Buzzmaster

  (12:43 PM)

I just heard from Oreo. He's stuck in traffic and will be 5-10 minutes late.

John Oreovicz

  (1:21 PM)

Okay, 20 minutes. But who's counting? Sorry, my fault, tried to accomplish too much this morning. On to the questions!

Vance (Philadelphia)

How big is it that Dario is returning to IRL?

John Oreovicz

  (1:23 PM)

I think it's huge, though the nay-sayers will try to say he failed at NASCAR like all the other open-wheelers. It's goor for the IndyCar Series to get a former champion and Indy 500 winner back, not to mention his famous wife. I personally think Dario is one of the sport's true good guys - a gentleman racer in the best possible way. He and Dixon are both serious racers and I think he will help raise the Ganassi team's game even more.

Ryan (MD)

Hey John - once again what was up with the pit strategy last week? I still don't understand on a road course why you would give up all that track position (and still need two more stops) when running in first.

John Oreovicz

  (1:24 PM)

It's safe to say that the Ganassi team blew it by calling Dixon in halfway through the first stint like they did. But had another yellow come 10 laps later, they might have looked like geniuses. The bottom line is that they played it very conservative and it didn't work out for them. Dixon was mad, and rightfully so.

evan (orlando)

With the IRL and Champ settling their differences do you think we'll see more Darios -- guys who left the IRL coming back?

John Oreovicz

  (1:27 PM)

I suppose it depends on whether they continue to struggle in NASCAR. I don't go to NASCAR races, but my didtant observation is that Sam Hornish isn't having a lot of fun there and I'm sure he would have the opportunity to come back to Penske's IndyCar team if he chose to. Put a fork in Jacques Villeneuve's career, but Pat Carpentier might have a chance to hang on in stock cars. In truth, he has generally been the most impressive of the open-wheelers over there. I don't see Montoya coming back.

James (Louisville)

Is Sunday nothing more than a coronation of Scott Dixon?

John Oreovicz

  (1:29 PM)

I thought Dixon was going to be crowned champion at Infineon Raceway, but he has now had two bad races in a row and that let Helio back into the race. Still, the chances of Helio taking the crown on Sunday are about 50 to 1 against. The Ganassi team has been the best at this track for a couple of years and frankly I predict Wheldon will win the race. That by itself hurts Helio because the biggest spread in points is between 1st and 2nd. If Helio only finishes second and doesn't lead the most laps, Dixon pretty much just has to start the race to win the title.

Ken (Trenton, NJ)

how great of a season has Dixon had? 16 starts, 13 top 5s and 6 wins.

John Oreovicz

  (1:31 PM)

I think it is one of the best during the IRL era (1996-present). Kanaan's year in 2004 was stellar, as was Wheldon's in 2005. In the CART era, the benchmarks were Mears in 1981 and Zanardi in 1998. Zanardi's '98 season (7 wins and something like 15 top 3s in 18 starts) was probably the best.

Don (NYC)

Is Honda clearly the class of IRL manufacturers right now? Is anyone even close? Is there anyone else?

John Oreovicz

  (1:32 PM)

Well, there is no competition for Honda right now. Honda has supplied all of the engines for the last three years, and they dominated the two years before that, which is why Toyota and "Chevrolet" left Indy racing. The challenge for the IRL now is to find some competing manufacturers that are willing to go up against Honda when the rules change in 2011.

Shelly (Boston)

Danica got her win this season, but then we never really heard from her again. What do you think of her season?

John Oreovicz

  (1:37 PM)

I think it is the worst of her four seasons in IndyCars. Ranking them, I would put 2006 first, then 2005, 2007 and 2008. And you could argue that her rookie campaign (with three poles and a few fourths) was actually her best, but you could also deduce that maybe she got a little help from the IRL to go so fast as a rookie. In'06 she adapted to a new chassis and other than qualifying, duplicated her '05 results. She moved to AGR in '07 and the results improved in a few races, but her consistency faded. This year she has slipped further toward the midfield and her win was a result of circumstances rather than speed. As the IRL field gets deeper, I suspect she will struggle to get conststently back toward the front.

Mike (Pittsburgh)

How much do you think Dixon's and Helio's teammates will come into play this weekend?

John Oreovicz

  (1:39 PM)

I think Wheldon will be a big factor this weekend. He's always strong at Joliet and he'll want to prove a point in his last race for Ganassi. Briscoe is still not at the top level on superspeedways but is improving by the race. If Dixon really wanted to clinch the crown, he should just crash Helio out.

Marc (Malden, MA)

I didn't have a problem with Helio getting penalized without a warning. My problem is that I don't ever recall NOT issuing a warning. If the IRL wants to change practice, do it at the start of the season, not the end.

John Oreovicz

  (1:40 PM)

I wasn't scanning radios so we'll just have to take Penske's word that no warning was issued. Having said that, Helio's block was one of the most blatant I have EVER seen, and he fully deserved to be penalized. That block wasn't just unsportsmanlike, it was downright dangerous.

Mike - Chicago

What's the deal with the timed races, did they only lease so much time from the ABC Family of networks and can't dare go over?

John Oreovicz

  (1:42 PM)

Hahaha! Timed races have been a blight on CART and now the IRL for at least a decade. A third-tier women's golf tournament or college football game certainly wouldn't receive that kind of treatment from the Worldwide Leader. That's part of the rationale for going to Versus - more airtime before and after the races, especially if they run long due to rain or poor driving.

Nick NJ

Wheldon's leaving a team where he's done well. Will he struggle next year with his new squad?

John Oreovicz

  (1:44 PM)

It could go two ways. On paper, he is going to a lesser team, but Panther has the same Dallara-Honda package as Ganassi and everyone else, so there is no advantage or disadvantage there. Panther has always been strong on 1.5-mile ovals and that is Wheldon's best track type as well, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him win at places like Homestead and Kansas. The other thing is that I think Wheldon will strive in a one-car team. He likes being treated like a star.

fran (alabama)

Is Ganassi a good fit for Dario?

John Oreovicz

  (1:46 PM)

I think so. He's not a publicity seeker and Ganassi's people keep a very low profile. So he'll fit right in in that regard. Also, I think he will team very well with Dixon. They are both serious racers who are all business. They should compliment each other very well and I wouldn't be surprised if Ganassi becomes even more dominant than they are right now.

Mark San Diego

I think its huge for Dario to return. Lets get Hornish back and Drag a cup regular over and the transition back to open wheel glory days is on.

John Oreovicz

  (1:48 PM)

I agree that is is huge for Dario to come back. If Hornish has another bad season in NASCAR I reckon he'll be back in '10. And I also think it would be great to see a Cup regular try open-wheelers, and not just at Indy. I remember watching Kurt Busch test a Champ Car at Sebring a few years ago and within 15 laps he was running as fast as the backmarkers. He spun a couple of times but you could tell he really enjoyed the experience and any of the top Cup guys, if given a year or two to prepare and adapt, could be competitive.

Kevin (Virginia)

Was there anyone that surprised you this season?

John Oreovicz

  (1:50 PM)

I'm surprised Danica has regressed a bit this year. I'm surprised Briscoe won two races before HCN won one. I'm surprised that Newman/Haas/Lanigan has struggled as much as it has. I have been surprised that EJ Viso and Mario Moraes have run as well as they have on occasion. And I'm really surprised that no one has offered Paul Tracy a fulltime ride.

Matt (Detroit, MI)

With that embarrassing crowd at Belle Isle last weekend, any chance they go back to MIS and race in front on no one there instead? At least those races are entertaining. I do love the fact Penske is trying to revitalize Detroit, but some of those grand stands were pathetic.

John Oreovicz

  (1:52 PM)

They were optimistically talking about expecting 40,000 for race day, but they must have been counting fingers and toes. The first race I covered as a so-called professional was the 1993 Detroit GP and my report said the announced crowd was a record 62,700. The Belle Isle crowd looked pretty pathetic and the Friday free day may have been the best of the three days. That event is more about what's good for Penske than what is good for the series. MIS wouldn't do any better though.

Mike - Chicago

What's turned out to be Wheldon's trouble this year, should be the same equipment as Dixon, just never had the pace?

John Oreovicz

  (1:56 PM)

Dixon seemed to gain the upper hand within the Ganassi team halfway through 2007 and he kept it all year. Wheldon's year got off to a bad start with a crash in qualifying at Homestead and he never really recovered. Not sure what the problem was, though it now appears he was slowly frozen out of the Ganassi team all year long. He's a spotlight seeker and I don't think that set very well with Chip G. and Mike Hull et all. Dixon keeps quiet and to himself, as does Dario, so I think that will be a better fit.

Zacn Wilkinson, Noblesville, IN

Where do you see Vitor Meria landing?

John Oreovicz

  (1:57 PM)

His best bets are a second car at Rahal, or possibly Vision. Derrick Walker is trying to come in full time and that would be a good combination as well.

Ed, Hartford Ct

Why does the IRL end its season so early. It's still Summer!

John Oreovicz

  (1:59 PM)

They say it is to avoid going up against the NFL on TV. I think the real fans would watch the race anyway so that's a cop-out. I'd like to see the season start a month earlier (about March 1) and go to the beginning of October. With 20 races, that would let them factor in a couple more off weekends, which the teams (and people like me!) would appreciate.

Tiffany (Portage, IN)

Where do you think Vitor Miera is going? I've heard strong rumors from industry insiders that Luzco is looking at him, but what do you think?

John Oreovicz

  (1:59 PM)

Forgot to mention Luczo Dragon in my earlier answer. That's a good solid team that wants to run two cars next year.

Jimmy - Charlotte

Any new teams, sponsors or drivers coming forward this weekend or some time soon?

Mike - Chicago

Think PT will get a regular ride for next year or maybe just some Canada fun for him again, plus Indy??

John Oreovicz

  (2:05 PM)

Gosh I hope so. He certainly delivered the IRL a lot of publicity and excitement with his drive at Edmonton, where he was calm and controlled and hardly damaged the car all weekend. For whatever reason Gerry Forsythe couldn't sell a sponsorship package for Tracy (though he was obviously wanting too much money) and the clock is ticking on PT - he turns 40 in December. But even at 40, Tracy is a better bet than 2/3 of the current grid.

Pat (Denver]

Any chance Vitor goes back to Rahal-Letterman?

John Oreovicz

  (2:06 PM)

That would be a good fit. I know Bobby Rahal was sad to send him away after 2005 and Vitor came closer to winning races at RLR than he did anywhere else. He's the kind of driver that Rahal and Scott Roembke like - low profile, great team player etc. Keep you fingers crossed for Vitor because the series is better for having him.

Ryan (MD)

Hideki Muthoh's results have really tailed off recently - is that part of AGRs struggles or is it because there have been more road courses lately? Do you think he can overtake Marco or Danica in the AGR hierarchy?

John Oreovicz

  (2:09 PM)

I think you nailed it. It's not a conicidence that since AGR went from 3 veterans and 1 youngster to 3 youngsters and one veteran, the results have declined. I believe they really miss Dario's car setup ability, and hnow he is taking that skill to Ganassi. Let's face it, if Marty Roth can qualify near the top ten and Milka Duno can out qualify Newman/Haas, then running qualifying laps on a 1.5 mile track can't be that difficult if you are given a decent car. Muto looked good on the short ovals but I can't explain why he has been so poor on road courses.

Cristian NYC

Hey John! F1 Question. Going into Spa, how much pressure is On Raikkonen and Alons to do well after the diaster @ Valencia and what are your thoguhts of the Valencia Track? Looked Pretty cool!

John Oreovicz

  (2:11 PM)

The most pressure is on Raikkonen because he has under-preformed for the last 3 months. Everyone knows Alonso and Renault have no chance of winning right now so there isn't much pressure on them. As for the track, I forgot to set my TIVO so I didn't see the Valencia race. But my opinion, based from track maps, is that there were way too many fiddly tight cormers and not enough long straights. The only way you ever get passing on a road or street course is the combination of a long straight leading into a wide, slow turn.

Jimmy - Charlotte

You posted my question but didn't answer......

John Oreovicz

  (2:13 PM)

Not sure what happened...I typed an answer. Foyt is running Franck Perera this weekend and something may come of that id the Frenchman does well. I'm sure Forsythe's people will be here surveying the scene. We're still waiting on word about a title sponsor for the series.

Jay (Las Vegas)

You say Danica may have gotten some help from the IRL to go fast in 2005 as a rookie, but she had the same engine package AGR did, Honda. BTW- Why no conspiracy theories about Kenny Brack posting the fastest 4 lap average in qualifying back in 2005 at Indy when he drove Rice's 15 car?

John Oreovicz

  (2:14 PM)

Rahal obviously had quick cars at the Speedway in '05 and Rice would have benefitted had he not crashed himself out of the race. But there were definitely mutterings about KB's miracle run back in '05, about how it was too good to be true.

Carl (Boise)

How is Sarah looking for '09?

John Oreovicz

  (2:15 PM)

She wants to run at least all the ovals and possibly the road courses as well. A good run here at Joliet might help sawy Dollar General to help make it happen.

Matt (Detroit, MI)

Speaking of Luczo, will Scheckter be their driver again next year, or is he too expensive on their equipment bill?

John Oreovicz

  (2:16 PM)

We all assume he will be back with them, but as you say, his last couple of outings weren't that great. He may be another guy (like Wheldon) who lost his road racing chops when the IRL was all ovals.

Damon (Hilliard, OH)

You forgot to mention in your surprises how good Marco's been on the 1.5 mile ovals this year.

John Oreovicz

  (2:17 PM)

That's a good point. I looked at the lap leader chart earlier this week and Marco has led on pretty much all the 1.5-mile tracks. Those were a weakness of his in the past so that is a definite improvement and a surprise. Maybe more surprising has been his crappy road course form this year...

Mike - Chicago

So much love for Vitor, really????? Does he bring money with him? I mean they do nonstop talk about him during the telecast, that first win will kill him from ever being mentioned.

John Oreovicz

  (2:19 PM)

Well Vitor always gets the good guy vote because he truly is a good guy. Some folks think guys like Vitor (and Mauricio Gugelmin, to name another) are simply too nice to win. He doesn't have a sponsor behind him which will hurt his chances of landing anywhere. Teams always seem to take second-rate drivers who bring cash with them over skilled drivers who want to get paid.

Fred Denver

Do you think we will ever see Redbull back in the IRL? Seems like they sponsor ever form of racing imaginable.

John Oreovicz

  (2:20 PM)

Red Bull would be a fantastic series sponsor because the really activate their sponsorship. Not only do they spend money, they seem to put some thought into how they do that. Maybe their association with Eddie Cheever scared them away, but Eddie is gone from the IRL scene now.

Blake, Dallas, TX

1. Do you think any more former Champ Car teams will join the IRL next season (Walker, Forsythe)? Maybe with Tracy, Tagliani, Carpentier, etc. driving? 2. How shocked would you be if Helio is able win the championship? Has anyone ever overcome such a large points differential to win a championship so late in the season?

John Oreovicz

  (2:22 PM)

Walker is definitely trying and Forsythe sent out a press release saying he is interested, but i'll believe it when I see it. As for the championship, it should be a formality for Dixon, but crazy things can happen in a 300-mile race. And the field is 28 cars this weekend, with some one-offs that I hope don't get in the way of the championship battle. Helio could certainly win the race, but the chances of Dixon finishing lower than 8th are pretty slim.

Matt (Avon,IN)

What do you think the car count looks like for next year?

John Oreovicz

  (2:24 PM)

I hope it shakes out at 24-27 cars, but several teams are desperate for sponsorship. I'd put established teams like KV and even Newman/Haas in that category. Most of the expenses of switching series are out of the way and that will help. The best scenario would be to keep 26 cars but replace the worst drivers (Milka and Marty) with actual professionals.

John Oreovicz

  (2:25 PM)

Sorry again for running late. But we got enough questions to fill out more than an hour. I'll try to do better on my time management for next time.