Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers could be despatched to mailbag@racer.com. We love listening to your feedback and opinions, however letters that embody a query usually tend to be revealed. Questions acquired after 3pm ET every Monday might be saved for the next week.
Q: Did you see this announcement about Honda’s new racing engine? Any thought the place this engine might be used? Any likelihood that is for a brand new Liberty Media sequence in North America, and people are the engine rules?
William Mazeo
MARSHALL PRUETT: I did. A cool hot-rodded Honda Civic and Acura RDX motor. I’d put my cash on the little 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder being adopted as the brand new Indy NXT motor, changing the AER-built Mazda 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder mill that went stay in 2015 and has gone unbadged in recent times after Mazda exited junior open-wheel racing.
The Honda-to-NXT angle has been pitched many occasions and rejected, but when Honda Racing Company U.S. decides to remain in IndyCar after its contract is up following 2026, I’m guessing this transfer — one that may be a optimistic revenue generator for the model — can be a part of a brand new contract. I say that as a result of if I used to be negotiating with Penske Leisure to proceed, that’s the hand I’d play to get motor gross sales and motor help offers included with Penske’s NXT sequence.
As for a Liberty Media sequence that doesn’t exist and has no rules, I’m feeling like the brand new 300-600hp engines would even be a terrific candidate for such issues, however these issues have to first turn into actual.
Q: I noticed the story about how Lola desires to step up its enlargement after getting back from chapter. Curiously, it’s collaborating with Yamaha in System E and their purpose appears to be electrification, hydrogen and sustainable fuels and supplies.
This might not be an ideal match, however with electrification (with hybrid engines in IndyCar) and maybe a risk of sustainable gasoline as a future objective, IndyCar ought to court docket Lola and, as an extension, Yamaha as an engine provider for IndyCar. This leads IndyCar right into a scenario the place as soon as once more a number of chassis could be in play, and we have now the third engine provider that IndyCar desperately wants to guide the sequence into future.
Some in IndyCar circles may scoff at Yamaha as an engine provider, however they’ve a protracted historical past of supplying engines in F1 with groups like Tyrell and few others previously 30-40 years.
I hope you possibly can cross alongside to IndyCar so the suitable folks can maybe discover this as an possibility.
Shyam
MP: IndyCar reads the Mailbag every week, so the passing alongside occurs by itself. The proprietor of Lola is every kind of superior and has an enormous ardour for the model and its historical past, together with IndyCar, which was the centerpiece for Lola’s international achievements for many years. Sadly, there’s no anticipation of IndyCar wanting anyplace past its official chassis companions at Dallara to create the subsequent automotive, or the automotive after that.
And who wouldn’t like to have Yamaha concerned? Good throwback livery to think about as effectively, for my late buddy and hero Dan Gurney.
Gurney’s AAR Lotus-Ford had Yamaha help at Indy in 1965. It could actually make for a cooler throwback livery than, say, a 1997 Arrows. Dave Friedman/Motorsport Photos
Q: I simply learn that Roger Penske felt that this was certainly one of his group’s greatest seasons ever. Contemplating that group Penske obtained caught dishonest in three sequence, isn’t it a bit conceited of Penske to say how good 2024 was? Is he that unaware of what dishonest is? To be truthful, I’m not a Roger fan in any respect.
Paul, Indianapolis
MP: Pretend information, Paul, faux information.
Q: For the upcoming Thermal IndyCar take a look at, and offseason assessments normally, how do groups resolve which chassis to make use of, i.e.; oldest avenue/highway course tub? Highest mileage chassis?
Do the engine suppliers ship groups engines prematurely to allow them to arrive with a completely accomplished racecar? And does the mileage gathered throughout a take a look at depend in the direction of common season engine guidelines?
Do the groups present up with totally liveried racecars, i.e.; main present sponsor wrap?. And have they got numbers and the present take a look at drivers names on them? As I’m guessing the chassis are stripped clear following season’s finish.
Tom Harader, Florence, OR
MP: Groups are likely to take their greatest vehicles, not their most worn vehicles, since they’re looking for the very best high quality of information. As soon as groups return house from the ultimate race, all vehicles are torn down and complete rebuilds happen. If a group has a used automotive from the September 15 race at Nashville Speedway sitting untouched in the present day, they suck.
Sure, groups obtain engines at their outlets earlier than races and assessments to allow them to construct full vehicles in managed environments. Because the final season is over and the brand new season hasn’t began because it’s nonetheless 2024, there aren’t any mileage guidelines affiliated with 2024 or 2025. That can change as soon as we get into 2025 when the calendar begins for the brand new season.
On the final block of questions, there’s a number of ‘how lengthy is a bit of string?’ gadgets. It varies per group. Some sure, some no.
Q: I all the time thought IndyCar can be higher with two chassis: one for highway programs/brief ovals, one other one for superspeedways. So I’ve been questioning… Is that potential to realize now? They’d design one for highway programs, as gentle as it may be. And hold the DW12 or no matter it’s known as now for the high-speed ovals. After all that may imply no hybrids on these tracks then (if the subsequent automotive is made with that in thoughts). Give it a brand new aero, and go racing.
William Mazeo
MP: It’s the proper state of affairs for if and when IndyCar turns into considerably worthwhile for its group house owners. However for the place we’re in the present day, prices are the one largest considerations for almost all of these house owners, which makes doubling automotive prices a non-starter. An concept that’s forward of its time.
