Carpentier's First IRL Test

[Snrub]

I thought this was intereting:
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/indycar/14456/
From the article:
“At first I was skeptical about how the IndyCar would perform on a road course,” quipped Carpentier about his Sebring day, “but as soon as I got a feel for the car it proved me wrong.”

That's good news for next year and seems to follow what others have said. Interesting that he's not the only one to be suspecious of IRL cars on a road course, only to find the opposite.

"When faced with an IndyCar’s specialty, such as Homestead’s oval, the French-Canadian deemed the experience 'more exciting than [in] a Champ Car.'"

I found that particularly interesting considering others past comments of IRL cars, particularly the much publisized characterization that they were dung wagons. (I am not mentioning that to be antagonistic, let's be civil)

[Tim Northcutt]

I have zero idea why anyone ever doubted what an IRL chassis would do on a road circuit...

The two chassis builders (especially Dallara) have road racing experience up and down their engineering staffs, and both Dalarra and the Panoz Motorsports Group (umbrella company for G-Force, Van Diemen, etc.) have built top-flight sportscars that have raced and won in endurance racing as well as open wheel chassis in numerous lower-level series both here and in Europe...

In fact, when these two have gone head-to-head with Lola, they have kicked Lola's butt in road racing.....

Finally, anyone who called an IRL chassis a "dung wagon" simply does not follow motorsports avidly enough to understand the facts I just stated above.....

Sorry to anyone who doubts it, but Dallara, Panoz Motorspors, and G-Force (even before they were bought by Panoz) have had stellar reputations in road racing.....

They build high-quality race cars...not turd wagons....

[Down F0rce]

IndyRacing.com has posted an atricle also -

http://www.indyracingleague.com/indy...?story_id=3879

[GP Racer]

Most of the people calling these cars "dung wagons", were simply IRL haters. I don't think anyone of them had any technical facts to back up their vitriolic statements against the Dallara or the G-Force chassis.

I am relieved to see that all of the drivers are in unanimous agreement on how good the IndyCars are performing on road courses. Thats one less thing the IRL will have to worry about come next season. Now all thats left to see is just how good the racing will be, and if these cars are capable of some real passing. If they get that right, then we'll really have something...

[Snrub]

Originally Posted by Tim Northcutt

In fact, when these two have gone head-to-head with Lola, they have kicked Lola's butt in road racing.....

Finally, anyone who called an IRL chassis a "dung wagon" simply does not follow motorsports avidly enough to understand the facts I just stated above.....

I'm not sure the manufacturer of a chasis for a particular series has much to do with the chasis meeting a certain series' spec. I don't think anyone would question the manufacturers. The point is that in the past IRL cars were critisized for driving like boats, having poor brakes, etc. Clearly this is no longer the case.

Originally Posted by GP Racer

Most of the people calling these cars "dung wagons", were simply IRL haters. I don't think anyone of them had any technical facts to back up their vitriolic statements against the Dallara or the G-Force chassis.

The person who coined the term I made more politically correct drove the car. Multiple people who were drivers of a certain different kind of car had less than favorable impressions when driving IRL cars. I didn't mean fans or people who frequent these kinds of forums.

[N I Tram]

The current generation of IRL chassis were always desigend to be capable of road/street racing - originally it was expected that this would be featured in 2004's schedule. The 'crapwagon' term Snrub refers to was nothign to dow ith how the cars handled - it was the comment of a certain driver who felt he was robbed of victory in a certain race (which fans of his series would tell you is no more important than any other).

[Hazza]

And he was upset because his team didn't have the reasources to race in that race. That was probably only so because that certain driver put his car into the wall....

[Snrub]

I won't disagree that the originator of that term was motivated by anger, but the termonology wasn't solely based on having the victory stolen from him.

[gttouring]

well, the Poo Wagon these car were labeld for i believe would be the first generation of IRL Dallaras and Gforce. remeber those huge frontal areas and their less than stellar accident protection, the new cars have come huge leaps from the first cars, and they look much sleeker as well, and i am sure they were designed for a unification in mind so road conversion or even road course testing was designed into the chassis, and ofcourse these are 2 of the best chassis builders around.
is dallara also responsible for the SUperfund cars? and GP2?

[N I Tram]

I don't think anyopne who's driven the current IRL cars on road courses has been critical of their performance or racing potential - thre's far more comment going rund that the current CART machinry is unsuited to oval racing in their curretn settings.

[jondownunder]

Originally Posted by gttouring

is dallara also responsible for the SUperfund cars? and GP2?

Dallara are building the GP2 cars, but the new Formula Superfund cars (Superfund SF01) are built by Force 10 Technology/Raceprep (previous Superfund Euro 3000 cars were Lola B99/50s of course).

[djb]

not really different than Coulthard saying how his new team is small yet beautiful (something like that) one wouldn't expect any new driver of any team to say anything other than positive. I don't follow the IRL at all, so don't have any say in the matter, my indifference is more about never having being interested in any oval-only series, but that said, discussing differences in different series cars behaviour/performance is a moot point as it's the competition within the series that makes a series interesting to watch, whether it's Mini racing or MotoGP.

[Kicking-back]

IndyCar won't be ovals only now, djb.

[djb]

this touches on a bunch of issues that don't need to be discussed here, but for now, one or two or three non-oval races still doesn't do it for me, and the past tradition of the CART series, specifically the range of courses, will keep me following CART.

And on the subject at hand, I wish Carpentier a successful and safe season, despite what I said earlier, I will however make a point of checking in to see how he is doing and how he finds the transition.

ps, will Brack be back this season?

[Kicking-back]

Brack has retired from IndyCar racing, although that's not been announced yet.

[luke]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Brack has retired from IndyCar racing, although that's not been announced yet.

Indeed, it's very unlikely Kenny will be back.

[djb]

thanks, main thing is that he is back walking talking etc.