Daytona 500 and the Lola Indycar Design

The 2010 Daytona 500 has been and gone and what a race it was.

Lots of lead changes, drivers racing for themselves and not just "cruising" round unable to break the draft, the most physical Daytona race in a long time, three G-W-C attempts and a great charge from the 88 to raise the excitement level at the very end.

The drivers rewarded NASCARs confidence in them with the relaxed rule changes, largest ever restrictor plates, and the new G-W-C rule by providing the fans with a good race.  

A GOOD RACE!!

The argument for resurfacing Daytona is now much stronger than it was prior to Speedweeks thanks to the lengthy repair saga mid-race. The track officials have apologised for the lengthy delays (I am being polite). We all know the track will be working overtime to ensure that when NASCAR return to the track they know how to deal with the situation and will be able to carry out repairs much more efficiently if the need arises.

So do you, as it has been put, patch or repave?? In reality it looks like the track needs to be repaved as it is very bumpy and obviously has some issues, however be careful. At the moment Daytona is the "handling" track, while Talladega is the "speed" track of the restrictor plate world, with 'Dega being smooth and just plain fast. I would not want to mess with this balance. When Darlington was repaved the owners tried very hard to maintain the surface characteristics, its grip  and wear levels, with the new surface keeping as many of the same characteristics that made the track what is was. If they are to repave Daytona I hope they make it smoother but keep the surface as in keeping with what they have now as they can. Do not change the surface, just refresh it.

It is common knowledge that I am a fan of the COT, and am not offended by the rear wing. If I was NASCAR I would not change the restrictor plate package this year. If they are going to introduce the spoiler back into Cup then fine, but keep the wing and the wicker and the large plate at this years 3 remaining plate races. If the 500 was anything to go by the package is not broken, so for this season, don't try to fix it.

Will the 500 give us a good idea of who will be at the top of the Chase at the end of the year, probably not as restrictor plate races have always had a mind of their own and the 500 doubly-so! I hope drivers like McMurray, Allmendinger, Earnhardt, Biffle, Bowyer, and Kahne can maintain the form shown at the weekend. This year could do with some different names doing well week in, week out.

Lastly, Lola have now released images of their proposed new for 2006 Indycar. Sorry 2012.  It is another evolutionary design which focuses on a standard centre with what appears to be two different interchangeable aero packages and the same centre for the Indycar Series as IndyLights. The idea of keeping common items between the lower IndyLights and the top Indycar Series is a good one as it should keep costs down and safety standards up, but surely the talents at Lola could come up with something a bit more exciting that a rehash of the existing cars.

I know I am on my own but I still fancy developing the DeltaWing!

Indycar Series of the Future

The Indycar Series have now revealed details of the proposals for their next generation race car. Swift, Dallara, Lola and DeltaWing have submitted designs, and all but Lolas designs have been made public.

Am I the only one excited by the DeltaWing and the Dallara "deltawing-stylee" designs?

A modern, nay futuristic design of single seater with the emphasis on lower costs, better gas mileage blah blah, oh and better racing!! I quite fancy the idea of 33 DeltaWing race cars starting the 2012 Indy 500. At least it would give the currently stalling series a whole new look and feel, and maybe show the world the way singe seater designs should go. What is impressive is the new DeltaWing web site. It shows the car in various high-res shots, with computer generated simulations of the car driving round Mid Ohio and Indy. It also has computer generated depictions of the aerodynamic forces on the car and a simulated wind tunnel. With such a revolutionary design these pictures and videos are welcome as they give us an insight into what the designers expect of the car. To me the answers given by this information look impressive.

Questions then... How will the cars handle on the short tracks and road courses with the very narrow front end and narrow front tyres? Does the design provide enough side impact protection for the driver. I am liking the almost retro "Indy Roadster" style cockpit surround though.



The first Dallara design, is an evolution of the current and far too long standing Indycar Series chassis. This is evolution in the way that BMW design evolved in the pre-Chris Bangle era, while the DeltaWing is the Bangle bustle or last generation 5-Series for the racing world! Personally I like the, now outgoing, Bangle BMW designs (1 series coupe and 5 M-Sport especially), and was never offended by Bangles bold new look for the previously conservative automaker. In fact Bangles design cues can now be seen on most new road cars, and have become normal! On this basis it is probably not surprising that I actually like the bolder proposals.

The yellow Dallara is almost the forgotten design, in the middle of the bold, and the evolutionary. Conservative in the basics, wings / side pods etc, but with modern aerodynamic themes thrown in. I am not sure what to think of it really, you wonder if its only in there to put the emphasis onto the other designs after all if you are going to change, change the lot!

It is the Dallara Concept 3 design that is closest in basic design to the DeltaWing. With a more conservative front end, but with the delta rear it is a balance between the old and what may become the new. To me it is arguably the best looking because of it. I am interested in the idea that the airflow through the cars can be influenced to the point where the car behind gets as much air as the leading car, thereby helping the racing, and the delta style designs seem more in keeping with this to me. Current single seaters rarely care about such things.

Swifts design is equally as intriguing. With the engine open to nature and a very complex aero package Swift have apparently gone in a different direction to the other proposals. What all this means I do not pretend to understand. I do like the lights on the car telling the fans who is leading, throttle and brake positions.



As for Lolas design... hopefully we will get to see it at some point, but for some reason, not yet. 

I would like to challenge one of the chassis manufacturers to design a 21st century front-engine Indy Roadster!

Of the designs submitted so far, go on, be bold, try the DeltWing!!