Q: There were 5 female drivers (17%) of the 29 total drivers in the last Saturday’s Indy Car race at Chicagoland Speedway. Granted, four of them deserve to be there and one didn’t, but that shouldn’t tarnish the fact that four (almost five) female drivers raced in a top level auto racing event. No other major racing series in the world can even come close to that. My question is two-fold: Why doesn’t the Indy Car Series and pundits make a bigger deal out of that? It would seem a great marketing opportunity and maybe a chance to get more female fans. Or is it simply a sign that the end of the world is near?

Mike Hickman, Beech Grove, IN

RM: I think they try to make a splash about their distaff corps but, other than Danica, there's not much national advertising exposure. And even though there are five women, the national media only cares about winners and Simona has been a great story but not on a national level. And, yes, the end is near.

Q: While I know that Sarah took the lead at Chicago through pit strategy, I was truly impressed with her ability to remain in second place until she finally needed to pit. Does she have the skill (and perhaps equally important, the motivation) to compete up front on a regular basis if she was with a top team? Will her efforts result in larger sponsorship money next year?

Steve McNeil, Westerville, OH

RM: I think her motivation is to keep her own team, grow it and hire a good young firebreather to run the whole season. She's got a good start with Dollar General.

Q: I know Danica's marketable (a pretty face sells), but she's not making an impact on Indy car racing for someone whose been racing as long as she has. The female driver to watch is Simona De Silvestro and driver Ana Beatriz is not too far behind. I think Simona made more of an impact than Danica ever did in her rookie year and she's continuing to improve. Why aren't we hearing more of how well Simona is doing in the series?

George Wise

RM: I did a feature on her for SPEED REPORT and wrote a commentary on SPEED.com but the main problem is that IndyCar gets so little attention from the national media. SPEED is the ONLY television outlet for Indy cars on a weekly basis (and sports cars, sprint cars, midgets, modifieds, etc.) and The Indy Star is the only newspaper that covers the series fulltime.

Q: I will never understand the need for more American drivers in Indycar.
I want the best, not the best Americans. Perhaps it’s because I got into racing as a sports car fan and in particular IMSA not NASCAR. I’ve been a diehard Indycar fan since 1987 when I attended my first race. I’m as American as you can be but for some reason I’ve never cared what country my favorite drivers are from. What is wrong with me?

Tom Ritchey

RM: The heyday of CART featured Emmo, Mansell, Zanardi, Montoya, de Ferran, etc. but there were also 10 good Americans in the lineup and that's why attendance, TV numbers and media interest flourished. If Marco, Graham, RHR and Danica were on the best team and winning, a lot more people would be interested -- fans to media.

Q: The problem is simple. Most Americans do not want to watch a bunch of non-American drivers in cookie cutter cars all with the same engine, also non American. Since Ford left the series I NEVER watch Indy cars. This new league needs more AMERICAN involvement. Racing without passing, manufacturer rivalries and drivers with foreign names makes for very boring racing. I know there are a few American drivers but they are forced to drive Honda powered cars. When the 3500 lb NASCAR racers have a faster average race speed at the Indy track than the cars designed to go there (every year since NASCAR’s invasion) that is a sad commentary on the state of Indy car.

D. Judster

RM: Indy cars are still the fastest at IMS but your critique is shared by many of the people who gave up and quit watching Indy cars. Randy Bernard is talking to GM and Ford so maybe some day.....

Q: I used to go to the Michigan 500 every year. We always made a weekend of it, pit passes, radios, etc. Back when Cheever was driving for Ganassi, Eddie came on the radio and just ripped on the car about how the handling changed from bad to worse over a fuel run. He went on and on. Chip’s response was “Just drive the car Eddie”. And Eddie replied, “Ok”. The rest of the race the only radio chatter was “Pit next lap” and “Ok”. Eddie did not drive for Chip the next season.

Kevin Kovach, Allen Park, MI

RM: Zanardi and Montoya always spoke their mind to Chip on the radio and I imagine Dario and Dixon just tune him out.

Q: I'm headed up to Mosport for the ALMS race this weekend and it occurred to me how awesome it would be if Indy cars raced on this track. I mean that would really separate the men from the boy and girls wouldn't it? I think they could do this and still keep Toronto, the difference is Mosport attracts hard core race fans and Toronto is something for people who live in the city to do on the weekend if they're board. Last year’s ALMS race at Mosport did 75,000 for the weekend, I doubt if the Toronto Indy was close, I could see 100,000 plus at Mosport for a Indy race. My question is, has anyone ever seriously considered this before? Watkins Glen is cool, but Road America and Mosport should be on the schedule. Am I missing something here?

Doug Lovegrove

RM: USAC and Indy cars raced at Mosport in the late '60s but the feeling is that the track isn't safe enough for Indy cars nowadays. It's a great circuit and there could be five IndyCar races in Canada (Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton and Mosport) and that would be fine with most of the drivers and teams.

Q: I wonder what you think about these nominations for the Worst Driver
HOF? Many had a lot of $$ or daddy's $$ Dick Simon - he could finish 14th for his team, or Penske's, or Foyt's, or...Larry McCoy, Salt Walther, Al Loquasto, Ed Crombie - Though the Crombie Zombies were problematic
Brian Till. Ed Miller - 1976 Thermo King. Was he a 'pay to play' driver before his spectacular wreck? Bill Tempero, Ross Davis, Tom Frantz, Ed Finley, Jack Owens, Ken Nichols, Frank Weiss.

Scott Fendley

RM: Till and Nichols don't belong in that group, both were good racers, and Fast Eddie was the Super Vee champion who nearly landed in the tunnel.

Q: I guess I just don't get it... I went to two CART street races, and they were less than satisfying. If it weren't for paddock area access, I wouldn't have wasted my money and time. One great moment was running into Mario and chatting with him, out by the motor homes. What a genuinely nice man, and true ambassador of the sport. But that had nothing to do with the street racing itself...So it's zoom, zoom for 1-200 yards on average, then around the next corner and they're gone. That's it? Same thing on TV, multiplied - just brief snapshots of different sections...By contrast, I also made it to a couple of Laguna Seca CART races. GREAT times! Sit up on the hill where you can see all the action from Turn 2 around and up the hill to Turn 6. Then pop over the hill and watch the craziness happening at the corkscrew! And I saw plenty of passing, but they weren't driving those anemic INDYCAR wannabees...So Laguna Seca is tighter than almost all the street courses? What about runoff areas? I don't think so - Laguna Seca wins easily. I'll stick with ALMS and F1.

Roger, The Colony, TX

RM: The attendance for CART/Champ Car plummeted at Laguna Seca and it wasn't all because of the track but don't forget that Max Papis started last once and never passed a car and won the race on some lucky strategy. It needs a straightaway and a braking zone and things would be fine.

Q: I see the TGBB must have told the drivers at Sonoma that the pole-sitter has a right to lead the first lap and that everybody must be single file BEFORE the flagstand. That start was a disgrace. The yellow should've flown almost instantly! Yeah I know it basically did after Wheldon ended up on his head, but this asinine notion that the cars should get in line helped to contribute to the accident. The cars should've been lined back up and Power should've been told to bring them down slower, 2x2. This jumping on the throttle out of the last turn and mashing it is bullshit running up to the green for the START of the race. The flagman needs smacked upside the head too. He needs to help control the pace. It's a simple process for the flagger to hold out his hand like almost like a stop sign until the field is lined up properly, then throw the green. I see it weekly on local dirt tracks. Barnhart crap is totally unfair to the cars near the back. Brainfart must go. Thankfully Tony Cotman is handling the 2012 stuff. At least there's hope in the future.

Scott St. Clair, Erie, PA

RM: Have you been listening to me and my buddies at our Tuesday night dinners? That's exactly what we all say (and everybody raced something) because the drivers will always jump the start and take off when they know that's what TGBB wants. Last Saturday night at Joliet was also a joke.

Q: Scrap the beginning of 2011 until Indy. Right now publish dimensions, of a car. IE, the box, nothing shall protrude this plane, etc. Ht, Width, Length. 4 wheels. Weight 1500lbs with driver. MxV=F, thus mitigate cars leaving the track through the catch fence. Regarding safety, well, its racing right? I'm sure there is someone that can make a true safety cell to withstand side impacts etc. The engine mfg can choose from several fuels, gasoline, diesel and ethanol. You can run turbo 4's, and 6's. v8's through v12's have to be normally aspirated. Flex wings....sure, adjustable ride height, why not? Crazy manifold pressure? Go for it. Sick RPM's? lets hear it. To prevent catastrophe, fairings in front and rear of tires to keep the cars from the dreaded wheel interlock. Beef up the catch fence. Also, and I don't know why they dont do this now. The front wing and rear wing are mounted with a shaft at the leading edge of the wing on a hinge. The trailing edge of the wing rests on an adjustment post.(this wing surface can rotate about this axle) My theory is this, if a car pitches nose up, the wings maintain aerodynamic trail, there will be reduced surface area from both wings, thus reducing a "pitch and flip" accident. On the underside or tray, mount spoilers, (obviously in aerodynamic trail, flush to the surface area) so that if the car does pitch up, when low pressure is created by the car flipping up/over etc, they extend, kill lift and keep the car with in the confines of the track. Wheel tethers of course! Now, let the engineers go to work. Open Indy May 1, run, test etc...may the best man / car win. This whole ordeal is so messed up, let innovation come back and make it what it is supposed to be. Run the rest of the season after Indy. I know the time frame isn't realistic, but man, my idea is far better than what the hell is going on now. I told you, this ICONIC thing was/is bad news. Randy et al needed to talk to the fans, engineers and historians. The parade we watch weekly is pathetic at best. Knowing I can dream....

Chip (no relation to Ganassi)

RM: Time is the enemy, along with the economy.

Q: I just read Pruett’s “Can’t We All Just Get Along?” article and to say it is depressing is an understatement. The current state of American Open Wheel racing has hit a new low. For years now open wheel racing has been about ownership and power. From TG to Penske to Ganassi all have forgotten this is a sport! Indy Car or whatever flavor of the month they want to call themselves, have a leader who is not a motor racing fan and probably doesn’t understand it. TG fancied himself as another Bernie E. (like we need that) and the teams on the grid owners seem only interested in bullying everyone else. I will tell what is needed… STOP racing now. Figure out just why folks are in this sport to begin with. Find out why people even race. Answer that then maybe just maybe some kind of rules package and corresponding engine package can be determined. If the parties involve answer is they are there to make money there in lies the problem. Come on people this used to be fun. From my stand point the recent race in Chicagoland was terrible. It was not just dangerous but it was unnecessary risk. I’m sorry racing thoroughbreds (and I am being generous calling those crap buckets thoroughbreds) are not meant to be raced on banked ovals in close formation just buying their time till someone goes flying off into the grand stands. Cookie Cutter tracks need to be dropped. Temporary circuits need room (think Edmonton) and the rules should encourage cars to be racey on circuits like Road America. The essence of racing can be found at Indy, Road America. No oval should be allowed - with Indy the sole exception. Get back to true racing roots and start the rebuild process now. This will take a long time and needs to be allowed that time to grow. Expecting things to turn around in a couple of years based on a few committees and profit seeking car owners is not the way forward. Sort it now otherwise just go and race in NASCAR because that is what open wheel racing is fast becoming in this country.

Kevin Driver, Riverside. CA.

RM: A "we don't need no stinkin' ovals" rant.

Q: As a long time supporter of Indycar racing, I've been to a lot of events, CART, IRL, Indycar, I'm almost to the point where I'm sick of the BS and ready to walk away. This might sound petty, but I'm sick of getting fee'd to death by these tracks and promoters. Convenience fees, ticket fees, printing fees, . . . I'm about done with all of it. Anymore, there is a ticket price and that jumps by $10-$30 by the time you get done checking out. If promoters and tracks can't be transparent with the cost of the ticket, I'm about done attending in person. It would be nice to know that the sanctioning body would sit down with these damn promoters and explain to them that these types of policies just flat out piss people off. I got charged damn near $25 to print my own tickets to the St. Pete race this year on my own personal printer and paper, that convenience fee was very convenient. Just bought 3 KY tickets at $80 a piece and I got dinged $13.50 in convenience fees and another $3.25 for a $.44 stamp to get them to my house. It's sad that stupid crap like this is going to push me to the limit of attending the Indy 500 and nothing else. I understand these guys are in it to make a profit, that's fine and dandy, put a price on a ticket, have it include tax and call it a day. Second item on the list, which idiot in the 2010 scheduling department decided that scheduling the finale the same day as the Petit Le Mans was a good idea. I would venture to say that the audience for Indycar racing shares a good number of folks with the audience for Sportscar racing. Throw in the fact that for the last several years that Audi and Peugeot have turned this into their yearend battle ground, and you have a recipe for an Indycar loser. I can promise you one thing, when I have to weigh the value of 4 days of sportscars and support races in my backyard, vs. a plane ticket, car, and ticket for a two race one day Miami/Homestead finale, that's not even a contest. So Indycar and their brilliant scheduling for 2010 can expect 30 - 2 people in the stands this year at the finale, cause I'll be enjoying 4 days worth of technology and speed in my backyard.

Mark Lauman, Atlanta, GA

BTW, I'm convinced, you're right, after the start this week we need standing starts on the road courses, I wish we could keep the tradition of rolling starts in AOWR, but it's clear that with the current management and drivers, we are completely unable to start a race properly.

RM: A thoughtful rant on ticket gouging.

Q: OK, after Tony George finally completed his destruction and went away, I thought 2010 was going to be The Year I got interested in IndyCar again... But it doesn't seem to be happening. The confusing qualifying format, those dreadful starts, that strange "blocking" rule, push-to-pass, Danica still thinking she's hot (she's OK, but she's not that hot), different championships, the endless hype and promotion, the way those cars sound on TV, the outright scare of that Delta Wing thing, what is the series called anyway... It's just not working for me. Let's just call this the IGL - Indy Gimmick League.

Steve, Indianapolis

RM: The short, to the point, end of the Mailbag rant.

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

Robin Miller became an Indy-car junkie in late 1950s and stooged for his hero, Jim Hurtubise, at the 1968 Indy 500. He went on to work as a vent man and board man on Indy pit crews from 1971-77. Miller bought a Formula Ford from Andy Granatelli in 1972 and raced it in SCCA until 1974 when he purchased a midget from Gary Bettenhausen, competing in the USAC midget series from 1975-82.

Robin flunked out of Ball State College in 1968 and began working at The Indianapolis Star sports department in 1969, covered motorsports there from 1969-2000.

In addition to his broadcast work. Miller's also covered IndyCar racing for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver and On Track magazines over the past 35 years.