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Daytona
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
First day of Daytona compatibility test receives positive reviews
By Dave Lewandowski
indycar.com
DAYTONA, Fla. – Vitor Meira’s wry smile basically gave away the satisfaction he derived from being the first open-wheel racer in almost 50 years to drive on the Daytona International Speedway.
Cheers went up from the hundred or so fans perched atop the infield garages as Meira’s orange No. 4 car stormed out of its pit box at precisely 10 a.m. to commence the first day of compatibility testing on the 2.73-mile, 10-turn course. The modified motorcycle circuit incorporates Turns 3 and 4 (31 degrees of banking) of the superspeedway and a portion of the infield motorcycle layout.
Click it: Photo gallery | Listen to the sound of the 2007 engine | Download news conference Podcast
The purpose of the four-car, five-driver testing is to determine whether the facility can be added as a warm-weather road testing venue. Since the IndyCar Series added road/street events in 2005, limited testing has occurred at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Items such as transitions onto the banking, side loads and tire wear are being examined by IndyCar Series officials. Timing and Scoring is not available, though one driver reported top speeds in the 190 mph range at the end of the frontstretch.
They also are testing the 2007 Honda Indy V-8 engine package (3.5 liters), which will be powered by 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol, in two of the cars for the first time.
Check it out: Spectators are welcome to watch testing (10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Sept. 27) with the purchase of a Daytona International Speedway track tour.
The historic nature of the event wasn’t lost on the driver lineup, which included the past four IndyCar Series champions.
“It’s a pleasure to be a little part of motorsports history – not only for Daytona but the IndyCar Series,” said Meira, the answer to a trivia question for weekend barbeques. “My very first lap was very, very cool. It sure felt good being the first, though it wasn’t planned that way.”
Open-wheel racing cars haven’t run on the superspeedway since 1959, the first year in its present location.
“This place is very special with all the history,” said Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, who co-drove the winning Rolex 24 Hours entry on the full road course in January. “For us to be here to practice on the track is a big day for everybody. You can just feel it. It’s a legend on any circuit.”
Daytona International Speedway president Robin Braig said hearing the normally aspirated engines upshifting entering the 18-degree banking of the frontstretch was “exciting.”
“Some of my fellow track presidents have called already to ask me how it is going,” he said. “We haven’t had any neighbors call yet. That was my first concern, that I might get some calls from our friends from Indigo Pines and Pelican Bay that tolerate the Richard Petty Driving School. That was not a Richard Petty Driving School noise this morning. That was quite amazing to hear that. They look great out there for me.”
None of the drivers – Sam Hornish Jr., Tony Kanaan, Meira and Dixon – had any issues with the oval portion of the racetrack or the twisting infield section. Meira, however, was surprised when his car exited the chicane on the backstretch and he looked at Turn 3 quickly approaching.
“It’s the most banking I’ve ever felt, which was a very different feeling,” he said.
Neither were there any issues with the engines. The IndyCar Series will be the first motorsports series to be powered by a renewable fuel. In 2006, it used a blend of 90 percent methanol and 10 percent ethanol. Testing on a dynamometer was validated by the on-track performance.
"The day went very well for us," said Roger Griffiths, Honda Performance Development Race Team Technical Leader. "Despite the high temperatures and humidity, there were no heat issues (with the '06 or '07 engines) Based on the information gathered today, we are going to make a few fuel-mapping adjustments to the ethanol-fueled engines this evening, and then we'll be all ready to go tomorrow."
Kanaan's No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car was equipped with a 2007 engine package.
“Obviously, running an IndyCar and running through that banking is pretty neat,” he said. "It feels like we’re on a rollercoaster every lap when you get to the banking. We ran the 3.5-liter engine with the 100 percent ethanol and it’s running great. We did a bunch of laps and I’m working my butt off. It ran perfect. We have a couple of things to adjust mapping-wise because it’s a different fuel, but so far and so good.”
Kanaan said he already was looking forward to the four hours of track time Sept. 27. Dan Wheldon, the 2005 IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion, will be in the No. 9 car in place of Dixon.
“When I heard we were coming, I knew they had already figured out how to do it. I wasn’t worried about that. I was excited,” he said. “Anything that is new for a race car driver, especially a racetrack, is exciting. Daytona being Daytona gave me extra motivation.”
Daytona
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
First day of Daytona compatibility test receives positive reviews
By Dave Lewandowski
indycar.com
DAYTONA, Fla. – Vitor Meira’s wry smile basically gave away the satisfaction he derived from being the first open-wheel racer in almost 50 years to drive on the Daytona International Speedway.
Cheers went up from the hundred or so fans perched atop the infield garages as Meira’s orange No. 4 car stormed out of its pit box at precisely 10 a.m. to commence the first day of compatibility testing on the 2.73-mile, 10-turn course. The modified motorcycle circuit incorporates Turns 3 and 4 (31 degrees of banking) of the superspeedway and a portion of the infield motorcycle layout.
Click it: Photo gallery | Listen to the sound of the 2007 engine | Download news conference Podcast
The purpose of the four-car, five-driver testing is to determine whether the facility can be added as a warm-weather road testing venue. Since the IndyCar Series added road/street events in 2005, limited testing has occurred at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Items such as transitions onto the banking, side loads and tire wear are being examined by IndyCar Series officials. Timing and Scoring is not available, though one driver reported top speeds in the 190 mph range at the end of the frontstretch.
They also are testing the 2007 Honda Indy V-8 engine package (3.5 liters), which will be powered by 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol, in two of the cars for the first time.
Check it out: Spectators are welcome to watch testing (10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. Sept. 27) with the purchase of a Daytona International Speedway track tour.
The historic nature of the event wasn’t lost on the driver lineup, which included the past four IndyCar Series champions.
“It’s a pleasure to be a little part of motorsports history – not only for Daytona but the IndyCar Series,” said Meira, the answer to a trivia question for weekend barbeques. “My very first lap was very, very cool. It sure felt good being the first, though it wasn’t planned that way.”
Open-wheel racing cars haven’t run on the superspeedway since 1959, the first year in its present location.
“This place is very special with all the history,” said Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, who co-drove the winning Rolex 24 Hours entry on the full road course in January. “For us to be here to practice on the track is a big day for everybody. You can just feel it. It’s a legend on any circuit.”
Daytona International Speedway president Robin Braig said hearing the normally aspirated engines upshifting entering the 18-degree banking of the frontstretch was “exciting.”
“Some of my fellow track presidents have called already to ask me how it is going,” he said. “We haven’t had any neighbors call yet. That was my first concern, that I might get some calls from our friends from Indigo Pines and Pelican Bay that tolerate the Richard Petty Driving School. That was not a Richard Petty Driving School noise this morning. That was quite amazing to hear that. They look great out there for me.”
None of the drivers – Sam Hornish Jr., Tony Kanaan, Meira and Dixon – had any issues with the oval portion of the racetrack or the twisting infield section. Meira, however, was surprised when his car exited the chicane on the backstretch and he looked at Turn 3 quickly approaching.
“It’s the most banking I’ve ever felt, which was a very different feeling,” he said.
Neither were there any issues with the engines. The IndyCar Series will be the first motorsports series to be powered by a renewable fuel. In 2006, it used a blend of 90 percent methanol and 10 percent ethanol. Testing on a dynamometer was validated by the on-track performance.
"The day went very well for us," said Roger Griffiths, Honda Performance Development Race Team Technical Leader. "Despite the high temperatures and humidity, there were no heat issues (with the '06 or '07 engines) Based on the information gathered today, we are going to make a few fuel-mapping adjustments to the ethanol-fueled engines this evening, and then we'll be all ready to go tomorrow."
Kanaan's No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car was equipped with a 2007 engine package.
“Obviously, running an IndyCar and running through that banking is pretty neat,” he said. "It feels like we’re on a rollercoaster every lap when you get to the banking. We ran the 3.5-liter engine with the 100 percent ethanol and it’s running great. We did a bunch of laps and I’m working my butt off. It ran perfect. We have a couple of things to adjust mapping-wise because it’s a different fuel, but so far and so good.”
Kanaan said he already was looking forward to the four hours of track time Sept. 27. Dan Wheldon, the 2005 IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion, will be in the No. 9 car in place of Dixon.
“When I heard we were coming, I knew they had already figured out how to do it. I wasn’t worried about that. I was excited,” he said. “Anything that is new for a race car driver, especially a racetrack, is exciting. Daytona being Daytona gave me extra motivation.”