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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Miller’s Mailbag, 1.18
Always genuine, never lite: It's Miller time. Here's the latest Q&A from SPEED.com's IndyCar guru.
If the Mailbag has made one thing clear since the 2012 IndyCar schedule was released, it's that fans want more ovals, and ASAP. (LAT)
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: How can I make my voice heard? I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan about five hours from Indy. I make the trip down to the 500 and I attended the Chicago event until it got removed from the schedule. It does not make any sense to me that the three events that are closest to anyone in Chicago, most of Michigan and Northern Indiana, provided they work out the details for the race in Milwaukee, are only four weeks apart. How can the series allow this to happen? Why would a promoter want to take on the race at Milwaukee? Not many people can afford to go multiple times a year let alone 3 times in 4 weeks. I know not a lot of people would go to all three events but it seems like these races should be spread out. Then maybe more people could/would attend more than one mid-west event. Has it ever been considered that the sparse crowd in Milwaukee was due to the fact that the race is so close to the 500? I would love to go to the Belle Isle race and I will make every effort to go but it will be tough because it’s only one week after Indy. Costs aside that will be a lot of time away from home and in my car.
Ben Raybourn
RM: Just for the record, Milwaukee was the week after the Indy 500 for six decades and it was always packed until The Split finally brought it down. You are correct, three Midwest races in four weeks is a bit crowded but this is more a product of just scrambling to get enough races and ovals on the 2012 schedule. But getting Milwaukee back is good, regardless of when it happens. And I was just guessing it would be June 16-17.
Q: With talk of Indy Car going back to PIR, what would be the odds they would bring back The Copper Classic? The Copper always drew good crowds, in the 40,000 area. The last year The Indy Cars ran there, the crowd was even larger. What the promoters did not understand, is that the crowd was there to see the USAC stuff. The next year with The IRL as the main event, the crowd was like 8,000. Bringing back The Copper would a good thing. If the old Copper crowd came back in numbers, Indy Car could take credit for the crowd and not risk a small turnout. (plus I miss not going to Phoenix February) Bring back The Copper Classic, with or without Indy Car.
Don Bartlett
RM: Yes, the IRL KILLED THE Copper Classic by making it a support show after it stood strong by itself but not sure ISC is inclined to bring it back to PIR. I think the new banking alone makes it way too quick for midgets and sprints and that was always the key to PIR, getting your Indy car or dirt car or sprinter to handle on the flat, challenging mile with the dogleg.
Q: What's all the fuss over ovals and American racing? I'm a genuine diehard Indy fan from the Pacific Northwest (since 1956) who favors road racing over ovals. It’s simply more visually interesting on TV. (And that's the only way we can see Indy cars here.) Most oval broadcasts are limited to views of dull gray concrete with tiny streaking blobs of color that occasionally go airborne in terrifying flaming crashes. At least the road races are scenic and green. And besides, we don't have any suitable ovals left. Even NASCAR couldn't get an oval built near Seattle. The general feeling was let them race on existing road courses. Most my Pacific Northwest open-wheel fan friends favor road racing as well. That's what we grew up watching. In fact, many racing fans here will simply not even consider INDYCAR racing because they still believe it is all ovals which they feel are incredibly boring. But you're right though - we need a title sponsor. I haven't seen Norm Daniels from GI Joe's (which is sadly gone), Mike Neely or many of the sponsor-advocates since the Portland CART races ended. I'd better get my butt in gear and start talking to business folk. (I do purchase only IZOD pullovers, however.) Pacific Northwest fans are desperately in need of INDYCAR's return to Seattle, Portland or Vancouver. For most Indy car races it’s such a long way for us to travel. Oh, woe is us!
Edwin Collier, Portland, Oregon
RM: While Indy cars on ovals have lost their luster with the American public, it’s still a good show at Iowa, Milwaukee, Loudon (in the dry), Texas and Indy. And it’s also the heritage of open wheel racing and the fiber of the most diverse series in the world. Having said that, INDYCAR does need a venue in the Pacific Northwest and Portland was a big hit for a long time – ditto for Vancouver. But the crowds really shrunk in the Champ Car years and it would be interesting to see if the unified series could bring them back.
Q: Say that in a few years the new chassis, engines, and aero-kits have their bugs worked out, and hopefully sponsorship isn't as difficult to come by, wouldn't it make sense for INDYCAR to have a European loop? Every day we hear of another historic F1 track that can no longer afford F1's sanctioning fees, why not take advantage of their situation? I have to believe that the drivers, teams, and most sponsors would salivate over running on tracks like Spa, Monza, and Silverstone. Attendance may be a little lacking for the first year or two, so I guess you would need sponsors willing to take a gamble, but if INDYCAR gets their act together and starts to put on one heck of a show I think it would work.
Jeff, KCMO
RM: Probably depends on sanction fees and timing, but going to China in August is going to be brutal enough and I’m not sure it wouldn’t be smarter just to go back to Surfer’s Paradise instead of treading on F1 turf.
Q: I know the IRL got tied in heavy with Sears Point when the naming rights were sold, but its road track is literally a joke. I bracket raced there in the 80's and used what I thought at the time was a narrow access road to drive back to the timing tower to get our slips after a run. I'd only been there for drags at night, and had no idea it was the back (not-so) straightaway of a road course. The lack of any real straight, two sets of cone corners, turns at ends of pseudo straights, including the last hairpin being literally cones & paint in a parking lot, or if you like: Drag Racing staging area is comical. Not to mention the K-Wall Tunnel O' Disaster just waiting to happen pit lane entrance and split pit configuration. It's dirty & Dusty and although the NASCAR stands are nice, but the rest of the track's giant concrete-o-rama stairs thing ain't makin' it. It's cool for the F/A, F/M, and F-3 racing school guys, and (O.W.) open testing was fun to watch, but not for (what is trying to be) a world class racing series. WE NEED TO GET back to Monterey, especially with the new turbo formula. I got the feeling you didn't like Laguna after watching a TV interview towards the end of CCWS, but please admit it had to do with promotion and the decline of that series, not the facility. Laguna Seca has been touted by world class drivers as one of the top natural terrain courses in the world, often comparing it with F1's Spa circuit. It seems a shame to let the ALMS, Moto GP, and even open wheel weekend warriors get such a great track in such a beautiful place all to themselves.
Vern
RM: As far as Infineon goes, I believe the track has been told it needs to make some changes to keep INDYCAR in 2013 and beyond and we need to remember that Sears and Laguna were built 60 years ago and not for 200 mph Indy cars. Both tracks need improvements to improve the racing and I was down on the last few Champ Car shows at Laguna because there was zero passing and terrible attendance. But the crowd at Infineon last year was actually decent and it seems to be growing so I hope that race stays and it would be nice to go back to Laguna Seca as well. But can both be supported?
Q: I’ve been reading a lot of comments from your readers about the lack of ovals on the 2012 schedule. I’m actually happy about it, if fact I wish there were fewer. I go to a lot of the races and interact with a lot of the fans and in my opinion we want road course, not ovals. Sure there is a core of ``old school” fans that want to see ONLY ovals, American drivers, American manufactures, front engine roadsters…… fact is, these fans are living in the past. Times change, people change. Leave the ovals to Neck-car.
Mark Penske, Niagara Falls, NY
RM: Considering the financial realities and demand, it looks like 4-5 ovals may be the norm for INDYCAR the next few years but it needs Iowa, Milwaukee, maybe PIR or Rockingham and, of course, Indy. We’ll see how Fontana does this year. The thing that makes the INDYCAR champion special is that diversity and it needs to continue. It just doesn’t need to be 50-50 anymore.
Q: Enough of the ranting already, especially about ovals. It seems to me that the INDYCAR stars are aligning. The cup is more than half full. A great title sponsor in IZOD. No more Tony George. No more Brian Barnhart. One-hit-wonder Danica departing for NASCAR, where she belongs. A credible race director in Beaux Barfield. A new chassis (so it needs a little tweaking). Turbocharged Honda, Chevy and Lotus engines. Aero kits next year. Paul Tracy on the cusp of landing a fulltime ride? Sebastien Bourdais racing on road, street and oval tracks. Katherine Legge back where she belongs. Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan racing full time with two cars. It’s all good. Throw in another tire maker, a couple chassis competitors, standing starts, another engine manufacturer or two and INDYCAR will be Nirvana (the series formerly known as CART). Not to worry. In time, the fans will return. So will the oval tracks and TV coverage. I’m done raving. Let the racing begin!
Michael McGill, San Diego, CA
RM: Considering where it was three years ago, yes, INDYCAR does have some momentum and things to look forward to and racers always tend to look on the negative side before considering the positives. Still lots of challenges like TV audience and solvent ovals but the competition should keep things interesting.
Q: Now that we have TGBB 2.0 in charge, what will he do about the "leave the inside lane clear for passing" rule that TGBB 1.0 borrowed from Tony Cotman/OWRS? As a race fan the rule offends me. But I can understand why it was enacted. INDYCAR has evolved (or devolved depending on your feelings) into a 50% street course 25% each for oval and road course series. A major complaint is the twisties offer little passing, which is true, although I maintain that when a pass occurs on a twisty it is far more interesting to watch/anticipate how the trailing car will pass. Do you have any information as to whether the "clear right lane" will remain or will TGBB 2.0 try something else?
Jim Overmeyer, Islip, NY
RM: Barfield said in his press conference he was not a fan of imaginary lines on a race track and that’s all I needed to hear.
~Robin Miller
Q: How can I make my voice heard? I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan about five hours from Indy. I make the trip down to the 500 and I attended the Chicago event until it got removed from the schedule. It does not make any sense to me that the three events that are closest to anyone in Chicago, most of Michigan and Northern Indiana, provided they work out the details for the race in Milwaukee, are only four weeks apart. How can the series allow this to happen? Why would a promoter want to take on the race at Milwaukee? Not many people can afford to go multiple times a year let alone 3 times in 4 weeks. I know not a lot of people would go to all three events but it seems like these races should be spread out. Then maybe more people could/would attend more than one mid-west event. Has it ever been considered that the sparse crowd in Milwaukee was due to the fact that the race is so close to the 500? I would love to go to the Belle Isle race and I will make every effort to go but it will be tough because it’s only one week after Indy. Costs aside that will be a lot of time away from home and in my car.
Ben Raybourn
RM: Just for the record, Milwaukee was the week after the Indy 500 for six decades and it was always packed until The Split finally brought it down. You are correct, three Midwest races in four weeks is a bit crowded but this is more a product of just scrambling to get enough races and ovals on the 2012 schedule. But getting Milwaukee back is good, regardless of when it happens. And I was just guessing it would be June 16-17.
Q: With talk of Indy Car going back to PIR, what would be the odds they would bring back The Copper Classic? The Copper always drew good crowds, in the 40,000 area. The last year The Indy Cars ran there, the crowd was even larger. What the promoters did not understand, is that the crowd was there to see the USAC stuff. The next year with The IRL as the main event, the crowd was like 8,000. Bringing back The Copper would a good thing. If the old Copper crowd came back in numbers, Indy Car could take credit for the crowd and not risk a small turnout. (plus I miss not going to Phoenix February) Bring back The Copper Classic, with or without Indy Car.
Don Bartlett
RM: Yes, the IRL KILLED THE Copper Classic by making it a support show after it stood strong by itself but not sure ISC is inclined to bring it back to PIR. I think the new banking alone makes it way too quick for midgets and sprints and that was always the key to PIR, getting your Indy car or dirt car or sprinter to handle on the flat, challenging mile with the dogleg.
Q: What's all the fuss over ovals and American racing? I'm a genuine diehard Indy fan from the Pacific Northwest (since 1956) who favors road racing over ovals. It’s simply more visually interesting on TV. (And that's the only way we can see Indy cars here.) Most oval broadcasts are limited to views of dull gray concrete with tiny streaking blobs of color that occasionally go airborne in terrifying flaming crashes. At least the road races are scenic and green. And besides, we don't have any suitable ovals left. Even NASCAR couldn't get an oval built near Seattle. The general feeling was let them race on existing road courses. Most my Pacific Northwest open-wheel fan friends favor road racing as well. That's what we grew up watching. In fact, many racing fans here will simply not even consider INDYCAR racing because they still believe it is all ovals which they feel are incredibly boring. But you're right though - we need a title sponsor. I haven't seen Norm Daniels from GI Joe's (which is sadly gone), Mike Neely or many of the sponsor-advocates since the Portland CART races ended. I'd better get my butt in gear and start talking to business folk. (I do purchase only IZOD pullovers, however.) Pacific Northwest fans are desperately in need of INDYCAR's return to Seattle, Portland or Vancouver. For most Indy car races it’s such a long way for us to travel. Oh, woe is us!
Edwin Collier, Portland, Oregon
RM: While Indy cars on ovals have lost their luster with the American public, it’s still a good show at Iowa, Milwaukee, Loudon (in the dry), Texas and Indy. And it’s also the heritage of open wheel racing and the fiber of the most diverse series in the world. Having said that, INDYCAR does need a venue in the Pacific Northwest and Portland was a big hit for a long time – ditto for Vancouver. But the crowds really shrunk in the Champ Car years and it would be interesting to see if the unified series could bring them back.
Q: Say that in a few years the new chassis, engines, and aero-kits have their bugs worked out, and hopefully sponsorship isn't as difficult to come by, wouldn't it make sense for INDYCAR to have a European loop? Every day we hear of another historic F1 track that can no longer afford F1's sanctioning fees, why not take advantage of their situation? I have to believe that the drivers, teams, and most sponsors would salivate over running on tracks like Spa, Monza, and Silverstone. Attendance may be a little lacking for the first year or two, so I guess you would need sponsors willing to take a gamble, but if INDYCAR gets their act together and starts to put on one heck of a show I think it would work.
Jeff, KCMO
RM: Probably depends on sanction fees and timing, but going to China in August is going to be brutal enough and I’m not sure it wouldn’t be smarter just to go back to Surfer’s Paradise instead of treading on F1 turf.
Q: I know the IRL got tied in heavy with Sears Point when the naming rights were sold, but its road track is literally a joke. I bracket raced there in the 80's and used what I thought at the time was a narrow access road to drive back to the timing tower to get our slips after a run. I'd only been there for drags at night, and had no idea it was the back (not-so) straightaway of a road course. The lack of any real straight, two sets of cone corners, turns at ends of pseudo straights, including the last hairpin being literally cones & paint in a parking lot, or if you like: Drag Racing staging area is comical. Not to mention the K-Wall Tunnel O' Disaster just waiting to happen pit lane entrance and split pit configuration. It's dirty & Dusty and although the NASCAR stands are nice, but the rest of the track's giant concrete-o-rama stairs thing ain't makin' it. It's cool for the F/A, F/M, and F-3 racing school guys, and (O.W.) open testing was fun to watch, but not for (what is trying to be) a world class racing series. WE NEED TO GET back to Monterey, especially with the new turbo formula. I got the feeling you didn't like Laguna after watching a TV interview towards the end of CCWS, but please admit it had to do with promotion and the decline of that series, not the facility. Laguna Seca has been touted by world class drivers as one of the top natural terrain courses in the world, often comparing it with F1's Spa circuit. It seems a shame to let the ALMS, Moto GP, and even open wheel weekend warriors get such a great track in such a beautiful place all to themselves.
Vern
RM: As far as Infineon goes, I believe the track has been told it needs to make some changes to keep INDYCAR in 2013 and beyond and we need to remember that Sears and Laguna were built 60 years ago and not for 200 mph Indy cars. Both tracks need improvements to improve the racing and I was down on the last few Champ Car shows at Laguna because there was zero passing and terrible attendance. But the crowd at Infineon last year was actually decent and it seems to be growing so I hope that race stays and it would be nice to go back to Laguna Seca as well. But can both be supported?
Q: I’ve been reading a lot of comments from your readers about the lack of ovals on the 2012 schedule. I’m actually happy about it, if fact I wish there were fewer. I go to a lot of the races and interact with a lot of the fans and in my opinion we want road course, not ovals. Sure there is a core of ``old school” fans that want to see ONLY ovals, American drivers, American manufactures, front engine roadsters…… fact is, these fans are living in the past. Times change, people change. Leave the ovals to Neck-car.
Mark Penske, Niagara Falls, NY
RM: Considering the financial realities and demand, it looks like 4-5 ovals may be the norm for INDYCAR the next few years but it needs Iowa, Milwaukee, maybe PIR or Rockingham and, of course, Indy. We’ll see how Fontana does this year. The thing that makes the INDYCAR champion special is that diversity and it needs to continue. It just doesn’t need to be 50-50 anymore.
Q: Enough of the ranting already, especially about ovals. It seems to me that the INDYCAR stars are aligning. The cup is more than half full. A great title sponsor in IZOD. No more Tony George. No more Brian Barnhart. One-hit-wonder Danica departing for NASCAR, where she belongs. A credible race director in Beaux Barfield. A new chassis (so it needs a little tweaking). Turbocharged Honda, Chevy and Lotus engines. Aero kits next year. Paul Tracy on the cusp of landing a fulltime ride? Sebastien Bourdais racing on road, street and oval tracks. Katherine Legge back where she belongs. Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan racing full time with two cars. It’s all good. Throw in another tire maker, a couple chassis competitors, standing starts, another engine manufacturer or two and INDYCAR will be Nirvana (the series formerly known as CART). Not to worry. In time, the fans will return. So will the oval tracks and TV coverage. I’m done raving. Let the racing begin!
Michael McGill, San Diego, CA
RM: Considering where it was three years ago, yes, INDYCAR does have some momentum and things to look forward to and racers always tend to look on the negative side before considering the positives. Still lots of challenges like TV audience and solvent ovals but the competition should keep things interesting.
Q: Now that we have TGBB 2.0 in charge, what will he do about the "leave the inside lane clear for passing" rule that TGBB 1.0 borrowed from Tony Cotman/OWRS? As a race fan the rule offends me. But I can understand why it was enacted. INDYCAR has evolved (or devolved depending on your feelings) into a 50% street course 25% each for oval and road course series. A major complaint is the twisties offer little passing, which is true, although I maintain that when a pass occurs on a twisty it is far more interesting to watch/anticipate how the trailing car will pass. Do you have any information as to whether the "clear right lane" will remain or will TGBB 2.0 try something else?
Jim Overmeyer, Islip, NY
RM: Barfield said in his press conference he was not a fan of imaginary lines on a race track and that’s all I needed to hear.
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