A few years ago there was a photo of the various F1 cars lined up in bare carbon (no graphics/paint) and it was very hard to tell which car was which. The truth is that the graphics are what we identify.
The costs are so high in these series that I doubt they will open it up in Indycar anytime soon.

I remember something like that.
Apart from super distinctive designs, like the twin tusk Force India & hideous Caterham, it's pretty difficult.

quote:

Originally posted by Ripley:
I ran across an article (no link) about how well Roger Penske is doing, he's worth north of a billion. That seemed to make no sense. Penske bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy Car racing series just before the covid hit. Spectator sport among the hardest hit. How would Rog weather that?

Don’t forget there’s more to the Penske Empire than just motor racing. He’s got automobile dealers nationwide, a successful truck rental business, and a corporate director at General Electric.

quote:

Originally posted by Ripley:
I ran across an article (no link) about how well Roger Penske is doing, he's worth north of a billion. That seemed to make no sense. Penske bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy Car racing series just before the covid hit. Spectator sport among the hardest hit. How would Rog weather that?

He’s owned tons of car dealerships and other businesses for decades. Penske Automotive Group, a Fortune 500 company:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penske_Automotive_Group

And they all are owned by the Penske Corporation, which he also owns:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penske_Corporation

^^^^^

Understood but Rog sunk much of it on IndyCar and it's paying off. Win/win for him and us.

He only paid between 250-300 million for Indy car and the speedway. His businesses make a profit of about 500 million a year. He could literally break even or lose money with Indy car every year and easily continue the series for years and years.

I have grown used to the halo on the cars. but the plastic screen really bugs me for some reason.

Thanks for the money numbers PowerSurge, sounds like Penske made off like a bandit.

quote:

Originally posted by redstone:
I have grown used to the halo on the cars. but the plastic screen really bugs me for some reason.

I have to agree, IndyCar's aeroscreen looks much clunkier than the halo, the cars' visual balance is less appealing. That said, both implementations have been shown to be extremely effective.

It helps that they've made the halo on F1 into a base for on screen graphics, so it's hidden on most onboard shots.
Hated it when it was first grafted onto the 2018 cars, but barely notice it anymore.

quote:

He only paid between 250-300 million for Indy car and the speedway. His businesses make a profit of about 500 million a year. He could literally break even or lose money with Indy car every year and easily continue the series for years and years.

And you can thank the guy that sold everything to Penske for that. There were years before unification that the Indy 500 was only at 2/3rd capacity and were giving out tickets. Boy Wonder really did a number on the sport and Indianapolis, IN.

The other problem with the Aeroscreen is what is also took Red Bull several years to figure out. IndyCar went back to roll hoops on the Universal Aero Kit while F1 still uses an airbox that leads to the engine. Red Bull had to find a way to anchor the aeroscreen on a section that doesn’t exist.

That and since F1 builds a new car every year, they get to refine the halo every year.

just watched the final race for the season at Laguna...

nice to see Will Power take the title again, wish Dixon had done a bit better

oh well, next year

I enjoyed Indy at Richmond VA. 0.75 mile track, unheard of lap times. IIRC, NASCAR is 23 seconds, while Indy was 16 seconds. https://us.motorsport.com/indy...hmond-style/2089091/

Anyway, it was never attended well, and was cancelled. I remember trying my hand at a single lug nut tire change in the parking lot. Hard to do fast.

I stopped at the Indy track museum in Indy. What memories. Rode around the track on the bus. It was, and likely still is, a series that mere mortals can join. I miss the innovation, and as I said earlier on this thread, dislike required parts such as a Dallara chassis. But, it works, financially.

Richmond is one of the tracks that IndyCar is trying to go back to. They had an agreement for 2020, but COVID killed that race and the contract. It's one of 3 tracks they're wanting to bring back over the next three years along with a Mexico race to start the season with.

https://racer.com/2022/09/27/i...ions-for-new-venues/

The 2023 schedule is out and available on the Indy car news website.

Hoping much of their 2023 schedule will continue to be shown on OTA broadcast TV.

About the same as last year. 13 of 17 races including both days of Indy 500 qualifying will be on NBC, 3 races on USA, Toronto will be Peacock only, and I’m sure the bitching birds will be out in full force next year when they’ll cry about not being told Toronto is Peacock only.

2023 IndyCar schedule

St. Petersburg, March 4-5 NBC
Texas Motor Speedway, Apri1 1-2 NBC
Long Beach, April 15-16 NBC
Barber Motorsports Park, April 29-30 NBC
Indianapolis GP, May 13-14 NBC
Indy 500, May 28 NBC
Detroit GP, June 3-4 NBC
Road America, June 17-18 USA
Mid-Ohio, July 1-2 USA
Toronto, July 15-16 PEACOCK
Iowa Race 1, July 22 NBC
Iowa Race 2, July 23 NBC
Nashville, August 5-6 NBC
Indy GP 2, August 12-13 USA
Gateway, August 26-27 NBC
Portland, September 2-3 NBC
Laguna Seca, September 9-10 NBC