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IndyCar
INDYCAR: 49-Page Wheldon Crash Report Explored
Marshall Pruett delves into INDYCAR's 49-page brief on the Las Vegas crash and details a number of interesting facts, findings and erroneous assumptions.
INDYCAR provided data traces from the cars involved in the crash, which can be found in SPEED.com's investigation photo gallery. (INDYCAR)
INDYCAR's 49-page brief on the Las Vegas crash provides a rather detailed look at what transpired in the 15-car accident that claimed Dan Wheldon, and also puts to rest a number of the erroneous assumptions and beliefs that soon followed the events of October 16th.
Below is an 11-part breakdown of the more interesting contents within INDYCAR's brief. Items starting in bold denote the sections from INDYCAR's 49-page document.
1) The 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval, as used by the Indy Racing League on its first visit in 1996, underwent changes to track width, banking and grip level by the time the IZOD IndyCar Series returned in 2011.
Historical Background - Las Vegas Motor Speedway
As originally built in 1996, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a 1 ½ mile oval with banking of 12 degrees and traditional configurations. Between 1996 and 2000, INDYCAR hosted one race each year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by and through its premier racing series3. The Champ Car World Series also conducted events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In 1998, Las Vegas Motor Speedway began hosting various stock car racing events sanctioned by NASCAR.
That same year, Las Vegas Motor Speedway was purchased by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (“SMI”), and in 2006 SMI began an extensive reconstruction of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This redesign included constructing a new media center and garage area, reconfiguring the pit lane and its entry location, narrowing the track width, repaving all track surfaces, and modifying the track banking from 12 degrees to progressive banking with the front straight 9 degrees, back straight 9 degrees, and each turn 20 degrees. In 2010, INDYCAR and SMI began negotiations into the possible return of INDYCAR races to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. INDYCAR and SMI reached an agreement whereby the IndyCar Series and Indy Lights would compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. On February 22, 2011, INDYCAR and Las Vegas Motor Speedway announced that a race would be held on October 16, 2011.
2) INDYCAR conducted pre-event tests to evaluate the feasibility of returning to race at the Las Vegas oval. Two uniform comments came from drivers and engineers who tested at Las Vegas prior to the event: The newly-paved surface provided so much grip that there was very little that could be done to remove adequate amounts of downforce, and that cars would likely run nose-to-tail throughout the event because the cars had few, if any measures left to create on-track separation. Teams removed every ounce of downforce they could at Las Vegas, and it still wasn't enough to break up the pack.
Inspections and On-Track Testing
As customary protocol in preparation for a new racing event, INDYCAR conducts a series of on-site inspections and an on-track test to confirm the compatibility of INDYCAR race cars to a race track. The inspections and test include a review of various facility infrastructure areas such as track surface, fencing, barriers, pit lane, garages, medical center, technical inspection, fuel servicing, timing/scoring lines, media, and race control. With regard to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, various track inspections occurred over the course of several months. The initial inspection occurred the first week of November, 2010 and was conducted by INDYCAR Officials Brian Barnhart, President of Competition and Operations Division, and Kevin Blanch, Technical Director, in the presence of Las Vegas Motor Speedway representatives.
The compatibility and performance testing occurred on November 15, 2010. The test included 2 race car/driver combinations selected by INDYCAR and Firestone. One race car was driven by Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske, and the second race car was driven by Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Over the course of the 2-day test, the 2 race cars completed a total of 400 laps, and the top lap speed was 214.456 mph. This test was followed by private testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as individual teams prepared for the race. Early in the week of the race and on each day of the event, INDYCAR conducted race ready inspections. During the event and more specifically, the race weekend, IndyCar Series race cars completed a total of 2910 laps in practice and qualifications by the end of the day on Friday, October 14, 2011.
Through all of these laps, the race cars were monitored by 3-time Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winner and INDYCAR Driver Coach Johnny Rutherford, INDYCAR official observers, and the INDYCAR race control/operations team. In all such cases, the race cars performed as anticipated with no unusual mechanical aspects or performance problems.
3) Questions regarding the qualifications of some drivers (and teams) that participated in the Las Vegas event were raised, which the sanctioning body addressed by outlining its licensing and participation policies. (No rookies competed at Las Vegas in terms of a driver doing his or her first-ever IndyCar oval race, but some, as has been theorized, were lacking the required experience or expertise to race on ovals.)
PHOTOS: Click Here or on the image below to view INDYCAR: Las Vegas Crash Investigation
Driver Qualifications
The 2011 IndyCar Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway included a total of 34 drivers. Every driver in the starting field was properly approved by INDYCAR, licensed by ACCUS-FIA, and in good standing. Pursuant to Rule 4.2(B)(2), licensing requirements include but are not limited to the following:
Eligibility
An applicant must have sufficient competitive driving ability and experience INDYCAR’s determination as to ability will take into account all such factors as INDYCAR deems relevant. The criteria taken into account by INDYCAR are listed below. The criteria are subject to change at any time…. INDYCAR may require the applicant to provide: A current resume containing a complete history of the applicant’s competition to date and demonstrating the applicant’s ability to properly handle the Car; A letter of recommendation from the race director of the series in which the driver last completed; and such other information as INDYCAR may request.
Medical Information – The applicant must provide the medical information required by INDYCAR and must successfully complete any INDYCAR-prescribed physical and psychological examinations, which may include without limitation eye, neurological and substance abuse screening and/or testing.”
All drivers had prior experience in the IndyCar Series and/or other racing series. Of particular note, no driver was participating in his/her first IndyCar Series race event at Las Vegas.
The current Dallara chassis configuration was introduced in 2003.
The Honda engine configuration was originally introduced in 2003 as one of 3 engine manufacturers along with Toyota and Chevy; Honda became the sole supplier in 2006 when the other 2 manufacturers ceased participating in the IndyCar Series.
Currently, the Firestone Firehawk branded racing tires are used in both series.
All of the drivers are subject to annual and random substance abuse testing.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In addition, 5 drivers had previously won the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at least one time.
Team Qualifications
The 34 race car/driver combinations participating in the IndyCar Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway were entered by 17 teams. Because the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race was the final event of the racing season and with a new chassis/engine equipment formula being introduced in 2012, existing teams were participating with additional race cars in the event.
Every team in the starting field was properly approved by INDYCAR, licensed by ACCUS-FIA, and in good standing. Each of the teams had participated in a previous 2011 IndyCar Series event.
In fact, every team had participated in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in which Dan was the winning driver.
4) The 34-car grid that took the start at Las Vegas was also pointed to as a contributing factor in the crash. From a practical standpoint, the contact that sparked the crash took place between the cars running in 12th and 13th place--and drew in approximately a dozen more cars--was a byproduct of the high-grip track and cars that were stuck running nearly identical lap speeds, rather than the volume of cars somehow producing a crash. The same type of crash could have happened in a 15-car race if the leader made contact with the second-place vehicle.
Starting Field
The maximum size of the starting field for a race event is determined by numerous factors as INDYCAR determines appropriate.
This includes without limitation event promoter requirements and venue specific characteristics. Of the venue specific characteristics, a primary consideration has been pit lane space because of a minimum pit box dimension required to accommodate the turning radius of the race cars. With IndyCar Series race cars being 15 feet long, 34 race cars permitted an acceptable pit box dimension of 38 feet per race car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Another consideration is the racing surface itself. With Las Vegas Motor Speedway being a 1 ½ mile oval, 34 race cars permitted 233 feet per race car.Please see further discussion regarding size of starting field, below:
• The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winning drivers included Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Buddy Rice and Dan Wheldon.
• Additional entries included one entry for Bryan Herta Autosport, the 2011 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winning team, and 2 entries for Sarah Fisher Racing, the winning team from the Kentucky Speedway race that immediately preceded the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race.
• There are no race car density guidelines in oval racing. The only guideline/standard known to exist are FIA and Sports Car Club of America standards for road courses and while each would permit 34 race cars on a track the length of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, these guidelines are inapplicable.
• If evenly spaced on the track, 218 feet would separate each race car. While not a standard for open-wheel racing, it is noted that NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race held on October 15, 2011 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway featured 34 vehicles.
• Likewise, the NASCAR Sprint Cup racing series race held on March 6, 2011 had a starting field of 43 vehicles at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Below is an 11-part breakdown of the more interesting contents within INDYCAR's brief. Items starting in bold denote the sections from INDYCAR's 49-page document.
1) The 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval, as used by the Indy Racing League on its first visit in 1996, underwent changes to track width, banking and grip level by the time the IZOD IndyCar Series returned in 2011.
Historical Background - Las Vegas Motor Speedway
As originally built in 1996, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a 1 ½ mile oval with banking of 12 degrees and traditional configurations. Between 1996 and 2000, INDYCAR hosted one race each year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by and through its premier racing series3. The Champ Car World Series also conducted events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In 1998, Las Vegas Motor Speedway began hosting various stock car racing events sanctioned by NASCAR.
That same year, Las Vegas Motor Speedway was purchased by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (“SMI”), and in 2006 SMI began an extensive reconstruction of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This redesign included constructing a new media center and garage area, reconfiguring the pit lane and its entry location, narrowing the track width, repaving all track surfaces, and modifying the track banking from 12 degrees to progressive banking with the front straight 9 degrees, back straight 9 degrees, and each turn 20 degrees. In 2010, INDYCAR and SMI began negotiations into the possible return of INDYCAR races to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. INDYCAR and SMI reached an agreement whereby the IndyCar Series and Indy Lights would compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. On February 22, 2011, INDYCAR and Las Vegas Motor Speedway announced that a race would be held on October 16, 2011.
2) INDYCAR conducted pre-event tests to evaluate the feasibility of returning to race at the Las Vegas oval. Two uniform comments came from drivers and engineers who tested at Las Vegas prior to the event: The newly-paved surface provided so much grip that there was very little that could be done to remove adequate amounts of downforce, and that cars would likely run nose-to-tail throughout the event because the cars had few, if any measures left to create on-track separation. Teams removed every ounce of downforce they could at Las Vegas, and it still wasn't enough to break up the pack.
Inspections and On-Track Testing
As customary protocol in preparation for a new racing event, INDYCAR conducts a series of on-site inspections and an on-track test to confirm the compatibility of INDYCAR race cars to a race track. The inspections and test include a review of various facility infrastructure areas such as track surface, fencing, barriers, pit lane, garages, medical center, technical inspection, fuel servicing, timing/scoring lines, media, and race control. With regard to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, various track inspections occurred over the course of several months. The initial inspection occurred the first week of November, 2010 and was conducted by INDYCAR Officials Brian Barnhart, President of Competition and Operations Division, and Kevin Blanch, Technical Director, in the presence of Las Vegas Motor Speedway representatives.
The compatibility and performance testing occurred on November 15, 2010. The test included 2 race car/driver combinations selected by INDYCAR and Firestone. One race car was driven by Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske, and the second race car was driven by Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Over the course of the 2-day test, the 2 race cars completed a total of 400 laps, and the top lap speed was 214.456 mph. This test was followed by private testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as individual teams prepared for the race. Early in the week of the race and on each day of the event, INDYCAR conducted race ready inspections. During the event and more specifically, the race weekend, IndyCar Series race cars completed a total of 2910 laps in practice and qualifications by the end of the day on Friday, October 14, 2011.
Through all of these laps, the race cars were monitored by 3-time Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winner and INDYCAR Driver Coach Johnny Rutherford, INDYCAR official observers, and the INDYCAR race control/operations team. In all such cases, the race cars performed as anticipated with no unusual mechanical aspects or performance problems.
3) Questions regarding the qualifications of some drivers (and teams) that participated in the Las Vegas event were raised, which the sanctioning body addressed by outlining its licensing and participation policies. (No rookies competed at Las Vegas in terms of a driver doing his or her first-ever IndyCar oval race, but some, as has been theorized, were lacking the required experience or expertise to race on ovals.)
PHOTOS: Click Here or on the image below to view INDYCAR: Las Vegas Crash Investigation
Driver Qualifications
The 2011 IndyCar Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway included a total of 34 drivers. Every driver in the starting field was properly approved by INDYCAR, licensed by ACCUS-FIA, and in good standing. Pursuant to Rule 4.2(B)(2), licensing requirements include but are not limited to the following:
Eligibility
An applicant must have sufficient competitive driving ability and experience INDYCAR’s determination as to ability will take into account all such factors as INDYCAR deems relevant. The criteria taken into account by INDYCAR are listed below. The criteria are subject to change at any time…. INDYCAR may require the applicant to provide: A current resume containing a complete history of the applicant’s competition to date and demonstrating the applicant’s ability to properly handle the Car; A letter of recommendation from the race director of the series in which the driver last completed; and such other information as INDYCAR may request.
Medical Information – The applicant must provide the medical information required by INDYCAR and must successfully complete any INDYCAR-prescribed physical and psychological examinations, which may include without limitation eye, neurological and substance abuse screening and/or testing.”
All drivers had prior experience in the IndyCar Series and/or other racing series. Of particular note, no driver was participating in his/her first IndyCar Series race event at Las Vegas.
The current Dallara chassis configuration was introduced in 2003.
The Honda engine configuration was originally introduced in 2003 as one of 3 engine manufacturers along with Toyota and Chevy; Honda became the sole supplier in 2006 when the other 2 manufacturers ceased participating in the IndyCar Series.
Currently, the Firestone Firehawk branded racing tires are used in both series.
All of the drivers are subject to annual and random substance abuse testing.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In addition, 5 drivers had previously won the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at least one time.
Team Qualifications
The 34 race car/driver combinations participating in the IndyCar Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway were entered by 17 teams. Because the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race was the final event of the racing season and with a new chassis/engine equipment formula being introduced in 2012, existing teams were participating with additional race cars in the event.
Every team in the starting field was properly approved by INDYCAR, licensed by ACCUS-FIA, and in good standing. Each of the teams had participated in a previous 2011 IndyCar Series event.
In fact, every team had participated in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in which Dan was the winning driver.
4) The 34-car grid that took the start at Las Vegas was also pointed to as a contributing factor in the crash. From a practical standpoint, the contact that sparked the crash took place between the cars running in 12th and 13th place--and drew in approximately a dozen more cars--was a byproduct of the high-grip track and cars that were stuck running nearly identical lap speeds, rather than the volume of cars somehow producing a crash. The same type of crash could have happened in a 15-car race if the leader made contact with the second-place vehicle.
Starting Field
The maximum size of the starting field for a race event is determined by numerous factors as INDYCAR determines appropriate.
This includes without limitation event promoter requirements and venue specific characteristics. Of the venue specific characteristics, a primary consideration has been pit lane space because of a minimum pit box dimension required to accommodate the turning radius of the race cars. With IndyCar Series race cars being 15 feet long, 34 race cars permitted an acceptable pit box dimension of 38 feet per race car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Another consideration is the racing surface itself. With Las Vegas Motor Speedway being a 1 ½ mile oval, 34 race cars permitted 233 feet per race car.Please see further discussion regarding size of starting field, below:
• The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winning drivers included Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Buddy Rice and Dan Wheldon.
• Additional entries included one entry for Bryan Herta Autosport, the 2011 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race winning team, and 2 entries for Sarah Fisher Racing, the winning team from the Kentucky Speedway race that immediately preceded the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race.
• There are no race car density guidelines in oval racing. The only guideline/standard known to exist are FIA and Sports Car Club of America standards for road courses and while each would permit 34 race cars on a track the length of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, these guidelines are inapplicable.
• If evenly spaced on the track, 218 feet would separate each race car. While not a standard for open-wheel racing, it is noted that NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race held on October 15, 2011 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway featured 34 vehicles.
• Likewise, the NASCAR Sprint Cup racing series race held on March 6, 2011 had a starting field of 43 vehicles at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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