Spec Racing Vs Open Formula: Indycar's New Race Cars

Ronnie Schreiber
by Ronnie Schreiber

What motorsports we cover around here at TTAC are usually the participatory variety, the kind without corporate sponsorship (not that there’s anything wrong with that) or deep pocketed and not quite top level talent rent a riders (Baruth will tell you what’s wrong with that). Still, the Detroit Grand Prix has returned after a hiatus caused by the carpocalypse and subsequent bankruptcies and bailouts. Chevrolet has anted up for title sponsorship, and with all three domestic automakers turning a profit plus reduced unemployment in the Detroit area, there was increased demand for sponsorships and vendor space than the last time the race ran, in 2008.

TTAC may not cover top level motorsports but it does regularly address topics like marketing and the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix is nothing if not about marketing. Which is how I ended up at the Detroit Yacht Club, on Belle Isle, the same island park that hosts the racing this weekend, at the media luncheon. The weekend events include a GrandAm Rolex series race for sports prototypes, a Pirelli Challenge GT/GTS race, an Indy Lights supporting race, and the main event, Indycar’s sixth race of the season, the first since the Indianapolis 500. Andy Pilgrim’s Cadillac CTS-VR team was at the luncheon, so was the factory Corvette racing team. In addition to General Motors, another corporate marketing effort was represented by Target Ganassi Racing’s Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, who just finished 1-2 at Indy.

When two noted curmudgeons and on-record critics of the state of open wheel racing in North America like Pete DeLorenzo and Robin Miller agree that the 2012 Indy 500 was one of the best Indy races of all times (Miller actually said it was the best he’d seen) it’s worth noting. It’s particularly noteworthy because both Delorenzo and Miller were somewhat skeptical of Indycar’s new formula, which involves spec chassis made by Dallara with team owners’ choice of new turbo V6 powerplants from Honda, Chevy and Lotus this year, and then individual aero and body packages added next year. Lotus is down on power and there’s been controversy and litigation over how much turbo boost each engine manufacturer will be allowed to use.

The thing is, though, it hasn’t just been Indy. Indycar racing this year has seen good racing, some of the best the series has had. Competitive races with a number of different winners. In five races so far this season, there have been three winners, and the largest margin of victory was 6 seconds. Two races were decided by less than a second (Indy had a smaller margin but it ended under caution and Franchitti, Dixon and Tony Kanaan finished the race in close formation in memory of their good friend Dan Wheldon). Indy this year had a record number of lead changes and the race winner wasn’t really determined until Takuma Sato’s car got loose as he tried to pass Franchitti on the last lap. Say what you will about spec racing, it can be competitive, and I’m guessing that most fans prefer wheel to wheel racing for position over a dominant team winning by multiple laps.

Both Dixon and Franchitti mentioned those large winning margins when I asked them separately about spec racing vs the open formula under which the Indy 500 operated for most of its history, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s, with a run what you brung mentality that managed to keep starry eyed garage built specials in the same paddock as elegantly engineered and innovative racers. I asked both drivers how they’d feel about a return to an open formula, albeit with modern safety requirements. People may look back fondly on all those “specials”, but it was genuinely a bloodsport back then.

As fans and students of the history of motorsports, both racers love that era. Franchitti idolized Jim Clark and has driven Clark’s restored revolutionary Indy winning midengine Lotus around the brickyard, a high point in his life. I asked him if he’d been to the new Racing in America exhibit at the Henry Ford Museum, where the car is on display, and he told me, “I asked them if I could come by and see ‘my girl’ when I was in town and they said, ‘anytime.”

Still, though they appreciate the men and machinery of an earlier ear both Franchitti and Dixon said that the racing this year has been fantastic and that fans don’t really want to see someone win by two laps. Franchitti told me that in light of his connection to Clark’s Lotus he was happy to see a Lotus team back on the grid at Indy, but that it was the right call for race control to black flag and DNF both Lotus cars for not getting up to speed. As drivers Dixon and Franchitti still want fast cars that use the latest technology. Robin Miller has popularized the notion of more horsepower and less downdraft to make it more of a skill competition and less about pedal to the metal lap after lap. It’s an attractive idea and both drivers smiled when I mentioned it. I’m just not convinced that will ever happen. Drivers may say that they want a skill competition but if you press them, most agree with the late Mark Donohue about wanting an unfair advantage.

I said to Dixon, “But don’t you really want the fastest car on the track, a car that wins the pole, takes the first corner and leads every lap before taking the checkered flag,” and he said, “Sure,” and smiled.

Good luck and godspeed, gentlemen.

Ronnie Schreiber
Ronnie Schreiber

Ronnie Schreiber edits Cars In Depth, the original 3D car site.

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  • JMII JMII on Jun 04, 2012

    This year in IRL has been really exciting to watch, sure the same two teams are still winning but the rest of the field seems more competitive (minus the sad Lotus entries). I agree with more power/less downforce - I want to see drivers fighting the car on corner exit. I'm glad the turbos are back they were awesome in the CART days, push-to-pass should return next year and that will add another element that worked well before. Ironically CHAMP came up with almost all the things that are making the IRL fun again, stuff like the "reds" alternate tire. The biggest problem that I see watching the races is not the cars or the spec rules... its the darn start and restarts. Why can't they just use the pit speed limiter and use the longest straight (on Belle Isle that would be the BACK straight) for restarts? Indy was mess this year with people jumping the start and weaving all over the place. On several tracks (like yesterday) the restarts occurred on a corner before the short section. Its just a total mess! I'm a little worried that allowing aero packages is going to give the big budget teams (who already win just about every race) even more of an advantage. Maybe Penske will sell his parts to other teams? Back in the CART days I remember something like that happening. While the races have been closer they need to find a way to balance the field so the smaller teams have a better chance. NASCAR is too much of a spec series, Formula 1 still a bit too open (in terms of downforce tweaks), so right now at least the IRL seems to have hit the sweet spot. Street courses have to go - they suck: too tight, too bumpy. We have plenty of high quality road courses in America so lets start using them! It would be great to see the IRL cars run the new Austin F1 track. I know the promoters love the city circuits but from a fans point of view they are horrible. FYI - I've been to several IRL races at Homestead and Atlanta, seeing (and hearing) them in person is something you have to experience, it's a blast.

  • Conslaw Conslaw on Jun 04, 2012

    I like the idea of using Indy as a testing ground for new technology such as electric cars. I think it can be done as a support race held either the day before or the hours before the Indy 500. They could use one of the days that they used to use for time trials. Having experimental vehicles of different types going around the track would give locals something to show up for on practice days. The Indy cars don't run much during the heat of the day, anyway, so the track could be dedicated to the experimental cars during that period.

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