DW12 IndyCars

[chuck schultz]

I worked the IndyCar test, Monday and Tuesday, and another corner worker called one of the cars a "batmobile lookin' thingie," because it was unpainted carbon fiber. Now that I've thought about it, a bit, I think he was right, especially from the rear, where even the fake rocket nozzles are evident.



Only Honda and Chevy engines were present, and with the same rev limits, they sound a lot alike, although there is a slight difference in engine note, if you hear them in succession and listen for it.

The cars do look better than the old ones, and they are at least as quick around the course, it seems, but most of them appeared to be sandbagging in various locations. We won't really know the truth until qualifying.

[chuck schultz]

Here are some photos of the cars on course - http://photos.speedtv.com/gallery/IN...xL07XE.twitter

[nicktcr]

I stopped by there today and saw some of the Continental Tire Series teams doing a little testing. It seems as though Rum Bum has a new Porsche, and I question the amount of exhaust that was installed on it...holy crap that thing was loud. Dwarfed the other Conti cars on track (sound wise).

[chuck schultz]

I'll get a look (and a listen,) tomorrow. I would've been there, today, except for a doctor's appointment.

I'm sure it'll be fun, especially since we'll be using the new landline at some stations, which has very nice, quiet headsets when it's working.

[slowautoxr]

What's that hump in front of the rear wheels all about?

[rodhx]

I believe that fairing around the rear wheels is primarily intended to prevent the cars from getting shot into the air when they have tire-to-tire contact. The bodywork should make it just about impossible.

[JohnW8]

I believe that fairing around the rear wheels is primarily intended to prevent the cars from getting shot into the air when they have tire-to-tire contact. The bodywork should make it just about impossible.

Until it all shatters.

[EWaugh]

and leaves kevlar/carbon shards all over the surface for the workers to clean up

[chuck schultz]

Nice thing about these (Indy) guys is that, during a race weekend, they won't even let you out there to help them sweep gravel, much less pick up carbon fiber. Instead, they will try to use the jet dryer. . . then sweep it up. ;^)

I have seen the stuff scattered all the way across track between 1 and 2 where a couple DPs have come to a bad end. That took a while to clean up. In other cases, Grand-Am has been known to say, when asked about gravel on the track, "They put it there, they can race on it."

At least April Fools' Day is almost a week away from the full moon, this year, or I'd be worried.

[chuck schultz]

Rum Bum . . . Porsche . . . exhaust

I downloaded a sound meter app for my iPad, Friday, and it showed that that car was actually quieter than the Fall Line BMW. The Porsche sounds were very low-frequency compared to the BMW, and nothing this week was as shrill as the 20Bs in the Dempsey RX-8s.

I don't know how accurate the app was, of course, but it was probably consistent, at least, for the time I was using it. I'll test it against a calibrated meter, some time, to see how close it is.

[nicktcr]

I downloaded a sound meter app for my iPad, Friday, and it showed that that car was actually quieter than the Fall Line BMW. The Porsche sounds were very low-frequency compared to the BMW, and nothing this week was as shrill as the 20Bs in the Dempsey RX-8s.

I don't know how accurate the app was, of course, but it was probably consistent, at least, for the time I was using it. I'll test it against a calibrated meter, some time, to see how close it is.

They must have put the rest of the exhaust on it...when I was at the museum, I could hear it idling in the pits. Seriously, it was that loud.

[kilgojr]

I downloaded a sound meter app for my iPad, Friday, and it showed that that car was actually quieter than the Fall Line BMW. The Porsche sounds were very low-frequency compared to the BMW, and nothing this week was as shrill as the 20Bs in the Dempsey RX-8s.

I don't know how accurate the app was, of course, but it was probably consistent, at least, for the time I was using it. I'll test it against a calibrated meter, some time, to see how close it is.

I thought Dempsey was running the Aston's this year and not the RX8s? Atleast at Daytona they were not running the RX8's. I know they tore up one of the Astons

[Jedi1]

The Astons ran in Conti Tire Series not Rolex.

[kilgojr]

The Astons ran in Conti Tire Series not Rolex.

ah, i forget sometimes.