Outlaw open-wheel series

This is partly an exercise in trying to shrug off a serious case of writers block. You see, I have been working on a ten page paper for one of my classes at IUPUI that is due in about 10 days. And of course, like most other things that have to be done, it is always easier to do something else. Hence the blog update, because its not for a grade therefore the thoughts are flowing freely. On a serious note though, the thoughts below have been on my mind for some time, so here goes.

2011 IndyCar season is over and there are dozens of Dallara chassis that are ready to hit the vintage racing circuits. But wait... is there/could there be, a competitive alternative for them? I have a solution, but please allow me to set it up.

First Some Random questions

Are you tired of the same old cars in open-wheel racing?
Are you saddened by the the lack of innovation in the top open-wheel series in the US?
I was just wondering the other day what impact the current spec racing formulae have had on the development of race car designers in this country? Ben Bowlby stands alone for radical innovation, Swift, BAT, they all have designers. There have been a few others along the way; Dan Gurney and his AAR Eagles, Foyt's Coyote, Riley and Scott, Swift, Panoz made an effort, but they have all faded.

Why? I believe it is, in part, because of the spec racing formulas. By "spec" I mean where the rule makers and sanctioning bodies dictate the minutia of the race car designs, even to the point of specifying components, by part numbers, from specific manufacturers.

Right now, there are dozens and dozens of students (myself included) enrolled in motorsports engineering programs across the country. IUPUI has just graduated it's first group of engineers this year from the only 4 year motorsports engineering (specific) degree program in the country. (a program which I am proud to be a part of). There are a host of other motorsports related programs at various colleges and universities around the country.

Where are all of these newly graduated engineers going to go? All of them can't be race engineers. Some of them should be race car designers, aerodynamicists, engine engineers and so on. The problem being that one-make (spec) rules don't really call for race car designers and engineers in any great numbers at the manufacturers level. Dallara has several I am sure, a few who actually design the car, and any number of CAD jockeys to draw the components and sort out the details.

So what to do? Economy aside...How are we going to revive innovation and creativity in open wheel racing in the US? Is it the Delta Wing? It could be I guess. But whose to say, there is not a similarly creative and innovative IndyCar design sitting an an engineers drawing table (errr CAD file)

We must bring back innovation, we must bring back creativity, and we must allow for and create a competitive environment for a revitalization of this industry to occur.

IndyCar had chosen its path, and that is great for them. No ax to grind here whatsoever. The series I would like to see is different.

Some numbers
Lets take all of the money that will be spent on the new Dallara chassis in 2012. Chip Ganassi has ordered 10 from what I have heard, Penske will probably be 6 or 8 cars, Andretti Autosport would be 8- 10 cars, all together (I recall that someone told me) Dallara is building 60 new cars and the first year they will sell all the bodywork kits too. Hmmm, very interesting.

A Dallara rolling chassis is capped at $349,000 and a bodywork kit is capped at 70,000. OK, let's all be honest here, that is not going to get that car on the track. So lets add another $50,000 in miscellaneous items, from clutches to any number of other incidental parts. Trust me, that is probably a low estimate. So, the total for one rolling chassis, with body work, less engine, is going to cost $469,000. Lets, for the sake of argument, round it to an even 470,000 per car. (there have been some discounts announced, including a one time credit for $150,000 to your Dallara account for the purchase of a "primary" car for Indy-based teams) Interestingly, the source of that money ($5 million) or parts of it, ultimately winds its way back to the Federal Stimulus package. (Its very interesting to know that the nations taxpayers will be assisting IndyCar team owners to purchase their cars! I will be sure to tell my grand kids where their money is going! I have always wanted to be an IndyCar owner!!) WHAT A COUNTRY!

So for 60 cars, which bear in mind is a rolling chassis and bodywork (no engine), is 470,000 x 60 cars = $28,200,00. That is a heck of a lot of money.
So lets divide that up, in a strictly hypothetical situation, between 3 formula car manufacturers for a (potential) total of $9,400,00 per manufacturer.

So, you are telling me that a car manufacturer, in a free and open market with reasonable and stable rules to regulate things, can't survive on building 20 cars and servicing them. Again a hypothetical, understanding that 20 competitors might not choose a particular manufacturer's product. But my point is that there is one heck of a lot of money being directed toward one manufacturer, with a large number of cars to be built and sold.

Tell you what, give me the $9 million, plus the spares and service/replacement parts for the next X number of years and I will have 20 competitive IndyCars built. Will I get rich,probably not. Could it be a great business? You bet!

A quick aside.
How many years will the used IndyCar market be down? What will the smaller teams do at Indy in 2012, 2013? Back in the 1980's and 1990's. the top teams were buying new cars each year, and therefore there was a large number of year+ old cars available for the small teams to purchase.

The fact of the matter is that even if the small/low budget teams were given the exact same equipment that the big teams were buying, they would most likely be in exactly the same grid position. So, in my opinion, the argument that the smaller/lower budget teams can compete with the same equipment is just not very strong. Occasionally, a small/lower budget team will slip through for a win, but it is just not often enough to argue. Year old equipment, with a stable rules package, is not as uncompetitive as one might think. In fact, year old equipment has been the backbone of the Indy 500 for many years. With the spec rules, used car markets are tight and costs are high

So, I digress once again, What does that manufacture need? Rules stability basically, a chance to innovate, and a chance to develop a package if it finds itself uncompetitive.

So, lets propose a few basic rules to stretch the dollars both for the teams and the manufacturers

1. The series will mandate a certain spec for the tubs. Certain dimensions primarily for safety reasons. The things we already know, such as feet and pedals behind the front axle center line. Certain thicknesses, and specific layers of carbon, kevlar, anti-intrusion panels and the like. And yes, crash testing of tubs and noses and other components will be mandatory. So, just like any other business, the manufacturers might have to go find investors to front some of these initial costs, or there is always stimulus money!
2. Lets say that the spine of the car design and dimensions will have to be frozen for 5-7 years. Here we are speaking of the part of the car that houses the driver, contains the fuel cell, and the part which the engine sub-frame and gearbox will bolt to. So, to clarify the nose, tub, sub-frame and gearbox design frozen for 5-7 years
3. Engines will be non-stressed, max displacement of 2.5-3.0(?) litres, 4, or 6 cylinder, in line or v, turbocharged, some sort of fuel flow/air flow power restrictor
4. Engines must last 4ooo(?) miles. Teams are only allowed 6 (?) engines per year.(MotoGP, F1)
5. Create aero "boxes" The front wings must fit within this envelope. The rear wing must fit within another envelope, so designs are free. Similar box or envelope, for the underwing.
6. How about some "claimer" rules, on engines, gearboxes? kind of short-track stuff, MotoGP is trying something like it for the CRT bikes

More to follow on the rules package as time warrants, I should probably get that paper done first.

So, whats the big plan with all of the old Dallaras?

An outlaw IndyCar series, which starts with the old Dallara tubs, nosecones, and a gearboxes (the spine of the car)for the first year. Allowing the teams and manufacturers to get the outlaw spec tub/spine built. Dallara spines will be grandfathered in for another couple of years until the used car market is sufficient to support the smaller teams.

Much More to follow, if I ever get the paper done
Buddy