IndyCar boss: Series will be cracking down on criticism
IndyCar finally said enough is enough with public criticism, especially as it relates to last weekend's race at Auto Club Speedway. Such talk is damaging to the sport, CEO Mark Miles said Wednesday.
Miles didn't single anyone out in his rare midseason media availability, but he made it clear he wasn't pleased with those suggesting IndyCar allowed for dangerous conditions similar to those in the 2011 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where Dan Wheldon lost his life.
Several competitors complained on Saturday's television broadcast about the action featuring five-wide racing and a record 80 lead changes among 14 drivers. Team Penske president Tim Cindric implied IndyCar didn't listen to warnings of potential danger. Reigning series champion Will Power said someone must "take responsibility" for how the field unnecessarily bunched up. Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya called the three hours of tension "stupid."
All of that seemed to cross Miles' line for public conduct.
"You take on a responsibility to look after the good of the whole," the CEO of Hulman & Company, which owns IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said. "We will certainly not be exceptional among sports leagues if we — when we — step up and assert ourselves more to do what we can do to minimize the times when individual participants comments are damaging to the whole.
"That does not mean that we can't tolerate criticism and that there won't be lots of different opinions on lots of different topics. But there are lines that have to be drawn."
Miles fielded three questions related to competitor comments, and he made his point clear.
"I wasn't pleased with some of that," he said, agreeing that the racing was closer than anyone expected, in part because of cooler-than-projected temperatures. "I'm not naming any names, and I've also said it's incumbent upon us to be a responsible (sanctioning body). But we will — I will — change this culture to some extent going forward by being more active.
"Whether we're pounding our chests about that or not, you can be sure it's going to happen."
Miles said no punishment will be handed out this time, although Power was fined $25,000 for shoving a medical worker following a late-race crash. But Miles said he needs to have "a number of conversations" and "tough love" is expected to follow.
That wasn't Miles' only message. Another addressed mounting criticism of the current schedule spanning only five months.
Miles stressed the current schedule — from late March to the end of August — was never the plan. He's long planned for a seven-month season, and vowed to make that happen in 2016.
Among the possibilities for the front end of the schedule is a return to Phoenix International Raceway, although Miles said track officials must decide if there is enough time before its NASCAR event (March 15 this year).
Miles said IndyCar is open to moving the Fontana, Calif., oval race back to the fall, and there is a strong chance of returning to Road America, a popular road course in Elkhart Lake, Wis., for the first time since 2007. But in each case, there are a variety of factors that go into making these decisions, he said.
The new race in Boston will be Labor Day weekend (Sept. 2-4, 2016), but Miles has not guaranteed it will be the last race of the season. That could be Road America, Fontana or even somewhere else.
"The model we have been pursuing has been seven months — 16, 18, 20 events," he said.
Fines
In addition to a fine, Power was place on probation for the rest of the season for shoving a medical worker trying to get him off the track following Saturday's crash with Takuma Sato.
Dale Coyne Racing driver Tristan Vautier was fined $10,000 and similarly put on probation for the rest of the season for hitting a crew member during an early pit stop in the same race.
Race winner Graham Rahal's team will pay a $5,000 fine for leaving the pit box with the fuel hose still attached. The crew member fueling the car was placed on probation for three races.
Montoya was penalized $1,500 for running over an air hose for the second time this season.
Follow Star reporter Curt Cavin on Facebook and Twitter: @curtcavin.