Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers may be despatched to mailbag@racer.com. We love listening to your feedback and opinions, however letters that embody a query usually tend to be printed. Questions acquired after 3pm ET every Monday will likely be saved for the next week.
Q: Did you see this announcement about Honda’s new racing engine? Any concept the place this engine will likely be used? Any probability that is for a brand new Liberty Media collection in North America, and people are the engine laws?
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 lately 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 might be a optimistic earnings generator for the model — could 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 assist offers included with Penske’s NXT collection.
As for a Liberty Media collection that doesn’t exist and has no laws, I’m feeling like the brand new 300-600hp engines would even be an awesome candidate for such issues, however these issues must first change into actual.
Q: I noticed the story about how Lola desires to step up its growth after getting back from chapter. Apparently, it’s collaborating with Yamaha in Method E and their goal appears to be electrification, hydrogen and sustainable fuels and supplies.
This will not be an ideal match, however with electrification (with hybrid engines in IndyCar) and maybe a chance of sustainable gasoline as a future aim, IndyCar ought to courtroom Lola and, as an extension, Yamaha as an engine provider for IndyCar. This leads IndyCar right into a state of affairs the place as soon as once more a number of chassis may be in play, and we’ve got the third engine provider that IndyCar desperately wants to guide the collection into future.
Some in IndyCar circles would possibly scoff at Yamaha as an engine provider, however they’ve an extended historical past of supplying engines in F1 with groups like Tyrell and few others prior to now 30-40 years.
I hope you’ll be able to go alongside to IndyCar so the suitable individuals can maybe discover this as an choice.
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 world achievements for many years. Sadly, there’s no anticipation of IndyCar wanting anyplace past its official chassis companions at Dallara to create the following automotive, or the automotive after that.
And who wouldn’t like to have Yamaha concerned? Good throwback livery to think about as properly, for my late pal and hero Dan Gurney.
Gurney’s AAR Lotus-Ford had Yamaha assist at Indy in 1965. It might 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 workforce’s finest seasons ever. Contemplating that workforce Penske received caught dishonest in three collection, 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, IN
MP: Pretend information, Paul, pretend information.
Q: For the upcoming Thermal IndyCar check, 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 race automotive? And does the mileage accrued throughout a check depend in direction of common season engine guidelines?
Do the groups present up with totally liveried race vehicles, i.e.; main present sponsor wrap? And have they got numbers and the present check drivers names on them? As I’m guessing the chassis are stripped clear following season’s finish.
Tom Harader, Florence, OR
MP: Groups are inclined to take their finest vehicles, not their most worn vehicles, since they’re in search of the very best high quality of knowledge. As soon as groups return house from the ultimate race, all vehicles are torn down and complete rebuilds happen. If a workforce has a used automotive from the Sept. 15 race at Nashville Superspeedway sitting untouched right this moment, they suck.
Sure, groups obtain engines at their retailers 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 lot of “how lengthy is a chunk of string?” gadgets. It varies per workforce. Some sure, some no.
Q: I at all times thought IndyCar could be higher with two chassis: one for highway programs/brief ovals, one other one for superspeedways. So I’ve been questioning… Is that doable to realize now? They’d design one for highway programs, as mild as it may be. And hold the DW12 or no matter it’s known as now for the high-speed ovals. In fact that might imply no hybrids on these tracks then (if the following 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 workforce homeowners. However for the place we’re right this moment, prices are the only largest considerations for almost all of these homeowners, which makes doubling automotive prices a non-starter. An concept that’s forward of its time.
