Cruising Peachy Exclusive Opinion by her friend Indy Driver Jeff Simmons: What we think of the IZOD IndyCar Series unveiling its new chassis set to debut in 2012!
As we say, it's not who you know, it's Whom You Know, and Peachy does know Indy Car Driver Jeff Simmons, another proud Boston College graduate from the great state of Connecticut. Jeff Simmons has competed in the Indianapolis 500 four times—the most famous race in the world. We are so pleased to present his expert opinion to you on the IZOD IndyCar Series new chassis set to debut in 2012!!! If you read Whom You Know to capture the latest and greatest of Manhattan and everywhere, you should know that Cruising Peachy firmly believes in speed, and quite often the most excellent is the quickest! For the latest in raceablity which we will make a word, and how the cars are losing weight, we turn the wheel over to Jeff. Thank you Jeff for driving the column!
By Jeff Simmons:
On July 14th, after months of deliberation over five proposed designs that ranged from evolutionary to revolutionary, the IZOD IndyCar Series unveiled its new chassis set to debut in 2012. The new racer will be built by current chassis manufacturer and long-time IZOD IndyCar Series partner Dallara Automobili at a state-of-the-art facility near the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The “IndyCar Safety Cell,” as it is being called, will replace the existing Dallara chassis that was originally designed for oval racing, but was adapted to road courses when the series added them to the schedule in 2005.
Rather than the typical, whisk the sheet off and voilá, the series displayed the car through 3D-renderings and holographic images. That’s because the design is actually just the foundation to be filled out by the bodywork pieces, such as the front and rear wings, engine cover and side pods. And let’s not forget the powerplant. In 2012 the horses under the hood will be turbocharged after years of running a normally-aspirated engine format. The turbocharged engines, with up to six cylinders and 2.4 liters of displacement, will allow for changes in output between 550 and 750 horsepower. Honda is the sole engine supplier at the moment, but the series hopes to entice others to join the series with the introduction of the new vehicle.
In designing the future racer many attributes had to be taken into account, but particular consideration needed to be given to reducing costs and increasing performance, both in safety and raceability (Not a word? Well it should be). Dallara’s new chassis will cost $349,000, a 45 percent decrease from the current model. That’s without the bodywork, engine and actually a whole host of other things, like a seat for the driver, that it takes to make the car race-ready. The total weight will drop 185 pounds to 1,380 and weight is one of the biggest factors in performance.
Current IZOD IndyCar series point leader Will Power, yes that is his real name, is excited about the coming ride: “I don't think you could ask for anything better," he said. “The car is going to be lighter; it's going to be faster. It entices other manufacturers to come in. I think this is the best direction that they could have gone.”
The aerodynamic design of the bodywork will be an area open to development by ANY manufacturer given that the parts receive approval from the series, be available to all teams, and have a maximum price of $70,000. Thus, the final look of the cars that hit the track in 2012 could vary greatly if the series keeps an open mind and is true to its word. In fact, the cars of any given team might change during the year as each can race two different aero kits from any manufacturer during a season.
Of course it’s performance (and funding) that drives teams and their decisions, not looks. I’d drive a car that looked like a three-toed sloth before the beer goggles fell off if it would make me faster than the competition. So it will be interesting to see how teams determine which kits to use and if they all gravitate to a couple options.
As a driver, I wonder what the rules will end up being and how they will actually be applied. For instance, a team can only race two different kits during the season, but I assume they can and will test many options before deciding. That is if the series gets what it wants and has multiple manufacturers in the first place.
For sure some teams will manufacture their own parts, as they already do, and while they have to be “available” to everyone they don’t actually have to tell the other teams that they are available. At 230 miles per hour an aerodynamic modification that is nearly invisible to the naked eye can make a big difference. The top teams are very sneaky and live in the gray areas of the rule book. It’s like they are constantly playing survivor, looking to “outwit, outplay and outlast” the competition, which includes the technical department of the series itself.
A lot of questions remain to be answered about the next generation IndyCar. What will it look like? How will it perform? Some of the questions will be answered when the teams and drivers get their hands on them in late 2011. Others, of the utmost importance, will have to be answered by the fans. So until the car hits the track for the 2012 season, we’ll just have to wait and see. Until then, keep an eye on the IndyCar series, don’t miss the 100-year anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 next Memorial Day weekend, and don’t run out of talent before you run out of road.
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About Jeff Simmons:
If Jeff Simmons at age four was asked, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ Young Simmons would have replied, “A racecar driver!”
And a racecar driver, he became. At five, Simmons was already a National Quarter-midget champion. By fifteen, he had raked in over 150 victories, another national championship and 10 consecutive regional championships. Continuing his success behind the wheel, Simmons also mastered the books, pulling double-duty as a college student. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in computer science from Boston College in 1998.
More driving accomplishments followed post-graduation as Jeff became only the second driver in history to win the Barber Dodge Pro Series championship as a rookie. He repeated his achievement with another championship win the next season.
Barber Dodge catapulted Simmons to the next level of open-wheel racing, the Indy Pro Series, where he accrued the most wins in series history. His calculating mind and intensity behind the wheel soon attracted Mo Nunn Racing, who offered Simmons a ride in the 2004 Indy 500. With just 37 laps ever in an IndyCar, Simmons qualified on the last day, and finished the race in sixteenth place, the second highest finish among rookies.
In 2006, Simmons partnered with Rahal/Letterman Racing., and quickly educated himself about his new sponsor, ethanol. Jeff became one of the primary spokesmen for the industry, with duties that included educating government officials about the fuel. In the racecar that same year, Simmons posted six top 10 results, including four in a row. He finished second in the IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year standings.
Simmons returned with Rahal/Letterman Racing in 2007, and showed his outstanding talent in the 91st running of the Indy 500. He led the race, ran in the top five all day, and crossed the line in eleventh place.
In 2008, Jeff competed in the Indianapolis 500 for racing legend AJ Foyt, but a mechanical problem ended their effort early. This marked the fourth time Jeff Simmons has competed in the Indianapolis 500—the most famous race in the world.
During the off-season, Simmons likes spending time in Grand Cayman and enjoys jet skiing, scuba diving and surfing. He also enjoys traveling, the great outdoors, and training, and being an important contributor to the Cruising Peachy Panel.
