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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Miller’s Mailbag, 7.18
Always genuine, never lite: It's Miller time. Here's the latest Q&A from SPEED.com's IndyCar guru.
The NOSE of Simona de Silvestro's HVM Racing Dallara DW12-Lotus... (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
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: Can someone please, please tell the broadcasters that it is a nose, not a “front nose,” as in “they need to replace the front nose”… would one ever say “rear tail”? I swear this has gone on for decades. End rant!
Randall from Winters, CA
RM: You are correct sir. I made that stupid comment last year and Wally Dallenbach busted me (as he should have).
Q: OK, everyone, no more whining. You've got your American IndyCar star. Ryan Hunter-Reay proved in the last three races that he is the real deal: a young, good-looking American who climbed the ladder to success. Along the way he was part of nearly every available open-wheel series, including Barber Dodge, Toyota Atlantic, Champ Car, IRL and IndyCar. Although nearly overlooked a few years ago, he was persistent and landed a ride with Andretti. After two oval wins, he followed it up by winning Toronto, no small feat at the best of times. OK, his name is not Andretti or Rahal, but he is married to Robby Gordon's sister Beccy. You can't get any more of an American star than this, so enough about the winners in IndyCar always being foreigners.
Keith Hines
RM: Not sure it was whining as much as it was wishing or hoping for an American to break out (much like A.J. Allmendinger did in Champ Car in 2006) and grab the headlines, if not the championship. I know I’m always saying we need American stars to recapture the mainstream media and USA TODAY actually had RHR on its cover after Toronto. It’s a start.
Q: I am one of the many folks that are cheering for RHR. What I have noticed that similar to the careers of Mario, Dan G. etc. he has raced many other vehicles and I believe that has helped his driving. I think it would be beneficial for other young rookies to follow in his footsteps. Are their contractual agreements that stop them? What do you think?
Paul Erie, Pa
RM: Much like Power, Wilson, Servia, Tag, RHR drove and won in high-horsepower Champ Cars and I think that, more than anything, is the catalyst although Atlantics and sports cars helped as well. Lots of Indy car drivers have competed at Daytona and Sebring but one race a year isn’t that beneficial to shaping your diversity.
Q: Need to give some major kudos to Charlie Kimball. I think we all just viewed him as Graham's teammate with the big sponsorship, but the guy has five top 10s, including the Indy 500, and just got his first podium. Loved his attitude after the race when asked how it felt to be on the podium. He said it felt like it needed to start happening more and more.
Vince Williams
RM: Agreed. Charlie doesn’t look like the same driver as a year ago and it’s obvious his confidence and performance are both much improved. His two-car pass in Turn 3 at Toronto was superb and it’s cool to see such a nice kid make this kind of progress.
Q: In your last mailbag, you wrote: "The Captain might be looking at a 21-year-old rookie from Tennessee." Opinion, rumor, or fantasy?
Paul Carini
RM: I asked RP if he was interested in Josef and he said, yes they were “keeping an eye on him” so my impression is that bodes well for young Newgarden.
Q: I went to Toronto for the first time since 2001 and I must say I was very impressed with the changes made and general admission access was unreal. There were several more viewing areas that weren't previously available during the Champ Car era. Seabass' (or Sourpuss as I like to call him) comments after the race set a new low for him. I don't blame him for being upset but his comments were stunning. He has absolutely no shame in coming off like a whiny, snotty, condescending little twit. Will Power was pissed last year and this year but didn't come off like Sourpuss does. The TV announcers seemed stunned by his comments and Scott Goodyear was tremendous. He basically said Sourpuss was talking out his you know what before he knew the facts. My question is does anybody in the paddock (besides his engineer maybe) like him? I thought that maybe he would be a little more humble after getting his rear end handed to him in F1 but obviously he isn't. I'm sorry he's back and I can only hope he goes back to France after this year is over. Is there any hope of The Glen returning to the schedule?
Eric Zwirlein, Lancaster, NY
RM: I got on him quite a bit during his Champ Car reign but Seb has really been much more pleasant and upbeat in a much tougher situation. I think he’s won over a lot of people this season. When somebody sticks a mic in a driver’s face after he drove his butt off and was looking at a podium before getting knocked aside, of course he or she is going to be pissed and I don’t blame him for his comments. He hadn’t seen a replay so what was he supposed to think? No Glen in 2013.
Q: Paul Page is still employed by The Mouse doing NHRA, after calling both CART and the IRL. What's preventing him from coming back to IndyCar? If the network was unhappy with him, he would probably be employed elsewhere by now. If he was unhappy with the network, ditto. That leaves two possibilities — he's content with the drag races, and doesn't want to return, or somebody in the halls of IMS doesn't like him. Page got too excited at times ("whoa!") but he's still better than Reid and Goodyear. And with regard to Newgarden — he's had an uneven season, and made some rookie mistakes, but looks like the Real Deal. Ultimately, I think he might end up with a better career than Rahal and Andretti, neither of whom can seem to put it together consistently, and still show flashes of immaturity, despite being series vets. I can't imagine abuse over the radio all the time like Marco seems to do, and liking it. I've suspected Penske might have his eye on Newgarden; he fits Roger's mold, and you've now confirmed it. How soon do you think it might happen? I understand he's on a multi-year contract, but with his resources, Penske could probably pry him away pretty easily. It would be a shame for Sarah Fisher, but a compensation fee that help keeps her doors open might not be unwelcome. Perhaps he'll be able to thrive with Penske in a manner we never got to see Greg Moore do.
John from LA
RM: Page fell into disfavor with the Hulman/George family after The Split and I think that contributed to his transfer but he would be welcomed back by most people in the IndyCar paddock today. It’s a tough situation for Sarah because, as you said, if the money is good then how can she refuse it? But partner Wink Hartman is well oiled and a big Newgarden fan so maybe it would have to be insane money to orchestrate a buyout. I always thought Penske would go after Graham Rahal but he said he’s got his eye on Josef and that’s usually a good sign.
Q: In lieu of concerns over Marco's ability in IndyCar, consider the fact he’s pretty darn good on ovals, even though he struggles on road courses. Which is actually really funny considering his lineage. He does really well at Indy and should win one of these days. He has had victory snatched a couple of times, like the Michigan 400 in 2007 and Iowa this year. Cut him some slack. He'll get there!
Mark Reid
RM: I think the people who cover IndyCar on a regular basis have been more than fair and patient reporting on Marco but it’s kinda hard to ignore the fact his two teammates are kicking his ass every week on streets and road courses and he shows no sign of improving on them. He admitted last year he needed to change his approach in road racing but obviously he’s still searching for the technique.
Q: Ryan Briscoe's performance has been relatively uninspiring the past two seasons. I know he's had some rotten luck (getting punted this weekend on the last lap) but he hasn't won since 2010 and I can't think of any race this season, in which, he's really contended for a race win. I know he fits the Penske mold — clean cut, articulate, good looking, good head on his shoulders. I've also heard, and you would likely know for sure, that he is particularly close with The Captain on a personal level a la Rick Mears. However, the results have just plain not been there the past couple of years. With Power clearly the No. 1 driver, Castroneves always a threat to win Indy, and quality guys like Justin Wilson and Sebastian Bourdais likely available for 2013, I have to think Briscoe might be expendable at year's end. Any insight?
Brian Cirroccio
RM: If Ryan doesn’t crash leaving the pits at Motegi in 2009, he’s a champion and probably has a nice long-term deal with RP but, instead, he’s the annual odd man out at Penske. It’s true that finishing fifth and sixth in the points is not acceptable by Penske standards but Briscoe can still be as quick as anybody he just lacks consistency and some racing luck. Will he be replaced by Newgarden or does Seabass have a shot? That’s the main storyline for Silly Season right now.
Q: Everybody tends to agree that driving ovals and road circuits requires different skill sets. Does success on a street race take the same skills as a road circuit or is a different set of skills from oval and road racing required? I have not looked at the current 15-race IndyCar schedule but it seems that half of the races are on temporary street tracks.
Jaime Campos, Dallas, TX
RM: You’ve got to be more precise on a street circuit because of all the concrete but it’s the same skill set because the good road racers are also the guys always up front on street circuits.
~Robin Miller
Q: Can someone please, please tell the broadcasters that it is a nose, not a “front nose,” as in “they need to replace the front nose”… would one ever say “rear tail”? I swear this has gone on for decades. End rant!
Randall from Winters, CA
RM: You are correct sir. I made that stupid comment last year and Wally Dallenbach busted me (as he should have).
Q: OK, everyone, no more whining. You've got your American IndyCar star. Ryan Hunter-Reay proved in the last three races that he is the real deal: a young, good-looking American who climbed the ladder to success. Along the way he was part of nearly every available open-wheel series, including Barber Dodge, Toyota Atlantic, Champ Car, IRL and IndyCar. Although nearly overlooked a few years ago, he was persistent and landed a ride with Andretti. After two oval wins, he followed it up by winning Toronto, no small feat at the best of times. OK, his name is not Andretti or Rahal, but he is married to Robby Gordon's sister Beccy. You can't get any more of an American star than this, so enough about the winners in IndyCar always being foreigners.
Keith Hines
RM: Not sure it was whining as much as it was wishing or hoping for an American to break out (much like A.J. Allmendinger did in Champ Car in 2006) and grab the headlines, if not the championship. I know I’m always saying we need American stars to recapture the mainstream media and USA TODAY actually had RHR on its cover after Toronto. It’s a start.
Q: I am one of the many folks that are cheering for RHR. What I have noticed that similar to the careers of Mario, Dan G. etc. he has raced many other vehicles and I believe that has helped his driving. I think it would be beneficial for other young rookies to follow in his footsteps. Are their contractual agreements that stop them? What do you think?
Paul Erie, Pa
RM: Much like Power, Wilson, Servia, Tag, RHR drove and won in high-horsepower Champ Cars and I think that, more than anything, is the catalyst although Atlantics and sports cars helped as well. Lots of Indy car drivers have competed at Daytona and Sebring but one race a year isn’t that beneficial to shaping your diversity.
Q: Need to give some major kudos to Charlie Kimball. I think we all just viewed him as Graham's teammate with the big sponsorship, but the guy has five top 10s, including the Indy 500, and just got his first podium. Loved his attitude after the race when asked how it felt to be on the podium. He said it felt like it needed to start happening more and more.
Vince Williams
RM: Agreed. Charlie doesn’t look like the same driver as a year ago and it’s obvious his confidence and performance are both much improved. His two-car pass in Turn 3 at Toronto was superb and it’s cool to see such a nice kid make this kind of progress.
Q: In your last mailbag, you wrote: "The Captain might be looking at a 21-year-old rookie from Tennessee." Opinion, rumor, or fantasy?
Paul Carini
RM: I asked RP if he was interested in Josef and he said, yes they were “keeping an eye on him” so my impression is that bodes well for young Newgarden.
Q: I went to Toronto for the first time since 2001 and I must say I was very impressed with the changes made and general admission access was unreal. There were several more viewing areas that weren't previously available during the Champ Car era. Seabass' (or Sourpuss as I like to call him) comments after the race set a new low for him. I don't blame him for being upset but his comments were stunning. He has absolutely no shame in coming off like a whiny, snotty, condescending little twit. Will Power was pissed last year and this year but didn't come off like Sourpuss does. The TV announcers seemed stunned by his comments and Scott Goodyear was tremendous. He basically said Sourpuss was talking out his you know what before he knew the facts. My question is does anybody in the paddock (besides his engineer maybe) like him? I thought that maybe he would be a little more humble after getting his rear end handed to him in F1 but obviously he isn't. I'm sorry he's back and I can only hope he goes back to France after this year is over. Is there any hope of The Glen returning to the schedule?
Eric Zwirlein, Lancaster, NY
RM: I got on him quite a bit during his Champ Car reign but Seb has really been much more pleasant and upbeat in a much tougher situation. I think he’s won over a lot of people this season. When somebody sticks a mic in a driver’s face after he drove his butt off and was looking at a podium before getting knocked aside, of course he or she is going to be pissed and I don’t blame him for his comments. He hadn’t seen a replay so what was he supposed to think? No Glen in 2013.
Q: Paul Page is still employed by The Mouse doing NHRA, after calling both CART and the IRL. What's preventing him from coming back to IndyCar? If the network was unhappy with him, he would probably be employed elsewhere by now. If he was unhappy with the network, ditto. That leaves two possibilities — he's content with the drag races, and doesn't want to return, or somebody in the halls of IMS doesn't like him. Page got too excited at times ("whoa!") but he's still better than Reid and Goodyear. And with regard to Newgarden — he's had an uneven season, and made some rookie mistakes, but looks like the Real Deal. Ultimately, I think he might end up with a better career than Rahal and Andretti, neither of whom can seem to put it together consistently, and still show flashes of immaturity, despite being series vets. I can't imagine abuse over the radio all the time like Marco seems to do, and liking it. I've suspected Penske might have his eye on Newgarden; he fits Roger's mold, and you've now confirmed it. How soon do you think it might happen? I understand he's on a multi-year contract, but with his resources, Penske could probably pry him away pretty easily. It would be a shame for Sarah Fisher, but a compensation fee that help keeps her doors open might not be unwelcome. Perhaps he'll be able to thrive with Penske in a manner we never got to see Greg Moore do.
John from LA
RM: Page fell into disfavor with the Hulman/George family after The Split and I think that contributed to his transfer but he would be welcomed back by most people in the IndyCar paddock today. It’s a tough situation for Sarah because, as you said, if the money is good then how can she refuse it? But partner Wink Hartman is well oiled and a big Newgarden fan so maybe it would have to be insane money to orchestrate a buyout. I always thought Penske would go after Graham Rahal but he said he’s got his eye on Josef and that’s usually a good sign.
Q: In lieu of concerns over Marco's ability in IndyCar, consider the fact he’s pretty darn good on ovals, even though he struggles on road courses. Which is actually really funny considering his lineage. He does really well at Indy and should win one of these days. He has had victory snatched a couple of times, like the Michigan 400 in 2007 and Iowa this year. Cut him some slack. He'll get there!
Mark Reid
RM: I think the people who cover IndyCar on a regular basis have been more than fair and patient reporting on Marco but it’s kinda hard to ignore the fact his two teammates are kicking his ass every week on streets and road courses and he shows no sign of improving on them. He admitted last year he needed to change his approach in road racing but obviously he’s still searching for the technique.
Q: Ryan Briscoe's performance has been relatively uninspiring the past two seasons. I know he's had some rotten luck (getting punted this weekend on the last lap) but he hasn't won since 2010 and I can't think of any race this season, in which, he's really contended for a race win. I know he fits the Penske mold — clean cut, articulate, good looking, good head on his shoulders. I've also heard, and you would likely know for sure, that he is particularly close with The Captain on a personal level a la Rick Mears. However, the results have just plain not been there the past couple of years. With Power clearly the No. 1 driver, Castroneves always a threat to win Indy, and quality guys like Justin Wilson and Sebastian Bourdais likely available for 2013, I have to think Briscoe might be expendable at year's end. Any insight?
Brian Cirroccio
RM: If Ryan doesn’t crash leaving the pits at Motegi in 2009, he’s a champion and probably has a nice long-term deal with RP but, instead, he’s the annual odd man out at Penske. It’s true that finishing fifth and sixth in the points is not acceptable by Penske standards but Briscoe can still be as quick as anybody he just lacks consistency and some racing luck. Will he be replaced by Newgarden or does Seabass have a shot? That’s the main storyline for Silly Season right now.
Q: Everybody tends to agree that driving ovals and road circuits requires different skill sets. Does success on a street race take the same skills as a road circuit or is a different set of skills from oval and road racing required? I have not looked at the current 15-race IndyCar schedule but it seems that half of the races are on temporary street tracks.
Jaime Campos, Dallas, TX
RM: You’ve got to be more precise on a street circuit because of all the concrete but it’s the same skill set because the good road racers are also the guys always up front on street circuits.
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