Yesterday, some photos were leaked of a version of the Delta Wing chassis designed by Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Ben Bowlby. Mr. Bowlby is certainly not new to chassis design having spent a very successful stint with Lola creating very fast chassis with a wide setup window. The photos we saw yesterday posted ever so briefly at 16thandGeorgetown.com, were in a word hideous! The most common statement amongst the IndyCar fan community was, “How the heck is that thing supposed to turn?” This is in reference to the front wheels…
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IndyCar – Delta Wing Under the Red Tarp
Tomorrow afternoon at the Chicago Auto Show a red tarp will be removed from the Delta Wing IndyCar concept model. For now, we will just have to settle with this teaser photo from the Chicago Auto Show blog. This is part of Bridgestones booth. While it may not be much to look at, that red tarp seems to have spooked the establishment at 16th and Georgetown. For months now we have been hearing information trickle out about this design. What we know largely has been from planned leaks through Robin…
Read MoreIndyCar – The Swift Project
Just after Lola released their minimal thoughts on the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series chassis, Swift Engineering released a deluge of information regarding their project including several renderings of three different variations of their design. The exciting aspect of the Swift release is the level of technological innovation the company is bringing to the table. If Swift is able to accomplish even half of what they propose in their press release from today, then IndyCar is in for one hell of a ride! American race car company, Swift Engineering, Inc. is…
Read MoreIndyCar – The Lola Project
Today, both Lola and Swift announced their design concepts for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar chassis. First, lets examine the Lola statements. We’ll look at the Swift statements and concepts in the next article. Lola released no design concept rednerings with their announcement today, but stated that they might be publicly available as soon as the end of the week. Lola is certainly no stranger to IndyCar racing, having been a regular manufacturer during the CART era, and they have had lots of on-track success to back them up. However, their…
Read MoreIndyCar – The Dallara Project
Perhaps in response to all of the DeltaWing buzz, and in an effort to take some of the thunder away from the DeltaWing reveal on February 10th, Dallara has revealed images of three concepts for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series chassis. The three concepts center around three different design philosophies: one a traditional evolutionary design, one a conservative but evolutionary design, and one more radical evolutionary design. Let’s examine each one separately in light of the recently revealed, but not surprising, new chassis objectives: Safe, Raceable, Cost-Effective, American Made Less…
Read MoreIndyCar – On the 2012 Chassis Decision…. What About the Engine?
Three significant things came up this week on the 2012 chassis decision for the IRL. An article came out in USA Today with comments from Brian Barnhart, a chassis design criteria was released by the IndyCar Series and pictures of three chassis concepts started circulating from Dallara. The Leagues Design Criteria Safe: The new chassis must adhere to the league’s already high safety standards while exploring new technology to improve safety in all aspects of the car. Raceable: The new chassis must continue to produce the exciting racing that has…
Read MoreIndyCar – Bad News from the VW Conglomerate
The VW group has indicated that they will not be providing an engine for the as yet undetermined new specifications for 2012. Autosport quotes VW Motorsports Director Kris Nissen regarding a new IRL program, “I am not 100 per cent sure of the latest status. But I think it is not realistic for the moment that the VW group will do it.” Kris goes on to indicate that the whole US market needs to stabilize and the IndyCar series needs to grow and develop before they would be interested in…
Read MoreIndyCar – A Motorcycle Sportscar?
So on Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee last night and in today’s Pit Pass column in the Indianapolis Star, the topic of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series chassis was discussed. There are two different options currently being considered, an evolution of the current configuration and a completely revolutionary design. The revolutionary design track is been described as a radical departure from past designs, and while I’m all for cool new designs and out-of-box thinking, I’m leary of a final product that simply does not scream IndyCar. Yes, I…
Read MoreOP-Ed – Rebuilding the 500 – Part 3 of 5 – Creative Engineering
Rebuilding the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race The Engines Now what can you allow and not allow beyond the standardized tub and safety features? For one, I think you can open up the engine design. Put a cap on the output power of the engine, but allow teams to achieve that power however they wish. Want to run a four-cylinder twin-turbo engine? Great. Twelve-cylinder normally aspirated? Fantastic. Heck, throw one of those super cool Wankel engines in there! Just make all teams bring their engine to a league-operated dyno to check…
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