"JEM" (jem)
06/03/2015 at 10:30 • Filed to: INDYCAR, BLACKFLAG
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"JEM" (jem)
06/03/2015 at 10:30 • Filed to: INDYCAR, BLACKFLAG | 0
| 4 |
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
From the article:
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) IndyCar is mandating the use of closure panels on the rear wheel guards for the remaining three superspeedway races. Tuesday’s action is in response to three cars going airborne during preparation for the Indianapolis 500.
The panels will be required for both Chevrolet and Honda and will debut Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway. They also will be used at Auto Club Speedway in California and Pocono Raceway later this season.
IndyCar has tried various different rule changes since Ed Carpenter went airborne on qualifying day for the Indy 500. Helio Castroneves and Josef Newgarden also went airborne in separate incidents.
The closure panel, developed by both Chevrolet and Honda, will be for the front and back of their rear wheel guards. The component is being implemented to eliminate lift when an Indy car is traveling backward at a high rate of speed during an incident.
‘’This has been a collaborative effort with both manufacturers and they have been working on these since the Indianapolis 500 qualifications,’’ said Will Phillips, IndyCar vice president of technology. ‘’These closure panels serve as a blocker so air cannot flow through the rear wheel guards.’’
Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage praised the modification, which has been worked on for two weeks even though there were no incidents during the Indy 500.
‘’I think they have found an effective way to reduce and eliminate the lift that they had problems with in practice at Indianapolis,’’ Gossage said. ‘’This is a logical approach to attacking this problem and hopefully we won’t see that here at Texas at all. I think this is a step in the right direction.’’
IndyCar also mandated that the rear wing angle for Texas be set between (-6) and (-10.5) degrees, which will still result in an increase in overall downforce compared to the 2014 event at Texas.
Gossage believes the rear wing settings ‘’will probably cause the cars to slow down just a little, and I think that is a good move as well. ‘That will also make the cars more drivable. We are pleased IndyCar is working on this. We don’t know what these changes will bring until the green flag drops, but IndyCar is trying and we appreciate that.’’
I agree. I think this is a measured and sensible approach to a serious problem.
Indycar is pretty easy to crap upon for a myriad of reasons but I think credit is due here for coming up with what’s hopefully the right solution for the rest of the season.
Azrek
> JEM
06/03/2015 at 10:35 |
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I found the airborne issues really strange. They spend how much designing these amazing aerokits, but never tested them on a proper high speed oval? They also removed some bits for Indy in case those caused the airborne issues.
Helio’s video is pretty telling as he hunched in to just hang on. But Dario had a similar issues years ago. I just think speed and weight of the cars leads to this regardless of the bits on them.
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JEM
> Azrek
06/03/2015 at 10:52 |
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IIRC, testing was limited as the aerokits were late? I know the manufacturers did a lot of simulation testing, and I’m sure some was done on ovals, but not sure how much. Either way, they would have had to test them running in reverse on a computer (obvs), which I would think they would do but probably in a limited fashion that may not have caught this.
Also, your last point really touched on it I think. These cars are running 200+ mph on an oval. There’s just nothing safe about that in an open cockpit car. I’ve been wondering for years what the speed cutoff can realistically be for racing without it being insanely dangerous and I’d guess we’re probably there. Sure, with an unlimited budget and no design restraints I’m sure you could make a 250 or 275mph racecar that was a lot safer but that wouldn’t be feasible for an existing series with design restraints and trying to keep costs down.
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Azrek
> JEM
06/03/2015 at 11:16 |
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I figured after the tragic death of Dan Wheldon and Dario nearly getting killed; they wouldn’t have rushed anything. So I am not sure rushing is the answer, nor would that be the right answer should any driver get seriously hurt and investigators look into the R&D.
I agree, I think we are at the racing limit in terms of weight, wind, downforce and overall design. Any faster/lighter and all cars are going to need wings and a parachute.
Welcome to Indy Car...here is your parachute.
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JEM
> Azrek
06/03/2015 at 11:32 |
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I don’t think they rushed this decision really. They started doing a ton of research before Indy when the problem came up, and this seems the result of that research.
Sure, it’s probably still a temporary solution for the season, as the correct/perm solution is to re-define the aerokits for the ovals but that would have to be for next year.