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Sunday, February 24 Updated: January 12, 5:51 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.
With Chip having a full time IRL car this season how long do you see him staying in CART? Or with Pook making some great changes is it a wait and see approach with one foot on either side of the fence? Love your comments. Paul Hackel Green Bay, Wisc. Robin Miller: PAUL: I think Target and Toyota will make Chip's decision for him and while I think he'll have a two-car effort in the IRL in 2003, he might keep one car in CART -- especially after he watches Pook's progress. Thanks for reading and watching. I know Chip Ganassi already confirmed plans to return to Indy again this year. But with Brack, Junqueria, and now the addition of Jeff Ward to a new IRL team does Ganassi have enough room left for Tony Stewart again this year? Frank Perez Chicago Robin Miller: FRANK: Oh yeah, he ran four cars last May and Stew is definitely going to be in one of them.
I saw you on RPM tonight saying that Tony George should try and get Tony Stewart a top IRL ride. Why in the world would you think Stewart would be interested in leaving NASCAR for the IRL? That would be a major step down to go to a second-rate series. I can see him still running the Indy 500 but leaving NASCAR for the IRL would be a major step down for someone as good as Stewart because NASCAR is No. 1 and always will they have the best driver in the world without a doubt put on the best races by far and have the best fans. Tony would be stupid to leave NASCAR and I don't think he will. So why would you think he would do that? Rick Schwartz Taylor, Mich. Robin Miller: RICK: If Stew wasn't making millions in NASCAR he'd have been long gone a year ago. He is an open-wheel racer and that's his passion -- he's made that real clear in the past few months. George should have never let him get away from the IRL but know that he's a mega-star, it would be good business to bring him back. And remember this, NASCAR is the most popular series but the racing is second class compared to CART or the IRL. Daytona (one pass for the lead on the track in four hours), what a bore.
I've been wondering what Willy T. Ribbs will be doing this season since he isn't competing in the truck series. I am a big fan of his and I wonder if he is going to come back to the truck series or return to the IRL series to participate in the Indy 500 again. Del Smith Jackson, Miss. Robin Miller: DEL: I saw Willy at CART spring training two weeks ago with his kids and he looks great. He's writing a book on his career but I think he's done racing unless maybe something comes along in sports cars. Too bad nobody ever tapped his potential in the late '70s and early '80s, he was a talent.
With more CART drivers coming to Indy, why not expand the field to 42 cars? Maybe more than a dozen would be running competitively at the end. Gregg Donat Lafayette, Ind. Robin Miller: GREGG: Please don't give Tony George any ideas. One of Indy's great traits is that there are no provisionals like NAPCAR and, other than the 25/8 rule in '96 and adding on Nissans in '97, Indy has remained fairly pure in that respect.
Oh how ironic, things really do come full circle. Tony George's plan to control open wheel racing and to eliminate the evil influences of those CART teams, mainly Penske, has somewhat backfired. He may end up controlling the sport, thanks to NASCAR, but those big expensive teams that win all the time are back. You just can't beat Roger, on or off the track. In '95, Tony cried and said "I'm taking my ball home so you guys can't play." But Roger will just go to his house and beat him up there. It's beautiful. Mike Kilmer Albany, N.Y. Robin Miller: MIKE: Ah yes, isn't it ironic that all the IRL zealots are welcoming Team Penske back with open arms and praising their decision to join the IRL. Gee, wasn't he the evil empire they couldn't wait to get rid of in 1996? It's the same hypocritical message about buying rides and how that will never happen in the IRL. Yeah right.
Robin, Could Sterling Marlin have gotten out of his car under the red flag, looked at the fender and then waited until they went back to yellow, made the adjustment real fast, get back in his car and not been sent to the end of the lead lap? Chip Herd Overland Park, Kan. Robin Miller: CHIP: Naw, he was screwed regardless because stopping to fix the fender still would have left him near the back. Why does CART keep dropping venues that have a good following and the IRL keep snatching them up? Please some one help my CART! Gene Garritano Durango, Colo. Robin Miller: GENE: Well, Michigan and ISC wanted the IRL, not CART, and I imagine Fontana will be next. ISC has already lowered ticket prices for the IRL race and it will get promoted. Losing Nazareth was no loss because that track stinks for Indy cars or champ cars. Phoenix remains a great venue that CART needs to regain some day but don't hold your breath (it's also owned by the France family).
With the Penske boys gone, care to take a look into your crystal ball as to who will be the CART top dog at the end of the year? Okay, let's make it the top 5! Thanks for your reply and your candor -- I have always enjoyed your insight and comments. Lisa Paden Wellington, Fla. Robin Miller: LISA: T. Kanaan, K. Brack, C. da Matta, P. Carpentier and P. Tracy. Thanks for reading and watching.
Blocking was a major issue at Daytona, especially by the leader. Why can't NASCAR paint a line down the center of the track for a portion of the straightaways and make the lead car commit to above or below that line, not allowing him to use the whole track for blocking? Kevin Bliese Dakota Dunes, S.D. Robin Miller: KEVIN: Why not get rid of that yellow line and let everyone use the race track? Better yet, why not get rid of that restrictor plate and go back to real racing like the '80s?
How can Al Jr. feel good about having his Sugar Daddy -- a.k.a. Little Tony -- buy him a ride that was already taken? We all know that is what is happening. If you award the job based on merit, Al Jr. will have to dust off his resume. Aside from an IRL win at a race where the pace car finished second and the wrecker finished third, he has been mired in mediocrity for at least the last half-decade of competition. And if you want flashy results and a competitive racer, Greg Ray's your guy. He's hard on the parts bin, but winning races is what makes you money. And he has an IRL championship and several race wins to prove it. I know that Al Jr. has gotten a physical trainer and has rededicated himself. Why didn't he do that five years ago when everyone else did? Because he had a job and didn't think it'd ever come to this. John Harris Flossmoor, Ill. Robin Miller: JOHN: All your points are valid and please call up the story I wrote this weekend on RPM.ESPN.com on Unser. It's a sad story about what's happened to his career and life but he's got nobody to blame but himself. Ray simply lost out in a business decision (if Tony George was paying his salary he'd still have that ride I imagine) and you feel bad for anybody who gets jerked. But loyalty doesn't run too deep in the IRL. Ask Jim Guthrie, JJ Yeley, Mark Dismore, Stephan Gregoire, Sarah Fisher or maybe Tony Stewart. To build a fan base you need to keep the same drivers but the IRL has now had more than 110 drivers since its inception. Think about that stat.
Just wondering about two IRL drivers that I haven't heard much about during the off season: Mark Dismore and Stephan Gregoire. I realize Mark was the odd man out at Kelley after last season, but what about Gregoire, who used to drive for Dick Simon? Tory Roster St. Louis Robin Miller: TORY: Stephan got a lot of help from Mari Hulman George but not anymore and Simon's operation finally went belly-up. Diz has no money and no ride at the moment.
I'm a CART fan but I still follow the IRL, and I'm concerned that Sarah might not have a ride for this season. Has she been let go or is it a matter of finding a sponsor? If she can't get a ride in the IRL do you think she can find a ride in another series like CART. Thanks for keeping it real. Ronald Woods San Diego Robin Miller: RON: You're not nearly as concerned as she is. Derrick Walker has no sponsor for her and the IRL obviously can't produce one for its most popular and visible driver. CART wants to fund a Toyota Atlantic team for Sarah but I don't think it's going to happen. Thanks for your support.
Why did CART's engine suppliers allow the traction control rule to be allowed only a month before the season opener? (Even though all of the engine suppliers have been using some form of traction control for a few years now.) Jeff Olney Abilene, Texas Robin Miller: JEFF: You answered your own question. At least two of the three were using it during the test at Laguna Seca recently so Chris Pook and Lee Dykstra wisely decided to make it legal immediately instead of waiting another year because it's impossible to police. Ask Formula One.
Sure would be nice to know how Davey Hamilton is doing these days. The last I heard anything was before Thanksgiving. If you know anything and can share such info, It would be appreciated. BTW, your views and commentary are always a breath of fresh air. You certainly made the "the no spin zone" famous long before Mr. O'Reilly did. Rush Lynas Manor, Texas Robin Miller: RUSH: I saw Davey a few weeks ago and he was still in a wheelchair and his recovery is going to be a long one. But he's always in good spirits. I just hope he doesn't try to drive again.
I've been going to races at Road America for 30-plus years. If CART goes away, what happens to venues like R/A? Motorcycle races are OK but would there be a chance for Formula One? Ted Neitzke Wisconsin Robin Miller: TED: I would hope that CART or some form of open wheel racing always runs at Road America. It's too good a test of driver and car and it's always been well-attended. But it's not nearly cosmopolitan enough for Bernie Baby -- and I don't think it could ever be financially viable for the track. Can you please tell me the difference between the IRL and CART cars with the new package. Who has higher RPM, traction control and are they going to still use Reynard and Lola chassis? What will the new horsepower be for CART? Joe Scalera Harrisburg, Pa. Robin Miller: JOE: The 2003 cars will be nearly identical from what I'm told but CART will employ a higher rev limiter (not sure it's been officially decided but I heard 11,500 RPMs). Reynard and Lola will both build IRL chassis and Dallara may build a CART car. As for horsepower, CART will have a little more than the IRL but nothing close to today's 900 or so.
What kind of odds are you giving Arie's chances of winning his third Indy 500? What kind of driver do you think that Ricky Treadway will turn out to be? Chuck Whelan Valparaiso, Ind. Robin Miller: CHUCK: I think it's very tough to just run once or twice a year and expect to be successful -- regardless of Arie's experience. Treadway needs to be in Atlantics or something comparable to get some miles. There are a half dozen guys in the IRL right now who appear to be out of their element and he's one of them. After a busy and apparently successful beginning as president and CEO, Chris Pook seems to be taking CART by the horns and appears to be attempting to smooth relations with CART's various manufacturers. Based on the following quote from Pook: "After several meetings with our valued manufacturer partners we have created an acceptable format for introducing traction control, and I want to personally thank Honda, Toyota and Ford for their professionalism, cooperation and flexibility," it seems that Mr. Pook is attempting to nurture the strained relationship with the engine manufactures. How successful is he proving to be? Is he giving Ford and Honda pause with their decision to leave CART? Adam Sorensen Salt Lake City Robin Miller: ADAM: I think he can save Honda but not Ford. He's already accomplished more with manufacturers, promoters and sponsors than any of the previous CEOs did combined. Pook understands the game and how it's played.
I noticed there were many small NASCAR teams at Daytona without sponsorship, how are IRL teams doing in these tough economic times? Will we be seeing smaller fields away from the Indy 500? Dave Zander Greenfield, Wisc. Robin Miller: DAVE: The IRL still needs help from corporate America but it looks better right now than a year ago and it appears 24-25 cars could be the norm (at least prior to Indy) in 2002 which is plenty.
Do you have any news on Roberto Moreno and what he's up to for the 2002 season? I noticed that Patrick Racing does not have him in their driver lineup. Has he retired? Or do you think he will land in the IRL or in another ride in CART? Matthew Connors Philadelphia Robin Miller: MATT: Pupo is still working on a CART ride but Townsend Bell is the new driver at Patrick. I think you'll see Roberto at Indy, for sure, but he's not ready to retire.
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