Check out what questions RPM.ESPN.com users had for Robin Miller -- and Robin's answers:

Robin Miller: The tracks announce the attendance, not the IRL in keeping with IMS tradition. The crowd last Sunday was estimated at 15,000 and it was pathetic, especially considering what a gorgeous day it was. Moving from the cold spring date to summer obviously didn't help. I think there were more people in the stands in 2002 when it was frigid. Tracks often lie about attendance (check this year's Kentucky figure and CART's Cleveland crowd) and the season tickets are counted as bodies at most ISC events.

Robin Miller: I cover IRL and CART for ESPN.com and RPM2Night and try to get to as many races as possible but with Marlo Klain covering the IRL, I always try to go to a CART race if they're racing on the same weekend. Glad you noticed I'm equally critical of both groups when it's merited (many of the IRL minions here in Indianapolis chose not to remember the 20-plus years I've spent bashing CART). After talking with Forsythe, Kalkhoven and Gentilozzi over the weekend, I'm convinced there will be a CART in 2004 (probably 15-16 races with no Europe and only one oval) in partnership with Trans-Am and rock concerts. Will it be the diversified challenge it's been the past decade? No, but I guess the object is to go where people want them and are willing to pay (sanction fees). The danger is becoming a street circuit, which in my mind would be way too boring. Pook got 19 cars on the grid but his comments about Toyota Atlantic, outhouses and picnic tables, Cosworth helping the IRL and former owners not being welcomed back have really rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. He's been a disappointment overall (he promised to give American drivers like Alex Gurney, Rocky Moran Jr., Memo Gidley)who came thru CART's ladder system a shot this year and totally blew them off, in addition to saying F3000 guys were more desirable because they went faster in fewer laps.

Pook hasn't been around much lately and he's gone at the end of 2003. As we all know by now, Tony George has more dollars than sense and because of the Brickyard 400 and his deep pockets, he's been able to pay purses, drivers and teams for eight years. He had a helluva lot more money than CART (I believe it had $125-130 million in the kitty before it started paying teams, co-promoting races and buying TV time). The IRL still gets paid by ABC/ESPN to be on television -- although both series usually get 0.8 ratings when they go head-to-head on ABC and CBS. Thanks for reading and watching.

Robin Miller: Herta got labeled as a road racer who couldn't handle ovals in CART after a couple of poor performances (Milwaukee comes to mind) but he won the pole at Phoenix in 1995 before pounding the wall at Indy that May. No doubt he's good on street circuits and road courses, which makes him perfect for CART and I have no idea why he doesn't have a full-time ride in Champ Car this season. Barron drove bad cars in CART and still almost won Australia and Fontana for Dale Coyne. He's always been overlooked but he's a helluva talent. As for the Pettys, it's very sad to watch them slag around at the back but they seem to be stuck in the '70s. Thanks for reading and watching.

Robin Miller: Good question but a couple of things. He didn't fare too well in a road course test for an Atlantics ride a few years ago according to the engineer at that test but Sam did win an Atlantic race (oval) driving for his father and they certainly didn't have the budget other teams did. Morris Nunn reckons his car control is excellent and, given the right circumstances, who is to say Sam couldn't become a good road racer? But F1? No chance. He excels in IRL cars on ovals, he's got a dream ride and about the only IRL driver with any F1 chance is Scott Dixon. Maybe Scheckter or Castroneves, also.

Robin Miller: Yeley has supposedly been told he'll get a chance to test with Panther and he would be great for the IRL. I hope it happens. Ed Carpenter is also a possibility.

Robin Miller: I think it might be less contentious than Paul Tracy and Al Unser Jr. when they were at Team Penske but it won't be anything like it's been the past three years. They'll work together because The Captain will make them and I'm still anxious to see if Sam tries to talk Andy Brown (his engineer) into going with him.

Robin Miller: I'm not sure you'll see as many as this year because Menard, Hemelgarn and Dryer&Reinbold would appear to be iffy at best. They've had Pep Boys and Northern Light and neither worked out so I'm sure they're beating the bushes trying to find another one. The rumor was that Days of Thunder was originally supposed to be about Indy, Indy cars, etc. but it obviously never materialized. Tony George has spent a lot of money on marketing, purses, drivers and teams over the years so maybe your idea has some merit.

Robin Miller: Well, to refresh your memory. I predicted last September on RPM2Night that de Ferran was going to quit and Penske was going to hire Hornish. I said it again after he won Indy this year. The story I wrote a week ago about Penske likely taking Sam to NASCAR was only written in that slant because Hornish had all but said he was headed south on a press conference the day before. Most of the motorsports reporters in the country who were listening to that teleconference wrote the same story. We were all a little deceived by what Sam said so I guess he got us, didn't he? But I don't apologize for reporting what he said and trying to speculate on his future. That's part of my job for ESPN.com where, by the way, I've broken stories this year on R.J. Reynolds dropping out of NASCAR, the Southern 500 being moved from Darlington, the U.S. Grand Prix being moved to June and various open wheel stories. But keep reading and you'll learn some things. Thanks.

Robin Miller: I've talked with Gil several times in the past three days and I think it was definitely his call -- made earlier this season. He's a great guy and a helluva driver and accomplished everything he'd ever hoped when he came to this country in 1995. I think his two hard crashes and the propensity for IRL injuries certainly factored into his decision.

Robin Miller: Good observation. Yes, the dying series draws 150,000 for three days and the series that's "right where we need to be" can't get 15,000 on a perfect summer day. ABC and ESPN pays Tony George (mainly thanks to Indy) to put the IRL on air while CART forks out $800,000 a race for CBS. Plus, as I answered above, Tony has an outlet to make money (Brickyard 400) and has much deeper pockets than CART, which must figure out a way to make money again to survive past 2004. Funny, Brian Barnhart was worried about having enough pit box space for all the IRL teams this year and they're barely ahead of CART in car count. I think at least three IRL teams are 50/50 to answer the bell next year and, without Toyota and Honda, yes the IRL would be treading water. I think you'll see Michael Andretti down to two cars next year because his sponsorship isn't that much. As far as attendance, CART kicks butt in Canada, Mexico, Australia and Long Beach but still struggles in most of its other U.S. venues, although Cleveland and Mid-Ohio both had crowds twice the size of IRL races at Nazareth and St. Louis. The IRL depends on ISC's season tickets to get crowds at Texas, K.C., Fontana, Chicago but they are smart about not charging too much compared to some of CART's high prices. But empty seats for IRL and CART races aren't good for open wheel. And CART cannot grow or even survive just solely on drawing good crowds to street races. Thanks for your questions.

Robin Miller: No chance. He's way too old to even be considered. And he wouldn't want to try and jump into F1 at age 36.

Robin Miller: In my mind, Nazareth was only a good race track when it was dirt. It's just too fast and narrow for Indy cars -- CART or IRL -- and you saw that Sunday (one pass for the lead in the pits). New York doesn't care about auto racing and Philly has been less and less supportive since the open wheel split. Can't speak for the lack of promotion in Pennsylvania but it's something that's hurt IRL and CART.

Robin Miller: It's a small underfinanced team that excelled before the IRL became CART. Hemelgarn is a hobbyist, not a serious racer like the guys he's competing against today. He needs to go back to just running the Indy 500.

Robin Miller: The cars are too fast for most of the circuits they currently run on with 750-800 horses and it did take away from passing a few years ago because they simply went to fast down the straightaway. This year, with all the same engines and no traction control, there has been passing at every circuit (even for the lead at Portland) and the racing has been much better throughout the field despite only having 19 cars. Bernie did get all of CART's financial statements from the past decade and I think he took a serious glance at it. CART needs to keep its diversity with tracks more than its 240 mph laps.

Robin Miller: As many IRL drivers and teams will tell you, on or off the record, the IRL did everything it could to save General Motors and keep Hornish up front and, indeed, it did move the goalposts in mid-season. I've covered Indy-car racing for 34 years and usually if you picked the wrong engine or chassis, you took your lumps and tried to make a better decision the next year. Toyota and Honda got smoked when they first came into CART before they finally figured it out. The IRL reminds me of USAC in the '60s and '70s when Foyt did whatever he pleased.

Robin Miller: Street courses are parties with pretty girls, nice hotels, restaurants and night life. I've always been amazed so many people in Toronto, Long Beach, Vancouver, Surfer's Paradise pay big money to sit and watch 50 yards of a street circuit but they all keep coming back so they must enjoy it. It does take talent to handle a Champ Car around a concrete maze but it doesn't look good on TV or in person compared to an oval. As for beefing up attendance, don't run Milwaukee at night when it's 45 degrees and try to pick places like Cleveland which are fan friendly.

Robin Miller covers open wheel racing for ESPN and ESPN.com.