Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers might be despatched to mailbag@racer.com. We love listening to your feedback and opinions, however letters that embrace a query usually tend to be revealed. Questions obtained after 3pm ET every Monday will probably be saved for the next week.
Q: I learn that Mike Cannon has abruptly left PREMA. Is that an correct report, and if that’s the case, have you learnt why? There was a large turnover of engineers, technicians and managers the final a number of years, so this isn’t an enormous shock. Does he have a brand new vacation spot? Can’t think about he would discover one thing extra interesting.
Dave
MARSHALL PRUETT: One of many nice issues about working in racing as a mechanic and the opposite issues I did from 1986-2001 was making a ton of associates who stay in IndyCar (and IMSA) right now. One of many negatives, no less than in knowledgeable capability as a reporter, is a few of these conversations with associates within the paddock are of a private nature and aren’t topic to sharing on the time they occur.
However Michael later selected to share his aspect in a public discussion board, and stated it was as a result of staff ignoring his enter and feeling his expertise was being wasted. There’s extra to the story, however falls beneath the between-friends class.
Cannon was solely at PREMA for the reason that finish of final 12 months, so this was certainly a shock. I’ve heard from two staff homeowners who’re all for buying his companies, and doubt we’ll get via the subsequent Mailbag or two with out his affirmation at a brand new (or former) staff.
Q: Do you could have any details about what occurred to Benjamin Pedersen after being dropped by Foyt in 2023? Did he damage his possibilities within the collection that badly together with his antics at Mid-Ohio that 12 months?
Matthew Houk, Columbus, OH
MP: Mid-Ohio didn’t damage his possibilities. The staff wasn’t nice, and his household allegedly received the deal of the century with a three-year, $9 million contract, however with the quite a few crashes, together with the destruction of a chassis on the primary lap of the season, that three-year funds was stated to have been used up largely in 12 months 1. There have been different allegations about missed cost deadlines, and people misses opening the door to exiting the contract.
I haven’t seen the contract, so I can’t let you know what’s actual or not actual. However the truth that the child was changed by Sting Ray Robb, who was rumored to carry $9 million for a single 12 months, suggests what the staff wanted to outlive as a two-car program.
I all the time appreciated Benjamin. He didn’t get a lot of an opportunity to indicate us something. Given a second season, with a greater staff than he had in 2023, I feel he’d make a extra constructive impression. Not saying he’d be bothering the highest half of the sphere, however he wouldn’t be parked on the again.
Who is aware of once we’ll see Benjamin Pedersen in an IndyCar once more, however he’ll be in motion on the Rolex 24 at Daytona this weekend in PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports’s No. 52 LMP2 entry. James Gilbert/Motorsport Photos
Q: What an excellent response to the query/remark from Mike in Michigan, and sure I’m a Rush fan as nicely. That stated, regardless of my age (73) I determine with youthful individuals on most issues and within the case of IndyCar we’re growing older out of relevance.
Of all of the homeowners who make their opinions identified, Zak Brown comes closest to nailing the basic issues with the collection. I begin with the machines themselves and we state the plain in saying that they, too, are aged out.
There’s little about them that excites, and the one motive to look at is that the racing is implausible and the drivers are, for essentially the most half, tier one gamers. However as you stated, that alone doesn’t make it work. Watch races from the golden period within the Nineties, and the fields weren’t tight, with the standard up and down the grid way more variable. Nonetheless, the automobiles themselves had been weapons, and once they all began/warmed up on the grid it was unbelievable to the senses.
As an apart, I used to be on the false grid at Lengthy Seashore in 2017 within the Can-Am characteristic that 12 months. I used to be in my M8F huge block, and as I used to be sitting ready to get on to the mix line, James Hinchcliffe noticed me and this automotive and stated, “That’s f### superior!” It was the visceral sensation of that energy and sensory overload that clearly was in his thoughts.
As for the automobiles, put them on a couple of 200-pound weight-reduction plan, carry up the facility and let’s use an actual state-of-the-art chassis. We aren’t recreating F1, however we will have one thing very attractive, quick as hell and much much less upkeep. I actually marvel if the possession appears past 12 months on this enterprise.
Administration on the high has to get youthful and re-invigorate this system. You say this in your piece — the C-level individuals must be of their 40s and 50s, not of their 70s and 80s.
IndyCar won’t ever be F1. Nonetheless, in North America it may be way more influential and an extra race in Canada aside from Toronto, a race in Mexico and maybe in South America need to be consummated. I fail to grasp how they haven’t run with the recognition of Pato O’Ward to safe a significant occasion in Mexico Metropolis or Monterrey.
FOX is a giant plus, the Dallas occasion will probably be a giant deal and the printed staff will probably be first-rate. I’m nonetheless a fan, however for goodness sake, let’s take some dangers.
Emmett, Dallas, TX
MP: Numerous attention-grabbing ideas right here, Emmett. From a racing perspective, Penske Racing — the period earlier than the rebrand as Crew Penske — was all about taking dangers, pushing the whole lot to the sting and past at occasions within the identify of not simply beating the alternative, however destroying them. A lot of that very same spirit lives on the staff right now, however I can’t say I recall seeing that cavalier strategy at Penske Company, of which Penske Leisure falls inside.
Spending a small fortune to conceive and make “The Beast” and completely dominate the 1994 Indy 500 with a motor that exploited the far reaches of the principles — which had been ready to be exploited — and making historical past with that ballsy determination? You guess. Learn Jade Gurss’s e-book on the venture; you gained’t be upset.
Doing one thing daring and boundary-pushing with a enterprise, and IndyCar is certainly run like a enterprise by Penske? I’m certain I’m mistaken and have missed the examples, however I’m unaware of something that will be thought of wild relating to enterprise selections. I proceed to hope the ultra-conservative strategy we’ve seen to this point with Penske’s possession of IndyCar doesn’t carry over into the upcoming chassis and engine system it’s creating, however I gained’t be shocked if it does.
