Delta Wing Racing revealed its possible IRL 2012 car design today at the Chicago auto show. [CRTL-CLICK Image to launch YouTube Video of Mid-Ohio simulation] Image Credit: IndyCar Garage
Indy Racing League previews a new Delta Wing design
The Delta Wing concept car, designed by Englishman Ben Bowlby for a consortium of team owners and investors including Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi, is supposed to address all the short comings of the existing, outdated Dallara, while improving safety and efficiency.
Three other chassis constructors, Swift, Lola, and Dallara, have offered proposals for the next-generation IndyCar chassis for the 2012 IndyCar Series season. All chassis constructors aim to meet the design criteria laid out by IndyCar management:
Safe: The new chassis must meet existing safety standards while exploring new technology to improve safety in all aspects of the car.
Raceable: The new chassis must continue to produce exciting racing while not affecting other cars on track (i.e. less sensitive to the turbulence).
Cost-Effective: The new chassis must have a price point that lowers cost for the teams.
American-Made: The new chassis must be built in the U.S., preferably at an Indiana-based facility.
Less Mass/More Efficient: A lighter chassis with less mass that produces the same aerodynamic effect in an efficient way.
Relevant Technology: The new chassis should use technology relevant to the future of the consumer auto industry.
Modern Look: The car should have more space for sponsor logos, and be easily identifiable.
Green: The chassis should be more environmentally friendly. (No specifics offered.)
The Delta Wing is the only full-scale mock-up produced by any of the four competing companies.
The Delta Wing Concept, however, is NOT an open-wheel design. Further, even if one were to consider this vehicle for racing IRL style, how does one adjust the downforce on the front end to take advantage of changing areodynamics between oval, street, and dedicated road circuits? With enough ingenuity in the design (and ground effects), one can eliminate team engineers at the track - that would be a competitive loss for a team sport.
Top view of the Delta Wing design by chief technology officer Ben Bowlby, chief engineer for Chip Ganassi Racing and a former Lola chief designer. Image Credit: IndyCar Garage
This excerpted and edited from Epoch Times -
Delta Wing Launches New Era for IndyCar Racing
By James Fish - Epoch Times Staff Created: Feb 10, 2010
Delta Wing Racing revealed its possible 2012 car today at the Chicago auto show.
"Today marks a fundamental shift in how race fans and the general public will view all racing cars in the future; this is a game changer" DeltaWing CEO Dan Partel said on the IndyCar Web site. "This radical prototype takes open-wheel racing to a new level from both an engineering standpoint and the overall spectator experience."
The new chassis, unveiled for the first time at the Chicago Auto Show, is a radical departure from previous open-wheel designs. The car features a rocket-like fuselage, a narrow front track, a very wide rear end, and no wings, front or rear.
The wheels are almost entirely enclosed, which drastically reduces drag and also increases safety. Open wheel cars in traffic sometimes launch in the air after their tires collide, because the tires spin with so much force.
The tires on the Delta Wing are only half as wide as on the current car, which will also reduce drag, but will also affect traction.
The car supposedly generates all the downforce it needs through underbody ground effects, and is designed to be able to follow closely in traffic, a problem with the old chassis which prevented close racing.
IndyCar drivers, including current champion Dario Franchitti, former champion Scott Dixon, and rising star Graham Rahal were on hand to see the new concept car.
Dixon gave the car high marks, while Franchitti said he was “ready to drive one,” according to IndyStar.com.
Rahal, quoted on the IndyCar site, said, "The design is revolutionary. We have never seen an open-wheel racing car that looks like this. Is it going to be newsworthy? Yes. Is it going to catch eyeballs? Yes. Plus, there's good space for sponsors on it.
"From a driver's point of view, from all the simulations I've heard about, the performance of the car is not going to be a concern at all."
----
DeltaWing chief technology officer Ben Bowlby, chief engineer for Chip Ganassi Racing and a former Lola chief designer, said the car’s reduced aerodynamic drag and lighter weight would offer high performance on the racetrack with only half the engine power of its recent predecessors, and thus increased fuel efficiency.
Bowlby said he expects to "sell a complete car, including engine, for approximately $600,000."
Reference Here>>
Really weird. It looks a little like a Colonial Raptor from Battlestar Galactica, and a little bit like top-fuel dragster. It was originally a three-wheeler, and let's be honest, it still looks like it is. Head-on, it looks like something the military would deploy against the enemy only after all other hope is lost. Image Credit: Up in the Marbles
We, at The EDJE, are very open-minded, that being stated, open-wheel racing is open-wheel racing and one does not need to be open-minded to understand this point-of-order. Without this point-of-order, it looks more as if it is a new class for an ALMS field.
Or, ........ like something best suited for a different type of specialized competition. Maybe something like a Winternationals drag strip with a loop-the-loop in the middle of it ... or a Drift-Challenge - cooooooooool!
... notes from The EDJE
UPDATE:
Penke Racing has been secretly been testing the Delta Wing car, and unveiled a renewed relationship with Sunoco. Image Credit: Paul Powell - Facebook
UPDATE #2:
Delta Wing with proper tire mock up - This was something that had been speculated/conjered up by one of the forum members at a TrackSideOnline Forum ... A bit better than what the D-Wing Consortium gave us. Just wasn't sure if everyone saw this as they surfed for more information. This, at least, is an attempt at maintaining a concept of "open-wheel" racing. Image Credit: DDS/TrackSideOnline
UPDATE April 16, 2010:
The "Mushroom Buster" vortex management concept was unvieled at Swift Engineering Inc. in the form of the sponsor area display enhanced ... safety and competitive performance improved concept design "66" HERE>>!
UPDATE July 14, 2010:
The decision for the future platform and competition in the IRL starting in 2012 was a PUNT>>
Comments
HORRIBLE.....I lost intrest when Tony George ruined the cart/champ car series. Pay attention to when north american open wheel racing was doing so well that F1 uppers were getting nervious......This new delta wing car is BRUTAL.....Make the series a true formula series allowing room for chassey and engine competition. This will bring intrest and create competition like in the eightys and ninetys. A spec series works as well as communism. Have a budget cap to keep costs down if nessassry but for the love of god DON'T take on this montrosity.....I have lost intrest in north american racing since it has become IRL. I was hoping for a possibility of things getting better but it appears that wont happen. Please learn from the success and failures of the past......
In the article, 100% of drivers who currently drive for, or ever want to drive for Chip Ganassi love it.
I don't even know where to start=(
First off, define what open wheel racing is. That is not an open wheel race car.
I am having a hard time imagining anything looking like that racing at Laguna Seca or Mid Ohio. Long wheel base and relying on the rear end for roll resistance?
I the pit of my stomach I feel this is a hoax.
Seriously, for any of you that have driven an open wheeler or a gokart. Can you imagine how that thing would handle over a bumpy, camber and elevation changing corner? I guess that question assumes the car would race on something other than ovals.
On a positive note...
There has not been a big a really big mixup in racing technology for awhile. If the car works, and you can get 30 of them on the grid. It would be fun to watch.
I haven't heard this much moaning since the debut of Granatelli's turbine car; AWD, advanced chassis, etc, and the first thing USAC did the following year was to try to legislate it out of competition.
So what if it has more of a body than we're used to seeing? If you look at the changes in Indycars over the years, this is either going to be one more evolutionary step, or another experiment quickly forgotten. If it costs less to run, and makes IRL safer (no wheel contact crashes), I say give it a chance. IRL cars didn't used to have wings, either, but that doesn't mean they were better off without 'em.
"DeltaWing Racing" - The name of the consortium effort is also the name of the class of racing this concept portends ... It's DELTA WING RACING, not open-wheel racing.
If adopted, slang would suggest that we call these cars "Lawn Darts" just as the Dallara has been dubbed with the dubious moniker, "Crap Wagon"!
OUT-TAKE -- Relevant Technology: The new chassis should use technology relevant to the future of the consumer auto industry.
Are these people suggesting that the next major push in the design of the average automobile will be to have a vehicle be driven through full torque vectoring active technology with drive control of gain for balance adjustment? With the Obama Administration owning General Motors, we will be lucky enough to end up with a SEGWAY P.U.M.A. clown car as our only technology option.
dumbest looking thing ive ever seen. i mean really? it might as well be a trike. no open wheels either? and wheel placement leaves it open to flipping when braking hard in a turn. emergency handling is gone. they make this, theyve lost a fan for life. no redemption
SAFETY Point-Of-Order - This prototype reminds me of the early '80s eagle chassis. I am indifferent to it, but would prefer a number of chassis and engine suppliers for 2012. The major issue I had with the delta wing concept car was the design of the front. I also believe it would be a major safety issue for the right front tire changer who has the additional responsibility of holding the driver for fueling to conclude. The right front tire changer would have to significantly jump to the right to avoid the wider rear wheels. His significant move to the right would also place him in greater danger of passing cars on pit lane who would, in turn, be zipping by with their extended left-sides looking to hit something. (edited)
If they build it, you can kiss this long-time IRL fan & supporter goodbye. I gave the IRL a fair shot when many open wheel fans wouldn't, but I can tell you I will not be around to watch this JOKE on the track. It is a slap in the face to open wheel racing. It belongs in a Speed Racer movie, NOT as an Indy Car.
"Build it, and they will go" will be your new slogan.....
Come on guys, settle down.... It's just a hoax designed to create buzz. Just for fun I'd like to see someone try to take that sucker into a corner hard. Narrow front and narrow tires? Ha! It'd shoot straight off the track!!
NO!!! This is a disgrace put together by a yahoo that hasn't a CLUE about the physics of racing. Fear not loyal race fanatics, this won't happen. Mike is right, we need a real formula series and it's the only option for open-wheel survival at this level. Great comparison, spec cars and communism! Hilarious!
I believe if indy goes to the delta wing car, it will be too drastic a change for fans and will end in financial disaster for indy racing. I like the car but it is too drastic a change too quickly.
Really, the only objection I have to the initial concept is that with the difference between front and rear track dimensions the drivers lose their 'point of reference' to how close they can come to a competitor's car. With the 'properly' suspended front design shown second, this is returned. Put all the concepts to the test.
I'd like to remind the nay-sayers how much different the tunneled bodywork on the ALMS cars differs from previous versions (BMW and Audi LeMans cars of 1999). In fact, strip down the front a little and the latest ALMS cars would resemble the DeltaWing concept quite a bit!
NASCAR is an irrelevent series now. Don't compare it to real racing. The very notion that you can bang into another car is ludicrous. It's like boxing with cars, or a Royal Rumble in the wrestling world. Just stupid if you've ever actually raced.
Sports cars and Formula cars rule.
I say the DeltaWing concept and business model is good. Again, try it out against competition!
Ugly, Ugly, Ugly!!! I agree the current design needs to be updated but, That concept goes way beyond what indy type cars stand for and it is a slap in the face of the history of the sport and series.
Update #2 is the closest to the current design and in all reality, It isint really that far from the current car design besides the diffrent aerodynamics on the rear end and the partially enclosed rear tires.
This design would workout good and look good with some modifications to the front nose/lower cockpit area to make it not so wide and bulbis looking and get rid of the fin for a spoiler that goes along with the design and flows correctly.
Im suprised that F-1 diddnt come up with this design first and currently testing it, They are usually the series that comes up with radical and futuristic car designs for open wheel race cars.
batmobile?
"how bout we make em all identical cut out any room for adjustments, put the race back in to the drivers hands, see if their the driver for a reason"
perfect absolutly love it
IT'S WONDERFUL... it has half the weight, uses half the fuel, 4 cylinder, same speed as now 230mph on 300 hp, half the drag, half the downforce, and costs half as much as the current car. It's the future!!! Can you not deal with change (for the better)?!?
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