INDYCAR: Miller's Mailbag, 9.27

IndyCar

INDYCAR: Miller’s Mailbag, 9.27

This isn’t the traditional Mailbag in that I won’t have any responses – this is a sampling of the reader’s unedited thoughts on the 2012 season.

Robin Miller | Posted September 27, 2012

Most contributors to this week's Mailbag came away feeling pleased about the 2012 season. (Photo: LAT)

This isn’t the traditional Mailbag in that I won’t have any responses – this is a sampling of the reader’s thoughts on the 2012 IZOD IndyCar series – unedited and appreciated. And the majority of you agreed it was a helluva season. The regular Mailbag returns next week so email me at to ask questions.

Thanks, Robin.

Comment: This year I waited till the season concluded before I made any decisions on the new car, races, events etc., before I would write to you. Here's the short of it. Randy Bernard is the man! The fact that owners were/are looking to oust him floors me. I understand costs, costs suck, but it’s a developmental year and things like this are going to happen. It takes time to tailor budgets and teams will adjust I'm sure. However, the audacity that these owners think that buying the series just to toss Randy is the way to go is absolutely unconscionable! These owners couldn't be more full of themselves if they shoved their entire leg down their collective throats!

Kudos to Mr. Barfield too...what a great job. Owns up to his mistakes and always keeps safety first and foremost but most importantly lets the drivers race! Hard to believe that some couldn't understand the pace car leading the pack out of Turn 4 at Indy is the only way to go.

Regarding the cars, in speedway trim they look good, no more no less. Like the way the rear wing looks integrated into the "Kardashians." As far as the racing, it was the best racing to watch all year. Not F1, not tin tops, ALMS; none were better. I hope race fans understand this and will recognize it for what it is. I thought the drivers did a great job policing themselves and showed restraint when necessary and aggression when it could work, uh, save for Tags.

To the fans who said this season stunk, well they really don't remember how bad it was. More horsepower, less wing better racing. Crank up the boost, shrink the wings in the dryer and let 'em go.

Chip Stetson

Comment: I just find it funny more than anything. Is this the same group you used to talk about when you covered CART/Champ Car?

I personally have always felt open wheel fans hurt themselves more than anything via their attitudes. I grew up following NASCAR and CART. Many a Sunday was spent with my dad flipping between both races if they happened to be on at the same time. There was also a standing rule that no Indianapolis or Daytona 500 was to ever be missed. Now that I have more time on my hands and a little more money I travel to several races a year. I get to Indy during the month of May, KY for Cup (used to for IndyCar), and pick a track or two I have never been to for both. I went to Barber in April (great experience) and will be in Talladega in a couple of weeks.

What blows my mind is some of the mindset that I encounter in IndyCar, especially among the internet community. I was tugged in both directions during the split. I didn't agree totally with both sides and always felt it was more of a pissing contest that went back to a time before I was born, of course you know far more than I the back story to it all being around it and inside it as long as you have. To me there is finally something to build on under one sanctioning body, why piss all over that?

Take what we have and enjoy it. When you talk to Randy Bernard, Beaux, or any of the drivers please send them this message from me. This has been the best season I have seen in a long while.

The racing was exactly as I thought it would be once they let the wing out (would love a bit more horsepower), the championship race was excellent, and the Indy 500 was the thrilling to see from my seats on the front stretch. This is something to build on and usual I can't wait for May to roll around so I can sit in my perch in turn two for Pole Day and in the paddock for the race. If Pocono gets on the schedule I think I might bypass Milwaukee and go there for one of extra tracks trips.

William Bledsoe

Comment: Please pass on one more fan's thanks to Randy Bernard, Beaux Barfield and Will Phillips. Those guys really listen to the fans---what a difference from the old regime. They've fixed a lot of things that were wrong with IndyCar racing. Now here's one more I'd like to see them fix: Some races get distorted by too many full-course yellows (as in, "He went from 13th to 3rd because they got lucky with a full-course yellow").

And how many races has Will Power lost because he got unlucky with a full-course yellow? On road courses, how about doing like Formula One--- if the wrecked car is off course and not in a particularly dangerous spot, use a local yellow. And try to arrange it that wrecked cars can be moved to a safe spot quickly so you don't have to go to a full-course yellow.

I, too, am a traditionalist, and I, too, have no problem at all with the red flag near the end of the Fontana race. Another good call by IndyCar leadership.

Steve from T-burg

Comment: I know you’ve received many messages echoing what I’m about to say, but I just wanted to articulate how proud I am of IndyCar for this past season. As you know, it was a pivotal year – one that could’ve made or broken the series. Even as passionate about and loyal to open-wheel racing as I have been for 30 years, I was a bit concerned about how this season would play out. What transpired, though, was nothing short of spectacular!

New cars that were racier than expected, one of the best 500s ever, the end of pack racing, passing on road and street circuits, sanity in race control (for the most part), fantastic television coverage (excluding you know who), a season-long championship battle, and an American champion. What more could an IndyCar fan ask for?! I’m so excited about next year and the years to come, and can finally say with confidence that AOWR is beginning to scratch its way back onto the sporting radar. Well done, ladies and gentlemen (and Miller), and keep up the fantastic work. See you at IMS, Houston, and TMS - and hopefully the Big Easy in 2014!

Daniel Pratt, New Orleans, Louisiana

Comment: I am super bummed to see Will lose again, but it was his championship to lose. Ryan earned his title the hard way and he deserves it. However the real winner has been IndyCar. It's been an amazing season and I hope the naysayers have been shut up. This season has had a little bit of everything. Have there been bumps along the way? Oh yeah. But I think at the end of the day Randy Bernard, Beaux Barfield, and the entire Indy Car team put on a hell of a show.

Indy Car needs to start the 2013 schedule earlier so we can get back to it!!! And I know that everyone is impressed that RHR is sticking with Andretti out of loyalty, but has anyone considered that maybe Andretti Autosport is the better team right now? I mean they DID just beat Penske to a championship and that certainly says something. Obviously Roger and the boys won't be taking that lying down, but there were a few years not that long ago that an Andretti car was the one to have in IndyCar. I think RHR made the right move and it definitely benefits the series to have multiple top-tier teams fighting it out.

Also, who was the last owner/driver to win an IndyCar race before Ed Carpenter pulled it off Sunday night? (Adrian Fernandez) It's a shame the title fight stole the headlines because Ed not only one his second race in as many years, but he did it in a commanding way and as his own owner. I hope more sponsors start looking Ed's way because the man is doing it the hardest way possible. As a final note, I was not a Bob Jenkins fan, but I will miss him calling the races. Best of luck to Bob in retirement.

Please tell us Paul Page is going to be filling Bob's seat!

David Zipf

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