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The RACER Mailbag, October 11
Welcome to the RACER Mailbag! If you have any questions for RACER’s writers, you can send them to mailbag@racer.com. Please note that due to the high volume of questions, we can’t guarantee that every letter will be published, but we’ll do our best to answer as many as possible. Published questions may be edited for length and clarity. Any questions received after 3pm ET on Monday will be featured in the following week’s edition.
In regards to Romain Grosjean’s Andretti tenure in IndyCar, it has been marked by inconsistency, bad luck, and strange car problems. Grosjean’s confidence seems to play a significant role in his performance. When he’s on a positive streak, he is incredibly quick, but when he faces a few bad results, he tends to push too hard and makes errors. Many fans would like to see him return to Dale Coyne Racing where he had a successful season in the past.
It was a challenging season for drivers like Grosjean, Jack Harvey, Helio Castroneves, Simon Pagenaud, and Conor Daly, who were all at the end of their two-year IndyCar contracts. Grosjean’s speed and potential are highly respected, which might make him an attractive option for midfield teams. At Dale Coyne Racing, without any expectations, he performed impressively. However, replacing Captain America at Andretti brought significant pressure, and it took him and his race engineer some time to find the right setup.
Unfortunately, there were too many driving errors, mechanical issues, and emotional outbursts throughout the season, causing the relationship between Grosjean and Andretti to deteriorate quickly. If this had happened at a team like Penske, it would have been handled differently. Concerns arise regarding his potential move to Juncos Hollinger Racing, as there might be similar issues between driver and team owner.
In another topic, Nolan Allaer recently won the Formula Ford SCCA national championship, driving the same car his uncle used to win in 2011. This highlights the timeless relevance and coolness of Formula Fords.
Lastly, a suggestion has been made to market Penske Entertainment’s potential exhibition race at Thermal Club next spring as the “Austin Powers Classic.” However, with $1 million not being as significant today as it was in the ’60s, it may not carry the same weight as it once did.
Source: Racer
