Yahoo Autos The RACER Mailbag, July 17
Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers can be sent to mailbag@racer.com. We love hearing your comments and opinions, but letters that include a question are more likely to be published. Questions received after 3pm ET each Monday will appear the following week.
Q: I’m hoping this is the most esoteric IndyCar hybrid question you’ll get. If the clutch paddle is now used for regen above approximately 50 mph, is there a way to override that in case a driver really does want to clutch in?
Of course this is very rare, but the situation that comes to mind is Rossi’s “clutch and coast” on the last lap of the 2016 Indy 500.
I also remember an F1 situation about 15 years ago when the seamless shift broke on Alonso’s Ferrari, and he had to clutch in to shift gears.
Brendan
MARSHALL PRUETT: Yes, drivers are able to override the system and use the clutch paddles as clutch paddles, rather than regen paddles, while on track.
Q: Can anything be done to make the racing at Iowa better? If you were IndyCar czar, what would you do, if anything, to change the racing?
Kyle
MP: Yes. More exhaustive testing of tire compounds and constructions to regain the right balance of degradation on the new high-grip track surface. That ratio was off last weekend, with the tires barely having any drop-off, and as a result, folks ran around single-file for most all of the laps after the first three or four laps on the start and restarts.
Q: There were several reports of people seeing Hailie Deegan at Iowa hanging around the Andretti NXT team. Was she just there as a fan, or is there interest in her joining the series? Hailie was touted as the next rising star in NASCAR but things didn’t work out. If IndyCar could steal her from NASCAR, it would help validate the appeal of NXT. What have you heard, or have you talked to Hailie or anyone at Andretti Global?
Dave W.
MP: Having Deegan in NXT would indeed be a big draw of attention to the series. The team told RACER, “We think she’s a great talent and look forward to seeing what opportunities could be ahead for her career.”
Most of her career has been oval-centric, which would place her at a big disadvantage in NXT where ovals are a minor part of the calendar, but Andretti is among the best in the country in developing young talent, so if they work something out, she’d be in the perfect farm system if NXT, compared to doing something in Andretti’s burgeoning presence in NASCAR, is where the relationship heads.
Deegan has gained some road course experience during her time in NASCAR’s Truck and Xfinity Series, but would still face a learning curve if she switched to Indy NXT. Motorsport Images
Q: Why Rossi was so off-speed that Robb ran over him? I didn’t hear anything about a problem with Rossi, and if there was an issue should he have gotten to the inside and out of the fast lane. Your take?
Jeff, Colorado
MP: From Rossi: “I’m not sure what exactly happened with the fuel load, but we had to go into a pretty crazy save mode there at the end. I think we were going to get there, but unfortunately there was an incident when I was beginning to lose fuel out of Turn 2 and it ended our day. It was very unfortunate, and I feel like we let two really good results get away from us. The cars were good, and I am just hoping Sting Ray is OK at this point.”
Race 2 winner Will Power’s last four laps on Sunday were 19.5s, 19.5s, 19.3s, and 19.5s
Rossi’s last five, in big fuel-saving mode, were 20.0s, 21.0s, 20.5, 22.1s, and 22.4s.
So, Rossi was definitely running slower, especially for the last two laps, but he was three seconds off of the leader, not crazy-slow at five or 10 seconds off the pace where other drivers were tripping over him.
What he was doing on the last lap was no different than what he’d done on the previous four, so if I put myself in his position, a change of behavior in exiting Turn 2 on the last lap wouldn’t have stood out as an urgent need.
As I understand it, and as he alluded, he ran out of fuel, which caused the sudden slowing, and with Sting Ray following at full speed directly behind, the slowing plus the close proximity of Robb created a really bad outcome before he could start steering to the left to get out of the way when his motor sputtered.
Q: Decades ago, Richard Childress, having had no real success behind the wheel, stopped racing and focused on ownership, resulting in major successes. Roger Penske was successful as driver, stopped racing and conquered the racing world. I think Ed Carpenter needs to do the same — his race results are disastrous, and business-wise his team is lacking sponsorship. What say you?
Jim Davis
MP: Ed told me last week that he will continue racing on the ovals next year, so it won’t happen in 2025. Having seen and enjoyed him as a threat for many years at every oval, it has been hard to watch the latest string of years where we often forget he’s in the race.
But if he’s finding joy or fulfillment from the outings, or if there’s a business need for some sponsors for him to be in the car, he wouldn’t be the first driver to continue in IndyCar beyond their prime. I watched it with Foyt, Rutherford and others, and while they were in a different league, it was their prerogative to keep racing after they lost the ability to win. Ed spends most of the season not racing, so I don’t see how retiring would make a meaningful change to the team’s finances.
Q: The left-turning nature of oval racing in the U.S. is commonly referenced in pop culture, social media, jokes, etc… Have there been any significant oval races run with right turns (clockwise)? Is there a historical reason why oval racing in the U.S. makes left turns (runs counter-clockwise)?
Adam
MP: Not sure if they’re as famous as Indy or Daytona, but ovals Down Under run clockwise. This is what the first item in a Google search tells us. [ED’s note: The information in the link is sort of correct, but a little out of date. The mighty Calder Park Thunderdome in Melbourne did indeed run clockwise back in the day, but has not hosted racing events in many years. Most of the track configurations at AIR (Adelaide International Raceway) run clockwise but as I understand it the half-mile ‘Speedway Super Bowl’ layout does not – MG.]
Q: Given Greg Moore’s fatal accident, shouldn’t IndyCar have listened to Jack Harvey and his team that he was in no way fit to drive in Iowa’s opening race? Harvey even went as far to say as much after turning a few laps in the race just to get Leaders Circle points.
His hand was forced by the series because IndyCar would not let reserve driver Conor Daly take his place. When a driver has a neck injury and can’t hold his head up, there’s a problem. Jack even said himself that he shouldn’t have been made to start Race 1.
IndyCar should have bent the rules about Conor having to have turn laps in practice in order to drive. I’m sure that the paddock would have been OK if he took a penalty of starting last.
According to Paul Page’s commentary at Fontana, CART’s medical team injected pain killers down to the bone before allowing Moore to race. While the speed differential is different, Harvey could have had a wreck or endangered other competitors.
Harvey said that he knew he was incapable of driving the car during a TV interview after turning a few laps in the race. When he had pain and difficulty turning his neck, IndyCar should have listened to him. Whatever happened to the “when in doubt, sit them out” rule?
IndyCar should have told Harvey that there was no way he would be able to participate prior to practice and had Daly step in. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t let Daly drive because he didn’t turn laps in practice. He’s no slouch on ovals or any track and doesn’t need a refresher. I’m sure he could adapt to hybrid technology, if that’s a reason.
David Colquitt
MP: I hear you on the reference to Greg Moore, but it’s not relevant to IndyCar in 2024 since nobody running the series today and nobody in IndyCar Medical was involved in running CART in 1999.
I spoke to Jack moments before Conor emerged from the Coyne transporter to get fitted to the car Saturday evening and was told he was going in. I believe the team then learned IndyCar Rule 4.3.3.1, which says a replacement driver cannot take part in the race without turning laps in the car, ended that plan, and put the onus on Harvey or the team to pull the plug.
When I spoke to Jack, who’d just come from IndyCar Medical and had Dr. Vaizer with him, he was unable to turn his head and speak to anybody who was outside of his immediate view. I was standing to his left, and when he went to speak to me, he had to rotate his entire body — square his shoulders to mine — because of his lack of mobility. It was alarming to see how much pain he was in a few hours after making those three qualifying runs, and how rigid he was from the waist up due to the back and neck problems he had.
It was bad enough for me to call a friend at the series and ask them to visit Jack and make sure what they saw in person matched the all-clear he was given by the medical team. Jack drove, which tells me the series was satisfied with the decision. I’m obviously not a doctor, and my opinion holds no weight, nor should it, but having spent many years of my life as a crew member and having worked with many injured drivers, my eyes told me this was a guy who needed to watch from the sidelines.
But again, that doesn’t mean my opinion was correct.
Jack drove and his fastest lap matched the laps eventual winner Scott McLaughlin was turning when he pulled in and retired. For the limited period he raced, Jack was able to perform, and perform well, so IndyCar Medical’s assessment was clearly accurate.
As for Daly, it doesn’t matter if he’s a veteran and great at Iowa. He hadn’t driven an IndyCar since May, had never driven on the newly-paved oval, and had no experience with the energy recovery system. This wasn’t about him or the team. That rule is in place for the rest of the drivers as much as the replacement driver. If I was in a car, I wouldn’t want someone with zero laps in a car at the first-ever hybrid oval IndyCar race in the field.
When the driver doesn’t want to get into the car, you know it’s serious. Geoffrey Miller/Motorsport Images
Q: How did Will Power only lose one position on his first pit stop under yellow?
Jeff, near Traverse City
MP: Short track, short pit lane, fast stop, while the field was going slow behind the pace car.
Q: Yeah, it’s clear the Iowa repave wrecked the racing for IndyCar. Not the point of my email.
How about another standing ovation for the aeroscreen? That design with the titanium hoop on top saved Kirkwood from a head and/or neck injury, possibly worse. Malukas giving the thumbs-up is also a great sign. The only better outcome would have been David walking to the care center. Again, the AMR safety team shows why they are the best in the business.
John
MP: And yet people continue to complain that it’s ugly, or should just be the halo without the PPG laminate, which has kept fast flying objects out of the cockpit since 2020.
Q: I wonder how many mechanics questioned their career choices after being put through the meat grinder in Iowa?
John, Seville, OH
MP: Moreso by the end of this week at the conclusion of three weeks in a row. Thankfully, some teams are planning on giving their crew a full week off afterwards.
Q: Despite being responsible for 80% of all on-track passing, Santino Ferrucci still finished outside the top 10. Was it strategy, pit wall or just race pace that kept him out?
Shawn, MD
MP: He dropped four spots on a pit stop, fell to 14th, but improved to 11th after the last-lap crash took out three drivers he was chasing.
Q: I’m not exactly IndyCar’s demographic, I’m old (Eddie Sachs was my godfather, that’s how old I am), but I’m still a fan who prefers ovals to road and street courses, though I do think the series is the most diverse racing on the planet…
I’m not all that impressed by the hybrid, it’s interesting technology but all I really care about is the close, competitive racing.
That aside, I’ve suddenly come into a lot of money thanks to hitting it big with the lottery and my wife foolishly said I can do whatever I want with my half of the winnings. And I think I want to start an IndyCar team.
To that end I figure it’ll take $16 million per season (I figure it’ll take five seasons to win the 500) to field a two-car team plus another $3 million or so for a third Indy-only entry…
So, my question is a simple one. Do I partner up with an established team like a Coyne (who seems to have an eye for talent), Dreyer & Reinbold, somebody else? Who to put in the seats — a veteran and some up-and-comer? Do I poach from another team — who? Who would be the team managee/strategist, the engineer? Names, please.
Do I do something really crazy like build an oval track someplace and hold events? Or really go out on a limb and build engines as a third engine supplier?
Ideas, suggestions? Thanks for humoring me.
Jake
MP: If you want to be successful on a short timeline, you buy into/partner with a team. If you’re more attracted to building and running something of your own — the personal adventure side, instead of a need to be immediately competitive — you’d build from the ground up, and depending on which of those directions you’d take, the answers on everything after varies.
IndyCar doesn’t allow independent engine suppliers, so you’d need to start Jake Motor Company, build a few cars, and then approach the series about becoming the third auto manufacturer to supply motors.
Q: It has been several years since I’ve written, but I can’t remain silent any longer after seeing one ridiculous situation after another at the Iowa IndyCar event this weekend. Why was Jack Harvey allowed to even get in a race car at Mid-Ohio or Iowa? Who’s responsible for such stupidity? Why was Ferrucci penalized for avoiding contact? Why was Armstrong black-flagged for a problem based in race control? Why are they using hybrid units that continually fail? (The qualifying session was an absolute embarrassment.)
I could go on, but my last question: What was Rossi thinking? He had been slowing for two laps — why was he anywhere near the racing line? Rossi should be fined and put on probation. Thank God Robb was not seriously injured, but a lot of cars were needlessly torn up.
I made a negative comment regarding Rossi’s driving on IndyCar’s YouTube channel and they deleted it! No criticism or negative comments allowed! After decades of watching and attending IndyCar races, I’m beginning to lose interest. Given their recent track record, I highly doubt IndyCar will address any of the issues mentioned above — or, issues that others have raised. IndyCar wants our attendance, viewership and money, but we’d better keep our damn mouths shut unless it’s positive.
I truly wonder if IndyCar realizes how bad they looked this weekend? They are seriously delusional if they don’t.
Mark, IN
MP: As soon as I’m done answering the last few questions, my next work is to put together a “What the hell just happened in Iowa?” story. It felt like “amateur hour,” as one team owner said to me Saturday night, and like “club racing,” as another vented on my drive into the track Sunday morning.
As for “why are they still using hybrids,” you do realize they’ve been racing with them for all of two weeks? And that new technologies rarely works perfectly when it’s introduced?
Q: The silly season is quite interesting this year, and a lot of driver seems to looking for a seat in IndyCar. What about Oliver Askew? I can’t understand how a driver like him can’t find a seat in IndyCar or IMSA. His rookie season was pretty decent (and we know how McLaren managed its drivers), his Formula E season was not so bad (Rookie of the Year) and he has learned a lot to use electric battery systems in a car.
Now he hasn’t had a drive in two years, it will be very difficult for him to perform in a one-day test. Have you heard anything about the possibility of seeing him behind a wheel next year in IndyCar or IMSA or elsewhere?
Yannick, France
MP: Of the many names I’ve heard mentioned, Askew’s has not been among them so far. Great kid. Unexplored potential. With so many newer talents to try, I fear the ship has sailed for OA in IndyCar.
Has helmet, will travel. Joe Skibinski/IMS Photo
Q: You have probably never been asked this question before, so here goes. I have been noticing over the last couple of years that the flag men are always wearing a helmet. Why? They are 30 feet or more above the track. I am not sure if they think they are going to fall or if they think a bird flying by might hit them.
Don, Grand Rapids, MI
MP: Debris, flying off of cars with broken parts, or off the tires.
Q: So, off the back of another awesome WEC clash in Sao Paulo and an IMSA battle at Mosport which I didn’t watch because No GTP No Party, I had a couple of questions:
The last Hypercar to show up built to ACO rules was Ferrari’s 499P, and every program announced or even rumored since has been an IMSA LMDh, except for the Aston Martin (which arguably isn’t a new car). In retrospect, did the ACO get the rules a little bit wrong and although the LMH is best at Le Mans, perhaps the sweet spot everyone really wanted was just the LMDh rules?
Also, even with 22 spots on the grid in WEC next year for Hypercars, the math for the ex-JOTA963s doesn’t really work since every brand needs to run two cars, so where would they find a home? Any chance we could see Proton or JDC expand to two cars next year in IMSA? Or could there be new entrants wanting to use those clearly competitive Porsches?
Duncan, Ottawa
MP: IMSA’s insistence on creating LMDh/GTP has certainly been appreciated by the bevy of manufacturers who’ve chosen it for the cost-control benefits. Here’s more from Graham Goodwin, who works alongside RACER’s WEC expert Stephen Kilbey:
“While plenty of teams have announced their intended programs in WEC for 2025, several have not yet done so. It is clear that there looks to be more potential for an expansion in customer cars in IMSA than in WEC next season, but don’t expect a massive uptick.
“If JOTA does dispense with the cars that they have been running, remember that they don’t necessarily own the cars — as with many top-class programs, cars are often owned by investors. At least one of the JOTA 963s falls into that category, so it’s future is determined not only by finding a team with the relevant seven-eight figure budget, but also by the wishes of the owner.”
Q: Would it be possible for Firestone to make tires that would be compatible with the coating used by NASCAR at Iowa? The priority needn’t be ultimate lap times, it would be to allow a second line.
Bill Branagh
MP: I’m sure Firestone could do anything it was asked. I just don’t know why it would in this instance because there’s no guarantee what type of traction goo might be used from year to year.
Q: Now that you’ve had some time to digest and talk to people around the IndyCar paddock, what are your feelings around the FOX deal starting next year? I think the main thing we all point to is the fact that all races will be on the FOX mothership. I don’t think people realize you can still buy an antenna and get broadcast channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, MyTV, etc.) for no additional subscription fee. You just have to be close enough to the broadcast towers, which is a challenge in rural communities. But overall, this is a great way to increase viewership.
I do have concerns about not having a streaming service linked to the IndyCar broadcasts. Even though Peacock garnered a lot of criticism from fans (much of it deserved), you could still subscribe to Peacock for a relatively low cost, get IndyCar plus EPL, Motocross, IMSA, NBC NFL broadcasts, Tour de France, and all a ton of NBC/Universal content. I know FOX is working on a joint venture with Disney, Warner and some others to get a sports streaming platform, but it hasn’t come to fruition yet. Broadcast is currently the biggest way to get viewers, but the streaming-only audience is only increasing.
I also wonder if you’ve been able to get any info on how FOX is approaching this new venture? Are they gearing up to promote and really take ownership as a broadcast partner? Having the races on FOX is great, but limits growth if FOX does it half-a**ed.
Tom, Greenwood, SC
MP: Owners continue to rave over the 17 races next year on network; I had one tell me last weekend that we in the media weren’t doing enough to draw attention to this fact, and I didn’t disagree.
We’re still waiting to see what gets announced for the streaming price with the VENU super-sports bundle that will include FOX. There’s been a ton of change already on the FOX Sports side with a lot of folks being released at the end of June, so I can’t say if and how FOX Sports will take IndyCar to the next level, but its CEO is a massive fan of IndyCar, and pursued the deal harder than any other broadcaster, and got the contract, so I’d look at that as an indicator of how serious they are about doing big things with its new racing property.
Q: A few things I was hoping you could clear up. Are IndyCar parts shortages still occurring? Also, I heard rumblings about a possible new IndyCar chassis around the end of the decade? I heard Lola is making open-wheel cars again!
Rob, Rochester, NY
MP: Yes, but not as bad as they were leading into the Indy 500. IndyCar has told its teams a new car is coming in 2027, but when I asked Penske’s Mark Miles about it a month or two ago, it was modified to happening as early as 2027. Lola is back, and ramping up. I hope it’s ready to bid for the project, but I have zero expectations for anyone other than Dallara to get another exclusive contract from the series. Dallara has been an excellent partner for IndyCar, dating back to its first model, the IR97, which I worked on back in the day and found its engineering and design and track support team to be an impressive bunch.
Q: What on earth is happening with Josef Newgarden this year? His performances seems to be really bad (apart from Indy 500), and he couldn’t even qualify in the top 10 in Iowa — a place where he can be dominant. Any insider info on what may be causing that? Honestly, I’m worried, especially now as he renewed his contract. Maybe a team change would do him good?
Szymon Kunda
MP: It has been a strange one. It’s also not uncommon for stars and champions alike to have an off year or two in the middle of their careers. Life gets more complicated, marriage happens, divorce happens, fatherhood happens, starting businesses happens, new teammates come in, the crew around you changes, and so on, and the years of being single and everything being simple and 100-percent focused on racing is gone.
Some of that is likely part of what Josef is processing and adapting to, and I can’t think of any top-tier driver who hasn’t taken a step back at some point and needed to figure out the way to get back to having most or all of that 100-percent focus back in their new and more complicated lives.
Unless it was a switch to Ganassi, he’d do himself harm by leaving Penske, which just won both Iowa races and took four of the six available podium spots.
A third and a seventh meant a decent points haul for Newgarden in Iowa. But at this stage in the season, was it enough to keep him in the championship fight? Joe Skibinski/IMS Photo
Q: Since 2022, Formula 1 and NASCAR’s Cup Series have elected to switch to 18-inch wheels, but the IndyCar Series will follow the trend in 2027 that coincide with an all-new chassis. Would 18-inch wheel rims change IndyCar for the better because of road relevance?
When will be the unveiling of Dallara’s new IR-27 IndyCar chassis from 2027 onwards? Will the all-new Dallara IR-27 car also featuring hydraulic power-steering and standard dampers from Penske?
Therius Oktavio
MP: Anything is possible. But the last time a wheel-size change was proposed, teams said no because they have huge inventories of the current wheels and it would be another vast expense they would need to absorb.
Q: This is more of a journalism question than a racing question. The words “icon,””legend” and “superstar” seem to be thrown around a lot lately. One recent example was prefacing Kenny Wallace with “NASCAR legend.” Mr. Wallace is a charming and engaging racer… but “legend”? What are your criteria for attaching these superlatives to any racer, past, present and future? Not everyone needs or deserves a label, do they?
Mike, Avon, IN
MP: I would hope it was presented in a sarcastic way. Those terms, if they’re being used seriously, are reserved for those who do not need to have a debate held to answer whether they’re an icon, legend, all-time great, and so on. Parnelli Jones is a perfect example. If we’re talking Indy 500s, he “only” won once. Takuma Sato is a two-time winner, so on the sliding scale of greatness and legends, Sato must be ahead of Parnelli, right? Not a chance. And that’s no disrespect to Taku.
But there’s also another component of being hailed as legendary, truly great, etc., and that’s time. Time in a few ways. There’s the time in years after your main achievements, which is where Sato might be regarded as a legends with more distance between his two wins and a point in the future where that added time has placed him in a different context.
There’s also the time side where if someone does something for a long time, the duration itself is used to hail them as a great, legends, etc. And then there’s the element of time where things that happened a long time ago is often regarded as being harder, tougher, and done by people who were better, somehow, because of when they did their thing.
And there can be some truth to that, but there’s also a lot of romanticism involved. As a photographer, I have some shooters from back in the day who are my heroes. Absolute legends, and that’s based on the artistry and creativity of their work. But there’s also a group of others, who shot in that same 1960s and ’70s period, who are lauded as legends and their work was less artistic and less creative. But because they were there and took in-focus shots of Porsche 917s or Eagle Indy cars, they, too, get the same Wallace-esque accolades.
So, just being there, for a long time, and failing to stand out among your peers, is a disqualifier for me when it comes to using 100-dollar words of praise.
Q: I’ve always assumed that practice and testing is controlled and limited by IndyCar, for the purposes of parity and safety. Assuming that is so, if a team wants to practice entering the pit box, stopping, engaging first gear, and exiting the pit box, is that something that can be done without limitation, either at team headquarters or elsewhere? Or is that exercise only allowed at official tests and on race weekends?
K. Campbell
MP: Other than setting limits on time with how long the sessions last, and how many sets of tires they can use for the event, IndyCar has no involvement in controlling any aspect of how teams conduct their sessions. For the sake of safety, IndyCar asks teams to hold off on doing hot pit stops on a random basis; at Iowa, for example, the 90-minute session on Friday was segmented where the end of the run was reserved for hot stops and teams were required to put on helmets for the sake of safety. Most teams have a pit-stop practice car they use at their shops. Most of the cars are highly regulated, but the rest of the series is fairly open. Parity is not a thing the series regulates.
Q: Big Possum has heard that Siegel’s dad paid Zak $16 million for the McLaren seat — could this be true?
Even Zak has a price — sad day for IndyCar, but it’s been coming for a long time. The haves are being pushed out by the have-mores. All of racing has become a dumping ground for rich kids — once Dixon, Power, Newgarden and Scottie Mac are gone, who will be left? There are no heroes anymore. Oh for the days of Foyt, Andretti, Rutherford, Uncle Bobby, Uncle Al, Little Al, Lloyd Ruby, Jigger Siros… I’m afraid that Dirt Sprint and Silver Crown is the only option for poor folks. Trey Osborne, for example. Big Possum weeps for the state of racing today.
Big Possum
MP: That’s one of the numbers being floated. I’ve heard a smaller number. As I wrote a moment ago, the “Everything was better back in the day” routine seems like an inevitable thing that comes with age. Most people fall in love with whatever it might be — a band, a sports team, or a driver — in their youth and carry that forward as the best-thing-ever. Racing will be fine, just as it was after the last generational shift, and the one before that, and the one before…
So far this year Siegel has missed four races, driven four different entries across three teams, and yet he still has a shot at finishing ahead of one or two full-season runners in the points. Josh Tons/Motorsport Images
Q: It is clear that with the lack of new cars, new 2.4L engines, and a few other things, that IndyCar revenue is barely covering costs for the teams and that is why new equipment has not come forward despite plans and prior announcements.
The new TV contract is worth a reported $25 million per year for just 17 races. The last contract was for a reported $20 million per year. This 25% increase really does not cover even the cost of inflation. It’s probably a regression, not an increase. How much longer can this financial situation continue without relief before the series begins to become insolvent? Are sanction fees the only way to raise more revenue? How long can the series last in its current state?
C. Kenneth Whitted, Avon, IN
MP: It’s all relative here. Profits from the Indianapolis 500 have fueled the IndyCar Series since it was devised as the Indy Racing League in 1996. The vast proceeds are what fueled the operations, prize money, etc.
As I’ve been told many times, since the track and series were purchased by Penske, a different approach to the accounting for IndyCar, no longer treating it as a business that it freely allowed to run at a loss and live off of Indy 500 profits, has been applied. It’s a great ambition to have, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make IndyCar stand on its own financially to maximize the profits from IMS. But it’s also a choice.
A growth in TV revenue is important for Penske. That’s a rumored $5 million more towards being in the black each year. But that money doesn’t go to the teams. So I’m less concerned about the solvency of the track and series and more worried about the midfield teams and lower, who are struggling — more now than ever — to raise upwards of $8 million per season to put each car on track.
Q: Just a thank you for the weekly Final Word from Robin Miller. Never gets old, and brings a smile to my face every time.
Vincent Martinez, South Pasadena, CA
MP: That idea sprang from Mailbag editor/RACER.com editor Mark Glendenning, who also selects the great photos and writes the captions.
Q: For more than 10 years, IndyCar has provided a spotter’s guide with mostly accurate radio frequency information for each driver. To my knowledge, there has not ever been the same info provided for Indy Lights or now Indy NXT. Why?
David, Waxhaw, NC
MP: Not enough staff or budget.
Q: As much as we like to complain about everything IndyCar, what I want most is more IndyCar! That being said, here are a couple possible solutions to IndyCar’s “problems” (because, like I said, we like to complain):
To alleviate the stacking that happens when drivers are trying to get a clear lap in practice or qualifying, why not institute a minimum lap time that is slow enough to be safe on cold tires, but not slow enough to allow the crawl before the alt start/finish?
Second, when a full course caution is needed, throw the flag immediately. Give the drivers three seconds (or whatever is reasonable) to engage the pit lane speed limiter, and close the pits only until the leader arrives, giving the leader first chance to pit. Once the leader has entered, or passed the pit entry, the pits would be open for everyone. his keeps the relative gaps until the pit cycle. The pace car would pick up the leader, and the rest of the field, at pit-out, whether or not they pitted.
These solutions seem obvious, but have never been utilized to my knowledge. Which means I’m probably missing something. What am I missing?
Tim Hubbel, Gypsy, OK
MP: Drivers stack up to get a clear full lap to give their teams a read on the tires. Adding more regulations and requiring minimum lap speeds defeats the need to find space. The current yellow procedure, minus the stupidly long pause like we had at Laguna Seca with Marcus Armstrong, tends to work. But if IndyCar wanted to try something for the sake of it, this might be one to consider.
Q: After reading both parts of the hybrid feature, I’m left with a couple of questions. The “drum” of the MGU is fixed to the crankshaft, and is probably pretty heavy. Since this has effectively added a second flywheel to the ICE, were any modifications made to offset the added rotational mass?
In the same vein, the larger brake disks add both unsprung weight and rotational mass. I have no frame of reference, but it would seem this should effect dampers, spring rates and possibly the force needed to steer without power steering. Were any of the suspension or steering components modified to support this? I’m thinking of the “everything is connected to everything else” bromide, and wondering how far down the chain a change like this has to be chased?
Eric Swan, Dallas, TX
MP: No offset to the rotating mass. No changes to the suspension with the brake package update. The harder tires for the hybrid, which weren’t used with the hybrid from March-June, was a big area of setup changes. And with the weight of the hybrid, there have been more changes, but so far, my race engineer friends tell me the hybrid-related setup tweaks haven’t been huge.
Q: Glad that things went well with the hybrid’s debut but tough to see Dixon out due to the early failure. I may have missed it, but I don’t remember seeing what happens at the beginning of a race or restart. Will there be a one lap delay in the availability of the hybrid power similar to P2P? Will it be disabled during rainy conditions?
There was much talk about the added weight of the hybrid system, but I don’t recall anyone saying that the center of gravity is now higher due to the mass of the capacitors at the top of the bellhousing and its increased height. Is that a noticeable problem?
Don Hopings, Cathedral City, CA
MP: ERS power is always available, provided the ESS is charged and the driver hasn’t burned their per-lap limit of energy use. So, assuming all are charged, all drivers would be on the ERS deploy button to start and restart each race.
The CG is slightly higher with that new 46.3-lb ESS sitting atop the MGU, but it’s nothing like the 50ish lbs the aeroscreen added higher up on top of the tub.
Q: Near the end of the race at Mid-Ohio, the booth mentioned how Canapino was on a fuel-saving run. Right near the end it seemed as though he ran out, although I later read that he had actually finished. I am wondering — if he was indeed on a fuel save, what new things might he and Juncos have been playing with in regard to the hybrid? Was he deploying the extra energy on those laps? I was surprised we didn’t see more gambles on fuel, say from a Dale Coyne.
And thanks to a fellow Seattleite, Michael, for a thoughtful letter last week. Racing is about moving forward, but I agree that Milwaukee should be about the history and stars of the old age. I do agree Rex Mays should get that race name back, but I liked Chris’s suggestion that it be named a “Classic” instead of “250.” I think the classic name is more legendary-sounding and fits Milwaukee as a classic oval.
Kristopher, Seattle (Wallingford neighborhood), WA
MP: There’s nothing about IndyCar’s ERS unit that will help to save fuel in any meaningful way. It adds power and torque on top of what the V6 turbos make.
Q: With the rules stability for GTP/Hypercar secured, when (if ever) might the Rolex 24 fans have hope to see the WEC Hypercar entrants at Daytona?
Andy R, Detroit, MI
MP: As soon as a Hypercar manufacturer wants to engage IMSA to do benchmarking of its car to compete against its GTPs. Heart of Racing is doing this, for a full-time IMSA campaign, so it’s not a WEC team coming over, but it is with the Aston Martin Valkyrie, and that’s amazing.
Q: I just read that Valteri Bottas may be on the radar screen at IndyCar if he does not land at Williams. Regarding your silly season analysis, is he on anyone’s radar? I think he’s one of the most underrated drivers, having beat Lewis Hamilton on his best days with the same car. I would love to see him on an oval.
Regarding Nolan Siegel, is he bringing any money to McLaren? It is interesting how many drivers are looking at IndyCar and how few seats there are. Rossi could certainly fit in at Ganassi or Penske if there is ever an opening.
Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ
MP: Haven’t heard a peep about Bottas. The team insists Siegel is not paying for the seat, which conflicts with what I’ve been told many times. The window for Rossi at Penske or Ganassi appears to have passed.
Hey, if Bottas can put something together with Juncos, he can bring his old firesuit and team gear. Just need to stitch a Chevy logo on somewhere. #thrifty Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Q: Clear this up for me, A “pay driver” has a bad connotation, in that we believe that driver to be someone that got their ride, not based off talent, but based off the money they bring to the team. However, don’t many drivers bring company sponsorship money with them? Wouldn’t a company typically invest in a driver with talent and thus be, what us fans determine to be, a deserving driver?
I’m sure there are also less-talented drivers that have special privileged relationships with companies, or, perhaps an entire country that funnels money to support a driver’s racing career.
Will Jeffery
MP: Yes, it’s a complicated affair. Without his family’s wealth that got him to Europe and on the road to F1, the world would have never known Ayrton Senna. Some kids come from wealth and that money is used to propel them upwards; Lance Stroll comes to mind. Then you have what we see in IndyCar with a David Malukas, whose family is a success in trucking, was able to fund him through his opening seasons in IndyCar, and as he looks to land his next full-time seat, it’s known that he needs to be hired and paid like all the other pros because the family funding is not longer part of the package.
Q: Are the stories being reported that Toyota will have an alliance with Haas F1 true?
We keep seeing these manufacturers rumored or confirmed to be going racing somewhere other than IndyCar. What is Roger Penske and IndyCar doing wrong? After all, he is the mighty Penske — people do what he wants.
David Tucker
CHRIS MEDLAND: In a word: Yes. My understanding is that the scale of it is still being worked on and some of the reporting around it has overstated its scope, but there is definitely work ongoing between Haas and Toyota.
There are plenty of directions it could take moving forward, but as a starting point, Toyota has a lot of highly-skilled personnel and some excellent facilities in Cologne. That could lead to the wind tunnel being used by Haas, or even future component construction, but the details have not yet been finalized. I’m hoping to be able to put a bit more meat on the bone for you this weekend in Budapest.
MP: Might be the 10th time we’ve answered this on the IndyCar side, but Penske had Toyota USA ready to join a few years ago, but a change of CEO right near the finish line killed the deal.
Q: This year, F1 has very one-sided teammate battles for Haas, Williams, Aston Martin and Red Bull. Red Bull’s junior team started out the year one-sided before Daniel Ricciardo turned his season around, and Sauber and Alpine haven’t been fast or consistent enough to compare.
Is having only four teams with teammate battles a low-water mark for modern F1?
Will, Indy
CM: The premise of your question is a really good one Will, but I’m going to pick a hole in the way you’ve asked it in a second…
Firstly, I don’t think it’s a lower water mark, I actually think it’s generally a sign of how competitive the sport is at the moment that tiny margins between teammates can lead to really big gaps in results because other cars are on very similar performance. You can’t afford to be 0.2s off like in the past — previously a pretty acceptable margin — because that’ll cost you four or five places in qualifying. The expectations now are for both drivers to be on exactly the same performance level.
Reliability is so good that you get to see far more comparisons over a race distance, and I reckon you’d be quite surprised that there are only four teams where the split is worse than 2:1 in terms of results, and one is at McLaren…
Red Bull (11-1), Haas (10-1), McLaren (9-3) and Williams (8-2) are the biggest gaps in that sense — discounting double DNFs — but with Oscar Piastri fairly regularly backing up Lando Norris in terms of being close in the finishing order, it feels grossly unfair to use that stat to suggest there’s a weakness in that lineup.
The bit I was going to pick you up on, though, was calling out Aston Martin’s pairing, because I think it’s fashionable to criticize Lance Stroll and it’s usually justified, but not right now. That’s the closest pairing on the grid in terms of qualifying results (Fernando Alonso leads 7-5), and is 8-4 in Alonso’s favor in races but Stroll’s form has picked up/Alonso’s dropped off and they sit ninth and 10th in the drivers’ standings.
I’d also still say you can compare drivers in slow or inconsistent cars, and feel the Alpine pair have been extremely closely matched — look how regularly in races they’re near each other — and Sauber’s haven’t been massively far apart either.
The only places I think there has been a concerning gap are at Red Bull, Haas and Williams, and even then we’ve seen Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant have strong moments that show the performance is there, they just can’t do it anywhere near consistently enough this year.
Q: I’m very happy that Sir Lewis won his 104th! Do the past two races really signal an upswing for Mercedes such that they will regularly be in the hunt with Red Bull and McLaren?
Also, Ferrari seem to have faded somewhat. Do you think that they will be clawing their way back?
Being an American, I had hoped that Sargeant would be more competitive. It seems entirely possible that he will be replaced, perhaps as early as mid-season. Since Antonelli is off the board and also quite possibly Sainz, who are now the front-runners?
Don Hopings, Cathedral City, CA
CM: Taking them in order, Don: Yes, I think Mercedes will regularly be in the hunt. The car is much more competitive now, has upgrades coming for the next two races and has two drivers capable of winning multiple races. Plus the reset in development time means Mercedes was fourth in the standings at the end of June and has an advantage on that front over Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren.
Ferrari’s an interesting case, because everything was going so well, including with developments. But the upgrades introduced in Spain have created a bouncing problem that needs addressing. The team managed to respond really well in a similar situation last year (Zandvoort was the turning point) and I expect that experience will help it resolve the current issues quickly too. But it might have set it back a little compared to the top three.
While Carlos Sainz would never have been an option for Williams mid-season, someone like Liam Lawson potentially could have been, but there might be movement at Red Bull that rules him out. The only other experienced driver who would be a genuine upgrade and you could see being available this year is Esteban Ocon, but I’d be surprised if Alpine felt it was better off promoting rookie Jack Doohan mid-season given how strong Ocon’s performances are.
Other than that, you really are looking at Antonelli or Mick Schumacher, but given neither are racing in F1 this year they aren’t certainties to deliver a clear improvement over the remaining 12 rounds if they need time to get comfortable within the team.
Williams has made no secret of the fact that it wants Sargeant to come out of the shadows and match Albon more consistently, but the scarcity of viable replacements might be enough to ensure that he retains his seat for the rest of the season. Sam Bloxham/Motorsport Images
Q: After the death of Dale Earnhardt there were significant changes made to racing in the name of safety. The HANS device quickly became mandatory, and we saw the SAFER barrier installed at all of the NASCAR tracks within a few short years. Now that John Force has had what is likely a career-ending crash, maybe it’s time for the NHRA to require the SAFER barrier at the tracks they race at.
Also, why isn’t there some sort of safety device that automatically deploys the parachutes during a catastrophic engine explosion?
Finally, would it be possible for the NHRA to change from tube frame cars to those similar to IndyCar? One where the driver sits inside a carbon fiber safety cell where the suspension and engine components are built around it? I’m hoping like everyone that Force can recover and enjoy retirement with his family and grandkids. Here’s hoping the NHRA takes a long look at his crash and asks if they can do better for the drivers.
Rick Schneider, Charlotte, NC
KELLY CRANDALL: Yes, there is the technology for the parachutes to deploy. But when the explosion happened in Force’s car, it seems that system was compromised. NHRA has been investigating the crash (I am still waiting to hear from them on details) but I’ve heard that what they found with regard to the parachutes has already been discussed with John Force Racing and other teams. The same will be done as the investigation comes to a close if there are any other findings that need to be shared with the teams or updates made to the cars.
Q: Given the severity of John Force’s crash, is the NHRA looking into installing SAFER barriers?
Bob Crosby, Charlotte, NC
KC: The conversation around SAFER barriers for NHRA is not a new one, but it comes down to the practical application of such technology in a sport of such high speeds, maintenance for tracks that are used by more than just NHRA, as well as the costs. I don’t think it’s impossible for NHRA tracks to have SAFER barriers but there seems to be a lot more involved than just installing them and going forward.
Q: What is Hailie Deegan going to race in now since she is only 23? Will she race again?
Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY
KC: Deegan’s next steps are unknown. Deegan has some backing and some Ford support, so I would imagine the next decision needs to be evaluating where works best to place her. It’s very easy to push a driver forward and ruin their career because it doesn’t develop as expected. Deegan does have talent but she needs to be surrounded by drivers and peers she can learn from, while also having the right resources.
Q: While we see similar titles for personnel across IndyCar, F1, NASCAR and IMSA (race engineer, performance engineer, data engineer, etc.) I’m curious about how the positions compare functionally across disciplines. Can you all share some light on that?
Don Hopings, Cathedral City, CA
KC: The race engineer is all about the data and vehicle performance. They are going to help the team with analyzing what the data is saying, the car setup and translating that to race simulation. NASCAR has become so much about data over the years, with testing going away, that engineers are even more important. So, the design and development of systems that are going to help the car perform is going to be key. And you’ll also notice that NASCAR went through a stretch where a lot of individuals being named crew chief have an engineering background.
Q: Why isn’t Smokey Yunick in the NASCAR Hall of Fame? Are the Frances still blocking him, and if so why after all these years? He was a genius — the only chief mechanic to win the Daytona 500 and Indy 500, I think.
John, DE
KC: There is no clear answer on that, only theories as you mentioned. I don’t think anything will ever be acknowledged publicly if there is something to the France family’s feelings about Yunick. He has never been nominated for the Hall of Fame.
THE FINAL WORD
From Robin Miller’s Mailbag, July 13, 2016
Q: What is your favorite Carl Haas story?
David, Waxhaw, NC
ROBIN MILLER: It’s everyone’s favorite. He accidentally blessed Bobby Rahal’s car before a race at Mid-Ohio (it was red just like Mario’s) and Rahal won. Carl was depressed for a month.
