The RACER Mailbag, August 27

Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers can be sent to mailbag@racer.com. We love hearing your comments and opinions, but letters that include a question are more likely to be published. Questions received after 3pm ET each Monday will be saved for the following week.

Q: When AJ Foyt Racing had the wheel gun failure on David Malukas’ gun, is this the normal time to get another gun?  Or is that the difference between Foyt Racing and say Penske or CGR, where a guy on the other side of the wall would have one ready to hand to the tire changer?

On Andretti. I saw them once again take a potential top five finish for Colton Herta and bury him back out of the top 10 by not coming for tires early on the penultimate stop (the one before the rain sprinkles). Just don’t understand what that team is doing. They seemingly unload a six shooter in their own foot at almost every race.

Jeff Smith, State College, PA

MARSHALL PRUETT: It had a very Abu Dhabi 2021 F1 feel to it. Made no sense for the leaders to pit for tires on Sunday, having recently stopped before the caution, but made all the sense for everyone else to take new tires and see if they could find themselves with a tire advantage.

Palou, McLaughlin, and Newgarden pitted between laps 195-196, and the caution for rain hit on lap 209. New tires were giving peak grip for about 20-25 laps, which meant the top three would have spent the second half of the last stint at a grip disadvantage without the caution. What really helped the situation for the Rasmussens who stopped for tires when the pits opened on lap 213 was the duration of the caution, which ran through lap 221 of 250 as IndyCar sent the sweepers out to clean the track.

Those slow laps behind the pace car were beneficial for Palou, McLaughlin, and Newgarden, who extended the lifespan of their tires, but the caution through lap 221 really played into the hands of those who stopped. With only 29 laps left to go, and most new sets being awesome for 20-25 laps, they were in a position to run hard to the checkered flag with no concerns about significant drop offs in adhesion.

The leaders, with 13-14 hard laps on their new tires before the extended caution, were on a countdown clock until their tires were done. Palou, leading out of the caution, stayed in front of Rasmussen for 13 laps – 26 racing laps on his tires – when Rasmussen flew by into first place. If the caution had been shorter, it’s possible Rasmussen would have reached that drop-off point with five to seven laps to go, and who knows if Palou would have been able to do anything. But the way it played out with going green on lap 222 all but guaranteed we’d have risers and fallers, which led to a thrilling finish.

On Foyt, yes, I was surprised the right-front changer had to jump up and go get a replacement gun on their own. Regarding Andretti, Herta pitted from fourth on lap 195, and again on lap 213 while in eighth. Here’s what Colton had to say: “This was a pretty up-and-down day. We didn’t really do too much. I think the race was pretty stagnant once you got done with the restarts. So, it’s unfortunate. Hopefully, we can do a little bit better next year.”

Q: Wondering when and where Tim Cindric might resurface, post-Penske? I have not come across anything-speculative on this matter elsewhere.

I am guessing some sort of contractual time-passage might be occurring (e.g. non-compete clause, if those are still legal).

Tom Fitzgerald, Las Vegas, NV

MP: I saw and briefly spoke with Tim two weeks ago at Laguna Seca while I was on the grid for the IROC race. He looked well and has been enjoying being a father and husband. Coming off of 30ish straight years of running major racing organizations, and having been quite successful, I can imagine he’d want to enjoy life without constant pressure and travel for the first time in ages.

Q: IndyCar fan since the early ‘70s so I know I’m no longer the target demographic, but I’m still passionate about the sport even as someone in the ignored northeast.

I know Mark Miles said they’re not returning to tracks they’ve been to before and failed, but 2026 is a golden opportunity to come back to Watkins Glen! NASCAR screwed up by moving the Cup race to May (Mother’s Day no less)… Penske and Fox need to snag that open date in August and promote the hell out of it.

Hear me out. IndyCar didn’t draw great in 2005-2010, but most of those years were still IRL with 17 car fields and constant date changes. In 2016 the Glen filled in last-minute for the Boston fiasco and drew well enough; the weather in 2017 was dreadful as was the crowd… those there saw a very good race.

My idea: A double header. Friday, one practice and qualifying on the short course. Saturday, late morning 90-lap race on the short course. Saturday afternoon, change to the long course for a practice and qualifying sessions. Sunday, 60 lap race over the long course.

Same with Indy NXT, and add Trans Am as another support series. Have a Saturday night concert, a B-list country rock act would do. (I’m a blues man myself but this area is into country pop/rock).

As long as I’m throwing a Hail Mary, Watkins Glen could also help out by cutting its camping prices by 50% for this race… they were crazy high for last few years.

Penske and Fox, make this happen!

Scott Wallace, Endicott, NY

MP: I’d be there in a heartbeat.  

Q: I knew there has been extensive discussion about Malukas and Power, but I’m wondering what the urgency is to move Malukas to Penske?

My understanding is Malukas has a multi-year contract with Penske, so what would the harm be in keeping him with Foyt one more year to gain seasoning? No other team can sign him away, correct?

Regarding the quick driver changes F1 teams have made this year – Liam Lawson, etc. –  what driver(s) do you feel IndyCar teams were too quick to move on from which impacted any career hopes in IndyCar?

Lastly, watching Paul Tracy on Racer Network, I wonder if sim racing has impacted this generation of drivers to take more risks/drive over their heads in races because in sim racing there are no consequences? No injuries, no car damage, no end to your day. Your thoughts?

Rick, Miami

MP: Pretty much everything I’ve written in the Mailbag in recent weeks when responding to Power/Malukas questions has been about not understanding the urgency…

Theo Pourchaire looked like he was going to be something special, but got cut when a better business deal came along. Linus Lundqvist was the one major piece of collateral damage with the introduction of the charter system and lost his seat for no reason other than the team needed to downsize and he was paid to drive, rather than being a funded driver with money to buy a seat at another team. 

No, sim racers don’t take more risks. If so, they’d be crashing on a constant basis. It’s the total opposite, actually. But they have learned to drive in very different ways that aren’t tied to the 100-percent physical sensory methods used for a century before simulators became the norm.

Q: Nashville, Firestone brings a big tractor tire to place in Turn 1 & 3 for the start of practice. No running the low line.

Let’s make it fun. Last race of the year, drivers or crew members start low in the turns, flip the big azz tire into the low groove. Winning team has a prize from RACER. Penske Entertainment CEO Marky Mark Miles always said tracks will crawl to IndyCar to have a race. Thank you Fox, and say we will reach out to tracks.

Ron, Speedway 

MP: This sounds like the show Wipeout! Which is an amazing mashup to consider for IndyCar.

Q: I love the new Corvette concept cars. Perchance to dream. Wouldn’t it be great for the Corvette to go up against Porsches at Le Mans as a Hypercar? What would it take financially, politically, and from the GM front office to make it happen?

Also I see that Roger Penske drove his personal Porsche 963 RJP. Lucky bastard. That was just a gift from Porsche? My question is how good of a race car driver was he? Do any of his contemporariess speak in hushed tones about his abilities? Throughout all the years, did he drive any of Penske’s race cars? I’d settle for a ride in the simulator.

A suggestion. You do a history of the in-car camera. [ED: We did something along those lines just a couple of weeks ago]. I’ve become a big fan of Australian Supercars (on RACER). I think they started it back in the standard definition days. How would race fans live without it today?

Peter Malone

MP: GM goes up against Porsche in Hypercar at Le Mans with Cadillac and against Porsche in LMGT3 with Corvette. They could change badges, I’d imagine. Yes, Roger’s 963 was a gift from Porsche. His initials are on the car. I’ve heard his contemporaries speak respectfully about his driving skills. He drove a Porsche RS Spyder LMP2 car a few years ago.

I’ve done stories about in-car cameras before. I wonder if they’re still available on the innernets.

This is a Porsche RS Spyder, and that is The Captain at the wheel. Getty Images

Q: I think IndyCar has a band new villain in Christian Rasmussen. He angered me, the way he knocked Conor Daly out of the race at Portland, but he had me on the edge of my seat when he passed Alex Palou and almost threw the race away when he just brushed the wall with three laps to go trying to lap a car.

I see a lot of Paul Tracy in him that could be both good and sometimes bad for the series By the way I could hardly remember seeing that many people at the Milwaukee Mile race, and barely heard the engines because you could hear the roar of the race fans cheering for Rasmussen. 

Alistair, Springfield, MO

MP: I’m reminded of young Sage Karam, who was Rasmussen a decade ago, and his drawing the wrath of Ed Carpenter for overly aggressive moves on ovals.

And now Ed has a wild stallion in his stable who belongs to the same club. And as Ed said in the post-race press conference at Milwaukee, “People talk about they don’t like everything he does. We haven’t asked him to change one thing. He’s attacking and being aggressive, not settling for anything. That’s the mentality we want to have as a team. Really proud of the effort and he way he finished today.” 

Q: Regarding Scott Dixon, I know everything you said is true about drivers as they get old losing a bit of their incredible10/10 ability in qualifying. 

But in a recent podcast with Paul Tracy, [ED: And a story on RACER.com over the weekend], Scott mentioned how much the weight of the hybrid system has affected his ability to drive on the limit… i.e. qualifying.  I found this very interesting that with his incredible skills he is still wrestling with this relative to other drivers. 

Ed Kelly

MP: I don’t doubt a word Dixie said. But how does the hybrid weight, which appeared in its first race on July 7, 2024, explain away the zero poles in the nine races prior to Mid-Ohio on July 7, the zero poles in 2023 without the hybrid, and the single pole from 17 races in 2022?

No question the rearward weight has made things worse for Dixie’s preference for car balance to be tipped towards the car’s nose, but it’s not like the hybrid weight suddenly turned lots of poles into a scarcity of results. 

Q: Please let the Fairgrounds know that they did a fantastic job as far as TV appearance and a great racetrack and race! I hope to be there next year – ask them to provide plenty of mobility-impaired parking and seating.

Dave

MP: I’ll get right on it. 

Q: Could IndyCar survive with a spec engine with no manufacturer involvement?

Michael Veretta, Ontario, Canada

MP: Of course. But if all of the manufacturer money was gone, Penske/Fox would need to decide on how they move forward without Chevy- and Honda-sponsored races, without the major advertising spends from the brands on TV, online, in print, and on radio. Teams with close relationships with the brands would need to cut back or find new money to cover the costs of engine leases since some teams aren’t given invoices while others pay some or all of the rate. Teams would need to work out things like simulator time, since manufacturers make their multi-million-dollar driver-in-the-loop sims available to teams and their drivers ahead of every race, and pay some to conduct engine testing and cover wind tunnel visits, etc. Some also have personal service contracts with a few drivers, which either adds to their overall salary or covers some of the base salary to offset what the team spends.

Lots of ways manufacturers function as main financial arteries in a racing series that go well beyond the simple supply of engines.

Q: I attended the Milwaukee race and thought it was fantastic. The weather was great, the racing was exciting, the crowd was big, and enthusiastic.

It shows that ovals are not dead at all, they just need proper promotion. There was lots to do in the State Fair Fan Zone, plenty of places to eat and drink, and good live music. The race didn’t require expensive country music stars, just a talented local cover band and great atmosphere.

Although the state fairgrounds make Milwaukee somewhat unique, there’s no reason their success cannot be repeated elsewhere, like Iowa. What do you estimate the Milwaukee attendance was?

Kevin P., Los Angeles, CA

MP: I spent a little bit of time in the fan zone on Sunday morning and couldn’t see any clear stretches of walkway behind the grandstands, which was amazing. Guessing there were 15-20 thousand folks, all in.

Milwaukee got the packed house it deserves. Chris Owens/IMS

Q: If Will Power is not re-signed by Penske, I think he would be a perfect fit at Arrow McLaren. Siegel may become a fine IndyCar racer in a year or two, but his season thus far has been woeful. I can’t understand why there hasn’t been any talk of Power being offered his seat at Arrow McLaren. Your thoughts, please?

David Lind, Alexandria, Louisiana

MP: The reason for the lack of talk is because the team said it’s continuing with its current driver lineup. 

Q: Why was Rasmussen able to pass Palou and Scottie and none of the others with fresh tires could get it done?

Paul, Indianapolis 

MP: His car was handling better and he was more aggressive.

Q: I want to get your thoughts on the final ‘stay out or pit’ decision for the IndyCar race at Milwaukee. From a strategist’s perspective, what kind of thought process do they go through when deciding whether to come in or stay out in that type of situation?

As to the results of the strategy, it seems like the only real winner in that exchange was Rasmussen, while Palou/Newgarden were the strategic losers. Everyone else seemed to finish more or less where they were before the sun shower. Did the 10 team make a bad strategy call, or did they make the right call for them and just get beaten by someone else? Palou was definitely still fast, he was eight seconds clear of McLaughlin in third.

Did circumstances simply set Rasmussen up so that his skill set was exactly what was needed to win the race, similarly to Dixon in fuel-save races and Palou in almost everything else? Knowing how it all played out, do you think the 10 team would change their decision?

Steven, Las Cruces, NM

MP: Classic hindsight race. The drivers behind the top three or four had nothing to lose – they weren’t going to get past the leaders – so they pitted and were rewarded. Palou pitted 13 laps before the caution, and was ready to go to the end. In hindsight, sure, just like Lewis Hamilton, while leading Abu Dhabi, should have pitted, but giving up track position while leading on a gamble isn’t what comes to mind as the smart or natural thing to do. The only part for the 10 team that comes to mind is nothing, other than the win, was at stake. The championship is won, so if ever there was a time to try something crazy and pit from the lead on 13-lap-old tires, it was at Milwaukee. But in any other circumstance, no, they did the right thing.

Q: Nothing against Nolan Siegel, but it still irks me that Theo Pourchaire got such a raw deal with McLaren. ‘Teddy Porkchops’ showed some real promise and was fun to watch. Siegel seems to be in over his head a little bit, and I’m wondering if McLaren is regretting their decision now? Any chance of seeing Teddy back in the series, or has that ship sailed?

Steve, MI

MP: I think it has sailed, which is too bad.

Q: I’ve always been a big fan of Alexander Rossi, but it feels like Rasmussen’s excellent win at Milwaukee was the final nail in the coffin of his career. Where do you see him going from here?

Paul, Glasgow Scotland

MP: I don’t see it that way. He’s loved by the team, loved by Rasmussen, and finished fourth. Best combined day for ECR in ages. Rossi could easily win this weekend in Nashville. Now, does he scare people the same way he did at his rocket-fast peak with Andretti? No. But this isn’t a binary situation. The team has its next-generation rocket in Christian and an elite veteran in Alexander. I wouldn’t change a thing. Let’s revisit at the end of 2027 and see where things are at with Rossi. He’ll be 35, and I’m projecting a bit here, but if he’s interested, I can see a future for him in team leadership with ECR at whatever point he wants to step back from driving.

Too much knowledge and smarts and influence on all of the important things that bring excellence to a team for ECR, or another team, to lose out on his post-driving contributions.  

Rossi’s work with ECR is nowhere near done. Joe Skibinski/IMS

Q: I understand Honda is considering their options to continue with IndyCar.  If they don’t renew, how does that affect Chevy? I assume one manufacturer does not have the resources to support all the teams?

Mark Suska

MP: Chevy has all of the resources to support the entire field. You’d just see revs and power come down to promote longevity, leases reduced from four engines to two or three to help spread the engine pool to cover all cars. I’d also imagine lease prices would go up; manufacturers subsidize each engine lease, which is easier to justify when they’re in competition with other manufacturers, but if Chevy is only racing against itself, I’m not sure GM dedicates the same high level of funding for the program, and if that were to happen, the bills usually get passed on to the customers when the subsidies are gone.

Q: Sunday‘s race at Milwaukee was one of the best of the year, and one of the best I’ve seen in a while! Christian Rasmussen’s driving was absolutely amazing! Early on I thought something was either wrong with his car, or he’s going to be putting it in the wall. His hanging it out, on-the-edge driving style on an oval was fun to watch, and that was when he was running good, but not a threat to win.

His pass of Alex Palou was epic! And kudos to Palou, who did not just allow him to pass, but fought hard for the win! Rasmussen’s drive reminded me of several drivers early in their careers that I enjoyed watching. Jody Scheckter in Porsche 917 and Formula 5000 (1973), Gilles Villeneuve in Formula Atlantic (1976/77) and Camaro master Carl Shafer (1970-80s)… All guys whose similar style of racing thrilled at Road Atlanta in the 70s. Christian has a bright future. I’m so glad Ed Carpenter saw the potential! I am a new fan!

Tim, Germantown, TN

MP: Good old ‘Razzle Dazzle’ has been exactly who you saw on Sunday all throughout his march up the USF Championships ladder and in Indy NXT. Pure, raw, and unapologetic speed. Very Gilles, indeed.

Q: I saw a rumor that Alex Palou is on Red Bull’s radar for its second F1 seat… is there any teeth to that? While that is a top tier car, would Alex have any interest in play second to Max Verstappen and the F1 careers that has destroyed?

Also, just floating this idea out there. If Penske drops Power, what if he takes Verizon to PREMA? They need the funding and have the facilities and he has the knowledge of how to win. Would be quite the story for him to bring them to the front.  

Thoughts?

Joey, Florida

MP: No clue what Red Bull may or may not be interested in. But one person who isn’t interested in making his driver available to an F1 team is Chip Ganassi, and he doesn’t need Red Bull’s money. Verizon is signed to Team Penske, not Will Power. If they choose to sign elsewhere with him, I’d have to imaging their contract with Penske would allow for such things, but it isn’t his money to take. Verizon loves him, so continuing at another team would be a heartwarming thing.

Q: Other than Will Power, are there any other drivers whose seats are up for new contracts in 2026?

James

MP: Just the ones we’ve written about in our recent silly season story.

Q: Did Will Power feel slighted by Kyffin Simpson before/leading to his wreck? I’m unsure if Will chose the wrong side attempting to lap him multiple times or if he was being blocked.

Atilla Veyssal, West Allis, WI

MP: No. 

Q: So, Honda won’t commit to IndyCar – will the new 3.4L twin-turbo Gibson V6 destined for LMP2 fit into the next generation IndyCar chassis?  Can it be tuned to 700 or so horsepower?

We keep hearing all the reasons why IndyCar needs Honda and GM to stay, but I’m just not seeing it. They (Honda, primarily) insisted on the costly hybrid units, which have been a great big zero at best, and after getting their way, they’re still not happy. Just rip the band-aid off already.

Maybe the Nissan-based Gibson V6 is larger and heavier than the current 2.2L engines, but minus the unneeded hybrid units, I bet it’s a wash. Without the cost of the hybrids, another engine also becomes more economically feasible. Time to go in another direction.

Oh, and huge props to Katherine Legge for ignoring the haters, working hard, and turning in some nice efforts in the most under-funded car in the NASCAR Cup Series garage.

Mike, Marietta, GA

MP: IndyCar offered hybridization to its manufacturers. Honda said yes. It was written into the supply contract. Honda held IndyCar to its written and legally-binding word. IndyCar is responsible for hybridization coming into IndyCar.

The new Gibson engine is larger than the new IndyCar engine and isn’t designed to mount to the new car. If someone wanted to bankroll a bunch of changes to it, I’m sure it could be wedged in there. 

It’s an IndyCar hybrid. Stickers never lie. Joe Skibinski/IMS

Q: Has anyone spoken to race control regarding why the rain in Turn 4 caution was called?  My friend and I were sitting in Turn 4 and it was a whole lot of nothing. We felt it, looked up, and it was over. As soon as yellow was called and the sweepers were deployed, I knew it was over for the frontrunners that did not pit.

You could see from the sky it was a single small cloud cluster that would blow out quickly. I would think the combined track temp and strong northwesterly wind would have negated moisture on the track. We joked that they closed the roof briefly at the Brewer’s baseball game (just east of The Mile) so race control had to copy them. 

On a more serious note, are the rules for rain and moisture different for different track types? I’ve noted the topic of something similar to F1’s virtual safety car for IndyCar has been covered from time to time in Mailbag questions. Perhaps this was a time when something similar would have been an option? I’m all for driver and crew safety. IndyCar excels in this. If the real reason for the yellow was the famous David Hobbs ‘KLAG’ then that’s understandable. Just wish we would get a more believable explanation.

Everett, Milwaukee

MP: It’s not one of those things where you take time to weigh whether it’s one small cloud or two…if drops of rain are seen hitting the aeroscreen on an oval, you stop racing. Yes, the rules are different for different types of tracks. Road and street courses are treated differently than ovals.

Q: When will IndyCar get a new chassis? In addition to a new chassis, can we have them open the rulebook more?  I loved it when there was more than one chassis and there was more freedom. The current cars are boring.

P.S.  Pato O’Ward is correct about the Detroit track. 

Steve, Rockford, MI

MP: Welcome back to IndyCar! New chassis in 2028. Open it more… how? You’ll be disappointed to learn it’s a single-supplier plan with the new car just like the current car. 

Q: When I first discovered CART from my Catalan side of the world in 1997-1998, coverage here was very limited. One of the things that helped me learn about the sport as a teen were the Autocourse CART yearbooks led by Jeremy Shaw. They were beautifully done and they serve as beautiful mementos of those years. I have all of them, of course. (And they even got translated into Spanish for a couple of years!)

As someone crazy for the history of the sport, I’m now trying to buy older yearbooks. Just got The Men and Machines of IndyCar Racing 1991-92, and definitely looking to get more of them. But why aren’t there IndyCar yearbooks anymore? Champ Car’s yearbooks ended in 2006, and I don’t think IRL got anything going. F1 at least has a couple going each year.

I know the publishing scene is not the same as 30 years ago, but I think there should be an IndyCar yearbook happening. What do you think?

Jordi Domènech

MP: I read an interesting article in a newspaper earlier this week which said there’s been a recent drop of 40 percent with printed materials (books, magazines) being sold, which is why nobody is rushing to make IndyCar annuals or NASCAR annuals or IMSA annuals like we once had.

The IRL had its Indy 500 annual which doubled as season-long annuals. I have most of them. And most of the Autocourses since the 1970s, most of IMSA’s, and most all of the CART/Champ Car annuals. I’d love for annuals to become a thing again, but fear that tradition is gone. 

Q: I fear the worst – even worse than Michael Schumacher: Any news on Alex Zanardi? It seems like years since he has even been mentioned in the news.

Please advise. Thank you!

Pineapple Head/ DFW

MP: It’s not a topic I chase. Alex’s wife Daniela has been kind enough to provide updates when she feels they’re warranted, which I respect and hope others will follow suit. 

Q: With the talk about a need for more ovals and crowd attendance dwindling, it brought to mind something that I’m sure has been kicked around before. How short of an oval is too short?

The racing at Richmond seemed to have been pretty solid in the past, Iowa can be pretty decent as well. Would a shorter track such as the 5/8 mile IRP be feasible? A Saturday night 300 lap affair with Silver Crown and midgets as the undercard would pack the house. Or, possibly pair the high-banked half-mile Kern County track in Bakersfield after Long Beach or before Laguna Seca? They could run it with NXT on the undercard along with another regional touring series, perhaps.

It could maybe even be seen as technically far enough away to be a different market from the others, and not as small as some on the schedule already. But would they be too short?

Mike, Brownsburg 

MP: Great question, great ideas, and I don’t know on length. But if IndyCar saw the track, felt it was long enough to run 27 cars without being on top of each other, and the safety standards met their criteria, I’d have to believe they’d be open to the concept. 

Kern County’s journey to the IndyCar schedule starts here. Jonathan Moore/Getty Images

Q: Do you have any insight into how promoters think? This is regarding the Iowa IndyCar race and its low turnout.

Since NASCAR filled the place a few weeks later, I don’t think it’s the afternoon start time. I looked into ticket prices for the recent race and the grandstands ranged from $70 to $130 in six increments. (You could save 10% buying a few months earlier.) That didn’t seem to work, so would a promoter ever consider selling every seat in the house for $30 if they come back?  That would likely be in the range of local dirt track racing on a Saturday night.

If it doesn’t generate at least the same revenue, then you know they aren’t interested in the product, and time to find another venue. 

Rick Navratil

MP: I know a number of race promoters and speak with them whenever possible, so I might have a vague idea. On the cut-rate pricing, it all depends on the series and whether a track like Iowa is paying a racing series to come to town with NASCAR, or if a series like IndyCar is paying to rent the Iowa track like in July, does its own promotions, and sets ticket prices to try and recoup its expenses and hopefully turn a profit. 

Q: Why don’t the fast six qualifiers get an extra set of tires to use only in the final qualifying session? It would alleviate any tire disadvantage in the race due to being in the Fast Six.

Mike, Houston, TX

MP: Bit of an uninteresting answer, but they get what they pay for from Firestone, and the current contracts do not include the allotment of an extra set of tires. Back in the day when tires were free and fully funded by the Goodyears and Firestones, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But with real budgets in place to work within, giving away unpaid tires isn’t part of the business model. 

Q: CGR shared a video clip of its cars testing at Nashville Superspeedway on August 19. How does this work in terms of IndyCar’s rules? Do ‘closed’ testing opportunities depend solely on a team’s ability to afford it, including track rental? Are there restrictions on how often, how long, or where such closed testing can occur? Is it common for a single team to test at a venue in advance of an upcoming race? Do technical alliance partners typically join these testing sessions?

K. Campbell, Nashville, TN

MP: You have Series tests, which are open to all teams, and you have private tests, where teams pick which approved tracks to use to try and learn whatever they feel would be beneficial. Andretti went to Portland with its three cars right after Laguna Seca and used one of its private days, for example. Same with Ganassi at Nashville. My guess is the team picked Nashville well ahead of time, thinking it could well be the site of a championship showdown where its cars were good in 2024, but not great. Makes perfect sense when picking venues in advance, but as we now know, the only value from this test will be for Dixon, who’s third in the championship, to try and distance himself from Lundgaard in fourth; catching O’Ward in second would be a big stretch.

Yes, there’s all kinds of restrictions on the when and where, and with so few private test days, teams are highly intentional about where they’re used. On technical alliances, yes, for sure. Within Ganassi and Meyer Shank, you have a cross-team plan that had their five combined cars going to specific tracks to test and learn things to benefit the five. Same with Penske and Foyt and their five combined cars.

Q: Along with the Mailbag and other great articles from RACER, today’s email inbox included a press release on Penske Media Corporation (PMC).

I understanding that this is Jay Penske’s wheelhouse and that it is not any part of Penske Entertainment, but being a loyal IndyCar fan since ’63, Jay’s link to print media and him being a Penske family member really surprised me in that I had never heard of this cross media/entertainment connection before.

This is especially so if he is in fact on the very short list of heirs to the two-thirds ownership left at IndyCar, IMS and Penske Entertainment. With this revelation, it frankly gives me a pause for all the excuses given now and in the future as to Penske Entertainment’s ability (or lack there of) to promote an event like Iowa, or any other IndyCar race for that matter.

PMC is at the heart of the entertainment print world and would seemingly have a wealth of contacts from that domain that understands how to promote almost anything if only asked to do so. (This helped me to better understand how Gene Simmons, Mr. “I AM INDY”, was once part of the pre Penske IndyCar/IMS era with the IRL in 2006.)

Steve, Bonner Springs, KS

MP: Since Jay and Dragon Racing left IndyCar more than a decade ago for Formula E, I haven’t seen him or heard of his involvement in IndyCar, much less since his father bought the series and Speedway. His PMC business has been going strong, and there’s long been the ability to blend both worlds, but that’s another area where I haven’t seen the external evidence of PE and PMC collaborating. If they have or do so currently, I’m just unaware of it.

Prior to Fox’s buy-in, yes, I’d see PMC as a potentially powerful media ally for IndyCar. With Fox’s new investment, a much more powerful media entity is in the building. 

It’s been a while since we’ve had an excuse to run a shot of a Dragon Racing IndyCar. Ed Zurga/Getty Images

Last week, we invited readers to respond to a letter asking about ovals that had elevation changes. Here’s a sample of some of the responses:

Re: ovals with elevation. I believe the Nazareth track had some elevation change where the high point was coming out of Turn 3 and the low point was in the middle of Turn 2. (It was a trioval) So you went down downhill through start/finish and the dogleg (Turn 1) on the front side, and then uphill from the middle of Turn 2 all the way through the middle of Turn 3. It wasn’t a lot, but it was there.

Brad, Yorktown, IN

To the question from Janis in last week’s Mailbag, the only one that immediately comes to my (old) mind is the defunct Ontario Motor Speedway. I seem to remember that the backstretch was designed to be higher before Turn 3 for easier viewing from the front stretch. I might be wrong.  

Mark, Colorado Ski Country

Does the climb onto the banking at Monza (or AVUS) count? I’m much too young, but did Trenton have a bit of an elevation change in the kidney part? What about counting The Hollow at Langhorn? North Turn transition from beach to pavement at Daytona? 

Abraham Zimroth

Nazareth had some elevation changes. ESPN Speedweek had a camera car that took a lap and it showed the elevation changes. Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas had a back stretch that was much higher than the front stretch. This made it much easier to see from the grandstand.  

Mike, Houston, TX

I can think of three that hosted IndyCar races. Ontario Motor Speedway, Twin Ring Motegi’s oval and Walt Disney World Speedway. All three had back straightaways that were elevated higher than their front straights to promote better sight lines.

Jeff , Sherrills Ford, NC

The Dover Mile is on flat-as-a-pool-table Delaware land. But, it is truly a bowl shape. The outside wall is almost a consistent rim, but the turns are 24 degree banking. Watch onboard cameras to see how the cars drop into each end and climb a hill back on the straights. I’m not a NASCAR guy but have been to a few races and the two IRL races. Watching Richard Petty run the wall all the way around while smoking his tires when I was 12 years old is something I will never forget.

Dave 

Janis from Florida asked if there had been ovals with elevation. Yes! There have been, and still are. We’re not talking elevation the likes of Road America or Laguna Seca, but there have been ovals such as Ontario Motor Speedway which had a back straight elevated higher than the front straight for better viewing. This meant the short chute between Turns 1 and 2 went uphill, and the short chute between Turns 3 and 4 went downhill.

Then there’s North Wilkesboro Speedway that has a pronounced downhill on the front straight and uphill on the back straight. Oval haters don’t seem to understand the amazing variety of ovals, despite the stereotypical NASCAR cookie-cutter. There have been short tracks with banking on one end and flat on the other, different degrees of banking or different types of banking on each end, different radiuses in turns (egg shaped, D-shaped, diamond shaped, etc.). Add in dirt tracks, with variable surfaces that change as conditions do, and it should explain why short track oval racing was/is popular. They are hardly all the same.

Jim Thurman, Mojave Desert, CA

Nazareth was part of the ‘elevation change oval’ club. David Taylor/Getty Images

Q: How much advance notice do teams get on the schedule release? As of when I checked at 10:00am EST Aug 20; every Marriott hotel room in the greater Dover area is sold out race weekend…

Shawn, MD

KELLY CRANDALL: It doesn’t sound like they get much advance notice. From my understanding, by the time NASCAR starts circulating it to the teams, it’s only a few minutes before it gets sent out publicly. The drivers have said the same thing: they’ve heard about it when everyone else does, and they see it on social media.

Q: Will we ever see a NASCAR Clash or All-Star race on a road course?

Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY

KC: I’ve learned to never say never in this business. Since both of those are Fox Sports races, it would be a collaboration of what they and NASCAR want, and what they feel suits them best.

Q: If NASCAR is to continue having playoffs, here’s my crazy idea: :et’s remove playoffs points altogether. Instead, let’s copy baseball and use strikes.

• Any driver that claims multiple wins qualifies to the playoffs with no strikes.
• Any driver with a win and five top fives qualifies to the playoffs with one strike.
• The 16-driver playoff grid is completed with the best placed drivers in points, with two strikes.
• Any other driver gets three strikes, and is provisionally out of the playoffs.
• Every race:
• The race winner gets a strike removed.
• The best placed driver with three strikes also has a strike removed. 
• The three worst placed drivers get a strike, except to ensure a minimum of four drivers not struck out.
• Once there’s five or six drivers left, all drivers with strikes are permanently struck out.

Ignacio, Uruguay

KC: There are a ton of ideas and a lot of discussions from the committee that NASCAR put together. But in the end, TV is going to get a say as well. I was hopeful that something was going to be implemented for 2026, but I’m getting the impression that NASCAR isn’t going to do that as they talk with their TV partner. But, again, I can assure you there are a lot of conversations within the industry around potential changes. Personally, I’d like to just take the first 10 or 12 drivers in points after the regular season and do it that way – a version of the original Chase format from 2004.

Q: I’ve attended every major racing event at Watkins Glen since I was two years old (28 now) even despite moving to Michigan several years ago. I can’t help but be discouraged as over the years, the grass and gravel has been taken out and the asphalt runoffs expanded out to the wall.

I understand the desire to limit yellows with cars buried to the axles, but I think NASCAR having no track limits has really deteriorated the quality of racing at the track for the series. Sure you can still pass in Turn 1, but it seems that the cars are now able to drive 100m deeper and significantly shorten the brake zone before letting the car hop the curb out to the wall on exit, really limiting pure passing and action in this great corner.

Curious if I’m the only one that feels this way and if there’s any discussion about enforced limits or ‘self enforcing’ track updates? (That actually work.) 

Jared

KC: NASCAR is an intriguing case study because they prefer not to be involved in making rulings about track limits and telling drivers what they can do, and they do so only in certain corners at the Circuit of the Americas. I would say that opinions are split between drivers who don’t believe that track limits should be a thing and those who believe they should be forced to stay on course because it’s a course for a reason.

Q: I see NASCAR has moved the race at Watkins to Mothers’ Day for 2026. Are they serious?

Being a lifelong resident of upstate New York, and having a camp about 20 miles from the track, I can tell you, May is often the wettest month of the year.  And while it doesn’t snow that often, snow on Mother’s Day is not unheard of. Did NASCAR take the unpredictable weather into account with this move? If we do get our normal wet May, then the infield, where 90% of the fans are, is going to be a mud pit by Saturday morning.

On top of that, one of the big things that drive the good attendance numbers the race enjoys is that it has probably the most trackside camping of any NASCAR track. I don’t see how there is going to be that much camping when the schools are still in progress and the average low temperatures in May is in the upper 40s.

I know that NASCAR owns the facility and can do whatever they want, but have they thought this through?

Rich Carpenter, Wayne, NY

KC: Well, I would think they’ve thought it through, and they would tell you that they have. Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR managing director of competition operations, said after the schedule announcement that NASCAR looked at weather data points, and for that time of year, it is an average of the lower 70s during the day, and the chance of rain is relatively low compared to August. Hamilton also said that school is still in session during that time of year, so they believe that the population of central New York is much higher then, and “you have the opportunity to potentially reach a fan demographic up there that’s typically not around during the summer.”

Q: Will we see Kathrine Legge get a full-time ride in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series or the NASCAR Cup Series in 2026?

Kurt Perleberg

KC: I have not heard anything. It all comes down to funding, and what she brings to the table. Currently, it seems she’s been putting together deals to run a handful of races, but it’s going to take a lot more to bring to a team for a full-time ride.

THE FINAL WORD
From Robin Miller’s Mailbag, 29 August, 2018

Q: Always love your driver stories from the past. Compared to some of your readers from the ‘60s or ‘70s, I’m a lesser old-timer from the ‘80s, with my first introduction as a teenager being the 1985 Indy 500. Naturally Danny Sullivan instantly became my favorite driver. I know he did TV commentary in late ‘90s CART. Do you know what he is up to nowadays, and any good stories? On a side note, I must have been a dedicated fan as I believe I was one of the few that actually enjoyed his acting on Miami Vice!

Doug Sohn, North Richland Hills, TX

ROBIN MILLER: These days Danny plays a lot of golf by his Pebble Beach home, travels the world making personal appearances, does a little F1 stewarding when asked, and pretty much enjoys being Danny Sullivan. I think his best story is the perseverance he showed to make it as a race driver against steep odds, and yes Garvin Brown helped him a lot, but Danny had a drive beneath those Hollywood looks and made it all the way to the top. He’s a good guy, and a good ambassador for IndyCar.