Q: As a long-time IndyCar fan living in the Northeast, I am extremely disappointed with Mark Miles and IndyCar.
The fact that Mark Miles feels that Pato O’Ward is not even close to the equivalent of Adrian Fernandez in terms of fan engagement is mind boggling, and the fact that they lost out to NASCAR on going to Mexico City is just disheartening. And now, he seems completely closed off to the idea of ever going back to Watkins Glen or Richmond again. It seems that any possible idea of Loudon is off the table, too. So… it appears that the Northeast will not have IndyCar racing for the foreseeable future.
IndyCar just came off a pretty damn good weekend of racing at Milwaukee. Nice attendance. Good racing. And it was a venue they didn’t draw flies too the last time they were there. And yet, Miles seems completely closed off to the fact that a return to The Glen, Richmond or New Hampshire could possibly bring similar results as Milwaukee.
And Lime Rock. It’s just a fraction smaller than both Detroit and Toronto in length, and yet IndyCar seems to have no interest in reaching out to possibly race there. They had solid attendance for both the Memorial Day and July All-Star Trans-Am races this year. IndyCar would likely pack the place with massive crowds. NASCAR figured it out. The Truck Series is there next year. But IndyCar? Nope!
Miles is clueless. Utterly. Really sad. IndyCar wonders why it can’t grow, when some of the answers are in front of their noses. Time for him to go.
Paul Oke
MP: I know I’ve written this here a dozen times before, but Miles is more of a spokesperson for Penske Entertainment than a major policy maker, which is different from his role prior to Penske buying everything leading into 2020. It’s probably splitting hairs, but it’s worth reiterating that while Mark is the number one voice for the organization; most of the big decisions are made by those above him.
Q: There have been too many instances of oval tracks that have come back to the schedule with a lack of spectacle/visual product only to be removed (Phoenix) to get excited about IndyCar oval racing.
So I want to give credit to the IndyCar technical team for the product that was on track at St. Louis and Milwaukee. I could watch those races weekly for a season because they were so entertaining. The old aero fuel mileage races at St. Louis seemed like they were in the distant past. What I am so encouraged by was the fact that Firestone and IndyCar got to the end result on each track with different combinations of aero and grip.
I watched the 1993 Milwaulkee race as a tune-up to last weekend. Although fewer cars were on the lead lap in those past races, the spectacle of watching cars constantly passing each other throughout the race was nearly replicated in these last three races. That visual is so needed and encouraging for IndyCar ovals. Is it just me, or does the sample size of this technical collaboration, if continued, resulting in an eye test win for the sport and open the door for future ovals?
Jordan Glenn
MP: I sure hope so. I didn’t grow up with ovals, but it only took a few seconds to fall in love with them at my first Phoenix CART IndyCar race in the 1980s as a junior mechanic on a Super Vee team — akin to today’s USF Pro 2000 cars — where I saw Mario and Rick and A.J. and Emmo and the other legends fire into the turns and around each other up top or down below at mind-bending speeds.
Just as Iowa was a reminder of how bad oval races can be when the technical package is off, WWTR and Milwaukee reminded everyone how awesome ovals are when all the necessary ingredients are there. If IndyCar can find a 1.5-mile track to add into the schedule after losing Texas, the calendar would be incredible.
Q: Mark Miles seems off the mark with his latest comments about IndyCar. Anyone who has been to an IMSA race recently understands that crowd size records were meant to be broken. I attended the last three races at Watkins Glen for IndyCar as well as the last six 6-Hour IMSA races at The Glen. Miles’s comments that, “I don’t want to go back to places we have been, I think I am winning that battle,” shows a disconnect with what race fans want to see.
He mentions in the same article the need for “innovation.”It seems like he is talking about innovation in terms of location/venue. What is ironic is how far behind they are in technical innovation versus other series. Since the DW12, NASCAR is on its third car. IMSA’s top class is on its third car. F1 is on its third set of regulations. Is there an older racing chassis in motorsport?
What fans want to see is technical upgrades that lead to better racing. You can send IndyCar to The Glen again and be successful. If anyone wants to see some of the greatest visual entertainment in racing, I challenge you to sit at the toe of The Boot at The Glen during an IMSA event, in changing conditions, when four categories of cars enter the turn three-wide. The reason for IMSA’s record crowds is the innovation of the GTP cars coupled with dynamic passing at traditional tracks that is forced due to the speed differences of the classes.
Miles is starting to sound more off the mark each time he speaks as to why other series attendances are doing well compared to IndyCar. If you combine the excitement of GTP technical/visual with the racing we saw at Milwaukee, you will have the best racing product, period. Will IndyCar get back to cars that push the technical envelope while also creating a product that is visually appealing, or is that still a pipedream?
Jordan Glenn
MP: I’m unaware of any tech breakthroughs coming to IndyCar, Jordan.
Q: FOX has 4K. I’ve watched some NASCAR races and football in the format. I’m just putting it out there in case their execs are big Mailbag fans: if the Indy 500 isn’t broadcast in 4K, I’ll eat my hat.
Bernardo, Texas
MP: I will have bottles of BBQ and hot sauce ready just in case they’re needed.