Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
Tunnel Heads have a variety of opinions on what the field for the 2011 Indianapolis should be like. (Photo: Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
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Last week Dave Despain gave his take on what the 100th running of the Indy 500 should be in 2011. Proposing that the race become a showcase of new and creative propulsion systems for every auto maker in the world to take advantage of, he asked your thoughts and suggestions for what that special race should be.
“So, what kind of equipment formula would you like to see for that race if you were WRITING the rules? Being as imaginative or as practical as you like, what kind of cars do you want to see in the 2011 Indy 500?”
Below are some of your responses:
Dave: It was very sad to see an otherwise well respected motorhead like yourself melt down into a puddle of politically correct trivia. A “green” Indy.
Right. Dave, you need help.
Look at yourself in the mirror and repeat: Racing is power. Racing is who goes FASTEST. Racing is NOT some well meaning bunny hugger with a "Save the Planet" bumper sticker peddling his self righteous little solar/wind/alternative energy/fart powered contraption around the hallowed grounds of the greatest race track on earth.
Shame on you! If alternative energy makes race cars/bikes/boats/airplanes go faster, I'm all for it. Hell, stick a bundle of cellulosic ethanol fueled bottle rockets up your rear if it helps. But remember one thing: The object is to go FASTER, not greener.
Now go ponder your foolish transgression and let's not have it happen again!! — BSA655
Dave: There's no more innovation in the Indy 500 let alone the IRL. I say, for the 100th running of the 500 that there should be no limitations. Unlimited engine power (and by which ever manufacturer works the best), unlimited aero design, no weight restrictions, multiple tire companies, and so forth.
It's time to bring a new competitiveness to the table because I'm tired of watching an open-wheel NASCAR event. — John
Dave: Enough of the screeching watered down EuroFormulaTrash. Bring back the Thunder.
Indy cars need to be distinctly American. Front engined, tube frame, engines based on stock US V-8's, normally aspirated, loud straight pipes, teardrop tank, Watson snout ... the direction USAC's headed with their redesigned Gold Crown Cars - but do what it takes to make them safe for Indy.
Indy needs a racecar to which our U.S. dirt track Sprint Car and Late Model Saturday night heroes can aspire. Put Robin Miller in charge — he gets it. — Randy Rad
Dave: Very challenging question. From memory, may I suggest integrate Can Am — unlimited size motors 1972-1973 rules. Only lasted till 1973 include any powerplant: internal combustion, battery, diesel. Looks like Penske, Porsche, Audi have the edge. Toyota ,Acura also can get job done. — Henry Valdez
Professor Despain: 2011 … Hmmm? Lets take a lesson from Audi at Le Mans several years ago.
Diesel … better yet Bio-Diesel! This way we can go "green" but at the same time not have to play engine noises over the PA system. Love the Show! — Bwag
Dave: I would like to see options!
1. A front-engined car, like the Panoz of a few years ago without fenders. 2 Large weight breaks given for “green”-powered cars. 3. A huge bonus paid for the best finish in a experimental class. 4. Rules and regulations limited to safety only. — Jack Boyd
Dave: No rules. Any vehicle that is safe to drive on the track and can qualify.
One and only one try. Qualification open for two weeks. Top 33 vehicles get to race. This includes all vehicles: IndyCar, F1, NASCAR, motorcycle, sports car. Winner will be crowned "king or queen of the track.” — Jim Pratt
Dave: Engine size, pop off psi, wheelbase, tire size. Everything else up for grabs. More chassis, more engines, more aero packages like the old days. Run what you brung shoot out! — Mike Stanton
Dave:
Unlimited engine types and sizes, unlimited fuel delivery systems, unlimited tire size, unlimited braking systems and whatever chassis/ body construction, composition and aerodynamics to hold it together and keep it on the track. Oh yeah, and drivers with big enough cojones to utilize what they have under 'em. Then get outta the way!!!! — Rick Olson
Dave: I would use the existing Dallara tub and crash attenuators. Allow the teams to develop their own side pod/undertray with ground effects. The tunnels should provide downforce without making such a huge wake. The wings would stay spec size, and shape but would basically be flat plates and provide little to no down force in order to reduce the turbulence behind the cars. The wing endplates would be larger to provide more stability in turbulent air. Then allow the teams to buy two motors per car from Honda and modify as they see fit as long as they stay naturally aspirated. Up the start money and prize money so the teams can afford all of this. This would be a good lead in to the new cars, and hopefully provide much better racing. For 2012 I would like to see turbo engines running on bio fuel, either ethanol or diesel and making 800-850 HP. Throw the Hanford device on them for the ovals. — Jason Fisher
Dave: Length, width, and weight formula, then anything goes. Put an outrageous purse together — last position $500,000 up to $10 million to WIN.
Result: The dollar opportunity would encourage all kinds of cars & participants - think of 50 to 70 cars trying to take on this engineering exercise. The popularity could significantly require higher ticket prices.
Plus, they may need the full month to accommodate all the cars that will need to practice and qualify. — Tom Long
Dave: Whatever the teams can bring that's within a broad set of rules. — Jim Schwoki
Dave: 1. Make sure the HP of the engine is more than the downforce of the car can handle. This way drivers have to lift for every corner (and, although not important for 2011 Indy 500, on road courses the cars would have enough power to make passes instead of waiting for the yellow flag).
2. Introduce multiple engine manufacturers. In order to prevent the unlimited spending do it like F1 (one engine design, multiple manufacturers). This way engine manufacturers can enter without having to spend too much and still put their name on an Indy car.
3. Let the car have at least 70 percent of the generated downforce come from ground effect. Let the teams design the wings and body themselves. The chassis should be the same for all teams to insure safety.
4. Introduce a maximum of 3 wing updates and 1 body update and 1 per season. This way there is some innovation on the aero side without it getting out of control. Also put a maximum on the amount of money that can be spent on a single update. — Robin van Dijk
Dave: For the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, I want to see a field filled with the modern equals of the Millers, Fords, Maseratis, Lotuses and all those "Specials" from Penske to the budget "Joe's Indy Special."
I want to see cars with front-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive, wings, ground effects, etc. I want to see turbocharged, supercharged piston engines, diesel, gas turbines, etc. - anything American ingenuity has thought of before AND should be able to think again to win the 500 - the richest, most glamorous race in the U.S. and the world.
And I want the 500 to make sense - to be “relevant.” In 1905, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built by the new American automobile industry to run a race that will prove to the buying public that these newfangled automobiles were both fast and durable. If there is ever an event that drove the techonology to prove the saying, “racing improves the breed,” it was and still can be the Indy 500.
Now, in 2011, the Indy 500 does not need to be another spec race that tries to mimic NASCAR - but without the personality. NASCAR and Indy can only be successful for different reasons. Sprint Cup cars "trade paint" because they can. But an Indy open-wheeler's thrill is more like that of Motogp bike - the closest possible racing w/o touching … or else!
So, for the 100th running, I want the 500 to be relevant - have a real purpose - to be an "engine" (pun intended) to help solve the most pressing problem facing the automobile industry, the world and maybe even mankind ... GLOBAL WARMING.
OK before eyes glaze over with all this tree-hugging talk, whether one believes it or not, in 2011 fighting Global Warming is 1. where the REAL auto industry technical challenge and 2. the MONEY (sponsorship) is.
So here's an opportunity to both do good and do well ($$$). And let's take inspiration from Carl Fisher and all those Indianapolis auto barons in 1900. They knew better then do a boring long-distance cross-country run to prove durability. Instead, they put on a show — THEY WENT RACING.
LET'S DO THE SAME FOR GLOBAL WARMING. The Indy 500 should both be the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” and the “Race to Save the Planet.”
So the opportunity in 2011 is to rethink the 500 - to be inspired by the richest history in motorsports that is the Indy 500, understand why the old CAN-AM series, F1, Le Mans and even NASCAR, were both legendary and successful - so that in the 21st century, the Indy 500 is relevant, interesting, exciting and successful.
Skipping the details of why/how and cutting to the chase, here's my 2011 “rulebook”
1. Start with the richest purse in motorsports history from the richest country in world history. We can do it and this alone will interest a LOT of people.
2. Half of the prize money will be for “The Race - the Spectacle” —doled out in the usual way — First, second, third, etc. The Indy 500 is still after all, a speed race.
3. The other half will be for “The Race to Save the Planet.” The cars will be ranked by how little carbon they emit over the most distance traveled (a very simple formula).
4. The only constant among all the chassis/drivetrains/fuels is that they must meet the same strict safety standards to protect the drivers and spectators.
And, apart from other minor details, this should be all the technical regulations needed.
So, the point is the one who can go fastest while using the least amount of fuel will come from the 2011 500 with the most prize money. Yes, in my race, the first-place race winner may not actually win the most money. It will be the best combination of speed and efficiency that will win the most money.
Maybe the choice could be glory — win the race outright — or bucks — get the most prize money!
But if the race engineers were really smart, no choice is needed since their cars can both win the race and use the least gas. Why not?
Actually, a car did this at Indy - 3 years in a row (nearly 4) - about 60 years ago. During World War II, a man named Lou Moore saw in the creation of 110 high-octane gasoline for high-performance wartime piston aircraft engines an opportunity to win the Indy 500. Years in the planning, he combined high-octane gasoline with a reliable, relatively powerful (but not excessively so), lightweight car that was fast yet was so easy on the gas and tires that it can win the 500 with only one pit stop.
And so his Blue Crown Specials end up completely dominating the 500 winning in 1947, 48, 49, and nearly - but for the rain - in 1950. Plus, they were beautiful cars to boot!
So, in 2011, let's make the rules to allow all the modern day Lou Moores to come out of the woodwork, apply their imaginations to all that modern automotive technology has to offer to win and make the Indianapolis 500 lucrative for them and - FINALLY - exciting for us. — James Lin
Dave: I would love to see a system that would restrict the air flow to the car like at Daytona and Talladega. — Ethan Taube
Dave: Two or three chassis manufacturers required to supply a mounting system that can mount any of a specified set of engines. Each of the top car manufacturers (Ford, GM, Toyota, Fiat, BMW, M-B, Honda, etc.) get to specify one engine for the chassis manufacturers. the engines must be in production cars that had sales totals of 30,000 or more in cars the previous year. Engines are supplied by the IRL, who purchase actual automobiles for sale, randomly purchased in large enough supply for the month of May. The teams can purchase their chosen chassis but are assigned an engine through a lottery in April. Then, the month of May becomes an intriguing test/development process. By the way, engine selection should be negotiable following the lottery so sponsors (and money) cause a flurry of trades and positioning.
One tire manufacturer with two compounds, both of which must do a stint in the race.
Any car with 100 percent electric propulsion, regardless of chassis mfg. can run what ya brung. — Chuck
Dave: I love Robin Miller's approach: give the teams xx gallons of fuel, force the basic Dallara frame (for safety) and let them do whatever they want with engine, body, wings, electronics, tires, etc. That will cause the speed to go up; when it becomes too dangerous, decrease the amount of fuel — and keep going that way. —fbs7
Dave: Smokey Yunick had it right — a rule book of no more than 8 pages. I would propose the following if I were Czar: 2.0 Liter turbocharged engines, would be the standard. Engines to use ethanol or diesel fuels
But I would allow any engine that would be by using a computer and a dyno regardless of size made equal to that standard. Example a 4.0 liter stock block turning 5000 RPM and burning "X" amount of fuel could be made equal to a 2.0 liter turbo turning 10,000 RPM and burning "Y" amount of fuel.
Bigger is better until you restrict it by weight and/or fuel allowed.
Diesel engines can be made equal by fuel flow and fuel capacity, as well as weight differences.
Innovation is part of racing, differences in types and sizes of engines invites innovation.
Today's IRL is driver focused — which is good, but it would be better is it also was builder driven — Danica in a turbo-diesel from Audi, competing with “Crash Andretti,” in a stock block from the “NEW GM,” against a “too tall Graham Rahal,” in a turbo-charged Porsche surely would drive the bloggers into a frenzy — wouldn't it?
OK, back to the rule book.
Each engine type (by company producing it) supplies an engine to a dyno test where each will be made as equal as possible to a set standard.
Differences to be modified by either rev limiting or fuel restrictions.
Every engine from each manufacturer must meet the standard for the test engine.
A chassis that has a SINGLE APPROVED DRIVER CAPSULE.
Since chassis differences can make an advantage that would make racing uninteresting (one team like Penske dominating ‘ like they do now), I would have any producer deliver a sample chassis to be tested (as part of tire testing) to make them equal as possible, by controlling weight and fuel capacity.
Wheelbase and width to be decided based on a computer produced target of producing two things — side by side racing (They do race side by side in Indy Lights) and with an average lap speed of 200 MPH.
It is not so important to have very high lap speed as to have the difference between car's speed — very small.
Driver safety and more importantly fan safety, is best served by controlling speeds. Racing is about going as slow as possible to win. Speed does not kill, but the sudden lack of it does — and speeds approaching 220 invite a fence testing, fan injuring, driver killing experience that we don't need.
With computers and testing — cars could be made similar, safer — and more equal. This should take 2 pages to define. ALMS and Rolex series prove this can be accomplished. (But not in two pages!!)
It would take another 6 pages to define each chassis, tires, fuel types and delivery systems, capacities, and minimum weights.
That's it, the more you define something the more it allows someone to get around the controls.
Now as one volume of Smokey's three volume SERIES is titled, “ALL RIGHT YOU SONS-A-BI%#^'S LET'S HAVE A RACE.” — Ted
Dave: Engine — DOHC 4-cylinder production stock blocks up to 2.5 liters turbocharged with unlimited boost and a limit on fuel.
Chassis — ANY commercially available formula car, foreign or domestic with flat bottom over the WHOLE length of the chassis period.
Wings — One rear wing element with a four foot span and twelve inch chord with a constant chord two front wings one on either side of the nose of the car with one element with a constant chord each with a span of two feet and a chord of eight inches Jackie Stewart once said he would like to see the cars restricted so they would lap Indy at about 160 mph. The aerodynamics genie is out of the bottle so the only way to slow down the cars is a fuel restriction. — Steve Richter
Dave: I RAN IN THE OLD AIS SERIES ALONG WITH THE LASIER BRO'S, AND A COUPLE OF GUYS NAMED UNSER.
WE RAN MOSTLEY STOCK BLOCK V8'S, ALONG WITH TURBO COSWORTHS AND BUICKS. IT WAS GOOD CLOSE RACING. THE FORDS AND CHEVYS WERE MOSTLY A 355CID SPRINT CAR MOTOR. YOU HAD TO HAVE THROTTLE CONTROL TO KEEP THE STOCK BLOCKS GOING STRAIGHT.
LETS GET SOME NASCAR ENGINES, ALONG WITH THE "PURE" RACING ENGINES AND THE TURBOS. THEN YOU'LL HAVE AN INTERESTING RACE. NOTHING AGAINST HONDA (THEY STEEPED UP AND SAVED THE IRL), BUT SPEC RACERS ARE BORING, AND AS WITH ANY RACING SERIES ONLY THE BEST(FUNDED) TEAMS WILL BE IN FRONT. BESIDES, YOU CAN BUY TWO STOCK BLOCKS FOR THE PRICE TO LEASE A HONDA JUST FOR INDY. THEN MAYBE THERE WOULD BE FULL FIELDS AT THE REST OF THEIR RACES.
LOVE YOUR SHOW! THANKS. — JOE
Dave: The rules for the 100th Indy 500 are, there ain't no rules! Ok, maybe a couple like, an overall length and width, but any power-plant, any fuel, any tires/wheels (or something better perhaps?), any aerodynamics, anything goes! Just like the first Indy 500. If you want to go more green, the winner will be declared not only by who completes 200 laps first, but the one with the least number of pit-stops! — Chad
Dave: “I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy” (from Wayne's World).
You have gained an immeasurable amount of respect from this professional driver. Your "My Take" was such a phenomenal stand in a positive direction. For you to be such large influence(at least media wise lol) in the racing world and to make such a "green" statement as that. WOW!!!! I could kiss you right on yer big ol' chrome dome dude!!!
You have always(well almost)had an opinion that I agree with, and this one really shows guts. I know, I own/drive a Prius. And Dave, most motorheads laugh when I tell them the performance level of this hybrid.
Speaking from years of experience driving all types of combustion engine powered vehicles ranging from a Cat minibike to a 379 Peterbilt you just can't believe the amount of torque that an electric motor/engine adds to the gasoline one. No wonder the railroad companies have been using hybrids for years.
I tell ya Dave, out on the road, and I make a living out there as a same day time critical courier, I run in to all types of wantabe NASCAR drivers(especially rednecks in jacked up pickups) that see for themselves how a hybrid powered vehicle can perform, having thought that a "little Toyota would never keep up or outrun their gas hog. (Gotta add that my driving skills level helps too LOL). — Michael
Dave: Simple.
Cars with individual chassis.
Cars with individual engines.
Big fat rear tires.
Needless to say, apply these rules to the whole season and start now! — Dave Elias
Dave: All I know for sure is that I don't want to see 33 "spec" cars lined-up for the 100th Indy 500. Would at least one NOVI be asking too much? — John Atlas
Dave: How about full-bodied cars? No open wheels. — Yankee
Dave: I would like to see the teams develop a car that will get maximum fuel usage and the teams only be given a total of 17 gallons of fuel for the race so they would have to get about 30 miles to the gallon. They should also have a minimum green flag speed, maybe somewhere around 150 mph. — Keith
Dave: I would like to see the 2011 evolution of the pre-split, TURBOCHARGED, multi-manufacturer competition spurred Indy car design that would have been had Tony not decided to create this wonderful league where talented American drivers have a ride every race and little teams have reason to believe they can win. — Brian
Dave: Dig up the Brickyard, turn it into a dirt loop, and truck in tons of big boulders to be spread about. Ever heard of KOH(King Of the Hammers)? The only real rules are safety related, it's basically run what ya brung hard core rock racing. Get it! — Jesse
Dave: I enjoy the show each Sunday. I find this question quite interesting. I will first state for the record, I am a stock car fan. NASCAR, ARCA, USRA ProCup, as long as it is full bodied stock appearing cars, I'm a fan of it.
I've been following it since 1958. Keeping that in mind, I am what fans of that race and that series refer to as a "hater,” with regards to the Indianapolis 500 and the type of cars that run it. Myself and many other stock car fans have not ever considered that race or that track to be anything special. That being said, here is how I answer your question and what I would like to see happen with this race.
This race and this form of racing is a failing race and form of racing. It is only popular with a rapidly aging and disappearing niche. Stock car racing however, by comparison (even with the rapidly failing economy) is quite healthy. Racing, all forms, compared to other sports is a niche sport, there are not as many racing fans, of all forms of racing do not make up the numbers that other sports (stick and ball sports) garner.
Taking that into account, there are only so many racing fans, our numbers are limited and much smaller that those other sports. Since the number of race fans is limited, to guarantee success, something that appeals to a greater number of that already limited fan base is needed. Therefore, since there are more stock car fans than fans of other forms of racing in this country, common sense dictates that they would be the group that needs to be appealed too.
How do you do this, simple, dump the formula crap and made the Indianapolis 500 a modified stock car race. Use, as a base, a combination of the old NASCAR superspeedway modified race car (like the ones that ran Daytona in the 70's) and the current Whelen modified series cars. Allow any engine, from an old 426 "Hemi" to whatever those Offenhausers things were that those cars use to run. Normal aspiration (no turbocharging, I want a roar, not a whine). Unleaded gasoline, 22 gal tanks. Huge racing tires on the rear, smaller, but still large tires on the front. NO ground effects or wings, this is to showcase a driver's ability, not downforce enough to run upside down, car sticks to the track like it was on rails! Pit stops would be stock car style, no onboard air jacks or gravity fed fuel tanks! Floor jack, 5 lugnuts per wheel, impact wrenches 2 gas cans.
NASCAR does not have to sanction it, but it should be sanctioned by an organization familiar with stock cars. This race will be moved to Memorial Day, Monday. This ensures that it does not conflict with Charlotte. Since it is a stock car race now and doesn't conflict with Charlotte, the door would be opened for NASCAR drivers as well as for ARCA or any other professional stock car series. Of course, it would be opened to drivers of any other form or racing as well. Teams build their own cars and engines.
Testing can be done at anytime the teams wish. They would only be preparing for this one race so testing would be unlimited. Fastest 40 cars, qualify to race. Line up in rows of two. Pay a huge purse to insure attracting maximum number of entries.
This is the ONLY way that myself and many other stock car racing fans would get behind this race. Anything other than this and IMO, it can go the way of the Dodo Bird. This is the ONLY way I advocate saving this race! — Lee
Dave: How about using the WOO rule "run watcha brung". — Chris Null
Dave: Keep the INDY type body style but run whatever engine you can stuff in there that will make it 500 miles. The one with the most HP runs up front (maybe) but will it last? Can you make it without burnin' the tires off it? This I think would be ENTERTAINING !!!! — Mark Taylor
Dave: I would like to see normally aspirated, turbo charged as well as turbo diesel for engines. I would utilize the existing wheel base and allow for front and rear wing design up to each chassis manufacturer. There would be a dollar cap on engine and chassis cost. — Gary Innis
Dave: Open up the rules, place an “anything goes” on the engine, but they all have to breathe through a 4" dia, 12" long vertical stack. — Ken
Dave: Didn't Indy used to allow diesels and tubines? Why can't they set some size and weight and safety parameters and let it roll. Holy cow could it be an electric, or diesel powered or even something nobody has thought of yet powered race car? — Doug Strickland
Dave: Love your show, won't miss it even though my wife makes me watch it in the garage. I like the shape and style of Indy Cars today, but would like to see more V6 and V8 American muscle car sounding engines. No Turbo chargers. Limit RPM's to 8,500 or so and run on Methanol.
As for the entire make-over, this could be a second weekend qualifying support type race to test whether the fans will accept the concept.
Nothing is going to work unless the fans can identify with the drivers. We need local Saturday night short track heroes as well as a group of internationals to keep the Indy 500 excitement alive. Where are the A. J.Foyts, Tom Sneva's, and Pancho Carter's of today? — John
Dave: We need lucky dog, double file restarts, smaller tires, find major sponsors for all 33 cars, 100 lap old timer race two hours before 500, all U.S. made motors to be issued by track with no adjustment made by teams, open infield for overnight parking camping, line up cars in order of speed, have Miller as flag man, remove all wings, all teams to park after lap 250 and restart by fan vote, cars must be build to 1961 specks with today’s safety standards, all fuel will come from drag racing top fuel, have truck race fri nite and busch race sat nite and 500 sunday all races will be under the lights, have Speed TV sponsor and show all races including 500,all drivers will be required to spend time in stands two hours before the race to meet the fans program. — James
Dave: 1. Collect a bunch of information like TV ratings, videos of races, and newspapers reports about how bad the split hurts Indycar.
2. Build a time machine (BTW - I'm going the imaginative route in case you didn't already pick up on that).
3. Go back to 1994 and present the information to Tony George and the CART board.
4. Try really hard to convince them: "Seriously, I'm from the future and this stuff is real. Your all about to make a BIG mistake." (this part might actually prove to be the most difficult part. And considering number 2 is "Build a time machine", well... you get the point) 5. Warn Nigel Mansell to watch out for Dennis Vitolo on the warm-up lane during the Indianapolis 500 (why not? I'm there already).
6. Sit back and watch the next 16 years play out with a smile on my face as 2011 comes around.
I'm feeling better just thinking about it. — Racer Alex
Dave: We already have accepted 33 identical cars with 33 identical engines. Why not 33 Watson roadsters with 33 Offies? I would be there. — Coyote 669
Dave: I hear you about the alterative power, however for the 100th Indy 500 I would like to see them bring in the Silver Crown Cars. You know what? If they don't go crazy with it you could see a wide variety of people entering cars. Not just the mega bucks teams you see now. After all it use to be almost anyone could enter. Cars were built in home garages, not the 20,000 square foot multi million dollar facilities you see today.
Alterative power may be great for our future, but lets take a step back for the pure Racing of it. — Bob
Dave: Cut the downforce. Cut the displacement and add turbocharging. Equalize the Ford and the Honda engines. Get Ford and Honda engines in the game.
Make sure the power provided is excessive for the downforce, so not only will the cars be driven slower, they will have the extra power to pass in spots, and this should eliminate some of the aero advantage of the big teams. The cars will be a handful to drive and this should separate the men from the boys. (no gender bias meant) This should help passing, and lower speeds will use less fuel and they can brag about that. (Although somebody has to use some of that extra Ethanol
surplus) — Alanco
Dave: Stanley Steamers. Nothing beats the thrill of a good head of steam and the sound of 33 steam whistles. Plus, there will be lots of passing. — Michael Balton
Dave: Who really cares what they do for the 500 ... it has become a mere shell of what it once was .... whatever happened to the Foyts .... Unsers .....drivers with a personality and American-born ... give the IRL those types of drivers and then perhaps they can give NASCAR a run for the money ... till then it is a second tier racing league. — Steve from Iowa
Dave: First i've notice over past few episodes you've eluded to the decaying association of auto racing and production cars. This is absolutely real and i feel that it jeopardizes both auto racing and car manufacturers. As you well know racing is responsible for most of the major advances in transportation technology. Now more than ever we need major leaps in this technology. I have a PhD (ABD) in Physics and would dedicate my working life to a racing series predicated on new energy tech. I love racing of any description: stock, open wheel, two wheel, boats, planes, golf carts, i dont care if it's racing i like it errrrrr perhaps with exception of drag racing sorry i know you're a big fan. More importantly i'm a big fan of saving the environment and ridding the world of it's dependency on fossil fuels.
So using IRL/Indy as an example (i think there should be a NASCAR sanctioned series as well) no need to go crazy with redesigning the bodies at first. They are already built for efficiency. Simply put some hybrid, hydrogen, or electric power plant in them. I really like the idea of limiting fuel to x gallons on a sliding scale through the first couple years of the series. Then perhaps eliminate internal carbon based combustion all together. Look we built the worlds most advanced spy plane in 1945, went to the moon in 1969. Certainly we can build a high horsepower alternative energy racing engine in a couple years. BTW if you want to get really wild build a mag lev track.
I'm afraid without racing to drive this technology it will never reach it's full potential. It's win win all around ... imagine the advances that could be made when competition and profit are on the line. Not only advances in the car technologies. But the supporting tools and technologies that could be implemented elsewhere. Well that's my two cents. Love the show. — Craig Conticchio
Dave: Safety first, helmet, good seat and belt...after that, run what you brung, and hope you brought enough! its called RACING! go FAST! saddle up or bring
32 cylinders, kerosene or a nuke plant under the hood! any body, just no fenders! Leave racing ALONE, its the only ave. most auto company's have to research their inventions Dave, I hope your "my take" was tongue in cheek, because you’re a racer, and to go green? 50 gals of fuel? WOW. Indy is done. … ABC will bail out. with ratings (TV) down all over, I can only hope these people can figure out that their local short track puts on more of a show in 3 hours than Nascar(IROC) or the lame IRL will ever put on. I have not, watched a Nascar race this year, and won't ever, its boring and stupid. And I HOPE and PRAY, after the lawsuits, it’s "THE SPRINT CUP" presented by Mayfield and Carl LONG gets reprieved, he’s an honest guy, and he’s TRYING! c'mon, .001? That 10,000 lb gorilla, has become too much bear for most fans, it’s sad, but it’s true.We will race are dirt UMP LM and try to make the WoO shows close to us. But speaking for 100's here, No -one watches iroc anymore, it’s a joke. — Joe
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