Leading-Edge Motorsport Technology Since 1990 Racecar Engineering • IndyCar supplement • www.racecar-engineering.com Indycar 1990-99 The cars, the technology, the best of the Racecar Engineering Indycar archive CONTENTS AND WELCOME Contents Managing expectations 4 Buick takes the next step Buick’s 1991 challenger was the first all-out challenger from the company, and lapped Indianapolis at 224.468mph 10 Penske PC20 Chevrolet at Indy 1991 Indy 500 winner unclothed The age-old problem of 12 Galmer G92 rising speeds and stepping Alan Mertens won the Louis Schwitzer Award, and then Indy in into the unknown is revisited 1992 leaving him top of the pile By Andrew Cotton otor racing continues to evolve - introduce technology for the right reason, year on year, yet some things just but then watch as cars venture into new and remain the same. We can all put untested territory and find a host of new on our rose-tinted spectacles and problems to solve. That is the place in which Mlook at the days gone by, thinking that they IndyCar finds itself now. were better. In this special edition of Racecar A suspension failure led to James Engineering, we look back at our coverage Hinchcliffe’s accident and IndyCar responded of the IndyCars of the 1990s and, given the by asking teams to check their parts for lifing. dramas in testing and qualifying for this year’s Josef Newgarden crashed due to a rear tyre that Indianapolis 500, it is interesting to note the lost pressure. Dramatic images of cars travelling similarities between the two eras. In the 1990s backwards and taking off have been beamed there was an all-out engine war between around the internet and television networks Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota and Mercedes. and the uproar has been deafening. From within The engine regulations worked and the value the IndyCar paddock, however, there is silence of the series was at its peak at the time that and no one from the technical teams are talking Racecar Engineering started its extensive on the record as the world demands answers, coverage. Penske, Lola, Swift and Eagle were and surely there are answers to be had. Are the also having at it in a chassis war so there was aero kits to blame for these big accidents? That’s nothing wrong in terms of competition. Today’s certainly one that IndyCar cannot yet answer IndyCar is a different world, with a spec chassis as there is no valid data or proper investigation and for the first time in a long time, technical into each individual accident. Could the innovation with the competing manufacturers accidents have been avoided? Again, who Chevrolet and Honda allowed to produce new can answer that one without first conclusively aero kits (see Racecar Engineering V25N5). The establishing the common factor between the introduction of the new kits has not been a accidents? What IndyCar can do is release the smooth process, with limits put on the amount details that they have. They know the speeds, of development in order to avoid having to the conditions, the forces running through redesign the entire car, but in practice for the the suspension, they know the basic details at Indianapolis 500, four cars have crashed heavily. the start, during and post accident and The fact that the race is going ahead no doubt will be poring over the data at length suggests that IndyCar has a grip on the situation ahead of the big race. What it cannot afford and is prepared to push ahead with the to do is to have large accidents on a global competition, which in itself is an encouraging media platform, much less even if a driver or sign. There are reasons for the crashes, but spectator is hurt or killed. as one engineer here put it, you cannot rule It seems clear that there is some element or out old-fashioned co-incidence. Back in 1998, elements that have led to the crashes, but what ChampCar introduced the Handford Device, they are will take time to find. Is it the speed, a new rear wing design that was supposed to the aero kits, the tyres, the cars, the part-lifing slow the cars by 20mph following record speeds brought on by rising costs of competition? the previous year. What happened was that the Racing is still about competition, and drivers complained that they were running too competetition equals speed. Managing speed close, and questioned whether nor not single is a complicated business, and the challenges seat racing should be like that. It was a classic facing IndyCar are precisely the same as those case of the law of unintended consequence facing the sport in the 1990s. 2 www.racecar-engineering.com INDYCAR SUPPLEMENT Contents 18 Penske PC22 Chevrolet 58 Menard vs Honda vs Ford vs Mercedes 70 Royal with cheese Roger’s new toy in 1992 The 1995 Indy 500 power struggle Honda’s Japanese-American race engine featured all the big bangers became the prince of the power revolution in 1996 30 Clash of titans Cosworth vs Chevrolet at Indy 1993 64 Indy Infi niti Nissan stepped into IRL against 79 Handford Device Chevrolet’s Oldsmobile brand ChampCar’s solution to slowing cars led Lola T94/00 Ford XB 42 to an unexpected result Robby Gordon’s ride for 1993 67 Aurora powerplant IRL takes its own route and Racecar 84 Class of 1999 Penske P23 Mercedes-Benz 46 covered the split, and the consequence All you need to know about the golden Landmark partnership for the two from a technology point of view year of ChampCar racing companies as Mercedes stepped into the fray for the rst time INDYCAR SUPPLEMENT www.racecar-engineering.com 3 DOWNLOAD The Racecar Engineering App Quality Wine Sales l London Merchant A fresh approach to the fine wine market This 1982 La Mission Haut Brion is a great wine with amazing depth www.vinandco.co.uk Vin and Co Email: [email protected] • Tel: +44 (0) 345 956 9699 Vin and Co 45 Pont St l Knightsbridge l London SW1X 0BD GO DIGITAL with RACECAR ENGINEERING ON YOUR TABLET Subscribe to the digital edition for fast and easy access to Racecar Engineering anytime, anywhere. Available on: VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.racecar-engineering.com All the breaking news, technical developments, race results and rule changes as they happen. Have the latest developments delivered direct to your inbox by signing up to our email newsletter, and keep up to date with breaking news and commentary as it happens by following us on social media. Subscribe to our newsletter www.racecar-engineering.com/sign-up-to-our-email-newsletter/ /RacecarEngineering @RacecarEngineer +Racecar Engineering Scott Dixon Target Chip Ganassi Racing - Chevrolet Pole Winner for the 2015 Indianapolis 500 World-class engineering World-beating engines A World leader in the design and 31 years of IndyCar racing manufacture of high performance 289 IndyCar wins piston racing engines, Ilmor is now transferring knowledge gained from 18 Indy 500 wins years of success on the track to all 16 Driver Championships manner of non-racing applications. 12 Manufacturer Championships Contact us to find out more. We deliver exceptional engineering solutions to our clients and never accept second best. Ilmor Engineering Ltd Quarry Road, Brixworth Northamptonshire, NN6 9UB, UK www.ilmor.co.uk +44 (0)1604 799100 .