Shell/Pennzoil and the future IndyCars

[ICWS]

Does anyone think that this recent partnership with Roger Penske and Shell can be viewed as a possible indication of what the new cars' engines are going to be like? What if IndyCar decides to allow turbo engines with the fuel being biodiesel (a combination of the existing ethanol fuel with Shell diesel fuel)? I know that seems farfetched by I personally would like to see that happen. Any thoughts?

[anthonyvop]

Does anyone think that this recent partnership with Roger Penske and Shell can be viewed as a possible indication of what the new cars' engines are going to be like? What if IndyCar decides to allow turbo engines with the fuel being biodiesel (a combination of the existing ethanol fuel with Shell diesel fuel)? I know that seems farfetched by I personally would like to see that happen. Any thoughts?

The Shell Sponsorship for Penske is for their NASCAR team. There has been talk about possibly also being an associate sponsor of their ICS team but nothing major is foreseen.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I don't see it. We wont see a diesel I don't think in Indycar...but then again, who knows? Maybe the Deltawing pans out and they put in diesels? At this point, I don't try to outguess where Roger is going with this. Chances are, NASCAR is all Shell wants and is interested in for its brand and the Pennzoil brand. Why they bailed tho on RCR is a bit of mystery in some senses because the Penske lads haven't won any more big races than the RCR guys....

Heck..Harvick took them to victory lane in Daytona......

[DanicaFan]

The Shell Sponsorship for Penske is for their NASCAR team. There has been talk about possibly also being an associate sponsor of their ICS team but nothing major is foreseen.

Shell will be an associate sponsor with Penske's Indycar teams next year.

[BobbyC]

Shell also gains exclusivity in all Penske dealerships, Penske Truck Rental trucks, and other Penske-related businesses.

[Chris R]

Shell also gains exclusivity in all Penske dealerships, Penske Truck Rental trucks, and other Penske-related businesses.

interesting - so really this deal has very little to do with racing at all and a whole bunch to do with selling Penske a lot of oil products.... In effect the cost of doing business with Penske is to fund his racing teams....

[Chris R]

I don't see it. We wont see a diesel I don't think in Indycar...but then again, who knows? Maybe the Deltawing pans out and they put in diesels? At this point, I don't try to outguess where Roger is going with this. Chances are, NASCAR is all Shell wants and is interested in for its brand and the Pennzoil brand. Why they bailed tho on RCR is a bit of mystery in some senses because the Penske lads haven't won any more big races than the RCR guys....

Heck..Harvick took them to victory lane in Daytona......


see above post - I suspect Penske and his companies can buy a lot more oil than Childress' winery (that is his other business right??).. This sponsorship is more likely the result of a B to B deal (like much of the funding that drover CART in its day...)

[ICWS]

I just assumed that it could be a possibility that Shell could take part in the fuel situation for IndyCar instead of just a Roger Penske partnership. Afterall, Ilmor (the company that supplies IndyCar engines for Honda) has a partnership with Roger Penske so just because it is a Penske sponsorship doesn't automatically mean its not going to involve the whole series.

Its also similar to how Bobby Rahal's team had Ethanol sponsorship even after Ethanol became the fuel supplier for the IndyCar series.

[Chris R]

Does Ilmor still do the Honda engines?

[V12]

I thought Ilmor was Honda's way of getting into the IRL at the last minute in 2003 (they made the decision much later than Toyota who I think had announced it a year or more in advance although I may be wrong on that one). Honda wouldn't have had the time to design and build a competitive engine from scratch so they bought the rights to slap their name on Ilmor's engine (which I believe was originally intended for CART customers at a time when there were rumours that CART would adopt the IRL's engine formula)

However I believe since then Honda have taken over the project themselves, not sure how much of the current engine is an Ilmor since the IRL isn't exactly a hotbed of technological development, although the engines did have to be reduced by 500cc in 2004.

Also the Ilmor "Honda" was regarded as weaker than the Toyota (and even the Chevy-badged Cosworth when it arrived) in 2003, but in a few years time the Honda had become so dominant to the point it drove the other two away, which tells me that they may have taken the thing in-house and made a big push with it.

By the way I'm writing all this from memory so feel free to correct me on anything!

[Mark in Oshawa]

see above post - I suspect Penske and his companies can buy a lot more oil than Childress' winery (that is his other business right??).. This sponsorship is more likely the result of a B to B deal (like much of the funding that drover CART in its day...)

Yes..that does make more sense...good point Chris.