Q: After watching the 1000 Miles and the 12 Hours at Sebring, do you think the Acura ARX-06 would have a chance against the Toyota if they race together?
Guillermo Calvillo
MP: In time, maybe. As I expected, the debut race for converged Hypercar and LMDh/GTP formulas showed one formula was favored through BoP than the other, and on long runs, the Cadillac LMDh/GTP and the Porsche LMDhs/GTPs weren’t capable to staying with the Toyota Hypercars. No blame to any of the three manufacturers; it’s just a byproduct of the ACO/FIA WEC and IMSA failing to agree on a single prototype formula, and since they went down their own roads, it was always going to end up with favor falling with one formula instead of a true 50/50 shot for either formula to win at Sebring.
They’ll have a few more opportunities to get it right before the big one at Le Mans in June, and I really hope we don’t get into race week there and find one formula beating the other due to BoP. But I also won’t be alarmed if that happens…which is why I have and will always hate BoP.
Q: I’m watching the 12 Hours of Sebring and with about five hours to go there’s a full-course caution for a big piece of debris on the 3.74-mile track. After spending a dozen years of going to oval races at the Milwaukee Mile, I went to my first race at Road America in 1978 and was introduced to the concept of the “local yellow.” It was displayed in the (usually a) corner where there was debris or a disabled car. After the field had passed by the situation for a couple of laps, corner workers were able to go out and resolve the issue. As time has gone by, that concept has disappeared, understandably for corner worker safety. I’m still haunted by watching live the unfortunate incident of Willy T. Ribbs at the 1990 CART race in Vancouver.
This leads me to thinking outside of the box and adding a question. Drones are being used to provide incredible views during race action. I’m sure drones can be fitted to replace the corner workers in retrieving large pieces of debris once a local yellow has been established and all drivers are aware of it. That would eliminate some, if not many, full course cautions for debris on road courses. (Street circuits are a different subject).
So my question is, would the sanctioning bodies be interested in using that kind of technology to reduce the interruption of races, or do they prefer being able to use the “debris caution” as a way to increase drama?
JZ in Wisconsin
MP: I love your line of thinking here, and while I’m not sure most drones are capable of clamping onto and removing heavier items, it does lead me to wonder if and what kind of solutions might be considered in the future. How about of a bunch of rocket-fast Roombas that are deployed to vacuum up tire marbles and whatnot?
Kidding aside, somewhat, I do wonder when we’ll get to a place where IndyCar and IMSA can follow F1 and the WEC with Code 60/Virtual Safety Car all the cars are brought down to a slow speed in an affected area where a piece of debris is on the circuit where a safety truck can sprint out, retrieve it, and get the race back to green.
Going full-course yellow for everything just kills my brain.
Q: While watching the Phoenix Cup Series race I saw the word “McLaren” on the side of Kyle Busch’s car. Is that Bruce McLaren McLaren? F1/Indy Car McLaren? Does this mean Rowdy at the Indy 500 too?
Bernardo, Canyon Lake, TX
KELLY CRANDALL: The logo on Busch’s car was McLaren Custom Grills, which is a Canadian company that does custom barbeque products. However, the McLaren that you’re thinking of does have a presence in NASCAR as the supplier of the ECU units teams used and the digital dash in the Cup Series cars. They’ve been in the sport for years. As for Busch running the Indianapolis 500, he would like to do that one day and has routinely said that. It was even something he addressed with Richard Childress when signing with him, and Childress is all for it.