Q: It seems like fans of a particular series generally don't have many nice things to say about another series. It's either IndyCar, F1, NASCAR or nothing. But what about the drivers? Several years ago, I remember seeing a tribute to Ayrton Senna on TV where Don Garlits got up and gave an emotional speech about how he loved getting up early and watching Senna compete in F1. And wasn't the late Dale Earnhardt a fan of sorts of Nigel Mansell and Senna? I was reading an article in a 2008 issue of MotorSport where Chris Amon said he considered Parnelli Jones as probably one of the greatest talents he ever saw and wanted to get Parnelli as his teammate at Ferrari in 1968. OK, maybe "fan" isn't quite the right word, but from what little I've read, it seems as if the drivers themselves have a lot more mutual respect for each other's respective series than the general race fan does. Any such stories from you, Robin?

Steve, Indianapolis

RM: I think every generation of drivers has great respect for each other. I remember going to the Fairgrounds Mile with Jimmy Caruthers, Johnny Parsons and other Indy drivers to watch AMA flat-trackers and they were blown away by the skill and balls. Ditto for David Aldana, Chuck Palmgren, Frank Gillespie and Gene Romero when they would go to a USAC sprint race. Lloyd Ruby respected the hell out of Cale Yarborough for trying Indy cars fulltime.

Q: The gentleman from Oregon listing the drivers who have raced in both the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500, and I can't believe it...once again Paul Goldsmith is forgotten. I understand that Goldie wasn't a glad handing, self-aggrandizing, loud mouthed driver/rider, but dog-gone it... he won the Daytona 500 on the beach course, and the bike race as well...he raced on the Daytona Speedway, and the he raced ONLY 6 times in any open wheel car...all in the Indy 500 placing a best 3rd and 5th. Of those that came from NASCAR to Indy he stands alone as the most successful. Smokey Yunick in his book rated 51 drivers...Goldie was #1. I called Goldie and he just laughed. He doesn't care...I DO!! He is much more than just being an old driver; he is very successful business man owning Griffith Airport, G & N Aircraft, a school teaching people to fly on their way to being airline pilots, a company offering part ownership in private planes from piston driven, to prop jets, to turbine aircraft. And by the way.....Goldie is in the International Hall of Fame in Novi Michigan as well as others for both bikes and stock cars.

Ted Wolfram

RM: You are so right and I apologize profusely to Paul and all the other guys I didn’t mention (I shouldn’t have answered that question until I did some research and listed all the drivers who ran Indy and Daytona). A.J. Foyt told me once that Goldsmith was one of the best racers he ever competed against so that’s all you need to know.

Q: This question is kind of a Chuck Norris versus David Carradine type question. The Captain and Bernie are in negotiations. Who is better? Who wins?

Bill Jurasz

RM: They’re both masters but I think The Captain is a little more polished. Bernie is more in your face and both are brilliant businessmen. One of my proudest moments is getting Bernie’s home phone number and waking him up one night back in the early ‘80s. He cussed and hung up on me. I treasure that.

Q: First I’d like to say that I was very skeptical about the look of the new Indy car, but I can honestly say that they look pretty sharp painted up. Now for my little rant. The IndyCar skeptics need to really just go away. There is nothing to complain about going into this season really. I don’t like the idea of Paul Tracy on the sidelines either, but we can’t have everything we want. There will be a 26-car field at St. Pete, and there will be a full field at Indianapolis. There are new cars, multiple engine manufacturers, a new race director, new rules regarding protecting your position, and Milwaukee is back on the schedule. What are people complaining about? Okay they still aren’t racing at Elkhart Lake (yet I hope). Sure I’d love for Indy cars to be back at Michigan, and yes there should be a few more ovals, but I think those will come back in time. Everyone complains ``not enough ovals, not enough ovals.” Maybe if Indy car fans went to the ovals when they were on the schedule maybe we fans wouldn’t have an oval shortage now. I live six hours from Homestead, and I tried to attend every Indy-car race there that I could. It was my nearest oval. I saved my money and got a hotel, or when the race was on a Sunday afternoon, I went to the track all day, and made the 6-hour drive home afterwards. Crazy? Yes, but I am an Indy car fan so it didn’t matter. I had to go back home to Indiana a few years ago for a family matter, and on the way back home I stopped in Kentucky and went to the race. See, I am a true Indy car fan. I go to my nearest race every year, St. Pete, and I also attend the Indy 500. I watch every race, record and keep every race, and I support my series, and I promote the series every chance I get. When I lived in Kokomo, I went to Indy, but I also went to Michigan. If I still lived there, I’d be going to Milwaukee. I challenge any Indy car fan that lives within a 4 to 6 hour radius of an oval that Indy car races on to buy a ticket, take a friend and go. If that happens, then the stands should be packed. If you’re a TRUE Indy car fan drive time, and start time shouldn’t matter. Maybe once those current ovals have a good crowd, then other ovals will follow.

Kris Branch, Ocala, Fl.

RM: Thanks for the positive rant.

Q: I’ve about had it with the “Holier than Thou” mailbag readers who claim that fans who want to see more U.S. drivers in the IndyCar series are xenophobic. I am one of your “xenophobic” minions, and proud of it. This series has a history of being a U.S. racing championship to crown a U.S. champion. Foreigners are always welcome, and in fact I was a big fan of Emmo. But the point these touchy-feely “brainiacs” are missing is that today any mid pack foreigner can buy a ride and knock out a U.S. driver who is equally talented in the car. Ever notice how Brazilian companies sponsor only Brazilian drivers? Why not sponsor a U.S. driver who won in a U.S. ladder series? Xenophobes! Oh yeah, and isn’t funny that the Argentina fans don’t cheer for Pakistan in World Cup? More xenophobes! The fact is that all humans cheer for “the home team.” What was that chant in Lake Placid in 1980? IndyCar is NOT Formula 1. It is a United States championship, and fans here want to see our drivers get a fair shot. So, yes I want to see U.S. drivers that are as talented as the “furriners” (as A.J. calls them) get the breaks before they do. And you can be sure that new or casual fans are not nearly as likely to become avid fans if foreigners are all they have to cheer for. The series will die. If we give home grown drivers a chance, the seeds are planted for affinity in the minds of new fans and growth is possible. I think the readers criticizing us get impressed with themselves because they learned a big word, and then they label people with it because they think it makes them look smart or “tolerant” or some other sissy adjective. Go back to your sensitivity training and quit whining about U.S. fans and what we want. USA! USA! USA!

Bob E. Clearwater, FL

RM: Hard to argue with this logic. Diversity has always been at the Indy 500 but we need some American stars to grow the schedule and restore interest from the mainstream media.

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED.

Robin Miller brings 40 years of experience to his role as SPEED.com's senior open-wheel reporter, and serves as a frequent contributor to SPEED Center and Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain.