Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers will be despatched to mailbag@racer.com. We love listening to your feedback and opinions, however letters that embody a query usually tend to be revealed. Questions acquired after 3pm ET every Monday might be saved for the next week.
Q: Why is Kyle Kirkwood by no means talked about within the dialog for a Penske or Chip Ganassi seat? He appears to have probably the most upside so far as younger American drivers go.
Dave from JC
MARSHALL PRUETT: As a result of he’s underneath contract with Andretti by way of 2026, which is well-known within the paddock. If he was a free agent, and had no real interest in returning to Andretti, I’m certain he’d be driving for Penske subsequent season. Except Dixon decides to retire, I don’t consider there’s something obtainable at Ganassi, with the potential exception of being farmed out to the second Meyer Shank Racing entry, and whereas that may be nice for MSR, I’d have to run Kirkwood by way of concussion protocol if he needed to depart Andretti – the place he’s the highest driver and one among solely three race winners this yr – to turn into the second driver at Ganassi’s technical affiliate.
If Dixon’s retiring on the finish of 2026, hell sure. Signal Kirkwood instantly and have a killer combo with Palou for the subsequent 15 years. We all know Energy’s out of contract on the finish of 2025, so there’s no match for Kirkwood with Penske in the mean time.
It nonetheless comes again to positioning and whether or not one of the best transfer is to depart the group the place you’ve established your self as the highest canine, which is a rarity, or to depart and be part of groups the place it has entrenched champions and Indy 500 winners like Newgarden and Energy, and McLaughlin, who’s gained seven races since going full-time in 2021? Teammate Colton Herta is an enormous downside to unravel more often than not, so it’s not like life is simple at Andretti, however that’s a house he is aware of and is flourishing inside, so it’s exhausting to search out the upside in leaving it behind.
I’d additionally have a look at the pockets of all three groups and might’t fathom how Andretti can be outbid on Kirkwood’s providers. It’s not that Ganassi or Penske lack wealth, however new-era Andretti underneath Mark Walter and Dan Towriss has the deepest pockets within the collection. Generally one of the best transfer is to make no transfer.
Q: What’s the common vibe within the paddock now contemplating the TV numbers exterior of the five hundred are flat to barely up (primarily resulting from airing on extra advantageous channel), a ghost city at Iowa, one other delay concerning a brand new chassis/ engine, one make/driver domination and rising unrest / apathy throughout the fanbase?
Any group homeowners prepared to place Penske Leisure on blast? Any information on Liberty Media attempting to make a run to purchase the collection, or having somebody not affiliated with sixteenth and Georgetown step in to right course?
It’s very obvious that the game wants contemporary eyes and personnel not from Indiana to run flip issues round. Doug Boles isn’t the reply
A involved fan
MP: Can’t purchase what isn’t on the market, so no on Liberty. If that have been to alter, let’s hope Liberty is first in line. No, there’s been a concerted ‘let’s all shut ranks and never communicate out towards Roger/Penske Leisure’ message from the collection to its group homeowners in Could after the attenuator deal blew up, and all seem to have fallen in line. I do hear complaints — that’s solely pure — however these are virtually by no means stated for public consumption.
As of right now, Doug has held the job of IndyCar president for 23 weeks and someday. There’s no have to take the Purple Bull strategy and pull a Liam Lawson on the man. Perhaps we wait till he has a full yr on the job, and might really participate in pre-season brainstorming and planning, earlier than proclaiming he’s or isn’t the reply.
Kirkwood’s not within the foolish season conversaton as a result of he is not obtainable to signal. Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: IndyCar appears to be chasing final yr’s or final decade’s strategies of leisure supply. Final yr everybody appeared delighted that races can be on over-the-air community tv. As a cable-cutter residing in an space with no over-the-air FOX outlet, I used to be lower than enthusiastic. The partial season viewing numbers for FOX aren’t overwhelming.
Ina New York Occasions article about CBS’s cancellation of its Late Night time present, there may be this fascinating bit: “Final month (Could), streaming overtook broadcast and cable because the main distribution methodology for video leisure for the primary time.” F1 is negotiating for a brand new U.S. media contract and, although ESPN is within the combine, F1 isn’t clamoring to get its races on ABC. Relatively, F1 is contemplating Netflix, Amazon, and Apple as potential companions.
Isn’t the fealty to community tv a symptom of the identical considering that offers us races earlier than empty stands in Iowa? Perhaps trying to the longer term (and even the current) is a greater avenue for promotion each within the media and on the venue.
P.S. Whereas Shabral’s braveness and resilience make me inclined to belief her judgment, I just like the opossum shirt.
Tom Hinshaw, Santa Barbara, CA
MP: I feel the possum shirt must go on a tour and get mailed from mailbagger to mailbagger to put on for every week, pose and submit photographs with it, after which get despatched to the subsequent particular person.
I learn one thing comparable a few week in the past and it was an eye fixed opener: Broadcast Falls Below 20 Percent of TV Use for the First Time.
NASCAR’s strong scores run on Amazon Prime spoke to the longer term. The common was down a few half-million viewers per race, from 2.6 on linear to 2.1 on streaming, however its viewers was a lot youthful, which was vital. I believed the typical can be decrease than 2.1 million (I had no thought how many individuals use Amazon Prime; we’ve used it for at the least a decade, however I believed it was extra area of interest than it was, after which I realized it has 22 % of the U.S. market, forward of Netflix, and I felt silly), so there’s loads for IndyCar and FOX to consider.
FOX has its new FOX-only streaming service due out within the coming months, which is nice for individuals who love FOX or love IndyCar or love each, but it surely’s a distinct segment for-pay service like Peacock was for NBC. And a FOX+ doesn’t include a large viewers to succeed in like a common streamer within the vein of a Netflix or Apple+ or Amazon Prime and its estimated 200-250 million world subscribers. That is purely about attain and placing up the most important streaming numbers potential. If it isn’t a far-reaching common streamer, there isn’t any attain.
Community remains to be the way in which to go to attach with older viewers, but when IndyCar actually desires to develop, it might want to discover a common streamer with an unlimited viewers to hold its product for its latest followers.
Q: Once more, the replay of Observe 1 from Toronto is just not on the FOX Sports activities app on my Roku TV. Do you might have any contacts at FOX? It simply appears off that it isn’t obtainable, as that’s extra eyeballs on all of the commercials. Peacock would put the replay up an hour after the unique broadcast.
Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ
MP: Let’s hope the parents from FOX will take be aware.
Q: I’ve turn into an enormous fan of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports on the Indy 500. I want they’d run extra races, and go full-time, however I am certain the brand new constitution system performs a component in that not happening. Have you learnt if they are going to be collectively once more subsequent yr on the 500?
Additionally, I learn in one other publication that Don Cusick is hoping to increase his program, which might embody Indy NXT, partnering with one other group subsequent Could, and/or presumably partnering with one other group full-time in 2026 or 2027. Have you ever by probability spoken with Don to search out out his future plans? He is a passionate proprietor that belongs in IndyCar! Thanks very a lot for any perception.
Ted Yezman, Sonoma, CA
MP: Don’s at that huge pivot level the place he both branches out and spends a ton of cash to fund racing applications, purchase or lease gear, and so forth, or proceed to companion with DRR the place there isn’t an enormous monetary demand and keep away from that sizable dedication of time and finances. One is enjoyable and doesn’t place nice drags in your time and financial savings. The opposite appears like a full-time job as a result of it all the time turns into a full-time job, and I don’t know if that’s what he desires after retiring not so way back.
He advised me about the identical plans again in Thermal that you simply’ve examine, in order that has remained constant. I do have to catch up and see the place issues have or haven’t gone in latest months.
Generally, turning a passion right into a job is an efficient factor. Generally it isn’t. James Black/IMS
Q: The place do issues stand with the Palou/McLaren litigation? Do you suppose Palou’s dominance this season has any influence on any settlement negotiations, assuming they’re nonetheless ongoing?
Steve, Danville, CA
MP: Final I heard, informally, it was certainly headed in direction of a conclusion, and the estimated loss to McLaren of $20 million or extra that was sought by the group might find yourself being something from zero to some million. Looks like this has turn into previous information. Even when it’s $5-10 million, I don’t know if that causes a crater in Palou’s life or enriches McLaren in any vital approach. If it was that $20 million-plus, that’s a distinct deal altogether.
However for the reason that lawsuit is about cash, and never the enforcement of a contract, McLaren doesn’t get Palou when it’s over. Aside from exacting some monetary ache which could carry some pleasure, it’s not getting the large payday with the collection’ most dominant driver, so finally, it’s about millionaires preventing over a greenback quantity to assuage egos or embarrassment, which makes me yawn.
Q: Final week you had a prolonged letter from Jah in ATL, who talked about IndyCar’s picture and historical past, stating the way it’s a lot older than F1, and is the one collection that may declare to crown a real Nationwide Champion.
It appeared like your reply form of blew him off, after which in your reply to the very subsequent letter, you stated that with FOX, we see the place IndyCar lives when it comes to nationwide consciousness and curiosity.
I agree with Jah that IndyCar ought to do all the things potential to play up the truth that they’re awarding the Astor Cup, which dates again to 1915. Maximize the earned significance, similar to it’s. You possibly can’t purchase historic provenance. IndyCar wants all the assistance it may get – hopefully somebody at Penske Leisure learn that letter. I do know they did, they learn the Mailbag. Kinda spooky, however not as spooky as that Huge Possum shirt.
Invoice Bailey, Fresno
MP: The individuals who find out about IndyCar’s historical past and its crowning of nationwide champions are both present followers, seemingly longstanding ones, or former followers. If I believed the taking part in up of the nationwide champion angle would make the slightest distinction in attracting new followers and widening its viewers, I’d have reacted accordingly.
Provenance is vital, little doubt. However it’s not the hook that will get the typical particular person concerned in sports activities, is it? It’s seeing wonderful individuals do wonderful issues with bats and balls and steering wheels and no matter else piques our curiosity. The layers to the sports activities, with the histories and legends who constructed the leagues, and the strands that join the previous to the current aren’t the frontline gadgets. Not in my life expertise. It’s secondary, or thirdondary (made that one up), which is why I don’t see the premise of championing the nationwide title as greater than a pleasant footnote. As all the time, I may very well be utterly incorrect.
Q: Did McLaughlin’s left rear wheel nut fail, or was it merely not connected? From the replay it appeared like there have been two items of fabric that flung off the automotive. Couldn’t inform if the nut had damaged into a number of items.
Joey
MP: Spoke with the group and it was an error, not a failure. They thought the nut was safe, but it surely wasn’t, clearly.
Q: Something to report on Energy or VeeKay for contracts for subsequent yr? Personally, I like how VeeKay and Coyne are gelling and want to see them collectively subsequent yr with extra sponsorship.
John Balestrieri, Waukesha, WI
MP: I can’t consider a group, aside from Meyer Shank with its second automotive that sits seventh with Armstrong, that has a greater seat open than the one Rinus at the moment occupies at Coyne. The Energy seat at Penske is clearly nice, however that group isn’t trying exterior its present staff in Energy and Malukas as options.
VeeKay’s supervisor has spoken with everybody within the paddock, and people few with paying seats to supply can be foolish to disregard him, however he’s at the moment beating all however MSR with Coyne and race engineer Michael Cannon. There aren’t a whole lot of wonderful alternatives for 2026, so I’d recommend holding station and exploring the market 12 months from now when a wider vary of front-running groups can have one thing higher to supply.
As for Energy, he’s received loads of curiosity. If Penske lets him go, he’ll be unemployed for nonetheless lengthy it takes to fly from Charlotte to Indy and signal a brand new contract and participate within the press convention.
If Energy have been to turn into obtainable for subsequent yr, the flood of incoming calls can be a heck of a stress check for Verizon’s cell providers in NC. Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: Query about IndyCar and yellows. Final weekend after Alexander Rossi crashed and Pato O’Ward was within the pits, the pits stayed closed for a little bit of time – seemingly to assist Pato. But final week at Iowa, Josef Newgarden pitted and it went yellow. It appeared the pits opened ASAP and hosed Josef.
Sure? No? Or am I overreacting to the occasions?
Kim
MP: I assume we will put the ‘Penske suggestions the officiating scales in his drivers’ favor’ factor to mattress. I didn’t see both of these selections as being deliberately carried out in ways in which helped or hosed both driver.
Q: Good to see Linus Lundqvist within the papaya colours this weekend. I hope he does discover a extra everlasting drive for 2026. Is McLaren protecting him on as a reserve driver for the remainder of the season, or was this a one-off?
Good-looking Jo
MP: One-off. However sure, Linus has drawn new curiosity for the reason that McLaren outreach. He must be within the collection.
Q: Why is the New Hampshire mile not appropriate for IndyCars?
John Sedlak, Venice, FL
MP: I wasn’t conscious Loudon had stopped being appropriate. IndyCar raced there as lately as 2011, which gave us the all-time nice meme of Will Energy flipping race management the double birds. It’s owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc, which additionally owns Nashville Speedway, which Penske Leisure rents from SMI to host its season finale. I’d assume Penske has the quantity for SMI president Marcus Smith to debate IndyCar’s oval choices on the vary of tracks Smith oversees. He’s a pointy man, and if there’s cash to be made, I can’t see why he wouldn’t welcome IndyCar to extra of SMI’s tracks except it might place undue stress on the corporate’s relationship with NASCAR.
Q: Your feedback have been proper on concerning the LBGP. The 2025 occasion was my forty sixth yr attending the race.
I feel the most important motive for the occasion’s persevering with success is that on Friday and Saturday, from 7:45 within the morning till 8:00 at night time there may be some type of racing occurring on the monitor. Then there are rock live shows on Friday and Saturday nights.
For some time I missed Indy Lights that was dropped a number of years in the past. However then they added Historic System 1 automobiles, and I’m in heaven.
Ed Kelly, Los Angeles
MP: Nice to listen to, Ed. I perceive that Indy NXT is a chance for 2026.
Q: One other profitable Toronto Indy weekend is within the books. A pair questions for you as follow-up, although.
In final week’s Mailbag you talked about that Toronto is probably going coming again. As an annual attendee and proud resident, this comes as a shock to me. The World Cup is going on at BMO Subject in the midst of the monitor from June twelfth to July 2nd. The town has been abundantly clear that no monitor set-up can happen till after this time. It normally takes three to 4 weeks. It additionally must be taken down by mid-August for the CNE. Are we taking a look at a late July race as a chance in a schedule shuffle, or would we be taking a look at skipping 2026 and coming again for 2027? The attendance this yr appeared to be the very best I’ve ever seen!
My different questions are about guidelines. In regard to using full course yellows and their timings, on ovals clearly the yellow comes out instantly. On highway programs, they provide the driving force time to drive off. Why have been they so fast to throw yellows on Sunday? Some have been apparent wants for medical consideration or blocked monitor, however the Rossi incident, for instance, was a wall kiss. Why did that should be a right away yellow? It utterly modified the outcomes of the race (and perhaps the championship), too. For a minor incident, would not it make extra sense to carry off for everybody to have an opportunity to pit like NASCAR does? I’ve no difficulty with the luck of yellows, that is racing, however that felt a bit excessive and avoidable.
Lastly, late-race yellows. Generally we red-flag it, typically we let it go to the top. On Sunday it was too late for a purple, however is there an unwritten rule about after they would throw a purple or let it go? And if not, ought to there be? Or ought to we add the choice of a purple flag adopted by an additional lap or two to pit, and get a lap or two to complete underneath inexperienced (or attempt to)? Only a thought. Not the whole randomness of race distance like NASCAR does however at the least have an opportunity to complete underneath inexperienced.
Perhaps if there are 4 to 10 laps to go on ovals or 4 to seven on highway and road, we red-flag it as a substitute of yellow and arrange for a restart. If there are three to go, purple flag and add a lap. If two to go, purple flag and add two. If it’s on white flag lap, we’re carried out.
Ben, Toronto
MP: IndyCar president Doug Boles advised us he expects Toronto, Portland, and Laguna Seca to return. If that wasn’t the case, he’d have declined to reply the query — I led with asking about Toronto — which might have been revealing. Now, issues might change, after all, however the arrival of the World Cup is on no account a brand new battle to contemplate, so sure, I’d assume a return to Toronto would contain steering away from the opposite type of soccer. And if the race goes away for 2026, I’d assume it will likely be again in 2027 as a result of it’s a cool and fashionable staple courting again to 1986.
Why did the Rossi crash with every kind of automotive components exploding off the automotive and littering the racing line want a right away warning? I’d hope the reply is clear. You often see judgement calls made when race management feels a full-course warning is the correct resolution, but it surely’s for one thing that isn’t precisely pressing or scary — a automotive sitting lifeless in the midst of the highway versus one which’s parked 50 ft off track — and so the circulate of the race is considered as to keep away from killing the chief’s day. Doesn’t occur each time, and that’s why it’s a judgement factor.
You’re proper on the race ending underneath warning. That’s turn into a unicorn in IndyCar. It was as soon as a considerably regular and unremarkable approach for a race to finish. However as a result of it occurs so few instances nowadays, I assume there’s a sense {that a} formal course of or structured chart on when it ought to or shouldn’t be allowed, and when a purple flag needs to be launched involves thoughts as a factor to do. I don’t. I’d slightly let race management learn the scenario and make a judgement name.
Doesn’t imply I’ll love all of their selections, however I don’t need them locked into some necessary matrix to observe. Generally the sport ends with the quarterback taking a knee and operating out the clock.
No arguing the necessity for a yellow after Rossi’s crash. Joe Skibinksi/IMS
Q: I ponder what Mailbag readers would consider this radical thought: No tire modifications throughout yellow flags. You possibly can are available and refuel however except you might have a puncture, you modify that tire and that is it.
I feel most followers don’t like when their favourite driver will get snookered by a badly-timed yellow flag. I am curious to know what others suppose.
Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ
MP: I simply pictured the large groups having drones warmed and able to fly over the circuit underneath warning, wait for his or her automobiles to veer to 1 aspect of the monitor, and have the drone drop a bunch of small nails to puncture their tires and get the free passes to pit lane.
Q: What’s the cope with Newgarden recently? Dangerous seasons do occur, but it surely looks like he has not been his regular self this yr of taking adversity with grace. The handful of instances when he has given interviews have been very quick and, for lack of higher phrases, appear very un-Penske like. I am not saying that he’s (to cite Seinfeld) not Penske materials, however, wow. I concern that the Josef Newgarden of the previous that all of us cherished is gone, and we’re left with whom looks like a misplaced soul. I am certain many individuals will agree that all of us miss the enjoyable and jovial “Who’s Josef Newgarden” model from the SFHR days.
Alan Bandi, Sarver, PA
MP: Inform me you didn’t learn final week’s 99-percent-Newgarden-questions Mailbag with out telling me you didn’t learn the Mailbag.
The playful child who drove for Sarah and Ed, and Roger the primary few years, is all grown up and treats life in no matter approach he chooses, in comparison with attempting to please individuals as he did for the primary half of his profession. He appeared on digicam final weekend when all the things went incorrect, once more, and whereas he didn’t have a lot to say, it certain appeared like somebody at Penske despatched the message that speaking to FOX was now not non-obligatory.
Q: We’re at the moment jetting in direction of race 14 of the 17 race season and there has but to be a single (non-Indy solely) alternative driver entered into an occasion. For these of us who thrive on driver-change paddock-chaos rumors, that is perilously quiet – and maybe unprecedented within the fashionable IndyCar collection. I went again to 2010 and yearly there had been at the least one driver change sooner than this. (Who can neglect Giorgio Pantano’s one-off for CGR in 2012?)
Please inform me there’s going to be one fill-in by the top of the season? Or that Foolish Season hasn’t been cancelled completely but?
PP
MP: To my information, the entire paying drivers are assembly their cost schedules. That leaves drivers who’re being paid, or carry a partial finances, and the schedule is definitely the most important barrier to creating late-season modifications. It was simpler when the championship ended with runs from Portland to Laguna Seca, two highway programs the place plugging in a Felipe Drugovich or Dennis Hauger would make sense.
However not when the yr closes at Milwaukee and Nashville the place an embattled veteran would give the group and its sponsors a a lot better probability of delivering a powerful consequence. So, sorry Giorgio.
Q: I attended the Toronto IndyCar Grand Prix this previous weekend and am glad I did. I hadn’t been again to this race since 1994, and loads has modified. The race weekend was enjoyable, and the grandstands have been full, which received me questioning what number of followers attended the race? Doing a couple of fast calculations based mostly on my Flip 11 grandstand (immediately reverse Alex Palou’s pit field), I got here up with a tough determine of about 18,500 seats, together with the premium seating alongside pit lane, and at pit out. That determine doesn’t embody common admission ticket holders.
Have you learnt what number of followers attended the Toronto Grand Prix? Is that quantity, or an in depth estimate, revealed? The explanation I ask is that we noticed at Iowa estimates of 6,000 followers per race over the two-race weekend. It dawned on me that 18,500 followers is just not a big determine for a significant sporting occasion, even when it was bought out. In fact it did not assist that the Toronto Blue Jays have been on the town on each Saturday and Sunday on the similar time.
Kevin P., Los Angeles, CA
MP: I don’t. Most basketball arenas maintain round 18,000 seats, so if that’s what a motor race will get, and no one is mad on the Knicks or Fever after they have sellouts at MSG or Gainbridge, perhaps the maths tracks at Toronto. I’d assume the Iowa determine was 3k on Saturday and 3k on Sunday. When you take each Iowa races and add Thermal, it has been a tough one for occasions with document lows in attendance.
Torontonians confirmed up in drive. Chris Owens/IMS
Q: In my view, it is time for IndyCar to stop chasing ovals and stop worrying about having a certain quantity on the schedule. Time after time, they’re typically failures in right now’s racing world. There are two or three exceptions not together with the five hundred. It appears the road programs and highway programs are much better enterprise selections nowadays. Folks present up for these within the six figures for a weekend. It is time to add a couple of extra of these to the schedule and construct the collection and model that approach.
Sure, there’s a exhausting core of followers that need ovals and extra ovals, and I’m principally in that camp, however that enterprise mannequin simply doesn’t work. Be within the main cities, be at highway programs and avoid tracks owned by NASCAR. The 30-year-old ‘imaginative and prescient’ has not labored and exhibits no indicators of ever working.
As I wish to say, there may be proper, incorrect, and the way in which it’s, and the way in which it’s doesn’t embody a balanced schedule of ovals. If and when IndyCar builds up its model and demand, then the ovals can come to them.
Mark, Milford, OH
MP: I listened to an influential group proprietor right now who advised me to anticipate Iowa 2.0 at Nashville Speedway to shut the season after Huge Machine departed as its promoter. I hope that isn’t the case, however to your level, we’ll see what the Penske-promoted ovals at Milwaukee and Nashville generate for grandstand ticket gross sales.
Hy-Vee unplugged itself from Iowa and the outcomes have been as anticipated. Milwaukee was higher than anticipated on its doubleheader return in 2024, so I’ve to consider Penske and the parents on the Fairgrounds can fill the stands for the only race subsequent month. I do know Huge Machine spent a ton and went actually exhausting to advertise the return to the speedway, and the group was bigger than something I anticipated whereas leaving an honest quantity of room for enchancment. Like Hy-Vee, we’ll quickly learn how the lack of Huge Machine will influence the turnout for IndyCar’s season finale.
Q: Andretti’s right-front failures have to be setup associated. I notice no-one goes to indicate you their setup sheets, however I might like your ideas on a few observations:
From your article I perceive IndyCar mandated a most tire strain for Iowa. Do they mandate a minimal strain as effectively? What about most damaging camber? Are there specs on that?
I’ve observed from in-car cameras a major distinction in steering wheel place on the straights of oval races from team-to-team, particularly at IMS. Some setups lead to a good quantity of ‘proper hand down’, whereas different group’s steering wheels appear extra impartial, like a highway course setup. My guess that is from totally different caster leads settings. Do you suppose this has something to do with extreme right-front tire put on?
Ron, Lakeland, MN
MP: Sure, there’s no approach a single group had the identical failure on all three automobiles with out it being a typical root trigger. Caster is a vital suspension setting, extra so for some drivers than others, however at a brief oval like Iowa with banking and fixed turning, I’d be stunned if anybody was going exhausting on caster.
Firestone supplies really useful strain and camber ranges, however IndyCar isn’t like some collection that dictate mounted numbers that have to be adopted or danger being penalized.
Q: Doug Boles has confirmed to be a wonderful promoter of IMS and its occasions (not that they want that a lot promotion), however as collection president, are you aware how a lot he intends to work with the opposite tracks and promoters to make their race promotions higher? It appears Penske Leisure has, for all sensible functions, stored its distance from the opposite venues. If you hear followers who dwell within the cities the place races are held discuss in regards to the lack of know-how and promotion surrounding an occasion, it makes you marvel who’s accountable for what.
Scott C., Greenwood, IN
MP: They signal agreements to pay to host races at venues and deal with all promotions (like Iowa) and are paid to placed on a present at venues like St. Petersburg or Barber the place the promoters are accountable for such issues.
The evolution we’re seeing extra of with Penske Leisure is strictly what you’ve described by taking a extra energetic function, wherever potential, within the shared promotional efforts at occasions the place the promoters welcome the help or enter. It’s not a factor at each occasion, but it surely’s rising.
Q: Relating to Tim’s question a couple of weeks in the past the place he requested if anybody tried a mid-engine automotive on dust through the USAC Championship period. Sure, a couple of instances. Al Unser Sr. DNQ’d the Eisert for 2 dust races in 1965. George Morris put the obscure Taylor into the sphere at DuQuoin in 1965, and Invoice Sullivan DNQ’d the identical automotive at Sacramento a month later.
In 1966, Ronnie Duman certified the Eisert for the Springfield race, however probably the most notable ‘mid engine’ was Lloyd Ruby in a Mongoose in 1968. Ruby certified fifth at Nazareth (which was dust then. Extra trivia, it was the primary night time race). His crew chief John Laux was quoted in Competitors Press & Autoweek: “We modified the steering, slowing it down a bit, jacked up the suspension and put a mud guard on the nostril. The remaining was all Ruby.”
The race, with Ruby experiencing turbo lag, and being seated a lot decrease on a dusty monitor, did not go as effectively. Ruby clipped the wall on lap 13 and retired. Ruby and Laux tried, however failed, to qualify for 2 additional dust races on the schedule (Springfield and the Hoosier Hundred). Additionally have in mind the usual beginning subject for the mile dust ovals was 18.
Jim Thurman, Mojave Desert, California
MP: Thanks, Jim.
Q: What ever occurred with the DeltaWing mission? There have been talks of that being the IndyCar of the longer term.
Kev-o, Sartell, MN
MP: It raced at Le Mans in 2012 as the unique Storage 56 invite and went on to race within the American Le Mans Collection after which IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship by way of 2016.
Perhaps it nonetheless is the IndyCar of the longer term. Brian Cleary/Getty Photographs
Q: I needed to again up the letter you revealed final week from Mike in Cincinnati re the problem he’s experiencing with the audio through the race. I’m experiencing precisely the identical difficulty the place the engine noise is simply too loud, and the commentary is blocked to a big extent. Curiously, it means I now take heed to the radio commentary while watching the instances on the IndyCar web site and have turned the amount to zero on the TV.
This was not a difficulty final week as I attended the Iowa doubleheader. Coming over from the UK, I all the time go to the doubleheader for apparent causes, so please can we all the time have one on the schedule?
Oliver Wells
MP: Do as Oliver says, FOX and IndyCar.
Q: I’ve attended Iowa previously when the tickets have been $20 every and youngsters received in free. I even ate the price the primary yr of the live shows, but it surely was 100 levels and I missed the Saturday race to keep away from warmth stroke. Watching on TV this yr my son (now 12) requested if we might return subsequent yr. My response was, ‘perhaps’. The present ticket costs and the mid-July warmth aren’t on my to-do checklist. I might dwell with a type of two issues, however not each.
FOX has a nationwide MLB recreation of the week on Saturday nights at 7pm. Use that as a lead into an precise Saturday night time race that begins at 10pm japanese, 9pm native. Activate the lights and let’s rip. For followers on the monitor, you’ve received NXT and perhaps one different lead-in and it’s a very good day of racing. What do you suppose? Believable?
Ryan in West Michigan
MP: I wouldn’t change a factor.
Q: I maintain studying how IndyCar groups insist that they don’t have sufficient monetary assets to put money into a very new automotive and engine system, and but all of them appear to have sufficient cash to construct new manufacturing facility/storage amenities across the Indianapolis space. As they are saying on Sesame Avenue, “One in every of this stuff is just not like the opposite.” What do you attribute this to?
Steve Summers, Ann Arbor, MI
MP: Yeah, it’s a type of simple issues to identify that appears like a ‘gotcha’ second, but it surely doesn’t take a lot to know they aren’t like one another.
Funding a big brick-and-mortar constructing mission: Not exhausting for a well-established group/enterprise to get loans and use financial institution funding to make occur. Or for a significant new investor to partially or utterly fund, figuring out it’s an asset they may personal that has sustained worth.
Funding the acquisition of latest automobiles at an estimated $1.2 million apiece: Not one thing most banks will present loans to make occur, which suggests groups want to attract from money reserves, buyers, or earnings — if slim earnings are made — to pay for between 4 and 10 new automobiles.
Funding every IndyCar entry for a season to the tune of $8-11 million apiece: Not simple as a result of no financial institution will mortgage you that cash, so it requires fixed chasing of a number of sponsors to contribute slices of the budgetary pie, or discovering a paying driver to cowl wherever from 25-100% of the finances.
Apart from the handful of actually rich entrants, the remainder of the groups function on tight budgets the place summoning $5 million-plus to get new automobiles will contain ache.
Q: Mid-year check-in. I’ve some information for you that perhaps you might be or aren’t conscious of. My final message was New 12 months’s Day, to which you posted my ideas about online game presence… very type of you. What I am undecided you are conscious of is that IndyCar has been very quietly launched again into the Forza Motorsports portfolio.
This information got here to my consideration after doing an replace to my Xbox someday late in late June. After the replace, to my shock the 2025 Honda IndyCar in addition to the 2025 Chevy IndyCar have been obtainable to race in each freeplay in addition to on-line multiplayer. I hate to be the one to bitch about this, but it surely has been a full month since this replace has been launched and never a single phrase has been posted from IndyCar to my information, on their web site or on RACER.com.
I am unable to assist however suppose this needs to be one thing IndyCar ought to promote, or at the least make a press launch about. NASCAR and F1 have diecast/Legos, F1 has a film simply launched. I am pleased for the child steps as a result of it is significantly better than nothing, however let’s get with it.
That being stated, driving the automotive till my shoulders damage was refreshing. If the automotive is consultant of what an precise DW12 can do, these guys are complete badasses.
I hope you’ll be able to shed some gentle on this or at the least assist advertise/nudge the IndyCar Collection a bit.
Tom, Blue Bell, PA
MP: Thanks, Tom. I’m certain IndyCar is aware of about it. It’s their job to advertise their collection.
Q: What ever occurred to the helmet cams ? They have been such a cool function that I feel new followers can get into. Did FOX drop the ball on this, or have been there glitches in them? The views at Highway America and Mid-Ohio would have been spectacular. Even Iowa would have been cool, with the sudden aspect by aspect racing.
Douglas Wright
MP: I consider FOX introduced they’d be used at 4 races. Undecided which race(s) are left on the checklist.
We do not have a photograph of a helmet cam so you will should accept a shot of a helmet. Nolan Siegel’s Indy 500 helmet, to be exact. Chris Jones/IMS
Q: Laborious to consider as I write this on July 16, there are solely 5 races left within the IndyCar season.
I’ve seen of us point out doubling up on locations like Highway America… I dwell one hour up the highway from RA, camp your entire weekend, and go all-out for the occasion. It’s the finest weekend of the yr, sure even higher than Memorial Day weekend in Indy…
That stated, I do not suppose doubling up with one other race weekend can be possible… A number of the campers come from across the Midwest, and asking them to make the trek twice is a tricky ask. Regionally, it might be exhausting for me to financially afford one other four-day IndyCar extravaganza.
Particularly with my annual journeys to Indy, Milwaukee, and the occasional journey to St.Pete/Iowa/Barber. Undecided my pockets or spouse can take way more, even regardless of her turning into a full-blown fan!
I concern including a second race at a spot like RA would merely present two barely smaller crowds, and make the June weekend a complete lot much less particular. Particularly when IMSA is yet one more nice possibility.
I like your thought of a one or two-day present in Iowa. Saturday night time race, with qualifying that afternoon. If huge FOX cannot put it on TV, throw it on FS1… With solely 500k tuning in on the community, it isn’t just like the TV quantity will dip any decrease…
Any time I see the empty grandstand and low TV numbers it hurts my soul, however I simply inform myself “nothing you are able to do”. I’ve taken practically 40 individuals to their first race, transformed 1 / 4 of them into common followers, and run two TVs in my home to double my very own TV viewership…
Guess this is not a query, however extra so a therapeutic journal entry as a result of I like this sport so dang a lot.
Dust Monitor Dave (Nickname courtesy of Robin Miller)
MP IMSA out-drew IndyCar at Highway America final yr, which was a shock, however to your level, we all know a ton of followers will present up for each collection, at the least annually, and now with Milwaukee again, that’s three huge occasions inside two months in the identical space.
I’ve heard IMSA’s ticket gross sales are approach up this yr, which is insane, contemplating how full the place was in 2024, so perhaps it might deal with two visits there a bit simpler than IndyCar… I in all probability didn’t suppose my unique response right through.
Q: I ponder if the doubleheader at Iowa needs to be decreased to a single race? The doubleheader format could also be forcing followers to choose one or the opposite. Maybe a single race will see all these followers present up for a single race.
Doug Mayer
MP: Definitely potential. It had sturdy attendance as a single race again within the day.
Q: Mailbaggers’ critiques of the IndyCar Iowa Speedway occasion weren’t optimistic by a longshot. Low attendance was talked about quite a few instances, for legitimate causes.
I would not drive 60 minutes to sit down underneath a sizzling solar solely to see an IndyCar race, a lot much less drive 5 or 6 hours. Whoever’s planning these occasions wants an perspective adjustment, protecting the followers within the stands in thoughts 100% of the time.
- They’re coming to be entertained with automobiles on monitor, with open entry to the paddock the place the automobiles are being prepped.
- Align with Classic IndyCar to showcase race automobiles and former racers from previous many years.
- Attain out to SCCA, Mazda, classic sports activities automotive teams, highway racing kart golf equipment like AKRA, to refill monitor time, utilizing the highway course if sensible. In 1981 SCCA nationwide races have been a part of the CART IndyCar race at Watkins Glen. I took half that weekend in a 60+ a number of showroom inventory subject.
- Run underneath the lights in the event that they’re obtainable. It is cooler temperature-wise for the followers and drivers too.
Like baseball’s subject of goals, race attendance will rise with aggressive IndyCar racing, and associated on monitor actions which maintain followers and entertained.
David, Pittsburgh
MP: Thanks, David.
IndyCars, at Iowa, underneath lights. Identical to they’re speculated to be. IMS Picture
Q: Hypothesis has it that Audi and Purple Bull energy models could battle to be as aggressive as different producers in 2026. I perceive Purple Bull haven’t produced a racing engine earlier than, however they’ve a brand new facility, technical help from Ford, and absolutely they employed individuals that may do the job. Why would they not have the ability to produce a aggressive energy unit?
As for Audi, they’ve a few years of expertise producing turbo hybrid energy models with nice success successful Le Mans and Sebring quite a few instances. So why would pundits recommend Audi will battle as effectively?
David, Danville, CA
CHRIS MEDLAND: The principle reply is expertise. They are going up towards established F1 energy unit producers who’ve been by way of greater than a decade of the challenges and hurdles of the turbo-hybrid laws, and they’re extraordinarily advanced. Whereas hiring individuals and investing in amenities is a given, getting all of that working collectively effectively and successfully, whereas build up the flexibility to react shortly doesn’t occur in a single day.
When you take Mercedes for example, it has a longtime and profitable program that was in a position to begin exploratory growth on the brand new energy models from the primary trace of what the laws can be again in the summertime of 2022. At that time, Audi had but to announce it might enter, and Purple Bull was nonetheless attempting to construct its facility. That naturally places each behind, and for all of the personnel you need to rent, you even have to attend for lengthy gardening go away instances to be adhered to with the intention to keep away from an excessive amount of crossover of IP.
Purple Bull has by no means constructed an engine in its historical past, and solely partnered with Ford on battery know-how, whereas Audi may need success at Le Mans and Sebring however that was a decade in the past, pulling out of the WEC on the finish of 2016. That was a really totally different engine to the F1 one as effectively – a 4.0L turbodiesel in comparison with a 1.6L petrol – so whereas it has some helpful expertise, it is restricted.
It isn’t that both is not succesful, however they only needed to begin later than everybody else on the grid. Have a look at Honda coming into F1 in 2015 with new know-how – it struggled massively, however you be taught by way of the R&D. That is what each Purple Bull and Audi are concentrating on, slightly than anticipating to be on the entrance from the phrase go.
Q: The F1 film begs the next query: What does Sylvester Stallone take into consideration Brad Pitt’s remake of ‘Pushed’?
Josh, Louisville
CM: Ooooh, harsh Josh! Whereas there was lots within the F1 movie that I did not like (you’ll be able to learn my preliminary impressions of it from the primary viewing here) I additionally felt it was simply reasonable sufficient to make sure anybody who watches it after which checks out a race for the primary time will see similarities. I do not suppose it’s too far faraway from actuality to make that hyperlink, even when there are many Hollywood-style takes on many points.
However it’s a film in spite of everything, not a documentary. And it is designed to attempt to enhance curiosity within the sport, so has to attraction to individuals who would by no means have given the game an opportunity earlier than. To that finish, I believed the hyperlinks again to the previous and the inclusion of present drivers/group bosses have been good nods to attempt to give a bit extra depth to anybody discovering the game for the primary time.
I am certain you are still going to disagree with me on a few of that stuff. However hopefully we will discover widespread floor that at the least the crash physics have been based in actuality and Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pierce did not steal a few F1 automobiles from an occasion to race by way of London…
Q: Will the CW begin streaming Xfinity race broadcasts on the CW app anytime quickly like what is completed for apply and qualifying classes? Is it of their contract that races are solely to be accessible by way of broadcast tv? Whereas I’ve not seen a lot on this difficulty for the reason that starting of the season, this is able to be an enormous assist to followers that dwell in areas the place their native CW associates present different programming. It’s fairly ridiculous that one thing as simple as placing a race livestream on an app, which has been carried out with FOX and NBC for years, and now with TNT MAX, can’t be carried out in 2025.
Josh
KELLY CRANDALL: The CW doesn’t have any plans to start out streaming the races, and I did verify in to substantiate that since they’re solely doing apply and qualifying proper now. The frustration is comprehensible as a result of despite the fact that the CW does attain a whole lot of houses, there are occasions when the native associates aren’t displaying it and I’ve seen that stated on social media quite a bit. However the app does even have dwell in-car cameras through the race if that’s one thing that pursuits you.
THE FINAL WORD
From Robin Miller’s Mailbag, 25 July, 2018
Q: Your piece on Morris Nunn is a delight to learn; rather well carried out. Components of Dale Coyne. Any good aspect story you’ll be able to inform?
Ron Ford, Muskego, WI
ROBIN MILLER: Bernie referred to as Morris for the F1 pre-season press convention and he declined as a result of he didn’t have the funds for for the airplane ticket (I feel it was in Paris). So Ecclestone despatched his non-public jet to ship Mr. Nunn. Within the press briefing, Mo was requested in regards to the coming season and stated it was trying shaky as a result of he had no sponsor and no prospects. Afterwards, Bernie learn him the riot act and stated: “Don’t ever inform individuals you don’t have any cash or any future. Simply lie till we will determine one thing out.” Then I consider he gave Mo two new engines and $50,000. However I can let you know that Morris and Invoice Finley got here from the identical material – self-made racers that would do all the things.
