| RACE NEWS & VIEWS |
Copyright © 2024 IndySpeedway.com All Rights Reserved
| February 2024 News |
| Article Index |
02/25 - Andretti Reveal IndyCar Liveries
02/23 - Making the Indy 500 Safer
02/21 - Rahal Reveals IndyCar Liveries
02/15 - Ganassi Reveals IndyCar Liveries
02/14 - IndyCar Nashville Race Moved to Oval
02/06 - McLaren Reveals IndyCar Liveries
02/06 - IMS Prices Go Up
02/02 - IndyCar Engine Hybrid Test
02/23 - Making the Indy 500 Safer
02/21 - Rahal Reveals IndyCar Liveries
02/15 - Ganassi Reveals IndyCar Liveries
02/14 - IndyCar Nashville Race Moved to Oval
02/06 - McLaren Reveals IndyCar Liveries
02/06 - IMS Prices Go Up
02/02 - IndyCar Engine Hybrid Test
Feb 1 - Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, with Cusick Motorsports, announced they will
field cars for Ryan Hunter-Reay and Conor Daly for the 108th Indianapolis 500.
field cars for Ryan Hunter-Reay and Conor Daly for the 108th Indianapolis 500.
IndyCar Engine Hybrid Test
Feb 2 - IndyCar held a 3-day test of their new
Hybrid engines this week. These new power
units, will roll out later this year, after the Indy 500.
Will Power, the Team Penske driver who has
done extensive testing with the series’ new hybrid
system, gave this week’s test on the Homestead
Speedway road course a thumbs up.
“No issues, no tow-ins, just smooth,” he said.
“It all went very smoothly.”
The numbers support that. The three days of
testing by 10 series drivers achieved 3,196 miles
(1,446 laps) without incident. On Tuesday,
Alexander Rossi’s car stalled on track, but he was
able to re-fire the engine by himself using the
hybrid system.
Power said the development of the hybrid system
has made significant strides since he drove with it
in the late months of 2023.
The test involved four teams – two each from
Chevrolet and Honda – and 10 drivers.
The hybrid system is made up of the Motor
Generator Unit (MGU) and Energy Storage
System (ESS), both of which fit inside the
bellhousing located between the combustion
engine and the gearbox. Multiple strategies for
regeneration and deployment have been tested as
the power unit builds and transmits energy through
the MGU before being saved in the ultracapacitor
ESS.
The additional horsepower is deployed through the
same motor generator. Unlike the traditional
“push-to-pass” system, the hybrid power until will
not have a restriction on total time used over the
course of a race.
While there are many benefits to the hybrid
system, including new overtaking strategies,
Power said using it in the cockpit doesn’t take
much adjustment.
Feb 2 - IndyCar held a 3-day test of their new
Hybrid engines this week. These new power
units, will roll out later this year, after the Indy 500.
Will Power, the Team Penske driver who has
done extensive testing with the series’ new hybrid
system, gave this week’s test on the Homestead
Speedway road course a thumbs up.
“No issues, no tow-ins, just smooth,” he said.
“It all went very smoothly.”
The numbers support that. The three days of
testing by 10 series drivers achieved 3,196 miles
(1,446 laps) without incident. On Tuesday,
Alexander Rossi’s car stalled on track, but he was
able to re-fire the engine by himself using the
hybrid system.
Power said the development of the hybrid system
has made significant strides since he drove with it
in the late months of 2023.
The test involved four teams – two each from
Chevrolet and Honda – and 10 drivers.
The hybrid system is made up of the Motor
Generator Unit (MGU) and Energy Storage
System (ESS), both of which fit inside the
bellhousing located between the combustion
engine and the gearbox. Multiple strategies for
regeneration and deployment have been tested as
the power unit builds and transmits energy through
the MGU before being saved in the ultracapacitor
ESS.
The additional horsepower is deployed through the
same motor generator. Unlike the traditional
“push-to-pass” system, the hybrid power until will
not have a restriction on total time used over the
course of a race.
While there are many benefits to the hybrid
system, including new overtaking strategies,
Power said using it in the cockpit doesn’t take
much adjustment.
“It’s hardly different, to be honest,” he said. “With
(automatic) regeneration, you push a button on
(corner) exit, and it’s not like you do that every
corner.
“But every time you come in (the pits) the engine
guys are making changes, going through the
process, learning things. It’s going to be good.”
(automatic) regeneration, you push a button on
(corner) exit, and it’s not like you do that every
corner.
“But every time you come in (the pits) the engine
guys are making changes, going through the
process, learning things. It’s going to be good.”
| Will Power |
IMS Prices Go Up
Feb 6 - Month of May General Admission prices increase about $10-$30 per event this year.
Below is a list of Indy 500 events and the cost of one general admission ticket.
Feb 6 - Month of May General Admission prices increase about $10-$30 per event this year.
Below is a list of Indy 500 events and the cost of one general admission ticket.
2010
0-$5
$20
$10
Free
-
$40
Free
-
0-$5
$20
$10
Free
-
$40
Free
-
EVENT
Practices
Qualifying
Carb Day
Carb Day Concert
Legends Day
Race Day
Snake Pit G.A.
Snake Pit VIP
Practices
Qualifying
Carb Day
Carb Day Concert
Legends Day
Race Day
Snake Pit G.A.
Snake Pit VIP
2023
$15
$20
$30
$30
$10
$50
$55
$160
$15
$20
$30
$30
$10
$50
$55
$160
2024
$25
$35
$50
$50
$20
$60
$85
$230
$25
$35
$50
$50
$20
$60
$85
$230
You can save money by ordering your tickets in advance.
The speedway began this practice about ten years ago or so.
The base price of passes increases on January 1st, March 1st and May 1st.
Before you buy, you should factor in their S&H charges.
For instance, you might save $10 on the price of a ticket by ordering early,
however, once fees are added, the total may be the same price or higher
than if you paid full price when you walk in the gate where there are no fees.
Reserved Ticket Race Day tickets also can be purchased for a cheaper price if ordered earlier.
The speedway began this practice about ten years ago or so.
The base price of passes increases on January 1st, March 1st and May 1st.
Before you buy, you should factor in their S&H charges.
For instance, you might save $10 on the price of a ticket by ordering early,
however, once fees are added, the total may be the same price or higher
than if you paid full price when you walk in the gate where there are no fees.
Reserved Ticket Race Day tickets also can be purchased for a cheaper price if ordered earlier.
The speedway charges a
$9 handling fee on each order.
So it's best to place all your
ticket orders at the same time.
They also charge a $4 service
fee per ticket after January 1st.
$9 handling fee on each order.
So it's best to place all your
ticket orders at the same time.
They also charge a $4 service
fee per ticket after January 1st.
Feb 6 - The Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team are revealing their liveries for 2024 this week!
Feb 1 - Lewis Hamilton announced he is leaving the Mercedes F1 team and moving
to the Ferrari team in 2025.
to the Ferrari team in 2025.
Nashville Street Race Moved to Oval
Feb 14 - IndyCar began racing on the streets of
Nashville in 2021. The course wound around the
parking lot of the Nissan Stadium then headed
across the Cumberland River, circled back and
crossed the same bridge, which was unique.
The stadium opened in 1999 and Nashville is now
building a new stadium, scheduled to open in 2027.
Due to that construction, the IndyCar race
scheduled for Sept 15, is being relocated to the
Nashville Superspeedway, which is currently used
for Nascar races.
IndyCar raced at the speedway from 2001-2008
and holds the track's speed record - Scott Dixon
qualified at 206.211 mph in a G-Force Toyota
there in 2003. (Nascar Cup's speed record was
achieved by Aric Almirola in 2023 when he
qualified at 161.992 mph.)
Feb 14 - IndyCar began racing on the streets of
Nashville in 2021. The course wound around the
parking lot of the Nissan Stadium then headed
across the Cumberland River, circled back and
crossed the same bridge, which was unique.
The stadium opened in 1999 and Nashville is now
building a new stadium, scheduled to open in 2027.
Due to that construction, the IndyCar race
scheduled for Sept 15, is being relocated to the
Nashville Superspeedway, which is currently used
for Nascar races.
IndyCar raced at the speedway from 2001-2008
and holds the track's speed record - Scott Dixon
qualified at 206.211 mph in a G-Force Toyota
there in 2003. (Nascar Cup's speed record was
achieved by Aric Almirola in 2023 when he
qualified at 161.992 mph.)
The D-shaped oval is 1.33-miles in length. The
turns are banked at 14 degrees. The front
straight is banked at 9 degrees and the back
straight at 6 degrees.
The speedway has seating for 25,000 fans.
turns are banked at 14 degrees. The front
straight is banked at 9 degrees and the back
straight at 6 degrees.
The speedway has seating for 25,000 fans.
| Nashville Superspeedway |
| Track Gateway Indianapolis Iowa Milwaukee Nashville Texas |
Banking In Turns
11° turns 1 & 2 / 9° turns 3 & 4
9.2°
12-14° progressive
9.25°
14°
20° turns 1 & 2 / 24° turns 3 & 4
11° turns 1 & 2 / 9° turns 3 & 4
9.2°
12-14° progressive
9.25°
14°
20° turns 1 & 2 / 24° turns 3 & 4
Length
1.25 miles
2.5 miles
0.875 miles
1 mile
1.33 miles
1.5 miles
1.25 miles
2.5 miles
0.875 miles
1 mile
1.33 miles
1.5 miles
| INDYCAR OVAL TRACK COMPARISON |
Feb 15 - Chip Ganassi Racing reveals 2024 IndyCar liveries.
Surface
Asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt
Concrete
Asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt
Concrete
Asphalt
| Kyffin Simpson's 2024 Car |
| Linus Lundqvist Car #8 |
Feb 23 - IndyCar team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing revealed some 2024 liveries.
| Takuma Sato Returns to Race in Indy 500 with RLL |
| Fittipaldi Livery for St Pete |
| Fittipaldi Livery for Indy 500 and Detroit Grand Prix |
Making the Indy 500 Safer
Feb 23 - During the 2023 Indy 500, as Josef Newgarden headed for the checkered flag to win the race,
he swerved inside the pitlane entrance in an attempt to take the tow away from Marcus Ericsson.
Ericsson was right on his tail and was hoping to draft him and pass him for the win.
IndyCar has decided that this maneuver is too dangerous because of the chance of having a head-on
collision with the start of the outside pitlane wall (attenuator.) From now on, racers will not be allowed
to cross the line over into the pit lane area while racing in the Indy 500.
Feb 23 - During the 2023 Indy 500, as Josef Newgarden headed for the checkered flag to win the race,
he swerved inside the pitlane entrance in an attempt to take the tow away from Marcus Ericsson.
Ericsson was right on his tail and was hoping to draft him and pass him for the win.
IndyCar has decided that this maneuver is too dangerous because of the chance of having a head-on
collision with the start of the outside pitlane wall (attenuator.) From now on, racers will not be allowed
to cross the line over into the pit lane area while racing in the Indy 500.
IMS has made some safety upgrades to the course:
* All the foam in all the Safer Barriers have been replaced.
* 800' of new Safer Barrier has been installed along the inside wall of Turn 4.
* 1700' of new catchfence has been installed behind the barrier on the inside of Turn 3.
* 85' of guardrail has been replaced by a new SAFER barrier section on the inside of the north
short chute (between Turns 3 & 4.)
UPDATE: Andretti Global, Arrow McLaren, Chip
Ganassi Racing and Team Penske returned to
Homestead Speedway Feb 20-22 for further
testing of the new hybrid IndyCar.
12 drivers combined to turn 1,202 trouble-free
laps. That’s 2,656 miles.
Will Power was the busiest driver, with 150 laps.
Kyle Kirkwood, Callum Ilott, Colton Herta and
Alex Palou each exceeded 100 laps, too.
Ganassi Racing and Team Penske returned to
Homestead Speedway Feb 20-22 for further
testing of the new hybrid IndyCar.
12 drivers combined to turn 1,202 trouble-free
laps. That’s 2,656 miles.
Will Power was the busiest driver, with 150 laps.
Kyle Kirkwood, Callum Ilott, Colton Herta and
Alex Palou each exceeded 100 laps, too.
“Lot of laps turned on the hybrid again during this
test with minimal challenges,” Alex Rossi said.
“We still don’t know what the rules will be
surrounding its use, so knowing how it will impact
race strategy is a question we are all asking. I
look forward to its introduction onto the car at
some point this year.”
Testing of the hybrid unit is scheduled to continue
March 28-29 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
road course. The four race teams that tested are
expected to hand off duties to the other teams
at that time.
test with minimal challenges,” Alex Rossi said.
“We still don’t know what the rules will be
surrounding its use, so knowing how it will impact
race strategy is a question we are all asking. I
look forward to its introduction onto the car at
some point this year.”
Testing of the hybrid unit is scheduled to continue
March 28-29 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
road course. The four race teams that tested are
expected to hand off duties to the other teams
at that time.
Feb 25 - Andretti Global revealed their IndyCar liveries. Like McLaren, all three cars share a common
paint scheme.
paint scheme.
| #6 Colton Herta |
| #28 Marcus Ericsson |
| #27 Kyle Kirkwood |
| 6-Time Champion Scott Dixon's Car |