Q: So, I wrote out a long boring email and realized it boiled down to this: Years of cost containment, “races” designed solely for rich hangers-on, complete lack of PR, ambivalence towards external stakeholders and fans, overemphasis (IMO) on parity. Has IndyCar become the ultimate club racing circuit?
Tim Elder, Baton Rouge, LA
MP: Not sure I see the same things, Tim, or maybe I just don’t understand the conclusion. Sure, the car bores me, but the best racing I’ve witnessed for years is in IndyCar. IMSA’s a close second. If that’s being made by the ultimate club racing circuit, give me more.
Q: It’s been quite cool reading the comments about Rush in the Mailbag recently. As someone who saw those rockin’ Canucks live 18 times, it’s great seeing the now-departed band getting some love on, of all things, a racing forum! I also noticed the mention of another now defunct Canadian power trio, Triumph, in last week’s edition. Saw those guys about three or four times in the ’80s.
Thinking of those bands brings some perspective regarding all the negativity floating around about IndyCar this off-season. We’re so lucky to be able to attend races and see every lap of every race live on TV. Who out there remembers when the Indy 500 was shown on tape delay on Sunday night? Memories of the great times I had at those concerts live on, but those bands aren’t going to be coming to town again. While the business side of the series is nothing to shout about, I say enjoy and appreciate all the great racing IndyCar offers. You never know when you won’t be able to anymore. Two cents delivered. Cheers!
Rod, Houston, TX
MP: Brother, I experienced my first Indy 500 on the radio, because at least out here in the Bay Area at the time, it wasn’t televised, so I know of which you speak. Having lived through a lot of changes in IndyCar, I can say, with no hesitance, that it has been through times that were way worse — by a thousand miles — and the negativity was downright toxic compared to today. This is nothing. A picnic. But if you haven’t experienced the truly bad days, this might feel like it’s bad. But it’s not.
And like Rush, I don’t want to believe IndyCar’s best days are in the past. We know that’s the case with Rush because Geddy and Alex are getting old and Neil is gone, and yes, IndyCar’s way older than Rush, but there’s no reason for it to live behind F1 and NASCAR in popularity here.
I grew up in the CART era where it was a firm and clear P1 in North America. I’ve seen it, and it can be a big deal once again, but only if its owners make smart and bold decisions to get it there. Winning (or losing) is created by a series of choices. Which choices will IndyCar make?
Q: By now I’m sure you’ve had 10,000 questions on why F1 and now NASCAR have a Netflix show, but IndyCar doesn’t. So I won’t ask. What I will ask is, if the hybrid units ever appear, will they, as an electricity-generating entity, be able to power LED panels, and when are they coming back? Sweet Baby Jesus Porter on tap for the win.
Shawn, MD
MP: Yes! Big sparkly ones! Jay Frye told me a few years ago that they would consider doing info panels again when they go to a new car. As for why F1 and NASCAR are on Netflix and IndyCar is not, it’s a popularity and awareness thing. Doesn’t mean IndyCar is bad or doesn’t deserve being on Netflix, but our favorite series is too comparatively small and unknown to get the spotlight from a giant streamer like Netflix.
Q: Most NASCAR fans have only known Rick Ware Racing as a laughing stock, kinda like the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. But in 2023 they improved so much that NASCAR did not revoke their charter. Can RWR win a NASCAR Cup Series race in 2024?
Is it just me or did that the hit Netflix docuseries “Drive To Survive” ruin the Haas F1 team? And why won’t we ever see Max Verstappen in NASCAR, IndyCar or IMSA?
Kurt Perleberg
CHRIS MEDLAND: I know what you’re getting at about Haas, but I wouldn’t say it ruined the team. It actually played a big part in the team being so attractive to sponsors, because Guenther became a superstar and they wanted to partner with such a big character, at a team they felt they got better value for money than others. Without Netflix and the boost it gave F1, I think Haas might have folded during COVID, but even if not I don’t see it having the same budget it has right now, so it would still be 10th and Guenther still likely would have been fired.
The only debate for me would be on the timing because maybe Gene would have had a bit more patience without so much interest in F1 from the U.S., but until there was more CapEx to spend, the team wasn’t going move far forward regardless.
As for not ever seeing Max, I wouldn’t rule it out. If he got offered a great seat alongside his dad Jos in the Rolex 24 — or a victory-contending car with guys he wanted to race with — I think he’d do it. NASCAR, too, I think could tempt him post-F1 if he just wanted to try different things, especially if he retires young. But I think he sees IndyCar as too similar to F1, just with less outright performance, and doesn’t appear to fancy ovals as he said “absolutely not” to racing in the Indy 500 — but he wants to go as a fan.
KELLY CRANDALL: I don’t see Rick Ware Racing winning a race in 2024 on a traditional racetrack, but I think they can certainly be in play at the superspeedways. Justin Haley is a great superspeedway racer and he’ll be driving a Ford, and the Fords always have good horsepower at Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta. But the program still has a long way to go before they are legitimate contenders at other racetracks. Ware continues to make those moves though, bringing in a new driver and looking for ways to improve his alliances and tools with the budget that they have available.