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.
If there's one person that doesn't care about being involved in the 'all-time' IndyCar wins debate, it's Scott Dixon. The humble Kiwi knows his winning record only applies to 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: Saying that Scott Dixon is the all time leader in wins in Indy Car is downright disrespectful to the greats of the sport. AJ, Mario, Rick etc…. Why Bob Jenkins does that with his love of the sport and history I don’t know? I do know this. The AJ’s , Rick’s , Unser’s and Andretti’s won those races when race cars where real race cars, When engines had real horsepower, when your “push to pass” was guts and putting your foot in the throttle, when you had to manage your tires, when at times the “driver had to carry the car “not the other way around. Not the watered down race cars that they have now.
Terry Gobble, Urbana Ill.
RM: I can assure you that Bob Jenkins is an old schooler who reveres the records of those legends and, yes, they were stars when Indy cars were beasts, with the most horsepower, no downforce or driver aids.
Q: Yes, we open wheel types grit our teeth over all the hype surrounding the new "winningest driver in Indycar history," but did you happen to catch the graphics on the Versus broadcast? Before the race, after showing Scott Dixon’s place among the "all-time winners," they very quietly put up a graphic showing the real list, A.J. on down. I almost got the sense that the announcers regretted having to push the IRL propaganda and were relieved to be able to clandestinely put the record straight. I just hope nobody got fired.
Eric, Colorado
RM: I think there's been enough public outcry on this subject that IndyCar understands it's important to honor the past right along with the present. As I've said many times, I have no problem with phrasing Dixon as the winningest driver since the IRL started in 1996, just don't try and pass him off as the all-time Indy-car winner. Them is fightin' words to quote AJ.
Q: What I really want to know is how Scott Dixon is able to be the leader 6+ seconds ahead of the pack, and still be “making fuel”. At Mid-Ohio he had something like three laps of fuel ahead of the car behind him. Is that tube coming out of his helmet a siphon for his secret pouch of ethanol? Is David Copperfield his spotter? Maybe he can help us out in the Middle East?
Curious Amy
RM: I was talking to Buddy Rice yesterday and he said he was watching Dixon cruise around in third place prior to the first round of pit stops, knowing he was saving a ton of fuel. Then he stayed out longer before pitting, got a great stop and suddenly Justin Wilson's 7-second advantage was a couple car lengths. But I like your theories.
Q: Several times now, including your recent article, I’ve heard rumors that Scott Dixon may end up with Gil de Ferran in a new Indycar team next year. I understand why Gil would want Dixon, but why would Dixon give up one of the 4 or 5 best seats in the series to move to a brand new team? Without a new car coming in the next couple of seasons, I can’t imagine de Ferran’s team will show any better than the old Champ Car teams did in their first year. Is Dixon getting pushed out of TCG?
Mark, Littleton, CO
RM: I said back in March on SPEED REPORT that Gil was going to field a car for Takuma Sato and Dixon, providing it was Scott's option on his contract which runs out in 2010. Chip Ganassi told me a few days later he didn't even bother calling me to argue because he's got Scott for one more year. But whenever Dixon is asked about leaving, he never rules it out so I'm not sure who has the option. But I do know this: Scott really enjoyed his ALMS time with de Ferran's team and he also says he wouldn't want to run against the Target team next season. Not sure we cleared anything up for you except that Dixon is not being forced out.
Q: I was wondering if you could explain why when Helio Castroneves spins into the gravel, but is back on the track in less than 30 seconds it cause three laps of full course caution, but late in the race when Graham Rahal does the same thing there is only a local yellow? These full course cautions on road courses for questionable reasons is one of the things I find frustrating when watching US open wheel racing. Why are there more full course cautions in just one IRL race then there is for an entire season of F1?
Disgusted Dave
RM: I guess the only explanation is that Barnhart must have assumed HCN was stuck, even though after watching replays, his car was only stationary for a couple seconds before he drove out. I'd call it a quick whistle.
Q: I know you've mentioned this several times before, but after watching the IRL race yesterday I feel it's worth being mentioned again. The current generation Indy cars look PAINFULLY slow on TV at a place like Mid-Ohio. How did the lap times this weekend compare to the P1 Acuras or even Atlantics? I'm going to guess that they are at least on par with the Dallara-Hondas. Does the brain trust at the IRL front office even take notice of this? When even my fiancé comments about how the cars look so much slower than the ones we saw at Long Beach last year, it's got to be obvious.
P.J., Los Angeles, CA
RM: Ryan Briscoe won the pole at 1:06.681 while Gil de Ferran's lap of 1:09.443 earned P1 in ALMS and Jonathan Summerton's 1:12.970 took the Atlantic pole. James Davison was on pole for Indy Lights at 1:14.86. Milk & Doughnuts would have started 10th in the ATLANTIC race with her blistering speed. But you are spot on, there's nothing that 200 more horsepower, a turbo and a completely new car wouldn't do to give Indy cars the proper makeover.
Q: Please give us your report on how the up & coming American drivers are doing this summer. Summerton, Daly, Whitt, Rossi, Hildebrand, Kimball, Bomarito, Edwards, Santos, Clauson, etc. Who have I missed? Continue to be their advocate. May they be blessed to have an open-wheel career.
Ralph, Indianapolis
RM: JR Hildebrand is leading the Indy Lights series and Edwards is second in Atlantics. Conor Daly ranks third in the Star Mazda series. Bomarito has no ride at the moment, which sucks, while Kimball is struggling with a mid-pack team in Lights. Bryan Clauson has won three of the last four USAC midget shows (including Belleville) plus an Indiana Sprint Week feature. Bobby Santos just captured the Silver Crown race at ORP and owns two midget wins in 2009 while Brad Sweet sits second in USAC midget points. Cole Whitt is third in USAC sprints with three wins and has a bunch of Ws in the weekly Indiana shows. Brad Kuhn leads the USAC midgets and Darren Hagan is third.
Q: It is so great to follow Tony Kanaan on twitter. He is hilarious and seems like such a great guy. Also seems that you two are good friends. It must be tough for you to watch him struggle and have to deal with someone like Marco. What is your advice to him? Does he express his frustration or does he act like everything is peachy?
Sam
RM: I think it goes without saying that TK is one of the best personalities in American motorsports and, judging by the reaction of people at the Fair the other night, he's got a recognition factor most open wheelers don't. He gets it, with the fans and media. My only advice to him was to sign with Ganassi but we all know how that ended.
Q: During a few races Marco was accused of blocking several drivers like Scott and Dario. Both of them verbally lashed out in interviews at Marco. I know that off track they are friendly with Marco. In these situations do drivers let these situations change their friendships? I am curious if they hold grudges or are able to let it go.
Oliver
RM: Most of the mature ones let it go, unless it becomes a pattern. Then you have to either park the culprit or smack him. Every now and then we get lucky and have a Tracy-Bourdais feud for a couple years.
Q: I have heard on broadcasts, vague reference to Robbie Buhl's owning one or more teams in IndyCar. What is his involvement with how ever many teams he's part of this year?
Dan McConochy, Venice, Florida
RM: Just has part of the IRL team to my knowledge.
Q: I'm cheering for Milka and I hope she does well, but how can she be driving out there four seconds a lap slower than everyone else. She's won in sports car racing so I expect her to be at lease competitive on road courses. The last two races, she has DNFs because of 'handling', but was she really black flagged because she was getting in everyone's way?
Steve, West Bloomfield, MI
RM: She was four seconds a lap slower than the driver in 20th position, she was 6-8 seconds slower than the leaders. She's never won anything, her co-drivers got so far ahead in sports cars she couldn't even lose the lead or they had enough time to get it back. She is hopeless on a road course and a hazard and has no business in an Indy car. I hope they parked her last Sunday.
Q: I was watching the race yesterday and I saw the leaders coming up on Milka for a second time and at first I thought that they were showing a replay when I realized they were putting her two laps down! How can they let a driver with such an erratic line who is 8 seconds off the pace stay out on the track. She has no business being in an Indycar. She should be paying her dues in Indy Lights or Atlantics before racing with the big boys. I also thought Danica's reaction to the incident with Conway was very professional. Is she taking Prozac or something?
Jim Doyle, Hoboken
RM: It's called CITGO and a lack of full-time cars. That's why she's allowed to degrade IndyCar racing. Do you know how hard the European racing media laughs at IndyCar for letting Charo into the field? Does it give you some idea of how easy it is to drive an Indy car on an oval at 85 percent? Danica went to Charm School over the winter and it's working.
