Q: Happy New Year to yourself and all the Mailbag readers! There is often talk of Indy 500 car prep and how it is worked on in the offseason in preparation for the race. We often hear how devastating it is to wreck the car at 500 qualifying or practice and the backup cars usually being substantially slower. Colton Herta in 2022 comes to mind – I was at the race and he was way off the mark due to a backup being used.
I was wondering if each team dedicated a crew member or members just to this task over the winter off-season, or even throughout the year? Or is the work simply filler during downtime? How many hours could go into a pole-winning car?
I’m sure budget and available talent are obviously determining factors. Do most teams buy new cars to prep for the 500? Recently heard an interview with Josef Newgarden where he said that had new cars for his recent 500 wins, I believe.
Darryl K., Bernville, PA
MP: It’s usually part of each team’s offseason workload. There are specialists who some teams bring in to perform the body fit, and there are some specialists who can be hired to reduce mechanical drag in the suspension and transmission. Hard to say on hours since some teams make it a massive priority while others commit less time and resources, but it’s in the hundreds, easily, for the most committed.
Buying new cars ahead of the Indy 500 is not a common thing. Keep in mind that heading into 2024, Team Penske received all of the insight and tricks that made Chip Ganassi Racing’s cars the best at the Speedway in recent years via the Foyt relationship, so if I was going to make full use of everything related to car builds for the 500 with the best Ganassi+Penske info, and I had the money, I’d start with brand-new cars.
Q: I know you would have to have one hell of a crystal ball to predict the drivers of this team, but does Jack Harvey’s signing with Dreyer & Reinbold for Indy confirms his departure from Coyne? What about any of the other plethora of ‘24 drivers? Any chances of Legge returning to do ovals?
Josh Crawford
MP: Yes, Jack is focused on the 500 with DRR/Cusick. I’ve not heard him mention anything with another team, nor have I head Dale mention Jack’s name. He’s rumored to have gotten almost an entire season with Dale for something in the $1-1.5 million range, which is unheard of, so with all of the increased costs in mind, I can’t see how that type of budget would get him back into a car for something similar with Dale. Coyne wants to have two full-timers, so if that happens, I’d assume Katherine would be up for another Indy 500 run with his team, or another, provided her sponsors are in.
Q: Is IndyCar planning to add power steering to the next car?
William Mazeo
MP: It is not.
Q: I’ve watched F2 with the new Dallara car and now followed the end of season Super Formula test. That car is a Dallara and F1 drivers in the test were impressed how close it was at Suzuka to F1 cars. Certainly seems that IndyCar could develop with Dallara a modern new car with less weight, better looks, newer technology and make better racing.
Even the 2026 F1 car will be smaller, with a simpler engine and hybrid system. I believe the comments of keeping components or similarities to current 12-year-old car are ridiculous. F1 and other series vigorously crash test and safety design. Once the new IndyCar is done, the cost will likely spread over another six-10 years. Give us new motors and an exciting, relevant car. F1 had the Halo first and IndyCar has reacted with body kits, and seems slow to introduce safety and motor upgrades. It’s clunky compared to all other series. Penske, get creative and with it and innovate. It was far more interesting in the 1960s motor-wise and chassis-wise, with roadsters all the way to turbines.
Craig B, Leland, NC
MP: If it wasn’t for IndyCar racing on ovals and all of the added protection that requires throughout the chassis, IndyCar could easily go with a Super Formula-style car. But the demands on an IndyCar are unlike anything found in any other top-tier open-wheel series, so the design challenges are totally unique.
Q: What do some of the IndyCar crews do during the off season? For example, how do the fuelers and the tire changers make ends meet during the long six-month layoff? Similarly, how do the less wealthy drivers and pay drivers make ends meet when no racing takes place?
Jerry, Houston
MP: Best way to answer the pit crew question is to explain that those roles are their secondary job duties, not their primary. The truck driver for Car X might also be the refueler, but their first responsibility is the transportation of the car and equipment, maintenance of that equipment, servicing and presentation of the transporter, and various duties to help the team/car crew.
The gearbox specialist might be the out-side tire changer as well, but that takes up a tiny portion of their days at the track; prepping and servicing the transmission on Car X is Job No. 1. Same goes for back at the shop with mechanics, engineers, managers, and so on.
The long offseason is a time to break everything down, clean and repair everything, build new things, order new things, take in new items — cars and components — and prepare them for the new season. Review all data, devise R&D plans and execute those plans, etc. Also, which is usually forgotten, teams get to spend an offseason being still. Being home. With family. Leading a normal life like everyone else before it turns into six months of non-stop travel.
Paying drivers either come from money and have it, or take a good slice off of the funds they find and bring to teams. Think of them like drivers/agents who take a cut and enjoy the spoils. For the rest who aren’t wealthy or highly sponsored, they tend to do driver coaching with wealthy amateurs — the Ferrari Challenge series is loaded with pros teaching CEOs and the like how to handle fast cars — and some also do driving events for manufacturers where they take invitees around a track or parking lot in the latest creation from Brand X.