How many cars??

[Breeze]

Second race into the season and major headlines made with Graham Rahal's victory. There's a real positive buzz and new sponsors with big names are signing up. By the end of the season there's likely to be as many as 28 full time cars.

How long until Red Bull brings its stable to the show? Where will the likes of Paul Tracy, Robert Dornbos and the Mexican contingent find rides? Its one helluva problem to have, but really, how many full time cars can an open wheel series handle befor the track gets too crowded?

The simplest answer is to fix the number of entrants allowed. As new and wealthier sponsors come aboard, with a (relatively) fixed cost series, teams become more profitable and driver salaries can increase, attracting a more uniformly high caliber of talent.

Alternatively, you could open up the rules to allow more car development and more advanced propulsion systems. The higher price of entry might be enough to keep feild sizes in check.

NASCAR fields 43 cars even on small tracks because the cars have fenders. Can't and shouldn't be done with open wheelers. Also, IMO, no field should be as large as the Indy 500 at 33 cars. Personally I think that race (the I500) needs to remain the longest in the season at 500 miles, the largest field at 33, and the whole month of May to build anticipation and excitement.

So how many is too many? 28? 30?

Can you even believe this is a legitimate concern?

[weeflyonthewall]

Depends where they want to race. Big tracks have more pit stalls than the smaller ones. 28 is the sweet spot. Milwaukee Mile =26

[MAX_THRUST]

This is the best problem to hapen to open wheel in 13 years. GReat aint it!!!!

Limit it to how many pitt stops are safe. If someone doesn't qualify then thats life. A bump day at all events would make the series more like the INDY 500, which the series is based around, again helping to add to its history and character, decerning it from NASCAR and F1. The CART races would have guys in for one off rides and so on and I used to love that about CART, whic EX F1 driver will be there this week.

30 Should be the limit. I think unless dictated by circuit restrictions. Lets hope Red Bull does join the party, and PT returns with a win, just to justify his possition.

[V12]

The simplest answer is to fix the number of entrants allowed. As new and wealthier sponsors come aboard, with a (relatively) fixed cost series, teams become more profitable and driver salaries can increase, attracting a more uniformly high caliber of talent.

IMO the simplest way would be to return the idea of "qualifying" to its original intention - i.e. only the fastest people actually qualify for the race - that way there is no retarded F1-style closed shop franchise system, and up and coming teams are able to work their way in IF they are good enough.

Speaking personally, an entry cap would reduce my level of interest significantly, as it has in F1.

NASCAR - for all its faults - while the qualifying system is slanted against newcomers with the Top 35 rule and what have you, is still open competition in this regard, you set up a new team, file an entry, bring cars meeting the rules (which are admittedly not my cup of tea, but still), and away you go.

[dataman1]

Surfers is another place with limited pit boxes. I believe the number to be 24. I know there was bumping back when CART was strong and that was due to the number of pit boxes. With the V8's pit boxes just up stream reconfiguration to expand is unlikely.

[nanders]

Alternatively, you could open up the rules to allow more car development and more advanced propulsion systems. The higher price of entry might be enough to keep field sizes in check.

I like your thinking here.

I also think you have it figured out on field size. The pits will keep most of the races to the proper size.

[LuigiStone]

They should allow 30-32 cars at the superspeedways and road courses. 26-28 at the small ovals.

And 3 500-mile races.

[SarahFan]

more cars the better....doesn't matter the circuit...

not enough pitstalls....shrink to the smallest possible....then start bumping

[VkmSpouge]

I think it should simply be the fastest qualifies. It is a fantastic problem to be talking about.

[V12]

Oh yes - a brilliant problem to have, but I agree - bumping over entry caps every time - split the qualifying sessions in 2 or have pre-qualifying if you're worried about too many cars on the track at once.