New chassis unveiling "within days"?

[L1P1]

http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=103133

Lighter, narrower, less wing, and more tunnel downforce. Should handle better in traffic.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

Can't wait to see it.

[GOFAST1]

I'm so hungry for new car and I hope is fast. :thumbup:

[Hard Driver]

I think that a new chassis is a good symbol to show that the series is growing and viable, rather than giving the impression of limping along using old equipment. Even if the old equipment is very good.

Sounds like the new chassis is moving in the right direction if there are going to be so many street courses. (can it take railroad track jumps ;) )

[rabbit]

(can it take railroad track jumps ;) )Found this spy photo of early testing at San Jose...

http://epsilonrc.free.fr/Image15.jpg

:gomer:

[jonovision_man]

Hey, I see fenders, that couldn't be it. ;) :D

jono

[extramundane]

Found this spy photo of early testing at San Jose...

http://epsilonrc.free.fr/Image15.jpg

:gomer:

*grumble*Dallara crapwagon*grumble*

[NismoZ]

Simple, all it has to be is: stronger, lighter, faster, more powerful, safer, and hot looking! Get it on!

[Easy]

And it can't be built by Dallara because then it will suck. :gomer:

[trauma1]

they can build decent chassis, just earl gave them a POS quidelines to follow, same with panoz, it's not dallara or panoz fault they look that way it's BB and FTG hair brain ideas

[Easy]

That were a joke.

I am aware Dallara is one of the world's premiere race car constructors. Some others round these parts don't see that.

[racer2c]

I couldn't give a flying F who makes the chassis as long as it's good.

So the IRL tells Dallara how ugly to make their cars? :shakehead

[Dr. Corkski]

I couldn't give a flying F who makes the chassis as long as it's good.

So the IRL tells Dallara how ugly to make their cars? :shakeheadTheir job is to make cars that win races, not cars that look good. The Reynards looked better than the Lolas but do you see anyone running them this year?

[racer2c]

Their job is to make cars that win races, not cars that look good. The Reynards looked better than the Lolas but do you see anyone running them this year?

I was actually inquiring (thus the use of the question mark). I've never heard that the IRL submits the design aspects (aesthetics, not dimensional) to Dallara. I find that suspect.

It's moot anyway. Lola will get the contract.

[coolhand]

It's moot anyway. Lola will get the contract.

dont be too sure

[extramundane]

I was actually inquiring (thus the use of the question mark). I've never heard that the IRL submits the design aspects (aesthetics, not dimensional) to Dallara. I find that suspect.

IRL may not designate the aesthetics of the car, but given the crap specs they've got to work with, it's hardly a surprise that the car looks that poor.

Nothing else Dallara has built looks that ugly.

[nrc]

Vegas would be an appropriate place for an unveiling. :D

[cameraman]

Vegas would be a whole hell of a lot better than Ansan that is for sure...

[racer2c]

dont be too sure

Care to for a wager?

[NismoZ]

OK...one more time before I'm proven wrong. The Force-10, Elan Motorsports, Van Dieman buyout/merger stories, combined with more recent rumors of a "3rd tier" Cooper Tire Zetec FF-2000 ChampCar Series (who builds those??) AND venue sharing with ALMS (Donnie Boy?) leads me to believe a final chassis building "accomodation" can be reached as well. Possible? In any case, with 7 design proposals considered I'm guessing only ONE builder will be chosen. With Lola so busy in so many other areas, could this be a way to ensure more attention specifically to CC? By removing Lola could this also be a way to end or at least limit even a perceived advantage that Newman/Haas may have enjoyed? If it ISN'T Lola, how might N/H react? Might Lola, then, be a bigger player in the new spec tubs for the League? Hope it all works out to ChampCar's long-term advantage as well as mutual benefit to their partners...EVEN if the winner is a disguised and updated Lola, as long as it is noticably BETTER! (and I outlined what I think that means, above :))

[NismoZ]

PS...should I also have included "cheaper"? I'm guessing (AGAIN!) Lola could do a VERY cost effective and competitive update more cheaply than anyone else could produce a whole new design?

[pchall]

IRL may not designate the aesthetics of the car, but given the crap specs they've got to work with, it's hardly a surprise that the car looks that poor.

Nothing else Dallara has built looks that ugly.

Yup. Its the crap spec. The Dallara looks like that for one reason --- to go fast at Indy. It is just an inelegant solution to a problem. :rolleyes:

[Easy]

combined with more recent rumors of a "3rd tier" Cooper Tire Zetec FF-2000 ChampCar Series (who builds those??)

Van Diemen and Mygale. Mostly Van Diemen. It is an open chassis series though.

[NismoZ]

There ya go, then...even more evidence! :laugh:

[koolracer]

Care to for a wager?

I wouldn't bet against Lola.

I overheard a Lola employee at Mosport last week talking about their work on the next ChampCar chassis, and this seems to tie in with an imminent announcement.

My money will be on an actual Lola car unveiled at the introduction.

[NismoZ]

Despite all my "evidence" that's what I believe, also.

[Andrew Longman]

Yup. Its the crap spec. The Dallara looks like that for one reason --- to go fast at Indy. It is just an inelegant solution to a problem. :rolleyes:

I'm not trying to disagree, I just want to know. What about the spec and trying to go fast at Indy makes the car ugly?

First I guess we need to agree on what is ugly about the car. On my list is:

the disproportioned "beak" of a nose. It is too long, too narrow and one form make the car look like a woodpecker and the other a platypus.

The airbox, though they can be done without as much mass. Its size only makes worse the pointy beak.

The huge wings, which again adds to the uneven imbalance visual look

The huge endplates, which only seem to serve to give big real estate for big numbers

Now how is any of that dictated by the spec for IMS?

Again. Not trying to be difficult. I just don't know.

[racer2c]

I'm not trying to disagree, I just want to know. What about the spec and trying to go fast at Indy makes the car ugly?

First I guess we need to agree on what is ugly about the car. On my list is:

the disproportioned "beak" of a nose. It is too long, too narrow and one form make the car look like a woodpecker and the other a platypus.

The airbox, though they can be done without as much mass. Its size only makes worse the pointy beak.

The huge wings, which again adds to the uneven imbalance visual look

The huge endplates, which only seem to serve to give big real estate for big numbers

Now how is any of that dictated by the spec for IMS?

Again. Not trying to be difficult. I just don't know.

The sidepods are hideous and their crappy fix for airborn cars with the wicker running the length of the car. There's allot that makes that car fugly. I'd love to sit in on the design meetings..."Yeah...that looks great!"

[coolhand]

The fact is that if you are going to build a car that meets this list of demands.

Win at indy
Race on 15 ovals a season
uses a NA engine
Requires large wings mandated by the league
Must withstand oval impacts

it will look like a crapwagon

[NismoZ]

Rumor says Dallara is out even after a good $$ bid and that it's down to Lola and Panoz/Force-10/Elan/ Van Dieman. What DO we call those guys anyway, just "Panoz"?

[coolhand]

dont forget swift

[Dr. Corkski]

What DO we call those guys anyway, just "Panoz"?Back-breaking crapwagons. :gomer:

[Sean O'Gorman]

I still don't see why it has to be a spec chassis.

[Insomniac]

I still don't see why it has to be a spec chassis.

Keep costs down.

[KLang]

Keep costs down.

Yep, there is a thread over at crapwagon where Neil Micklewright talks about the situation.

[cameraman]

Add a few more days onto the wait


Johnson revealed that the announcement of the 2007 Champ Car formula, which was initially expected to be unveiled ahead of this Saturday’s Las Vegas race, has been delayed as the sanctioning body remains undecided on multiple proposals.

“We're probably two weeks away from announcing the '07 chassis,” he said. “Without tipping our hat, we haven't selected yet who that is going to be. Whichever way we go, it's going to be a major win for the series as well as for the team owners. The car looks fantastic.”

SpeedNews Steve Johnson interview (http://www.speedtv.com/articles/champcar/auto/19702/)

[Andrew Longman]

"The only unification that I'm focused on right now is making sure that everybody that's involved with Champ Car is on the same page, moving the same direction with the same goals in mind. It's not a priority of mine to reunify or to focus on the IRL.” :thumbup: Apparently TG must now simply focus on the IRL... or what's left of it. Since he copied everything else CART did, perhaps he can also immitate how KK et al pulled them from the ashes too. :gomer:

"I've had a lot of discussions already with the team owners. We're in some major negotiations right now with several sponsors that are not only team sponsors but series sponsors. Boy, all I can say is stay tuned because we're going to have some big announcements coming up that has a lot to do with our teams as well as series. So things are actually looking very good there.”

Looks like we all need to find SRDs (sock restraining devices) :D

[G.]

Been a looonnng time since we needed SRD's. :thumbup:

[pchall]

The sidepods are hideous and their crappy fix for airborn cars with the wicker running the length of the car. There's allot that makes that car fugly. I'd love to sit in on the design meetings..."Yeah...that looks great!"


One thing about the pod spec in the required height. Notice how the height requirement (something about sidepod height in relation to the driver's head and torso in the cockpit area as I recall) is achieved at the outside of the pod and then the top of the pod slopes awkwardly down towards the tub. Reducing cross section area for speed at Indy, I suppose.

The snipe beak is part of the singleminded search for speed at one track, probably increasing the length of the moment arm from which the canard wing can supply downforce most effectively in the lowest drag AOA.

[G.]

One thing about the pod spec in the required height. Notice how the height requirement (something about sidepod height in relation to the driver's head and torso in the cockpit area as I recall) is achieved at the outside of the pod and then the top of the pod slopes awkwardly down towards the tub. Reducing cross section area for speed at Indy, I suppose.

The snipe beak is part of the singleminded search for speed at one track, probably increasing the length of the moment arm from which the canard wing can supply downforce most effectively in the lowest drag AOA.
If I may take this opportunity to translate for the less engineering-minded folks here:

The car is butt ugly. :gomer:

[Easy]

Rumor says Dallara is out even after a good $$ bid and that it's down to Lola and Panoz/Force-10/Elan/ Van Dieman. What DO we call those guys anyway, just "Panoz"?

Elan Motorsport Technologies is the name of the parent company. Van Diemen, Panoz, etc.. are products from Elan Motorsport Technologies.

[NismoZ]

Thankyou very much...my wish is that whoever is chosen will be able to contribute the bulk of their time, energy and resources to the CCWS and not treat CC as an afterthought or simply one of many. Is that unrealistic?

[Accipiter]

Wouldn't Panoz/Force-10/Elan Motorsport Technologies/Van Dieman building the Champ Car chassis preclude them from building future Crapwagons?

[NismoZ]

Perhaps, but my guess is that's exactly why they'd like the CC gig...in case there's no NEED to build any more CWs. (?)

[extramundane]

Wouldn't Panoz/Force-10/Elan Motorsport Technologies/Van Dieman building the Champ Car chassis preclude them from building future Crapwagons?

You're assuming that FTG would have the cojones to call Panoz on that. A couple years ago, maybe. Today? Not a chance.

[pchall]

If I may take this opportunity to translate for the less engineering-minded folks here:

The car is butt ugly. :gomer:

Not just butt ugly, but it "makes the Pontiac Aztek look as good as a senior class cheerleader when you're a freshman 'baller" ugly. :D

[trauma1]

panoz is supplying only 7 chassis so thats really only about 3 teams, doesn't make much sense 7 chassis VS 30 or so in 2007 if they get the contract