Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers may be despatched to mailbag@racer.com. We love listening to your feedback and opinions, however letters that embody a query usually tend to be printed. Questions acquired after 3pm ET every Monday shall be saved for the next week.
Q: I learn that Mike Cannon has abruptly left PREMA. Is that an correct report, and if that’s the case, have you learnt why? There was an enormous turnover of engineers, technicians and managers the final a number of years, so this isn’t an enormous shock. Does he have a brand new vacation spot? Can’t think about he would discover one thing extra interesting.
Dave
MARSHALL PRUETT: One of many nice issues about working in racing as a mechanic and the opposite issues I did from 1986-2001 was making a ton of pals who stay in IndyCar (and IMSA) at this time. One of many negatives, a minimum of in knowledgeable capability as a reporter, is a few of these conversations with pals within the paddock are of a private nature and aren’t topic to sharing on the time they occur.
However Michael later selected to share his facet in a public discussion board, and mentioned it was as a result of group ignoring his enter and feeling his expertise was being wasted. There’s extra to the story, however falls underneath the between-friends class.
Cannon was solely at PREMA because the finish of final 12 months, so this was certainly a shock. I’ve heard from two group house owners who’re enthusiastic about buying his companies, and doubt we’ll get via the following Mailbag or two with out his affirmation at a brand new (or former) group.
Q: Do you have got any details about what occurred to Benjamin Pedersen after being dropped by Foyt in 2023? Did he harm his possibilities within the sequence that badly together with his antics at Mid-Ohio that 12 months?
Matthew Houk, Columbus, OH
MP: Mid-Ohio didn’t harm his possibilities. The group wasn’t nice, and his household allegedly obtained the deal of the century with a three-year, $9 million contract, however with the quite a few crashes, together with the destruction of a chassis on the primary lap of the season, that three-year finances was mentioned to have been used up largely in Yr 1. There have been different allegations about missed fee deadlines, and people misses opening the door to exiting the contract.
I haven’t seen the contract, so I can’t let you know what’s actual or not actual. However the truth that the child was changed by Sting Ray Robb, who was rumored to deliver $9 million for a single 12 months, suggests what the group wanted to outlive as a two-car program.
I all the time favored Benjamin. He didn’t get a lot of an opportunity to point out us something. Given a second season, with a greater group than he had in 2023, I believe he’d make a extra constructive impression. Not saying he’d be bothering the highest half of the sector, however he wouldn’t be parked on the again.
Who is aware of once we’ll see Benjamin Pedersen in an IndyCar once more, however he’ll be in motion on the Rolex 24 at Daytona this weekend in PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports’s No. 52 LMP2 entry. James Gilbert/Motorsport Pictures
Q: What an ideal response to the query/remark from Mike in Michigan, and sure I’m a Rush fan as effectively. That mentioned, regardless of my age (73) I establish with youthful individuals on most issues and within the case of IndyCar we’re growing older out of relevance.
Of all of the house owners who make their opinions recognized, Zak Brown comes closest to nailing the basic issues with the sequence. I begin with the machines themselves and we state the plain in saying that they, too, are aged out.
There’s little about them that excites, and the one purpose to look at is that the racing is incredible and the drivers are, for essentially the most half, tier one gamers. However as you mentioned, that alone doesn’t make it work. Watch races from the golden period within the Nineteen Nineties, and the fields weren’t tight, with the standard up and down the grid way more variable. Nonetheless, the automobiles themselves had been weapons, and once they all began/warmed up on the grid it was unimaginable to the senses.
As an apart, I used to be on the false grid at Lengthy Seashore in 2017 within the Can-Am characteristic that 12 months. I used to be in my M8F huge block, and as I used to be sitting ready to get on to the mix line, James Hinchcliffe noticed me and this automotive and mentioned, “That’s f### superior!” It was the visceral sensation of that energy and sensory overload that clearly was in his thoughts.
As for the automobiles, put them on a couple of 200-pound food regimen, deliver up the ability and let’s use an actual state-of-the-art chassis. We’re not recreating F1, however we are able to have one thing very attractive, quick as hell and much much less upkeep. I actually marvel if the possession seems to be past 12 months on this enterprise.
Administration on the prime has to get youthful and re-invigorate this system. You say this in your piece — the C-level individuals should be of their 40s and 50s, not of their 70s and 80s.
IndyCar won’t ever be F1. Nonetheless, in North America it may be way more influential and a further race in Canada apart from Toronto, a race in Mexico and maybe in South America need to be consummated. I fail to know how they haven’t run with the recognition of Pato O’Ward to safe a serious occasion in Mexico Metropolis or Monterrey.
FOX is a giant plus, the Dallas occasion shall be a giant deal and the published group shall be first-rate. I’m nonetheless a fan, however for goodness sake, let’s take some dangers.
Emmett, Dallas, TX
MP: A lot of fascinating ideas right here, Emmett. From a racing perspective, Penske Racing — the period earlier than the rebrand as Staff Penske — was all about taking dangers, pushing every thing to the sting and past at occasions within the identify of not simply beating the other, however destroying them. A lot of that very same spirit lives on the group at this time, however I can’t say I recall seeing that cavalier strategy at Penske Company, of which Penske Leisure falls inside.
Spending a small fortune to conceive and make “The Beast” and completely dominate the 1994 Indy 500 with a motor that exploited the far reaches of the principles — which had been ready to be exploited — and making historical past with that ballsy determination? You wager. Learn Jade Gurss’s book on the undertaking; you gained’t be disillusioned.
Doing one thing daring and boundary-pushing with a enterprise, and IndyCar is certainly run like a enterprise by Penske? I’m positive I’m unsuitable and have missed the examples, however I’m unaware of something that might be thought-about wild in terms of enterprise choices. I proceed to hope the ultra-conservative strategy we’ve seen up to now with Penske’s possession of IndyCar doesn’t carry over into the upcoming chassis and engine system it’s creating, however I gained’t be shocked if it does.
