Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers might be despatched to mailbag@racer.com. We love listening to your feedback and opinions, however letters that embrace a query usually tend to be revealed. Questions obtained after 3pm ET every Monday will likely be saved for the next week.
Q: Assist me perceive the unforgivable conduct of whomever makes the decision to throw the yellows. First, they resolve to not throw a yellow when VeeKay spun out as a result of they needed to go away the pits open, which I utterly disagree with. In the event you did not pit earlier than the yellow, so be it! You reside with the results of racing incidents. So VeeKay loses two laps when he possible may have been began within the sand and begin going. Ridiculous.
After which worse, and never the primary race I’ve seen this, Ericsson spins out and is sitting in a really susceptible place, and no yellow is thrown for a lot of minutes. Somebody’s going to die one in every of lately, Marshall.
Who makes these choices? Why is the pit allowed to remain open whereas a yellow is delayed, leading to threat to the drivers? Why is a yellow not constantly thrown the second there’s an incident? Why?
Jean Okay
MARSHALL PRUETT: As a result of each state of affairs isn’t the identical. IndyCar goes full-course yellow (FCY) immediately on ovals as a result of excessive sustained speeds and nature of crashed issues to slip down onto the racing line and get hit. It doesn’t at all times work as meant, because the WWTR crash involving Foster and Newgarden confirmed, however on the whole, if contact is seen, it’s FCY with haste. Nice strategy. Make no adjustments to it.
Street racing is totally different, and it doesn’t should be handled in a blind, copycat method the place no matter’s accomplished on ovals is utilized to a radically totally different model of racing, and vice versa. That’s why I respect a nuanced strategy to the officiating of multi-discipline racing.
For the sake of security and physics, the moment oval FCY makes full sense. In highway racing, an absence of severity with no matter occurred, coupled with a particularly low security threat, is the place race management can learn the state of affairs and make judgement calls on when to go FCY. That’s what VeeKay’s deal warranted.
VeeKay’s engine didn’t want restarting within the gravel lure to unravel the issue. He wanted to be pulled out of it by the AMR Security Workforce as a result of he was caught and couldn’t transfer. He was dropping a lap regardless, on account of how deep he was and the time/effort to carry out the restoration. Might the 2 laps have been reduce to at least one? In fact. However the prolonged name to go FCY wasn’t the distinction between staying on the lead lap and going a lap down.
Rinus was far-off from the racing line and there was no affordable risk posed by ready for the leaders to get into the pits. He was in no rapid hazard, and race management used its expertise to precisely choose the state of affairs. Automobiles get going shortly in direction of Flip 3, however aren’t outrageously quick, and he was removed from the monitor.
The leaders have been within the window to pit, and they also weren’t penalized for the timing of a warning that wasn’t an pressing matter to unravel. If this was VeeKay spearing nose-first into the limitations, that’s an prompt FCY. However this was nothing like that, so there was no must overreact. I wouldn’t change a factor about the way it was dealt with.
Can’t say the identical concerning the Ericsson state of affairs. That one is a head-scratcher. Giving Marcus time to try to fireplace his engine and drive away is completely affordable. Ready so long as they did to see if it could occur, which I timed at 1m31s from the second the FOX broadcast reduce to his automobile sitting sideways on the monitor to when the FCY went stay, is a very long time. Add a couple of seconds from when the spin began to when he was discovered by the cameras, and it’s nearer to 1m35s. Palou was lapping between 1m11s-1m12s, so relying on the place they have been, some drivers handed Marcus twice earlier than the FCY appeared.
Granted, there have been native yellows waving with the SFR SCCA flaggers and the EM Marshaling System mild panels blinking yellow into Flip 6 on the backside of the hill and atop the hill, so there have been warnings to all drivers of an issue forward. That doesn’t clarify away the lengthy wait, nevertheless it’s not as if there was nothing being accomplished to alert the opposite drivers to a problem previous to the FCY.
The leaders pitted between laps 69-72 and Ericsson’s difficulty led to the FCY on lap 78, so it had nothing to do with leaving the pits open for the leaders. I’d ask race management to do the identical factor each time it has a VeeKay-like situation on its arms.
I’d ask race management to take a extra aggressive strategy to a stalled automobile on the racing floor at one of many quickest factors on the race monitor because it had with Ericsson sitting broadside to the sphere. He wasn’t on the racing line, or all that near it, however he was on the pavement nonetheless, and that’s too shut for consolation.
Q: With Observe 2 at Laguna Seca needing to canceled due to the low stratus marine layer, it makes me marvel: Does anybody at IndyCar think about climate when placing the schedule collectively?
I’m a meteorologist who obtained his graduate faculty meteorology training in Monterey. Anybody dwelling or who has lived in that space is aware of that the marine layer stratus is a day by day incidence there in the summertime, which makes spring and fall the very best occasions to schedule a race at Laguna Seca. The Observe 2 cancellation ought to shock no-one.
Was this date picked knowingly, however hoping it could in some way work out? Or was this a niche within the due diligence course of?
Steve, Ann Arbor, MI
MP: Nice query for which I’ve no reply. However I can inform you that in the course of the hour-plus of strolling up and down pit lane, I ended with each good friend, former rival, or teammate from my CART and Indy Lights days and both mentioned, or had mentioned to me, “So no one setting the schedule has been to Laguna Seca earlier than 2025?” or some variation of the theme. Having sat on the identical pit lane or below a tent numerous occasions within the Nineties whereas ready for a similar marine layer to burn off, we simply shook their heads as the identical previous look forward to 10:30am to reach with clear skies passed off.
Search for the everlasting shift to a late morning Saturday follow session adopted shortly by qualifying and a late afternoon ‘morning’ warmup to turn out to be the usual plan.
In the event you’re conversant in Monterey climate, you noticed this coming. Chris Owens/IMS
Q: I do know we’re all conscious of and in awe of the ever-evolving genius which is Alex Palou, and the truth that he isn’t solely amongst one of many best drivers of the trendy period, but in addition on tempo to turn out to be one of many best of all time. I’ve little question that in the future we will likely be speaking about him in the identical regards as Foyt, Mario and Dixon. However the actual query, and I do know I converse for all of us after I ask this, is how will he evaluate to all-time legend, Mark Plourde, when issues are all mentioned and accomplished?
Alan Bandi, Sarver, PA
MP: I’ve met most of my heroes – Mario Andretti, Al Holbert, Dan Gurney, and so forth – however I’ve by no means met the wonderful Mark Plourde. A life incomplete. However I do nonetheless have my ‘Plourde’ shirt I purchased years in the past as a tribute to the best Champ Automobile driver of all time.
Q: Final Sunday, over the past levels from Laguna Seca, the FOX crew talked about that Palou may equal and even surpass the file of most victories in a single season. On the published, they talked about that this file stands at 10 victories and it’s held by Foyt and Unser Sr. Nonetheless, as I recall, this file belongs to Ted Horn, who gained 19 in 1946.
Did IndyCar stopped to acknowledge these victories – or the races – below the Huge Automobile guidelines, or it was merely a mistake from the published?
Pedro, Ouro Preto/MG, Brazil
MP: I requested my good friend Scott Richards, a tremendous statistician, to reply:
“That is one query I have been ready for somebody to deliver up! There has lengthy been a debate over whether or not the 1946 AAA season consisted of six races or 77. From what I perceive, AAA for one yr selected to incorporate 71 ‘Huge Automobile’ races that have been below 100 miles in size on account of issues over automobile counts. A few of these 71 races have been extremely brief, together with one race in Nice Barrington, Massachusetts that totaled 4 miles!
“There’s been a powerful debate from either side of the argument on whether or not the 71 races ought to be counted since then, and technically the 1947 automobile numbers have been assigned based mostly on the 77-race factors outcomes. Nonetheless, when IndyCar launched its official file guide again in 2011, it solely acknowledged the six races that have been over 100 miles lengthy (Indianapolis, Langhorne, Atlanta-Lakewood, Indiana State Fairgrounds, Milwaukee, and Goshen). It is definitely an attention-grabbing quandary and one few individuals appear to learn about, but when FOX was going by what IndyCar now determines is the official file, then they weren’t improper”
Q: I’ve observed an inconsistency within the clamor to take away oval races from the schedule. In 2023 at Texas Speedway there have been round 20,000 followers in a speedway that holds 75,000+, and it was thought of an alarming failure. But Toronto final week had round 18,500 followers within the stands, and it was almost ‘bought out’.
The gang at Toronto appeared nice on TV, due to this fact notion is actuality. Road circuits have an inherent benefit – they’ll measurement their momentary grandstands to the anticipated ticket gross sales, everlasting speedways can not.
At Iowa there have been 6,000 followers in attendance. Everybody noticed the 18,000 empty seats on TV, and that’s now a disaster. But what number of followers have been at Thermal Membership? About 5,000? We aren’t speaking about their low attendance, as a result of nobody noticed any empty grandstands on TV at Thermal Membership.
Hy-Vee, Huge Machine Music, and Bommarito have all constantly confirmed that with correct promotion followers will come out in sturdy numbers to see an oval race. So let’s evaluate apples to apples earlier than letting the detractors declare “ovals are useless”.
Kevin P., Los Angeles, CA
MP: Texas was fortunate to have 5,000 individuals for the final race. Iowa certain wasn’t 6,000 and Thermal was barely over 2,000. Ovals aren’t useless in IndyCar. However let’s additionally not ignore actuality by skewing comparisons. I’ve been to Iowa when Hy-Vee wasn’t concerned, and there have been no large live shows, and it had wholesome crowds. Similar for Texas in its earliest editions. And WWTR/Gateway when it was loaded with followers.
For these of us who’ve been to those races for a few years, usually below totally different names just like the CART IndyCar Sequence or Champ Automobile of the Indy Racing League, the power exists to check and distinction to as we speak. Iowa was miserable. WWTR was fairly good, however inferior to it has been.
Milwaukee is the ‘ovals are useless’ canary within the coalmine. If it’s nearly as good or higher than final yr on its return, everybody can exhale. And if it’s down, that can definitely feed the notion that too many IndyCar ovals are attracting too few followers.
Q: Theo Pourchaire not too long ago indicated that he is working with Simon Pagenaud to attempt to open doorways for him within the U.S.
Have you ever heard about rumors about him in 2026, whether or not in IndyCar and even IMSA?
In 2026, for me the one likelihood for him will likely be that Malukas goes to Penske to interchange Energy, and he’ll create a superb alternative for Pourchaire within the Foyt staff.
Given his actions within the WEC this yr, one may also assume that he may proceed within the WEC in 2026, and doing a couple of extra races in IMSA may open doorways for him in IndyCar in 2027.
I’d love for Pourchaire to actually get his likelihood in IndyCar. Whenever you see that he dominated drivers like Lawson, Lundgaard, Armstrong and that he was virtually on par with Piastri, I feel that IndyCar can not go away such a driver on the sidelines.
Yannick
MP: I haven’t heard from any groups which have him in P1 on their to-hire record. He’s on some lists, however not as probably the most coveted driver. An F2 champ is a tough factor to disregard, however his lack of oval expertise is the actual difficulty. Few groups are keen to attend two or three years for highway racers to turn out to be threats on ovals, which makes a Linus Lundqvist or a Rinus VeeKay extra interesting candidates. I must test in with Simon to see if any IMSA alternatives are within the works. Hated dropping him, and hope he finds a manner again.

Hopefully there are a couple of still-to-be-written North American chapters within the Theo Pourchaire story. Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: I used to be questioning what your opinion is on the Porsche Penske staff contemplating solely doing the Endurance Cup, or each dropping IMSA as a complete? Additionally with Ford coming in to the LMDh scene, may we see Penske transfer to being Ford’s manufacturing unit staff for IMSA and WEC, particularly since Penske runs Ford in NASCAR?
Jack
MP: I don’t have an opinion since Porsche has repeatedly said in latest weeks and months that it’s in for extra full-time motion in GTP. I do know different groups are angling to interchange Penske at any time when the connection ends, and sure, Ford+Penske has been rumored for some time now in Hypercar.
Q: In Germany there are some rumors circling round that PREMA will go away IndyCar on the finish of the season due to prices, as Iron Lynx will not be eager on paying for this system any extra.
What’s your details about that?
Frank Lehmann
MP: There have been heavy rumors in Could that the staff bankrolled by Deborah Mayer was closing its doorways after the Indy 500. After which PREMA confirmed as much as Detroit, and WWTR, and so forth. From inside the paddock the place they compete, I’ve heard nothing to counsel the staff goes away.
Q: The gang at Laguna Seca appeared larger than I’ve ever seen on TV. How was it in individual?
Kyle
MP: First time since IndyCar returned the place I wasn’t involved for the race’s future. It wasn’t half of a CART-era explosion of humanity, nevertheless it was busy and energetic and youthful. The quantity of followers in Pato/McLaren gear was wonderful, and the quantity of younger girls – usually repping Pato not directly with a hat, shirt, bracelet, or comparable – was additionally arduous to overlook. It felt rattling good to be at one in every of my native tracks for an IndyCar race and never really feel unhappy for the monitor and sequence with a small turnout.
Q: As soon as once more, a Palou masterclass. He was as quick on blacks as everybody else was on reds. On reds, he was untouchable. I do know it’s a bit boring, however simply wow. I respect excessive excellence after I see it.
Now my remark/query on broadcast. I discovered it wonderful that the published utterly missed the on-track move Lungaard made on Herta. Perhaps it was about 20 laps later after they caught it and confirmed it.
I wrote to the sales space staff and I do know they need to cowl for the manufacturing people, nevertheless it looks like the manufacturing truck people want somebody who actually is aware of racing and watching timing and scoring with them in order that they know what to search for. I do know they’re taking a look at 50 screens they usually additionally resolve what we see and what the sales space sees, nevertheless it was a giant miss for my part. An IndyCar intern may assist them with this.
I noticed it on the app as a result of I used to be watching the hole Herta had come down, and it was for second place – not some midfield scrap.
I’ve seen others right here touch upon the FOX broadcast and I do know they’re rookies on this sphere, nevertheless it looks like some stuff not getting higher.
Jeff Smith, State Faculty, PA
MP: Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Q: Appears Mike Hull and CGR had the suitable technique at Laguna Seca. The race was scratchy sufficient to maintain our curiosity, regardless that the result appeared inevitable.
Palou is Tiger-esque proper now. Him or the sphere? On TV it appeared like a superb crowd too – was it? (That is my requisite query.)
Congrats to Will Energy for ending first-in-team. As an ill-informed fan studying all the things between the traces, I’ve come to the conclusion that he will not be with Workforce Penske subsequent yr. Three causes.
First, there hasn’t been a considerable sufficient distinction in efficiency between him and Malukas.
Second, if he stays, subsequent yr would not be a contract yr. Quite, it could be a yr of continuous hoopla with everybody at each occasion celebrating his successes with Penske. Hell, some monitor proprietor would possibly get confused and bestow a brand new Harley upon him. It will be awkward, it could get tiresome and I doubt he or the staff actually needs that.
And third, if he leaves after this season, he stands a greater likelihood of touchdown a superb multi-year deal someplace. I hope there’s extra poles and wins in his future, however my enduring recollections will likely be his Indy and title wins, and the times when he and Cindric did nice issues collectively. Really the double-birds are proper up there too. That was an all-timer and it is unimaginable to recollect it with out smiling. Good on ya, mate.
Chris in Colorado
MP: So the very best transfer is to drop Penske’s most constant performer. Is sensible to me.
Q: Somebody had raised a query in final week’s Mailbag that talked about the Alex Palou-McLaren contract saga from a few seasons in the past. I think about it needed to be a contentious relationship between Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi throughout that point. With Palou being on a tear this season, what is the relationship between Ganassi and Palou been like since that debacle?
Brandon Karsten
MP: Robust. It was contentious; Alex sued Chip. On the time, Chip advised me he barely knew Palou, which struck me as odd since Palou had simply gained a championship for the staff, however sure, in the event you look again at that 2021-2022 interval, you didn’t see the interpersonal relationship on show such as you do as we speak with the hugs and visual connection between the 2. Ganassi is thought to be backing Palou within the McLaren courtroom deal, which says quite a bit about how far they’ve come.

Water below the bridge. Chris Owens/IMS
Q: Wow! I do know IndyCar followers need extra ovals, however hardly anybody confirmed up at Iowa, a monitor we would lose. But Street America, Mid-Ohio, the Indy Street Course, Laguna Seca and Barber, everybody reveals up. I’m questioning if Watkins Glen, Mosport Park in Canada and New Jersey Motorsports Park will likely be added to the schedule subsequent yr?
Alistair, Springfield, MO
MP: I really like the primary two options; NJMP is the final place to ship IndyCar.
Q: With all of the livery adjustments all through the season, does every staff have their very own devoted individuals that may wrap and re-wrap the vehicles? Or do they ship them to a third-party that does that? Looks like it’s a continuing factor. I can’t think about each staff has simply tons of bodywork items standing by with new sponsor designs, however perhaps they do?
Wealthy
MP: There’s 11 groups so no reply matches all. Larger groups have their very own graphics division and do their very own; others usher in distributors. Wrapping spare bodywork is an possibility, however not the bathtub itself.
Q: I used to be watching the Toronto race and I observed Pato was trailing Kyffin Simpson. They have been going to Flip 1 on lap 45 and Simpson went across the curb. Pato reduce the curb and simply went on the within of Flip 1 and didn’t even go across the curb. I used to be questioning if that was authorized, as a result of it looks like everyone else ought to simply maintain slicing flip one and never go across the curb. Take a look at the video – there’s an overhead from a helicopter that reveals it.
Mark
MP: Sure, it is authorized.
Q: Is PREMA nonetheless actively exploring shopping for charters from present entries?
Jim
MP: Are they going again to the identical individuals who mentioned no the primary time? I don’t know, however no constitution groups are going to promote their charters with out promoting the staff, and none are on the market.
Q: OK Nice Guru of IndyCar, clarify CGR’s Technique at Toronto in a manner us mere mortals can perceive.
Purple
MP: Made no sense to me the second I noticed them decide primaries when it was clear the favored name could be to get the alternates off as shortly as attainable, which 5 out of the six drivers within the high six selected to do.
This was a case of getting an enormous factors lead and having the artistic freedom to strive a dangerous technique and know you may survive if it went sideways. If Palou’s lead was 50 factors as a substitute of 129, there’s no manner an pointless threat will get taken.
Q: Going off my final Mailbag query suggesting that IndyCar enable for groups to subject MotoGP-esque ‘wildcard’ entries at choose races… what if IndyCar stole one other concept, this time from NASCAR?
Particularly, I confer with the ‘Helio rule’ from Daytona. If a staff needs to subject a driver of worldwide renown with a confirmed racing file, they get an auto-entry, offered that driver has accomplished a superb check. This may be the place your concept of the Chris Griffis Memorial-style check for the IndyCar guys can are available in.
Sure, it’s a gimmick, and maybe it may not have a big impact most weekends, nevertheless it would possibly work particularly for a weekend like Iowa. Let’s say DCR fields a World of Outlaws driver in automobile No.19 at Iowa Speedway and that driver does a little bit run at Indianapolis beforehand on the check day, which helps publicize this for his or her fan base.
You would possibly argue that Bryan Clauson operating Indy didn’t actually deliver that many individuals in, however Iowa, not like Indy, isn’t already an enormous worldwide occasion that many WoO followers are possible tuned into for his or her yearly dose of IndyCar racing.
If I’m an enormous Kody Swanson or David Gravel fan, I’d already be watching Indy, however then I’d need to tune in to look at my driver at Iowa on TV. I’d even come to the monitor! As I say, it’s a gimmick, however I feel all of us agree that IndyCar has to strive one thing to avoid wasting this occasion.
This in all probability isn’t the golden ticket, however no less than it’s one thing. All of this to say, I miss the NAPA livery in IndyCar and Brad Candy hopping in a DW12 is the very best shot we’ve of seeing it once more.
Taylor Smith
MP: Again to start with of Indy NXT, when it was referred to as the American Racing Sequence, the promoter used a ‘Home Automobile,’ which it stuffed with a variety of cool or attention-grabbing drivers to showcase the sequence because it stepped in to fill a void between Tremendous Vee/Formulation Atlantic and IndyCar.
What you’re proposing is what this must be: A Penske Leisure Home Automobile. Since Penske is the promoter of Iowa, it’s on Penske to facilitate one thing like this by attempting to maneuver the needle with a driver who everybody agrees would deliver an additional 5000 individuals to the occasion. And if a Coyne or whomever has a fantastic one-off driver for an occasion that might transfer the needle, use the ‘Home Automobile’ entry with their very own additional automobile.
Q: Just a few recommendation for IndyCar. You have got daytime ovals in summer time warmth and marvel why no one reveals up? Why do you assume Dash Automobile racing is exploding in reputation? Ovals at night time!
Indy is the solely exception. Ovals ought to all be night time races, not on a Sunday, and I do not imply begin in sunshine finish at sunset. Use the 4th of July, it doesn’t matter what day of the week it’s. Make it an evening earlier than race with an enormous fireworks present after, and most of the people are off work the following day and may take pleasure in one other native firework present. If an present oval on the schedule does not have lights, attempt to assist them with the improve.
Dave
MP: Downside solved.
Q: If NASCAR has any humorousness, they will use CART’s Cleveland circuit configuration for subsequent yr’s Coronado Island race.
Kyle
MP: Burke Lakefront Airport was SOOOOO good.

Racing’s Holy Grail. Come to consider it, if NASCAR has a humorousness it should transfer the complete San Diego occasion to Cleveland. Getty Pictures
Q: Name me loopy, however with NASCAR taking no less than a yr off, IndyCar ought to attempt to swoop in and get the road race in Chicago for a decrease sanctioning charge.
From what I can inform on the web, NASCAR does not have a contract for a future return. It will give IndyCar one other race in a significant market with an viewers that’s already constructed up. It labored fairly effectively when F1 left Lengthy Seashore; why not strive it once more?
Josh in Flo-City, KY
MP: Unsure we are able to cite one thing that labored as soon as, 42 years in the past, as the explanation to roll the cube on a road race that wasn’t a convincing monetary success with followers from a sequence that’s three or 4 occasions extra standard than IndyCar. I’d like to take over the Chicago race, however I didn’t see something to counsel it simply wanted a distinct sequence to explode. It had the nation’s hottest sequence and it was put down.
Q: The Captain has confirmed he’s a tremendous businessman. He is a good operator and really environment friendly at deploying capital. What The Captain has but to point out is any innovation in enterprise. Did he see any worth in Willie T Ribbs within the 80s/90s? Did he see any worth in Danica, Sarah Fisher, and so on? The world was altering slowly and he both did not see or did not care.
Penske is of the Outdated Boys Membership and is phenomenal at taking present companies off large firms arms and making them capital-efficient. Can Penske create worth out of nothing? I’d say no.
He runs IndyCar in a really capital-efficient manner, however he can not develop it. IndyCar and Penske sponsored races will go nowhere and don’t have any followers. Their advertising and marketing is horrible. Their choices go away quite a bit to be desired. The capital environment friendly company varieties Penske has operating IndyCar are ineffective for the duty at hand.
The long-term hope for IndyCar is Liberty Media. John Malone, who owns Liberty, is good at capital effectivity, however he’s much more good at creating one thing out of nothing. His successes within the media, cable, TV and now F1 companies present that.
Malone additionally hires the suitable individuals for the job. Penske hires the suitable individuals for getting effectivity out of the prevailing companies he buys. They’re far, far, removed from being anybody Malone would ever dream of hiring.
Penske simply does not get it. The perceived or actual favoritism his groups obtained from IndyCar did not matter to him even after St. Pete final yr. So what if Honda was upset? He did not care. If he did, Tim Cindric would have been gone final yr. It took Honda telling him they have been out of IndyCar. Solely then did he do ‘one thing’. He did not get the demographic or cultural change. (Miles Rowe perhaps the exception).
My solely hope for IndyCar is that it’s costing Penske quite a bit to maintain the sequence going and he decides to promote to Liberty. With out that, nothing will ever change.
SS
MP: Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Q: How a couple of new model of the previous IndyCar ‘Triple Crown’ which Al Unser completed in 1978?
Solely this time tune it to the distinctive attributes that make IndyCar so fascinating. I nominate a Lengthy Seashore / Indianapolis / Street America lineup. Toss in a couple of bucks to make it juicy.
Your ideas?
Wiscowerner
MP: I really like all the things about this, and the selection of venues.
Q: A recurring reply you give for why title the racetrack isn’t on the IndyCar schedule is claimed racetrack hasn’t reached out to IndyCar to return and play. That is the kind of reactionary strategy that obtained us right here. Why not be proactive and attain out to them, put collectively a race and advertise?
Cash, you say? That is the place the capitol funding Zak Brown has talked about that IndyCar wants would slot in properly. IndyCar must get to twenty races beginning the night time earlier than the Tremendous Bowl. I had excessive hopes when Roger purchased the sequence, however that ship has sailed with each failed timeline for title the venture.
Any concept what the paddock thinks of Greg Penske’s future because the chief of IndyCar?
Vincent Martinez, South Pasadena, CA
MP: I’ve but to listen to a destructive phrase about Greg being the succession plan. Noticed him on Saturday and I think we’ll be seeing much more of him.
Q: Absolutely it is a repeat query, however what does Honda/Chevy sometimes do with an engine as soon as it’s changed? Is a changed/broken engine scrapped, or do they turn out to be organ donors?
AC
MP: Engines are modular, so it must be a catastrophic crash that broke the entire main parts – block, heads, and so on. – for the complete factor to be scrapped. It’s a matter of reaching put on/mileage limits on the massive elements, in order they’re retired, being melted down is the same old answer.
Q: Andretti must put Colton Herta again together with his dad, interval. Bryan Herta has accomplished nice issues with Kirkwood. Final season’s second place in factors was lengthy after the fats girl had sung!
Colton and Edwards doesn’t work! Can’t anybody see it? Save Colton’s profession when you nonetheless can. They at all times make silly errors. You create your personal luck. He’s the primary driver with Gainbridge! Simply put him together with his dad and let’s see what they’ll do. Let’s see what Edwards may do with Ericsson.
By the best way, Ericsson is nice at Indy and nowhere else!
Dan, Celina, OH
MP: The man who’s gained three road races is barely good on the Speedway. Copy. Kirkwood is the highest performer this season for Andretti, so naturally, the sensible play is to screw with that.
Q: Is there any public details about what goes into the IndyCar Pit Efficiency standings, or no less than uncooked pit cease knowledge throughout races?
Atilla Veyssal, West Allis, WI
MP: I don’t know. I don’t search or use public details about pit stops.
Q: It did one’s soul good to see Robert Kubica win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Within the lean years between F1 and his rallying accident, have you learnt if Robert thought of for or provided an IndyCar check?
Jonathan and Cleide Morris, Ventura, CA
MP: If he was or did, I’ve by no means identified about it. Superb man. Simply not somebody who had sufficient success in F1 to pique the curiosity of any staff proprietor after his damage.

Kubica has a Grand Prix win, an outright Le Mans win, WEC and ELMS LMP2 titles and a WRC2 championship – and remarkably, most of these got here AFTER he suffered what ought to have been a career-ending damage… Jakob Ebrey/Getty Pictures
Q: What was causing the delay in warning for the Ericsson spin?
Additionally, I’m loving RACER Community’s expanded protection of different sequence in Europe and past. Any likelihood of a weekend wrap-type present? This labored beforehand (clearly, assume Dave Despain and WindTunnel) and uncovered a man like me in Bristol, TN, to WRC, F1, Superbikes, and so on. I feel there’s urge for food for this now, and would assist consciousness of motorsport racing.
Rainsmith2
MP: Giving him the chance to refire the automobile and drive away.
MARC MAZARIN (Head of selling and artistic; RACER Community): You are not the one one asking. This idea could be very a lot on our radar. A weekend wrap-style present highlighting home and worldwide sequence we supply is one thing we’d like to deliver to RACER Community and RACER+. Within the meantime, the RACER+ app now has a Information part contemporary from the staff at RACER.com. We are able to additionally advocate subscribing to our RACER Daily Bulletin and RACER Community Hotlap newsletters for normal protection, storylines, and outcomes from throughout WRC, Superbikes, DTM, and extra. It’s an effective way to remain plugged in whereas we construct towards one thing larger.
Q: Concerning the Cadillac F1, is there a compulsory date for when the staff must have introduced its drivers by? Additionally, would having expertise with the Ferrari engine give a driver like Schumacher or Bottas a bonus over drivers like Perez or Doohan?
Will, Indy
CHRIS MEDLAND: There isn’t a deadline for finalizing a driver line-up, however the closest factor to an preliminary date is the beginning of FP1 in Australia subsequent yr – a staff must have knowledgeable the FIA of its entries for every race, so it has to call two drivers.
A staff can title two completely totally different ones for the following race if it likes, too, however past that it may well’t maintain making adjustments. The principles state a staff can solely run a most of 4 totally different drivers in a season.
Ferrari energy unit expertise is perhaps a tiny benefit to a driver, however I’d say it’s barely going to register – don’t overlook these are new energy items for everybody subsequent season so it’s of restricted worth. And typically having totally different expertise helps to deliver to the social gathering.
Q: How does the information collected throughout a F1 Dash weekend evaluate to an everyday weekend? Is it extra or significantly much less? Nearly as good or perhaps higher as a result of it’s collected throughout race situations?
Timothy Davis
CM: In some ways it’s an analogous quantity, however of various worth. No FP2 means restricted long term knowledge similtaneously the race itself, however you do get a superb image of the automobile in race situations (visitors, preventing and so on) in the course of the Dash, albeit on round a 3rd of the gas.
Dash qualifying additionally supplies a superb image of monitor evolution by way of a qualifying session and low gas operating in comparable situations to qualifying itself, in order that’s good and comparable, however you could be collaborating in Dash qualifying with a sub-optimal automobile set-up as a result of truth there was just one follow session.
It relies upon what a staff is after. If it has a automobile it is aware of effectively and no upgrades, then you may view it as a Dash weekend offering a couple of extra alternatives to get knowledge in qualifying and race situations earlier than the principle qualifying and race periods. However when you have extra knowledge you need to collect when it comes to totally different automobile set-ups or configurations, then three free follow periods and a extra managed atmosphere could be higher.
Q: I watched the Belgian GP. My feeling is, each nice driver from Fangio to Senna is rolling of their last resting place!
Certain it was raining, however as soon as the worst was previous, the stewards’ resolution towards a standing begin was B.S. The monitor was drying.
Are these 20 guys not presupposed to be the very best on this planet? We have been robbed of watching Max move each McLarens and a Ferrari earlier than the top of the primary lap!
Yanie Porlier
CM: I’ll admit I used to be a bit annoyed at how lengthy it took to get began as soon as there had been the preliminary delay.
I understood the moment response to virtually each driver complaining about visibility on the primary formation lap, as a result of for my part it could be a waste to flow into for a couple of laps behind the Security Automobile, then undergo heavy rain that may in all probability result in you purple flagging it, or no less than having to attend a quantity extra laps to clear sufficient standing water. And that’s simply robbing us of racing motion, as laps would tick down in that situation.
Nevertheless it was clear from the radar when the climate would clear by way of, and race management waited for it to completely cease earlier than then actioning the beginning process, which provides the groups one other quarter-hour to prepare, and that was the spell with the solar out and no rain. For me, there ought to have been a name for the groups to be prepared round 20 minutes earlier, for the second the rain eased sufficient to get out behind the Security Automobile.
One of many causes there wasn’t a standing begin was as a result of race management deemed there to be extra water on one aspect of the grid than the opposite, however then there’s extra grip on one aspect, too. It’s a difficult debate, nevertheless it’s by no means going to be utterly equal.
Given the historical past of incidents although, stringing the vehicles out a little bit to run by way of Eau Rouge and Raidillon on the primary lap (when visibility continues to be a problem) is an comprehensible resolution for me. I’d a lot relatively be sitting right here irritated that race management have been maybe a bit too cautious than criticizing them after a severe accident. The drivers had additionally advised the FIA that it left it too late to intervene in heavy rain at Silverstone, and that these situations have been too dangerous with the visibility, so to be extra cautious at Spa.
We did get virtually a full race on this manner as effectively – simply misplaced the 4 SC laps earlier than the rolling begin, which I do assume have been two too many – and I’d argue if there had been extra motion, no one could be complaining. However race management’s choices are based mostly on security, not leisure. They will’t management if Max makes it previous Charles on the primary lap and fights the McLarens, or the set-up that every staff has opted for.
Simply to present an instance on that final level: Purple Bull had Verstappen on a low-downforce set-up at Silverstone and we raced in heavy rain, so it stopped him being an element. That’s not race management’s fault – if Purple Bull had a better downforce set-up then we would have gotten extra pleasure on the entrance, relatively than simply the 2 McLarens getting clear once more.
Or for an instance at Spa, Ferrari had Hamilton on a moist climate set-up and Leclerc on a dry one. That helped Lewis combat by way of early on however stopped him making additional progress as soon as he was behind Albon, and conversely helped Charles keep forward of Max because it dried out. If that was the opposite manner spherical, they each have totally different races, with Hamilton caught on the again initially and Leclerc simply handed by Verstappen who would possibly get to the McLarens early on, too. However none of that has something to do with race management.

Rain at Spa is nearly as predictable as a marine layer at Laguna Seca. Michael Potts/Getty Pictures
Q: Throughout the Spa broadcast on Sky, Anthony Davidson made remarks concerning the hybrid system ‘studying’ about situations. It sounded to me as if every automobile has a self-contained digital system that adapts to totally different tracks and situations in actual time to optimize the charging logic.
How do these programs really work? What are their inputs? Do they really adapt with out direct intervention from the pit wall or driver?
Jack
CM: The Vitality Restoration System (ERS) is aware of the place the automobile is on monitor, and the way it can optimally harvest or deploy vitality. It understands to deploy the vitality initially of a straight, after which cease deploying and begin harvesting on the finish of a straight (referred to as clipping, when the velocity then begins to lower at full throttle since you’ve gone from having extra energy from the ERS to assist acceleration, to dropping that because it slows the automobile to reap).
What Davidson was explaining was that if a driver then adjustments the quantity they brake or full throttle they use – clearly one thing that occurs considerably in changeable situations – the system has to re-optimize to catch up.
It does be taught on the go, so if a driver is braking greater than typical and capable of harvest extra vitality on one lap, then the ERS will realize it had ended up with extra vitality to play with and can deploy extra on the following lap – usually not clipping as a lot on the finish of a straight. Equally, if it didn’t generate sufficient vitality on one lap, it should begin clipping earlier on the following lap to keep away from a repeat, however that’s why you hear race engineers speaking concerning the degree of battery drivers are at and the time it make take for the ERS pack to return again.
Q: F1 vehicles have at all times thrown a lot of rain spray. Some say these vehicles are throwing extra, however I disagree. Whenever you watch races from earlier generations of vehicles, you see them racing in more durable rain, which makes them throw the identical quantity of spray.
So, why not settle for issues are they’re and attempt to stay with it? Take care of this by way of tech. Create some HUD that reveals the vehicles forward, those behind or on the aspect (arrows like racing video games do). Those forward might be drawn with a silhouette in order that in case of a crash the driving force will see a whole automobile and maintain distance. Make it present the nook distance marks, perhaps the sting of the monitor as effectively.
The tech for this cannot be that costly these days.
This appears like when individuals attempt to cope with soiled air. It is not going to work. Floor impact vehicles don’t race higher. Make tires that may deal with the slides as a substitute, and that can cope with the issue. See how vehicles may keep glued to the vehicles forward for a very long time earlier than Pirelli. See how the McLaren duo can race nearer to different vehicles for a very long time. No matter they’re doing to manage tire temp ought to be carried out within the laws (however F1 already banned it for ’26 as a substitute…)
William Mazeo
CM: I’ve to disagree with you on the primary level, William, as a result of these are the quickest vehicles ever seen. Piastri’s pole lap in Dash qualifying was a lap file at Spa, so not solely does that improve in efficiency affect spray ranges (with this era of automobile designed to throw soiled air upwards from the rear wing to try to cut back the affect on the automobile behind, however in flip that means extra spray going upwards) nevertheless it additionally means vehicles touring sooner within the moist, having much less response time in that diminished visibility.
Even when it was the identical quantity of spray, going sooner means you’ve gotten much less time to cope with the affect of that spray, so it’s extra harmful than previously.
On the present tires as effectively, they’re much higher when it comes to overheating and coping with slides. It’s simply merely which you could’t nook on the identical velocity if you’re sliding, and sliding will at all times overheat a tire – even probably the most strong one – which really tallies along with your level that it’s important to settle for that half as it’s.
The principle factor to simply accept is that these are the very best efficiency single-seater racing vehicles on this planet, and they’re all prototypes – not spec – so there’ll at all times be an incapability to completely management soiled air (and the affect of it on a following automobile) and spray. If we would like F1 to stay the very best efficiency, that’s a part of the trade-off.
All that mentioned, I totally agree with you that totally different options want contemplating. I’m undecided if the expertise can deal with the speeds which are required, or a complete lack of visibility (does an HUD work in thick fog in case your eyes can’t see the automobile forward?) nevertheless it’s a good suggestion to discover that kind of tech.
We may additionally have a look at the tires themselves. Wider tires improve grip and assist with following in dry situations, but in addition disperse extra water and improve spray within the moist. Might it’s attainable to have totally different tire widths within the moist maybe? It will be headache for aerodynamic engineers and considerably widen the efficiency hole between a automobile within the moist and the dry, but when visibility stays the largest difficulty it may handle that.
Regardless, subsequent yr will likely be higher as a result of the vehicles will likely be barely smaller (much less floor space disturbing water/air) and significantly slower, due to this fact lowering spray, rising visibility, and likewise rising response time potential. As incremental as every of these issues is perhaps on a person automobile, when it’s unfold throughout a pack of 20 vehicles then simply 5% enchancment from every has a big effect.
Q: I am shocked that the loophole permitting Haas to race every year in a white label Dallara with intensive bolted-on Ferrari package continues to be permitted. Once they initially entered the championship, this association made sense. Nonetheless, with the heightened reputation and monetary success of F1 as we speak, it appears unfair to the opposite constructors for one staff to take pleasure in such a monetary benefit.
Do you foresee a time when the foundations would require Haas to turn out to be an precise constructor? Whereas maybe not for brand spanking new followers, for a lot of, the spirit of F1 is groups designing and constructing their very own vehicles. It actually is an astounding accomplishment for groups to construct their very own vehicles.
Matt Ganser
CM: I feel it’s barely unfair to name it a white label Dallara – it’s nonetheless a chassis designed by Haas. The manufacturing is outsourced, however a variety of groups outsource sure parts for manufacture. There’s not a big monetary benefit both to the chassis strategy nor the Ferrari partnership, as a result of the fee cap laws put a premium on prices for such gadgets as a result of distinction in comparison with in the event you constructed them your self.
I feel you’d be shocked what number of parts are outsourced by some groups. Outsourcing the chassis is uncommon, however Cadillac outsourced its chassis manufacturing to what it calls regular suppliers within the provide chain – however don’t underestimate the significance of the Toyota partnership that Haas has entered into as effectively. That offers it the potential to fabricate extra parts itself (or by way of Toyota as its works associate if it evolves to that degree) whereas the staff can also be taking a look at places for a much bigger new manufacturing unit, that may additionally give it more room for equipment and amenities.
All of that’s to say it’s nonetheless seen as a bonus to make as a lot of your personal parts as attainable in the event you can, due to high quality management and velocity of manufacture, nevertheless it’s extraordinarily costly and takes time to maneuver in direction of.
Q: With Bubba’s win at Indy, he grew to become the primary Black driver to win a crown jewel race in NASCAR. That is an enormous milestone for the game, nevertheless it wasn’t talked about on TNT’s protection, nor by many publications, together with RACER. You possibly can see on the published how individuals speaking to or about Bubba wished to notice the hardships he faces from the fan base and the way they have an effect on his psychological well being, however have been afraid to notice how a lot of his abuse comes from individuals crucial of his function within the Accomplice flag being banned from races, amongst extra distasteful viewpoints.
I wished to know what led to your resolution to not contact on the racial progress this victory symbolizes for each Bubba and NASCAR as a complete in your reporting on Sunday?
Jayke, MI
KELLY CRANDALL: It was not a ‘resolution’. It was not talked about on the tv broadcast, nor within the media middle when Wallace held his post-race press convention, as a result of everybody was centered on the race and I am undecided that many individuals registered within the second what he he had achieved. It wasn’t till a lot afterward Sunday night time that I noticed it even talked about on social media for the primary time. Nevertheless it definitely wasn’t an intentional omission on my half. It is a deserved achievement for Wallace, and it is nice that he’ll ceaselessly personal part of the Speedway’s historical past.
Q: I am certain they already figured it out earlier than the San Diego announcement, however many U.S. army bases both utterly deny entry to international nationals (non-U.S. residents) or have vetting necessities for each international nationals and non-military personnel earlier than permitting them onto the bottom. Any indication of how NASCAR plans to deal with this? We’re speaking 1000’s of varied racing personnel, in addition to followers.
Scott C., Greenwood, IN
KC: In a media availability final week following the announcement, Ben Kennedy was requested if this was an occasion that was going to be open to the general public as a result of, to your level, it’s on an energetic army base. Kennedy mentioned, “It is going to be open to the general public. … Anybody who want to purchase a ticket is greater than welcome to return and be a part of us that weekend.”
THE FINAL WORD
From Robin Miller’s Mailbag, 29 July, 2025
Q: Can’t consider it’s been 30 years since Wealthy Vogler handed away. How a couple of Fast Wealthy story to wrap up the Mailbag?
Jeff B., Joliet, Il.
ROBIN MILLER: A USAC midget present at Whitewater Speedway in 1981 and I’m beginning on the skin of Row 1 and Vogie traces up fifth. On the primary lap in Flip 3, he drills me and knocks me into the guardrail and tears off the right-front nook. After the race, which I feel he gained, we’re on the pay window and he comes over and begins apologizing: “It wasn’t my fault, Engelhart shoved me into you.” I mentioned one thing like “Wealthy, it’s the primary lap and also you and I each know you’re going to move me fairly fast, however you didn’t need to take me out.” I had simply written a reasonably glowing column about him in The Indianapolis Star so he felt extra regret than typical, and provided me $100 to assist repair my automobile. I declined and he slapped me on the again and mentioned: “No arduous emotions, simply arduous racing” and he was gone. I at all times favored Wealthy and I by no means noticed anybody with extra aggression, and he actually could possibly be a ‘Mad Canine’ however he was the most effective.