NASCAR's Sprint Cup and the Indy Racing League Are
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Prior to 1994, only open-wheel cars under a variety of sanctions—including AAA, USAC, CART and IRL—com- peted at the Speedway. Occasionally, drivers from Europe or other racing cir- cuits in the U.S. would enter, but rarely with any success after the teens. ‘GO-KARTS’ Frenchmen Jules Goux, driving a Peugeot, and Rene Thomas, in a De- lage, won the 1913 and 1914 races. All- vs. time great American Ralph DePalma won the ’15 race in a Mercedes and the following year Dario Rasta won in an- other Peugeot. Following a two-year break due to World War I, Gaston Chevrolet’s win in a Frontenac in 1920 ended meaningful participation by European cars or driv - ‘TAXICABS’ ers, until Wilber Shaw used a Maserati BY PACK BRYAN for the first back-to-back wins at the Speedway, in 1939 and 1940. ndy car fans call the NASCAR when NASCAR added the Brickyard The original surface was made up of racers “taxicabs” while NASCAR 400 at Indianapolis to its event schedule. 3.2 million paving bricks (hence the fans refer to Indy cars as “Go- When you race at the Indianapolis nickname “The Brickyard,” and two of Karts.” They’ll never race Motor Speedway, you’ve reached the which are now embedded in my patio), against each other, but it’s an in- top! The name “Indianapolis” is almost but over the years since the 1930s, the teresting exercise to look at the synonymous with “auto racing.” bricks have been covered with asphalt two kinds of cars and see how they It’s been that way since 1911, when many times. Only a three-foot section of Imatch up running on the same track. Ray Harroun won the first 500 Mile brick at the starting line remains, in a Are we comparing apples and oranges race at an average speed of 74.602 mph. bow to tradition. here, or can you really make a side-by- It took him 6 hours, 42 minutes to do it. The two front and back straight 5 side evaluation of the vehicles running in In 2008, New Zealander Scott Dixon stretches are each ⁄8 mi. long, separated 1 the two most popular forms of racing in won the race in 3 hours, 28 minutes, 57 by a pair of short ⁄8-mi. stretches. These 1 the U.S.? That became possible in 1994 seconds. Average speed: 143.567 mph. are connected by four identical ⁄4-mi. NASCAR’s Sprint Cup and the Indy Racing League are this country’s two most popular racing series. While race cars built for the two series looklook veryvery different,different, theythey have one very important thing inin common:common: They’reThey’re builtbuilt forfor speed.speed. 22 March 2009 banked turns, banked at a mild 9 de- Chryslers, Mercurys and Oldsmobiles. Unfortunately, just a few weeks be- grees, 12 minutes. While supposedly The Good Ol’ Boys’ plans were greet- fore the first Daytona 500 in February identical, drivers say that each corner is ed with much skepticism, not only by 1959, NASCAR superstar Marshall totally different from the others. the sports car and Grand Prix aficiona- Teague was killed as he attempted to set Stock cars had been competing with dos, but by open-wheel fans as well. a closed-course record in a modified In- each other ever since two pioneer car Edging up toward the Jaguar and dianapolis roadster. Then, in April, Indy owners got to wondering whose was Ferrari performances, the southern cars car driver George Amick was killed in fastest, but rarely at a “recognized” stunned everyone with their speed and an Indy car race on the track. The loss track. Soon, the process became find a maneuverability. Still actually “stock,” of Teague and Amick so disturbed Bill track (usually a fairgrounds horse the cars were modified street cars with France that he barred further Indy car track), assemble a group of drivers, lo- strengthened chassis and running gear, races at the track, and they haven’t offi- cate a promoter to publicize the event, and (sometimes) a roll bar welded in- cially run there since. sell tickets to make up a purse and go side the cockpit to protect the driver. During the next 30-plus years, open- racing. “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” was wheel drivers like Mario Andretti and In 1949, NASCAR was formed as a gaining believability as a slogan. A.J. Foyt entered and won the Daytona sanctioning body to supply the group Tim Flock, driving a Mercury, won 500, while NASCAR superstars like Don- strength, cohesion and consistency the 258-mi. race, averaging 73.858 mph nie and Bobby Alison and Lee Roy and needed for success. Since then, the pre- in the rain! He won all of $2950 for the Cale Yarborough entered but had less mier stock car racing group has grown race! The speed record on the track at success running in the Indianapolis 500. to become the most popular form of the time was 80.2 mph, posted the pre- Finally, in 1992, NASCAR sent nine racing in the country. Its cars had vious September by Phil Hill, just start- drivers to test tires on the Indianapolis evolved from the souped-up coupes and ing his legendary career. He drove a track. Top speed of the test was 168.767 sedans used by backwoods bootleggers Ferrari, designed and built specifically mph, achieved by Bill Elliott on June throughout the south, and it was in the for road course racing. Many doubting 23. At the Indy 500 that year, Roberto southeast where, until recently, it minds were changed. Guerrero was clocked at 232.484 mph achieved its greatest success. Three years later, in 1959, Bill France to win the pole, and Al Unser, Jr., won 1 NASCAR’s first venture north into opened the 2 ⁄2-mi. Daytona International the race, at an average speed for the Open Wheel territory was in a race in Speedway. With banking in the corners 500 mi. of 134.447 mph. 1956 on the road course at Elkhart Lake, of 31 degrees, on the tri-oval 18 degrees Then, on Aug. 16, 1994, Jeff Gordon WI. A favorite of sports and Grand Prix and on the three straights 3 degrees, it won the first NASCAR Brickyard 400 at car drivers, the 4-mi., 14-turn track was soon became recognized as a great high- an average speed of 131.977 mph. (Ear- believed to be too tough and twisty for speed track, one that would undoubted- lier that year, Al Unser, Jr., won the 500 the supposedly overweight, wallowing ly be the scene of many fabulous races for the second time, at an average speed stock cars of the day—Hudsons, and record-setting performances. of 160.872 mph.) The Brickyard 400 photo Speedway Indianapolis Motor Aerial view of the track looking southwestsouthwest fromfrom thethe thirdthird turnturn during the 2008 Indy 500. March 2009 23 ‘GO-KARTS’ vs. ‘TAXICABS’ Photo: Ron McQueeney Ron Photo: Scott Dixon, the 2008 Indy 500 winner, speeds down the main stretch. has since gone on to become the second modern stock racer: Virtually the only tubing for the main shapes, and smaller most popular race of the NASCAR sea- thing on the car that is really “stock” is tubing for supports and connectors. A 1 son, consistently drawing huge crowds. the manufacturer’s logo, and often that’s ⁄8-in. sheet steel barrier is welded to the a decal. So are the headlights and tail- roll cage on the driver’s side. The Cars lights! In reality, a NASCAR racer is just The car body is molded of 22-guage It’s easy to tell the difference between a as much a custom, purpose-built vehicle sheet steel, and energy-absorbing materi- stock car and an open-wheel racer as is an open-wheel Indy car. als are installed between the driver’s side when they’re sitting side-by-side, but Built to the organization’s specifica- roll cage door bars and the outside skin how much difference is there, really? tion and blueprints, the frame of of the car. Each of the four manufactur- Probably less than you think. The chart NASCAR’s top Sprint Cup racer is ers whose engines power the individual below gives a spec-by-spec comparison made of 3x4-in. .093-in. wall rectangular cars supply their teams with nose- and of an open-wheel Indy car and a steel tubing, doubled on the driver’s tailpieces, usually molded of fiberglass, NASCAR racer. side. The roll cage is welded together, along with hoods, roofs and deck lids. 3 Let’s get something straight about the using .093 1 ⁄4-in.-dia. seamless steel The “paint job” on most of the NASCAR competitors is actually a large decal. Decals provide more uniformity, Comparison:Comparison: IndyIndy CarCar vs.vs. NASCARNASCAR RacerRacer a better finish with more accurate placement of sponsors’ logos and, most Category Indy NASCAR importantly, save time. An Indy chassis is often referred to Engine 183.07-cu.-in. aluminum V8, 358-cu.-in. cast-iron V8, 32-valve DOHC aluminum cylinder heads as a “tub.” Tremendously strong, it’s a monocoque made of carbon fiber with Horsepower 670 @ 10,500 rpm; rev limiter 850 @ 9000 rpm an aluminum honeycomb core, along Induction Electronic fuel injection 4-barrel Holley carburetor with Kevlar and other composites. It Fuel 100% fuel-grade ethanol, Unleaded racing fuel, houses the cockpit, fuel cell and front 22-gal. capacity 17.75-gal.