My objection to adding RR to the IRL schedule

[Ydawg]

My main objection to adding RR to the IRL
schedule is that it dilutes what I believe
is a unique product. The IRL chassis
are built for high-speed oval track open
wheel racing. That makes them unique.
There a many, MANY open wheel
RR formulas. When the IRL cars start
RR, they will not be (1) as quick as the
current CART turbo cars and
(2) will look like dinosuars compared to
an F1 car. I love to watch F1 cars -
sleek, agile, and blazing fast. I really
don't have any desire to see an IRL
car lumber around a road course.
Unfortunately, I think this will only further
cement the IRL as a second-tier racing
series compared to F1, where if the
IRL remains ovals only, it occupies a unique
niche.

[FenderFree]

That is certainly true, but every other road racing series in the world faces the comparison to F1. When CART went to Montreal, they faced a direct comparison because F1 also raced on that track. That is why I don't think the IRL should go to Montreal.

IMO, road races could be a good place to slacken the tech rules. Maybe let teams fiddle with more things on their cars. Maybe relax the downforce regulations and let teams trim out their cars to suit each individual road course. Example: Before CART madated minimum wing angles, teams used to go to Road America with rear wings almost as low downforce as their speedway wing because that was the best setup for the course.

[Niseguy]

Why the rush to follow the Dodo. It proved it was unsupportable. Do you think you can change the reality, like a woman thinks she can change a man? We cast off the european influence in 1776, why imitate the trappings of the continent now. Bernie has his schtick, lets try to make the one thing we have work before taking on more baggage.


No RR!

[IndyMJH]

See...some people get it.

NO STINKING RIGHT TURNS...EVER!!!!

[slinger]

Ydawg is dead right. Although they may look similar, a road racing car is really a different beast altogether. It needs to be lighter and more compact and more agile. CART was able to get by with running the same chassis on both ovals and roads (at great expense) because they had gobs of power to make up for the extra weight and their cars didn't have the bulk of an IRL car. IRL cars will cost a ton of money to convert and in the end, they will look like underpowered slugs. They can't afford that. Look at the derision that's heaped on the Grand Am cars compared to ALMS. They are made to look very second rate. If you're trying to be the top of the line, you can't look second rate.

[beyondnascar]

Re: My objection to adding RR to the IRL schedule

Originally posted by Ydawg
When the IRL cars start
RR, they will not be (1) as quick as the
current CART turbo cars and
(2) will look like dinosuars compared to
an F1 car.

What will the stock cars look like then?

[slinger]

Re: Re: My objection to adding RR to the IRL schedule

Originally posted by beyondnascar
What will the stock cars look like then?

Stock cars are a different thing. There is no basis for comparison. Expectations are different. The two races are sort of a novelty and there is nothing similar with which to compare them. The IRL is in a different position. IRL cars wouldn't be compared to F1 as much as they would be to CART. Compared to CART, they wouldn't look very good. That would be bad for the IRL.