Q: I have been thinking some more about the whole start/restart issue. I know I have been bitching about it for a long while, especially last year when TGBB was in charge, but have to admit that the starts have improved very much since then. You said there were six pairs at the start at LB, but even though that's a big improvement, it was still less than half the field. This is the last I will say about that, as now I have one suggestion that will help the start, restarts and the show for the fans. Would it be possible to try something like this? The main problem IMHO lies with the fact that the field never get fully lined up before the green flag. What if the last lap before the green was considered a parade lap? There would be 13 pairs of cars coming around the track, or 11 x 3 at Indy, on display for the fans. The drivers could wave, the fans would cheer and see the exact placement of the cars on the grid. All the fans around the track would see this and realize that the race is about to start. Now as the cars approach the last turn and look for the green, they are all in formation as they come onto the start straight. Now it is not so critical when the flag flies, because the last car is only 13 rows back, where it should be based on qualifying, not half a lap back, as was the reality a lot of the time last year. The pace car could slow way down as the lights go off with a lap to go, and gradually speed up as all the cars are lined up and it approaches the start. On restarts this could be done on the back half of the lap, but well before the final turn. Since the common thread on the mailbag seems to be the starts are better, and generally I agree, I expect you will not post this letter, but I do hope you will forward my idea to "The New BB" for consideration.

Keith Hines

RM: Places like Long Beach with the tight hairpin leading onto the front straightaway make it almost impossible to get 2-x-2 but Beaux leaving the pace car out until the last minute made it possible for a good pack up. Standing starts would put everybody on the same patch of track, that’s what is needed at road and street courses. And I’m sure you will see the old flying start return at Indy.

Q: Another great show by INDYCAR and NBC! The grid run had me in tears, where were all the drivers? After watching INDYCAR 36 on NBC featuring Graham Rahal from the Barber weekend, I was surprised how unhappy Graham was with the new blocking/choose your line rule. I thought that's how racing has been (and should be) for many years in many series. Driver ahead picks a line and sticks to it while the driver behind has to find a way around. Graham was not shy about speaking his disapproval of the new rules. In fact, I was surprised to see these remarks make the show. It made Graham seem like a complainer, and didn't cast Mr. Barfield in good light. After complaining of various drivers blocking him at Barber, he throws the "Schumacher" on Marco and gets penalized. Isn't life ironic? So what do the drivers think about the job Beaux Barfield is doing? Is he respected in the paddock so far?

Shawn from the "D"

RM: Before “invisible line racing and no defending your position’’ became law a few years ago, drivers actually had to figure out how to pass each other on a road course. Judging by how good the racing and driving has been so far in 2012, I’d say the drivers have responded positively to Barfield’s leadership.

Q: Well, Robin, looks like we've got some good old-fashioned hate a-brewing. Good to see two of the best known names (and rightly so) in open wheel racing feuding. Even Mario wants in on the action! Just like days of old. What we need now is a match race between Bobby Rahal and Michael Andretti as a prelim to the Milwaukee race (for which I just bought my tickets). Find some old Super Vees or Atlantics and let them have at it.

Rick Roellig, Lisle, IL.

RM: You have a good memory. There was never any love lost between Rahal and Mario and Michael so this is simply a continuation of Family Feud. But we need a donnybrook, not a twitter war, to help TV ratings.

Q: I understand the whole argument that the rear bumper was meant to reduce the chances of a car going airborne, but the fact is the 26 car did the same they always have when they hit another car wheel to wheel -- it launched. Marco could have ended upside down against a fence which is how he must have felt when he said, "I could have been killed!" So what big changes could they have planned as was alluded to by INDYCAR? Seriously, I don't think there is much to do, but admit the bumper doesn't work. They would have to make it seriously higher to make a difference. Please don't talk about the angle of impact, because you cannot control that, they are never going to be perfect straight on hits.

Tim

RM: Those guards are supposed to try and reduce launching, not prevent it because you can never stop it.

Q: I attended my first IndyCar race in over 10 years last weekend at Long Beach (previous was Nazareth in '98 or '99 if I remember correctly). Had a good time, wandered through the paddock all day Saturday and watched qualifying Saturday afternoon. Despite knowing that Chevy was about to incur a 10-spot penalty and that the pole was ultimately going to belong to Dario, I stuck around to witness Briscoe take the top spot with a 68.6089 lap time. Not bad, and faster than the pole from the last three years. However much to my surprise, I got home to see that a "new IZOD IndyCar Series Track Record" had been set. Really? Because I'm pretty sure SeaBass laid down a 66.886 in qualifying back in 2006. I know that was Champ Car and this is the IZOD IndyCar Series, but I thought we put this whole "record" business to bed a couple of years ago when Scott Dixon was being touted as the "winningest driver in IndyCar." What happened to merging the record books of both series? INDYCAR can't have it both ways and declare records when it's convenient for them. Briscoe had a great lap time in the new car and I'm thrilled it beat the old chassis/engine, but it wasn't a track record.

Dan, Gilbert, AZ

RM: The records have been combined in the very cool IZOD INDYCAR Series 2012 Historical Record Book, but Long Beach is tricky because it has been so many different lengths over the years. Bryan Herta has the fastest lap ever at 50.945 seconds in 1997 on the 1.56-mile layout while now it’s 1.9-miles so technically Briscoe has the record for the current length.

Q: I love everything with the new car and season (including the makings of an Andretti/Rahal rivalry). I can't wait to see what the aero kits next year will look like and also hope that more engine manufactures get involved. What are the chances that we may see tire competition back in the series? It definitely would add a new element to things and I think would be great.

Alan Bandi

RM: I don’t think we’ll see it because Firestone destroyed Goodyear and I doubt anybody wants to come in and take them on. I believe a couple tire companies have approached Randy Bernard with some interest but they want to be exclusive.

Q: When Dario won the rain-shortened Indy 500 in 2007 and Marco was his teammate, Marco caused a very serious accident on the back straight (while racing without a working right-side mirror) on the last restart before the rains (and tornados) came. Andretti turned right into Dan Weldon down the back straight and flipped upside-down taking out Buddy Rice and others. The ESPN Classics re-broadcast with the late Larry Rice had audio of Marco saying “I F’d Up” while still in the car after he came to a rest. To his team he told the truth, because he didn’t have a working mirror. But after Marco had been checked and released from the IRL Med center he didn’t tell that to the ABC interviewer just saying that he was really glad his teammate had won. I still don’t understand why the IRL officials let Marco leave the pits after his last stop without a working right side mirror he couldn’t see out of. Another driver could have been killed. I also question the AGR crew for letting Marco go back out after failing to fix the mirror on his last pit-stop. Marco sounded really scared on that in car audio after the crash. Lucky no one was hurt.

Truth Serum

RM: You always hope drivers tell the truth to their crew and those right-side mirrors tend to come in handy at Indianapolis so I guess it is kinda surprising he was allowed to continue without one. But I’d like to see all mirrors vanish.

Q: Have to say the No Fear would be fitting sponsor for SFHR team and their rookie driver. Newgarden told me pre-race that he was going for it and it looked to me on the replays Dario gave him little tap there into the tires. Race fans have been wanting American drivers, and here is one that showed no fear going up against a 4-time champion. Josef was impressive in qualifying and the fans on Shoreline would have gone ballistic had the move stuck and led the field coming out of the hairpin.

PJ Macias

RM: Flew home with Josef and he was adamant he’d have probably done the same thing again because he had a good run and it was racing. He also said Dario could have given him more room and I think we all agree on that. But it’s refreshing to see this attitude from a rookie, a damn good one.

Q: So, Last year Dario won the championship by not getting penalized for bumping. Looks like he won’t be getting penalties again this year. How great would it have been for the sport to have Josef Newgarden win Sunday?

Mark

RM: I’ve said several times that street racing is a contact sport and those two were both going for it in Turn 1 so I was glad there wasn’t a penalty in that case. But Josef made a lot of fans with his aggression and his attitude afterwards.