New Lumps...

[JoeBob]

Turbos are back...

http://indycar.com/news/show/55-izod-indycar-series/37859-next-engine-strategy-is-all-inclusive/

But, who would trust BB to manage equivalency formulas?


“We will continue to evaluate rules that will keep a level playing field across the board with the various engines that could enter our sport,” said Brian Barnhart, president of competition and racing operations. “For example, we could see a V-6 competing against an Inline 4 at all IZOD IndyCar Series events in the future. We will require reference engines as a benchmark in performance while looking at sonic air restrictors, fuel flow restrictions and more as key criteria for competition.”

Has talk like that ever ended well?

[Indy]

keep a level playing field across the board

FAIL

[chop456]

Is there any reason to think that an equivalency formula will be necessary?

[opinionated ow]

Is there any reason to think that an equivalency formula will be necessary?

Why should there be an equivalency formula at all? You set the rules and you build an engine to best suit them...

[pchall]

It does seem to be a pretty pointless formula. 2.4t, I4 or V6, and air restrictors to micromanage power to 550bhp on ovals and 750bhp on road/street/airport courses. What's the point of this as an engineering exercise? Where's the sport? ACO and ALMS already have this [550bhp] level of performance with 2.0t and get engines to last 24 hours. CART had 750bhp and more for twenty years running engines only 15 ci/ 0.25l larger.

Of course, did any of us expect anything better from the IRL? It's not like they actually want real racing or real sport to bring real fans back to the tracks...

[gjc2]

Why does a racing car's engine have to be "relevant to the public and automobile industry"?

I thought (at least hoped) that with the departure of TG maybe open wheel racing could make a come back, now with this idea and that delta wing thing I'm not very hopeful at all.



ps: I'm sure no one was serious about the delta wing.

[SteveH]

beyond hope

[Andrew Longman]

ps: I'm sure no one was serious about the delta wing.

I've been a bit out of it lately. Is that idea really dead?

Re the engine, this "decision" could have been made 3-4 years ago, or more, if this was the choice they were to settle on. I guess it took removing TG and a lot more desperation to make it happen.

But I'm still not seeing anything that will necessarily draw in manufacturers. a) there need to be fans and events to showcase engine technology to. There is too little of both, and b) even without that there will always be a tendency for the best teams to migrate to the best engines and the others to migrate to the cheapest. If you "equalize" them, there will be no reason for either and hence no reason for manufacturers to participate.

Like the turbo thing though.

[ChampcarShark]

Why does a racing car's engine have to be "relevant to the public and automobile industry"?


I have an idea that both will satisfy and will be relevant to the public and the auto industry...

Get cars off the auto dealer showroom straight to the racetrack, "race today sell tomorrow". The new irl.

[Chief]

We will require reference engines as a benchmark in performance while looking at sonic air restrictors, fuel flow restrictions and more as key criteria for competition.
This certainly restores my faith in AOW. Talk about hitting a SNAG. :shakehead:thumdown:

[Elmo T]

We want different engines so we can make them all the same? :rolleyes:

Maybe they will add headlight stickers & badges and call the new sleds Ford, Chevy, Mercury (oops, not that one), Kia, and Lotus (kinda sort of there already with that one).

I really would like them to fix the sport, but they continue to avoid making the hard decisions. Do they not see the real problems, do they not care, all the above?

[Methanolandbrats]

A half-assed attempt to bring innovation back to Indy in a hurry. Won't work. They should go with 1.8 or two liter turbos and try to attract a number of engine makers, not a number of different types of engines. That would be the quickest way to possibly get some factory money back in the sport. Then spec out a decent looking tub and pray a couple manufactures will supply them.

[Don Quixote]

beyond hope
This * 1000000000.

[Boatdesigner]

Why not make the engines production based again. Then at least the manufacturers could use it to develop the engines further or at the least for advertising. It would also allow teams to build their own if it was cheaper.

I also don't see any reason to try to make them equal. If they are all going to be equal, just have the league issue identical engines to each team, as Champcar did towards the end.

I still don't watch or care at this point, I expect whatever they come up with for engines/chassis will be a joke.:shakehead

[nrc]

They want manufacturer participation. Manufacturers sponsor races, bring partners, blah, blah, blah. Trouble is that there's no value in the series anymore so they have to pretty much guarantee that someone can show up with whatever kind of lump they please and be assured of being competitive. Otherwise it's not worth putting the money into it.

[Gnam]

They should let turbo diesels play too.

Also, hybirds should be allowed and given their own diamond lane around the bottom of every oval. :p

[opinionated ow]

They want manufacturer participation. Manufacturers sponsor races, bring partners, blah, blah, blah. Trouble is that there's no value in the series anymore so they have to pretty much guarantee that someone can show up with whatever kind of lump they please and be assured of being competitive. Otherwise it's not worth putting the money into it.

If they want engines of that size, just put superchargers on midget engines...lots of different choices there

[BarillaGirl]

They should let turbo diesels play too.

Also, hybirds should be allowed and given their own diamond lane around the bottom of every oval. :p

The carpool lane has the outside line? Maybe the weight of the extra passengers would keep them steady through the marbles (or the kläääg, as David Hobbes calls it in F1). ;)

[extramundane]

Also, hybirds should be allowed and given their own diamond lane around the bottom of every oval. :p

I'm pretty sure Milka already has her own lane down there.

[cameraman]

If they have one functioning neuron between them they will copy the ALMS/ACO engine rules for the LMP1 class so anything that is legal in an LMP1 would be legal in the IRL. No development costs as the engines already exist. They should also take the LMP1 chassis rules and subtract 600 lbs from the minimum weight & add an open wheel requirement.

Instant multiple chassis and engines. Announce it now and they could run them in 2011.

[JLMannin]

You read it here first - the Cosworth DFS is coming back.
:shakehead

[High Sided]

how about this?
http://www.photonexter.com/index.php?show=1521

[oddlycalm]

If they have one functioning neuron between them And there's the rub....:gomer:

oc

[SurfaceUnits]

They should go with 1.8 or two liter turbos and try to attract a number of engine makers, not a number of different types of engines. .they tried that lazz year; only Honda showed up after the first meeting.

[SurfaceUnits]

Why not make the engines production based again. Then at least the manufacturers could use it to develop the engines further or at the least for advertising. That is why the leegs only engine supplier is demanding the V6

[SurfaceUnits]

If they have one functioning neuron between them they will copy the ALMS/ACO engine rules for the LMP1 class so anything that is legal in an LMP1 would be legal in the IRL. No development costs as the engines already exist. They should also take the LMP1 chassis rules and subtract 600 lbs from the minimum weight & add an open wheel requirement.

Instant multiple chassis and engines. Announce it now and they could run them in 2011.them specs wasn't mIndys idea, therefore its a nonstarter. the leeg will also require chassis suppliers to finance the tubs for its teams

[Gnam]

That is why the leegs only engine supplier is demanding the V6

But the league wants a whole lotta lumps. :tony:

rBGSm2niks8

[Insomniac]

I saw a quick blurb about the new specs and was actually excited. Some real competition and variety. I come here and see they're talking about still keeping the performance relative ala NASCAR. What's the point then? If you care about HP, then set the HP limit and allow any engine. Dyno it and have a reference to compare if you suspect cheating.

Stupid me for thinking they wouldn't find a way to mess this up.