Lexus ES 300h, What The Socially Responsible Moderately Rich Will Be Driving Next

ES 300h In Sunlit Green - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

Lexus ES 300h, What The Socially Responsible Moderately Rich Will Be Driving Next
by: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications

Winding and scenic roads just outside of Nashville, TN provided an ideal setting for the media introduction of the seventh-generation Lexus ES. For 2019 the lineup features the V6 ES 350, ES 300h hybrid and for the first time the ES F-SPORT. At time of writing there is an embargo on the driving impressions of the three models tested. This is a preview of the features of the ES line-up with a close up focus on the ES 300h. A shorter version first appeared in print at Ron Cogan’s Green Car Journal. 

ES 300h "Provocative Elegance” - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

Project Chief Designer, Yasuo Kajino sums up the newly designed ES in two distinct and fitting words as “provocative elegance”. ES has the all new Global Architecture-K platform resulting in 2.6 in increase in length, 1.8 in width and a wider front and rear tracks. Perhaps for customers the most useful increase is the two-inch longer wheelbase to 113 inches. The ES  most striking angle is its profile that shows low hood and roof lines, made possible by the new GA-K chassis slated A and C pillars.

ES 300h In Profile - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

Lexus with its Hybrid Drive is the luxury hybrid leader.  The ES 300h has earned a new title for the mid-level executive sedan segment, as the newly crowned “Class Leader in Fuel Economy with 44 mpg” this is Lexus ES 300h”. The manufactures estimated figure is 44 mpg combined.estimate to a range of nearly 600 miles.

The ES 300h is what Prius and Prius Prime owners will be naturally be moving up to as move up in life while staying socially responsible.

ES 300h Ample Rear Compartment - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

The rear compartment of the ES has increased size and headroom usually only found optional in long-wheelbase high end cars. This means its easier for anything from adding a baby seat, to easy entry and exit for elders to being more suitable for a double date on the town.

The ES 300h ’Spindle' Grill and L-Shaped Projectors - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

From the front it’s the 'Spindle' grill dominates and is enhanced by the slim L-shaped  LED projector headlights.

ES 300h View Form the Drivers Seat - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

Tranquil, free of exterior noise is how I found the interior to be, 93% of the floor has sound deadening insulation. There are three color schemes, four trims, and three material options for the seats.  The trim can had in three kinds of wood plus Striated Black and metallic. The trim can had in three kinds of wood plus Striated Black and metallic. To please audiophiles there’s the optional Mark Levinson audio with 1,800 watts through 17 speakers. The standard audio has ten speakers and will satisfy most needs. The new suction-type ventilated cooling seats had me as comfortable and entertained as any at the new movie theaters.

ES 300h Hybrid Powerplant - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

The 2019 ES 300h layout is front engine with front wheel drive. Power is derived from a 2.5 liter in-line 4-cylinder running on the Atkinson cycle with an aluminum block and heads producing 176 hp @5700 rpm. The compression ratio is high at 14.0:1yet only 87 octane unleaded is required.  Fuel is delivered by direct and port injection. Torque is (SAE) rated at 163 lb.-ft.@3,600 rpm. The emission certificate is SULEV 30.

ES Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

The nickel-metal Hydride battery has 204 cells and produces 29.1kW/39hp. The electric motor is smaller and more dense and is mated to an all new hybrid transaxle. Combined total horsepower is 215. Important for the improved handling was the moving of the battery from the trunk to under the rear seat. This improves front to rear weight distribution while adding trunk space equal to the gas ES at 16.7 cu ft.  Auto Glide Control (AGC) has been added for drivers who misjudge drag imposed by regenerative braking by moving back and forth between pedals approaching a stop sign. The AGC slows the ES 300h at a more predicative rate by entering a “coast “ mode adding to overall energy efficiencies.  Sport mode enhances acceleration by boosting torque at low speeds.

ES 350 F-Sport - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

The 0-60 mph is 8.1 sec for the ES 300h, as compared to 6.6 sec for the 302 hp ES 350.  Top speed is electronically limited to 112 mph with the ES 300h and 131 mph with the ES 350. The coefficient of drag of these sleek ES sedans is a highly efficient 0.29 and drops down to an exceptional 0.26 for the F SPORT.  The low CD contributes to the outstanding fuel economy of the entire ES line-up.

ES 350 In Moonbeam Beige Metallic - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

The six-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifters is electronically controlled and continuously variable. Final drive is 3.389 compared to the 2.561 of the 8-speed V6  ES 350. The steering is electric rack and pinion with 2.7 turns lock to lock and positions the assist directly on the rack for more precise feedback. . The curb to curb turning radius is outstanding at under twenty feet. Weight distribution and curb weight were not available for the 300h. However, the ES 350 weight is a  light 3,649 lbs, distribution front to rear is 61/39.  Expect the ES 300h to be approximately a few hundred pounds heavier.

A 12.3 Inch Wide Multimedia Screen is Optional - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

The Multimedia System is positioned high enough not to distract. Standard is a 8 inch wide and 12.3 inches with the optional Navigation package. The ES is the first Lexus offering Apple Car Play allowing for controlling a iPhone via the dash display or Siri Eyes Free voice control.  ES is also Amazon Alexa enabled for Android phones and iPhones in October.

ES 300h Standard Spoke Wheel Pattern - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

The standard wheel is 17 x 7.5 J split 10-spoke aluminum w/machine finish. There two types of optional 18 x 8J aluminum wheels offered one with a machined finish and the one with Hyper Chrome coating. The standard all-season tire is 215/55R17 with a 235/45R18 all-season as an option.  Trie suppliers will be Michelin and Bridgestone.

The Sleek Lines of the ES 300h - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

One of the ways Lexus demonstrates it strong commitment to safety is with its standard braking and control systems, ones that are usually only found on considerable more expensive vehicles. Along with the expected four wheel disc brakes all around with ABS are Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Traction Control (TRAC) and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). Front discs are 12 in ventilated discs. and the rears are 11.1 in solid discs. One-third of the sales are projected to be conquests from other manufactures with the ES 300h representing 15% of US ES sales.

ES 300h Looks At Home in This Prestigious Driveway - Image Credit: James Groth / Miles Ahead Communications (2018)

Outstanding fuel consumption, a striking design, first class amenities with rear compartment space found in limos.  Starting at $42,000 the ES 300h will have buyers considering switching brands.




TAGS: Lexus, ES 300h, ES F-SPORT, Hybrid Powerplant, Green Car Journal, Michelin, Bridgestone, James Groth, Miles Ahead Communications, @TheEDJE

John Dean II Is 2 For 2 In Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Weekend At Road America

Floridian John Dean II, the 2015 series champion, survived a one-lap shootout in an otherwise wild drafting battle to sweep the weekend. Image Credit: Myles Regan - Regan Digital Images (2018)

John Dean II Is 2 For 2 In Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Weekend At Road America

The weekend was, for John Dean II, was a tale of two different races. Dean had an excellent qualifications session setting him up, due to having the two fastest laps against the times of all other drivers, to secure the pole position for both races held at Road America.

One featured classic positioning and car placement allowing the cars behind his No. 16 Black Sick Sideways prepared Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Miata to rub and scrub each other while not being able to get enough kinetic energy in the draft to complete a pass.

The other had all of the drivers focused on one thing in passing the leader with some success yet never actually putting the No. 16 away.

Dean sure knows how to work the challenges behind him and bottle them up to stay in the lead in Round 5 race 1 at Road America. Image Credit: Myles Regan - Regan Digital Images (2018)

This excerpted and edited from #SundayGroupManagement on behalf of Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup News -

Dean Sweeps Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup at Road America

Dean earned a flag-to-flag victory in Friday’s Round Five race, but the MX-5 Cup competition wasn’t about to let him do the same thing in Saturday’s Round Six. Though he started from pole in the No. 16 Sick Sideways Global Mazda MX-5 Cup entry and held his lead in the opening laps, it wasn’t long until he fell victim to the massive drafting potential presented by Road America’s 4.014 miles. 

“That was a tough battle,” Dean said. “I tried to do the same thing I did yesterday and run the same lines and same defensive technique, but obviously the other guys weren’t having it! It was good though and it made for a fun race.”

“Starting on pole in an MX-5 Cup race at Road America means you are probably going to be passed – probably at the start!  If you get passed, you have to then try and get back in line and pass back. Otherwise, you will just keep losing spots. It’s still a pretty long race for a sprint race and anybody in the top ten can win. It’s that kind of race,” stated John Dean II after qualifications. Image Credit: Myles Regan - Regan Digital Images (2018)

Global Mazda MX-5 Cup continued to demonstrate incredible competition, with 305 passes for position in the 40-minute race, including six official lead changes. The top 10 were nose-to-tail all race long and nobody was able to break away from the pack, Dean included.

“For a minute there, those guys got by and I was trying to size them up and figure out where I’m going to make a move and how to get by,” Dean said. “I was a little confused on what to do; it’s really difficult here with the big drafts and cars in a line. We’ve raced here a lot over the years and we’ve always been fast and our setup has worked well, but I’ve had a ton of bad luck here over the years. This year, finally the karma gods smiled on me.”

That smile came with eight minutes left in the race, when a full-course caution was issued for a car stuck in the gravel at Turn 14. Dean found himself in the lead behind the safety car, with teammate Nathaniel Sparks behind him.

“Sparky disappeared and I don’t know where he went, but it must have been one heck of a battle to get back to the front,” Dean said. “When I saw him behind me for the restart, I felt pretty confident that we could hold the positions. We’ve raced a lot here together. I know what he’s going to do and he knows what I’m going to do, because we’ve been teammates for so long.”

Last lap and it is Sick Sideways P1 (Dean) and P2 (Sparks) in a contentious Round 6 race 2 at Road America. Image Credit: Myles Regan - Regan Digital Images (2018)

When the green flag came back out, the white flag was waved with it to single one lap to go. The Sick Sideways teammates worked together to hold off the rest of the field and crossed the finish line with Dean out front and Sparks in second.

It was an impressive comeback for Sparks in the No. 8 Sick Sideways car, who started second, but tumbled down the order in the opening lap. He spent nearly every lap thereafter door-to-door with another car, clawing his way back to second.

Finishing a hard-fought third was Robert Stout in the No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing machine. His teammate, Joey Bickers, led briefly in the No. 34 McCumbee McAleer car, but just missed the podium, finishing fourth.
----
Improving a remarkable 10 positions in the race, Keith Jensen earned the Battery Tender Hard Charger of the Race award. He finished 13th after starting 23rd and collected $1,000 and a Battery Tender charger for both himself and his crew chief.

“The Global MX-5 Cup has great drivers and Road America is a beautiful track,” Jensen summarized. “For me it’s fun to be a part of the series, and to win the Hard Charger makes it a fantastic day.”
----
Robert Noaker, the youngest driver in the series at 14 years-old, was the highest finishing rookie. His No. 13 Sick Sideways crossed the line in 10th, earning him valuable points toward the $75,000 prize for Rookie of the Year. He trails Selin Rollan in that contest, but Rollan exited Round Six early.

Nikko Reger, who finished runner-up in Friday’s race continues to lead the Championship points ahead of Bryan Ortiz. Dean moves up to third with his Road America sweep.
[Reference Here]

Round 6 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup podium celebration at Road America where no one remains dry. Image Credit: Myles Regan - Regan Digital Images (2018)

For the last year, Mr. Dean, as owner of the “Mazda prep shop” and MX-5 Cup race team, took to the track for only two races, taking the year off from full series competition to concentrate on the expansion of Sick Sideways into a new location near the Sebring International Raceway.

Really a bit of the theme here - John Dean II (as in two), top two qualification lap speeds securing two pole positions, 2 races, 2 wins, with the last race having Sick Sideways race car at the top two positions on the podium. What breaks this thread up is that Dean entered the weekend at P9 in the points and leaves Road America at P3 in the points - no 2's here. With this surge, Maybe John Dean II will secure his second (as in two) Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Series Championship.

Replays of this weekend’s doubleheader at Road America can be found at the Mazda USA YouTube page.  Next on the schedule for the Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup is Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, July 27 – 29.

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: Road America, John Dean II, Nathaniel Sparks, #SickSideways, #SundayGroupManagement, Battery Tender, Global Mazda MX-5 Cup, Myles Regan, Regan Digital Images, @TheEDJE

#TeamIndyCar Secures Historic Place In The INDY500 11th Row Society Side-By-Side

Opening title shot of the helicopter that was ferrying Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan to the introduction and starting point of the 30th season of The Amazing Race. One might say that the Month of May and the INDY500 in itself after 101 editions looking to add one more Sunday, May 27th 12:00 PM ET, is The Amazing Race. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

#TeamIndyCar Secures Historic Place In The INDY500 11th Row Society Side-By-Side

CAN'T ... make this stuff up - #TeamIndyCar - Alexander Rossi | Conor Daly - of the 30th season of The Amazing Race are side-by-side again this year at the INDY500 after starting the 2018 season side-by-side at viewing parties in several locations throughout the nation earlier in the year.

So how did Alex and Conor end up on the 30th season of The Amazing Race? Host Phil Keoghan put it this way:

"The idea was: what would happen if you brought together the most competitive teams in Amazing Race history? Where you had an eclectic mix of hyper-competitive people who are used to winning in their chosen field. What would happen if you brought them all together in a race? So you’ve got such a mix of bonified champions, like Indy 500 winners. Then you’ve got world champion eaters. You’ve got the best of the best, the hot dogs and the hot shots. Team Big Brother [consisting of season 19 contestants Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf] was kind of the paprika thrown in for good measure. They’re a bit of a polarizing choice; they’re a couple whose fans absolutely adore them and some are absolutely not warmed to them. We’ve put together a really interesting mix. I say it at the starting line, it’s the most competitive group of teams we’ve had at the start of an Amazing Race."
[ht: AMG/Parade]

Alexander Rossi & Conor Daly appear as #TeamIndyCar during the opening scenes of Season 30 Episode 1 on a monitor during a viewing party on the Sunset Strip. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

This last weekend saw a most unusual occurrence happen during qualifications for the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500.

Alexander Rossi has had a very strong season so far, in that he has placed P3, P3, P1, P11, and a P5 in five races and sits just 2 points away from leading in the season championship points at P2 going into the INDY500. During qualifications on Day 1 (and all through practice leading up to Day 1) Alex had great pace and just missed out at re-qualifying for the pole on Day 2, where only the top nine positions are eligible to compete, by 4/10th's of one-second after 10 miles at P10.

RaceControl graphic from IndyCar.com - Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Conor Daly, on the other hand, was not able to secure a full season ride but was able to put together a sponsorship deal with United States Air Force for a Dale Coyne Racing and Thom Burns Racing No. 17 Honda Dallara for the biggest race of almost any season. This late deal, without having the kind of testing and experience with the new Universal Aero Kit Dallara that was introduced this year, had Conor clinging on to make the show at the end of Day 1 of qualifications at P33 of the limit of thirty-three positions allowed to race in the INDY500 no matter how many cars show up.

The unusual occurrence was that on Day 2 final qualifications, Conor Daly was unable to improve upon his starting position of P33 with another four-lap run, but Alex, who was expected to repeat his strong run at the top of the P10-P33 grouping in the Field of 33, was sent out with a right front tire set at an under-inflated level causing his NAPA Auto Parts No. 27 Andretti Autosport Honda Dallara to decrease in speed in each lap of his four-lap run placing his car at the back of the field at ... P32.

RaceControl graphic from IndyCar.com - Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Joined at the hip yet again, race car drivers and friends Alex and Conor of #TeamIndyCar share the final row at P31 with British auto racing driver, and a former member of McLaren's Young Driver Programme Jack Harvey piloting the Meyer Shank Racing With Schmidt Peterson Motorsports No. 60 Honda Dallara as members of the "11th Row Society" which is an integral part of the culture surrounding this amazing 102 year (being run Sunday, May 27th 12:00 PM ET) race.

To honor this society and its new members, the 46th Annual charity event known as the "Last Row Party" will be held on Thursday, May 24.

EVENTBRITE DETAILS
Race car fans can meet Indy 500 drivers at the Last Row Party on Thursday, May 24 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. This annual event — in its 46th year — honors and roasts the three drivers who make up the last or 11th row of the Indianapolis 500 race.

This year's honorees are Jack Harvey, Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly.

In partnership with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Last Row Party is in the 160-foot-high Pagoda, which sits at the start and finish line of the Indianapolis 500.

One of the 500’s best events, fans can eat, drink and laugh as drivers are roasted at the Pagoda. (4790 West 16th Street -- enter through Gate 2 off 16th street). Last Row Party T-shirts will be sold for $20 each.

Past years' last row drivers have included Ryan Briscoe, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Ana Beatriz, Sebastian Saavedra and Takuma Sato. All were Last Row Party honorees and instant crowd favorites.

Tickets are $60 per person. Attire is casual.

Tickets include entertainment and food. There will be two cash bars. Tickets can be ordered through this website at Eventbrite.com. Questions: Call 317-701-1130 (ask for Jenny) or 317-439-2252 (ask for Linda).  A portion of each ticket is tax-deductible since the event benefits the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation, which provides journalism scholarships, awards and fellowships for Indiana college and university students.

For more information, please visit our website at: www.indypressfoundation.org/last-row-party

Facebook: Last Row Party

Twitter: @LastRowParty

$45 of each ticket is tax-deductible since the event benefits the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation.

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: #TeamIndyCar, Historic, INDY500, 11th Row Society, @The_EDJE, @TheEDJE, @LastRowParty, Last Row Party

Andretti Autosport's Rossi Grabs Hold Of 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series Season In P3, P3, & P1 For Season Points Lead

Alexander Rossi attacks Turn 6 on his way to nailing down his third Podium finish in as many races in the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season with his first win at the 44th Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach - starting from the pole position. This win became his third in three years, along side his winning finishes at the 2016 INDY500 and 2017 IndyCar Grand Prix at The Glen - also, from the pole position. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Andretti Autosport's Rossi Grabs Hold Of 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series Season In P3, P3, & P1 For Season Points Lead

Nevada City, California's own Alexander Rossi, after beginning the year as a member of the #TeamIndyCar promotion of Season 30's The Amazing Race paired with the future INDY500 driver for Dale Coyne Racing/Thom Burns Racing Air Force sponsored No. 17, Conor Daly, Alex has been on a strong and steady march to the front.

In the Amazing Race, teams work through challenges, in much the same manner as a "Scavenger Hunt", going from location to location to perform tasks and challenges ... throughout the world. The biggest #TeamIndyCar challenge imagined that would be encountered in this set up, because even though they are a part of a team, what they do on the track is ultimately in their control, is being a performance team sharing the performance through their shared functioning against each task against other paired teams in this reality TV series race.

Team IndyCar did very well completing many of the stages at P1, finished P4 behind the Professional Skiers #TeamExtreme at P3 - Kristi Leskinen and Jen Hudak, Dating Debaters #TeamYale at P2 - Henry Zhang and Evan Lynyak, and the $1,000,000 winning team #TeamBigBrother of houseguest showmance couple Jessica Graf and Cody Nickson.

Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly (L) have a chat with NBC Sports IndyCar race analyst Townsend Bell in front of Rock & Reilly's Sunset Strip, location of The Amazing Race Season 30 Episode 1 viewing party. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Many would say that this is a great start to 2018, but Alexander Rossi was just beginning to make improvements. The impression one gets is that this is a driver who has taken what he has learned in his Freshman and Sophomore years in the IndyCar Series as a matter of team building, and with the freeing up of the racing platform, is staged to make a kind of racing history and domination during his Junior year that hasn't been seen since the ChampCar World Series racing days of Sebastien Bourdais and Newman-Haas.

After chasing and moving aside race leader, Schmidt Peterson's Rookie driver, Robert Wickens, on the final restart at Saint Petersburg, to hold on and finish P3 ...

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Rookie and Canadian driver, Robert Wickens (L) shares a kidding moment with Alexander Rossi during the Phoenix Grand Prix post race press conference. Wickens celebrated that he finished P2 with Rossi who finished in P3. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

... then chasing the brightest beginning for a Rookie joining the Verizon IndyCar Series by qualifying strong and leading the most laps through two races - yes, Robert Wickens again -  to finish a consecutive P3 at the first oval race of the season, the  Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway, Alexander Rossi rolled into Long Beach loaded for bear.

The weather was perfect for the now Forty-Four year year old rites-of-spring event and the team of the No. 27 NAPA Auto Parts Honda Dallara was well oiled by placing the car in the top classification throughout the three practices and nabbing the Verizon P1 Pole Award at the end of the three round Knock-Out Qualifications process ending with the Firestone Fast Six.

Before driver introductions and the command for "Drivers! Start your engines!", Alexander Rossi walks along pitlane and other teams pit boxes to get ready to race after qualifying at position one yesterday, along side of Team Penske's two-time TGPLB winner (2008, 2012) Will Power. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

In the Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach, Alexander Rossi and his support team, headed by the engineer who has been with Alexander for the two previous years, Jeremy Milless, were rarely ever challenged, even when the field was tightened up on restarts after four Full Course Yellow Flag caution periods for problems on the track. Alexander's car and his situational race awareness had him out front quickly and plenty of space by the time Turn 1 came upon the field. Alexander and the No. 27 led every lap, save for the times he relinquished the lead on pitstop rotations - he led 71 laps of the 85 lap race.

Q. You didn't turn a wheel wrong all weekend, and to have a weekend like that, is that as close to perfection as you can ever hope to have? --- ALEXANDER ROSSI: I suppose so. You know, you always look back on things, on what could have been better, but yeah, I think that the car was (pause) we nailed the setup really every session, which is very hard to do in this championship with the changing conditions and the different rubber that gets laid down.

My engineer Jeremy Milless and the entire engineering department led by Eric Bretzman was really on top of their game this weekend. I think we had two cars to win for sure, and I feel very sad about stuff that happened to Ryan (Hunter-Reay) kind of from yesterday afternoon, but Zach and Marco showed the strength of the cars in race condition, as well, today, and it would have been pretty cool for Zach to be able to get his first podium. He was really close (at P4).

This image was captured from the photographer's riser about the same time Alexander Rossi's attorney, Michael Maroney shot his Instagram image & message (look above & closely). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Q. Last year Andretti Autosport came here, all ran strong, all four retired with mechanical or electrical gremlins, and this year you all had incredible pace again, three of you ended up in the top 10, you won. That's got to be a little bit of extra sense of satisfaction to kind of get one back after last year. --- ALEXANDER ROSSI: Hugely. This was one that was circled on the calendar for us for a while, and last year was heartbreaking. I mean, if I wasn't -- didn't have the opportunity to win, Ryan had the opportunity to win. And to have all four drop out with mechanical issues, that's the way of the sport sometimes, and I'm glad that the balance of luck, if you will, kind of came back to us a little bit this year.

Yeah, I mean, there's a huge sense of satisfaction that we were able to still have the strength that we had last year, especially when we look back three years or two and a half years to 2016, when street courses were kind of the bane of our existence. To make that kind of strides forward that we've made in the past two years is pretty special, and very cool to be a part of on the inside, and as a driver to go from pretty much coming here and it being an undrivable situation to coming here and Friday through Sunday you have an awesome race car under you is a very special feeling.

Team Selfie - Alexander Rossi joins the crew of his NAPA Auto Parts No. 27 Honda Dallara in a new media Victory Lane celebration using the camera from a phone set out for all to see. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2018)

Q. So you won at Indy - and Watkins Glen - and Long Beach --- ALEXANDER ROSSI: Those are three good ones, huh? Is that your question? (Laughter)

Q. That was pretty much the question, yeah. What does it mean to you? --- ALEXANDER ROSSI: I realized that when I was told on the podium that that was the case, and that's pretty spectacular. I certainly hope I haven't peaked too early with those three. But yeah, no doubt about it, I mean, if you're going to hit the wish list, those are the three. And yeah, I don't really have anything more to say than it's kind of hard to believe and hard to understand, and it's something that will definitely take a lot of time to appreciate, but we don't have that much time to appreciate it because this series just likes to keep us going, so we're on track here in another four or five days, and you're only as good as your last time on track, so we'll have to go re-prove ourselves again on Friday (next race at Honda Indy Grand Prix Of Alabama).

Top six in the season points standings after St. Petersburg and the Southwest Spring Swing (Phoenix Grand Prix & Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach). Image Credit: INDYCAR

As the points race begins to shape up early in this new age of the Universal Aero Kit with less downforce, there are only a few other teams and drivers that seem poised to be able to challenge the strength of the Andretti Autospot team of Alexander Rossi - assuming full race runs.

In the top six in the 2018 season points standings, one finds a broad diversity of outright challenges from three past IndyCar Series champions representing 9 season titles in P2 Penske Racing's Josef Newgarden (2017), P4 Dale Coyne Vasser Sullivan Racing's Sebastien Bourdais (2004-2007 in ChampCar), and P6 Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon (2003, 2008, 2013, 2015 in IRL & IndyCar).

Add to this mix, veteran drivers from advancing teams as P3 Rahal Letterman Lanigan's Graham Rahal who finished a season high 4th in the points in 2015, and P5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver James Hinchcliffe who has had one of his most steady season starts and seems poised to make a statement while being pushed by his longtime friend and current teammate Canadian Rookie Robert Wickens.

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: @IndyCar Verizon IndyCar Series, Andretti Autosports, Alexander Rossi, NAPA Auto Parts, #TGPLB, #TGPLB44, Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach, Honda, @hondaracing_hpd, @TheEDJE

96th #INDY500 Tweet-By-Tweet - A Live Blog Effort

The famous control tower IMS pagoda at dawn the day of the 96th Indianapolis 500. Image Credit: Jeff Gluck via instagram

96th #INDY500 Tweet-By-Tweet - A Live Blog Effort

This edition of the "Greatest Spectacle In Racing" will be unique due to one major overriding issue, the new Dallara DW12 is racing in its first oval race and it happens to be the biggest, most historic venue one could choose for this maiden outing.

Fans and drivers are excited to see how this platform will perform in traffic because these cars are much kinder to the cars that trail behind them due to the aerodynamic effect known as Mushroom Busting incorporated into the design of the body work. What this means is that the disturbed airflow behind the car has been directed above the racing surface much more quickly than previous designs and this allows a car riding behind another car to be more stable and be able to get a "TOW" from the car in front.

Multiple car teams like Andretti Autosport with five cars entered may have an advantage if the team drivers work together as roller-derby teammates would work together to "sling-shot" each of their drivers forward.

The additional subtext to this 500 mile race would be the durability of the new racing engine formula. Three engine manufacturers have been authorized to produce these engines and it would seem that the weakest link resides with the DW12's powered by the Lotus/Judd turbo-charged engines. How many laps will they go before they are 1) Black-Flagged for being too slow or 2) if they will be able to complete the 500 miles still running without a failure.

Of course the final outcome will be watched by the Chevrolet and Honda engine team for their own ability to be able to complete the 500 miles still running without a failure as well.

Predictions are that either KVRT's Tony Kanaan or defending championship team of Bryan Herta Autosport's #98 Alex Tagliani would be the winner at the end of 500 miles. If the race is won by a multiple car team that would go to Andretti Autosport with Ryan Hunter-Raey. Fastest female now that Danica Patrick isn't sucking the PR air out of the room goes to Andretti Autosport's Ana Beatrix. Top former F1 driver goes to KVRT's Takuma Sato. Highest placing former INDY500 champion would be Helio Castroneves - Motorsports Unplugged Radio.

The following entries come from "Tweet Deck" tweet-by-tweet with added comments from the author:

Matt Archuleta @indy44
What a great intro on ABC. Spotlighted Dan Wheldon on Borg-Warner trophy. "That's what it takes to ride with Legends." #Lionheart #Indy500

 Jeff Gluck @jeff_gluck 39s
Cool pic. RT @penskeracing: Minutes before the walk out to #Indy500 @h3lio & @12WillPower collect their thoughts. twitpic.com/9pxgn8

Indy Motor Speedway @IMS
Cars are lining up on the front stretch! Head over to get a chance to see the new DW12 cars up close and personal. #Indy500

Chris Siegle @chrissiegle
You'd think with every Dan Wheldon tribute that is shown on TV, they'd get easier to watch. But they haven't for me. #Lionheart #Indy500

Sam Schmidt Mtsprts @SSMIndy
@simonpagenaud talks with Honda guests. Thanks to @HondaRacing_HPD for all they do. #Indy500 @IndyCar pic.twitter.com/IneJrVaz

Indy Motor Speedway @IMS
Driver introductions and pre-race ceremonies are about to begin! What's your favorite #Indy500 tradition?

Dave Walker @reklawed
Turned on the #Indy500 only to discover that #IndyCar hasn't honoured Greg Moore and kept his number retired. That is beyond disappointing

Craig Terrill @TerrillMusic
"When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash, then I long for my Indiana home" #indy500

The recorded version channeling Jim Nabors seems grand and appropriate for this first race of the DW12

on Frankl @ronfrankl
In-cars on ESPN3.com just went live. #IndyCar

Brad Plummer @PlummerBrad
why do i not have the video only sound? - #indycar live on livestream.com/indycar

 Mike Saverko @Msave69
Like to thank all our veterans for giving us a chance to enjoy #Indy500 and #Coke600 today!! This wknd for you!! Thanks!! #NASCAR #IndyCar

GREEN, GREEN, GREEN!

IZOD IndyCar Series @IndyCar
GREEN FLAG FOR THE 96TH RUNNING OF THE #INDY500! #indycar2012

All cars safely around for a full lap - James Hinchcliffe takes the first lap

Two laps two lead changes as Briscoe takes the position back

Steph@MoreFrontWing @99forever
Okay, guys. The only lap you need to lead is the 200th. Relax, please. #indy500

Graham Rahal's fuel light alarm is flashing on lap 8 of 200

Wayne Willis @WayneWillisJr
These cars are racing really nice. Looks good so far. #Indy500 @JamieLittleESPN

Jay Howard @JayHowardRacing
[PIC] Seeing #dannyboy car circle @IMS is not only emotional bt special 4 all his many fans, me included #indy500 @IMS lockerz.com/s/212340109

Peter Leung @BaronVonClutch
Race Control has black-flagged Jean Alesi and Simona de Silvestro. Both cars were lapping about 10mph slower than rest of field. #Indy500

Lap 15 of 200 - Lotus/Judd cars are out of the race as predicted yesterday on Motorsports Unplugged Radio - "Wouldn't last 25 Laps"

YELLOW Flag - Clauson spins and saves the car and doesn't hit the wall - Pits Open

EJ Viso punts Dario Franchitti in pit lane and turns the #50 car around - nose cone change ordered by Chip Ganassi

Patti Rodisch @nascar_lugnuts
that was a frantic set of pit stops...#indycar

LAP 17 of 200 - Restart - GREEN, GREEN, GREEN!

IZOD IndyCar Series @IndyCar
Incident between Viso and Franchitti on pit lane was investigated. No action taken. #Indy500 #indycar2012

Fuel consumption may be down from expected due to the temperatures on the track

9 lead changes between three drivers by Lap 24 of 200

ABC replays the "single-file" restart and there were as many as five-wide at one point

IZOD IndyCar Series @IndyCar
Pic: The start of the 96th Running of the #Indy500. #indycar2012 pic.twitter.com/8x0Wyi8C

Ryan Brothers @renegade_3
RT @INDYracereview: . @MarcoAndretti is back in the lead. #IndyCar #Indy500

Tom Meyer Klipsch @TOMMYKlipsch
Lets go @Andretti26 #TeamRCcola #Andretti Leading the #Indy500! instagr.am/p/LIyFPuTENu/

LAP 34 of 200 - Top five - Andretti, Hinchtown, Briscoe, Tagliani, and Kanaan

GREEN Flag ptistops begin

F1 Fanatic Live @f1fanaticlive
L43 Hinchcliffe pits. #IndyCar

Doug Demmons @dougdemmons
Jean Alesi says he'll be back next year and he won't be driving a Yugo ... I mean, Lotus #Indy500

Ron Frankl @ronfrankl
Hinchcliffe told by team they're beating everyone on fuel mileage. Not concerned to be first to come in. #IndyCar

James Jakes @JamesJakes
4 more #Firestone tires and fuel! Fast work by the crew today! Indy500 #IndyCar

LAP 49 - Newgarden car stalls in the pits - hand pushed and restarted

Dragon Racing's Katherine Legge two laps down in P28 - Teammate Sebastien Bourdais in P23 one lap down

LAP 50 of 200 Top 10 - Andretti, Dixon, Hinchcliffe, Briscoe, Sato, Power, Kanaan, Franchitti, Rahal, and Conway

Graham Rahal is just not up to speed - complains of too much downforce

Tagliani must have had a terrible pitstop - he's dropped to P24 on lap 64 of 200 after running in the top 5at lap 34

Marco Andretti is showing great strength on lap 68 with a lead, running alone at .6689 ahead of Scott Dixon - lapping at 217mph

 Bruno Tarulli @BrunoTarulli34
Kanaan paro otra vez en boxes. Sato es tercero. Sigue adelante Marco Andretti, nieto de Mario. #IndyCar #Indy500

Jenna Fryer @JennaFryer
Marco Andretti has now led more laps than he'd led in all his previous combined #Indy500 (31 laps led) #IndyCar

Anthony Stuart @Anthony_Stuart
#INDY500 came back into my room… definitely awake now! Some absolutely amazing driving on display @imsupdates

Dario Franchitti has worked his way up to P5 since dropping to P28 with the first pitlane incident

LAP 74 - Andretti in the pits, Hinchcliffe in the pits, RHR in the pits, 29 laps on a tank of gas

LAP 75 - all three Penske Racing cars in for fuel and tires

Dixon and Franchitti P1 and P2 before their pitstops - two Honda-powered lead the race

14 different lead changes as Charlie Kimball takes the lead on transition

YELLOW Flag - Mike Conway and Will Power in a big crash after Mike Conway pulss out of the pits. Conway on the pitstop ran into three of his crew members and was assesed a drive through penalty which he was going to serve on the next lap.

Conway's ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing car just spun in front of Will Power as it looked like a front wing problem that caused instability

Four cars out of the race - the two Lotus cars and now Mike Conway and Will Power - Slow motion of the accident showed the safety of the systems built-in to the cars and the track

 Andretti Autosport @FollowAndretti
After dropping back with push condition, @RyanHunterReay climbing back into fray. P7. #Indy500

Tony @PopOffValve
Looks like more folks are seeking out the misting stations @IMS - worst heat of the day right now.

Allen Wedge @AllenWedge
@tonydizinno everyone ok, Conway hit wall alone Power couldn't avoid and got under him

Bill Zahren @pressdog
As Conway gets airborne he's all like "fabulous. this again" heart rate climbs to 49 bpm

LAP 88 0f 200 - GREEN Flag Restart of second caution period of the race 

Top ten - Andretti, Dixon, Sato, Kanaan, Franchitti, Hinchtown, RHR, Briscoe, Rahal, and Kimball

LAP 89 of 200 - YELLOW Flag - Ana Beatrix hits the wall alone - backend got loose and barely brushes the wall

Pits Open with many takers - RHR decides at last moment to not go in - Hinchcliffe has a pit problem - Dixon and Franchitti stay out as well

Jim @RacingBluejay
What the hell is it with rear tires today at #IMS? #Indy500 #IndyCar

Ryan Brothers @renegade_3
Sad to see my man @12WillPower have to end his day early #Indy500 . A little momentum lost from his amazing start to this #IndyCar season.

Stephanie Flint @stephmflint
Listening to the #500 on the radio as I drive home isn't quite the same after experiencing it as a @PrincessIndy500 last year... #indycar

Formula 1 @F1grid
PHOTO: A lot of empty seats at the Indianapolis 500 #Indy500 #IndyCar twitpic.com/9pzaod

On pit out, Ana Beatrix pulls out slowly and causes a traffic jam on the out lane

LAP 95 0f 200 - GREEN Flag Restart of third caution period of the race

All cars safely through in very tight racing quarters - this Mushroom Busting design delivers a quality racing product!

Conwezys @Conwezys
Lap 98 #lionheartforever #LIONHEART #indy500

White sunglasses placed on the faces of everyone in the stands

James Foreman @James__Foreman
#indy500 #indycar2012 #hondaindy @girlracercouk - Dan Wheldon's wife Susie watching the race from the pits, must be a very tough day for her

Halfway - LAP 100 of 200 - Top 10 drivers are TCGR's Dixon & Franchitti, Andretti Autosport's Ryan Hunter-Raey, CGR's Graham Rahal, Dale Coyne Racing's Justin Wilson, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Takuma Sato, CGR's Charlie Kimball, Panther Racing's JR Hildebrand, Dale Coyne Racing's James Jakes, and Sam Schmidt Motorsport'sTownsend Bell

The field has settled down nose to tail in order to save fuel

LAP 112 - Pitstop by RHR after not taking fuel after the last yellow flag

Top six positions are Honda-powered DW12s

Jeff Gluck @jeff_gluck
Will Power on crash: "(Conway) said the team sent him out w/a broken wing. I don't understand why they would do that." #IndyCar

Taylor J. Ness @tness88
Many drivers, including seasoned veterans, seem to be having trouble with getting going out of the pit box. #INDY500

Robby Howard @robbyhoward1
Charlie Kimball, the first driver credited with racing with diabetes, has moved into the fifth position. #indy500

Dario Franchitti in and out of the pits on Lap 118 - Dixon gets one more lap after leading 34 laps - in and out

LAP 121 - Takuma Sato leads all drivers with the 18th lead change in the race and the first time in IMS history that a Japanese-born driver has led an INDY500 race

Ryan Hunter-Raey's car is giving him troubles and comes into the pits - may be terminal - right rear upright giving way

Rubens Barrichello leads a lap at INDY500 after 33 laps between fuel stops

LAP 125 - top five are Sato, followed very closely by Franchitti, Dixon, Andretti, and Hildebrand ... oops, passed by Rahal

Four Chip Ganassi managed cars in the top 10 - P2 Franchitti, P4 Dixon, P5 Rahal, P7 Kimball

Indy Star Sports @IndyStarSports
RT @indystar_hutch: Top five at Indy thru 131 (13 on lead lap): Sato, Franchitti, Dixon, Andretti and Rahal. #Indy500

Filip Cleeren @FilipCleeren
Marco still looking good to win this. #indy500

Allen Wedge @AllenWedge
Just watched Marco pick off Dixon on ESPN3, I wish they offered this to everyone

Team Chevy @TeamChevy
Total of 20 lead changes today. Most ever at #Indy500 - 29. @IMS #ChevyIndy500

Crash Gladys @CrashGladys
Turn 2 is never the hardest turn, but drivers r reporting that due to the tailwind it is increasingly difficult 2 turn there #Indy500

Mandy Valentine @Indy_Mode
Come on @TonyKanaan & @Hinchtown - U guys can do it! (well, not both of U, obviously, but U can be 1st & 2nd!) Drive boys, drive #Indy500

Vibration troubles with Marco Andretti's car which may be the same problem with the CV Joint as Ryan Hunter-Raey's car Marco in pitlane ... and out

YELLOW Flag - LAP 145 of 200 fourth of the race - Andretti Autosport's Saavedra stalled on pit in lane

Almost everyone in the pits - very hectic - now 12 cars on the lead lap - should be cycled forward for the restart

After pitstops by the field the top ten positions are Sato, Franchitti, Dixon, Hinchcliffe, Wilson, Kimball, Briscoe, Kanaan, Castroneves, and Barrichello

LAP 152 of 200 -  GREEN Flag Restart of fourth caution period of the race

 IZOD IndyCar Series @IndyCar Green green green! Sato leads on Lap 152. #Indy500 #indycar2012

Single file restart with a log jam - Franchitti takes the position away from Sato - then Dixon TCGR in P1 and P2

Hinchtown now targeting TAKU! - Everyone needs to make one more pitstop so fuel strategy is out the window

Kanaan just eclipsed Hinchcliffe - after one lap, Hinchcliffe takes the position back

LAP 159 - Dixon passes Franchitti for the lead with TAKU right behind - oops, Franchitti passes Dixon right back

Jeff Gluck @jeff_gluck
It's official: The temperature has reached 93 degrees, making the hottest #Indy500 in the 96-year history of the event.

Hasby Díaz Colina @dernierslayer
#INDY500 VUELTA 145 1.Sato 2.Franchitti 3.Andretti 4.Dixon 5.Wilson 6.Hildebrand 7.Kimball 8.Hinchcliffe 9.Bell 10.Castroneves 24.VISO

YELLOW Flag - LAP 164 - Josef Newgarden's car lets loose and pulls to the infield of the track - Pits Closed

Pits now open with 35 laps to go - al little long to stretch to the end - WOW all leaders in - Hinchcliffe runs over a hose and delays at getting out of pits - lost positions way down the order

Ron Frankl @ronfrankl
Hinchcliffe being told repeatedly by cc to save fuel; James acknowledges but says he" doesn't want to lose the field." #IndyCar

Oakley @oakley
RT @OakleyRacing1 The #Indy500 - @scottdixon9 leading followed by fellow O driver @dariofranchitti - will they hold on? #indycar2012 Lap 168

Speculation is that with leaning down, all of the leaders my be able to make it to the end - possible penalties to Rahal and Hinchcliffe

LAP 171 of 200 - 30 LAPS To Go - GREEN Flag Restart of fifth caution period of the race

Three wide and Justin Wilson gets by Sato - Franchitti takes the lead - Wilson set sights on Dixon

Kanaan in the mix with Franchitti, Dixon, Wilson, Sato and Kaanaan

Wilson slips up near the wall and losses places back to P7 - now top five is Dixon, Franchitti, Sato, Carpenter, and Kanaan

YELLOW Flag LAP 181 - Ed Carpenter spins and is in OK shape - no crash or damage, may have kissed the wall - actually no touch - white line sends the car skidding

LaMarquis Martin @LaMarquisMartin
100% skill, 200% luck there by @edcarpenter20 #indy500 #indycar

Tony @PopOffValve
Holy cow. Screw green/white/checkers, this is going to be a GOBSMACKING finish to the #Indy500.

Kendra McKinley @dance_kenny
another new record! most lead changes in a single race. 31. #Indy500

Max Papis @maxpapis 41s
Hats off to the class act of @CLTMotorSpdwy to show #Indy500 on the giant screen #classact

LAP 176 - Franchitti back in the lead with radio commands to manage fuel at "4.3 on the dash"

Dixon sets a new lead change record ant the INDY500 with 30 lead changes for this Mushroom Buster DW12

LAP 184 of 200 - 16 LAPS To Go - GREEN Flag Restart of sixth caution period of the race

Kanaan streaks to the lead from P6 - Franchitti passes TK back - Franchitti tries to bunch the field - Kanaan takes the lead again

YELLOW Flag - up to P8 Marco Andretti hits the wall and the tires on the right side of the car are bent - inside wheels hit the white line and spins

Declan Brennan @TheRaceTool
Has anyone noticed how FECKING AWESOME the Indy 500 is? :) #IndyCar

Curt Cavin @curtcavin
Pretty sure @TonyKanaan wishes he hadn't taken the lead just before that crash. He's going to be second (or maybe fifth) by Turn 4. #indy500

T.Marc Jones @TMarcJones
Ok ladies and gentlemen; 7 lap shootout! Is this an exciting race or what! #INDY500 #indycar2012 Let's go @TonyKanaan

Angelique @Angeliquecr
This next restart is gonna test the sphincters of every soul at the @IMS #RaceDay #indy500 #Indy500SnakePit #indycar2012

Top five before restart are Kanaan, Franchitti, Dixon, Briscoe, and Wilson

LAP 194 of 200 - 6 LAPS To Go - GREEN Flag Restart of seventh caution period of the race

Franchitti passes on restart - Oriol Servia maks a charge to the front and is in P6

Two laps to go Sato holds on to Franchitti's tail and is in P2 - Sato tries to pass on the inside, touches the whiteline and spins - YELLOW Flag

CHECKERED Flag - Franchitti becomes a three-time winner under a YELLOW Flag. WOW!

Final top ten - Dario Franchitti (from P33 to P3 on one stint), Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Oriol Servia (former Lotus-driver), Ryan Briscoe, James Hinchcliffe, Justin Wilson, Charlie Kimball, Toensend Bell, and Helio Castroneves

This is the first race of the season not won by a Penske Racing driver, but it still is a race win by either a Penske Racing or a Chip Ganassi Racing driver!

Ashley Judd Franchitti is absolutely beside herself as well she should be - Dario Franchitti becomes a Three-Time INDY500 Winner - dedicates the race to Dan Wheldon in post race interview (paraphrased).

"To be placed on the trophy besides Dan means the world to me."

Dario gets an Igloo cooler full of icy water dumped on him ala winning Football Coach/Super Bowl style.

 Post race interview has Takuma Sato complaining that he had taken the position but Dario pinched him down so hard that it caused him to have to be below the whiteline causing his DW12 to spin and hit the wall. 

The 96th Indianapolis 500 is in the books and should be renamed the "Mushroom Buster 500" in honor of the technology that brought together a great, competitive, and record 35 lead change race.


... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: #indycar, 96th Indianapolis 500, DW12, INDY500, Swift Engineering, @TheEDJE, tow

Dallara DW12 Speedway Aero Takes A Nod From Swift Engineering

The Dallara DW12 in Speedway Configuration rear wing side-by-side with the Swift Engineering Concept 66 Mushroom Busting design and the similarities are striking. Image Credit: Various resources combined by Edmund Jenks (2012)  

Dallara DW12 Speedway Aero Takes A Nod From Swift Engineering

The major difference with the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 ... the Greatest Spectacle in Racing ... and virtually all previous editions of the race is the racing platform technology.

Most people who have been following American open wheel racing since the beginning know the trials and tribulations with the separation and unification of the series but few really have a handle on as to why this year will be different than any other year.

The IZOD IndyCar Series has adopted a new chassis that handles the flow of air much differently than chassis of previous years and this change lays mainly in the concept of managing the airflow vortex that is created by the car and what happens to the flow of air after it leaves the back end or rear wing of the open wheel chassis. The car punches a change of the nature of the air ... or hole in the air and this allows a car that is following to pass through the same space more easily, with less drag. Some have come to term this effect as "Tow" but what is really happening is that the new design manages the flow of the air to allow for the vortex "mushroom" to be busted. An aerodynamic design feature first pioneered by Swift Engineering and put into play by some very enterprising aerodynamic engineers at Dallara for the Speedway Configuration of the DW12 chassis.

Bryan Herta Autosport's Alex Tagliani had the following observation as to this "Mushroom Busting" effect upon the trailing car, a car following a lead driver:

“You can really see it. If you make the corners flat (out), and being within three car-lengths, you'll get sucked in,” explains Alex Tagliani, who's understandably bullish about his chances having both a Honda and running with defending champion team Bryan Herta Autosport. “If your car isn't as good, and you're maybe four lengths back, you'll still be able to suck in three, but you'll just getting right on their back.”

This is where the timing element comes into play. “Getting closer, you get more disturbed, and if you lift, you become a sitting duck,” he says. “The timing of the draft is very important, but you also have to stay within the appropriate distance to pick up the tow and get by the guy.”
(quote ht: Racer.com)

The following was first published on 4/16/2010 and updated on 6/10/2010 by Edmund Jenks after a visit and tour of the Swift Engineering creation and production facility located in San Clemente, California:

Swift Engineering's 2012 IZOD IndyCar design concept 66 CAD image with California Speedway background. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

Surprise Swift Tour Yields A Look At "Concept 66" Platform
(originally posted 4/16/10 - 1:28 PM)

If the folks at the IZOD IndyCar Series are thinking with a level head, given what we, at The EDJE, were exposed to at a surprise tour of the Swift Engineering facility in San Clemente, they will soon be singing "We get our kicks settling on Concept 66" as their way of the future of open-wheel racing.

Swift Engineering's 2012 IZOD IndyCar design concept 66 artist rendering. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

We were invited by the Publisher of The Motorsports Report, Dicken Wear, as an impromptu field trip after checking in at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Credentials area to pick up our Photo Vests for this weekends event. What a bonus since the major motorsports events of the day would be background shots taken while the IRL, ALMS, World Cup Challenge, and Firestone IndyPro Series cars practiced so the teams could dial in for the races ahead.

Swift Engineering's 2012 IZOD IndyCar design concept 66 CAD image without background. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

A group of about 20 people (writers, drivers, engineers, and photographers) gathered and were treated to a tour of the facilities at Swift that included a look and demonstration of their on-premises 140 mph wind tunnel, driving simulator, and composite fabrication areas. We were led on the tour by Program Director, Casper Van Der Schoot originally from Holland by way of Hogan Racing.

Casper enlightened the eager crowd with the concept of designing to reduce the effects of the vortex "dirty air" so that the platforms could race nose to tail with greater safety and, of course, greater competitiveness. The design concept of how to do this came in the development of a rear wing and forward rear wheel pod shapes that turn the Concept 66 into a "Mushroom Buster"!

One can not totally eliminate the shroom effect, but by shrinking the width of the shroom plume, and raising the "cap" of the shroom so that it is moved away from the following platform ... the mushroom is effectively busted.

UPDATE: Swift Concept #70 proposal for the next IZOD IndyCar

The IZOD IndyCar ICONIC Committee earlier this week, received a presentation previewing Swift's concept #70. The #70 is the latest evolution open-wheel car concept and incorporates aspects of the six previously launched concepts Swift has designed over the past nine months.

Swift Engineering's Design Concept #70 placed into a Long Beach Grand Prix track background. Image Credit: Swift Engineering via Racer

“Our latest concept evolves elements from our previous concepts and from the direct feedback we have received from the series, teams and fans,” said Casper van der Schoot, Swift's Program Director in an interview published in Racer Magazine. “I would like to thank the fans who have provided great feedback to us through our Facebook page and in particular Erik Berkman and Dave Marek from Honda for sharing with us their data and modeling for their next generation V6 powerplant as well as their chassis styling concept that weighed heavily in our design.”

The main thing that Swift was able to design in and keep in the #70 was a nose-to-tail racing safety and competition design concept known as "The Mushroom Buster" explained in the breakthrough design first introduced with Design Concept #66 above.

"The 70 has increased signage real estate, as demanded by the teams,” said Mark Page, Swift's Chief Scientist to Racer Magazine. “We enlarged the car's bodywork and angled the surfaces so that they present the best view to the fans. We also have a new 'Mushroom Buster; design. This promotes passing by busting the 'mushroom cloud' of dead air behind the racecar. Our number 70 model was run through extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics on our new Cray supercomputers. The Cray has increased our capability 50-fold, and we now know our car will have significantly less drag than the current car.”

“The monocoque is larger than the current spec,” stated Chris Norris, Swift's chief designer in the same Racer interview. “It is designed to accommodate driver size from Danica [Patrick] to Justin [Wilson] with added padding beneath and behind the driver. In addition we have added anti-wheel lock blades dubbed, ‘Satan's teeth' aft of the front wheels, attached to the front of the sidepods. Also an anti-lift approach to the design of the front wings and sidepods will dramatically reduce the likelihood of the car getting airborne.”

The IZOD IndyCar Series is reviewing the Swift and four other manufacturer's value propositions and is expected to make its decision for the next generation IndyCar for 2012 by June 30, 2010.
[Reference Here]

Well, Dallara won the contract and the incorporation of the mushroom busting design in the DW12 is very evident, more so than with a road/street course aerodynamic set up. Maybe as this author had done with the quote used by Alex Tagliani for this article, Dallara should place at the bottom of each rear wing assembly [ht: Swift Engineering] ... do ya' think?

This year, the "tow" will be the story of the 96th INDY500 race and it will be because of moving the dirty air vortex up and away from the track surface - Mushroom Busting - which will allow cars to be more stable and gain an advantage on the track if used properly.

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: 2012, 66, 70, Casper Van Der Schoot, Concept 66, Concept 70, Dallara, Design, DW12, IZOD IndyCar Series, Speedway Configuration, Swift Engineering, @TheEDJE