Robin Miller's Mailbag for November 26

IndyCar

Robin Miller’s Mailbag for November 26

Everything from the real meaning of DEFCON to USAC going road-course racing...

Robin Miller | Posted November 26, 2008 Indianapolis, Ind.

So long, corn: the IRL's new ethanol-supplying deal is for sugarcane-based fuel. (LAT Photo)

Hello open wheel types and thanks for all your questions. I intend to answer your questions every week during the season, so just e-mail them to openwheelmailbag@gmail.com. Don’t feel left out if I didn’t directly respond. I appreciate your interest and passion.

~Robin Miller

Q: Having served under dear old Curtis E. LeMay during the height of the cold war, 1955-1959, riding shotgun in the rear of one of his B-52s, I became very knowledgeable on the DEFCON alert codes. In reading your article on the IRL I think you meant DEFCON 2 or 1, as DEFCON 5 is the condition used to designate normal military readiness, where 2 is referred to as an increase in readiness right below maximum readiness which is where DEFCON 1 falls. I would agree with you though, that if TG doesn't pull his head out of his a** (my words) he will surely be lost. He has an opportune time right now with a few of the F1 engine manufactures after losing both North American F1 races and getting very little exposure here or in Canada. They spend in the hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars a year I would think they would listen to him about returning to the open wheel series here, but first he has to get a better chassis to run their engines in, and hopefully a better looking body design. I have been a huge fan of open wheel racing since 1951 and hate to see what has happened to it.

Dr. Dick

RM: Thanks for that clarification about the degrees of DEFCON (is it any wonder I never got a Cub Scout medal?) and I guess it's between DEFCON 2-3 right now. Like I said, I understand Tony's reluctance to prop up teams but with this economy and the dominoes that have already fallen, it's a must he gives some kind of cash infusion, be it starting money or purses or both. Audi coming will be a nice addition and if Porsche or Alfa would join them, it's a good start.

Q: As a man who has a deep love for American open wheel racing, how can you continually suggest Tony George cut back the month of May? I understand times are rough in terms of financial support for teams and the series as a whole, yet the month of May is our only connection to what made championship racing and the Speedway a special time in our hearts. I love Indianapolis more than anything in this world, as I am convinced you do as well, so how would diminishing the month to one week help to promote the series? If anything, the month of May should be more heavily promoted, and celebrated with a high focus on the tradition of what May means to auto racing. Lets face it, Indy is the ace in our sleeve, everybody involved with the IndyCar series (especially television partners) should do whatever is possible to make the sports world turn towards 16th and Georgetown Road during this magical month. By the way, I save up my vacation time at work all year to go to Indy at least twice a week during the month, and I live two hours away!

Nick Walters, Champaign, Ill.

RM: The reality is that Indy hasn't been Indy since 1995 and, until the car count climbs and the economics of IndyCar improves, a reduced schedule makes perfect sense. Nobody comes to practice or qualifying, it costs the teams lots of money to be there a month and I doubt if VERSUS' coverage is going to have a lot of people glued to the tube. And don't forget the month was reduced back in the late '90s after ESPN showed daily practice (and there was one car on track every hour). It would be great to see 65 cars, lots of bumping and some track records but that's not going to happen.

Q: I enjoyed your November 20 article "Riding the Crisis. Here's one more idea to help during lean times: Invite the fans to test days. Yes we will pay to come to a test day. Perhaps not all of us – but some. A test day would not have the draw of a race. However, there are many people within a geographic region around a track that would take advantage. Has it been tried before and failed?

Bernie

RM: I believe the open tests have always been open to the public and it's a good idea but IndyCar needs to make sure it tests at tracks where it actually competes. Testing at Laguna Seca or Houston MSP doesn't do IndyCar any good if it isn't racing there. A combo media day and fan appreciation would be good and admission should be free. Open wheel needs to win back fans.

Q: I just saw the announcement that the IRL is going to partner with a Brazilian company to supply ethanol to the IRL. So let me see if I've got this right... they've decided that in an effort not to rely on foreign oil, they're going to rely on foreign corn? What a slap in the face to all the people in this country who make the raw materials and distill the booze that goes into those cars...Wait, I guess that wasn't a question. Keep up the good work. I'm still mad that nobody ever told me there was a strip joint next door to the Speedway!

Sean, Huntington Beach, Calif.

RM: The IRL spin is that it's simply changing brands but I know from all my emails in Iowa that's not how people are looking at it. It was weird, here you have Ethanol dropping sponsorship of Rahal Letterman and the IRL puts out a press release about its new partnership with a Brazilian company. I'm not real bright but I believe there's a distinct difference between sugar cane (which is the raw material of Brazilian ethanol) and corn. The Wild Cherry is the gentleman's club you speak and I'll always have fond memories – it's where I met my third wife.

Page 1 of 5

12 3 4 5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robin Miller

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR

INDYCAR: Series Stands Firm On Lotus Boost Level For Indy
The two cars with Lotus engines are woefully under-powered and they…
MILLER: Help Or Heave Lotus At Indy?
There's some major hand wringing going on right now about Lotus,…
INDYCAR: Miller’s Mailbag, 5.17
Always genuine, never lite: It's Miller time. Here's the latest Q&A…