Q: By current estimates there will be 24-26 full time cars. So we will need 7-9 one-offs for the Indy 500. With no Barrichello, and Alesi this year, do you have a list of possibilities for the 500? Drivers that are out there actually trying to put together a deal to run? There seems to always be the one that comes out of left field, like Michel Jourdain last year. Any chance Penske will still field that third car for someone?

BSU Darren

RM: Townsend Bell would seem to be automatic along with Alex Lloyd, Wade Cunningham and Sebastian Saavedra with Conor Daly and Chase Austin possibilities for a Foyt entry. Maybe Bruno Junqueira and E.J. Viso. Penske third car is always a possibility.

Q: Does anyone know really know the limits of the 2.2-liter Chevy and Honda engines? The racing last year was great, but the speeds especially at Indy need to be higher on race day IMHO. Can the boost be increased like they did for qualifying last year without detonating half of the engines in the field? Indy is the most prestige’s race in the world and 220+ miles per hour lap speeds are a reasonable for the speedway.
Randy, Enfield, CT

RM: I defer to Marshall Pruett on this one: "Hey Randy — anytime someone wonders why the current IndyCar engines don't make more power — at any track — the simple answer is the rules for life expectancy and lease costs won't allow for it. It has nothing to do with the engine being incapable of making more power. If Chevy and Honda were allowed to up the lease price to a million or more, which is what they cost before 2012, and the minimum mileage between rebuilds was dropped from 2,000 to something closer to 1,000-1,200, we could have the 900 horsepower on road courses and 700 horsepower on ovals fans and drivers ask for. Basically, we have a formula that calls for cheaper leases, and to do that, less power and more durability is the penalty that's paid. Once the economy turns around, and provided sponsors return to pour more money into IndyCar, it's possible lease prices could go back up along with the power we need to make IndyCar racing fearsome and scary-fast. It's hard to grow a series' fan base — any series — when it's stuck in a budget formula. Right now, we’re stuck in that formula."
Q: IndyCar could really use some new marketing. I found this year a slew of NASCAR and F1 calendars for gifts, but not for IndyCar. The treasure I did locate though was the calendar of classic race cars from F1 Weekly. It is going up in my office the minute I get back to work. I have bought the Cup series yearbook for years as a gift for a NASCAR fan. Would love to have had one for this year’s IndyCar series. Has there ever been a yearbook for the series? And a highlight DVD would have been perfect, as there were so many stellar moments this season. I have about 12 years’ worth of F1 in review on DVD. I know it is probably a big investment, but couldn’t it be easily produced and distributed as a DVD-on-demand like A&E does with their DVDs? Just a suggestion. I hope your comment about television and your future is off base. As much as I would like to read your first book, race weekends would never be the same.
Deb Schaeffer

RM: There was an IndyCar calendar available at IndyCar.com but there hasn’t been a yearbook since Autocourse stopped making one. IndyCar sold the historical record book at the gift store last year and it should be available again soon after being updated. IMS sells a DVD of each year’s Indy 500 but nobody makes one of the season to my knowledge.

Q: I was amazed how good the racing was with the new DW12 car this year — especially, on road courses. In fact, I can't remember better road course racing for the past 20 years. Hats off to the technical and engineering people that put together a very racy new car in a very short time. I enjoyed the tandem writing team of you and Marshall. Great coverage, lots of good information and insights. I fly in and out of Indy several times a month, usually via Terminal A. I don't know if you have seen it, but they are displaying Bobby Unser's backup car from 1979. It is a thing of beauty — I can't help but smile when I see it. That car looks it ought to be back out on the track. And then, my smile grows wider when I think of the man who drove it. Uncle Bobby made it fun and interesting! I loved hearing him interviewed - he almost always gave it straight and unvarnished. I love the quotes you have served up, one of my favorites being "Son, that Gordon Johncock needs glasses!" While I remember the fun, I also remember him as a great multi-talented race car driver. A self-taught engineer plus a great test driver. Very smart and knew the rulebook as well as anyone. And perhaps most of all, the sheer determination - I swear I saw determination flowing of out the car one year when he was qualifying. There were a lot of interesting personalities that came out of the 60s and 70s, but Uncle Bobby was the best in my book.

Mark Millikan

RM: Yes, those old cars (Vuky’s 1973 Eagle is also on display at the airport) look much better than today’s but the Dallara (with Will Phillips tweaks) was a very racy car on all circuits. It’s a shame ESPN wasn’t around for Uncle Bobby’s heyday because he could have hosted a one-hour racing show by himself that’s more entertaining than anything on the air right now. He always says what’s on his mind and never minces words, so refreshing.

Q: There is an old adage in business that family businesses fail (or seriously flounder) in the third generation. The first generation has the vision and puts in the blood, sweat and tears. The second generation lived alongside the first and grows the business to new heights maximizing the business. Money is made for the first and second generations. The third generation has wealthy grandparents and dad/mom is wealthy as well. The third generation lives the good life from day one, but did not witness first hand or contribute to the vision, sweat or growth. They get a successful business handed to them with no idea how to run it, so they experiment, tweak and flounder. IMS and NASCAR are both examples of this. I am hoping Mark Miles, with his proven record of successful business ventures, helps the IMS third generation allowing successful transfer to the fourth generation. I think he has the skills to do it if the family allows him to.
Ralph, Indianapolis

RM: Well, first off the family no longer controls the board of directors so I guess he’ll have to please a different group but since those guys obviously voted to overthrow Bernard it appears Miles will get that chance. He certainly inherited a much better deal than Randy and the racing side of things is nicely positioned for 2013.

Q: Any thoughts on re-configuring IMS? Return to the pre '93 layout and remove the warm-up lane? The SAFER barrier makes the angle of impact scary and it might make for better racing to open things up, due to the narrowing of the track. Perhaps re-adding the apron might make for more passing, but I think it will also be safer too, with an apron maybe Mike Conway doesn't clip Hunter-Reay's out of gas car ... I am no engineer, just a fan who has watched every race since 1979.

JR

RM: No doubt removing that apron hurt the raciness of IMS and it would probably benefit NASCAR more than IndyCar. If you ask the drivers and fans, they’d all vote yes but I don’t know of any plans to go back to the old track.

Q: I have waited after reading Marshall’s interview with Mark Miles, and your Mailbag, till I could consider what he said and what he might have meant. Well it seems (if rumors are true) the charge is to 1) CUT COSTS, and 2) MAKE the SPEEDWAY more profitable, and 3) EITHER MAKE INDYCAR PROFITABLE OR GET RID OF IT. Mark Miles was lavish in his distain of the past, and is placing his trust in a consulting firm (they have a good track record), but hopefully they will talk at least to some of the people who have a good grasp of what made racing popular. If M.M, wants to only look to the future, it might be wise to see what car companies are doing to gain market share: 1) building hybrid cars, or 2) VERY HIGH POWERED CARS (example Cadillac with engines producing 500-700 HP and with specials like the Hennessy which produces from 1000-1200 HP depending upon how much you want to scare the crap out of yourself!). People love speed, power and an interesting visual presentation. The car companies know that and are producing more and more high-powered cars including engines which COULD be used to power race cars ... no kidding!!! If M.M. truly wants to save IndyCar (and I am far from sure of that), open things up, but with the contract with Dallara, Honda and GM going for what four more years, can that really be done? I have the feeling he is preparing to SELL IndyCar with a copy of the consulting findings attached. M.M’s idea of promoting the drivers, has been tried, and except for Danica (which IndyCar screwed up how to promote and handle her appeal), hasn’t worked. No one knows Simona except the old faithful fans ... and Mark Miles wants us gone since we all remember and talk about the great days of the past. Racing is entertainment, Tony Hulman and Bill France understood that, and knew how to promote their product. This group???? NAH!!! The racing in 2012 was good, (I still think passing for the lead on road/street courses on the course might be nice) … but it still didn’t increase either attendance or TV ratings …so there must logically be another reason … and I am confident that it because the CARS do not bring fans, because they are all the same and I am convinced that adding some Woofer-Dilley hang on kits is NOT the answer. We desperately need cars that are truly different. If IndyCar is sold, spun-off or killed and the Speedway then can announce an open formula for the “500”, and ALLOW IndyCar (if it still exists) to include the results in its championship (which means zero today) if it wishes. Otherwise … as we old fans die off or just give up … this mess (IRL) shall decline until it can’t out draw women’s golf, or any re-play of M.A.S.H. … oops it’s already true!!

Osca

RM: If you had guarantees from Ford, Fiat and Mercedes they would build Indy engines under new specs and opened up the rules to entice car builders, yes, those two things could infuse interest and draw more people to practice and qualifying. Would it make people watch Iowa, Baltimore or Fontana? I really don’t think it would move the needle that much but it might restore some crowds in May.