INDYCAR: Miller's Mailbag, 3.11

IndyCar

INDYCAR: Miller’s Mailbag, 3.11

We've got a fever, and the only thing that'll satisfy it is More Mailbag. Here's the latest batch of Q&A items from the best Indycar scribe on the planet.

Robin Miller | Posted March 11, 2010 Indianapolis, IN

IndyCar has been without a front-running American since Sam Hornish's departure for NASCAR. With Danica ready to follow in Sam's footsteps and Ryan Hunter-Reay in a part-time gig, Americans are nearing extinction in the IRL. (LAT)

Hello open wheel types and thanks for all your questions. I intend to answer your questions every week during the season, so just . Don’t feel left out if I didn’t directly respond. I appreciate your interest and passion.

~Robin Miller

Q: After reading (and mostly agreeing with) the emails and your commentary regarding the lack of American drivers in IndyCar, it's apparent to me that the IRL needs to institute some type of American driver requirement. This type of thing happens around the world, in any sport where development of local talent is desired. For example up here the Canadian Football League (CFL) requires essentially half of the players on any team to be Canadians. So, my suggestion is for the IRL to require that at least one driver of any two car team be a US Citizen, and to charge any single car team a reasonably high penalty ($2M to $3M maybe) if their driver is not an American. The goal is NOT to put unworthy Americans in the seats, but to ensure that they are not eliminated from consideration due to strictly monetary considerations. Some people may say that this type of a rule is interfering with a teams ability to make it's own choices, but come on. If the teams were making good choices on this matter we wouldn't be talking about this.

Walter Orr, Yellowknife, NT, Canada

RM: I love that idea and one IRL official suggested it to me a few weeks ago but I'm not sure it would work in this economy because, other than Ganassi and Penske, some owners might simply shut down if they couldn't take money and the penalty you suggest is more than some of their budgets. But making Chip and RP run an American would be good.

Q: There's been much talk about lack of American drivers in IndyCar. I understand that team owners can't afford to cover the gap (due to the lack of sponsors) with their own money, so they will put a slow driver with money (ie: Milka) in their car instead of a fast driver who doesn't bring money (Graham Rahal). While that doesn't make me happy as a fan, I totally understand the economics of it. I would probably end up doing the same if I were in Dale Coyne's shoes. However, even with the global economic meltdown, today there is still more wealth in the USA than the other countries that produce paying drivers. For every Milka Duno's situation, there must be 10 John Smith's whose American family has just as much money, if not more. Read any statistic or fact you can find about population and wealth distribution. Places like South America are still, on the whole, desperately poor compared to the United States. There are fewer wealthy people, and of those, fewer still whose children want to race cars. The odds are really stacked against them, yet they are disproportionately represented on the grid by a huge margin. Given the lack of sponsors, I would fully expect that mediocre drivers from wealthy families to bump off faster drivers from less-privileged backgrounds. Sadly, that is predictable. What is baffling is that most of those paying drivers don't have American passports, considering the number of millionaires in the USA compared to these other places. What am I missing ?

Terry Morris

RM: Nothing, you bring up a very good point and you would think somebody like a Graham Rahal could accidentally raise $7 million. But I'll remind you that Paul Newman couldn't find a sponsor his last few years and Roger Penske is currently looking for two of his cars so obviously the problem lies with the product vs. the cost vs. the value. American companies seem to be sponsoring golf, tennis, football, basketball, baseball and NASCAR as always but Indycar racing is so far down the totem pole (except for the Indy 500) in terms of exposure. And IZOD can only do so much.

Q: Why the hell would any company from anyplace in the world rather sponsor Milk & Doughnuts over a Proven Winner like Graham Rahal, Paul Tracy or Buddy Rice? Is she performing "favors" for the sponsors that the men won't or what?? That seems to be the only explanation I can come up with, considering she couldn't drive a Sharp Stick Up a Donkey's butt!

Josh Wagar, Florence, Ky.

RM: CITGO (Hugo Chavez) loves her and how she interacts with sponsors, media and fans. That's the reason.

Q: I'm not one for soap operas so forgive me please before I start. Is there any connection on a corporate level between the IMS and IndyCar series now that Tony George is out of the picture? If there isn't then why aren't the team owners talking to the IMS staff directly or at least making some kind of sublime overture to IMS about making the Indy 500 a "special" race in which there are a different set of specifications for the race? Maybe not even award points for the race towards the IndyCar title. I don't care, I just want the 500 to mean something again. Maybe then there would be an incentive for other interested corporate, or even privateer, efforts to join in the Month of May fun and not have to go through all the crap of dealing with the Honda/Dallara bleh. As far as sanctioning, pay Tony Cotman whatever he wants to oversee scrutineering and tell Barnhart to just stay away. Draft a simple set of formula for displacement/induction/weight and have at it, folks. People would love to see this and it would be a prime opportunity for Swift, BAT, Delta Wing, Lola or whomever to come and show what their respective chassis are capable of doing. I know that sounds like a recipe for another breakaway series but at this point I really think that is inevitable. The current iteration is broken and is in dire need of a top-down overhaul. The Indy 500 is still special in my mind but the luster is gone now that there is no flavor and added spice of some team arriving with something different. It's obvious that it isn't really cheaper to have the spec racer of today. The big teams with the big money are still winning because they have the coin to wring the most out of the current package. The grid isn't leveled and the chassis and engine costs are totally way out of line considering how long in the tooth both are now.

Shawn A, Richmond, Ind.

RM: I know that the owners presented the Delta Wing plan to IMS but it hasn't been endorsed by the Hulman-George clan or the IndyCar series so it's entirely possible there could be a showdown (the last thing we need). But I think there is a corporate connection because IndyCar is basically owned and operated by Hulman & Company and I can't imagine one going against the other. The owners certainly seem to have the leverage (and Firestone is a big fan of the Delta Wing concept) so things might get real interesting in the next few months.

Q: I'm torn by what I've seen as Delta Wing, Swift, BAT, Dallara, Lola, etc. have introduced their 2012 IndyCar concepts. This is the most innovation we've seen in open wheel racing since ground effects arrived in the late 1970s. But there can only be one winner, right? I wish there was a way to have a common rules package so ALL of these concepts could show up at Indianapolis in May 2012 and have at it. It would be like McLaren vs. Eagle vs. Coyote vs. etc. from the early 1970s. OK, I'll stop dreaming now.

Fred Cunningham, Simpsonville, S.C.

RM: No, I don't think it's set in stone just yet. The majority of the car owners don't think Barnhart should be making the car/engine decision or writing the rules (and I wholeheartedly agree) and, depending on whom is chosen to write the rules and help make the choice, it's possible we could have multiple manufacturers in 2012. But probably more likely for multiple engines if the inline 4-cylinder turbo is chosen.

Q: First, I like the Delta Wing look, something that shows a willingness to move forward. I put one of the photos up on my computer at work, and this gets projected onto a 42" TV when I have it on. To say it's stopped some people in their tracks is the best way to put it. A few comments from non-open wheel fans: "That's cool, is it a model? (No, a proposal for 2012 for Indycar.) No way that's a real car! What is that? Indycar? No way! They would NEVER run anything that cool at Indy!

How does that work? Won't it tip over? Are there two wheels in the front. Etc. You see, it gets people's interest, and that's NEW people's interest. Would they watch a race? I don't know, but I bet some would. Seems like a great start. Now tell me about this new Indycar CEO!

Earl Setser

RM: That's the logic of Ben Bowlby, most of the owners and Firestone: not many people are paying attention to IndyCar anymore so it's time to cultivate new fans. Who knows if a radical new car would increase attendance or TV ratings? But staying status quo (spec car/spec engine) isn't the answer. To me, Randy Bernard seems like a bright, enthusiastic workaholic with good ideas who is also a good listener.

Q: I've been an IndyCar fan and Indy 500 for nearly 30 years, but I know very little about sprint cars. Tell me why you couldn't run the 500 with sprint cars. Are they just not fast enough? Would they not hold up for the long-haul over 500 miles? I know three things: (1) based on the four-wide starts I've seen from Chili Bowl clips and the like, they could manage to go three-by-eleven for the start of the 500, (2) they could surely find plenty of cars to show up and qualifying would be meaningful, and (3) unlike the Delta Wing, sprint cars actually have OPEN wheels. Anyway, I'm pessimistic about the future of IndyCar so it got me thinking about other options if the series dissolves over the next couple years like I am afraid that it might.

JJD, Seattle, WA

RM: Sprint cars remain one of the best ways to learn how to race and some of the best racing in this country. But they're built for half mile tracks and, while they've put on scintillating shows at Phoenix in the past, that's only a mile oval and Indy is way too big. You are correct, there are hundreds of sprinters (winged and non-winged) all over the USA and at least that would insure the majority of drivers would be Yankees. But bringing back the front-engined era isn't going to happen. (It's midgets at the Chili Bowl).

Q: Like most people, when they unveiled the Delta Wing prototype, I exclaimed "What the bleepety bleep is that?? This is what we've been waiting for ??" So, I took a week to calm down before writing in to you. I took the time to read the full interview you did with Ben Bowlby, and, ventured out on the blogosphere to gauge fan reaction (which, was pretty much the same reaction I had to it initially). Now that I've let it sink in, here's my take on it: I think what has gotten everyone in an uproar is the fact that we were all hit over the head with 30+ years of automotive evolution in the seconds it took to take the tarp off of it. We haven't had true evolution in Indy Car racing since the Chaparrals. So, to be confronted with the fact that the Indy Car has become stale and stagnant for 30 years, well, that was (still is) a hard pill to swallow (though, I won't go so far to say that the current Dallara looks like a '75 Eagle as Jr. Rahal said). I wasn't around for the arrival of the Coopers and Lotuses, but, I would imagine the reaction was pretty similar. Having said that, I will say that I still think the Delta Wing is ugly. I can't get around that. The "demo" videos of the laps at Indy and Mid-Ohio just illustrated that this thing is so alien in concept. But, I do have an open enough mind to hold judgment on it until I see it perform for real. Bowlby is promising an awful lot: chassis and engine for $600K; able to produce a 235 MPH lap around Indy with only a 325 hp engine; the ability to turn left (and right!); whether it can pass mandatory crash testing. If it can do all of these wonderful things, then, yes, this is a direction the series should follow.

I do have some major questions about it, though (as I'm sure you do). 1) Is there anyway (and, I'm being serious here) that the whole Delta project is nothing but an elaborate hoax by the team owners to force the IRL’s hand in granting them freedoms of chassis design, and, a larger say in the running of the series? I am old enough to remember Ferrari actually building an Indy Car chassis in the 80s if it's demands were not met by the FIA. Could history be repeating itself here? 2) If the chassis decision is made in May, and, the Delta prototype isn't scheduled to be on track until August, what happens then? How can you decide for or against a design that you haven't even seen perform? 3) The Million Dollar Question: With all of the owners and teams lined up in solidarity behind it, what happens then if the IRL takes a pass on it? That's my biggest fear, that this isn't a chassis concept, but, more of a political football. Like everyone else (outside of your ol' buddy/ol' pal Curty Cavin) I say, let 'em all race. Dallara, Swift, Lola, and Delta Wing. The past two weeks have been great, actually seeing new Indy Car designs. Why does it have to be just one?

Vince, Fairland, Ind.

RM: It's not a hoax, at least in terms of the overall concept of cost, green, efficiency, but I guess it would be a slick way to get IndyCar to adopt most of Bowlby's ideas. As for performing before a decision is made, that's a real problem. Some people feel like a decision for 2012 must be made no later than July or August and it's doubtful Delta Wing or anybody else can be up and running a new model by then. So how can you chose a car when you haven't seen any of them run? If IndyCar takes a pass, like I said above, it could get interesting -- or mean -- or both.

Q: Bruce Ashmore, Alan Mertens and Tim Wardrop have a wealth of design experience. I like the fact that they went after the safety aspect in their design by involving Dr. Terry Trammell and IndyCar’s Safety and Technical Directors. What do you think of their entry. It is a shame that the IRL is only going to allow one design. It seams like a perfect opportunity to allow multiple entries.

Joe, Muncie

RM: Talking with Ashmore, he's got some good ideas (like beefing up the suspensions so a slight bump or rub or nudge doesn't knock a car out of the race) and all three have a storied history at Indy, if not some practical application. I think most fans agree with you: let 'em all play.

Q: The 3/05 press release from IndyCar states, "Bruce Ashmore, Alan Mertens and Tim Wardrop announced on Friday the formation of BAT Engineering..." The next several paragraphs then hails this heretofore unheard of design concept as the one that will "bring the next chapter in the sport's history" as though this is a done deal, concluding "the BAT Engineering entry is the right car" for 2012 and beyond, but there are no quotes in the piece from anybody to support any of the assertions made. The timing also seems suspicious considering that four other, more fleshed-out proposals are already on the table. I "Googled" BAT Engineering on 3/8 but came up empty. Who are these guys Miller and just what are they (IndyCar?) up to?

Road America devotee

RM: They're successful designs and engineers with decades of experience but I think most of us wonder who would pay for the prototype because none of them are independently wealthy. They had an artist's rendering just like Lola, Swift and Dallara so maybe it's more than just a last-minute entry and a drawing. Or maybe it's not. If they read this, maybe they'll let us know about how to find their website.

Q: I would suggest that the Delta Wing car may be the right car for a new series. Picture this car on some of the 1.5 mile NASCAR ovals or even Indy. What about 43 Delta Wing cars at Talladega? May be we aren’t being creative enough. I think the car has a bit of a retro F102 or F104 delta wing fighter crossed with a Bonneville Salt Flats car look. Works for me, I’d watch! I think you will stir up kid’s imagination with these cars. Maybe the Delta Wing is really the evolution of NASCAR. But I think we are forgetting something if we think this is the future of open wheel racing. The Delta Wing car has fenders. Having open fenders so you can see the face of the tires is not open wheel by my definition. The problem is that rear engine open wheel machines today, Indy and F1, look like sports cars with the fenders opened up to see the tires. Why wouldn’t I just watch GrandAm or ALMS. The Delta Wing doesn’t solve this issue I realize safety is probably an issue, this is where I am not technically savvy enough to understand. But seems for open wheel racing to get back to dirt track-based roots we need to have enough car to protect the driver but lose the ground effects and hang some big old tires out there to rub with the next driver. What about suspension that won’t break when you do? Or a car that won’t have to stop because the front or rear spoiler got knocked off.

Kevin Ganoe

RM: Yes, safety would be the primary reason for those wheel fairings because IndyCar has been extremely lucky the wheel rubbing and interlocking has not resulted in a car going into the grandstands or pieces of it (thankfully Kenny Brack's crash was on the backstretch and the grandstands were empty). Maybe the wheels could be exposed for road courses and street circuits and short ovals but just covered for the superspeedways. But stronger cars that are tougher to drive? Both excellent suggestions.

Q: Wow, a bunch of respected manufacturers fighting for a chance to build and supply the IRL with 21st century technology. Who would have thought it? Maybe the IRL has turned the corner, I mean, when was the last time that happened? ...Hmmmm... Could it be a year (or so) ago with all the engine manufacturers? You know, remember all the buzz about the engine summits. It would be easy to blame the economic meltdown for them all dropping out, but it was really the IRL's inaction and incompetence that caused the exodus. It's almost as if the IRL had already decided what they wanted before they even started leading the companies on. Tell me that isn't so...So here's my prediction for the 2012 car - Welcome back (newly updated and overpriced) Dallara Crapwagons! Ain't that great!?

Tim Elder, Baton Rouge, LA

RM: I sense a little sarcasm Tim and that's verboten in this mailbag. I do think the Dallara/Honda was a given a few months ago but not anymore. It sounds like some engine manufacturers might be interested in Indy with inline 4-cylinder with turbos and all of the sudden we have five potential car builders. Be nice to see open competition again so if we can get Bowlby to write another letter about that, Barnhart will copy it.

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Robin Miller

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