Q: I was very disappointed to hear Mark Miles talk about the 2024 IndyCar schedule. I don’t like the idea of a non-points race in Argentina, Brazil or Mexico. It just doesn’t make sense for several teams to participate in a non-championship racing event unless there’s a large prize purse for the winner. Also, is IndyCar giving up on the idea of racing in the Northeast? Is there any talk about returning to Watkins Glen, New Hampshire or adding a race at New Jersey Motorsports Park? Perhaps they should bring back the old Meadowlands Grand Prix or a street race in Boston. IndyCar needs to have at least two races in that region, and I hope Roger Penske is mindful of that.
Alistair, Springfield, MO
MP: The only way teams would put on a non-points race is if the addition to the Leaders Circle contracts was significant. I don’t think IndyCar has given up on anything; it takes a willing promoter and quality funding for such things to happen, and since the series doesn’t own any tracks in that region, it would take an outreach from someone with the desire and means to make it happen.
The Boston Grand Prix… almost been there, almost done that…
Q: Why did IMSA take over 75 seconds to throw a caution when a P2 car was stopped perpendicular to the racing line in what Townsend Bell describes as a blind corner?
Kyle
MP: I have a better chance of figuring out why people think Seinfeld was funny or why the Dallas Cowboys, who haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1995, are referred to as America’s Team, or why the winner of the Indy 500 is called a “champion,” than I do on answering this one, Kyle.
Q: I want to know your thoughts on the Sahlen’s 6 Hours. First of all, do you think BMW threw the towel too early on the No. 24? Even if the damage was too big, RLL could fix it and return to gain precious track time. They had six hours, for God´s sake. Porsche did it with the No. 7, for instance.
And of course, the million-dollar question: your opinion on the post-race penalty?
Daniel Borges Martins, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
MP: Did you see the race? With a tire test planned for Monday and the next race coming up two weeks later at Mosport, placing the 24 car at further risk — while having no chance of earning a qualify finish — made no sense. Porsche had hybrid components to replace, far easier/faster than what the BMW needed.
The post-race penalty isn’t one that involves opinions. There were nine GTP cars in the race. Eight GTP cars complied with the well-known skid plate rules, and one GTP car did not. The part which failed to comply is checked after every race. The Porsche did not comply so it was moved to last in class.
Q: Does IndyCar have a backup plan if the Toronto race gets cancelled due to the wildfire smoke? The Air Quality Index (AQI) is over 150 in western New York as I’m writing this — just 15 days from Toronto Practice 1.
Rob, Rochester, NY
MP: Writing this 14 days out from the race, I’d think such determinations would be made when the series gets much closer to race week. And with that two-week window in mind, I can’t imagine IndyCar would have a replacement race ready to go on the same date, or anywhere, for that matter. They could look to do something after the current season finale in Monterey, but the folks at Laguna Seca have been selling tickets with the event billed as the closer to the championship, so that can’t be ignored. If, sadly, the race can’t be held, I think we end up with a 16-race season.
As an aside, the series is confident the race will be held as scheduled, and considering how many races were run in 2012 with smoke pouring from those Lotus engines, there’s nothing to worry about here…
Q: Now that the results are confirmed, I guess I can finally make my final judgments on the outcome of the Six Hours at the Glen. I might be against the grain on whether or not the Penske Porsche should have been penalized, but the rules are there for a reason. They flew too close to the sun and got burned. If I were BMW and I found out that I lost to a car that was out of spec, I would be even more upset than the Porsche folks are right now.
Outside of the race results, this was the seventh Six Hours I’ve been to, and this year I camped with some buddies, one of whom was a first-timer. The event was amazing from a fan perspective, and it’s great to see the growth and the amount of people coming to this event year over year has increased dramatically. (The downside was that the pre-race pit walk was very crowded this year). Also, it’s great to see a diversity of race fans, from different ages to backgrounds (NASCAR fans, sports car fans and Indy/F1 fans).
I think what causes this growth, and what IMSA does best, is the fan access. The drivers are super-approachable and will have a chat with you. I was able to get into a few garages and see the cars up close by just asking crew members. That kind of fan-first mentality is what keeps me and my buddies coming back every year, and what gets us to bring new people to the race every year. If Dr. Panoz was still around, he’d be proud of what the series has become.
Changing gears: I’m going to the Toronto Indy GP in a couple of weeks. First time there, and first IndyCar race since they were at the Glen. Any suggestions for places I should check out or restaurants I should visit while I’m there?
Dan, Rochester NY
MP: Do you and Rob from Rochester from above know each other? If not, you should hang out.
On the penalty, I appreciated that Porsche, the biggest name in sports car racing, and Penske, one of the biggest names in global motorsports, did not receive special treatment. Sends a great message, which IMSA failed to send in its handling of the Meyer Shank/Acura/Rolex 24 penalty, that nobody is above the law. If Porsche and Penske can get the axe, anybody can get the axe.
I haven’t been to TO post-pandemic, so I can’t say what’s still open. If you’re on Facebook, join the Elite IndyCar group — some genuinely nice people there — and ask for up-to-date suggestions from its many members.