Editor Bill Wong got a chance to explore DragonSpeed Racing’s shop, checking out the pieces to be assembled into their IndyCar entry.
The tour through DragonSpeed Racing’s shop was lots of fun and informative as well. We’ve covered the Indy 500 and racing technology, in addition to automotive technology in general, since the inception of Electronic Design. Much has changed over the years and we will be highlighting the latest technology here (Fig. 1).
The current 2.2-liter engines are capable of approximately 700 hp. In 2021, the series will move to a larger, 2.4-liter, 900-hp engine. Typically, a single engine is used for only around 2500 miles. At that point, it’s replaced (or sooner if the specs shift too far from a very strict range). This is to make sure that all of the teams have the same capabilities when it comes to engines, in addition to a number of other standardized items on the car.
The standardization puts more onus on the teams and drivers. Features like “push-to-pass” gives a fixed amount of extra turbocharger boost for about 10 seconds. The extra 40 hp is designed to be used in passing, but it can also be employed for defense.
Beyond the Engine
The engine wasn’t actually in the shop when I came to visit. In fact, all I got to see what the cockpit (Fig. 2), which is primarily made from graphite composites. A new windscreen has been mandated for the 2020 series—I’ll be taking a closer look at that later at Sebring.
One other thing I learned is that the windscreens don’t have windshield wipers. The teams typically paste a stack of clear plastic sheets on the front and tear them off one at a time when the car pits. The sheets are normally pitted by debris kicked up by the other cars.
The cables—a pair of internal cables plus the protective cover—are designed to keep other components from flying off the car when there’s an accident. Two internal cables are used so that if one breaks, then the other acts as a backup. The colors indicate when the cables are to be used, identifying the expired cables that need to be replaced.
I’m off to Sebring to see the latest test of the assembled car, so check out our DragonSpeed site for more details—and the future opportunity to win a ticket to the Indy 500.
Contact:
Daniel Colombo [email protected]