When is the IRL slated to go to a new chassis?

[CCFan]

Rumor has it they like the Lola that CC turned down. With a Honda Turbo?

Remember that CC went with Panoz due to the lower cost compared to the Lola (which BTW I also liked the Lola chassis better). I wonder if they would go with the Lola even though it costs more?

[Alexamateo]

Remember that CC went with Panoz due to the lower cost compared to the Lola (which BTW I also liked the Lola chassis better). I wonder if they would go with the Lola even though it costs more?

It may not cost more. They didn't get the bid for ChampCar and Tamburello mentioned losing out in GP2. They may be hungrier and willing to work on a lower gross margin %.

[ZzZzZz]

As we saw with the Panoz, costs are coming down on these technologies. With a couple years elapsed, Lola may be able to shave off a significant portion of their costs.

As an aside, I heard someone on the radio (NPR) talking about how carbon fiber is likely to begin appearring in mainstream production vehicles in the relatively near future. His group has figured out how to implement it into production in a way that it will drastically reduce production costs (and introduced that technology to the public domain). This will also greatly reduce vehicle weight and that fuel useage. (Sorry, i didn't catch his name.)

[Mark in Oshawa]

I think if they go to Panoz, then the merger talk will be deafening. The new DP 01 is a good looking race car, so aesthetically, it would be a step up over the current IRL car, but I don't know if it has an oval package. I suspect it does, but CCWS doesn't seem to be into the oval thing right now (I think it is an error but Iam just a fan, what do I know?). That said, I am sure it can run ovals with a few changes and maybe the IRL would buy a DP-01a? If they don't go to Panoz, the Lola might work, or maybe Dallara will have a new design to put out there? There is nothing to stop the IRL from buying anything as the spec car, but I think no matter what they do, they better make the right decision. The wrong car could hurt the series...

[Jag_Warrior]

Did anyone here see the pictures of the Panoz open wheeler with the airbox? It had been ripped off the WRX site by the time I went there (and the Elan Motorsports employee run through with a bayonet?), but apparently it looked very much like a DP01 with an airbox.

Things that make you go, Hmmmmm........

[Jonesi]

Did anyone here see the pictures of the Panoz open wheeler with the airbox? It had been ripped off the WRX site by the time I went there (and the Elan Motorsports employee run through with a bayonet?), but apparently it looked very much like a DP01 with an airbox.

Things that make you go, Hmmmmm........

They were on the Panoz DP-01 thread at
http://www.rallyforum.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=113180
but they seem to be gone now. Gotta be quick ;-)
Could be a proposal for IRL, but could also be A1GP, GP2, or even Grand Prix Masters.

[Jag_Warrior]

Yeah, that's the one. It was originally on the WRX Atlanta site: http://www.wrxatlanta.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10854

Looks like the entire thread has now been removed. Several have said that the poster was fired from Panoz for posting that picture. It was a fairly stupid thing to do (and to have his name on the PhotoBucket picture), but I really hope he wasn't fired.

[DRC]

...but I don't know if it has an oval package. I suspect it does, but CCWS doesn't seem to be into the oval thing right now (I think it is an error but Iam just a fan, what do I know?).

Remember the DP01 was in development when CC was still running ovals. And while CC is out of ovals this season, they haven't given up on ovals completely. With that in mind, I have to believe there is an "oval package" for the DP01.

So is it with optimism or pessimism that we all speculate that the IRL could adopt the DP01?

[ZzZzZz]

So is it with optimism or pessimism that we all speculate that the IRL could adopt the DP01?

Common sense (aka far-fetched optimism).

[Jag_Warrior]

Common sense (aka far-fetched optimism).

Well put. Yeah, in this sport, "common sense" is an oxymoron.