Welcome to the racer’s mail bag. Any questions from the racer writer are: mailbag@racer.com. We love hearing your comments and opinions, but letters containing questions are likely to be published. Any questions received every Monday after 3pm will be saved the following week.
Q: The race in Iowa was better than expected, and the crowd was much worse. Will I be able to return to the Wednesday/Thursday night doubleheader, which will be held under the lights next year with the network audience following the MLB All-Star Game?
And Brownsburg, intwo
Marshall Pruett: Indy Card Reams Field. I’m all in on this. And then play a single race and make it special. If that doesn’t work, you won’t do anything.
Q: Have you been reporting an engine replacement in a place where fans can see it? It will be interesting to see when the team replaced the engine or had to replace it.
Do you know if Willpower had to get a new Iowa engine? After he got out of the Mid-Ohio race, we saw the Chevy guys in the garage really watching his engine.
Craig
MP: Chevy and Honda Supply Indycar are built/rebuilt and ready to use, so there is a list of engines available, and Indycar randomly picks them and tells Chevy/Honda to send that motor to the team in need. Indycar will check your serial number so that the contents of the car match what you said to put in your car.
Power has got a fresh engine for Iowa.
Q: I think Scott McLaughlin has what he needs to become an IndyCar series champion. If that happens, it will make him the champion of two different Top Tier Series. How many – and who could pull it off?
Sean, Maryland
MP: It’s strange to see so many unreasonable errors in his fifth season. He was the pre-season pick for the title. Of those who come to mind recently, Simon Pagenault won the 2010 ALMS Prototype Championship and the 2016 IndyCar title. Juan Pablo Montoya also won the 1999 Kurt Indy Car Championship and the 2019 IMSA DPI Championship. I’m sure there are other ones too.
Q: Towards the end of Saturday’s Iowa race, I just heard that Chevrolet is telling all Chevrolet teams not to use the offensive mode setting. I don’t think Chevy has anything to say about this. Do you think they saw the data that made the engine worried about providing?
Craig
MP: Right in Chevrolet who has a consistent policy about not talking about such things. If you don’t know what the message is or what the message is, and yes, the manufacturer asks the team not to do anything, there is usually a reason for that.
Q: I saw Iowa Race 1. There are some interesting storylines (Pensuke’s revival, first victory in 2025, Chevrolet running ahead of time), but the empty grandstand is total embarrassment.
The threatening weather was certainly a factor, but how did they go from selling out to this catastrophe so quickly? Did Hy-Vee hand out tickets a few years ago? Did the prices of ridiculous tickets at concerts kick people out forever? Has single lane races caused massive indifference? I’m assuming some combination of them, which is an unacceptable humiliation.
There must be a solution for this amazing facility and great fans. Maybe one race, and Saturday or Sunday night (not late afternoon)? There will be a race in Knoxville this weekend, but it will likely have better attendance. Can Penske Entertainment benefit from title sponsors who can sell open wheel weekends on both trucks? Obviously they go with someone who offers money to sponsor the race, but IndyCar clearly failed badly as a promoter here. Something has worked out in the recent past.
Tom Pate, Macomb, Michigan
MP: I’ve seen a place where popular bands lose their recording contracts with major labels and return on smaller labels – or they start their own labels. That’s what we just saw at Iowa Speedway after Hy-Vee brought co-promoters, sponsors, marketing forces and great musical acts.
There will always be a decline in attendance as Penske Entertainment as the sole promoter and with the exception of its vast reach and resources, Hy-Vee was willing to commit. Then, taking into account last year’s cruelly bad race, attendance has been reduced slightly – none of the giant country’s actions and post-Malone crossover categories, with two 275 lap opportunities, you have a recipe that creates many empty stands last weekend.
Saturday’s race was not a sustainable thriller, but it got better as it went on, and the second lane was revealed to many drivers as something that could be used to pass. Sunday showed life in most contests, unlike the crazy great Iowa of the past.
If Sunday’s Iowa race could improve slightly, it’s well worth going back, but the sparse crowd is just stubborn. The driver, who leads 242 laps on Saturday, doesn’t know if they need to consider that New Garden and Parow, who leads 194 of the 275 on Sunday, has plunged out in casual fans with a surprising run and has seen the race at Fox, so they don’t know if the event’s visuals aren’t worth attending widely.
Last year’s doubleheader was also considered a musical act, and we had two bad concerts. If I’m a complete follower of a band and didn’t care if the concert was bad or not, how would the average person respond if I heard the same band go back to two more concerts? I think most people pass by.
If IndyCar drives the past and no one is in the grandstand to hear it, does it still make a sound? Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: It’s no secret that IndyCar has basically little or no interest in anything other than four events. 500, Road America, Long Beach, and Mid-Ohio. I rarely attend the rest of the races. People want more ovals, but no one has appeared yet. I’m all double the Road America and Mid-Ohio Round to have people show up and keep their schedules inside their teens. How will the series survive without people in the stands?
I’m interested in Colorado
MP: I cannot agree with the initial statement, but I will not argue for a larger point than you point out. IndyCar has exhausted a new way of saying that he can’t continue racing where people rarely show up, not while they are in the long-term rebuilding process, but it also faces the issue of not having enough new tracks to visit new tracks to solve the low certification problem. If you’re sure Road Americas and Mid-Ohios can attract a large crowd of two people twice a year, it makes your idea something to consider.
Q: I finished watching Race 1 from Iowa. It was an interesting race that showed the quality of the races the series offers. But the crowds were beyond the saddest. In fact, it’s embarrassing. I don’t know what the answer is, but no non-indy ovals are sold for the series. Design new cars that can safely compete on existing road courses such as Road Atlanta, Mosport, and VIR, hopefully find a few more streets and leave the eggs to Indy.
Michael Veretta, Ilderton, Ontario, Canada
MP: Milwaukee had a revival last year and had an impressive crowd. Nashville did better than expected after a really long absence from IndyCar. The Gateway (WWTR) is good, unlike its superior despite its shrinking from the early days of its return.
I didn’t grow in a short oval shape, but I have come to love them almost more than my pre-Indian background, roads and street courses. I welcome all the road courses you mentioned, but I never want to unleash an egg that is not indie.
Q: What a shame, I’ve seen thousands of racing fans disguised as empty seats in Iowa. How can I have 350,000 people in Indy and 350 people in Iowa? Maybe next year – if there’s a race – they should hand out all tickets free and try to make up for lost income in parking and concessions. Incidentally, both races were great and very exciting.
Don, Grand Rapids
MP: Catch-22 is here. If Indycar maintains an oval-shaped variety and needs to stay between 16-18 races, the Iowa Speedway is the perfect place to consider. If IndyCar (Penske Entertainment) needs to make money, free tickets are not a way to support a shortage of demand unless someone believes that they can sponsor a high boo level in 2027 and spend big corporate X on bringing people back through huge promotions and attractions outside of races.
Q: Josef Newgarden has fired everyone who appears to be on his team, except for his family members since 2023. Who was in his ears (or if he was in his head) seems miserable, except for his second 500 wins. Does he think that’s all? He is perceived by me and many others as a con man, a liar, and a bad guy. It’s also clear to me that at least one of his teammates feels like me. Is Joseph doing all this “transformation”? If so, he has an idiot for his client, like someone who represents himself in court. If not, I will submit that he fired the wrong person/people.
Lake Elkhart, Mike Decardo
MP: It’s really hard to answer, microphone. Joseph keeps his inner circle small, but two things stand out from the periphery. He has a crew member on No. 2 Chevrolet, which is as comfortable as I’ve met. From the chief of his crew to the rest of the mechanics, to the engineers in the timing stands, it’s a close group right there. I know what it’s like to hate unpleasant drivers since my time as an IndyCar crew, but I haven’t seen it in two cars.
He is a wide open man, a friend of Padoc, with many free time, showing up on his mission to concentrate on his work, not trying to become an old man with members of the Penske tribe. And I respect that. He is looking to find what he’s lacking since the end of 2019 when his final championship won. That includes changes in HR that are not always handled in the right way, from what I was told.
I want to meet someone who I think can tell Pense what to do, but yes, as the team’s most successful driver, I think it has a realistic and important level of impact since he arrived in 2017.
He also had rolling kicks in his crotch for nearly two months, starting with Paul Day on May 18th. Even second place in the Iowa Race 1 had the downside after being the fastest of the day.th– Displays the results.
If he had won, I don’t think I would have much to talk about. But he wasn’t, so he was appetite-inducing, defeated again, and lost again – twice in Iowa in under 24 hours – it’s a story that continues to build in a negative direction. There must be something wrong with him because he hasn’t felt miserable since May.
Newgarden’s public persona has changed over the years, but the fact that on the team’s side the people closest to him are still counting a lot. Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: I’m very happy with Fox. But I have one complaint. It appears Fox is continuing to crank up the engine sound, covering the announcer’s voice. It becomes very difficult to see and hear.
I’m sure I’m alone. Give this to your Fox friend. For reference, after the Iowa race, I went back and forth between the IMSA and the NASCAR Cup Series races. Both networks amplify the sound of the car, which gave them a better viewing experience.
Last weekend’s race proves how good the oval is for IndyCar. You need more ovals on your schedule. The shame is how empty the stands were on both days
Mike, Cincinnati
MP: Message inbound, Fox. Can you hear me now?
Q: Are media personalities like you assigned to interview (or are trying to) New Garden? If not, then you should.
He left one of my favourites.
red
MP: “Media Personality” is an interesting turn of phrase. The “dip****” to ask questions is more accurate.
Q: Just like those experienced by Josef Newgarden and the Penske team this year, I resonate with the challenges that may emerge during the tough season. However, Joseph’s response seems somewhat immature, especially given his track record of success. This usually indicates a more structured response to set folds.
In contrast, Scott Dixon illustrates a more resilient attitude in similar situations and is not raided. I understand that it’s disappointing and frustration, but in my opinion Joseph’s tendency to withdraw and skip interviews does not cast him in a favorable viewpoint. This behavior is not isolated. It seems to be a recurring theme. What do you think?
Andrew Hyde
MP: The waves of Joseph’s questions just after Iowa were not on my radar.
Some people care about how they are perceived. Josef appears to have fallen into that category for the first decade of his IndyCar career, which seemed less important, and he leaned heavily towards the DGAF approach. He’s one of the most self-aware and intelligent drivers I know, so I would have known that his recent responses would be received in a negative way.
Another way of saying this is that if he cares about the public’s perception, he will stay and wait for the camera and microphone to appear. And since he mostly does not wait to be seen, he is very cautious in his actions, I take what you see what it is.
He also says that if this is the new Pensuke Joseph, he wouldn’t think he would leave once. It was also all the time before Pensuke owned when Roger was in the timing stands – not necessarily Josef’s, but in someone’s Pensuke’s entry – in every race, you won’t pull such things along with the nearby captain. With Cindric gone and Roger is no longer in Pit Lane with his team, we can see how this turned out.
But can you imagine it becoming something in Ganassi? Or the Arrow McLaren? The chip immediately applies “correction behavior.” You can hear a cry of a mile away inside the transporter, but it will never happen again. Same for Zak or Tk. But here there are different teams and different cultures…
Q: A contrast between Race 1 and Race 2 in Iowa. The way the yellow fell in Race 1 had little effect on the outcome. It’s not the same story in Race 2. Lucky raised an ugly head in the shape of a yellow flag of caution.
The team has long complained about their attention at IndyCar. More casual fans of the series are unhappy with how the race unfolds. It appears that IndyCar does not have an acceptable solution. Changes must be made as Indycar is at the cusp of actual evaluation success. The inflection point of the series has been reached.
I’ve heard you say, “If there’s a solution, it’s a problem.” Now, I would like to suggest a solution. Pitting under yellow is not permitted. All cars should pit under the green to ensure that all pit stops take place under similar conditions.
If the car is unable to potentially complete the period of attention due to a lack of fuel, the car can pit for a “splash” and rejoin the field at the same position it occupied at its yellow start. However, to ensure that the team performs a “splash” and tries to reach the checkered flag without stopping again, the car must pit within two laps of the green flag and take on full load fuel regardless of the distance remaining in the race.
I may have missed a point or two, but I believe we have to start somewhere and start thinking about some reasonable solutions. For IndyCar’s future, it is important to always do everything possible to maximize your skills and minimize your luck.
St. Louis Spencer
MP: I get your points, but do you name a sport where skills are not maximized and luck doesn’t affect all games and race outcomes? The pit closure was done earlier, with an early hit in the pit lane, as Scott Dixon did at Midohio, which earned a poor run in qualifying early, bringing fun and interesting strategies among the majority who stuck to popular strategies.
Sometimes, pitchers lose control of the ball and hit the batter who keeps winning runs that are not on base if the pitcher is not in the bad luck. The receiver can’t grasp the ball, and can be tilted straight in safety to intercept the house and earn a game-winning touchdown. Are you rewriting the rules so that a batter who gets hit due to poor timing can’t score? If the receiver touches the ball, is it impossible for the intercept to return to the end zone? You just wonder how much of the game stripping you of too early or unnecessary events to ensure that the outcome is not affected by good fortune or bad luck.
Also, do you require a tire compound that your team can use to prevent all pit stops not being made under greenery from being accidental or versatility? Maybe add two or three breaks during the race (at roughly different stages).
Bad things happen. This is part of all sporting events, changing the score or finishing order for a certain capacity. I don’t know if taking away options and removing options and creativity will improve the game.
Q: All three Andretti cars suffered a right front tire failure at Iowa Speedway. Does Firestone offer maximum static camber recommendations for teams and series as well as minimum starting cold inflation pressure recommendations for each race? If the answer is yes, does the series check the camber settings for technology inspection? Does the series monitor tire inflation pressure via telemetry?
Dave, Ohio
MP: Recommendations, yes. “Recommended” differs from technical regulations. Firestone is very aggressive at monitoring pressure and going straight to the team when they see something out of range.
Firestone offers guidelines on what tires like on certain weekends, but teams are free to do their own thing. Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: A great race in Iowa. How can Honda have a fuel advantage over Chevrolet? Is it just a more efficient engine? Is there something specific that Chevrolet can try to match? Has it always been an advantage for Honda?
Rob, Tampa
MP: Chevrolet is known as the king of midrange and top ends in this motor formula, while Honda is known as the bottom end and fuel millijuking. The two have been incredibly close in all these areas since 2012, swapping their pros and cons and returning as well. In terms of mileage, it was Honda’s year.
Q: Two questions. First of all, why doesn’t McLaren have a spare driver? Couldn’t they bring it in? They did it with Theo Poucher in 2024 when Rossi broke his thumb in Toronto. Their sponsors cannot be satisfied with parking No.6. (ed: This letter arrived before Arrow McLaren placed Linus Lundqvist in standby before Toronto). Secondly, do you think Toronto is on the chopping block and Watkins Glen might be back and in the mix? I haven’t heard any chats about this locally, so please help me here.
Rob, Rochester, NY
MP: That’s the standard as most IndyCar teams don’t have a spare driver. I think the car sponsors are sympathetic to the light-shape of injured youths and are with teams who have the resources to hire drivers to represent them at a high level. This is not the first time an injured driver has been a question mark for his next race.
Last week, the president of IndyCar Doug Boles said he expects Toronto to return. Watkins has been the subject of speculation for no reason. Being there in the Aero Kit era and seeing Max Downforce indy cars fly around the corner at a heart-bending speed was a bit of a religious experience. However, there are no plans for a return next year.
Q: I thought the Iowa Speedway double header was a great weekend for IndyCar. There was a great race, lots of passes, strategy, tough competition, and an amazing end (Chevrolet has finally won, Paloo is proving that the Indy 500 is not a fluke).
The crowds in both races were very light, probably under 25% capacity. Given the small crowd this year, is it possible that Iowa will remain a doubleheader in 2026?
The Yellow Flag Wrap was actually very helpful in Iowa. Because sweepers wisely used their time to clean the tracks and opened high lanes of more than 10 laps. NASCAR can run side-by-side in Texas, WWTR and Iowa all day long, but on the same track in the same condition, IndyCar gets 10-15 clean laps before marble accumulates, putting high lanes at risk? Clearly the NASCAR tires are dropping rubber so why aren’t they dealing with the same issue?
Here’s what we know: NASCAR has a heavier car, completely different aerodynamics, slower speeds, different luggage, different tire compounds and different tire sizes, which responds favorably to PJ-1 and re-rated trucks. So which of these differences is The main This is the factor that allows NASCAR to perform high lanes on these ellipses, but can’t IndyCar effectively do more than 10 laps?
Kevin P., Los Angeles, California
MP: NASCAR: Slow in corners, fast in straights. The tires are straight and not crushed. Indycar: Fast on the corners, fast on the straights. The tires are crushed at the corners. Marbles.
Q: Lundgaard laps at least twice and finished in sixth place. Veekay probably laps four times and finished in eighth place. Abel is a moving Shikane, rapping the number of times he’s known and finished 15th. None of those guys had to win those raps. As a result, they finished the car ahead of its car, which had been rapped multiple times. What is the explanation for Indycar’s wave-around rule where a wrapped car regains its knees and loads the lap after the leader? At least NASCAR will make you forget to have a pit stop if you need a wave around.
Also, why is Firestone not receiving criticism for its tires this year? I’ve seen Zero Tire DEG in Iowa and have seen quite a few races this year. In this race, one tire is no longer of any use as there may be only one tire option. The hybrid adds a challenge, but it’s been over a year since it was implemented, let alone all the tests that were done before it.
Brent
MP: The explanation allows everything mentioned in IndyCar, and NASCAR isn’t it? I hate being the obvious captain here (it’s not actually true), but that’s what IndyCar wants to do, so they do it. The rules are not based on what another series is doing or not.
I don’t know how to respond to Firestone’s comments. I know because I heard the complaints and wrote those stories or included those complaints in the race report. And when something positive is spoken, the positive thing written. I think other reporters are doing the same thing.
Q: Congratulations to Miles Low on his historic victory in Iowa. Indycar needs him to succeed and hopefully he will ride next year.
Meanwhile, here are some ideas that can continue with oval laces, including Iowa: The IndyCar series must offer discount/travel packages to Indy 500 participants at other IndyCar Oval Racing events. Some have shown an appetite to travel to other eggs based on Midwest locations such as WWTR, Iowa, and Milwaukee.
I think you can increase attendance at other ovals by emailing cheaper ticket offers and perhaps a trip package to other ovals that IndyCar is currently advertising. A few years ago, the NHRA did the same by offering discounts to its fan base and deals with the Motel 6.
If 10% of the 500 participants are intrigued by the contract, all the other ovals look full and there is no need to reach out to the future of the series every time you go on a non-street/road course. For me, I think this could help Iowa and perhaps add other oval laces like Michigan, Richmond, New Hampshire, and Homestead.
Alistair, Springfield, MO
MP: Penske Travel, a new subsidiary of Penske Corporation. I really like that idea, Alistair.
And if you want to make your Pensuke trip really interesting… Donald Miral/Getty Images
Q: I’m sure there are many questions about this issue, but I wanted to ask from an international perspective.
I love seeing oval lace, but it seems that people aren’t appearing. My question is, why do you improve these numbers? Is the oval more difficult to reach than road courses, or is it a lack of presence in the game?
Another thing that strikes me is the lack of action on the egg schedule. I know there aren’t many series that race with Ovals, but why not consider the US Pro Series (maybe bringing home the path to Indy) or some track-off track action? Crazy Cart was a hit on BTCC on Saturday. Maybe Indycar should do that. Expand to include more fanzones, Q&A sessions and more.
Now I’m based in the UK, so I need to invest a lot of money in my travels and see IndyCar races in person. But I can get better value for money in Long Beach (to double the IMSA) or no trip to Road America. So I’m more likely to go to them than ovals. Look, I love watching oval races and make IndyCar stand out, but unless I change this, it won’t take long to return to the Late Champion car series with the Indy 500.
Also, what should we do to get a GTP class at Canada Tire Motorsports Park while I have you? (And it’s great to see Team Jota win with the caddy).
and Mayhew
MP: Newton, Iowa is 20-30 minutes from anywhere, so drives are included. But that also applies to Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Barber, WWTR, wwtr, and Nashville. Some of these trucks are packed while packed, so it’s not driving or proximity to major cities.
Some of these places host IndyCar races while doing hot drying, but people will show up if there is trees or shade. When you think about Iowa, it’s just hot, there’s no shade and there’s no sense of community like some other people camping or fellowships over the weekend and making their own parties. With the big concert gone, it’s a sitting and a racing event for the watch.
Your idea of packing other things every day is good, but it’s a rather sparse venue with limited options for those who want to hold a bigger hand to create their own experience in motor racing. Long Beach is the ultimate example of a variety that doesn’t suffer from boredom, sitting on the stands, getting off to see the car, going to the convention center, seeing something cooler, eating in a wide range of restaurants.
In some other things, you can bring all the fun and variety to your car or truck, set up tents and camp with like-minded people around you. In Iowa, Nashville, or WWTR, there’s nothing to entertain you beyond your car, there’s no camping or shade. For those who want more than a stand experience that appears to be a growing segment, the series is showing concern.
Q: Do you have any recommendations for drivers on what position they should hold when they crash? Because when Nolan Siegel spun, he moved his head very hard. It was painful.
I don’t know if other drivers will do the same. But is it better to keep my head resting behind the cockpit?
William Mazeo
MP: Series and its medical staff have never heard of telling the driver how to place themselves in a crash, but yes, minimizing the distance between the helmet and cushioning effect created by the head surround seems like the right movement every time with impact.
Q: Can all stakeholders in the Iowa race save that place with the IndyCar schedule? No one feels willing to compromise and fans end up offering less valuable products. The lack of attendance in 2025 reflects the low value offered to fans. Considering the following, how many fans can expect to pay hundreds of dollars to participate in the 2026 race?
Both 2024 races were terrible.
Drivers had unanimously predicted a boring race after the 2025 Test.
Saturday’s race was boring.
Sunday’s race was pretty interesting.
The race will run completely during the day in July (on a lighted track that previously hosted night races).
The bleachers offer zero shades.
The homepage of the track website literally does not mention races.
Many tickets are more expensive than Indy 500 seats in a race that takes half the time.
Fans are not allowed to bring food.
Fans can bring two unopened water bottles.
Kyle
MP: I think the stakeholder is Indycar, who held this year’s event. If Indycar wants to go back, I think Iowa Speedway will take that money.
Q: I heard there are a few issues with Iowa. Promotion, attendance, time of day, etc. With the exception of a year of one year, the races there are really good, so I hope everything goes well. The courage and talent of a full display. Marcus and Paloo were plenty more in the car in the New Garden, where some of his killer raps come to mind. And it was just Race 2.
At NXT, there was also good action when Myles Rowe made a race-winning pass at the Hotshoe Rookie Hauger after working on him a bit. This is Lowe’s second year and seeing him have good support, are there any plans to raise him? Also, do you know where Hauger is heading?
Chris, Colorado
MP: I know one team that says they’re interested in Hauger. However, in 2026 there are no seats for many paychecks. Also, other seats are not an option unless a large financial package is offered. You will need to get updates from Penske Entertainment in Miles. He hoped he was ready for IndyCar next year, but the NXT victory isn’t enough to say he’s really ready to jump into the series. Another victory might change that.
With a win rate of over 50% on NXT this year, Hauger is definitely doing a bit of it to reach the IndyCar radar. Matt Fraver/IMS
Q: I couldn’t see the IndyCar Iowa Race live, so I saw a short highlight version on the IndyCar website. I seriously thought that I had seen Race 1 twice. Both were fighting Josef’s New Garden by an inappropriate pit stop for caution…Do the same two drivers cause attention?
And what about the tyre explosion? Is it a combination of tires, chassis settings, air pressure?
John, Downers Glove
MP: It will be the same two different drivers, Ericsson and Hertha. It wasn’t a compound as all the teams had the same compound and only Andretti Driver experienced failure. One of the 27 cars in Race 1 and two of the 27 cars in Race 2.
Yes, the chassis configuration is a natural place as it is the only cause of all three cars from the team that failed and no one can see the chance. If the three right-handed tires are inflated, inflated, or overheated, the team should see it on telemetry every time.
Q: In the second race, I heard comments on the radio that “The Honda Guys” were blocking everything. Who said it? Several conspiracy theorists say Andretti intentionally sacrificed the car for a timely yellow to ensure Honda. Was it worth $100,000 in damages? (chuckle)
Dino, New Hanover, PA
MP: Hundred Grand? Start with 500,000 people and keep counting. Use the Mute, Block, or Unfriend button with pleasure to remove the idiot from your timeline.
Q: Do you think it needs to be adjusted or overhauled within IndyCar’s application? Two things were important to me in the first Iowa race (see below). For years, I felt there was an opportunity for improvement.
Note 1: Hertha spin at the start. The warning was 8 laps, which I felt was too long. Race Control was happy with the order by the fifth lap. No truck cleanup or sweep needed*, no one had to pit.
Note 2: Siegel’s spin. It eventually turned red. That was due to the time required to do the repairs to the truck. I asked if it was surprising when it didn’t happen in WWTR. This is relevant to me as I believe the integrity of the truck is at risk.
Philosophically, I feel it’s a partial track/race reset instead of racial neutralization, so I don’t like sweepers come out when paying attention. I would also like to thank you for your opinion on this.
WIS, West Allis, Atilla Veyssal
MP: The oval steps we saw are fine. It doesn’t mean that my view is correct, but I wasn’t irritated. People use towels to sweat around the painted area in a basketball game after the free throw is shot. As it is done for safety, players will slip back into the paint, hurt themselves, and leave the paint open for play, making it inevitable due to the excessive and dangerous nature of the moisture on the ground.
If the game is paused, I’m all for it because it could allow for safer play and wider use of the court, as IndyCar can use the paint wipe-down version.
Q: Can you explain why Newgarden lost all the place in front of the yellow flag due to pitting? I’m a bit confused with the pit stop and the yellow flag – or did he get wrapped while in the pit?
Bill, Elk Grove
MP: Lap while in the pit. Ultra-short laps of 18-19 seconds. The total time is approximately 36 seconds inside and outside the pit lane. There is a proper pore flavour, especially when it turns yellow, but if the race is delayed, it’s a competitive death kiss. It wasn’t that much that happened to him either, but he competed to see how to get back to the lead just to make it happen again.
Q: Has Rasmussen recently done enough to secure another year in the ECR? He passed Rossi in standings over the past few weeks.
Bob
MP: From Iowa State from the Indy 500, he has four top-10 finishes, including the podium at WWTR and sixth in the Speedway. Rossi has one top ten in the same span. As always, there is a reason why both drivers don’t have a better finish, but looking at the numbers chilled, yes, Rasmussen is a driver worthy of receiving the return invitation. I credited Rossy for helping him learn more this year than he did everything in 2024 as a rookie.
Rasmussen also pissed many veterans with his unpredictable egg movement. The last thing he needs is to be treated in an adversarial way – the same way that more and more veterinarians feel about him as an adversary – because their strong oval finish can easily turn into an encounter with the wall if the veterinarian gets bored of his selfish approach.
Rasmussen is making himself known. Chris Jones/ims
Q: I’m a lifelong fan of Roger Pensuke and was very excited when he bought the IndyCar series from IMS and Hulmans. Now, I think Roger has to look back at what’s best for the entire series, as the series isn’t, despite the 500 itself appearing to be on solid ground. The Iowa weekend was just as good, but was embarrassing in terms of attendance and a complete reflection on Pensuke’s marketing program, or its lack. Now I’ve read about Toronto thinking about switching to Formula E!
I agree with Michael Andretti and Zack Brown that there is a lot of potential in this series, but it will require some substantial investment. Does the idea of making the series a different public company invite important external investments?
I don’t think we can have 500 in its current form without the series, so I hate to see the day the Indy 500 is a NASCAR race.
Denny Jones, Fort Scott, Kansas
MP: I haven’t heard of another public company, but it sounds like something I ask Zack when I meet him.
Q: I’m currently listening to Bill Simmons’ podcasts on Monday mornings at the depths of the sports lull in July. A major segment of this particular episode is to praise how good the F1 movie is, and how Bill and his speculations are itchy to watch F1.
They were captivated by the glamour, charm, risk and sexual attraction that F1 has to offer. They would routinely call movies “sexy.” Bill called it “the best sports film of the 21st century” and begged listeners to go see the movie in theaters.
This is a great, well-earned, mainstream sport admiration that could reach millions of listeners. It could be decent even if some of the audience heads to the theatre and start to match the Grand Prix. A very easy win for sports.
This weekend we’ll be racing in the middle of Iowa (I’m not trying to hate it, but that’s not exactly Miami) and juxtapose it in front of empty bleachers. As always, it’s a great race, but it’s becoming more like a tree falling into forest conditions.
That means IndyCar needs an entire image transformation.
IndyCar was once feared. The race was scary. People knew they were watching a man risking death to win, so they went to the race. The team and drivers pushed speed limits and created special moments as drivers were essentially considered superheroes. This is not against current safety standards, but I think a lot of the thrill has disappeared from IndyCar. It’s a sport that almost tries to change yourself. See what happened this weekend without Hiboo bringing in some famous country music stars. Meanwhile, F1 is spending people saving lives to buy tickets for the Paddock Club.
The worst part of all this isn’t that people don’t want to see IndyCar. I’m not entirely sure if they know IndyCar teeth. Sports have no vision.
I hope the new car works well. We hope that joining Fox will attract new audiences. I’m not looking at the vision.
I love Indycar, but it won’t be much longer unless there are some pretty dramatic changes that are made anytime soon.
Paul, New York
MP: I’m glad to hear it on Simmons. He gave Zero farts about racing at ESPN and once again when he started Grantland and now Ringer. Thanks to the film, I love seeing the change from utter indifference.
I agree with the transformation of the image. Fox is Indycar’s new promotional arm, or at least how it looks, and they struggle to sell the series on that channel for fast, interesting and cool, and with power and Quirk and Testosterone. It fits the sports audience they cultivate and know. But it’s fast/cool/ and so on. Do you approach the right thing for where young and new fans are today?
The series has seen great growth in viewers from 18-34, so the answer looks like yes. But what is your vision? We want to wait and hear such things.
Q: Old enough to remember that it was common for half a dozen engines to smoke during a typical IndyCar race, but in today’s world of specs it is very rare to see engine failure. Looking at the two failures of WELL POWER in three races, it’s fascinating to blame the current dysfunction at Team Penske, but I don’t think that adjusting the powerplant these days will really do anything. That’s an exact assumption, and what have you heard about the causes of these two engine failures?
Allan in Orlando, Florida
MP: Nothing about the cause (it can happen in one out of 100 times), Chevy’s IndyCar engine boss said in a quote provided by Chevy it was with them, not the team.
Penske, or Power-, wouldn’t have done much about Kerblammos these days. (That’s the technical term). Travis Hinkle/IMS
Q: I love the IndyCar season so far. As you say right, what Alex Palou is doing in a race car now is very special. What’s coming near me? The only similar form of advantage I can remember was the second half of the season, the year Vassar won the championship with Ganassi. I’m sure there are other things, but I can’t remember these seasons.
Another comment was about the formation at the start of Midohio. A perfect start! Is IndyCar working on improving the better side twice on the green, or is it a more function of the track they’re on?
Andy R, Detroit
MP: A good phone from late 1996. Zanardi failed to overtake Jimmy in the rankings, but revealed that he would regain the be-hit in the kart in ’97 and unleash it. Dixon ran the table in 2020, winning the opener and led the championship from start to finish. Pagenaud in 2016 was on another planet of the best future season with five wins and a 127-point championship victory.
The Indy Racing League has had years worthy of bread, not gaining as much respect and love as the cart/champion cars, but that doesn’t apply to what Sam Hornish and Panther Racing achieved when they rode another wave in 2001 and missed the title. Dunweldon’s six wins and the 80-point championship in 2005 also stands out.
The runway of Luon to reach the starter position of Mid Ohio is the magical ingredient here
Q: After answering Bill Baily on MailBag last week and consulting with his tequila bottle last night, Big Possum remembers that there was a rear-engine sprint car that raised an ugly head in the early 70s. Tom Semba drove one victory, similar to George Snyder. USAC thankfully banned them to maintain the tradition and badness of sprint car racing (in addition to keeping the number of cars and not spending money on car owners to go to the rear engine).
It’s not difficult to put a starter on Sprint’s Adet, but keep in mind that the start of the push track is part of the show and tradition, and that it’s part of a very passionate fanbase, healthy and growing motorsport. Four salutes to parade rap fans are what you save money for lunch!
And yes, Mark Donohue won the rear engine pavement dwarf at the then Lime Rock.
Big Possum is extremely disappointed that Fox doesn’t show the national anthem before the race, but is pleased that Bobby LaHall gave the command to start the engine at Ohio with the respect of Tony Halman. Large possums prefer “gentlemen” to “drivers” when no women are in the open. Unless Santino is judged not to be a gentleman. But he is his favorite driver for the massive Possum. It reminds me a bit of the big Maron Brando possum. He knows most of the things, so there’s no doubt about the big possum.
Big Possum
MP: Is this the right time to give Big Possum (and mostly Possum) a possum shirt at the Indy 500 in May? I hung it in the office and my wife came in and looked at me like I had lost my heart and asked why I bought a possum shirt. I was then able to explain the existence of big and small possums, their connection to the mail bag, and more.
Q: I know not only Sebastien Bourdais but also Sebastien Bourdais. What inspired him to race at WEC via IMSA? Was he not considering riding a Cadillac here in the US, or did he want to return to Europe with his family?
Gary, Anza, California
MP: When WTR took over the program, there was already a pair of lead drivers for both cars, and Ganassi could have had a replacement program, and needed an answer while the other team, AXR, kept the CGR door open. GM wanted him to remain a leader within the program, so it became WEC with the new Jota Cadillac campaign and the secondary season of IMSA’s LMP2.
Q: What is the biggest obstacle to IndyCar expanding its schedule? Obviously money, but does that find TV money, ample sponsorships, additional costs, profitable events, etc.? I’d like to see the series add some dates in the spring. It was a very dead time.
Jim, Milwaukee
MP: Venue. If you ignore all other aspects, the tracks you’re pinning to host IndyCar races at this time are not enough. Of course, there are many things you can do. It’s not a case of a shortage of potential trucks. There’s a shortage of trucks that want IndyCar, and you can pay for IndyCar, critically, have a suitable local fan base to lay strong crowds.
It’s easy to create tracks to add, but you’re missing one or more of the ones that are essential. Thermal is a perfect example. Excited owner. Ready to use it. Interesting facility. There’s no crowd. They were able to return and have the County Greenlight capacity of 20,000, but that’s not important. Not because Indycar isn’t great or doesn’t deserve it, but because there’s no demand for IndyCar in the area.
As such, Mexico City is considered a truck rental where IndyCar takes financial risk. That’s what Iowa became a massive Spender without a high-boo. IndyCar hopes to be able to make it work without the big concerts and big promotional spending brought by previous sponsor/event partners.
That’s also why the incredible interest and dedication from the people behind Arlington’s Grand Prix is the goal of IndyCar developing in other new venues. What is Arlington’s interest in IndyCar? I need more.
Q: Intel about what Alex Pallow in the 3-pedal car is drawing pedals with this fox ‘This is Alex Pallow…’ Promotion? It seems to me that Townsend threw a bit of shade at Paloo’s heel/toe work too long ago during the air. Evidence screenshot:
West Coast Microphone
MP: No clues. It looks like a kind of GT car, but that makes you think it’s a general image.
Q: For nearly 50 years, American open wheel racing has struggled with ways to balance the gravity of the Indianapolis 500 with the broader pursuit of the championship during the season.
Until the 1996 fracture, Kurt was closest to resolving this tension.
However, since reunification, the Modern IndyCar series has struggled to define philosophical objectives over 500. For fans and sponsors, “why” remains elusive. Last Sunday’s Mid-Ohio’s 750,000 viewer number highlights this issue only.
We all know that IndyCar’s biggest marketing failure since 1995 failed to answer one basic question. What is the point?
Well, I think I found it.
The goal of IndyCar is to win the national driving champions beyond the Indianapolis 500.
This is not a hollow title. It is the system before the 500 itself. Indycar alone, or rather, the champion car has the right to assert this legacy. This is a 120-year tradition dating back to the golden age.
The IndyCar champions don’t just win trophies. They become part of a story built by Vanderbilt, Carnegie, the fisherman and others. Titan, who built not only American Motorsports, but America itself.
This is a story that needs to be told.
This is why people should care.
This is what makes IndyCar special.
It’s not just about winning races. We are crowned the most complete driver on the planet. National Champion. A title with weights of history, endurance, versatility and legacy.
Leave what the Indy 500 is: our high holidays, our crown jewels.
New Fans of Racing – For fans brought about by the Netflix era boom of Formula 1, much of the IndyCar’s internal history is a mystery. Dividing, unity, politics…it’s an intertwined legacy that’s hard to explain.
But what might resonate with these fans is the idea that not one Sunday afternoon race in Indiana, but the continuation of the national championship, a lineage dating back to 1905, older than Formula 1.
The oval race, especially the 500-mile flavor, will be a wondrous taste, but the broader story of crowning not only national champions but also the world’s most balanced and adaptable drivers, may capture the imagination of modern global motorsport fans. Among them is fame.
JAH, ATL
MP: Sometimes it’s fun to create problems and solve them.
Q: St. With the exception of Pete and 500, there is no doubt that Indycar’s television ratings were almost overwhelming. Fox certainly seems to be trying to promote and grow the series, but what is it missing to boost it? What do you think you can do in a different way? Also, do you know if viewers are for replaying practice, qualifying, NXT races, or IndyCar races?
I’m just looking for a silver lining and wondering if someone who can’t see the lace will watch the replay or see other content? Also, to maintain a positive theme, at least racial attendance appears to be rather strong this year. I’m writing this before Iowa. When I buy the ticket, I see that Iowa is the exception to my last comment.
Brian Joliet, Illinois
MP: We’re just a little past midway through Fox’s first season. As you pointed out, everyone wanted it to be over a million for all races, but that wasn’t the case. My main takeaway is seeing the real place where IndyCar lives in terms of national consciousness and interest.
That’s what the shift to Fox did. I traced the number of existing fans to a new home and presented a clean slate to see how many new fans would appear from the placement on Fox.
My dream was to significantly increase all network transactions on Fox to the average network audience. Somehow, swapping NBC for Fox brings a big wave of fans to the start, but looking at the numbers posted on Big NBC last year, Fox gets four of the seven networks and network comparisons.
Being with Fox wasn’t the necessary automatic race lift, but some encouraging numbers are displayed when massive competition from other sports and racing series are more popular.
I think that’s the answer. It’s difficult to happen in all races. If Fox can work with IndyCar to move the race to a location that doesn’t blow the life of ticket-buying viewers and avoid fighting against NASCAR/F1/NBA/MLB/PGA/NCAA events, it can regularly hit that million or more mark.
IndyCar runs solid counts if not the second or third sports option. And winning the true-to-head viewer battle with other series and sports is still not strong enough. But if Fox’s relationship continues to tilt in the right direction, it can change in a few years.
Q: What engine is used in the two-seater IndyCar?
David, Waxhaw, North Carolina
MP: One has an Ilmor/Honda V8. The other sounds like some form of a Buick Turbo.
Q: Marshall, to answer the question… USAC banned rear (mid) engine sprint cars after the 1973 season. Om Sneva, who may not have driven the engined car before reaching the Midwest, was one of the big winners. The owners of the USAC Sprint car were worried about the discontinuation of equipment or the need for dirt and paved cars.
Other parts of the story, Mark Donohue drove a rear (mid) engine midget at Limerock in 1963. It’s not a sprint car (No!) and not a USAC. The conference featured midget races approved by the ARDC, the longtime Northeast Midget Association, formulatable races, and combined functional races. Mario Andretti won the midget race, while Donohue won the feature race combined with a modified Cooper Formula junior car with an Offenhauser engine.
Jim Thurman, Mojave Desert, California
MP: Thank you, Jim.
Q: Is there any chance I’ll see Richmond’s oval lace soon?
Before getting the canned food, the reply was “certainly, if you’re willing to charge a sanction fee, you’re willing to promote it,” Richmond is different.
All races were set for 2020 or 2021. Covid then hit. Can’t you use the same party, blueprint, etc.? With such a strong desire for more ovals and both Eastern/Mid-Atlantic races, getting everything recreated seems to be a top priority and relatively easy. Why isn’t the race recreated because Covid Shutdown is closed in the rearview mirror?
Ron, Baltimore
MP: No. An agreement has been struck between Jay Fry and President Truck. Covid happened. The Truck President has changed. The new president was not interested. There are no races.
What happens if you send chocolate to a new president? Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Q: I’ve read your story about Indycar not wanting to do the gimmick “Playoffs” (Yay), but the idea of an All-Star/Challenge Race has been nurtured. Also, many other series formats have been discussed.
One example I find unique is to do relay races. Three-car relay teams and owners with few gangs. Run a 3-segment race. At the end of the segment, Car 1 pits just behind Car 2, ready. Same between segments 2 and 3. The first car to the checker wins a big check on their group. (A lot of details are required, but photos are taken.)
Other readers are planning on sending you lots of ideas this week, and the marketing/prize aspect is probably more important than form. So my question is: How important is a truly unique idea to raise interest in IndyCar from future fans, and how important is it for the form to be unique for that purpose?
Not Abel or Sullivan, Louisville, Kentucky
MP: I love this. It’s the type of Scott Volchetta that looks at what promoters have to do: unique things, not what IndyCar imagines. Or Eric Shanks from Fox Sports. With the exception of the Indy 500 qualification procedures, today’s IndyCar is not a fan of extremely complicated procedures, and this idea is to roll your eyes behind your head.
Q: Let’s start by saying that Santino Ferrucci’s fiery “Devil May Care” personality is great for Indycar. When other drivers get them on track and tell them exactly what they’re thinking, we need more drivers to speak up and express their complaints.
Ferucci has plenty of talent and knocks on the door for victory, but he lacks emotional maturity. He appears to think it is normal and justifiable to remove a competitor from the truck.
The incident in which he deliberately pursued Connor Daly is far from an isolated incident. He previously pulled this crap alongside Roman Grosjan and his former F2 teammate Arjun Mainni. Santino was benched for two races by his F2 team, Trident Motorsports, and was eventually led to free him from contract.
Santino had to return three positions in Mid-Ohio, but believes that from Championship Points to Ferucci’s pause, to the stop of the race, to the stop of the race, he needs to learn that he can’t reach 185 miles on road and road courses, or that he’s over 230mph as an egg.
Paul Tracy, famous for giving drivers a chrome horn, was recently suspended by the SRX to cause his on-track acts and major shipwrecks for the rest of the 2023 season.
During the 1998 karting season, Tracy caused 10 truck accidents, quarreling between team owner Barry Green and Pit Lane, and was stopped from the first race of the 1999 season for Michael Andretti, who deliberately retreated to block him in the surfer’s paradise.
Tracy did similarly to Ferucci’s race, but the Kart series now behaves better with IndyCar. Why isn’t Indycar doing the same thing with a driver displaying Ferrucci and this type of behavior? Santino and his fellow competitors need to realize that it is not the wild west of the wild.
David Kolkit
MP: Very different times. From the days of cart with Wally Dallenbach SR, and along with his kart/champion car protégé and successor Chris Kneifel, we didn’t have a fair iron fist type. Beau Barfield tried to become that man, but he did not wield power and autonomy to govern like Wally or Knife.
A culture of leaving these things to the drivers and leaving the police to the drivers has been allowed to continue for too long. With no united fronts between drivers, it’s not just going to work, and no father appointed to a group to discuss people who leave their pockets and enforcers returning along with fear and intimidation.
Leave it to the driver is like leaving your kids with the choice of dinner. Imagine a plate filled with grilled chicken and green vegetables and purifying water, but what you get is suppose to wash a foot chocolate cake, a hot cheetos of gummy bear appetizers and flamines, and a gallon jug of Magn Pan Root beer.
That’s what Darren Bach and Nieffels knew. That’s why they handled the series with a consistent and expected policing style. Maybe it will come back to whatever the new independent steering committee is.
Q: I was recently watching an IndyCar news YouTube video and something caught my attention. The 28th car will come in this season’s race (my guess is that if he still works with them, RLL will throw a Sowery or VIP).
But this made me think. What if Indycar has a MotoGP-esque concession system for struggling teams? We believe RLL, Coyne, Prema and others will easily welcome the opportunity to enter the third/fourth car on a particular racetrack to collect more data and evaluate potential new drivers (drivers who can buy one or two IndyCar races but can’t buy the entire season).
Of course, this is limited to a certain number of races and should not include tracks that don’t fit the usual 27 or higher, such as Toronto or Midohio. You can also add additional incentives to include the NXT driver. Is this something that IndyCar Management rates? Is it too expensive?
Taylor, Kentucky
MP: Everything you think is exactly what the charter system killed. The teams you mentioned don’t get much from a data perspective, but they focus on the need for rating entries and money-making entries.
If you’re pretty sure Team X won’t win a $1 million leader circle contract, yes, I hope they can get into the extra car with paid drivers/sponsors and try to minimize that loss without fear that that entry will not cut 27 cars.
What if a team wants to see new/young drivers in a racing environment? This is the first season of impossible memories without the risk of failing qualifying. If Juncos Hollinger wants to put NXT Championship leader Dennis Hauger in his Portland car to see if he’s the person he’ll be hiring next year, it should come with a risk.
There is no draft system. There is no formal structure that prevents a team from not wanting to sample players in a major league environment before they go to the pros. However, there are new limitations to charter systems that I conspire with business and driver development that I don’t think are healthy. The limits of offseason testing are so severe that you may get a total of 2-3 days with someone who is not in a racing environment and make a decision based on feel and wishes.
Indycar may just need to replicate the Chris Griffis Memorial USF Championships/Indy NXT test, which runs over multiple days during the offseason when teams run multiple drivers on a daily basis through the car. I would rather be displayed on 28th and 29th If Select Closing Race Cars, and Penske Entertainment want to do so, you can create both options.
I’ve never said this to Marshall, but the IndyCar version of the Chris Griffis Memorial Test is actually a really cool idea. IMS Photos
Q: Is it too early to talk about the “silly season” of F1 or Indycar? There are rumors that it’s quite late right now.
Dave of JC
MP: There was nothing this year, but I’m adding notes to the first update that will be released as soon as possible.
Chris Medland: Formula 1 has always been set to be quiet this year. A huge number of teams have already confirmed the 2026 lineup. It’s because of new regulations next year, and there’s no need for new integration as some teams want continuity on the driving side. Working with known quantities. Apart from the following, only Alpine is currently available.
But when we have a situation with Max Verstappen who has been getting tired of the past month or so, we don’t think we can call it quietly. George Russell is still waiting for a new contract.
Both Mercedes drivers are waiting for a new deal (or confirmation of extension) in the case of Kimi Antoneri. And it’s Russell and Mercedes who think I have the keys to the stupid season. If he stays, expect almost important moves elsewhere. If Verstappen is signed, it opens up the possibility that other teams will move to Russell, and Red Bull may need a whole new lineup.
On top of that, we have a Cadillac that is sufficiently focused and factored in those who can get those seats. The new American team initially felt it was out of the driver contract cycle and could choose from a specific group without putting too much time pressure on them, but if the Verstappen switch occurs it could potentially make more drivers available in the market but could remove others from the equation.
Q: I’m curious about what Apple’s range is in terms of subscriber count compared to ESPN/ABC. I’m a stubborn race fan and I Maybe If you have F1 TV rights, subscribe to Apple. But maybe I wasn’t like that either. In a market where F1 prioritizes increasing audiences, Apple seems like a strange choice. Do you think both Netflix and Amazon have quite a lot of reach?
Ryan
CM: A report from information back in March shows that Apple TV+ subscribers have reached around 45 million, but Front Office Sports offered ESPN+ streaming service to 25 million subscribers earlier this year.
According to Statista, Apple TV+ has an 8% market share for the streaming video on demand (SVOD) platform, ranking seventh overall, but it’s right that Amazon (22%) and Netflix (21%) are the top two. But that’s exactly why Apple wants it — because they want to close that gap.
The streaming platform has turned its eye to sports for its dedicated fanbase that subscribes to view, with all three already offering some form of live sports. What F1 has to weigh is the balance between the highest potential audience during the contract and the tight cash value of the contract for its revenue.
Q: I haven’t heard anything mentioned other than a few tweets. When will Red Bull begin building a car that can be driven quickly by anyone other than Max? Or are you publicly acknowledging that it’s more of a problem than Max’s perceived glow? Maybe the Horner is gone, is this changing? Max doesn’t suggest that he’s not fantastical. Do all the other drivers in that car suck? Really? Red Bull is breaking the wrist away from being the 8th or 9th fastest car due to a design flaw. I think Red Bull is the only one who has had this problem with various teams from the last 30 years back dominating.
Eric Z, Lancaster, NY
CM: I don’t know if that happens to be honest, Eric! However, it is correct that it is clearly a car problem, as there are a large number of drivers who have not been able to reach near Verstappen heights despite proving that they are quality drivers on other machines. The larger the sample set, the more you consider Gasly, Albon, Perez, Lawson and Tsunoda, the more confident you will need to deal with your car and the environment.
If anything, I feel that further emphasizes Verstappen’s capabilities. I’d like to meet him at Racing Bull on the weekend. Red Bull is so hard to drive, I want to show if he’s the only one who can do it, or if he’s extracting it from F1 cars much more than most other cars.
If it were the former, he doesn’t have the Racing Bulls car much further than it is now. If that’s the latter, he’s still in the mix on its front (and perhaps even more competitive than Red Bull, given the fact that the drivers of Racing Bull are regularly the second Red Bull driver, everyone is better).
However, Red Bull does not design cars around Max’s style. The team doesn’t do that directly. They all try to build the fastest car possible and make it as drivable as possible, but that’s just as fast as a driver can drive it. Verstappen found a way to extract performance despite the car challenges, and that was one of the reasons why he was frustrated last year. Because Red Bull had given him a car that was difficult to drive, and he felt his performance was almost obvious.
The final words
July 17, 2019, from Robin Miller’s mail bag
Q: MLB performed a midsummer classic last night. In other words, baseball is free tonight! How wonderful is it to race IndyCar Wednesday or Thursday nights that nothing else is running in the country? Imagine a day show in Richmond or Kentucky, or an afternoon practice, a dinner qualifier, or a green flag at 7pm. The network will only fight World Series poker and some re-execution of law and order.
Someone has to pack this deal together and offer a mid-week race to loyal fans. If you can’t cajole any of the big names who will be copying Tony Stewart to race Wednesday, let’s remind you that New Hampshire’s fall NASCAR race has been lost to Las Vegas and now there’s room for racing. Now that there’s a flat track in Loudon, it’s going to be a great weekend of racing. And for its value, I miss seeing you and Despain live in a tunnel of wind.
Dudley Richard of Massachusetts
Robin Miller: NBC’s Kevin Lee proposed this a few years ago. I love this idea, but getting a promoter mid-week is a challenge. However, if you get enough title sponsorship to support your revenue and IndyCar waives sanctions fees, that might work. There are certainly prisoner of war TV viewers. Thank you, I miss working with Dave and WT – the best motorsports show ever.
