Comments on: OP-Ed – Rebuilding the 500 – Part 3 of 5 – Creative Engineering http://openpaddock.net/2009/11/09/op-ed-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-the-500-%e2%80%93-part-3-of-5-%e2%80%93-creative-engineering/ Open Paddock is an online community of motorsport enthusiasts. We cover Rally, IndyCar, Formula 1, ALMS & Le Mans with our own mix of opinion and news commentary. Come join the conversation in the forum or leave a comment. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:53:21 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Doug Patterson http://openpaddock.net/2009/11/09/op-ed-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-the-500-%e2%80%93-part-3-of-5-%e2%80%93-creative-engineering/comment-page-1/#comment-1271 Doug Patterson Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:44:24 +0000 http://openpaddock.net/?p=2402#comment-1271 I think we see eye-to-eye, Henry! I think we see eye-to-eye, Henry!

]]> By: Savage Henry http://openpaddock.net/2009/11/09/op-ed-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-the-500-%e2%80%93-part-3-of-5-%e2%80%93-creative-engineering/comment-page-1/#comment-1269 Savage Henry Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:30:12 +0000 http://openpaddock.net/?p=2402#comment-1269 I agree that the series needs diversity and innovation to remain viable. I remember when I was a kid going to IMS every year excited to see what all of the new cars were going to look like and what speeds would be. Why am I gravitated to IndyCar and F1 rather than stock cars? The cars are just cooler. It means something to me that the cars I'm watching are on the bleeding edge of technology. It just isn't the same with an 8-year-old engine/chassis combination. Innovation also adds intrigue to the racing - like Michael Andretti blowing his engine with a 2-lap lead in 1992, or Parnelli Jones' vastly superior car failing to finish. Things happen with new technologies - engines blow, cars crash. That's part of the fun of racing. The Honda powerplant they are using now is incredibly reliable - but that's because it isn't running anywhere near capacity. That should never happen in the Indy 500. I agree with you, if you want to dial back the horsepower to save engines throughout the year, great! Just do it in the other 20 races during the year - don't do it at Indy. For the Indy 500 to return to its place as the greatest race in the world, it needs to have the very best cars in the world running in it. And having the best cars in the world will draw teams and manufacturers from all forms of racing and all over the world to want to race and win there. There should be incredible prestige accorded to the car and driver that won the Indy 500 - they proved they had the best car in the world. The just can't happen with an engine and chassis design that hasn't changed in 8 years. I agree that the series needs diversity and innovation to remain viable. I remember when I was a kid going to IMS every year excited to see what all of the new cars were going to look like and what speeds would be. Why am I gravitated to IndyCar and F1 rather than stock cars? The cars are just cooler. It means something to me that the cars I’m watching are on the bleeding edge of technology. It just isn’t the same with an 8-year-old engine/chassis combination.

Innovation also adds intrigue to the racing – like Michael Andretti blowing his engine with a 2-lap lead in 1992, or Parnelli Jones’ vastly superior car failing to finish. Things happen with new technologies – engines blow, cars crash. That’s part of the fun of racing. The Honda powerplant they are using now is incredibly reliable – but that’s because it isn’t running anywhere near capacity. That should never happen in the Indy 500. I agree with you, if you want to dial back the horsepower to save engines throughout the year, great! Just do it in the other 20 races during the year – don’t do it at Indy.

For the Indy 500 to return to its place as the greatest race in the world, it needs to have the very best cars in the world running in it. And having the best cars in the world will draw teams and manufacturers from all forms of racing and all over the world to want to race and win there. There should be incredible prestige accorded to the car and driver that won the Indy 500 – they proved they had the best car in the world. The just can’t happen with an engine and chassis design that hasn’t changed in 8 years.

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