Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers could 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 acquired after 3pm ET every Monday might 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, are you aware why? There was an enormous 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 this moment. One of many negatives, not 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 mentioned it was as a result of crew ignoring his enter and feeling his expertise was being wasted. There’s extra to the story, however falls below the between-friends class.
Cannon was solely at PREMA for the reason that finish of final yr, so this was certainly a shock. I’ve heard from two crew homeowners who’re curious about buying his providers, and doubt we’ll get by means of the subsequent Mailbag or two with out his affirmation at a brand new (or former) crew.
Q: Do you’ve any details about what occurred to Benjamin Pedersen after being dropped by Foyt in 2023? Did he damage his probabilities within the sequence that badly together with his antics at Mid-Ohio that yr?
Matthew Houk, Columbus, OH
MP: Mid-Ohio didn’t damage his probabilities. The crew wasn’t nice, and his household allegedly obtained 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 finances was mentioned to have been used up principally 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 inform you what’s actual or not actual. However the truth that the child was changed by Sting Ray Robb, who was rumored to convey $9 million for a single yr, suggests what the crew wanted to outlive as a two-car program.
I all the time appreciated Benjamin. He didn’t get a lot of an opportunity to point out us something. Given a second season, with a greater crew than he had in 2023, I believe he’d make a extra optimistic 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 after 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 Pictures
Q: What a fantastic response to the query/remark from Mike in Michigan, and sure I’m a Rush fan as properly. That mentioned, regardless of my age (73) I establish with youthful folks 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 recognized, Zak Brown comes closest to nailing the elemental issues with the sequence. I begin with the machines themselves and we state the apparent in saying that they, too, are aged out.
There may be little about them that excites, and the one purpose to observe is that the racing is implausible and the drivers are, for probably the most half, tier one gamers. However as you mentioned, that alone doesn’t make it work. Watch races from the golden period within the Nineteen Nineties, and the fields weren’t tight, with the standard up and down the grid much more variable. Nonetheless, the vehicles themselves have been weapons, and after they all began/warmed up on the grid it was unimaginable to the senses.
As an apart, I used to be on the false grid at Lengthy Seaside in 2017 within the Can-Am function that yr. I used to be in my M8F massive block, and as I used to be sitting ready to get on to the mix line, James Hinchcliffe noticed me and this automotive and mentioned, “That’s f### superior!” It was the visceral sensation of that energy and sensory overload that clearly was in his thoughts.
As for the vehicles, put them on a few 200-pound weight-reduction plan, convey up the facility and let’s use an actual state-of-the-art chassis. We aren’t recreating F1, however we are able to have one thing very attractive, quick as hell and much much less upkeep. I actually surprise if the possession seems 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 folks have to 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 much more influential and an extra race in Canada aside from Toronto, a race in Mexico and maybe in South America should be consummated. I fail to know how they haven’t run with the recognition of Pato O’Ward to safe a significant occasion in Mexico Metropolis or Monterrey.
FOX is an enormous plus, the Dallas occasion might be an enormous deal and the published crew might be first-rate. I’m nonetheless a fan, however for goodness sake, let’s take some dangers.
Emmett, Dallas, TX
MP: Plenty of fascinating ideas right here, Emmett. From a racing perspective, Penske Racing — the period earlier than the rebrand as Workforce Penske — was all about taking dangers, pushing all the pieces to the sting and past at instances within the identify of not simply beating the alternative, however destroying them. A lot of that very same spirit lives on the crew right this moment, 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 foundations — which have been ready to be exploited — and making historical past with that ballsy choice? You guess. Learn Jade Gurss’s book on the challenge; 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 fallacious and have missed the examples, however I’m unaware of something that might be thought of wild in terms of enterprise choices. 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 stunned if it does.
