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Robin Miller | Posted July 29, 2010 Indianapolis, IN

After Brian Barnhart helped to pull Helio Castroneves' pin, the Brazilian went off, generating video clips that would be seen and debated throughout the country Monday morning. (LAT)

Last Sunday's IndyCar at Edmonton, and subsequent blocking penalty on Helio Castroneves, created a firestorm of emotions and volume of emails to MILLER'S MAILBAG like nothing I've seen in the four years I've been doing this on SPEED. Counting the usual Mailbag traffic, my SPEED account and personal email, I've received more than 500 responses and, as you might imagine, Brian Barnhart ain't real popular. But in the interest of time and repetition, I've chosen the best and most diverse emails on both views (Brian didn't have much support) and decided to let them run without any comment from me. Then, there's a section for the regular traffic. Enjoy the hate, I do.

Send your new Mailbag questions and responses HERE.

Robin Miller, July 29, 2010

THE BEST OF BARNHART MUST GO

I watched the IndyCar race Sunday from Edmonton. I felt the call to penalize Helio was laughably incompetent. I understand there was a rule put forth by Brian Barnhart in the drivers meeting about how to pass and what defined blocking. That rule, not allowing the lead car to move to the inside of the corner and hit the apex, only illustrates how out of touch Mr. Barnhart is with proper racing technique and is not a justification for the ridiculous call to penalize Helio. The fact is that Helio did what a leader should do: he did not block, he held his line, and it was good racing. Mr. Barnhart’s action ruined this glimmer of good racing in an otherwise dull race and cheapened the whole experience of watching the race. I have been an open wheel fan since I was six in the early seventies, IndyCar in particular. I feel more than qualified to judge what is and is not good racing. This officiating call was the worst I have ever seen. I appreciate what you have been doing for the series since your arrival. I think the dismissal of Mr. Barnhart from his officiating duties is long overdue and this situation is the perfect justification. I will be bringing my boys to the Sonoma race next month. I hope that Mr. Barnhart will no longer be officiating and that I will not have to explain later to my kids the weirdness of Race Control.

John Snarr, Springfield, VA

Your article of 7/26 was spot on. TGBB must go if this series is to survive. He totally wrecked a perfectly good race and an exciting finish. No longer can this guy make himself the most important aspect of any race except in his case, the race for the door. Give him the pole and the lead in turn four at the green flag for that one!

Disgusted, Bill P., Brewster, NY

I completely agree on the article that TGBB should go, it’s just ridiculous to make up artificial overtaking zones in a track that’s as wide as Edmonton. And not allowing a driver to choose his line (and Helio stuck to it) moving just about half a lane whereas power weaved 3 lanes to the left. Interfering with the race like that was worse than he can make up by banning Milk n Donuts for the next race. Anyway i think Randy Bernard should understand that displeasing race fans is more important than the guy who makes these rules and wants be more important than the drivers. Its amazing to see how lackluster he is when removing someone from the back of the grid and how clearly he wants to show himself when something happens at the front.

Dennis, from the Netherlands

Good article about TBGG! Love the details, your perspective & honesty. Lot of sheisty, inconsistent and ridiculous behavior from the man in charge. I didn’t follow the IRL during their early years. I was a diehard CART, Champcar fan. (Always hated the name Champcar). His “phony Indy quali speeches” was classic! I watched that coverage on Versus. I got the feeling that was a lot of crap! “Be safe, go get ‘Em, and give me 4 good ones and get in the show.” Get that big belly out of my way, Step aside, Get out of my face, let me go and up yours! That’s what the driver’s were saying(on the inside). Absolute crime at Edmonton. And I’m not too fond of Helio either. Your description was spot on. It’s a wide airport. Just like Cleveland. Everyone goes into turn one with a different line for every lap of the race. To say you can’t use the inside of a corner (unless your passing) is coo-coo. To make driving the correct line thru a corner illegal is coo-coo. Mind boggling.

Bob Irvin, Salem, Va.

Barnhart's imbecilic decision to black flag Helio is so GD frustrating, I can hardly write this letter. An official of any sport should not make a call in the last moments of action unless the offense is blatant and undeniable to all who are watching. Let the players play. My wife and I were on our feet with excitement as multiple cars knifed into the first turn from several different trajectories. That's the kind of action an airport circuit with its wide open tarmac can provide. Helio blocking? Blocking is what Briscoe did to Rahal at Toronto on the narrow back straight flanked by walls on each side. Helio would have had trouble blocking on that first turn in Edmonton if he was driving his team's transporter.

Jim Barnett

What kind of a moron creates a rule where the leader of the race must pull over to the side of the track that makes him vulnerable to a pass? Answer: A moron who is in over his head, has no clue how to create competitive racing, and would rather inject himself into the outcome by manufacturing the end result. He is everything that is wrong with Indycar racing. Those of us who have endured this open wheel war deserve better. We have hung in there for the better part of the past two decades just to have this egomaniac continue to threaten the credibility of a league that is already on shaky ground. I know that controversy is good for publicity, but I can't imagine this fiasco would look good to potential sponsors. It makes them look like amateurs, not a major open wheel racing outfit. BTW--Do you think Helio will contact PT to seek counsel about how to act when you've been robbed of a win?

Joey Z in Naperville

I'm from the Caribbean and I'm a long time Indycar fan. But after seeing a review what happened to the final stages of the race and what happened to Helio, it left me extremely speechless. This is a race track that is wide enough and the last thing I'm supposed to hear is a penalty for Castroneves. The Rule itself is called into question especially when racing in an open-wide air-port complex. Helio's race win was robbed, that is beyond me as a fan of the series. Drivers must really sit back and ask themselves is this really the rule or just Helio? The Series tops I hope should seriously need to conduct a review of this incident.
It is high time for Brian Barnhart to raise the white flag and give up. Pass the radio headset and Flag sticks to someone else far more competent to the level of Tony Cotman! Barnhart's officiating of this race is really becoming a liability, ruined an end to this race. Put Cotman to officiate Road Courses and Streets circuits but not Brian Barnhart in future races. Geez, this is even worse than the 2009's Indy 500 race start being for such a long time waved off when there's no crash. Seriously... This ending to a race I've seen is a joke... as a fan.

Angry Alex

I don't think I've ever been - scratch that, I know I've never been - as angry after watching a race as I was on Sunday after that inexcusable call made by TGBB. I watched the video over and over and Castroneves is following the tire marks on the track when he makes his move into the corner! I was pretty sure before, but now there is no doubt in my mind, Barnhart has got to go. What really gets me is that he doesn't have the balls to answer questions afterwards and hides out in his trailer and posts a video on the website later instead. The arrogance of this jackass is mind-boggling. Add this to the travesty and assault on true competition that was the German Grand Prix, and another snoozer of a Brickyard, and it all makes for one dog turd of a race weekend.

Nate

So as the leader you can't defend the inside and make the following car "go around the long way"? Is that in the IndyCar rule book? If so, I'd like to see it. If, however, that decision is at the discretion of the Chief Steward, then Brian Barnhart is out of his league and should be handed his walking papers. I've never heard of such a thing. The leader chooses a line and holds it; if he moves a second time, that's considered a block. Always has been, always will be. I've watched IndyCar racing for over 20 years now and never remember anyone being black flagged for making the car behind take the long way around a corner. If IndyCar wants to be seen as a credible series, with legitimate racing that produces genuine action, then all of these proclamations by a guy who has never had his butt in a racecar have to end. You can't have lead cars unable to defend their position or a mandate that the pole sitter leads the first lap or call it a block when you're trying to gain position on a restart (Graham Rahal at Indy). Almost as shocking as the call itself was Tim Cindric's subdued response. Is that just a Penske thing to not get emotional? If it was another team, I think you would have seen the crew immediately take issue with the nearest official or try to confront Brian Barnhart. I'm sure someone like Michael Andretti would have adamantly defended his drivers more so than we saw from Cindric.
Joe, New York, NY

I watched TGBB’s response explaining his ruling at Edmonton- so if I get it straight, despite a 200 ft wide track the leader has no right at all to within the inside 150 ft of the track because that is considered blocking!!!??? Helio was damned if he did, damned if he didn’t because the rule was so poorly written. The issue here is not whether or not Helio blocked or if TGBB made the right, the issue is that the RIDICULOUS definition of blocking. The leader doesn’t even have the option to run the line he wants – he’s not allowed to be on the inside! Helio might as well have pulled over and said here you go… what a joke- that’s not racing and any Chief Steward with a grain of intelligence would see the flaw in having such an egregiously ignorant rule! Problem is the guy is so inept he probably couldn’t judge anything that makes sense…

Jeff Conner, Lafayette, Ind.

Let's see here... Danica almost kills Tony Kanaan at Texas with a block the dozen year veteran called one of the dirtiest moves he's ever seen....and NOTHING HAPPENS. Yesterday Helio takes what looks like a perfectly acceptable line into Turn One, leaving plenty of room for Will Power, and he has the race stolen from him? WTF? And thumbs down to Will for saying Helio blocked him. I'm not a racecar driver and never will be, but I have been watching motorsports for 15 years, and what Helio did was NOT blocking. There were a dozen examples worse than that in the OPENING lap of the German GP. I see what everyone else is saying now, Brian Brainfart has to go.

DJ Czosek, Franklin Park Ill.

Could you please send this link to Brian Barnhart (and Scott Dixon as well): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racing_line. There is no such thing as an inside line and outside line in road racing. You may have the inside/outside/high/low line concept on ovals, but in road racing you have the racing line where you use both the outside and the inside of a turn (i.e., you are not supposed to "hold your line"). In the past, Barnhart has required drivers to choose an outside or inside line and stick with it through the turn (on a road course!). Now he has arbitrarily split the track down the middle with an imaginary line and designated that the leading car has to be on the correct side of this imaginary line going into the braking zone. I've watched racing for years, and have never heard of anything this ridiculous. How have the drivers accepted crap like this? Helio didn't change direction to block Power; all he did was hold a defensive line going into the turn, which is a perfectly acceptable maneuver.

Shashi Malkani, Houston, USA

Okay, I'll throw out my take on the Helio controversy, even though I'm sure you've received over a thousand e-mails on the topic, I'm sending this in because looking at various forums I don't think ANYONE ELSE noticed this. But put simply: Would Barnhart have preferred it if Helio had wrecked himself, Power, AND Dixon? I've looked at the video 20 times since it occurred, and it's clear to me that Helio was making a normal entry to the corner considering how far to driver's right he was. If he hadn't moved out like that, the chances of him making the turn without taking himself, Power and Dixon out were slim. The chances of him making the corner without taking himself and Power out were almost nonexistent. The chances of him making the corner without taking himself out of contention? ZERO. Of course Dixon would say Helio blocked - it got him the win. Of course Power would say Helio blocked - it got him second place instead of third. If you look at how Helio entered the corner compared to any other entry that occurred from THAT far to driver's right, and it's plain as day there was no block. Barnhart can try to justify it with the "line rule" all he wants, and he can correctly argue what constitutes a violation all he wants - The problem is it's beyond clear the lines he measures by are not set up to account for the necessary entry into the corner.
As for Barnhart's replacement, if we can't get Tony Cotman in race control, how about a former driver? Even Robbie Buhl couldn't see a block in that maneuver.

Ryan "D-Boy" Hewitt

Every other racing series that I've ever watched or been a part of, allows for the lead car to establish a line, whichever one they prefer, and hold it into a corner. So, to start with, the edict that the lead car MUST take the outside lane is ridiculous. Clearly a non-racer came up with that one. Even more ridiculous is that Will Power, of all people, stays on the inside lane at the start of the race, effectively blocking per IndyCar rules. As he approaches the first corner, he begins to drift towards center (the
displaced threshold arrow on the runway), but never establishes the outside lane? Why wasn't he black flagged at the start?

Larry Winkelman

The only thing I want to know is how can I get in touch with TGBB? I want to tell him myself that he needs to find a new job. I'm a Will Power fan, but no way was that blocking. I was impressed with how clean the Penske's raced each other with three to go. When is enough enough with this guy? Was he just bored because he wasn't able to give a black flag out that day? He probably figured he'd go after Helio, I mean why not, Graham wasn't there. And I expected a little more class out of the Ganassi guys.

Jonathan Lord, CT

Forgetting about BB's call that gave the win to Dixon, where did this blocking rule come from? It is SOOOOO different from the practice in the former CART and CCWS and F-1 in current times. From what I remember, you get One Move. I don't think there is any distinction as to where this happens, but all you get is One. The curious thing is how can you block someone who is directly beside you? This was an unfortunate execution of a stupid rule. Someone needs to start warming up that Severance package for Barney...

Don Hopings, Corning, NY

Is Brian Barnhart afraid of freedom? It appears at every turn he comes up with silly rules and penalties and makes excuses for not trying something innovative. "That's too fast, cars are too close, it’s too dangerous, something unexpected might happen" - maybe something exciting that, now this is crazy, would get more people to watch! Then there's this rule that got Castroneves penalized. If we are to follow the logic of this "you're blocking if you're on the inside of the track" rule, there are several questions that follow: - What other stupid rules has Barnhart written that are waiting to ruin great racing? How can anyone argue that being on the inside of the track before a turn is "blocking"? Really, are you serious?! What exactly does that rule achieve (we know what it didn't achieve - positive press for Indycar)? Seriously - is it to promote passing by putting the leading car at a disadvantage? Whatever happened to the "you're allowed one move" rule? That worked pretty well for a long time, and nobody misunderstood it. How did this rule get approved without the uproar of serious racers - be they drivers, team owners, marketing staff, fans, or journalists? Why wasn't there outrage? Are we to believe that "block" was the only time during the race, in any corner and by any driver, that this happened? If applied consistently (not one of his strengths), there should have been 50 black flags during that race! If he's really worried about corner congestion (insane at the widest corner of the season), why not adopt Champ Car's rule? It painted a physical line down the center of a braking point and basically said that you need to choose a side-whichever one you want. This is a perfect example of unintended consequences - of which Barnhart is great at achieving. Exciting racing falls victim to a technical rule, safety concern, or fear about something which he's not capable of controlling.
Save Indycar, replace Brian Barnhart

Anthony Pienta, Manassas, VA

Did Helio break a rule? I guess, but I'd say he broke a TGBB rule. That looked like good hard racing to me, need I remind you the two former drivers in the booth thought the same. In fact it reminded me of the old CART street races from the mid to late 90's (would TGBB penalize Zanardi at Laguna Seca after "the pass"?) I hope that Randy Bernard sees Brian Barnhart for what he is, and that is a cancer to Indycar racing. His inconsistency sucks, and, race fans, he is the reason we only have one chassis, the same chassis since 2003, 550 hp sleds instead of 800 hp beasts, and the reason why Indycar racing is so mamby pamby, and no longer popular. People on this forum want us to stop clinging onto CART and the past, but I see more and more why I, and many others cling to that time with a bonehead like Brian Barnhart in command. ROBIN HE IS KILLING INDYCAR RACING!!! now I'm off to watch Cleveland from 1995 where blocking and contact was the norm.

Kris Branch, Ocala, Florida

We added a cable box to one of our TV's just so we could get VERSUS for IRL races. As of last Sunday's IRL race at Edmonton, we have returned the cable box and given up on the IRL. When a race winner is determined by officials and not on the track the series loses credibility. Although Barnhart may have been technically correct and we are not certain that he was, it was a call that should not have been made. We are not wasting any more time on this series.

Dennis Yuhas & Mary Beth Yuhas, Titusville, Fla.

So...to understand it from TGBB's point of view, a driver in front entering a corner must never be allowed the inside line. In all the hundreds of hours of road-racing I've watched, over multiple series across the world, I've never heard this rule mentioned. From my perspective, Helio set himself up on the inside of a huge expanse of asphalt, swung out a bit for the turn, then gave Will Power plenty of space to run wheel to wheel. Will Power missed a great opportunity for a over-under move on Helio, which might have been accomplished, given the square footage of track available. He missed it, got squeezed to the outside, and gave up the inside to Dixon. Do you think The Captain knew Power was going to call it blocking on the broadcast? He looked irritated he didn't win to me. Would've been a great move on Helio. Either way, seeing an official with no stake in the "life and limb" category of the race consistently play such an embarrassing and central role in the outcome is getting more than tiresome. In order for the new Indycar series product to be offered in 2012 to succeed, its races must be consistently both fair and exciting. Unfortunately, the policies of the current leadership consistently serve to strip the series of both.

Ryan from Austin, Texas

This may be it for me. Edmonton may be the last Indy Car race I watch. Because all I saw at the end of the race Sunday was two drivers racing hard for a win with less than three laps to go. I have seen the replay a dozen times, and I still see nothing egregious or deliberate. As a casual race fan, I spend three hours watching a race, and we get to the end, and it looks like there is going to be a real shootout between the top drivers, and then, instead of a thrilling finish, the winner is decided by some idiot in race control, based on some technicality that I still do not understand, because from where I was sitting, they were just racing. Well, NO MORE! I have better ways to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Say what you want about NASCAR, but I don't think they would ever screw up the END of their 'show' like that on some technicality. Maybe that's one of the reasons why their ratings and attendance have generally dwarfed the ICS. They understand the 'show'. Anyway, nice work, BB. Are you TRYING to kill Indy Car? Unbelievably poor judgment. End of rant.

Scott in Chicago.

Oh for cryin' out loud. All this hoopla demonstrates to me is that the series rules (again) are silly. A rule that says that going off the normal racing line into a corner is automatically blocking actually makes passing opportunities more limited. "Weaving" to actively block a following car should of course be illegal, but protecting the inside line should be legal, in part because it allows so many other strategies from both drivers to set up a pass. If the leading car protects the inside line, the following car can have better exit speed and set up a pass for the next corner. Strategies, counter-strategies and fakes should be the norm and only build the interest and excitement. Am I missing something or does the current rule basically mandate that the only passing opportunity is based almost exclusively on out-braking? With this rule there can never be an outside pass set up by a feint to out brake on the inside because the leading car can NEVER protect the slower inside line. Arrggghhh! Racecraft is almost outlawed. Helio looks to have violated the rule if the stories about the driver's meeting are true. A stupid, stupid rule, but the rule they were operating under all the same. BB must go (I know that's a new one right?).

Chris Miller

To my mind Helio did nothing wrong. He did not block. Blocking requires chopping off your opponent or, in the world of Indy Car, making more than the one legal move to hold onto your position. Helio chopped nobody and he made not one move but zero. He merely drove the best line available to him to prevent the car behind him from taking the position. It's called "racecraft" a concept obviously unknown to Barnhart. Mark Webber has made his career in F1 by being nearly impossible to pass but to my knowledge no one has accused him of blocking; he simply has a talent for cleanly placing his car where the would-be overtaker cannot get around it. The idea that certain sections of pavement are allowed only for the overtaking car and not for the defending car is both ludicrous and antithetical to what racing is supposed to be about. Both the leading and overtaking drivers are trying to position their cars on the same racing surface in order to either maintain or gain the positions. For the stewards to get involved and re-define that racing surface in such a way that it artificially favors the following driver may in their minds (and I use the word loosely in this case) improve the "show" but it damages the "race." The only block was the one between Barnhart's ears.

Mike Grove

If Barnhart isn’t fired over this, you can start counting the fans walking OUT the turn-styles on this series. As to as whether this was a block or not is absolutely ridiculous! For crying out loud the man was leading! He can choose WHATEVER LINE HE WISHES and I don’t care WHAT blathering idiotic meandering drivel for some made up rule by TGBB that he spouts – It’s RIDICULOUS! To compound this even more, this was an AIRPORT course and there where nearly 4 football fields of track for ANYONE to take advantage of out there! The lead driver may have moved a half of a car width over to make the approach to the corner ... Blocking - HA! Only in the mind of an incompetent like Brian Barnhart. I for one, have certainly NEVER been accused of supporting Penske nor Helio Castroneves, however I do have the best interest of the sport of open wheel racing at heart (having raced nearly 25 years). Until we excise the remaining tumor (TGBB) left over from "TGTG" regime we will never get this series back on track. Randy Bernard - you now have NO CHOICE ... You MUST fire Brian Barnhart to save this series.

Geoff, Port Charlotte, Fla.

Where the %$&! did Brainfart learn about racing? That clown couldn't correctly officiate a one horse race. He has got to be on NASCAR's payroll in their quest to destroy open wheel racing in this country. First off he says the leader must cede the racing line when being overtaken. Does he have a friggin clue about how to race? Then he penalizes Helio for running the racing line. Pure and total BULLSHIT!!! Helio should be allowed one shot at the back of TGBB's head with a Louisville slugger to see if that knocks some sense into him. Barnhart has got to go. Randy Bernard cannot allow this moron to harm Indy Car any more.

Bob Hendrickson, Pissed off in Englishtown NJ

The Edmonton Indycar finish was a perfect example of why my interest in that series is fading. A race driver has the right to choose his line. NOT in Indycar. Definition of 'blocking' is making a deliberate move to cut in front of the following car. NOT in Indycar. That rule that Barnhart quoted after the race, making it an offence for the leading driver to use a certain section of the track, is so ridiculous that this 'race' series is destroying any credibility it might still have left. What Michael Schumacher used to do in F1, that was blocking. Indycar needs rules, of course, but rules that make sense. If Castroneves had taken the "legal" line into turn 1, and held that line to the apex, with Power making a banzai move, there would have been a collision. Then what? Would Castroneves have been penalized for causing an avoidable accident? Who actually invents these rules/who is the person responsible for running this series into the ground?

Ian Barlow, Cherry Hill, N.J.

I raced go karts as a kid and our definition of blocking was that the leader was allowed to pick his line, but after he picked a line he was not allowed to change it past the halfway point on a straight. This rule was in place for safety because we were kids and didn't have mirrors. The older classes had a little more liberal definition. It was basically do not cause the overtaking driver to break, swerve, or run off the track to avoid a collision. Why does Indy Car have stricter rules than 10 year olds racing go karts? TGBB should watch European road racing for a spell and then think of a reasonable blocking rule for road courses. The layout of the Edmonton course makes TGBB's rule ridiculous on restarts. Following the rules would caused the lead driver to be at a disadvantage. Does Indy Car have a past driver advising the stewards? If not they should. Helio was out of line, after the race, and should be fined. But, that’s why fans love him.
Dave, Indianapolis

Hey Robin, I just heard your view in the HCN blocking call on Wind Tunnel Extra and I am with you and most others on what a BS call that was. Whatever happened to the rule that allowed one defensive move where it wasn't blocking until you did it twice? Think back to Al Jr and Scott Goodyear at Indy in 1992. Would Brian have called blocking on my man AUJ on that last lap? And if dumbs**t thinks it was blocking, then he should also give back the lost position to Will Power. And hey Dixon, quit celebrating...you didn't earn it!

TJ Spitzmiller, Rio Rancho, NM

Robin - I've absolutely had it with Brian Barnhart! His penalty of Helio today in Edmonton is complete garbage (and I'm NOT a Penske or Helio fan). But should we really be surprised? After all Barnhart stole the Indy 500 from Paul Tracy. If Barnhart wants to see blocking take a look at what Vettel has done at the beginning of the last two F1 races (if he wasn't blocking he certainly was trying, but I guess that's ok by F1 rules). I'm actually at the point where I may quit watching Indycar racing after 20 years if Barnhart isn't fired. I'm not joking. I can't take him anymore. If you can, please feel free to forward this message to the Hulman-George family! Getting rid of Barnhart is way overdue.

Dan Cramer, Elizabethtown, PA

I just watched the end of the race and have to say that call by BB is BULLSHIT! We get many more calls like that I'm going to have to decide that along with NASCRAP, that Indycar has become the WWE of the auto racing world.

Ryan, Beaverton, OR

Brian Barnhart is a worthless carryover from the Tony George era. Shame on everyone (teams, Randy Bernard, sisters) for allowing his antics to continue during Indycar's supposed "rebirth". Here's my understanding of basic racecraft: If you're in the lead (or not) you should be allowed to drive whatever line you like into a corner as long as you don't intentionally move in front of an overtaking car. Helio chose and maintained the same line down the entire straightaway.... This is NOT and has NEVER been considered blocking, anywhere in the history of motorsports, at least to my knowledge. Am I wrong?
Scott, Murfreesboro, TN

Watching the conclusion of the race, I was in total disbelief. I saw nothing but good racing. This is not the 1992 Indy 500 swerve by Little Al to cutoff Scott Goodyear down the straight. It is not even the 2008 Detroit race where Helio blatantly cut off J-Will. I’m no Helio supporter or apologist, but that is the biggest gaffe in the “Inconsistent” Hand of Justice’s history yet. Your thoughts? Will Power looked completely gutted. Also, man did the teams miss an opportunity here to publicly call TGBB out! Instead of everyone saying that Helio blocked, changed lines, etc., even if they agreed with the call, they could have ALL said this is the sort of clown car, keystone cops, completely inconsistent policing of the series that we’ve come to expect. Just like NFL refs, the officials shouldn’t decide races. That great shot from the tower of the widest straight in the series showed me all I needed to know. All that being said, Helio better be on some double secret probation, because his behavior was deplorable and very non-Penske perfect – but maybe good for series publicity.

Andy, Nashville, TN

I'm rarely this angry after a race. The decision to strip Castroneves of his Edmonton win is total BS. Brian Brainfart knows nothing about auto racing; he hasn't touched a racecar in the past 15 years barring his asinine "give me 4 good ones" routine during Indy qualifying (as if the drivers are too stupid to know what to do). Jon Beekhuis hit the nail on the head; is Helio supposed to make a shallow entry into the corner and run wide, handing the lead to Power? Is he supposed to move to the outside so Power can come to the inside and take the lead? He has to move to the left so he can angle his corner properly (something Brainfart has never done). Even so, Helio DID move, but Power moved so much further to the left that Helio's move made no difference! By this way of thinking, if I am driving down a straightaway and turn the wheel 2 degrees to the left, and someone is behind me on the left, that is a block. That said, Brainfart is a block...head. His defense of his call on versus.com was appalling (it sounded like an Obama policy).

Indy Steve, Springfield, Oregon

I have been an avid race fan since my first Indy 500 in '95. If it is racing I like it and will watch it; I like oval and road racing. After reading some articles and watching some videos I have come to this conclusion-Helio did block, but ONLY as defined by Brian Barnhart. The rule is ASININE. I do not want to see blocking. I do not want to see a driver “given” a pass or the “right” to lead the field into turn 1 at Indy. I want a driver that makes it difficult, but fair, to pass; they make the other drivers “earn it” by making them take the long way around. If I was only interested in “the show” I would only watch NASCAR. I want racing, wheel to wheel, a driver pushing themselves and machine to the limit. Helio wanted to win, what's wrong with making Will attempt to pass on the outside? Inside line only when passing....that's like if the NFL said no rushing within 10 yards of the goal line. The closest I have come to racing is playing video games and driving my cars too fast on back county roads. Also since I am interested in seeing racing and not just what someone thinks is a “good show” I am more qualified than Brain and should be the Chief Steward. By the way good clean racing is a good show! How can the drivers, team owners, and fans respect him to enforce and monitor the racing if he never turned a competitive wheel? Almost everyone has had job with a boss/supervisor that never did your actual job, but they told you what and how to do your job. No matter how well we liked that person or even how competent the boss/supervisor was we still had the thought, “They have no idea what they are talking about”. Time for Brian to leave and Randy needs to hire a Chief Steward that use to be a driver, someone consistent and someone the current drivers will respect. Notice I said respect...not like.

Jamie A. Carr, Lebanon, Ohio

I saw an interview Barnhart gave today where he stated that without the two lane rule that street/road races would be boring parades. So, you’re telling your fans that unless you force drivers to let people pass them without defending their position, road/street races are boring? Am I the only one that see's so many problems with that concept in so many different ways?
I fully support the '1-Move' rule. Let a driver make 1-Move and 1-Move only to defend his position. But not allowing a driver to make ANY move is not racing. Does Bernard get the fan's/team's/driver's issues with Barnhart at all? Is there any chance that Bernard is letting Barnhart stay this first year before making a change in the off season? Btw, I'm not a fan of Helio, but I was happy to see him express so much emotion! He shouldn't have touched the officials, but I was glad to see someone express emotion without pulling a Carl Edwards.

Nick in Fishers, Ind.

Attention! If there is a village missing an idiot, he was last seen officiating at The Izod Indycar race at Edmonton! As a lifelong fan of Indycar racing for over 50 years, we need to get back to racing, and less over officiating! The owners should take a stand prior to the next race on August 8th, and park the cars until Barnhart gets his walking papers. Give him a letter of recommendation - recommend that he never gets near a racetrack again!!! Enough is enough! The irony is that week after week, Duno, the moving chicane, can be tolerated, but great racing is ruined by inept officiating!

Mike Lazorko, WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh

Here lies IndyCar Racing
May 30, 1911 – July 25, 2010
Its life was crushed by one Brian Barnhart,
who shall suffer the consequences of eternal damnation.

Michael Balton, Brooklyn, New York

THE BARNHART DID THE RIGHT THING MAIL

Hey Robin. I certainly agree that TGBB has no business in race control. But at least you have to give him a point for consistency here. He spelled out the dividing the track in half thing and how going to the inside if not passing was going to be considered blocking and he stuck with that. That is also the same line of thought used for not assessing a penalty to Graham Rahal for his contact with Briscoe. So, I don't think the decision to black flag Helio was the worst decision in recent auto racing history as some people are saying out there. That qualifier should go to the decision to divide the track in half and determine where a car should go or not in the first place, which is stupid to say the least, as he is once again trying to micro manage what goes on the track. And of course, we wouldn't be talking about all of this without the blocking culture that seems to be permeating racing nowadays, that sense of entitlement from drivers that I personally don't like. Nobody is saying you are out there to let the rest of the drivers pass, but blocking doesn't lead to anything good. If you want a good idea on how to handle yourself on the track, look no further than Justin Wilson, a good, clean racer, probably one of the last gentleman racers out there, and yet not a back marker by any means.

Juan de Dios Mastachi Borroel, Mexico

Don't tar and feather me, but here's my take. Hogging the far inside of the course, preventing any chance of the trailing car from making a run, on a road course, should be discouraged. Paul Tracy said himself this week, if not for this "rule," nobody would be able to make a pass on a street course. Having said that, Barnhart failed to penalize Vitor Meira or Ryan Briscoe for doing that. Both cases resulted in crashes. I do agree that there should have been some leeway given on a 200 foot wide airport course, and a pass involving the lead of the race with 3 laps to go. I of course support Barnhart's ouster, primarily for his inaction on the new car, Indy '09 hogwash, and doing Tony George's handy work. I just don't want to see this type of rule banned entirely, because it has merit in some cases.

Greg, Belleville, NJ

Yes, Brian Barnhart made the right call. I think most viewers are associating “blocking” with a sudden move that is rather obvious. I’ve seen the video of the pre-race drivers meeting and Barnhart said exactly what Helio did would be considered blocking (or not holding your line). Furthermore you have Helio’s teammate say it was blocking (that must have been a fun after race meeting for Team Penske) as well as Scott Dixon saying the same during the post race interview. In fact, Dixon’s post race interview was quite revealing, he said it took courage to make that call and hopes it sends a message to all drivers. Makes you wonder if this is something that happens all the time but never gets called (or rarely called).

Lawrence H., Sanford, Fla.

Robin I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on The Block. Maybe I've been watching too much Champ Car, but what I saw Helio do was absolutely blocking. I was yelling at the TV the moment he moved over in front of Power before the starting line. Just because he stayed in a "straight line" from there doesn't justify his block as anything but. In Champ Car, blocking was any deviation from the racing line in reaction to a car behind. I thought Indycar adopted the same rules for blocking? In that case, it was purely a blatant and obvious block. Once they all got to the corner, it was hard racing from there. Now, as for TGBB, I'm with you 100% on the need to replace him for all the reasons you mentioned. But I'm sorry, in the case of Helio, he was right.

Douglas Cole, Cincinnati

REGULAR QUESTIONS

Q: Just finished watching the Edmonton race on my DVR. I love the Edmonton circuit, in fact I love all airport circuits (Burke Lakefront). After Sunday's race and a decent attendance, does it look like we will see racing at Edmonton again next year? Also now that NASCAR has moved to ESPN/ABC and we are rid of Marty Reid and does this mean Bob Jenkins will call all
of the remaining races? For my money Bob Jenkins is one of the best voices and play by play guys in all of racing. The VS telecasts need some more talent and Jenkins fills the role, also I thought Jan and Robbie in the booth were fine, big improvement over Goodyear.

Brandon Hillegas, Pittsburgh, PA

RM: Yes, the Octane Group is going to promote Edmonton for the next three years and that's good news because the track and fans are both valuable to the series. ABC and ESPN are the same dog so Marty will still be around.

Q: I won't even say anything about Brian Barnhart's call at Edmonton, other than it's the worst call I've ever seen in Indy car since I started following it in 1959. I was disappointed that the Versus announcers were so mealy mouthed about the call. It's OK if they don't want to express an opinion about the validity of the call, but they were acting like they blocking call was a close one. Come on, give us viewers some credit for intelligence. I understand why Dixon, Power, and Franchitti would say it was blocking - they were trying to move up in the finishing order, but the announcers should be straight with us.

Charles

RM: Beekhuis and Buhl reversed fields -- they were both critical when it happened and then sided with Barnhart afterwards when he explained his idiotic rule. So don' be too hard on them.

Q: I thought that the call was bogus. Made sense whatsoever. But, look at the exposure that Izod and Indycars got on Sportscenter. I've never seen highlights of a race on Sportscenter on a Sunday night other than the Indy 500. Yes, it was for a bad call that got Helio very hot and upset, but was this exposure good for Indycars and the series?

Brandon Stevens

RM: I told Randy Bernard that the only good thing about what happened on Sunday was that national media was still talking about it Monday and Tuesday -- Pardon The Interruption to CNBC.

Q: I really enjoy watching the progress Simona De Silvestro is making. She's definitely a bright light for the series. I hope she'll be around for more than just one season. Maybe Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate can sponsor her???

Doug, Murietta, Ga.

RM: On a race track that you really have to cowboy your car, Simona was brilliant -- qualifying seventh and running sixth until Viso took her out. Easily one of the most impressive performances of 2010.

Q: I will abstain from ranting about the farce of the race this past weekend and the horrific call that TGBB made. Aside from the blocking call, I fail to understand why Dixon and not Power was the benefactor. If Power was the one blocked by HCN, then why was Dixon allowed to pass and take the so-called victory? Rather, shouldn't Power have been moved to the front of the cue? After all, had it not been for the block, Power would have been ahead of Dixon. Why was that pass allowed to stand? I just don't get it. My passion for OWR dates back to the Foyt/Sneva/JR/Johncock/Unser/Unser days of the 1970's. My patience has grown very thin since the split. Very thin. This past weekend may just have been the final straw where I start spending my Sunday afternoons doing something else. I lost it for NASCAR and F1 years ago, so Indy Car was my last bastion of motor sports. It has just become a joke (even more so than previously). Dixon and Dario lost my respect this weekend as well for acting as if it was the right call and that TCGR deserved the spoils of the event. HCN and Power had them covered all weekend.
David, Katy,TX

RM: By the time the call was made, Dixon was already ahead of Power, that's the best I can do.

Q: I just wanted to say it was great seeing PT charging hard in a BLUE CAR again. I watch all the races, but I only really get worked up watching Tracy. I’m sorry they didn’t replay his pass attempt on Briscoe that let Hunter-Reay back by.

Miller Hadskey

RM: Considering he's had no testing and very few laps, PT did a helluva job -- just like a couple years ago when he drove with Derrick Walker and Tony George.

Q: An optimist could view the recent "Bernie" like comments from Brian France about pulling the race and awarding it to Kentucky in a positive light for IndyCar. Realizing a large chunk of IndyCar funding comes from the Brickyard 400 you do have to wonder if NASCAR is starting to feel a small amount of heat from IndyCar and is making moves before the heat gets warmer. Your thoughts?

Matt Ganser

RM: Even with all the empty seats, the Brickyard is still the largest Cup crowd and second biggest payday and it's not going anywhere unless IMS reasons it's no longer profitable for them.

Q: Another good run by Simona de Silvestro last weekend in Edmonton. I know she was good but her performance kind of surprised me. Just what Indycar needs, a graduate from junior US openwheel. To me she looks more promising than Danica at the moment. Knowing that she is with the smallest team in the paddock and no feedback and setups from a team member. Where does this bring here in 2011/2012? Do you hear something? What do her colleague’s think about her?

Barend Blom, Waalwijk, The Netherlands

RM: What Simona is doing with an old car and very little money is exceptional, adding in part by her talent and Michael Cannon's engineering. Bernie is looking for a female in F1 and he's got one if he's paying attention.

Q: You could write a book about the different philosophies involved in sanctioning motor racing events today, but I'm going to sum up my thoughts on Indycar's chassis announcement in a paragraph. I'm a purist, and like some who share my purism I think racing should be about who can go fastest over a predetermined distance - be it 25 laps, 500 miles, or 24 hours - and nothing more. But I'm also a realist, and there are two hugely limiting factors that have developed as technology has evolved: Cost and safety. For me, these were the two greatest challenges (although, yes, there were other goals) that the ICONIC panel had to resolve, which are of course issues that face every form of motorsports. For Indycar, allowing all comers was just not feasible - the series and the economy in general can't support that right now. The cost standards are too restrictive because of the overall value, or lack thereof, of the series, and the cars have to maintain a certain level of safety. Thus I view the decision as a conservative step away from "spec" and back toward an open forum for innovation. It's not where it needs to be, but it's something; I'm disappointed, but encouraged. Did you get the feeling that ICONIC's recommendation was driven by the need to cut costs - which they certainly succeeded in doing? Any insight into the panel's discussions, and how important they felt reintroducing technical diversity and innovation was?

Jeff from New York

RM: I think that's the only way you can look at it considering the wishes of the manufacturers, the wishes of the series (to greatly reduce costs) and the reality of the economy.

Q: With all that happened in Edmonton I thought I would bring up another subject. Will Sam Hornish come back to Indy Car? Penske is paying out of his own pocket to keep two of his three cars going and I don't see him doing that with a third car. Would Sam go to any other team then Penske?

Ray Hando

RM: I could see him in the National Guard car for Panther.

Q: So we finally see an official acknowledgment from the IRL, in the form of a probation, that Milka Duno should not be on the track. You have explained why she is there. CITGO sponsors her and that money keeps the 2 car team on the track. Here is my question. Why does CITGO sponsor her? There MUST be another Venezuelan driver of higher caliber that would yield better coverage for them. What value does CITGO get for their dollars when Duno is parked after 4 laps? I see that Viso is Venezuelan, why not put your money behind him!!??

John, Toronto

RM: All I can tell you is that Chavez loves what Milka does with the fans and media, he obviously doesn't care about performance.

Q: Amid all the hubbub over TGBB's ego taking away Helio's win is the one guy who did his job perfectly on Sunday - Charles Burns. Seeing him just stand there and grin at Helio while Helio was screaming at him and shaking him by the collar was absolutely priceless. I don't know much about the guy, but I think he deserves to take the "badass" nickname from Justin Wilson. Props to Helio too for giving the cameras a good tantrum. If you've been robbed of a win in a struggling series and you're going to explode in a fit of rage, do it somewhere where the cameras can catch it, and milk it for all it's worth. Throw your helmet, gesture like a madman, scream at anything with ears, and grab the nearest official you can find, even if that official happens to be a guy who can probably beat you into a pulp with his pinky finger. It's fun for us to watch and it gives the series some badly-needed attention. It seemed like every ESPN show today had something to say about Helio's tantrum and the way Burns reacted to it.

Max, Milwaukee

RM: Charles is a cool guy and a very strong man (ex State Trooper) and his expression was priceless -- making for great television as you point out.

Q: Quick question regarding Tony Cotman. You have (rightly in my opinion) held the opinion that Tony should play the role of rules czar for the IICS. However, it's my understanding that he left the league last year to pursue other interests. In your opinion, would he even have any interest in taking the job? It seems like if he had any real interest in staying in the fold, he would have stuck around waiting for the inevitable day (that would be yesterday, IMO) where the TGBB finally proved he's totally inept. Also, old Dallaras. Eligible to race at Indy in 2012 and beyond? It'd be pretty cool if someone off teams could put together a somewhat affordable program to get some USAC and Lights drivers a shot like in the old days. I also have an extremely hard time believing that Dallara would be able to supply enough cars in less than 2 years to supply 33 entries, plus backup cars, PLUS another 5-7 entries for bump day. I realize they are 150 pounds heavier or so, but perhaps another 5-10 pounds of boost could alleviate the weight discrepancy.

Ryan, Garwood, NJ

RM: He's got his own consulting company but he cares about IndyCar's future and he likes Randy and wants to help. Yes, he's interested in writing the rules and setting the prices, but he doesn't want any help from the current regime (nor should he).

Q: It was pretty cool going through the autograph line up in Edmonton. I was wearing my Alex Zanardi,1996 CART Rookie Of The Year Shirt and comin up to Dario he had a huge smile on his face, and said "Hey is that a Zanardi shirt you got on?" I said you bet and did a little spin to show him the back. He really liked it, smiled and said "cool" and let me get a photo with him. The great thing was, it seemed to sort of make his day seein the shirt and it made my day him acknowledging it and takin the time for the photo. As I was walkin away, I thought crap, I should have mentioned that I actually purchased the shirt at the Toronto Indy the weekend Dario won his first pole with Carl Hogan. Hell, had I remembered that, I may have got to be an honorary pit member that weekend...ha ha. What a great guy and class act though, thanks Dario, you and PT made our weekend.

Dylan Wurfel

RM: That's good to know, glad you had a good time.

Q: I know everybody is flooding your e-mail about the Helio blocking controversy at Edmonton, but something else caught my eye over the weekend and it was about Sam Hornish's future in NASCAR and a possible return to Indycar.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/bruce_martin/07/26/helio/ Michael Andretti -- "I don't think it would affect it one way or another. I think he would have a hard time because the road racing now is way different than when he was here. I think he's a great oval racer but he didn't excel in road racing. Who is going to pick him up, though? If you want to win a series championship, you have to have a driver that wins on the road courses and that takes a driver with road racing skills. If he came back it wouldn't hurt us but I don't think it would provide a big boost. What I don't like about him coming back over here is he failed in NASCAR but he can make it here, so I don't think that is a positive for us." Interesting stuff here from Michael Andretti and it makes me wonder what he really thinks of Danica's ability as a driver if he says this about Sam on road courses, plus how hypocritical is he to talk about not liking somebody coming back into the series and having success after failing in another racing series when HE failed in F1 but came back to CART being welcomed with open arms? Of course, having just typed that, watch him drop Danica at the end of the year and sign Hornish. It seems like a typical Michael move. Downplay somebody, then snatch them up when nobody is expecting it. A Kanaan-Hunter Reay and Hornish trio is pretty stout.

Damon in Hilliard, Ohio

RM: Sam made big strides in road racing before he went south so I imagine a few teams would certainly consider hiring him. As for DP, without GO DADDY would Michael want to keep her?

Q: Suppose the IRL folded and went under...don't you think the Indianapolis 500 could survive as a single race. It seems to be the only race that gets any ratings and the only race the sponsors care about. Plus the race has too much tradition and is so important to the economy of Indianapolis. Just think if the NFL folded...there would probably be a super bowl.

Ron, Washington, DC

RM: I think so, depending on what the rules would be (obviously need to be opened up to get as much interest as possible).

Q: Could Simona scare the *&%^ out of you in the two seater?? That would be something to see. I wonder how she would do right out of the box in a sprint car or midget?? Be so different she would probably struggle, but then again she would need to struggle if you wanted to run with her and beat her. Frankly the kid is maybe the first that has everything it takes to be successful and that just happens to be female. She didn't cut corners getting there. The mistakes she has made have been typical rookie mistakes and a part of the maturing process. If she is making them in three years, then Houston she has a problem. Her biggest asset seems to be the cool head she seems to have on her shoulders. To some she may not be eye candy, but she sure isn't an eye sore either and frankly should be a marketers dream. Some had far more talent than equipment (like Janet Guthrie) and others took short cuts because they could, but Simona just may be the first female Indy car champion.

Mark

RM: Her racecraft, aggression and temperament are all the right ingredients to be a champion -- which she nearly was in Atlantics. What if she was driving for Penske or Ganassi?

Q: I think I saw them engraving the marble headstone for IndyCar the other day. One of the tools they were using was the schedule that includes all these road races. How much follow the leader stuff can you watch? And the Izod series theme, "The fastest drivers on earth", or whatever it is yields to come enjoy the thrill of watching the world's fastest drivers take the turn at a blinding 39 mph. The new car is cutting the bottom line of the headstone. It is going to be a spec car. I've never understood why the tub should cost so much money. The pricepoint for the skin means it won't be economical for anyone to build anything except one version for everybody to buy. The encouraging of innovation has never been there. When the turbine car ran it was forever outlawed because it was too fast and didn't make enough noise. Where was the adopting of innovation there? At least we've advanced to blinking taillights. I like racing with speed and skill. A three-wide race for the lead over a dozen laps in Chicago a couple years ago was the best example of that I've ever seen. Deliver that potential in every race and I'll cancel my standby order for a funeral wreath.
Allen Lee, Arkansas

RM: A mini rant to take us into August.

Q: No rant is forthcoming here. That doesn't, by any mean, indicate that I'm happy about things but maybe I have actually managed to learn one of two things in almost 7 decades on this planet. Like almost everybody else, I am very disappointed in what has transpired recently. My major in college was in Accounting and, until my retirement in 2000 I worked in that field most of the time. I'm not bragging or complaining, just setting the stage for the admission on my part that the almighty $ had to be a very major factor in the decisions made. Still some inner part of me had hoped for something much better. Almost any situation could be worse as could this one. However this outcome is far closer to my imagined worst case scenario than the hoped for best case. I have no deep seated aversion to Dallara or Honda or combinations thereof. I also have no antipathy toward Chip or Roger. I had just hoped for something with a bit more variety and at least some common sense. The engine being a stressed component strikes me as completely idiotic or a move designed to minimize Honda's competition. There is absolutely nothing to be gained by its implementation. I live in the Pittsburgh area. A Dallara facility in Speedway doesn't do me one bit of good. I just think spec racing is a bloody awful thing. Period. I fully realize that NA$CAR an even F1 (can you imagine anyone telling Enzo how many cylinders his engines should have?) are really spec series now. I realize that cost reduction is vital for the survival of any form of activity. I also accept that the "good old days" (whenever they may have been) are gone forever and can't be brought back. It doesn't make this debacle any easier to take. The new Indy formula sounds like a disaster. Cars 200 pounds lighter (if indeed they wind up that way) with 150 less horsepower are going to be slower. A 100bhp push to pass button is utterly ridiculous. If the only way to pass someone is with one's thumb why don't we all race slot cars and save a bunch of money. Actually that's not a bad idea. I might be able to sell a few to the various teams. All I hear when I read the letters in your column is how great CART was and how wonderful it would be to go back. If we're going back anywhere it should be to Offies and Novis and roadsters like God intended. I do not want to hear about how it is necessary for auto racing to be "relevant". Horse racing is still very popular and financially successful and horses haven't been relevant for a long time. I don't want Indy cars tied up with the tree huggers at ALMS. Formula One is still poised to turn into a series for spec hybrids. Surely in America (land of John Wayne, A. J. Foyt,, Chuck Yeager and Harry Miller) we can have an American series. I do mean a series limited to American drivers. I mean a series where if you can unlevel the playing field you are rewarded instead of punished, a series where the environment is not given precedence over the concept of RACING, a series where innovation is till encouraged rather than channeled into politically correct ideas. And just maybe a series that gets us a bit closer to our roots.

I took a break and a weekend passed. Now there's the totally idiotic penalty against Helio enforced by a moron whose total knowledge of race tactics is "give me four good ones". Then there's the big flap over Ferrari doing what has been normal in F1 for over 50 years, and another 50 before that prior to the official start of F1. It is very obvious that the loonies are now running the asylum all over the world. The only bright side I see in all this is that I probably won't live all that much longer. Oops, I guess this did turn out to be a rant, didn't it. Sorry about that, Chief.

Jim Malloy

RM: Yes it was a rant.