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Friday, January 11  Robin Miller answers user mail ESPN.com Check out what questions RPM.ESPN.com users had for Robin Miller -- and Robin's answers.
I haven't heard anything about Scott Goodyear since Sarah put him in the wall at Indy last year. Has he decided to completely retire from driving or is he hoping to take another shot at Indy this year? Thanks. Alan Hummel Pace, Fla. Robin Miller: ALAN: Last time I talked with Scott he hadn't decided -- I know he wants to run sports cars and maybe Indy.
How's this for an idea to make Indy the Greatest Spectacle in Racing again? With so many CART teams coming now, IMS should run a non-qualifier's race on Saturday -- perhaps a 250 or 300 miler. This would encourage both IRL and CART teams to run extra cars in each stable since they know they won't be walking away from Indy empty handed. With the relatively inexpensive IRL cars, it may encourage more NASCAR participation as well. I feel the fans that come for the 500 will also buy tickets for a Saturday show that has the non-qualifier event (with a better name, of course) and sideshow of a Busch series race, IROC or the new IRL support class. Steve Casper Valencia, Calif. Robin Miller: STEVE: You probably aren't old enough to remember the old Hooligans at Milwaukee in the '60s but they were always spectacular and entertaining races. I love your idea but I doubt anything will ever happen the day before the race. Maybe the Sunday before the race would be ideal (make Saturday bump day and line 'em up on Sunday for the final three spots in the race). I'm sure you could find a sponsor and it would make great TV. When the entry list comes out, I'll try and do something with your idea.
Comment and Question: Recently read in AutoCourse review of CART'S wow's. Don't totally agree. Yes, bad management and greed, but biggest problems "since" losing Indy: 1) Not lack of American drivers but inability to keep winners. Villenueve, Zanardi at top, Montoya, even Andretti at top. Tough to develop legions when they only have Brazilian pay for rides ... 2) Tobacco ad laws have made owners move to Indy because one 500 bigger than 15 other TV exposures. F1 will see this in 2006-7.
Given those two, they have problems. If CART goes, I'd think the hugely popular LBGP would find a new series that would span or maybe pick up with GT or something. Aside from Indy, I believe it is viewed as the non-NASCAR race in US. Your thoughts?
Robin Miller: JOHN: I think you absolutely nailed it on the open wheel heroes. Just as Villenueve, Zanardi, Montoya and Tony Stewart were becoming well-known, they bolted for F1 and NASCAR. That hurts open wheel as much as anything. If open wheel can ever unify, you can bet Long Beach will always be part of the sked -- regardless of the call letters of the sanctioning body.
With the declining fan attendance in both series and the departure of Northern Lights as a title sponsors for the IRL, do you think the IRL and CART need to come to some sort of agreement in order for both series to stay a float in the US? Jeff Lesko Chicago Robin Miller: JEFF: Without a doubt. Split NASCAR in half and see what would happen. The open wheel fans are a combination of pissed off and confused and it shows in oval-track attendance and TV ratings. One series is the only hope of open wheel getting back to where it was in 1995.
Do you think the IRL will develop the current engine formula to compete on two or three road courses adding to the 15-race schedule. What impact do you feel the economy has had on sponsorships.can you comment on Galles Racing's outlook for the future and Al Jr.'s? Thank You. Walter Roybal Rio Rancho, N.M. Robin Miller: WALTER: CART will develop the 3.5-liter formula to compete on road courses and I suppose the IRL is thinking (hoping) that if CART folds in a couple years, it would pick up Long Beach, Cleveland, Elk Lake and Toronto. The economy has made finding new sponsors (for any racing series) very difficult and you've already seen Miller cut back in CART and Northern Light bail on the IRL. Galles appears to be history but Al Jr. will get a ride with somebody -- maybe Treadway or Foyt.
If Tony Stewart ever feels he has enough money to retire on, do you think he'll go back to the IRL full-time to concentrate on his dream, winning the Indy 500, or will he just race sprints and midgets for kicks? Trent Niflis Bedford, in Robin Miller: TRENT: I would imagine Stew would run all three -- IRL, midgets, sprints. I mean, he's an open-wheel guy stuck in NASCAR's money machine. But, like my old pal Gary Bettenhausen, Stew cares more about racing than money and his passion is not those 3,500-pound toilets with fenders.
Why was Hollywood in CART and the IRL last year and Marlboro couldn't be at Indy? Was that because there were two different owners with Treadway in the IRL and Nunn in Cart? And by the way, tell the big shots at ESPN to get you a full show on RPM tonight instead of the five minutes that you get. That five minutes you get is the best part of the show the entire week! Thanks for getting us the news in open wheel! Sean Lucas Trenton N.J. Robin Miller: SEAN: Hollywood isn't bound by U.S. tobacco legislation because it's a Brazilian cigarette not sold in North America. Thanks for watching.
Will Pontiac come to dominate the NASCAR speedways this year and will we ever see Buick in NASCAR again? Brent Quigley Minnetonka Minn. Robin Miller: BRENT: Not sure Pontiac dominated since Gordon won the title but I'm sure Pontiac will be stout for no other reason than Tony Stewart. Don't know about Buick.
Hey Robin Miller -- Is Little Al still trying to get into a Cup stock car? We enjoy all your input on RPM. Mark La Ciura Tehachapi, Calif. Robin Miller: MARK: No, I don't think he ever was. At least not until his IRL deal with Tony George expires. But Jr. definitely got those good old boys attention when he was down there in the early '90s and he kicked their butts in IROC regularly. Thanks for your support.
Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart are givens, but what other NASCAR boys will run Indy? I've heard Jerry Nadeau's and John Andretti's name thrown around, also who else from CART will run Indy, besides Team Rahal? T.J. McMurray Nineveh, Ind. Robin Miller: TJ: Haven't heard anybody else's name from NASCAR but I think you'll see Kenny Brack (Ganassi), Christian Fittipaldi (Newman-Haas), Michael Andretti (Motorola), maybe both KOOL cars (Tracy and Franchitti), Tony Kanaan (as teammate to Giaffone with Mo Nunn), Adrian Fernandez (his own team) and possibly a PacWest entry for Scott Dixon.
Do you think that any Formula One drivers would ever come over to run the Indy 500? Maybe Juan Montoya or Jacques Villeneuve, maybe even Michael Schumacher. I'm sure they wouldn't have trouble getting a ride. Nate Weismiller Evansville, Ind. Robin Miller: NATE: Very doubtful since they've got races on qualifying weekend and on race day -- not to mention exclusive contracts that forbid such things. Schuey said last year he wants no part of Indy's walls -- ditto for Coulthard. Montoya and Villeneuve have already won it so I doubt they have any desire.
Awhile back it was reported Lilly out of Indy would sponsor a CART team. Any news on who that is I haven't heard any more details. And keep up the great job -- enjoy your insight into CART. Mike Gross Worthington, Ohio Robin Miller: MIKE: Cialis (Eli Lilly's answer to Viagra) will be the sponsor for Christian Fittipaldi and it will be announced sometime this month. Thanks for watching.
How important, really, is the IRL losing "Northern Light" as a title sponsor? With limitless cash, won't nothing hurt Tony George? John Hagenmaier indianapolis Robin Miller: JOHN: Well, both Pep Boys and Northern Light ran some nice TV and newspaper ads for the IRL and, Lord knows, open wheel racing needs as much publicity as possible, so that hurts. Northern Light effectively dropped out a year ago (except for the year-end payout of $1 million) and, like you said, Tony has no cash-flow problems -- but his teams do. Losing series sponsors never helps, the perception or bottom line.
Am I the only one who thinks that Paul Tracy would be great in full bodied Winston Cup car? He goes out and tears the front wing off of his car just about every week and still drives the wheels off of it. Is there something that as a spectator I am missing? Thanks for any thoughts you have on this. Rich Brick, N.J. Robin Miller: RICH: I like your theory and the thought of Paulie parking some of those Winston Cup strokes is very exciting. But he ain't one of them and, like I keep telling Kenny Brack, you cannot succeed unless they want you to.
Just like everyone else, I would love to see the IRL and CART come together. One problem with a possible merge is that the big money teams from either series such as Penske, Ganassi, Rahal, Kelley, Menard, etc., will fill up all the spots and leave the low budget teams out the series completely. Although having the big teams creates more competitive racing, I do like the idea of giving the smaller teams an opportunity. Wouldn't simply expanding the field do the trick? Having around 36-40 cars would allow the big teams to compete and the smaller teams to also get a chance (similar to the way NASCAR has it). Plus by having more cars, we would not see the leader catch the 20th place car by the tenth lap and it would create better racing since there is more traffic. What do you think? Clint Day Westminster, Md. Robin Miller: CLINT: Nobody enjoyed watching a Phil Krueger or a Ted Prappas make the show at Indy more than I did and that David vs. Goliath scenario always played well at Indy. But, lets be honest. Money always has and always will rule -- be it NASCAR, F1, CART or the IRL. And Indy cars are supposed to be the top of the line in open wheel. Tony George has instituted some ways to limit spending (cars and engines) but it still takes $3 to $5 million to do it right and the worst thing about the IRL is that so many of the owners can't even afford that reduced price. With today's economy, however, CART may have to copy that IRL philosophy for a while. Expanding the field at Indy would help give more teams a chance, absolutely, but there's something still special about only 33 cars and none of those lame provisionals that NASCAR uses. Of course, if too many CART guys come back, you might see a 40-car field.
Hi Robin - in your opinion, who's the best driver ever? Understanding the era (50's, 60's, 70's or 90's), the difficulty driving the cars (69 NASCARs vs. 2001 F1 cars), the speed increases over time, the inherent increased skill levels between the turning left at the Indy 500 and staying flat through Eau Rough in the rain, etc. (If you say A.J. Foyt, I'll smash my computer.) Paul Fogel Kansas City, Mo. Robin Miller: PAUL: Parnelli Jones was the best Indy 500 driver ever, Jan Opperman was the best sprint car driver, David Pearson was the best NASCAR driver (until Jeff Gordon) and I think Jim Clark was the best F1 driver. But the best all-around driver was Mario Andretti. Hands down, no argument. Midgets, sprints, Pikes Peak, F1, Indy cars, sports cars and stock cars -- he will always be THE MAN.
Robin do you believe that the CART owners will leave Pook alone and not interfere with his running CART? From yours and others description of him I cannot imagine him putting up with meddling by anyone. I love your column and input to RPM2Night. Randy Henniger Chesapeake, Va. Robin Miller: RANDY: If they don't, he won't be around long. I think even those greedy bastards finally realize they need a leader and Pook is the closest thing to Bernie Ecclestone. He can make it work. Thanks for your kind words.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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