New IRL Chassis

[shazbot]

With the current Dallara chassis now several years old at what point will the IRL commision a new chassis? Should it be a multi chassis formula or maintain the spec series. At some point the car will start to look dated and with Champ Car's pretty Panoz perhaps the IRL will need a change?

[-Helix-]

I believe they are working on a new chassis set to debut in 2009 or whereabouts.

[fan-veteran]

I personally find the Panoz chassis to be good looking, i can't understand why somebody think that it is not. The RPM's of engines are a little bit low, but the price is too.

[ChicagocrewIRL]

I hope they come up with a set of numbers, rules, and parameters and have the teams come up with their own cars.... like the old days . That way the constructor points would actually mean something.

Same thing with the engines. Bring back the Offenhausers, Cosworths !

[Mark in Oshawa]

There will not be motor competition in the way we used to see it. IT takes manufacturers for that....and they seem to be shying away from CCWS and the IRL both because of the limited return they get for the money....

[Komahawk]

As long as the series is as tight as it is this season, I don't mind a spec series. Technology competition should always be second to driving competition. Otherwise I might as well watch F1.

[NickFalzone]

Komahawk is right, this is better for racing because all the teams are on similar setups. So small teams like Dreyer Reinbold can actually compete top 5 on some occasions, and more credit can go to the driver than just the car. The only issue I have with the Dallara is that apparently it's not as good on road courses. As far as the Panoz looking better, what does that have to do with anything?

[ChicagocrewIRL]

Komahawk is right, this is better for racing because all the teams are on similar setups. So small teams like Dreyer Reinbold can actually compete top 5 on some occasions, and more credit can go to the driver than just the car. The only issue I have with the Dallara is that apparently it's not as good on road courses. As far as the Panoz looking better, what does that have to do with anything?

Well to be honest, it's easier to support and be a fan of a series with really cool looking machines. The early Dallaras were butt ugly. I hope this project the IRL has in conjunction with an auto design school comes up with something awesome, even though the final designs aren't due out until 2011.

[call_me_andrew]

With the current Dallara chassis now several years old at what point will the IRL commision a new chassis?

They were supposed to have new chassis this year. But there are only 3 teams that can afford a new car. I'll leave you to guess on who.

I say either go back to front engine roadsters or merge!

[blakebeatty]

Merge is the only option.

[zoostation]

would it be possible to use a tweaked dp01?


(dont hate on me lol im just wondering)

[grassrootsracer]

I say either go back to front engine roadsters or merge!

Why front engine?

[DRC]

I say the two open wheel series should merge, dump ALL of the current chassis and come up with a new, wingless (yes, I said wingless) chassis that puts the empatis on driver skill, not aerodynamics.

I saw a special on TV this weekend that had a bit on the old Auto Union "Silver Arrows" and I got to thinking just how beautiful those cars were. I'm sure somebody could come up with a modern take on that car that would be sexy, safe, and exciting to watch around any track.

Before y'all dismiss the idea and call me crazy, just think how this would truly differentiate American Open Wheel Racing from any other in the world. It could still be a balance of high tech and affordability (whatever that balance needs to be...probably more on the high tech side since we already have NASCAR)...it could still be very fast...it just might bring racing back to the racing world again.

Edit: ..empetis? Not sure I spelled that right...

[fan-veteran]

I have an idea of using the well known turbo 2,65L engine (CART has ever been associated with turbo engines, or at least i think so) limited to 12K rpm and a boost issue - to give around 750 bhp on ovals and 1000 bhp on road/city circuits. It is cheap and reliable. Two manufacturers for example - Honda and Ford, two chassises - Panoz and Dallara. Strict cost limits.

And also - what about so called Handford device on superspeedways (on Michigan)?

[call_me_andrew]

Why front engine?

1-To resemble the old roadsters of the 50's.
2-Lower cornering speeds on ovals.
3-Easier to distinguish IndyCars from Champ Cars or F1 cars.

[JPMfan]

How can Dallara build a new chassis, when they don't even know what engine they would make it fit to?

[Mark in Oshawa]

They were supposed to have new chassis this year. But there are only 3 teams that can afford a new car. I'll leave you to guess on who.

I say either go back to front engine roadsters or merge!

Andrew, that is my feeling. IF they went to a "roadster", they would be able to draw on the wealth of talent in the USAC ranks driving silver crown and midgets, and make the series an American series. This was part of the raison D'etre for the IRL being formed. To give those guys a place to race. Save for Sam Hornish, and a couple of years of Tony Stewart, no one has really made that leap and succeeded have they?

If the IRL wants a car to work from, I think the cost of buying the Panoz DP01 set up for ovals is less than asking Dallara to do one from scratch. If the dreaded merger does happen, at least the teams wont go broke buying new parts. That I know sounds simple, but I guess if they do that, it signals to the CCWS they will hear merger talk more seriously, so I suspect Tony will go to Dallara for a new car, and keep the artificial state of OW racing going for a few more years.

As for the crack Nickefalzone had what does looks have to do with anything, I guess you hit your head getting out of your PACER.

Look if the race cars don't look right, it turns fans off. I bet Grand AM Daytona Prototypes would be a lot more of an attraction on TV and in person if they were not so damned strange looking. The early G-Force and Dallara setups for the IRL looked very contrived, and the nose of the Dallaras in a speedway package just looks like something from the 70's......

If they wont buy the Panoz, at least have a car look like something people would dream to drive.