Q: It was great to see Tracy march through the field (reminds me of when Paul started from 17th to win in Long Beach back in 2000). Anyways, I wanted to ask about the announcers. Everyone seems to not like the current announcers for the Indy telecast, and I am not to excited about them either, but I have a suggestion. What about having the guy who does the announcing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio. I don't know if it is hard to switch from radio to TV but he seems to be really knowledgeable and good to listen to. He has my vote.

Jason A., Grants Pass, Oregon

RM: We need to talk. You must be referring to Mike King, the voice of the IMS/IRL network. He's like a root canal with no Novocain to me with all that shrieking but I respect your feelings and right to voice them.

Q: We have updated the basis for this program to get a driver such as Paul Tracy a partial or full sponsorship for IndyCar. And, hey, two real investors and $35 real dollars invested with little effort here so far! This is forming into a collective of individuals and small-businesses looking to go IndyCar racing. Have you ever in your years heard of such an effort? Right now, we are focused on securing Paul Tracy for '08 or '09. Please help, we need visibility or "acknowledgment" :-) Because every Sunday night, we are all watching and listening to both of you (that is when Robin appears with Dave on Wind Tunnel.

David Kovach, Indycar Sponsorship Program Collective
"Chrome Horn campaign coordinator," Campaign page: http://www.pledgie.com/campaigns/1328

RM: Fans raised money for Ralph Ligouri to drive an Indy car back in the '70s and I believe Spike Gehlhausen drove a State of Indiana car with donations in 1976 or 1977. So it's been done before but that's when $10,000 was a lot of money. I wish you luck and I'll pass this on to Dave Despain in case he wants to donate. Count me in for $100.

Q: Wanted to ask what Bryan Herta is up to now that AGR has turned their backs on him. I was astounded that they let him go. He was the most loyal hard working driver they had. Never once did he complain being the test setup man for AGR. The other three drivers ALWAYS had a better car than Bryan, because they tried all the different setups on his car to see if they would work for the other drivers. Then they can him from their ALMS car. Why, the new guy faired no better, so I guess it wasn't the driver, must be the car.

Dan Bienko USN/RET, El Cajon, CA

RM: I couldn't agree more. Herta's treatment was despicable, especially considering he was supposed to be Michael Andretti's good friend and the fact his "spin" at Sonoma paved the way for Marco's lone IRL victory. He was the consummate teammate and drove well in the ALMS as well. He got the rawest of deals.

Q: What was the story regarding ESPN's coverage of the Edmonton race? Did they simply not have many cameras or was the production so poor that they chose to only show the front runners? Kanaan climbed all the way from the back. Tracy moved his fair share up the pack...but we saw none of this passing. The cameras were stuck on the front three or four nearly the entire race. Did they not have the cameras to catch the other action or was the production just that poor?

Clint in Ohio

RM: This race wasn't on the original "budget" so it was a peacemeal crew and not a lot of cameras and they didn't even send Bob Jenkins and Scott Goodyear to Edmonton. They called the race from Indy with only one screen to watch. It's a shame because it was quite a good race.

Q: I’m a CART guy that’s trying to get into IRL because I know it’s what’s best for the sport. I’ve been following things but the Edmonton Race was the first one I watched straight through with no interruptions and the only thing I was concentrating on. I thought some of the comments I’d read on past coverage were pretty harsh, but I was wrong. I’m going to beat that drum again. The coverage was horrible. Their timing was always a few turns behind. They didn’t seem familiar with who was driving what car. No passion or enthusiasm. Didn’t even seem to notice when Dixon

got out of the pits ahead of the Penskes. I’m not a Paul Tracy fan but how do you not show one on track pass of his when he was the one making the most movement. Have you heard any talk of improving the telecasts this year, and yes the cars looked slow too.

Dan Alves, Baltimore, MD

RM: Please see my response in the question above yours.

Q: Pardon me if this sounds more like a rant than a question. Could all of the Danica haters please stop? She is good for the league, weather people like it or not. Half of the questions you get are about "Danica going too far... Danica wearing thin... blah blah blah..." Last time I checked auto racing was still a sport of passion. Right? God forbid a driver would show some emotion every now and then... warranted or not. And I'm sick of people criticizing her win at Motegi. The week before at Phoenix in the NASCAR race, Jimmie Johnson won on a fuel gamble and people called him a "crafty veteran." Next week Danica wins using the same strategy and all the haters call it b.s. I know these people who hate on Danica used to be really cool in high school, but frankly they're wearing a little thin on me.

Dave in Duluth, Minn.

RM: There is a lot of jealousy where DP is concerned and I've always been in her corner because she is a serious racer who paid her dues. She is good for IndyCar racing at all times, except when she blows off fans, and nobody does more for open wheel with the media. My buddies are all old school racers and they give her no credit but I've watched her at Texas and Milwaukee and she can race. Is she having a good year? No, but don't discredit her win because it was achieved like so many others.

Q: Maybe the optimal time to defend Danica's scant winning record has past, but people apparently remain unconvinced that she's legit, so I thought I might run some stats by you for some comparison. People who disparage Danica like to point out, 1) she started 49 (!) races before her victory, and 2), after four years, two of them at mighty AGR, she should have more than one win. I wonder if people unimpressed by Danica's winning record were also let down by Jimmy Vasser (56 starts before his first win), Max Papis (60 starts), Bryan Herta (70 starts), or that big loser Vitor Meira (88 and counting). As for the AGR advantage, one can either discount her first two winless years, and then expect her to win with AGR, or one can disregard the advantage and assess her as plainly winless for 49 races. But to criticize Danica for not winning without AGR, and then for not winning with AGR too, is illogical and unfair. Ultimately I suspect most Danica-haters just resent that her overexposure reflects IndyCar's diminished status. Real mature. It's possible they regard her level of sexiness as an unfair advantage for a race driver to be born with, but they should know that at least half the IndyCar drivers snagged their ride with their last name, connections, or money. Personally I think being sexy is the best way to make it.

Mike White, Livermore Calif.

RM: I guess the short answer (the long one is the question above yours) is that she's got as many wins as Marco Andretti and he's regarded as a superstar by some writers.

Q: I propose a new award for the IRL, but I need your wisdom. Given the heated debate over the skills of Marty and Milka, don't you think the more inept of them should receive some sort of special trophy? Of course, deciding who this award be named after is why I'm writing: Would the "Dr Jack Miller Trophy" do, or can you think of a more appropriate past IRL "great" to honor? (If this were F1, I think the "Otto Stuppacher Trophy" would be best... If you're unfamiliar with him, I watched this budding superstar run about a minute off the pace at the Glen in 1976, the only time he tried to qualify there in a year old Tyrrell. His efforts to qualify for other GPs produced similar results.)

John Weaver, Camp Hill, Pa.

RM: What a nice gesture to think of the moving chicanes. I would love to see this award presented at the IRL banquet by King Hiro, complete with a check for $1.50, a free tooth cleaning by Dr. Jack and a video salute from Bronco Brad Murphy.