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 embrace a query usually tend to be printed. Questions obtained after 3pm ET every Monday can be saved for the next week.
NOTE: Kelly Crandall is on trip, however your NASCAR questions can be answered when she returns.
Q: With the announcement of the new Independent Officiating Board (IOB) in IndyCar, I need to know if this new board may have authority over making calls in a race? Particularly, will the IOB be in control of officiating the Indy 500 and figuring out when it’s acceptable to crimson flag a race? I need to know if the accountability for crimson flagging a race, like we noticed at the tip of the 2023 Indy 500 – resulting in the final lap shoot-out between Ericsson and Newgarden – now falls beneath the brand new IOB’s accountability.
Kevin P, Los Angeles, CA
MARSHALL PRUETT: Nice questions. No, the IOB won’t be positioned in race management or anyplace else to name balls and strikes because the Indy 500 or another IndyCar race is occurring. That’s what IndyCar president Doug Boles instructed us a number of months in the past, and I’ve heard nothing to counter these particulars.
The IOB is a brand new managerial layer that replaces Penske Leisure because the bosses of the individuals who officiate IndyCar occasions. Except there’s a shock twist on the way in which that I don’t find out about, that is the equal of an emancipation of the officers from Penske Leisure with the insertion of recent leaders from the IOB.
Sure, the IOB is answerable for all elements of administering IndyCar’s races from an officiating and compliance capability. When you love the calls popping out of race management, credit score IndyCar Officiating, Inc. (IOI, the brand new non-profit dad or mum firm shaped by Penske Leisure to deal with the IOB, managing director of officiating (MDO), and all IndyCar officers.) And when you hate a name, the IOI, MDO – as soon as that individual is employed – and the IOB members would be the ones responsible.
We don’t but know who can be in control of race management, however I gained’t be stunned if longstanding race director Kyle Novak continues within the place. Identical goes for driver stewards. Arie Luyendyk and Max Papis have been that answer for a few years, and as I’ve been reminded, Novak hasn’t been the one performing as choose; if Driver A ran Driver B into the barrier, it’s Arie and Max who’ve given Novak and the remainder of the officiating crew the thumbs up or thumbs down on assigning a penalty.
A query I must get answered is how the IOB will form how the races are referred to as. Penske Leisure stated the IOB will observe the foundations written by IndyCar, which is sensible, however the secondary a part of race officiating has been the penalty tips utilized by the stewards to deal with most conditions that come up. The rulebook is the proverbial ‘letter of the legislation,’ whereas the penalty tips fall nearer to the ‘spirit of the legislation.’
It is right here, with the spirit aspect of officiating, the place I’d count on the members of the IOB and the MDO to make their presence felt. And never by telling race management the right way to rule on every incident, however with the tone of their officiating. Like we see in stick-and-ball sports activities, some officiating crews are hardcore from the primary second of motion and hammer the gamers for the slightest issues, whereas others are extra lax and solely blow the whistle for the egregious fouls.
New bosses, new expectations for his or her ‘spirit of the legislation’ views to be infused inside race management, simply because it was by the outdated bosses.
Q: Why precisely did IndyCar find yourself chopping Jay Frye? He was such an concerned particular person and appeared to essentially put in a ton of effort to raise the sequence, and you may kinda see it with the rise in groups shortly after his implementation. Simply doesn’t make any sense for them to chop a man who was so boots on the bottom and concerned within the operations.
Austin Blayney, Texarkana, AR
MP: He was given no rationalization and Penske Leisure has solely spoken on the document about eager to appoint Doug Boles, who they felt supplied better strengths in some areas. What we knew throughout the paddock is that Frye was not aligned with Roger Penske and Penske Leisure CEO Mark Miles on a variety of issues and clashed with them on a repeated foundation.
Frye served as IndyCar president for 5 years beneath Hulman George possession, and after they bought to Penske, the brand new sequence house owners needed issues completed nevertheless they selected, and Frye is alleged to have caught to his beliefs and pushed again repeatedly. Whether or not he was proper to carry the road is immaterial; if the corporate you’re employed for is purchased and the brand new proprietor needs issues completed in another way, you both comply, push again and hope the house owners see your manner as the easiest way, or go away. Frye tried the second possibility, was depressing for the final two or three years there, and he’s additionally extremely loyal, which meant he would by no means stop.
With hindsight, I’m completely satisfied he was fired, for his personal sake, as a result of he’s a lot happier in all areas of his life. Boles additionally seems to be thriving in his new position.
Frye and Boles each appear to be in a cheerful place because the IndyCar management shake-up. Walt Kuhn/Penske Leisure
Q: Thrilling and inspiring developments occurring with the IR28 chassis; thanks for placing these first two updates collectively. Taking current realities into consideration, the image that’s creating feels each comprehensible and thrilling.
One potential improvement that I’d be disenchanted to see happen could be that of shifting the remaining driver adjustment instruments to the steering wheel. One of many extra fulfilling elements of in-car digital camera views is watching drivers making the changes utilizing the instruments mounted at their aspect. It successfully and engagingly highlights an space the place the motive force is making a distinction.
Shifting these instruments to the steering wheel vastly diminishes that spectacle.
Kristopher Strebe. Seattle, WA
MP: Early in my profession as a racecar mechanic, round 1989 or 1990, I had a need to provide you with a semi-automated anti-roll bar adjustment system within the junior open-wheel automobiles I labored on. Many of the ARBs had 5 adjustment positions the place you’d push or pull the lever and lock the adjuster cable into place. My concept, and this was earlier than digital dashboards and hydraulic/electro/pneumatic actuation was regular, was to have 5 buttons to push, with the primary being the softest ARB setting to the toughest being the fifth and final button to press on a panel affixed to the entrance of the cockpit that was above the highest of the steering wheel.
The idea had nothing to do with security and making an attempt to get levers out of the cockpit; it was to provide drivers a quick and straightforward approach to change the entrance and rear ARBs to offer optimum dealing with in various kinds of corners. Need one thing comfortable and supple exiting a hairpin, growth, press your buttons and also you’ve obtained it straight away. Quick nook forward and also you desire a stiff platform? Hit your buttons, and so forth. Fishing round and making an attempt to row by the adjuster handles took too lengthy and wasn’t at all times exact.
Effectively, I didn’t know the right way to make my pushbutton ARB change system to optimize corner-by-corner dealing with again 35 years in the past, but when the concept floated by IndyCar’s Mark Sibla involves fruition, my outdated concept must be attainable by way of the steering wheel, simply because the fast-acting weight jacker is used to swiftly collapse or develop the jacker and shed downforce on the Indy 500’s straights or return the automobiles to their full cornering potential on strategy to Turns 1 and three.
Groups place potentiometers on their ARBs in order that they and the drivers know the settings always. Possibly that’s one thing for IndyCar and FOX Sports activities to work into the broadcasts.
Q: Nice protection of the upcoming IR28. I’ve a few random questions.
Aerodynamics and DRS: Is there no curiosity on IndyCar’s half to have flexing wings for street course bundle to chop down on drag, weight and enhance prime speeds? My small thoughts thinks versatile means gentle weight, however which may an over simplification on my half.
Hybrid/Powertrain: Any consideration being given to the two.4 engine being spec and open the MGU to improvement? Or hold the two.4 open and have the hybrid spec for the primary couple years then finally open that up too. I really feel like Honda needs open improvement on the MGU aspect greater than the engine.
Do you see anyplace on the automobile that could possibly be opened up for improvement with out breaking the financial institution and have a constructive impact for everybody?
Derek M., Perry, GA
MP: Versatile wings – IndyCar drivers are likely to make a number of contact with one another, so I’m guessing sturdy wing building will proceed in favor of thinner/lighter/versatile wing parts that may be turned to mud by the tip of a avenue race.
Engines/Hybrid – there was loads of dialog about going principally or absolutely spec on the inner combustion aspect (which we closely discover in various upcoming IndyCar 2028 items) with a view to open up the power restoration aspect for taking part in and particular person expression. The ultimate choices inverted that idea. Whether or not the ERS may turn into open sooner or later is TBD.
I’ve spent many hours making an attempt to think about that factor to open up and create distinctive options of seen differentiation for producers or groups, and hold hanging out. Open shocks are now not needed because of the prices. Open aerodynamics have been tried from 2015-2017 and the producers nuked tons of money whereas drawing no significant development to the sequence with TV scores or ticket gross sales, and no identified enhance in car gross sales, in order that brings nothing however unhealthy monetary recollections. Wheels are spec. Aero is spec. Engines are required to be 2.4 liters and V6s. ERS is spec. Gearbox is spec. Electronics can be spec.
I simply don’t know what else to think about for leaving open that hasn’t been locked in as spec and would deliver actual persona or distinction with no large price ticket. Possibly Mailbag readers may help with concepts I’m lacking.
Q: Mt Rushmore of IndyCar pit reporters. I’ve to go together with Jon Beekhuis, Gary Gerould, Calvin Fish, and Kevin Lee. What do you assume?
Ed, Jersey
MP: Robust poll. But it surely’s incomplete with out Jack Arute.
Q: Whereas I think about the possibilities of Penske Leisure doing this are between zero and none, I’ve been a proponent for a while now of the Indy 500 permitting ‘particular’ entries alongside the final concept of Storage 56 on the 24 of Le Mans, as a approach to permit for innovation in a really managed manner.
Years in the past, this is able to have been a enjoyable but sensible approach to discover the DeltaWing idea (with out constructing a whole fleet of them). Within the present case, it might be IMS telling JR Hildebrand ( Blackbird 66Mk.1 ) and Lola (DGR-Lola FE car) that if they’ll discover a approach to construct their idea automobiles, then they’re welcome to enter the Indy 500 as ‘particular’ entries, offered in fact that they’ll qualify truthful and sq. as one of many quickest 33.
This might permit for an opportunity to make qualifying weekend actually fascinating to the broader motorsports world (who would not need to see the 66Mk.1 lapping IMS at full fury on a heat day in Might? Or see how a super-modified FE automobile would do making an attempt to qualify for Indy?)
It could additionally permit for a glimpse of innovation whereas stopping the aero arms race of getting the present NTT IndyCar Sequence groups constructing and modifying their very own chassis. It additionally has the built-in excuse that if certainly one of these Storage 56-esque entries did very properly in opposition to the established IndyCar Dallara method, properly, they have been ‘particular’ entries allowed to play outdoors the foundations.
Are there any possibilities that IMS and IndyCar would ever permit for one thing – occasion exhibition runs – of outside-concept automobiles?
Nick, Wisconsin
MP: You need to begin with the ‘what would everyone complain about’ half first and work your manner backwards to the reply. This one doesn’t want a lot to get to the conclusion. Each crew proprietor and engine provider would lose their minds over the considered a ‘Gasoline Alley 34’ entry lapping sooner than their automobiles and engines, exhibiting up their sponsors who all pay essentially the most cash or the vast majority of their cash for the season to be seen at Indy, and/or capturing extra media consideration, even when the particular entry isn’t faster over the course of a lap.
It is 100-percent downsides for everybody on the crew and competitors aspect, except the GA34 automobile chokes and sucks, which then brings embarrassment to the occasion (that’s fascinated with it from the sequence’ aspect).
The spirit of innovation and making an attempt to beat one another with higher machines which can be totally different from one another died inside most IndyCar crew house owners way back. Everybody’s fearful of not being equal, and as soon as that concern was eliminated by making rattling close to every part spec, there was by no means an opportunity of going again to the outdated methods pitting totally different engines in opposition to totally different chassis fashions shod with totally different tire manufacturers.
Seeing Blackbird 66 Mk.1 within the subject of 33 could be tremendous enjoyable, but additionally tremendous impractical. Picture by Patrick Faulwetter
Q: Very long time lurker, first time caller. With all of the conversations surrounding full-time entries for the 2026 IndyCar season (and just one open seat remaining with my neighbors down the road), little or no has been stated relating to the extra Indy 500 entries. Any information from DRR (who had one heck of a run final 12 months) or any of the groups who would possibly subject extra entries?
Dave Lundin, Woodridge, IL
MP: DRR can be two automobiles once more. Only a query of who’ll change Ryan Hunter-Reay. Daly is the plain title to return there and go for the win. We all know Andretti may have an additional automobile, and Arrow McLaren has RHR. Final time I requested, Ganassi wasn’t planning on doing an additional automobile and Foyt has been reluctant to take action whereas in its alliance with Penske. Carpenter can be again as a 500 entry, as will Castroneves with Meyer Shank. RLL may have Sato again. There are a number of different names I’ve heard of as potential 500 entrants, however PREMA’s driving the bus on engine availability.
In the event that they’re in, the entry record ought to mirror what we had in Might, and I solely hear that they’re in. But when not, it may get enjoyable.
Q: Do the producers concerned with IMSA pay a price to compete? Additionally, are we going to see extra protection by way of the web ? I haven’t got web entry, so I missed a number of IMSA’s protection final 12 months. Which is a disgrace, as a result of I feel it is one of the best sequence in America proper now.
Rob
MP: There was rather a lot product of a compulsory annual advertising and promotions price again when the DPi period launched in 2017, and I don’t know of any modifications to it since then. The rumored annual minimal per producer was $1 million.
Sure, each racing sequence is doing extra protection by way of the Web. I’m additionally realizing simply now that when you don’t have Web entry, I’m unsure how this was despatched or how the response can be seen.
Q: For example the subsequent nice open-wheel racer has a sudden development spurt. Out of the blue, they’re 6’10″. Are they going to slot in an IndyCar or an F1 cockpit? Would the automobiles abruptly get longer, or would the lengthy, tall driver must go elsewhere?
Isaac, Fruitport MI
MP: Sizing’s straightforward. When you’ve been in an residence constructing or home from the Twenties or Nineteen Thirties, making an attempt to navigate the halls and stepping by doorframes is reminder of how the typical was tiny in comparison with what we’re immediately. Identical with a number of old-timey race automobiles. If most drivers have been to turn into NBA measurement, there’s no place for them to go in any sequence proper now, so modifications could be made.
Q: Based mostly on intestine feeling and rumor alone; because the NASCAR trial continues, what is the odds we’d hear the explanation IndyCar has been restricted on ovals is a part of NASCAR’s anti-trust exercise?
Shawn, MD
MP: I don’t know if the lawsuit is/was wanted to reply this one.
NASCAR has saved IndyCar off its ovals for an excellent whereas, with choose exceptions. It let IndyCar pay and lease Iowa Speedway, which simply got here to an finish. WWTR/Gateway is privately owned by Curtis Francois. The Milwaukee Mile is owned and operated by the Wisconsin State Truthful Park. Nashville Speedway is owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc. IndyCar’s return to Phoenix Raceway, a NASCAR-owned observe, is the one certainly one of its variety for the sequence in 2026, and comes by way of FOX Sports activities facilitating the fast in-and-out look on the Friday-Saturday of the Cup weekend.
I coated a Grand-Am race a few years in the past at Daytona through the NASCAR Cup summer time race there. It was an odd factor with Cup and the opposite sequence up on the oval and Grand-Am utilizing the roval throughout the identical occasion, so IndyCar gained’t have that to cope with at Phoenix, however the feeling of being the irrelevant member of the race weekend was current all the time with Grand-Am. Out and in by Saturday, and no one cared. After which Grand-Am went again to being the headliner at its personal occasions. We’ll see what it’s like for IndyCar on the NASCAR Phoenix undercard in March…
Q: I do know we’re ready for an additional engine provider to affix IndyCar with hybrid know-how – is Honda in or out? Toyota is now a sponsor for Haas in F1 with out suppling a powerplant, DRS goes away and extra battery energy is coming in for a model of PTP. When is that this nonsense going to cease?
I’m all for methods to sluggish/cease international warming, however we’re speaking about essentially the most superior racing automobiles on this planet right here! Simply undergo YouTube, again to any Indy automobile/F1 race within the ‘90s, shut your eyes and simply take heed to these V10s and turbo V8s simply screaming down the observe. That is what racing is all about.
We have to deliver some type of this again, and the earlier the higher. The hollowed grounds of Indianapolis and Monza want to listen to this, not the hum of Singer stitching machines buzzing round.
Joe, LA
MP: I really like the concept of breaking the information about Honda within the Mailbag. As soon as I’ve a solution, will probably be shared.
No must considerably rehash what I’ve written many occasions, however sure, if IndyCar’s engine suppliers don’t demand hybrids or small-displacement turbo V6s as a situation of their participation, I’d like to see and listen to one thing larger and higher.
Chevy gives the look of being detached to IndyCar’s hybridization, at most, and we all know the Bowtie loves its naturally-aspirated motors. Honda’s identified to be a lover of small turbos and hybrids. Who is aware of what a brand new producer would need.
But when a 3rd emerged, and sided with what I feel Chevy could be up for, Penske Leisure would have the power to vary path with out threat of being a single-manufacturer sequence.
Q: It’s been reported a number of occasions that IndyCar management needs to shrink the sector to 25 automobiles if PREMA folds. Is there any rationalization as to why? It doesn’t seem to be the working value for the sequence could be dramatic totally different at 25 vs 27 automobiles.
Additionally, I feel Sting Ray Robb is getting an unfair therapy from IndyCar followers. His efficiency was primarily similar to Louis Foster and Nolan Seigel, who have been each in manner higher automobiles than him. Sting Ray was solely 80 factors behind Daly (similar factors distinction as there was between Herta and Dixon this 12 months), who’s far more skilled than him. Robb most likely isn’t a future champion, however he shouldn’t be the face of IndyCar pay drivers, both.
Will, Indy
MP: A number of motivations for shrinking the sector. Penske Leisure CEO Mark Miles has put the quantity at 22 in dialog with crew house owners, pushed by searching for larger high quality entries, in principle, and better worth/exclusivity with fewer entries, which some crew house owners have been calling for to lift the worth of their charters.
On Sting Ray, come on, man. He’s out-performed different paying drivers like Benjamin Pedersen and Jacob Abel in his three seasons, however he’s the one paying driver to complete 20th or decrease within the standings all three years. If Pedersen or Abel or Devlin DeFrancesco have been in for a similar three-year stretch, I may see the argument for saying certainly one of them was the face of paying drivers, however he’s the lone fixed over that span. Siegel’s truthful recreation for parallels, however you misplaced me with the point out of Foster.
Q: Will the NASCAR settlement have any repercussions in IndyCar relating to the constitution system?
Vincent Martinez, South Pasadena, CA
MP: Nice query. Nothing for now, however I think about IndyCar’s crew house owners have rather a lot to consider for the long run.
THE FINAL WORD
From Robin Miller’s Mailbag, 17 December, 2014
Q: When you may get an unique, 20-minute interview with Bernie Ecclestone, what would you ask him?
Marc, Orange County, CA
ROBIN MILLER: I’d ask if he remembers me calling his home at midnight in 1979, waking him up and asking him a query about Porsche that he refused to reply earlier than slamming the cellphone down. Then I’d ask him (have to make use of a polygraph) simply how terrified of CART was he in 1993 when ol’ Nige defected?
