Check out the new Indycar Concept

[Ryan S.]

They just debut the new Indycar Delta wing concept. It's like driving a jet. I think it would look more at home on the salt flats than doing the oval or being converted into the Batmobile. If and when they make a model kit out of it, I see a lot of cool options. Check it out; click the link below.

2012 Indycar Delta wing concept

[Harry P.]

If they go with a car like that can they really still call it "open wheel" racing???

[Joe Handley]

They may be able to call it "open wheel" since the tops of the tires are exposed, but I'm curious how it's going to run with the front tires set so far in compared to the rears.

[LVZ2881]

my god that is FUGLY!!!!!! makes the NASCAR COT look downright sexy

[Railfreak78]

LOL @ COT being sexy! All I want to know is does this come in the proper shade of flat black and the right Bat tools and weapons? The front of that car at that angle looks like the vette Batmobile!

[Modelmartin]

As all of these different race series turn into spec-car races, the interest I have continues to dissipate. I think Rahal said it all in the article when he said that there there is more room for sponsor billboards! The car doesn't particularly interest me but it doesn't turn me off, either. I am completely indifferent.

I don't watch any Indy car racing as it is. This won't do anything to entice me back.

[whale392]

My thoughts EAXCTLY Brian! All it is missing is the J82 jutting out the rear and the 'Dark Knight' himself.

[weasel]

yeah, but, how's it gonna turn??? very narrow front track, maybe for the ovals, but, the roadcourses may sucketh!!

[Eric Stone]

Kinda reminds me of the old GM Firebird concepts, but uglier-

If you replace the word "chassis" with the phrase "fighter plane", it reads like an article about the Air Force bidding on a new fighter design from competing defense contractors. To me, the series would be much more interesting (compared to the 0 interest I have in it now) if there were different chassis designs competing on track, instead of just one. The way the article reads, I took it that they are looking to use only one of the four proposed ideas.

And HOW will that thing turn on those narrow tires with that narrow front track??

[LVZ2881]

My first thought when I saw the pics was that a Mirage 2000 fighter jet had made a belly landing!!

god its horrid.

[Joe Handley]

Kinda reminds me of the old GM Firebird concepts, but uglier-

If you replace the word "chassis" with the phrase "fighter plane", it reads like an article about the Air Force bidding on a new fighter design from competing defense contractors. To me, the series would be much more interesting (compared to the 0 interest I have in it now) if there were different chassis designs competing on track, instead of just one. The way the article reads, I took it that they are looking to use only one of the four proposed ideas.

And HOW will that thing turn on those narrow tires with that narrow front track??

HA! Those were the first thing to cross my mind when I saw them, but it'll be pretty hard to out ugly that middle one though You do have a good point about putting all four of them into production and on the track too.

[seeker589]

They may be able to call it "open wheel" since the tops of the tires are exposed, but I'm curious how it's going to run with the front tires set so far in compared to the rears.

Normally the more narrow the track at one end of the car - the less stable it is. With a track that wide in the rear, and a track that narrow at the front, coupled with what looks like no visible wing on the front may just cause some major under-steer or push.

They wanna road race that?!?!?! I can see it on flat ovals - but twenty of those trying to navigate a hairpin while driving in anger? I have my doubts.

[Yekoms]

"Engineers Gone Wild"

[Eric Stone]

Normally the more narrow the track at one end of the car - the less stable it is. With a track that wide in the rear, and a track that narrow at the front, coupled with what looks like no visible wing on the front may just cause some major under-steer or push.

They wanna road race that?!?!?! I can see it on flat ovals - but twenty of those trying to navigate a hairpin while driving in anger? I have my doubts.

I wouldn't even want to run it on an oval if it is gonna push as bad as it looks like it would. I sincerely hope the engineers that made it know what they're doing and know something we all don't...

On second thought, I sincerely hope engineers made it, period.

[Harry P.]

I think the basic problem here (and with NASCAR) is the fact that they want to run the cars at ever faster and faster speeds, so they're always trying to come up with a car that's faster than the current generation of cars.

IMHO, the actual speed the cars run at isn't what makes a race entertaining... it's the competition between the cars (and drivers) as they jockey for position, etc. The actual running of the race, the moves the drivers make, the strategy, etc. That's what makes a race entertaining, and all of that happens whether the cars are running at 135 or 175 or 190. Other than the fact that it takes less time to run a lap at 190 than it does at 175, there's no difference as far as the spectators are concerned. All the cars run at more or less the same speed, whether it's 175 or 195 or whatever... so the ultimate speed is irrelevant. The "entertainment value" of a given race doesn't go up if the average speeds go up. I don't really see the point in trying to engineer cars that can go faster and faster. To me, an "old timers" Indy race using cars from 75 years ago, while it would be slower, would be just as fun, if not more so, than watching the current cars run.

[Longbox55]

Ok, that's just weird looking. But then again, it might look different in person. I'll find out this Saturday, as I'm going to the Chicago Auto Show this weekend. If anyone want to see them, I will be taking lots of pix and maybe even a few vids.

[MADD FABRICATOR]

[No need to take any pix or videos for me as I really lost interest in Indy when they quit running the Watson, Kurtis Kraft and the likes there of, upright roadsters with a howling OFFY pulling them.

Looks like their going to give me more reasons to spend more time in the model room and away from the telly.

CHEERZZZZ !!!!!!! MADD FABRICATOR

[Art Anderson]

[No need to take any pix or videos for me as I really lost interest in Indy when they quit running the Watson, Kurtis Kraft and the likes there of, upright roadsters with a howling OFFY pulling them.

Looks like their going to give me more reasons to spend more time in the model room and away from the telly.

CHEERZZZZ !!!!!!! MADD FABRICATOR

With the exception of the very narrow track up front, this thing looks very much a throwback to the Gurney Eagle "Pencil Cars" from about 1980 or so.

Art

[Bainford]

As mentioned above, this thing pushes the definition of open wheel. It looks huge, too. Despite the fact that this car is designed with road course considerations (when apparently the current Dallara was not), a pack of these things on a tight road course could be trouble.

While I understand that asthetics and engineering do not necessarily go hand in hand, it looks truely awkward. It certainly does give the impression that it would be wrought with handling issues. Oh yeah, it's ugly, too.

I also agree with the comments of harry and others; spec racers do not interest me in the least. I also agree with Harry's comments on race car speed; High speed is impressive, but does not necessarily make for good racing. However, just reducing speeds is not the answer. For the racing to be truley good, the cars have to be driving on the edge. This gives the drivers some driving to do, and separates the men from the boys. I think this is why earlier forms of racing are so much more interesting to watch. Put max effort into driver safety, give them plenty of power, and set them up so they are driving on the edge whilst battling for position. And to keep it interesting, encourage multiple chassis and engine manufacturers and individualised engineering (allow teams to modify their cars).