Q: You previously mentioned the fact that Dallara is currently working on a new speedway front wing design for next year. From my understanding, the idea behind it is to have more front downforce in order to improve car handling. This is to compensate for the added weight of the upcoming ERS, and the extra dirty air generated by the aeroscreen. Am I correct, so far?
Regarding the latter point, you also quoted (in last week’s Mailbag) Helio and Dixie saying that it’s good to have downforce on ovals if you want to survive in the dirty air. Since these are two of the most successful and experienced drivers who have been in the business for the past 20 years, I’m certainly not going to question anything they say.
Now, as an IndyCar fan with an engineering degree, I’ve been following up with quite a bit of interest what the DW12 has been through in terms of R&D. And what I do remember from the last 11 years of watching this car evolve through time is that adding downforce on ovals produces different results depending on which part of the car generates it. Correct me if I’m wrong, but if the added downforce is produced by the floor of the car (by ground effect), the added drag and wake turbulences range from minimal to none, and your car is also less affected by dirty air. However, if the added downforce is produced by the wings (which is the case here), this means more drag, a more turbulent wake, and a car that’s much more sensitive to dirty air.
So, with all that in mind, isn’t it counter-productive for Dallara to work on a new front wing that produces more downforce, since this will ultimately also mean a more turbulent wake and more sensitivity to dirty air? I get the idea that more front downforce is needed for next year’s car, I’m only questioning the way Dallara chose to achieve this in the context of designing a car that is expected to produce good racing. Wouldn’t they get the same downforce numbers buth with less drag and wake turbulences by seeing things this way: more overall downforce and shifting the balance to the front? In other words: wouldn’t it be better to make changes to the underwing (to increase the overall downforce, with very little added drag) and then downsize the rear wing (to shift the balance forwards)?
Xavier
MP: We need to think in terms of aero tuning and aero efficiency here. With its existing speedway front wing, teams and drivers have found that they could use more downforce to provide stability while cornering in a line of cars. And they can crank the front wing angle adjuster and apply more downforce, but due to the wing’s design, a lot of unwanted drag would also be created with that increased nose-down and drag-inducing wing angle.
A new, more powerful wing design that generates more downforce at a shallower angle — closer to flat — would create greater stability without inducing as much drag. And since the front wing is the primary aero tuning device used during the speedway races, it’s the right area of aero to modify.
Q: Eagerly awaiting the debut of “100 Days to Indy.” How cool would it be to see Katherine Legge have a segment on the show? It’s great to have representation, and her story seems interesting. A decade after her first shots at the 500, she has gotten another based upon her strong career. I feel there is enough for a good storyline.
K.S., King County, WA
MP: I’d be shocked if Kat isn’t part of the series. They’re focusing on a few drivers per episode; Newgarden and McLaughlin are the main characters in the debut episode. Will Power and Pato O’Ward, I believe, are in the second or third, and so on. I look forward to hearing what people think of the first episode and really hope Vice and Penske Entertainment take the input and private criticism they received last weekend and make fast and sweeping improvements to the project. Everybody said the right thing on social media to support the project, but behind the scenes, the real opinions rarely matched the front-facing comments to the world.
The bones of a good docuseries are there. But some of the decisions made in the opener blew my mind. I know this series isn’t made for diehard fans and those of us on the inside; it’s meant to introduce a brand-new audience — a younger audience — to IndyCar. Thinking of what I saw from that perspective, there are a number of things that could hook new fans. But there are also some items — from the first second — that have me worried. I’ll keep the rest to myself for now and look forward to reading the reactions and opinions after it airs on April 27. I really hope it succeeds in its mission.
Q: Long Beach always seems to be very well-attended, and just by the eye test, seems to be the best-attended event outside of the 500. My question is, what are the most attended races on the schedule?
Eric Batch, Carmel, IN
MP: Obvious stuff up front with the 500 and Long Beach. After that, using the same eye test, I’d think Road America, Mid-Ohio, Barber, Iowa, and Toronto are next on the list. It sounds like Detroit could be joining them, based on what Penske Corporation president Bud Denker told me on Sunday at Long Beach.