IndyCar announces future chassis plans

Indy Car News

by Gary Becker
Sports Car Illustrated

When I was kid I had just enough money to buy one slot car chassis and a variety of body styles that fit on that one chassis. Apparently IndyCar was watching because the new IndyCar formula for the 2012 season is pretty much the same formula I was using racing slot cars four decades ago.

Much to the disappointment of those fans yearning for the old days of CART with multiple chassis manufactures, IndyCar, in a slick and well rehearsed program, announced their next generation of chassis will be supplied by a sole manufacture, Dallara. 2012 IZOD IndyCar

In a move that appears to be more business motivated than competition motivated, IndyCar will use what is being called a rolling chassis and safety cell supplied by Dallara. Body panel and wings can be supplied by anyone who meets the rules and can supply their panels and wings to everyone in the field. Just like my old slot car days, the chassis’ will all be the same but there will be some variety in how the chassis are dressed.

The safety cells will sell for $349,000 while the full chassis can find a home in your garage for a mere $385,000. Overall, estimates are that this package will cost teams approximately 40% less than the current configuration. Chassis weight is down 180 lbs. to 1380 lbs.

The new chassis will be fitted with a new engine formula. Engines from any supplier will be six cylinders, turbo charged, run on ethanol and create 550 to 750 horse power depending in course setup.

In what appears to have been a major deciding point in favor of Dallara over the other chassis suppliers was Dallara’s acceptance of a variety of business concessions to the Indianapolis area. The chassis will be built in a new facility in Speedway, Indiana. Parts suppliers from Indiana will get the nod over out of state suppliers. And finally, IndyCar teams that call the Indianapolis area home will receive $150,000 worth of discounts on the first group of chassis delivered. Can you sing “Back home again in Indiana”?

Whether or not the racing versions of the new chassis will actually be sporting different body styles remains to be seen. One thing for sure is those of us who hoped for a return to the eighties and the heyday of CART with Lola, Penske, Wildcat, Eagle, March, Porsche, Foyt and others are surely disappointed.