The RACER Mailbag, February 21

Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers can be sent to mailbag@racer.com. We can’t guarantee that every letter will be published, but we’ll answer as many as we can. Published questions may be edited for length and clarity. Questions received after 3pm ET each Monday will appear the following week.

Q: I truly fear for the future of the Nashville race — its connection to downtown is crucial to the success. No matter how much shade was thrown about the dynamics of the race, the crowds were electrifying, it was a huge successful partying atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the perfect storm has set in. The Titans stadium rebuild, breakdown in management, (thank goodness for Scott Borchetta) and Nashville mayor — according to Scott, the mayor wanted to drag out three city council meetings (time consuming in a bad way), and not invest money into the race. This in my deranged mind sets the tone that this will be the last year for IndyCar in Nashville. Blessed be the fans in the future and time will tell.

Timothy S., Nashville, TN

MARSHALL PRUETT: All depends on how the Nashville Speedway event goes. If the stands are packed and there’s good energy felt by the teams and their sponsors, a stronger case will be made to return and continue at the Speedway.

From all of those I’ve spoken to from within the paddock, there’s no great sense of loss from a pure racing perspective; the loss described is focused on losing that downtown audience, the chance to make new fans who otherwise wouldn’t know or care about IndyCar if it isn’t dropped in their laps in a downtown setting and, to an equal degree, the loss of the sponsor entertainment that came with hosting them downtown all weekend.

As some teams have told me, they’re unable to get refunds on the hotel rooms, banquet halls, and whatever else they’ve paid up front to have and use to entertain their sponsors and partners in a big farewell bash to the season on Broadway.

What this change has done is kill the excitement held by IndyCar teams and those important guests they were readying to welcome downtown, and that’s a really bad look for all involved. Most of today’s teams raced at Nashville Speedway back in the day, and while it has its charms, it’s in the middle of nowhere.

The downtown-to-speedway change is going from ending its season in grand style at a party destination like Las Vegas and informing folks the event’s been moved to Reno.

We’re going to have to squint a little harder to see the Nashville skyline this year. Travis Hinkle/Penske Entertainment

Q: Loooong time reader, even looooonger time IndyCar fan. First time Mailbagger, however.

Seeing recent images of the current demolition of Fontana, it makes me mentally tally another one into the bin of old/defunct tracks from IndyCar’s history. It is, however, a good reminder that no matter how some IndyCar things seem to so doggedly resist change (despite all logic pointing another direction), some elements go yet we remain hopeful for their return. And yet others of IndyCar’s past go away and there is little to be done but accept that brutal fate, like the demolition of a track.

I tend to get somewhat wistful for those unique tracks that added their own color to the expansive palette of an IndyCar season that are no more (Langhorne, Trenton, Nazareth, Texas World). California seems especially harsh on IndyCar — Riverside, Ontario, now Fontana (and almost losing Laguna Seca a few years ago). I do fear we’re maybe less than a generation away from more permanent losses of unique tracks.

Other tracks are even not “lost” in the sense of destruction, but lost to the grip of NASCAR or similar ownership who seem to have an unspoken disdain/be anything but hospitable or supportive of IndyCar at their tracks.

I digress, I’m of an age where (it’s hurts to accept that) my opinion truly matters less all the time when looking for ways to attract the next generation of fans.

If that unrivaled versatility will be the raison d’être of IndyCar for the next generations, what tracks (current/long past,/recent past that could return) most make you shudder to think could go away permanently, never to be seen by future fans of IndyCar?

DZ

MP: If we look back at the huge rise and rapid demise of its street racing roster in the 1980s, the list of lost IndyCar and IMSA events, is long and sad.

Of the current events, I think of Long Beach, Road America, Toronto, and Mid-Ohio as the primary homes for IndyCar over a long period of time that would worry me if any fell through. Indy is Indy; without it, the series is toast, so I don’t think of it as an option for this topic. I’d add Texas to the list, but that’s gone at the moment and if we’re lucky, Milwaukee will be a winner and re-establish its place in IndyCar’s present and future.

Q: With news of David Malukas’s injury, I started thinking about how health insurance works in motorsport. Do teams need to provide health insurance to their employees?

Yael

MP: Drivers tend to be independent contractors whose services are hired through whatever LLC or S-Corp they set up, so with that in mind, drivers find and pay for their own insurance. Yes, most teams provide healthcare for their employees. It wasn’t always the case, but in recent years, with the hot market for crew members, strong benefits packages have become an enticement that can’t be overlooked.

Q: Just checked out your “A dumb idea that worked” and had to replay Colton Herta’s ride in his dad’s Reynard-Cosworth at Laguna Seca. What a sweet sound coupled with the visual of having to take your hand off the wheel to shift. The good old days!

I am old and not tech savvy, so here is my question slightly off the in-car camera subject. How do I capture that sound and turn it into a ringtone for my phone? Especially the downshifts into the Corkscrew.

Probably a simple task for today’s youngsters that get a computer on their second birthday.

Jeff, Colorado

MP: Glad you enjoyed it, Jeff. Last time I knew anything about ringtones, that Reynard-Cosworth was brand-new.

Q: Thanks so much for bring these helmet videos to our attention. As a long-time IndyCar fan and prior participant in driving schools, I think they are awesome. This experience is as close as a non-driver can likely get to the real thing.

This technology is a golden opportunity for Roger Penske and IndyCar to attract new fans. It also thrills us old guys.

PS: Any chance that Mid-Ohio will be widened and repaved in the near future, as it is my home track? Its full-field IMSA race is going to Indy, and I am worried about the long -term ability for it to attract hig- end racing. The IndyCar race seems safe for now, given Honda’s sponsorship and huge corporate commitment in Ohio.

Jeff Leisring, Dayton, OH

MP: Thanks, Jeff. The track was recently repaved. No widening.

Q: I’m reading last week’s Mailbag where you explain how a driver can push a paddle that will charge the hybrid on ovals. But the example stated reads that said driver would need to increase throttle from 90% to 97% to counter the braking effect of the charger while maintaining speed whilst charging the battery. I’m a bit of a simpleton when it comes to math and engineering, but does this mean that a driver would need to use more dinosaur juice to charge the gas-saving hybrid than he would have used had they not been charging a hybrid?

Shawn, MD

MP: Yep.

Q: I am taking the news about the change in the Nashville race with mixed feelings. The first year IndyCar raced on the Titans stadium circuit I organized a mini family reunion around it. This was 10 tickets sold — two to hardcore fans (including me), two casual fans, and five who were familiar with the 500 but had little interest in the series, its drivers, and so forth.

We all had a blast and returned the following year. Granted, my son and I were the only ones who took in most of the on-track action from Friday to Sunday, but it did raise interest in the event, series, etc., for all of them. While the racing isn’t always great on street circuits compared to the ovals, the overall street festival atmosphere takes on a life of its own, similar to Long Beach.

I’m not sure what the family interest will be this year regarding the Nashville Speedway, but we’re all native to the St. Louis area and my whole clan noted the Nashville race was so much fun compared to the race at Gateway. I know the purists miss the action at places like Milwaukee and Phoenix, but the street circuits do bring in new fans to replace those of us who are getting long in the tooth. I suspect the change in Nashville was a choice of moving or canceling and to that end, Penske’s people chose the best option. I hope it is successful and allows for multi-groove action.

On a lighter note, I caught a drift from a comment last week noting that I omitted referencing you in my new novel, “The Race Girl.” This was an absolute oversight, the same as my leaving Alex Rossi out. As you seem to be our flag bearer since Robin Miller passed, I catch each and every one of your articles. I’m sure you lost no sleep over it. Keep up the great work!

James Herbert Harrison, Overland Park, KS

MP: There’s been a fairly consistent drum beat from traditionalists who love ovals and hate streets who are really pleased about this change in Nashville, and I can’t argue against the notion that having another oval — and one to finish the season — could be a great development for IndyCar.

I also appreciate your acknowledgement of the loss that comes with moving away from a street race where the odds are much greater to make new fans. It leaves us with the time-honored conundrum of appeasing IndyCar’s base while doing little to expand that base. I’m excited to see what the Nashville Speedway event looks like when we get there, but I’ll be disappointed if it’s largely made up of pre-existing fans.

However they do it, the series and the promoter needs to stoke interest among those who might have been inclined to check out their first IndyCar race when it was happening downtown and get them out to the speedway.

I wasn’t kidding about the book; mentioning my monkey ass wasn’t going to sell an extra copy, so intentional or not, it was a wise decision!

Looks like the Nashville oval drew a decent crowd to see Gil de Ferran win the IRL race in 2003. Walt Kuhn/Motorsport Images

Q: Maybe it’s the Wisconsin beer talking but I have a crazy theory on why Nashville’s race was moved to the speedway.

Maybe all of this was planned out by Borchetta, IndyCar, Nashville, and Nashville Speedway. Maybe Nashville and IndyCar knew that the street course was doomed but at the same time Borchetta wanted to continue a race in Nashville. Suddenly we have Iowa hosting huge concerts on the same weekend as IndyCar races, and even with the higher prices, it worked! The people showed up and filled the oval and this was in the middle of nowhere Iowa!

Maybe Borchetta saw this and an idea came into his head. He has an oval not so faraway from Nashville, he owns Big Machine Music which has many famous artists, and he is also connected to IndyCar. Maybe Borchetta bought out the rest of the investors and fired the people so that he could take the power for himself to do whatever he wanted? Maybe he went up to Nashville, Nashville Speedway, and IndyCar and shared his idea of holding a larger than life concert at Nashville Speedway as part of IndyCar’s season finale?

This way Borchetta would have his race, Nashville would still gain finances due to the people going to the race, Penske would gain an oval, and the Speedway would have another huge event. Maybe they all agreed to disguising it as an alternative to the growing issues with the Nashville GP.

Penske would be happy since another oval would be added to the schedule, evening things out a little mor,e plus with a huge concert sponsored by Big Machine Music and being just 40 minutes from Nashville — the hype and turnout could be huge!

What do you think? Is this crazy or stupid? Both?

Ukyo Tachibana

MP: I want some of what you’re drinking, brother! The Music City GP was in trouble for a good while and it took Borchetta’s care and benevolence to save it. As much as I’d love to say this was all part of a master plan, nothing I’ve heard over the last month or so has suggested that’s the case.

Q: It shouldn’t be any surprise that Roger Penske is not fan-friendly. In 1990 I went to Indy for a few days during the first weekend of qualifying. We bought passes to the garage area. Every team (and there were a lot of them then) had their doors open with a rope in front, except Penske. His doors were always closed, and we never saw any of his drivers.

I remember watching the Patrick Alfa Romeo team working on a car when one of the guys lifted the rope and said to come in. Roberto Guerrero was there and acknowledged me. It’s things like this that is meaningful to fans, and keeps them as fans — something Roger Penske doesn’t seem to get.

Jim, Ontario, Canada

MP: The team has become warmer since this experience, Jim. I, too, recall how closed and unwelcoming they were in the era you reference. Today, many of its crew members, from the timing stands to pit lane, are among my favorite people in IndyCar.

Q: I have read reports that Honda is in talks to join NASCAR. What does this mean for IndyCar? What in the world is Roger Penske doing? Obviously the leadership is dropping the ball when it comes to manufacturers in the series. Clearly other series are more attractive than IndyCar.

David Tucker

MP: Yes, but that’s nothing new. What’s different is, for the first time since Honda joined the modern IndyCar Series — which it entered in 2003 when it was the Indy Racing League — it’s seriously considering whether it wants to continue after its contract is completed in 2026. It means IndyCar, if it wants to keep Honda, needs to work with Honda Racing Corporation US to address its concerns on costs and supply responsibilities to ensure HRC US stays.

Q: Great to see Nashville Superspeedway coming back as an IndyCar circuit. Hopefully it means for more Speedway Motorsports collaborations on more ovals! Will IndyCar be using the superspeedway aero setup on this track?

Justin

MP: That’s yet to be determined. Here’s the story we wrote last week about what’s to come.

Q: Why are so many IndyCar fans retirement age or older?

Kurt Perleberg

MP: An abundance of long-term fans without an ample replenishment of younger/newer fans. IndyCar was hugely popular in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and most of the 1990s. That produced a ton of new fans who’ve remained loyal followers. Its popularity fell off at a worrying rate when The Split and NASCAR’s rise occurred, and since then, as a distant second to NASCAR, the building of newer and younger fans hasn’t happened at the same rate.

Q: In last week’s Mailbag there was a great question from Glen of Renton, Wash., which you answered in great detail. Great question with a great answer. You left out some points of interest, though.

How much is the breaking effect of regeneration of the super-capacitor? How many Gs can it slow the car under full regeneration?

Doug Mayer

MP: The supercapacitor is the system’s battery, so it has no effect on braking and forces. It receives energy from and sends energy back to the motor generator unit, which is what connects with the transmission to harvest and slow or return and accelerate the car through rear tires.

I don’t yet know on the Gs.

Q: OK, if Mr. Penske has to have full-time participants in IndyCar get guaranteed spots in the 500, I’d suggest you have the fastest 33 cars qualify regardless of their IndyCar participation level. Then, if a full-schedule team is slower than those 33, just slot them into 34th, 35th or whatever spot after the fastest 33. Maybe with a one or two lap handicap.

I mean, it’s the exposure for sponsors and chance to win money that they’re after, so at least they’re in and should be penalized for not being the fastest 33! And I’d rather give up the 33-car tradition over the fastest 33 tradition.

Bill

MP: Here’s a dumb idea: When the first driver falls out of the Indy 500, the first driver who failed to qualify gets to enter the race, and so on, until all the DNQs get to play.

Or, maybe, we just do that crazy thing of only letting the teams who make it into a sport’s biggest event on merit go and take part in the race.

Guaranteed spots means less likelihood of late scrambles to squeeze in one more qualifying run. Booo. Phillip Abbott/Motorsport Images

Q: How do you measure a racetrack? I’ve wondered about this for a long time, but I’ve never found the answer. Do they measure the middle, or a set distance from the wall? I would think it’s measured using the optimal racing line because that’s where cars would normally drive.

Palmer, Indianapolis, IN

MP: There’s no single answer, but in most instances, it’s the racing line.

Q: I realize I’m in the minority on this. I understand that most people don’t pay attention to qualifying. I get that teams and sponsors commit millions of dollars to a season and missing the biggest race of the year is a major blow. I can completely get the logic that changes to qualifying formats or who makes the show don’t change race day viewership or enthusiasm. I’ll even set aside Indy 500 history and the fact that it has always (except for that one time) been the fastest 33 teams that showed up. However…

As a fan, some of the most exciting, thrilling, nail-biting, and heart-breaking moments have come from qualifying or trying to make the show. Prior to charters, the Gatorade Duels to make the Daytona 500 were always the best races. I never missed them and would record them while I was at school to watch when I got home. They were so intense, and it was so fun watching a little team or an unknown driver race their heart out and make the show.

Qualifying for the 2011 Indy 500 is another moment. Seven teams didn’t make the race, including two Andretti cars. It was excellent stuff. Kyle Kaiser making the show and bumping Fernando Alonso in 2019… an incredible moment that still gets talked about. Graham Rahal missing the race last year… what a storyline. From a marketing perspective, those moments of jubilation and tears are gold.

The air of desperation, the Hail Mary attempts, the crazy calls, the intense drives… those moments stand out as the best ones for me as a fan. When you take away those intense highs and lows from the equation, you really water down the product. With the Indy 500, if you’re going to lock in most of the field, you might as well axe the first week of practice, give them Wednesday and Thursday before race day to practice, turn Carb Day into qualifying day, and upend the whole thing.

Part of what makes Indy so special is the intensity that anyone could go home and perfection is required to make the show.

Ross Bynum

MP: Qualifying is one of the greatest parts of an IndyCar event. Period.

Q: Six ovals in the final eight races of 2024. Boy, Josef Newgarden must be licking his chops at that.

Vincent Michael, Richmond, VA

MP: Yep, and if his rivals want to have a chance, they’ll need to kick ass prior to those six, rack up a lot of points, and find something new or better to parry Newgarden’s expected awesomeness on those ovals.

Q: Guaranteed starting spots for the 500 is a non-starter for me and my family. This year will be my 30th 500. I am 54 years old and have spent more than half of my Memorial Day weekends at the track. If they make the repugnant decision to guarantee spots, it will be my last. I can save the thousands of dollars each year on just go fishing. IndyCar has been my life. I even named my son after a two-time 500 winner. Just stab your fans in the eye with a soldering iron and just end it now if you are going to manufacture a fake event.

Devin, Indianapolis. Potential lost fan forever.

MP: I’m with you, Devin. As I’ve written before, my first Indy 500 was in 1997 with a new team that wasn’t part of the 25 guaranteed entries, and we fought like hell, along with the other unprotected entries, to claim one of the eight available starting spots.

Our little Indy Lights team was really good, and we had a supremely brave driver in Greg Ray, so we got in the show, but it was a crappy feeling until we qualified.

If Roger Penske cares about his legacy at the Speedway, he might give his guaranteed-spot fixation some serious thought unless he wants to be remembered as Tony George 2.0.

Q: It’s good to know there are multiple big parties genuinely interested in IndyCar’s broadcast rights — it’s yet another sign of the small but very real growth that still too few old-schoolers want to admit is real. I admit I’ve gotten a chuckle out of the attempts to cast Fox’s interest as a bad thing.

But I have an actual question for you: In the lead-up to, and even more so in the mere hour it’s been since the story went up on RACER (at time of writing), there have been rumors going around that Fox is also interested in USAC Silver Crown to pad out its motorsports lineup even more. I can see it happening, as it makes sense for the same reasons they’d be interested in IndyCar, plus it hedges their bets on retaining oval fans.

But have you heard anything about this? Should we be putting any stock in the rumors at all, or did someone just get the new about Fox’s interest in IndyCar a little early and start throwing around some wishful thinking?

FormulaNotSponsoredByTheNetworkFox

MP: I haven’t heard the Silver Crown rumor, but that’s not in my circle of coverage, so that’s not a surprise. If we’re looking at networks that would be a perfect fit for a meat-and-potato form of racing like American short track, it’s FOX.

Q: I have some mixed emotions about our hometown Nashville race moving to the superspeedway, but I don’t think there could be a quality event downtown this year with the new and longer punch list. The biggest concern I have with the oval is, I believe they are using PJ1 or another resin product for the NASCAR events. Last year the track looked to have more than rubber on it for them. Do you know if they are using it here for NASCAR? If so, would Nashville’s concrete turn out better than the Texas pavement for IndyCar? IndyCar ran well here 15+ years ago and made me a fan.

Ricky, Springfield, TN

MP: I’ll have to ask on the traction compound. If it’s applied uniformly from top to bottom, it shouldn’t be an issue to interact with. The issue at Texas was its use only on the bottom lane, which left a worrying difference in in grip between the first and second lanes.

Dear NASCAR. Please don’t leave goop all over the track surface at Nashville. Signed, with love, IndyCar. Matt Thacker/Motorsport Images

Q: Since this is a forum for asking questions, I will present my thoughts on the question of guaranteed spots in the Indianapolis 500 as a question.

How about eliminating the limit of 33 starters? Other series have run races on the oval with more than 33 starters. How about, instead, only awarding championship points to full-season entries?

Also, how about only awarding championship points to full season regulars who are among the fastest 33 starters?

And, how about going back to first day qualifiers start in front of second day qualifiers?

This retains the need to be among the 33 fastest, rewarding full-time entrants who are among the fastest 33, but still guarantees any entrant can compete and even win the race, and provide sponsors with full value for their support.

Mark Wick

MP: I’ll throw one in: How about we hold a weekend of qualifying where the fastest 33 drivers get to compete in the Indy 500? And there are no guarantees going into qualifying for any of the entrants? I know, I’m crazy.

Q: The legacy of IMS and the Indy 500 would be eroded by a guaranteed field. You and others speak of increasing entries, but this makes it insignificant. No hybrid, museum closed to fans, and now a guaranteed field. Sounds like a NASCAR move. Double points or single points for Indy 500…more gimmicks.

Go back to the risk and the chance a Bobby Rahal, a Graham Rahal, or a Penske team can miss the show. Make bumping mean something again. Penske disappoints time and again. He doesn’t know how to run and promote and grow the series. And he certainly doesn’t respect what traditions made it the greatest race. Facebook has many loyal Indy 500 groups and fans who constantly post photos and memories of great cars, drivers, and special past years technology. Watering down the race is not what Tony Hulman or Eddie Rickenbacher would’ve done.