Fix the Indy 500

[chuck34]

Max, it isn't that Penske doesn't want to do anything exciting with his car, it's that he can't per rules. Development is a double edged sword. Sure it would be cool to see Penske do some radical stuff, but that costs money. So everyone has to spend money to keep up. Pretty soon the RLR's, and Panther's of the world dry up and go away.

[Rex Monaco]

My post was dealing with the Indy 500 being run under a different set of rules than the ICS series itself, as it once was, so as to bring manufacturers interest back to Indy which will hopefully trickle down to the series.

I don't have an issue with strict engine rules for the series, although I don't think leases or requirements to offer engines to everyone has ever ensured that the field was level.

But Indy should be a single event. It's a points race for ICS. But it should also be an event that manufacturers all over the world want to win.

Toyota and Honda chased after wins to garner prestige and make their place in motorsports history. The Koreans, Chinese, Indians and others will likely do the same. Others will revisit those historic venues to renew their images. Indy should make sure that they are known as one of the prestigous races that allows this to happen.

[garyshell]

Adopt the same engine rules and there is where you could save a manufacturer on the development costs. They could compete for a win at Le Man and add the Indy 500 for a few dollars more.

Yep, it would only cost a FEW dollars more to develop an open wheel chassis from the Le Mans prototype one. Ridiculous.

And since you have such a penchant for correcting other's spelling mistakes it is "Le Mans" not "Le Man".

Gary

[garyshell]

My post was dealing with the Indy 500 being run under a different set of rules than the ICS series itself, as it once was, so as to bring manufacturers interest back to Indy which will hopefully trickle down to the series.

I don't have an issue with strict engine rules for the series, although I don't think leases or requirements to offer engines to everyone has ever ensured that the field was level.

But Indy should be a single event. It's a points race for ICS. But it should also be an event that manufacturers all over the world want to win.

Toyota and Honda chased after wins to garner prestige and make their place in motorsports history. The Koreans, Chinese, Indians and others will likely do the same. Others will revisit those historic venues to renew their images. Indy should make sure that they are known as one of the prestigous races that allows this to happen.

Now THAT idea I can get behind!!!!!

I agree that there ought to be a different set of rules, more open ones, for the Indy 500. I think it would do a couple of things. First, it would foster some innovation and second it would be a way for some manufacturers and/or teams to put thier toe in the water.

Nice idea Rex!!!

Gary

[Rex Monaco]

Adopt the same engine rules and there is where you could save a manufacturer on the development costs. They could compete for a win at Le Man and add the Indy 500 for a few dollars more.

Yep, it would only cost a FEW dollars more to develop an open wheel chassis from the Le Mans prototype one. Ridiculous.

When you reread my post and fully comprehend it, then tell me why it's ridiculous to think that a common engine formula with any series wouldn't save on development costs?

[anthonyvop]

When you reread my post and fully comprehend it, then tell me why it's ridiculous to think that a common engine formula with any series wouldn't save on development costs?

Easy.
If a manufacturer enters the series they are going to do it to win so they are going to spend money.

F-1 has a common engine formula do you think they have controled costs. They have even frozen engine development and most of the engine makers spend more money on their engines in one year that the combined budget of almost all the teams in the ICS.

[Rex Monaco]

Easy.
If a manufacturer enters the series they are going to do it to win so they are going to spend money.

You are right. Manufacturers are in racing to win. And we want them to join the ICS with the goal to win. So the way that the ICS can help manufacturers contain costs is by allowing them to spread their egnine development budget out amongst two or more series.

Is it cheaper for Honda to develop an engine for the ICS and Grand Am? Or would it be cheaper for Honda to develop an engine that could be used in both the ICS and Grand Am?

[Rex Monaco]

F-1 has a common engine formula do you think they have controled costs. They have even frozen engine development and most of the engine makers spend more money on their engines in one year that the combined budget of almost all the teams in the ICS.

And what other series does F1 share this common engine formula with?

[anthonyvop]

You are right. Manufacturers are in racing to win. And we want them to join the ICS with the goal to win. So the way that the ICS can help manufacturers contain costs is by allowing them to spread their egnine development budget out amongst two or more series.

Is it cheaper for Honda to develop an engine for the ICS and Grand Am? Or would it be cheaper for Honda to develop an engine that could be used in both the ICS and Grand Am?

Honda doesn't race in the Grand-Am. They race in the ALMS under the acura banner.
Even if they did they are 2 different animals. The Honda in the ICS is a motor that is optimised for Oval racing(Maintaining High Revs for long Periods, a narrow power band) The Acura motor in the ALMS is designed for a wide power band and a lot of low end grunt.
The LMP Acura's are 100's of pounds heavier than an ICS car and are rated at less HP yet their times on Road courses are close to if not equal to an ICS car.
Put the Acura LMP motor in a ICS car on an oval and it would be significantly slower and then blow up.

If they built an engine for both it would be a compromise and not ideal for either series.

[Rex Monaco]

If they built an engine for both it would be a compromise and not ideal for either series.

I'm not an engineer, so I'll take you word on that. Couldn't they share blocks heads and intakes, even if they have different cams and are mapped differently?

And does that also mean that the ICS oval engine is also not suitable for the ICS street and road coarses they race on?