Q: I am headed to Long Beach for the first time. Any suggestions about what to do pre-race/post race to get the full experience? Any suggestions about what to do in/around the Long Beach area?
Since everyone and their uncle is trying to preserve the series and grow the brand, I have a few quick thoughts/questions and want your input:
Do you think it would make sense for the series to announce some way to get a new chassis into development with enough of a timeframe for the teams to plan out its purchase? With that, if IndyCar cannot make full-scale changes to its existing spec cars, is having different, smaller changes to the new car each year a way to adapt, but not break the bank?
With that, would it make sense to have that newly announced chassis adaptable enough to take on engines of various sizes to allow for manufacturer flexibility? Could the Chevy/Honda racing arms be OK with supporting the series for a few more years under the current design with the knowledge that there would be a planned ‘open forum’ like IMSA’s that could allow them to not invest so much in different domains? Was Michael Andretti right?
I know the design of the heat races at Thermal did not work out that great, but if IndyCar were to do something like this again, even for points, it seems like having either a real race and/or forcing enough laps for a pit stop and new tires would be good. It feels like you need to have tire wear as part of the process. Also, the in-line restarts for a sprint all but guarantees less racing, as it gets to an extended single file with little action quickly. Might there be some means to make that change to two-by-two rows for all restarts?
I’d really like to hear about your specific feelings about guaranteed spots for the Indy 500. Robin softened on the issue over time, and I think it is pretty hard to run a racing business where the core teams — the franchises — may be left out of their sponsors’ big cash cow moment. I am all for traditions, but if the series wants to keep growing/maintaining feels like there might need to be a compromise. Love to hear your thoughts.
Tim, Chicago, IL
MP: Lots to cover, Tim. Working backwards, I have always hated the concept of guaranteed starting spots. My first year at Indy was in 1997 with a team that wasn’t part of the 25 guaranteed entries, and we had to fight like hell to become one of the eight independent entries to qualify for the race. I always like to kick the subject out of racing and see how it fits in another sport: How would NFL fans react to the league saying that the first 25 teams that came into existence were guaranteed spots in the playoffs every year and the other seven — simply because they are newer and might be far better than some of the guaranteed 25 — must fight their way into the playoffs, regardless of their record? Makes no sense there, and it makes no sense here.
I don’t see this as a tradition. Those NFL teams all have major sponsors, and if they aren’t good enough to make it into the playoffs, those sponsors also face the promotional consequences. If we’re trying to create guarantees in sports, which betrays the basic premise of sports where the outcomes aren’t predetermined, it will never make sense to me.
Removing the risk of failure to take part in our biggest race is the poisonous relative of (Almost) Everybody Gets A Trophy.
IndyCar gave its owners a long lead time to prepare for the arrival of the Dallara DW12; word of the new-for-2012 car was shared with them in 2010. I’d expect IndyCar to do the same when a date is set for the DW12’s replacement.
Back in the day, customer chassis suppliers would make bespoke Indy cars, with the mid-1980s being the most fertile period where V6s from Buick, and longer V8s from a variety of engine builders, were designed with special fitments to accept their lengths, widths, and heights. Although this is no longer needed with today’s tight engine regulations, Dallara does work with Chevy and Honda to make or fit all of the accessories that support the engines in the sidepods, but the engines themselves plug right into the same chassis and same drivetrain and bodywork.
If IndyCar chose to allow a range of engine options, it could ask Dallara to try and come up with a universal fitment solution — making the engine bay like a size 12 shoe where anything smaller, within reason, could be installed and ballasted accordingly — where the rest of the car wouldn’t need to be custom fit to each engine type. Doing custom floors that are longer or shorter, spacers to lengthen or shorten the wheelbase to match the engine’s length, and/or custom rear suspension A-arms to alter the wheelbase or weight distribution, and whatnot, would be an expensive proposition.
Dallara would also likely need to do custom sidepods and engine covers unless they did universal solutions that are wider and taller to fit all engine widths and heights and lengths.
This is what we did back in the day. Not sure if there’s a willingness to go back to those days, but if so, it wouldn’t be new for IndyCar.
On Long Beach, it all depends on what you like. Tons of movie and TV history to absorb if that’s your thing. Some great beaches and landmarks. Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles, which is a few blocks away from the Turn 11 hairpin, is a traditional stop. If you’re near Burbank, one of the great and few remaining auto and racing bookstores is a pilgrimage to make.
And if you’re able to fly in early, the Road Racing Drivers’ Club annual Long Beach dinner on Thursday night of the event is a special one this year with three-time F1 champion Jackie Stewart as the special guest and honoree. It’s not cheap, but you’ll mingle and dine with an endless array of racing legends, about a third of the current IndyCar drivers, and have an unforgettable evening.
Q: In answer to your response to Tom H’s idea of teaming drivers, each driver would drive their own car. However, the on-board starting of the hybrid could lead to additional features There could be a Le Mans start to start the race. Then, taking a page from Pro Wrestling tag teams, when it is time to switch, the second driver must tag the first car as it comes to a stop and run to his own car, the same distance as on the initial start. Controls could be in place that the transition from electric to ICE can occur at the same minimum speed for all cars.
On another subject, I recently read an ad for a new Honda outboard motor. The ad described it as the first V8 Honda developed. Should we read anything into this?
Walt, Dolan Springs, AZ
MP: Yes, I can confirm Honda’s new V8 boat motor is its NASCAR Cup motor. It will make its debut next February at Daytona in Lake Lloyd. I love the tag-team idea as long as we get the waiting driver straining to reach the driver who pitted, just like we see in every tag-team match, and struggle to tag in for two or three minutes.