Q: Several people have pointed to IMSA’s GTP as a lead IndyCar should be following when it comes to attracting OEMs. But I’m not sure how many of those lessons are applicable to IndyCar. Every GTP car in 2023 had a multipurpose engine: BMW reused its DTM engine, Porsche reused its 918 engine, Honda reused the 2.4L V6 designed for IndyCar. Cadillac’s engine, while technically new, is arguably just a refinement of GM’s small-block V8 designs dating to the ’50s.
If IndyCar were to open up its engine regulations, even with a new chassis, is there any engine design in production that would be suitable? I imagine all of the GTP V8s would be too large for an open-wheeler. And if IndyCar has trouble attracting a third manufacturer to make a bespoke 2.2L or 2.4L V6, I imagine they would have the same trouble attracting one to make a bespoke engine of any other size. I don’t see a good solution here.
On the other hand, I have to roll my eyes at the “vintage series” comments whenever they come up. I think you can have valid reasons to want IndyCar to adopt a new chassis, like weight reduction or fitting a wider variety of engines. But in my eyes, age alone is not a problem to be solved. Pointing to other series that have introduced a new car recently, the biggest motivating factor for most of them was lower downforce to improve the racing, which IndyCar already implemented with the UAK.
Pato O’Ward’s recent comments make it sound like his top priority is that he wants a refresh to the aesthetics, so we have a new-looking car. I think the current cars look nothing like the original DW12, so at most we have six years on the current design. But more importantly I’m not sure a new chassis would bring in new fans. I’ve physically brought two friends to races. Both of them thought the cars looked cool, neither of them thought they looked old, but neither of them became racing fans. They’ll watch a race with me, but don’t seek it out on their own. I don’t know how to change that, but I don’t think a new chassis would be the extra kick needed to get them invested.
Mike, California
MP: All interesting points, Mike. A thing I know: The “vintage series” comments might not resonate, but I also can’t think of any positive angles to promote by having the oldest chassis in use among any professional racing series. Not while that series also has the oldest fan base in all of North American sports.
To a fan who found IndyCar in 2021, the DW12 in its UAK18 bodywork is just as you noted — looks new and cool. To those who’ve been around a while longer, 2024 will mark Year 7 of the UAK18, so it’s probably not as fresh to the eyes for those folks. But the two most popular series in the world have new-ish cars. I get why we’re hearing more calls from fans and drivers to follow suit. Even if it’s the equivalent of keeping up with the Joneses, it’s an issue that deserves acknowledgement.
I’ll come back to a central theme: There are some series that have a real buzz around what they’re doing with new cars or new events. IndyCar has none of that buzz. And it pains me to say that, but it’s true. Pato’s comments come from a place of care and concern. He, like everybody I know who is infected with a passion for IndyCar, wants the series to be cool, and popular, and the place where tickets are sold out and the TV ratings are massive and name-brand sponsors are paying top dollar to be involved.
We just aren’t there right now, and since we don’t know where the series is headed, but do see it getting beaten up by its closest rivals, we want to know IndyCar has a plan to fight back and become better than what it is. And it’s OK to want that, and to be disappointed if it isn’t happening, and to speak out and hope that the concerns are received and properly considered by those who hold the power to make change happen.
Q: Regarding the need and desire for a long-overdue chassis and Mark Miles’ comments last week, why not get creative and do something in between what we have and entirely new car as an interim step?
Consider the differences between the current car and their Batmobile predecessors that also use the DW12 chassis. From a viewer’s perspective they may as well be different cars/chassis. I can hear the line now from team owners about not wanting to invest in an outgoing chassis but it’s been a so-called outgoing chassis for years now and the comments from Miles suggest it’s going to be around at least a little while longer, so do something.
And please, owners — it is not, or doesn’t have to be, that big of a deal to change the parameters in a spec class. It’s not as if every team has to develop their own designs and get in a wind tunnel. The aeroscreens (and same for the halo, to be fair) still look like tacked-on afterthoughts. If nothing more was done other than better integrating these with the rear cowl, revising the pods in front of the rear wheels and changing the profile of the wing endplates, the cars could refresh dramatically.
George, Albuquerque, NM
MP: The beautification initiative IndyCar president Jay Frye led heading into 2018 took the cars to about as good of a place I can hope for, George. Killing the overhead airboxes and tall engine covers in favor of the low-line look most people loved from the CART and Champ Car eras was smart, and the new sidepod profiles also add to the improved looks.
But if a truly new look is going to be achieved, a fresh start is needed. This old house has been remodeled to death.
Q: How are the $2000 tickets selling?
Bill Johnson, San Marcos, TX
MP: I rang Thermal to ask and didn’t get a response, Bill.