SciTech Watch: Indy Racing Tech

This Sunday, May 28th is the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 race. Join us this week on SciTech Watch as we explore the science and technology behind racing in the Indianapolis Racing League (IRL) at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval track.

After 90 years of racing at Indianapolis, technology has taken car capabilities to a very high level. These cars are capable of running in excess of 225 miles per hour for extended periods of time. Their aerodynamics have evolved to use the forces acting on the car to improve stability and speed of the car on the track. Advanced technology is found throughout the IRL. Technology helps increase the cars performance, monitor the engineering state of the cars, protect the drivers, and control the race for maximum safety.

Performance
The cars that race in the IRL are open-wheel cars, meaning there is no bodywork or fenders around the wheels. The engine is located in the middle of the car behind the driver. The engine drives the rear wheels through a six-speed transmission. The tires used on open wheel racers are 11 to 15 inches wide and smooth, with no tread. At any given time on the track the total surface-area of tire in contact with the track is about one square foot. At race speed the tires have an almost tar-like consistency to exert maximum grip.

The chassis of the IRL cars are manufactured by either Dallara or Panoz. They are constructed of carbon fiber and composites and typically weigh about 1500 lbs, excluding fuel and the driver. Each car has a 30-gallon rupture-proof fuel tank and is 192 inches long and 78 inches wide. The Dallara chassis is pictured above.

The car is aerodynamically controlled by two major wing surfaces: there are wings on either side of the nose cone and a large wing at the rear of the car behind the rear wheels. Increasing the angle of the wings on the nose of the car forces the front tires down harder on to the track improving steering response. There are three separate rear wing designs. Different designs are used depending on the type of track the cars are racing on. At Indianapolis they use a single plane wing with no flaps. On bigger tracks, a two-element wing is used to increase down force and drag helping to keep the cars at safe speeds. On short tracks or road courses a three-element wing is used to provide maximum down force.

Article Author: John Vaccaro

John Vaccaro is a senior technologist with a wide spectrum of experience in science and information technology. He has worked in the marketing automation, speciality polymers, healthcare and financial services areas and has extensive experience with …

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