Saturday Notebook Quotes KK on the Next Champcar

[pchall]

link (http://www.champcar.ws/News/Article.asp?ID=9608)

Champ Car co-principal Kevin Kalkhoven revealed Saturday at Montreal that an announcement of the series future chassis and engine package for 2007 and beyond will be made within the next two weeks.

While the turbocharged 2.65-liter Ford-Cosworth engine will remain the same, the chassis regulations are going to receive a minor makeover. But Kalkhoven said that the basic appearance of the car will be similar.

"You won't mistake it for anything but a Champ Car," he remarked. "It's a little bit narrower and a little bit shorter, the nose is higher, the wings are smaller and the underbody tunnels are bigger.
And it's a lot lighter, though it still passes the 80-G impact test. It should be a racier version of the current car."

Champ Car is likely to stick with a single chassis supplier, though Kalkhoven did not reveal its identity. Seven companies reportedly submitted proposals to Champ Car for chassis construction and supply.

"We're going to leave some more areas open for development by the teams," Kalkhoven said.

[NismoZ]

Uh, Oh..."...areas open for development by the teams"? Haas wins! :rolleyes:

[coolhand]

so no twin turbo?

[pchall]

so no twin turbo?

The twin turbo was supposed to be part of the "shorter" deal and an advantage in packaging.

[NismoZ]

Easier plumbing and fewer heat related problems? And did you hear the tire pressure comment by Holyhock...something about, ... as tire pressures increase after a pitstop the engine is less likely to hit the rev-limiter because?...Who can explain THAT one to me? :confused:

[DaveL]

Easier plumbing and fewer heat related problems? And did you hear the tire pressure comment by Holyhock...something about, ... as tire pressures increase after a pitstop the engine is less likely to hit the rev-limiter because...Who can explain THAT one to me? :confused:

The higher the tire pressures the less rolling resistance the tires give on the straights. Low pressure is good for turns, bad for straights. As Justin's pressures came up, his straightaway speed increased hence his propensity to max out the revs.

[coolhand]

race conditions must have been different than predicted, because the rev limiter problem had more to do with the set up than the speed of the car

[Sean O'Gorman]

Easier plumbing and fewer heat related problems? And did you hear the tire pressure comment by Holyhock...something about, ... as tire pressures increase after a pitstop the engine is less likely to hit the rev-limiter because?...Who can explain THAT one to me? :confused:

The higher the pressures, the longer the diameter of the middle of the tire, thus making the gearing longer?

I don't know, I'm no engineer. :laugh:

[TravelGal]

Uh, Oh..."...areas open for development by the teams"? Haas wins! :rolleyes:

My reaction also. Like they don't already have enough of an advantage. :rolleyes:

[indyfan31]

The higher the pressures, the longer the diameter of the middle of the tire, thus making the gearing longer?

I don't know, I'm no engineer. :laugh:
I brought it up in chat and this was the explanation given, although I can't say I buy it.
There's no way a tire can expand enough to act like a different set of gears.
Besides, I thought radials weren't supposed to change size with tire pressure as much as the old bias ply design. An another thing, don't they use gas in the tires (instead of air) specifically to reduce this characteristic?
BTW, I'm REALLY not an engineer. :)

[coolhand]

i think Daly was wrong there, it was just a bad setup that lead to hitting the rev limiter.

about lola and haas, another reason to have another chasis, mfc.

[rabbit]

Jon Beekius was the one that made the comment about the tire pressures and gear ratios. Daly was the one who called da Matta a "Mexican driver." :cry: Try to keep up. ;)

[NismoZ]

Duho...I was trying to avoid "going to the tape"! But, I still don't get it...and Jon explains EVERYthing so I understand!

[TurboTodd]

They best way to visualize what they were trying to convey would be to look at a Top Fuel dragster or funny car and the way their rear tires grow from the start to the finish, thereby effecting their final drive ratio..

I think they're saying that as pressures come up, the tire height actually changes, thereby effecting their final ratio.. The taller the tire, the longer the gear. Shorter tire would hit the limiter earlier.

However, I don't think the radials can expand that much..

[Robstar]

An another thing, don't they use gas in the tires (instead of air) specifically to reduce this characteristic?

I'm pretty sure this is not to reduce it, but to make it easier to predict how much the pressure will change...

[G.]

An another thing, don't they use gas in the tires (instead of air) specifically to reduce this characteristic?
They use nitrogen, 'cause it expands less than air. Nitrogen runs all their air tools as well ('cause they got to bring the gas anyway).

[pchall]

However, I don't think the radials can expand that much..

That was one of the advantages touted for the radial when it finally came into top level racing. So much so that I was told Goodyear actually had to build different tires to allow drivers and time to get the stagger they wanted on ovals. Way back when (pre radials) oval racers used to measure the circumferance of tires before and after lapping just to find the right rears that grew the most.

[formulaben]

They best way to visualize what they were trying to convey would be to look at a Top Fuel dragster or funny car and the way their rear tires grow from the start to the finish, thereby effecting their final drive ratio..

I think they're saying that as pressures come up, the tire height actually changes, thereby effecting their final ratio.. The taller the tire, the longer the gear. Shorter tire would hit the limiter earlier.

However, I don't think the radials can expand that much..

Bingo!