Here are some random observations and opinions after Indy while wondering if Humpy Wheeler could really do a better job of promoting IndyCar than Gene Simmons...
Why let one of the most popular drivers in the IndyCar Series celebrate to the thrill of the fans at home and in the grandstands when you can try and ruin Helio's "Spiderman" tradition, asks Miller. (Getty)
Here are some random observations and opinions while wondering if Humpy Wheeler could really do a better job of promoting IndyCar than Gene Simmons:
*** Brian Barnhart, the control freak in Race Control, mindlessly tried to stop Helio Castroneves from climbing the fence after his storybook third victory. According to those who listened to his radio transmission (and there were many), IndyCar's president of competition was screaming and ordering Castroneves to drive to victory lane and not stop on the track to climb the fence.
Barnhart sent IndyCar's security chief Charles Burns and a couple of yellow shirts onto the track to make Helio stay in his car and the fans who saw what was happening began booing. Thankfully, Burns backed off and Spiderman crawled out of his car and ascended the fence as the paying customers roared their approval.
Castroneves climbing the fence is not only his trademark, it's his right and, trust me on this one, ABC wanted him to do what he did as much as the crowd. Trying to spoil that moment is idiotic and makes absolutely no sense on any level.
But Barnhart tries to micromanage everything from the racing to pit stops to victory celebrations. He's been out of control ever since Tony George gave him way too much power. His non-stop yelling on the radio during a race to "give me 20 good laps" or demanding drivers not to run so close together is borderline insanity. Can you imagine Harlan Fengler saying something like that to A.J. or Parnelli or Mario?
Barnhart's job is to police the race, not script it and not try to influence it. Instead of worrying about Castoneves climbing the fence, he should work on the start of the Indy 500, which again was a joke Sunday. It's supposed to be 11 rows of three, the most breathtaking sight in motorsports, not some strung-out mess that sucks all the drama out of the moment.
If Castroneves got fined $50,000 for accelerating too early, then maybe he wouldn't do it. The second start was worse than the first one, which was waved off, and the drivers were also told by BB they should hold their position in Turn 1.
HOLD YOUR POSITION? This is the freaking Indy 500. Yeah, too bad nobody was around to tell Lloyd Ruby not to dive down to the grass or order Johnny Rutherford to fall into line instead of charging to the outside in Turn 1.
How did it come to this? A guy who never turned a lap of competition in anything trying to tell drivers in a marquee series how to react at 200 mph? Or suggesting they "spread out" when they're trying to beat each other in the biggest race of the year? Or asking them not to run side-by-side on the first lap?
Other than calling penalties (which he didn't do Sunday despite some nasty chop blocks), Barnhart shouldn't be seen or heard except in the driver's meeting or after the race. But his ego won't allow that.
So it's way past time for George to move Barnhart out of Race Control.
Being chief steward is a tough, thankless job and it requires common sense, integrity, composure and that rare ability to play no favorites. The only guy I've seen with those credentials in the past 20 years is Tony Cotman.
Cotman doesn't care about being quoted, getting face time on television or orchestrating the competition. He knows it's not about him, he's just the referee. And he's already on the IndyCar payroll.
*** The only passing at the front came on restarts and, coupled with the 61 laps of caution, made for a pretty boring race. Spec cars and engines, plus the Firestone tires that never seem to go off, have made overtaking damn near impossible. The drivers say they need more grip.
*** Hard to imagine Dario Franchitti, Will Power and Dixon all losing a chance at victory in the pits -- where Ganassi and Penske always excel.
*** If that was Danica Patrick's last Indy 500 before she gets swept into the NASCAR Money Machine, she drove another good race. Since that miscue in the north short chute in 2005 that created a small chain reaction crash, the GO DADDY girl hasn't put a wheel wrong at Indianapolis. And she didn't inherit third place on fuel strategy, she earned it.
*** Roy Black and David Garvin, the two high-powered and expensive attorneys who represented Castroneves in his tax evasion case, were celebrating with the newest three-time winner in victory lane. Hope his share of the purse covers some of their bill.
*** Townsend Bell had the drive of the day, coming from 24th to fourth in his first race since last year's Indy 500 and a tip of the hat to his KV Racing crew for excellent pit work.
*** There were still a bunch of empty seats on the front straight, in Turn 3 and the short chute but the crowd looked better than a year ago.
*** At 36, Alex Tagliani became the first rookie of the year who didn't qualify as he drove a fine race and finished 11th after starting last. Hope Conquest Racing made enough money to pay him, Bruno Junquiera (who qualified the car) and keep going in 2009.
*** There were only 11 Americans in this year's race (lowest number ever) and that's got to change.
*** If Power, who was running a strong second and all over Castroneves before losing all that track position with a long pit stop, would have won the race would The Captain have him in a car this weekend?
*** Oriol Servia had an excellent run going (he'd moved from 26th to 10th) before being sidelined in the Rahal/Letterman DAFCA entry and Tomas Scheckter also did a nice job after charging from 26th to 12th.
*** Paul Tracy's car went to $&@* after he ran over some debris from Tony Kanaan's crash and it knocked a hole in the nose and underwing. He had the GEICO car up to fourth at one point.
*** Before he ran out of brains and ran over Vitor Meira, Raphael Matos ran a damn fine race for Luczo/Dragon -- sitting in fourth place and gaining before a terrible pit stop dropped him back to 20th.
*** Worst thing about Milwaukee: All those racers like Power, Scheckter, Servia, Bell and Tracy don't have a ride. Neither does Buddy Rice.
*** Do you think NASCAR wonders if Helio got "The Call?"
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.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator
and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
