How Honda Can Circumvent The Lottery

[Wolfboy]

Taking a cue from Mac Miller's "Danica Sez" Thread about the special Danica spec chip in the ECU, here's how Honda can help their favorite teams:

Car makers currently have what I'll call personalization software for high end vehicles which adjusts various settings in the cockpit to suit each driver, ie: seat position, radio volume, steering wheel position, mirrors, pedal position, etc. When you get in the car, your key-fob transmits your settings and the motors start turning to move the seat, etc. When your wife gets in the driver's seat, her key-fob will transmit her personalized settings.

So Honda could program special settings in the engine control module that would be activated by a specific transmitted signal. They could activate it remotely for their preferred race teams.

Paranoia? I work for a Japanese company. You learn to be paranoid working for them. I have also learned "loyalty" is an important concept to them.

[Jacoby]

I have no doubt you are correct.

[Qdoba Addict]

The Danica secret extra 75 HP code is: clutch in 3 times, pit speed limiter 2 times, 100% throttle button 4 times. Only works at a stop of course. You wouldn't even need to transmit anything. If you don't have the code you get the stock programming.

Is it paranoid to think Honda will do that? Of course it is, but what is preventing it? A random draw or sealed engines will not prevent it. Only thing I can think of is some very knowledgeable 3rd party verifying what is in the code and then flashing that same code into every engine and then sealing the data ports. If there is ability to remotely adjust the engine it would have to be disabled.

[sf-indy-fan]

A lotta "coulds" in there, Wolfboy.

[Radny]

Kind of like some old video games. If you did certain maneuvers they would all of the sudden become very easy to beat, or so I'm told. In fact, there were booklets and magazines published with the tricks in them. Question is, if Honda was going to give Danica the extra juice, why didn't they do it last year? Instead they gave it to AGR (assuming you beleive any of this nonesense.)

[Cygni]

wont happen.

[Wolfboy]

If everyone is honest, then why does the IRL need to have a lottery to distribute engines?

[Tooonces]

Isn't there a black helicopter page here at TF to collect all of these super insightful theories so we can track them - if we care?

[sweaty]

h

[Wolfboy]

Considering the black helicopter comment came from someone whose interests includes "cat herding" gives it more credibility. And then there's the "former tin pot dictator of a small Latin American banana republic." I have to take them both seriously.

One thing I have learned is people respond to controversial insignificant posts more. Thanks guys. I was beginning to think noboby out there liked me.

[Chitownfan]

I highly doubt they would do this and risk someone spilling the beans and ruining Honda's reputation in the racing world.

[MoparsRule]

I highly doubt they would do this and risk someone spilling the beans and ruining Honda's reputation in the racing world.

I'm with Chitownfan on this one.

[Broadway Joe]

The Danica secret extra 75 HP code is: clutch in 3 times, pit speed limiter 2 times, 100% throttle button 4 times. Only works at a stop of course. You wouldn't even need to transmit anything. If you don't have the code you get the stock programming.

Hahahaha! Sounds like you know how to make a duplicate key for a
modern car. Hit the gas three times, lock and unlock the
doors twice, hit the brake twice, etc, etc....

[Benson477]

If everyone is honest, then why does the IRL need to have a lottery to distribute engines?

Probably more to the point than much of the rest of what we hear in the form of conjecture.

[indyrjc]

Honda definitely had different programs for different teams on their engine management systems last year with AGR being the main beneficiary. It's pretty likely things will be manipulated again this year. Does anyone really think that Michael Andretti would come out of retirement this year to run an engine that was just "equal" to everyone else (this is probably the best chance he's ever had to win the 500). BTW, we wouldn't be having this conversation if the teams were allowed to work on their own engines and develop their own programs for engine management. Since there is no longer any competition for Honda it's beyond me why the IRL doesn't just let everyone work on their own engines so there is no question about whether or not anyone is getting a secret program or code. Unless the IRL WANTS the option of being able to help certain cars or popular drivers in order to further promote the series. This has always been the rap on NASCAR but until the engine leases came along Indianapolis racing always had one set of rules for everyone. Now I'm not so sure.