Murray
RM: Just posted a story on SPEED.com about Fort Lauderdale being a possibility.
Q: Any word yet on the future of Ryan Briscoe’s Team Penske ride? I noticed on Penske Racing’s website, Ryan is still listed on the driver list. But on their web store, Ryan’s image has been removed & any merchandise with his name or car number on it has been drastically discounted.
Chad, Bourbon, IN.
RM: It appears that only Rahal and Andretti are viable options right now. Read Marshall Pruett’s latest silly season update for the full scoop.
Q: Can you believe Danica drove her car around in front of the leaders spewing everything but the kitchen sink, then says she had to hit the wall so she could tell where she was? She took out leaders with her garbage she left behind. Why wasn’t she penalized but they penalize Brad for having a cell phone? At least she destroyed her car and Newman’s. I say Thank You NASCAR for taking the biggest crash waiting to happen from open-wheel.
Bob Naylor
RM: First off, she got spun out by Jeff Burton and NASCAR should have thrown a yellow flag. Her crew told her to keep going to complete the race and then she got piled into by the melee behind her so I don’t see how any of that was her fault.
Q: Okay, Randy is gone and it looks as bleak as central Indiana in February but how about a bit of optimism. What is the best possible scenario, as you see, for IndyCar by Round 1 in March?
Gerry Courtney, San Francisco
RM: I think the good racing will resume where it left off and hopefully Marco, Graham, Josef and J.R. will be in the mix at the front.
Q: What has been the reaction of existing sponsors? Not just because of the firing/resignation of Randy Bernard but also because of the dysfunctional nature that is IndyCar? Have all sponsors from last year already re-upped or have any bailed? Any news on who might replace IZOD when there contracts end?
THE BEAST, SW Florida
RM: Concern from the two I spoke with (ditto for Honda and GM) but I don’t know of any that bailed (Fuzzy’s re-upped for Ed Carpenter a week or so ago). Bernard was working on a new title sponsor so not sure if Belskus & Co. will follow up or if Randy told them.
Q: After watching and reading all of the words during the last 10 days I have to say that while I am greatly disappointed and irritated I will watch IndyCar next year. However, with the exception of the 500 I will not be watching the oval races. As a retired Navy carrier pilot I think races at places like Texas are just like the Reno Air Races but at a different altitude. And they are exceptionally boring and exceptionally dangerous. Even an average driver can learn to fly (drive) in formation regardless of speed. Skill tends to show on a road course. Every time I hear a driver say how great the racing was at a place like that I wish that he understood just what it looks like from my seat; nothing but slot car racing in large scale. I am not the least surprised that there was a fatal accident in Las Vegas. I am surprised that there has not been one, or more, at other tracks. I watch F1, sports cars, and IndyCar road and street races. What do they have in common? No ovals. Even Sears Point is a better race than Fontana. To me there is a great amount of difference between Eldora and Kansas Speedway. Racing on an oval dirt track does not compare to a paved 1.5 mile speedway. Finally, I do not watch the pre-race shows. I do not care what the drivers, owners or other hangers-on have to say because they sure are not going to say anything insightful or interesting. I watch to see the race and who has the skill to come out on top.
Chuck Genrich
RM: Two different skill sets but it seems like a good road racer can always become a good oval tracker (Luyendyk, Mansell, Fittipaldi) but it’s much harder going the other way. And some ovals are more about having the best engineer or engine or aero package while road racing requires more skill from the driver. But I like them both. And I guess that means you won’t be watching the Grid Run in 2013.
Q: Belskus undermining Bernard reminds me of some years ago when Niki Lauda became CEO of Ford’s PAG and yet he spent all his time undermining Bobby Rahal the CEO of Ford’s F1 team (remember the Adrian Newey hiring and how Lauda helped Newey exit before he even arrived?). Why? Because all Lauda really wanted was to run the F1 team. Similarly now Belskus sees a great 2012, despite relatively minor grumblings and a seeming even better future for the series. So he strikes to have Bernard removed as regains the coveted CEO seat. Should I as a fan not be concerned? You have to be kidding! If I am an exec of Honda and GM and others involved in IndyCar, instability now could cause the nascent revival of IndyCar to fail. Will the removal of Bernard create more major companies to get “into” IndyCar? Nope. Will it cause these already in to question their involvement? Sure it will. I just shake my head. I fear the short term end is now closer than the new beginning.
Ian Jardine
RM: We all knew when “The Rat” took over at Ford that Rahal’s days were likely numbered but I think Newey declined Bob’s offer after Ron Dennis put a major guilt trip on him. It would appear that Belskus coveted Bernard’s job and may have been a little jealous that his counterpart was so popular. I can’t imagine this overthrow encourages companies to jump on the IndyCar bandwagon.
~Robin Miller
Q: Boy is Kyle Larson impressive. Ganassi should put him in both a stock car and an Indy Lights car for 2013. It would be a great way to expand his brand. I'd hate seeing another young American go to NASCAR and never consider another form of major racing for the next 25 years.
Ray Hando
RM: Let’s see, he’s won in USAC, World of Outlaws, 410 sprints and NASCAR this season (27 total victories) and should have won the truck race last Friday night. He’s fast in everything and obviously adaptable but I fear he will get thrown to the wolves like another Ganassi development driver — Bryan Clauson. I wish Tony Stewart would have signed him the night he watched him sweep the 4 Crown at Eldora.
Q: Any word on another race to fill that gap in September next year? I usually have more to ask but still bummed about all that chaos.
Jake Murray
RM: Just posted a story on SPEED.com about Fort Lauderdale being a possibility.
Q: Any word yet on the future of Ryan Briscoe’s Team Penske ride? I noticed on Penske Racing’s website, Ryan is still listed on the driver list. But on their web store, Ryan’s image has been removed & any merchandise with his name or car number on it has been drastically discounted.
Chad, Bourbon, IN.
RM: It appears that only Rahal and Andretti are viable options right now. Read Marshall Pruett’s latest silly season update for the full scoop.
Q: Can you believe Danica drove her car around in front of the leaders spewing everything but the kitchen sink, then says she had to hit the wall so she could tell where she was? She took out leaders with her garbage she left behind. Why wasn’t she penalized but they penalize Brad for having a cell phone? At least she destroyed her car and Newman’s. I say Thank You NASCAR for taking the biggest crash waiting to happen from open-wheel.
Bob Naylor
RM: First off, she got spun out by Jeff Burton and NASCAR should have thrown a yellow flag. Her crew told her to keep going to complete the race and then she got piled into by the melee behind her so I don’t see how any of that was her fault.
Q: Okay, Randy is gone and it looks as bleak as central Indiana in February but how about a bit of optimism. What is the best possible scenario, as you see, for IndyCar by Round 1 in March?
Gerry Courtney, San Francisco
RM: I think the good racing will resume where it left off and hopefully Marco, Graham, Josef and J.R. will be in the mix at the front.
Q: What has been the reaction of existing sponsors? Not just because of the firing/resignation of Randy Bernard but also because of the dysfunctional nature that is IndyCar? Have all sponsors from last year already re-upped or have any bailed? Any news on who might replace IZOD when there contracts end?
THE BEAST, SW Florida
RM: Concern from the two I spoke with (ditto for Honda and GM) but I don’t know of any that bailed (Fuzzy’s re-upped for Ed Carpenter a week or so ago). Bernard was working on a new title sponsor so not sure if Belskus & Co. will follow up or if Randy told them.
Q: After watching and reading all of the words during the last 10 days I have to say that while I am greatly disappointed and irritated I will watch IndyCar next year. However, with the exception of the 500 I will not be watching the oval races. As a retired Navy carrier pilot I think races at places like Texas are just like the Reno Air Races but at a different altitude. And they are exceptionally boring and exceptionally dangerous. Even an average driver can learn to fly (drive) in formation regardless of speed. Skill tends to show on a road course. Every time I hear a driver say how great the racing was at a place like that I wish that he understood just what it looks like from my seat; nothing but slot car racing in large scale. I am not the least surprised that there was a fatal accident in Las Vegas. I am surprised that there has not been one, or more, at other tracks. I watch F1, sports cars, and IndyCar road and street races. What do they have in common? No ovals. Even Sears Point is a better race than Fontana. To me there is a great amount of difference between Eldora and Kansas Speedway. Racing on an oval dirt track does not compare to a paved 1.5 mile speedway. Finally, I do not watch the pre-race shows. I do not care what the drivers, owners or other hangers-on have to say because they sure are not going to say anything insightful or interesting. I watch to see the race and who has the skill to come out on top.
Chuck Genrich
RM: Two different skill sets but it seems like a good road racer can always become a good oval tracker (Luyendyk, Mansell, Fittipaldi) but it’s much harder going the other way. And some ovals are more about having the best engineer or engine or aero package while road racing requires more skill from the driver. But I like them both. And I guess that means you won’t be watching the Grid Run in 2013.
Q: Belskus undermining Bernard reminds me of some years ago when Niki Lauda became CEO of Ford’s PAG and yet he spent all his time undermining Bobby Rahal the CEO of Ford’s F1 team (remember the Adrian Newey hiring and how Lauda helped Newey exit before he even arrived?). Why? Because all Lauda really wanted was to run the F1 team. Similarly now Belskus sees a great 2012, despite relatively minor grumblings and a seeming even better future for the series. So he strikes to have Bernard removed as regains the coveted CEO seat. Should I as a fan not be concerned? You have to be kidding! If I am an exec of Honda and GM and others involved in IndyCar, instability now could cause the nascent revival of IndyCar to fail. Will the removal of Bernard create more major companies to get “into” IndyCar? Nope. Will it cause these already in to question their involvement? Sure it will. I just shake my head. I fear the short term end is now closer than the new beginning.
Ian Jardine
RM: We all knew when “The Rat” took over at Ford that Rahal’s days were likely numbered but I think Newey declined Bob’s offer after Ron Dennis put a major guilt trip on him. It would appear that Belskus coveted Bernard’s job and may have been a little jealous that his counterpart was so popular. I can’t imagine this overthrow encourages companies to jump on the IndyCar bandwagon.
2013 INDY 500 Practice
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