Overheard at Gateway

Can Rossi (R) dethrone Dixon?

The biggest talk in the IndyCar paddock these days is the condition of Robert Wickens, the championship battle between Scott Dixon and Alexander Rossi, and the car count for 2019, which could drop.

There is a real concern for everyone in the paddock is that Wicken's injuries to his spine could lead to partial paralysis. These next several weeks will be crucial. The swelling has to go down around the injured area to relieve pressure on the nerves in the spine. The operation that was necessary to stabilize his broken vertebrae in itself caused swelling, so at this stage we cannot jump to any conclusions and everyone is praying for the best possible outcome.

The catch-fencing design that caused his injuries, have killed and severely injured so many drivers over the years, it is totally irresponsible to say that is the best we can do. Whoever tells you that is 100% wrong and blowing smoke up your posterior. The fences are fixable but no one wants to pay to replace or modify them to make them safe. In that regard drivers have become sacrificial lambs to the irresponsible people who run motorsports and operate race tracks.

We heard these same naysayers tell me I was nuts when I proposed soft walls back in 2000. We now have soft walls, although a different concept from what was proposed back then.

These same naysayers told me I was nuts when I proposed crumple zones in race cars back in 2001. We now have crumple zones.

Quite frankly I am tired hearing people say the current catch-fence design is the best we can do. Nonsense.

Dixon vs. Rossi

Scott Dixon and Alexander Rossi start 1-2 Saturday night at Gateway – the wily veteran against the hotshot young ace who is currently on fire. We have told our readers that Alexander Rossi was the best young American we had seen in a long time since his days in Formula BMW.

People thought we were crazy, but we're telling you this young man is the real deal. He can dominate on street circuits (think Long Beach), road courses (think Watkins Glen), short ovals (think Phoenix), and Superspeedways (think Pocono and Indy) and he's just getting started. His first year in IndyCar was mediocre but the Andretti team was out to lunch at the time.

Now that he has learned the tracks and the tricks of IndyCar Racing he is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

You want F1 to skyrocket in the USA? Put Rossi in the Ferrari alongside Sebastian Vettel and watch what happens. Unfortunately the arrogant people who run F1 would never give an American that chance, even though Rossi won many races in Europe in FR 3.5, GP3 and GP2/F2. Here is an American that went to Europe and excelled throughout the European ladder system, proved himself, but did not have the money to buy his way into a top F1 ride. The system is a complete farce.

F1's loss is IndyCar's gain.

2019 Car Count

IndyCar keeps saying the series is growing but can someone tell us by what measure?

TV ratings are down huge this year, attendance is up at some venues but down at others, every year a race or two fails and falls off the calendar, Verizon is not renewing it's title sponsorship, Toyota has dropped its backing of the Long Beach race, Iowa Corn has dropped its backing of the Iowa race and 2/3 of the people in the grandstands for that race are there because of the ethanol industry (race could soon die), and if not for the great economy right now and sponsors being flush with cash, car count might be down, not up.

If McLaren comes to IndyCar in 2019 that will help the car count, but there are questions about the health of Juncos and Harding.

Meanwhile Chip Ganassi says he has no plans to expand his team back to 4 cars and Roger Penske says he has no plans to expand either. How many cars can Michael Andretti run?

Alonso and McLaren Again

With McLaren's trouble's in F1 we still do not see them coming into IndyCar. It will be a distraction. Maybe in 2021 when IndyCar introduces its next car and engine upgrade. That would make the most sense so they can enter the series on an even playing field as everyone learns the new car.

The best and easiest scenario for Alonso is to just come to IndyCar on his own and for Andretti to add a 5th car from him. Michael has said he can run up to 5 cars. McLaren coming as a team would be great, but we'll believe it when we see it.

Rusty Wallace

New Engine Manufacturer

It isn't happening with races on NBCSN (minuscule TV ratings) and no international exposure. A 100% network TV deal would have been needed to interest a manufacturer and give them good TV exposure

Overseas Races

Are not happening – with no strong international TV package (IndyCar will be invisible to the vast majority of this earth) and nothing compelling to enable an overseas race promoter to sell tickets, who pays for it? If Alonso does come, a race at Jerez in Spain becomes instantly viable.

Can they pass?

Racing has been difficult on the ovals for most drivers this year, with Pocono seeing only a few real passes for the lead – all by Rossi. What does polesitter Scott Dixon think about passing at Gatway?

"You know, it's hard to tell," said Dixon. "I was actually kind of surprised, I think, with some of the running we just did then, there was some cars that you could definitely get a run on through 3 and 4.

"With more track time, they'll probably get a little bit better, but it still seemed like there was cars that were going to fall off pretty hefty. And it seems with the banking, at least in 3 and 4, you can still get quite close and get a really good run down the front.

"The difference with Iowa is you just have so many options, right; you've got two or three lanes, whereas here you don't. You've kind of got to tee it up and line it up more like a road course pass and opportunity in a situation like that. I definitely think good cars will be passing bad cars.

Rusty Wallace

What was Rusty Wallace doing at Gateway Friday? He runs the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience at Gateway and was going around shaking hands with many in the IndyCar paddock.

Mark C. reporting for AutoRacing1.com