Showing posts with label Established. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Established. Show all posts

Friday, April 24, 2009

Dallara Options Pared Down For ICS Transition Parity - UPDATED

Where parity is insured ... the TechPad inspection tool. The 2009 rules change and the process that happens on this tool, will allow for greater competition between teams that field cars like the Luczo Dragon #2 Dallara, piloted by Raphael Matos pictured here. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

Dallara Options Pared Down For ICS Transition Parity

Last year at this time, it was the first year of the merger of the two professional open wheel racing series and a couple of races were under the belt of all the competitors. The pains of transition were beginning to show themselves, in that the teams coming in from the former CART/ChampCar World Series were the teams that had to learn a whole new set of venues, learn how to drive and set up a whole new chassis, and begin to learn the nuances of the allowable variables the Established teams had been working with in order to gain a performance advantage.

One set of option variables focused on the length of the wheelbase itself. Last year, Transition teams were beginning to recognize that they did not have enough chassis parts to compete ... especially on ovals, and this year the IRL decided to do something about it.

Last year, the talk was that the Transition teams were going to have a tough time learning to drive on oval tracks (an IRL main staple) and as it turns out, the deck was stacked against the Transition teams.



The rules for setting up a Dallara chassis allowed the teams to vary the wheelbase length in order to set the car up for greater handling and speed based upon the nature of the oval venue they were tackling. A team could choose wheelbase measurements from 118 inches, 120 inches, and 122 inches. Along with these measurement options were the suspension configuration set up parts which would vary the amount of travel and dampening the chassis would have in the oval corners which could add to greater speed, stability and handling throughout the race.

No wonder the Transition teams were complaining that they did not have enough spare parts to field their Dallara cars ... they did not have ALL of the parts (and wheelbase options for the Dallara) that would give the teams ALL of the set up options available to ALL of the Established teams.

Kansas represents the first oval race of this sophomore season of unification and begins a run of six races where the only intentional right-hand turns during the race will be at pit box exit in order to enter the main pit lane to resume racing on the track. This will be the first oval race where there will be no excuses and all teams will be racing roughly the same chassis, on the same wheelbase, with the same set of set up options in the suspension parts. The deck will not be stacked against the Transition Players as it was on oval venues throughout all of the 2008 unification season.

The 122 inch standard measurement that all teams will be running on oval race venues this year. Parity and costs sited as the reasons to pare down these sets of set up options for the 2009 ICS Championship season. Image Credit: IndyCar.com

This excerpted and edited from IndyCar.com -

Oval equalizer

By Dave Lewandowski - Indycar.com - Tuesday, April 21, 2009


There's an under-the-radar rule change this year as IndyCar Series teams tackle the first oval of the season this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Wheelbase options are out; 122 inches is in.


Partly another cost-saving move passed along by the sanctioning Indy Racing League and partly a competition enhancement, the uniformity (with a half-inch tolerance for caster adjustments) puts more of the emphasis on drivers and their maintenance crews.


"It won't affect the short tracks because everybody had to run the long suspension on the short tracks just to get the car to handle," IndyCar Series technical director Kevin Blanch said. "On the big tracks it will make a difference because what you run into when you have 118, 120 and 122 inches -- and every possibility in between -- is every one of those suspension, because it changes the relationship of the wheel to the sidepod, changes the way the air flows over the car so you have to wind tunnel, shaker rig and 7-
post test all those suspensions in every possible configuration.
----

"Because (the wheelbase is) longer, the cars won't be as sensitive in traffic as a short car," Blanch said. "The shorter the car is like driving a Volkswagen compared to a limousine. It should make it easier on the tech side to check things and check relationships to the wheels and wings, too.

"It limits the options the engineer has, but it makes it more important to get it right every time and it makes it more important for the guys working on the car to really pay attention to what they're doing. If you're wheel isn't spinning free and the next guy's is, you're talking hundredths of a second top to bottom (of the field) on an oval in qualifying. Just how easy your wheel spins could make the difference.


"On an oval car, you're almost building a worn out race car. You wear out the rod ends and make the wheel bearings spin as free as you can. You don't want to wait for the car to wear it out. It's a constant kind of game of making sure you get it worn out just the right amount. If you could just change to a different part and go faster, then it's not as important that every little thing you're doing is right.

Reference Here>>

The next six races are critical for all racers, but even more critical for the Transition Player because now he has a playing field of uniformity to compete in and this may show them (and the ChampCar culture-rooted fans they bring along) the promise of competing in open wheel unification!

... notes from The EDJE

UPDATED 4-25-2009, 2:00 PM PT:

Pole winner Graham Rahal, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing. This is his second pole award earned in three races this season - he earned on for Saint Petersburg, a road course ... and now one for Kansas Speedway, a short oval course. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Qualifications, Kansas Speedway: Three of the top ten positions held by Transition Players ... with the front row filled by teammates from Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing P1 - Graham Rahal and P2 - Bobby D, Robert Doornbos.

This makes it that in two of three ICS races held this year, a Transition Player has nailed down the pole position ... congrats to Graham Rahal. Further, in all three qualifications sessions this year in the ICS season, a Transition Player has nailed down P2 (Justin Wilson/Dale Coyne Racing at St. Pete, Will Power/Penske Racing at Long Beach, and now Bobby D/Newman Haas/Lanigan here at Kansas Speedway).

It has to be mentioned that Doornbos was lifted to P2 from P4 when the IRL ruled that the lap times of P2 Dario Franchitti/Target Chip Ganassi, and P3 Helio Castroneves/Penske Racing would be disallowed because both drivers, during each of their four lap qualifying runs, dipped their left tires below the White, inside track, boundary line. These two drivers will start from the back of the field for Sunday's race.

Robert Doornbos, Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing secures a quick enough speed for four laps to qualify at P4. This position was later upgraded to P2 next to his teammate, Graham Rahal. The two NHLR drivers will fill the front row to start Sunday's third race of this IndyCar Series 2009 season. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2009)

Revised qualifying order (** denotes Transition Player):


Pos Driver Team Speed
1. Graham Rahal** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 211.311
2. Robert Doornbos** Newman/Haas/Lanigan 210.665
3. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 210.470
4. Scott Dixon Ganassi 210.368
5. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 210.220
6. Mario Moraes** KV 210.197
7. Ryan Briscoe Penske 210.098
8. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 210.082
9. Dan Wheldon Panther 209.144
10. Ed Carpenter Vision 208.956
11. Sarah Fisher Fisher 208.543
12. Milka Duno Dreyer & Reinbold 208.537
13. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 208.506
14. Vitor Meira Foyt 208.461
15. Raphael Matos Luczo Dragon 208.382
16. Mike Conway Dreyer & Reinbold 208.145
17. Justin Wilson** Coyne 207.971
18. EJ Viso** HVM 206.779
19. Stanton Barrett 3G 205.820
20. Ryan Hunter-Reay Vision 205.673
21. Dario Franchitti Ganassi -
22. Helio Castroneves Penske -

Saturday, June 21, 2008

The T-Team Ten Whittled Down To The Elite Eight

Bruno Junqueira of Dale Coyne Racing will sit on the sidelines in Iowa after hitting the turn two SAFER barrier. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

The T-Team Ten Whittled Down To The Elite Eight

The eighth race of the 2008 season is proving hard to make for a couple of drivers from teams that are transitioning from the ranks of the ChampCar World Series to the IndyCar Series.

Mario Dominguez of Pacific Coast Motorsports and Bruno Junqueira of Dale Coyne Racing will not be able to make it into the field of the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer, both for different yet similar reasons.

It is no secret that the teams that are new to the series do not have the same availability of parts, especially oval track aero parts, as do established teams that have been working with this Dallara chassis now for the better part of seven years. Heck, some of the teams may even have extra parts they have forgotten about that the kids are playin’ with in the backyard at home (more about kids, later).

Resource management and preparation kept the Pacific Coast Motorsports team at their headquarters here in Southern California whereas Bruno will join Marty Roth on the sidelines due to accidents each driver had in separate incidents in the morning practice session on the 0.894-mile Iowa Speedway tri-oval. Bruno Junqueira, after the car was hooked-up and brought bach to the pits, speculated that he hoped the car would be ready for the next race in Richmond, Virginia.

The yellow signal light glows for moisture on the track at Iowa Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Furthermore, the qualifications were rained out after only two qualifying runs by Ryan Briscoe - Penske Racing, Dan Weldon - Chip Ganassi Racing, and a third partial run by Helio Castroneves - Penske Racing was waived off. After that, the session cancelled.

Scott Dixon's special Commit sponsorship race livery. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

So, by virtue of his superlative season so far, Scott Dixon - Chip Ganassi Racing will start from the pole in the Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer based on entrant championship points accrued so far at this point in the season - Starting Grid.

This excerpted from IndyCar.com –

Junqueira, Roth Out
By Dave Lewandowski - indycar.com

Both cars sustained parts failures, which led to the cars spinning into the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2.

Click it:
Timing & Scoring reports for practices

"It's a major disappointment," said Roth, the owner/driver of the Roth Racing car. "We worked so hard to get a good race car, and I think we made a really good one. It was a struggle at first, but I think we had a really good race car. We had a rear pushrod break going into corner 1, and it was all over at that point. The damage is pretty extensive. We can't fix it for the race. We'll be looking for Richmond now, and we'll have our eyes on John Andretti for the weekend."
VIDEO

Junqueira was on a full-tank run on sticker tires when the car got loose and spun, collecting the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car driven by Dan Wheldon.
VIDEO

"We had some steering rack problems in the run before and had someone vibration," Junqueira said. "I'm OK. Unfortunately, the car's not OK. It's very damaged. The left-rear wishbone broke, which is what made me spin. Hopefully we can get everything together for Richmond."

The Target Chip Ganassi Racing crew prepared Wheldon's back-up car for qualifications for the second race in a row.
----
Milka Duno, who crashed during the Open Test on June 20, also will compete in the No. 23 back-up car.

The Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Pioneer is the first of six consecutive weekends of IndyCar Series racing. The SunTrust Indy Challenge at the 0.75-mile Richmond International Raceway oval is under the lights June 28.
Reference Here>>

Jaime Camara talking with his Conquest Racing team engineer. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Speaking of kids, Jamie Camara of Conquest Racing will have the first increase in his family planned to be delivered June 25 … it’s a BOY!

Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing is expecting two newborns in the near-term as well. Race Engineer, Mike Talbott is expecting his second within the next few days and will be replaced in Iowa by Senior Engineer Craig Hampson, who will return home after the race to receive the coming of his family’s second.

Oriol Servia being assisted into the cockpit of his KV Racing Technology Dallara during practice at Iowa Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

As for the grid of the Elite Eight, the highest position on points going into the eighth race of the season goes to Oriol Servia at 10th position.

POS./Car# - Driver - Hometown - Car - Sponsor Name - Team

10/5 - Oriol Servia - Pals, Spain - No Sponsor - KV Racing Technology

11/8 - Will Power - Toowoomba, Australia - Aussie Vineyards-Team Australia - KV Racing Technology

13/33 - EJ Viso - Caracas, Venezuela - PDVSA - HVM Racing

16/06 - Graham Rahal - Columbus, Ohio - No Sponsor - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing

17/36 - Enrique Bernoldi - Curitiba, Brazil - Sangari - Conquest Racing

20/02 - Justin Wilson - Sheffield, England - McDonald's - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing

21/34 - Jaime Camara - Goiania, Brazil – Sangari - Conquest Racing

24/19 - Mario Moraes - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Sonny's Bar-B-Q - Dale Coyne Racing

... notes from The EDJE

Friday, June 6, 2008

Tougher Time In Texas For The T-Team Ten

Helio Castroneves as he waits to make a run at the pole for the Bombardier Learjet 550 to be broadcast on ESPN at 10:00 pm EST, Saturday night, Texas Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

Tougher Time In Texas For The T-Team Ten

Qualifications of Round 7 of 18 in Texas for the Bombardier Learjet 550 were pretty tough for the Transition Team Ten. Unlike the good representation of having five drivers make it onto the grid in five of the top ten positions, only one driver was able to crack the top ten.

Will Power driving for KV Racing Technology/AU-Australia was only able to notch eighth in the grid, followed next closest by his teammate Oriol Servia in position sixteen.

Mario Dominguez in the PCM pits just before his qualification run for the Bombardier Learjet 550. “I am very happy with our result today. I think this is the first time in my career that I have been so happy to be 24th. However, we are [far] from satisfied and we still have a lot of work to do. We definitely are making improvements to the Visit Mexico City Car and I am looking forward to the race tomorrow.” stated Mario after the qualification session at Texas Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Pacific Coast Motorsports

In his qualification run, Mario and PCM were able to place the car 24th on the grid right behind Justin Wilson of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing/McDonalds and ahead of onetime INDY 500 winner, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing driver, Buddy Rice. This was positive, since all of the practice times that his Dallara was able to post would have placed his car 28th in the field of 28 cars.

The elaborate helmet of EJ Viso. Viso qualified 28th in a 28 car field. Image Credit: Andy Sallee (2008)

The balance of the T-Team Ten fared as follows:

Pos. Driver - Team

18 Graham Rahal - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
20 Enrique Bernoldi - Conquest Racing
21 Jamie Camara - Conquest Racing
22 Mario Moraes - Dale Coyne Racing
23 Justin Wilson - Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
26 Bruno Junqueira - Dale Coyne Racing
28 EJ Viso - HVM Racing

This is the kind of performance that most of the established IRL pundits had prophesied … a bunch of “Rookies” cruising along at the bottom of the grid.

At the one-third point in the championship points season after the Milwaukee Mile, we find the T-Team Ten holding on and hoping for some road courses to pop-up in the schedule. Oriol Servia is leading the points needed for “Rookie” of the year (140) followed hotly by IRL Established Team driver, Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green Racing/Panasonic (131) and Oriol’s KV Racing Technology teammate, Will Power (130). The overall leader in points one-third the way through the season is currently held by the 2008 INDY 500 winner, Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing at 234 points

Points Standings Here>>

... notes from The EDJE