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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Series Sets Aero Spec After Texas Test
After reviewing the aero data from last week's Texas oval test by KV Racing, INDYCAR's Will Phillips tells SPEED.com the series is pleased with its findings.
Simona de Silvestro sampled the superspeedway aero spec at Texas that the IndyCar Series will use on all big ovals next year. (Photo: KV Racing)
With help from the two-car KV Racing team, the IZOD IndyCar Series evaluated changes to its aerodynamic configuration for next year’s race on the 1.5-mile Texas oval, and with a few days to pour over the data, came away pleased with the outcome.
Drivers Tony Kanaan and Simona de Silvestro took turns lapping the high-banked track in their Chevy-powered Dallara DW12s last week, with the pair offering input on back-to-back changes between the standard 2012 oval package, used during June’s Texas 550 race, and the Speedway oval configuration that debuted at Indianapolis and was later used at Fontana.
A last-minute call to greatly reduce downforce for the Texas event produced some of the most entertaining racing of the year as drivers fought knife-edge cars that suffered from aero imbalances and tire degradation, but since then, refining the rules and bodywork for the series’ return to the Lonestar state in 2013 has been a priority.
The most notable change—a switch to the low-drag ‘Cadillac’ rear wheel pods— during the test provided the biggest gain and will allow the series to mandate a uniform aero package for Indy, Texas, Pocono and Fontana next year.
“The intent, with KV going to Texas, is Texas was an oddball venue in terms of the look of the car in 2012,” INDYCAR VP of technology Will Phillips told SPEED.com on Tuesday. “It didn’t look the same as the other superspeedway specifications we ran. I prefer personally to look at the car in superspeedway spec. And [Texas] was the first venue where we asked the drivers to race with less downforce—to a bigger degree than they’d been asked to.
“As KV were already going there, they were willing to test almost identical downforce levels, albeit using the superspeedway rear wheel pods with some changes in parts to make the aero balance the same.”
Phillips confirmed KV used existing 2012-spec aero components during the test rather than new bodywork pieces, and thanks to the slick superspeedway rear wheel pods, a jump in lap speeds—up from the 215 mile per hour laps seen in June—were recorded.
“It will mean we’ll be approximately 2.5 mph faster than we were this year, but I didn’t have a concern over that,” Phillips remarked. “I think it will probably promote the tire degradation we already saw, because of the slightly higher tire load due to the speeds, and we’ll have a good window of drop-off, if you like.
“That’s not what a tire company (Firestone) wants to hear, but it means you have to better manage your degradation from beginning to end on a stint. And there was a reduction in drag with the speedway wheel pods that might carry in a positive direction for the show.”
Kanaan confirmed Phillips' comments about the increased pace of the DW12 ("it was a lot quicker") before moving on to team-based test items.
Phillips says based on the data he’s reviewed this week, teams and drivers can expect similar chassis setups and driving experiences at Texas in 2013.
Drivers Tony Kanaan and Simona de Silvestro took turns lapping the high-banked track in their Chevy-powered Dallara DW12s last week, with the pair offering input on back-to-back changes between the standard 2012 oval package, used during June’s Texas 550 race, and the Speedway oval configuration that debuted at Indianapolis and was later used at Fontana.
A last-minute call to greatly reduce downforce for the Texas event produced some of the most entertaining racing of the year as drivers fought knife-edge cars that suffered from aero imbalances and tire degradation, but since then, refining the rules and bodywork for the series’ return to the Lonestar state in 2013 has been a priority.
The most notable change—a switch to the low-drag ‘Cadillac’ rear wheel pods— during the test provided the biggest gain and will allow the series to mandate a uniform aero package for Indy, Texas, Pocono and Fontana next year.
“The intent, with KV going to Texas, is Texas was an oddball venue in terms of the look of the car in 2012,” INDYCAR VP of technology Will Phillips told SPEED.com on Tuesday. “It didn’t look the same as the other superspeedway specifications we ran. I prefer personally to look at the car in superspeedway spec. And [Texas] was the first venue where we asked the drivers to race with less downforce—to a bigger degree than they’d been asked to.
“As KV were already going there, they were willing to test almost identical downforce levels, albeit using the superspeedway rear wheel pods with some changes in parts to make the aero balance the same.”
Phillips confirmed KV used existing 2012-spec aero components during the test rather than new bodywork pieces, and thanks to the slick superspeedway rear wheel pods, a jump in lap speeds—up from the 215 mile per hour laps seen in June—were recorded.
“It will mean we’ll be approximately 2.5 mph faster than we were this year, but I didn’t have a concern over that,” Phillips remarked. “I think it will probably promote the tire degradation we already saw, because of the slightly higher tire load due to the speeds, and we’ll have a good window of drop-off, if you like.
“That’s not what a tire company (Firestone) wants to hear, but it means you have to better manage your degradation from beginning to end on a stint. And there was a reduction in drag with the speedway wheel pods that might carry in a positive direction for the show.”
Kanaan confirmed Phillips' comments about the increased pace of the DW12 ("it was a lot quicker") before moving on to team-based test items.
Phillips says based on the data he’s reviewed this week, teams and drivers can expect similar chassis setups and driving experiences at Texas in 2013.
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