Q: What with all the high speeds, shaking and bouncing IndyCars go through on track, do/can IndyCar drivers even use their rearview mirrors?
Janis, Tampa
MP: What is this alien “rearview mirror” technology you refer to, Janis?
Q: Why was Herta not given a penalty for rear-ending Newgarden at Long Beach? He even admitted it after the race.
Jim Doyle, Hoboken, NJ
MP: There was nothing to admit to; it wasn’t a question or debate about whether he made a mistake. We now know Penske’s P2P illegality was known to the series a few hours before the race. I wonder if that made it hard to find the referee’s whistle.
Q: Thanks for sharing the video of the Newman/Haas Lola and getting an in-depth interview with one the people involved in that team. It is one of the cars that got me into IndyCar. As someone who lives next to Huntingdon, it is great to hear more stories about Lola-based cars. It is also lovely to see the Lola building back to being used for racing after being a PVC window manufacturer for years.
Anyway, to my question. For the Long Beach GP we (the UK) had to cope with the audio periodically going out of sync and random different audio levels. At other races the feed will just drop out. I was wondering if the new TV deal in discussion will include improving the international feed? Or is that provided directly from IndyCar itself? Ironically, it is much better for the practices and qualifying.
Dan Mayhew, Godmanchester, UK
MP: My friend, if I had the ability to know if improved international audio was part of the TV deal negotiations, I’d also be a trillionaire due to my psychic abilities and constant use of it to win lotteries and profit from the stock market.
When I’ve asked about the bad audio in the recent past, I’ve been told there are separate audio mixes that happen.
Having Lola back warms my heart.
Q: I have just booked my ticket and paddock pass for my first IndyCar race at the Portland GP later this year. Any tips on paddock etiquette would be gratefully received. Are the drivers generally approachable on, say, Friday for an autograph or photo?
Also, by accident I went down a YouTube rabbit hole on IndyCar roadsters the other day, an area I need to do a lot more homework on. But I can’t say I have seen a better-looking race car than the 1957 Kurtis Kraft 500G. Just stunning. I can’t imagine what the 500 would have been like in that.
Matthew, Peterborough, UK
MP: IndyCar is a close second to IMSA for being super open and friendly. If you see a driver, on any day, they’re expecting to pose for photos and sign, if they aren’t jetting to or from wherever they need to go. There are a few who are less accommodating, but that’s normal.
Happy to show you around and introduce you to your favorite drivers there. Parnelli drifting a roadster at Indy is one of the greatest visuals the sport has produced.
Q: In my crazy mind, I figure the Penske debacle is in fact a marketing ploy by Penske Entertainment to get the whole motorsport world abuzz with the rule-bending story. I bet the viewing figures this weekend are up and that the social media scene is running red hot. People will be like bees around a honey pot with this story for the whole season, keeping the series on the front page until the checkered flag at Nashville. So in fact, everyone’s a winner here!
How many years back should I be putting an asterisk by all IndyCar results involving Penske? Or is this really just a very unfortunate one off that has tarnished the image of Team Penske in spades?
Rob Bridgman, Waterlooville, Hampshire, UK
MP: Are we talking about the same Penske Entertainment that couldn’t be bothered to respond to two emails asking to credential and welcome a social media influencer with a combined following of 36,000,000 people at Long Beach?
Q: This may be an unpopular opinion, but when it comes to Push to Pass, why doesn’t IndyCar get rid of it altogether? Drivers in the 1980s and prior had to win races by duking it out lap after lap on pure talent alone. If the series got rid of it, the problem would be solved right away. What are your thoughts? Do you think what happened will have permanent damage to Josef Newgarden’s career? I sure hope not, because he is one of the most likeable drivers in motorsports and a talent to be reckoned with regardless of hitting a magic button on his dashboard.
David Colquitt
MP: IndyCar drivers in the 1980s weren’t competing in identical cars powered by nearly identical engines, so there was no need for P2P to create separation as the lap times could vary by many seconds from car to car.
Take P2P away and nobody tries to cheat in other areas? Problem not solved!
Mike Shank weathered the cheating storm of 2023, so I’d imagine Josef will do the same.
Q: Two events where Penske cheated with open software code? That’s really dirty business. I can’t ever support Newgarden and the team again. How do we know with all their resources that they haven’t bent the rules before? It took a long time since first race in St. Petersburg to come clean. It’s kind of a conflict of interest to own the IndyCar Series, the team, and the employees who independently police it. Wait until they win Indy 500 again with “conforming car.”
Reminds me of when Mario lost the 500 in court to Bobby Unser and Penske. Or when Paul Tracy was cheated out of 500 win (again to Penske). No credibility with Penske. And he wants to guarantee 500 entries, which will benefit his franchise. He tries the same stuff in NASCAR, IMSA and WEC. Bend the rules and deny when caught. Not very noble, and a pattern.
Craig B, Leland, NC
MP: The latest plan, which still isn’t final, is for guaranteed Indy 500 entries to not be part of the charters.
Q: Is it true in all auto racing that there are only cheaters and losers?
Don Velocity, Cleveland, OH
MP: No. We also have winners. And winners who don’t cheat. And losers who don’t cheat. And we recently had cheaters who won. Lots of options.