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Thursday, May 23 Updated: June 5, 4:17 PM ET  Robin Miller answers user mail ESPN.com Check out what questions RPM.ESPN.com users had for Robin Miller -- and Robin's answers:
What would be the sectional speeds of an IRL car at Indy? For example, what mph at: entrance to Turn 1, center of Turn 1, exit of Turn 1, straightaways, etc. Tim Meranda Wheaton, Ill. Robin Miller: All I've seen is that Robbie Buhl was quickest on the straightaway at 235.8 and most of the fast guys are only scrubbing off four mph in the corners.
Do you feel there could be an open wheel "triple crown" that doesn't include the Indy 500? Perhaps Fontana, MIS, and maybe a Road America. Use the IRL engines/setup on the ovals and next years CART engines/setups on the road course. If one big sponsor could step in and provide the incentives (i.e. a payout system for the top point earners with a huge bonus for anyone that wins all three races), could this be possible? It's obvious that Tony George won't let his Indy 500 be included in this. Steve Albany, N.Y. Robin Miller: There's talk the Triple Crown (Fontana, Michigan, Indy) could be reinstated by the IRL, but CART might be better served by awarding a big prize for a four-race circuit (street/road/short oval/superspeedway) for all four disciplines.
Would 24 cars have started the Indy 500 if it would have rained all day on Bump Day? Would Bump Day be held another day? Do you think Tony George would have created IRL exclusive provisional starting spots and kept the CART teams out? Carl Anderson Port St. John, Fla. Robin Miller: Yes, those 24 would have been locked in and everyone else would have gone for those final nine spots on Monday, or the next clear day. No, I don't think he would have done that.
Could Michael Andretti's team have replaced Michael with a non-qualified driver rather than withdrawing a qualified car from the lineup? Perhaps the car could have been sold to a team in the rainout line. It sure is a crime to withdraw a car from the lineup when some didn't even get to run. Rich Taylor Trenton, N.J. Robin Miller: It's the car that qualifies so, yes, technically Barry Green could have assigned somebody else to that car and let Michael qualify 39T like he did. But they weren't about to run four cars.
I've been a big Indy 500 fan for years but still struggle to understand the qualification and bumping process. I thought that the drivers who qualified on the first weekend were deemed "untouchable" regardless of their speed, then I see Michael Andretti pull his primary car and requalify in his backup car on bump day. Are any drivers untouchable after the first day/weekend of qualifying? Can you explain the whole process of qualifying/bumping to me or direct me to where I can find the rules which govern this? Dave Miller San Diego, Calif. Robin Miller: The car is what qualifies, technically, not the driver but nobody is safe, regardless of when he or she qualifies. See my response about the weather but the qualifying format is for the 33 fastest cars and the only pecking order is that it pays to qualify on pole day because you can turn in the second fastest speed on bump day and wind up starting in the 10th or 11th row.
Can you explain the procedure for Indy 500 qualifying. How is it that Billy Boat, who is starting 23rd, is slower than Mark Dismore, who is starting 33rd? Is the pole sitter the only one who is locked in on pole day? One last question, if a car completes a qualifying run after pole day is it possible to start in front of a car that ran on pole day? Thanks for the clarification. Tim Boone Huntersville, N.C. Robin Miller: See the two preceding questions/answers. The first day qualifiers are only locked into the lineup if they're fast enough. Then, on the second day (which was rained out), even if somebody goes quicker than the pole sitter (like Tom Sneva did in 1981), he still slots in behind the first-day qualifiers. Then the bump day qualifiers go behind the first two days. Billy Boat was 23 out of 24 on pole day and, thanks to the weather, didn't get bumped on bump day so he retained his slot in Row 8. Had he been bumped, everyone would have moved up one spot from the bottom. It appears confusing and maybe it is but basically it pays to qualify on pole day (provided you're quick enough).
I first want to say that your segments on the history of Indy are great! Do you think His majesty Tony George will announce his engine and chassis/aero packages in time so CART teams and IRL teams will be able to compete in the others' events? or, will the rules be set up to prevent this from happening? Sean Comiskey Quincy, Mass. Robin Miller: Good question. I assume Lola will be allowed to build IRL cars in 2003 (nothing official yet) but since CART froze its chassis for 2003 to save money, there may not be any IRL rule about building an identical chassis for both series just yet. CART's new engine spec is similar to IRL's but I'm not sure GM or Nissan is going to build CART engines. I think it will be Toyota/Ilmor/Ford. Thanks for watching.
I have been going to the first day of qualifications for over 20 years. Yes, the crowds are smaller now and the IRL-CART split seems to get all the blame for the smaller crowds. Don't you think that not having the "Snake Pit" in Turn 1 or Turn 4 has done an awful lot to reduce the fan count? Now only true race fans are going out on the first day not the true party people. John Pitchford Miamisburg, Ohio Robin Miller: Absolutely, not having the infield crowd has definitely hurt practice and qualifying crowds, although there were still 50,000-60,000 in 1995 at pole day. This year's pole day crowd was less than 10,000 (worst of all time) and, sadly, Indy has become a one-day event.
Whatever happened to Danny Sullivan? He was a great announcer. Bob Thomas Guadalajara, Mexico Robin Miller: He lives in France and was helping a young American in Formula 3. I watched the IRL race at Phoenix with Danny last March and he seemed to be doing very well.
Just caught RPM2Night (Mon., May 20) and heard Paul Tracy say that he was "misled" by some people on setups. Any idea who this "misleader" is, and do you think it was intentional? Kirk Clarksville, Ind. Robin Miller: Not sure. Barry Green partnered with Panther Racing last year so maybe it's them or maybe it was a fellow CART team like Rahal or Nunn or Ganassi. I'll try to find out.
You might need Donald Davidson's help on this ... With all the hoopla surrounding "Bubble Day" at Indy, I was wondering what was the largest number of previously qualified cars (meaning those in the field prior to the final day of quals) to be bumped? As long as I'm asking, what was the greatest amount of cars bumped regardless of the day qualified? Steve Wade Austin, Texas Robin Miller: I'll have to find Donald, you're right.
Now that CART has grandfathered 2002 chassis for the 2003 season, how does this play into the non-turbo engine plan? Can the 2002 chassis be retrofitted to accept the larger naturally aspirated IRL-like engines (overhead air scoop)? Love your no-spin commentary. Mike Bradley Indianapolis Robin Miller: I'm told it will be no problem to adapt the normally-aspirated engines to the old cars but I'm sure it's not as simple as that. Too bad CART just didn't keep the turbos one more year since the cars will be in play. Thanks for watching.
Why is it that most everyone in the media is calling for a CART/IRL merger, but fails to see that the IRL has no desire in seeing that happen? In 1999 it almost happened with Green, Rahal and Walker negotiating with George, but at the last minute he pulled the plug. Now we have the IRL playing games with chassis and engine supply rules. CART seems to be the only one interested. Why doesn't the media realize that the IRL/George is the cog in the wheel? Jason Winer Torrance, Calif. Robin Miller: Very perceptive, you are. Green, Rahal and Walker thought they had a done deal with Leo Mehl but it all fell apart. Of course CART being a public company certainly doesn't make a merger very workable so maybe it would have to go back private before anything could happen. But, as Chris Pook keeps saying, it takes both sides wanting to make things work and T. George has no interest in one series unless CART crumbles and it's all IRL. He's made that very clear.
Now that the IRL has been through Nazareth and found out that April is not a good time to hold a race there, will they change that to a June or July race? And are there any plans to update the track? Phil Cardinale Allentown, Pa. Robin Miller: Not sure they've made any decisions but, obviously, Nazareth never had a good date in CART and April is always iffy. I think it would draw in June or July because Pennsylvania has a lot of good race fans.
Robin, do you know what Janet Guthrie is smoking and where I can get some? She commented about the poor turnout for Indy time trial days as a sign that "maybe CART will see the error in its ways". Umm ... wasn't the cause of the downturn in attendance Tony's fault for starting a new series? Bill Jurasz Austin, Texas Robin Miller: Janet is clueless about what's wrong with open wheel. Indy's time trials have been on a steady decline since the split and Indy is now a one-day event. Period. End of story. Thanks, Tony. Good job.
I know drivers get three qual attempts (Indy 500), but what if they accept a time, do they still have two qual attempts left on that car? I was under the impression that drivers are forced to choose good qual speeds as once they get bumped, that car is done, done, done. Any insight? Eric Troop Indianapolis Robin Miller: The car gets three attempts, a driver can make as many as he wants but only up to three with any one chassis. Once a time is accepted, that's it for that car.
What has changed between the 500 this year compared to last year on why the cars are so much faster? Gary Vaughn Mooresville, Ind. Robin Miller: New track surface, better tires, better cars, better engines. The straightaway speeds are only four to five mph quicker than the corner speeds.
Do you think there is any chance that Roger Penske might run Ryan Newman at Indy and try the Memorial Day double in the future? Newman seems to have the talent, background and intellect to handle it; does he have the interest? Richard Otten Charlottesville, Va. Robin Miller: I always kidded Ryan about being a traitor but, truth is, he always aspired to be in NASCAR and he simply used USAC as a good launching pad. I'd love to see him run Indy because he's a helluva talent. And a great kid.
On Sunday's telecast ESPN interviewed George Mack after his qualifying run. Mack stated the car and crew had problems this last week, but today we ran the piss out it (the car). This is my question: is that the language to be expected in today's broadcast? I am old enough, and not a virgin to drivers' colorful quips. I am old enough to have watched A.J.and a host of others when they ran USAC midgets here in Denver, but I don't recall anyone speaking to the press about piss. Ed Felt Denver Robin Miller: Well, since it was live, there's not much you can do and it must not have created much of a stir because this is the first time I've heard about it.
I love your work, it's refreshing to hear someone "tell it like it is". I'd like to hear what you think about the pending sale of the WOO. I feel the potential buyer (concert promoters?) might run it into the ground, not knowing anything about racing. What do you think? Dave Smith Elizabethtown, Pa. Robin Miller: There's always that danger and Ted Johnson obviously worked hard for many years and was passionate about open wheel. That's the key. I think you've got to have knowledge/passion.
I listen to the RPM Radio show weekly on Saturday morning while I'm working and usually catch RPM on TV maybe two nights per week. Since you aren't one to shy away from controversy I thought I'd bring up the Ferrari team orders at the last Grand Prix. A lot of people on this side of the Big Pond think that nothing even remotely like that NEVER happens in American oval racing. What about the year Dale Earnhardt went into the season finale at Atlanta needing only a 42nd-place finish or better to win the Winston Cup? Richard Childress used Neil Bonnett to qualify a car and then PARK IT as soon as the race started. This insured Earnhardt the title. While less obvious and less dramatic, Neil Bonnett didn't race so his teammate could win. WHAT"S THE DIFFERENCE?! Don Mulder Naperville, Ill. Robin Miller: Or Michael Waltrip admitting he never tried to pass Little E last year at Daytona, playing blocking back if necessary. Sure, it happens but just not as blatantly as two weeks ago. But F1 needs something to get people to talk about it because it's so damn boring right now.
What does the chassis situation look like next year in CART? Reynard is bankrupt and CART placed a freeze on the 2002 chassis rules. Will only Lolas be competitive in 2003? Karl E. Kraynanski Plains, Pa. Robin Miller: If Lola doesn't do much development (and why would they since they're building a new IRL chassis), the Reynard could stay competitive, sure. But I'm not sure I'd want one because you know Lola won't totally sit idle.
It's my understanding that CART is required to start 20 cars or more in each race. If Servia's team folds and that leaves just 19 cars, what will they do? Chuck Kelsh Palatine, Ill. Robin Miller: I'm told that it varies from 18 to 20 cars, depending on the track, but John Lopes of CART says there will be 20 cars at Milwaukee. Oriol Servia will be placed with Walker or maybe Patrick, with some help from CART and maybe Toyota.
What's the biggest story going to be on Sunday? Alf Gordon New York Robin Miller: Can the IRL finally beat CART with its own cars?
I just a read a great article about Jovy Marcelo, the Phillipino driver who died at Indy in '92. How soon we forget about these drivers. There is no sort of memorial at Indy for all the drivers who have lost their lives there and I think it could be done tastefully and honorably. I know you have Donald Davidson's ear (I've been watching all your historical Indy pieces all month) and I feel someone should get the ball rolling on a driver's memorial, perhaps in front of the museum. If I were the architect, I would have a statue of a mid-'50s roadster with a driver sitting on the ground next to it with his head buried in his arms just like that famous photo of Bill Vukovich in the garage after an especially hot 500. What do you think? Steve Casper Valencia, Calif. Robin Miller: I think it's an excellent idea, I'll pass it along.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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