'Spec Racing' at the top levels of the sport....it just doesn't seem right, does it?

Question

The tradition of the Indy 500 and Championship-level racing has been innovation and newness. Think about the rear-engine revolution in the 1960's, the Lotus turbines, the diesels back in the day, the John Barnard Chaparrals, etc....

.....it just seems kind of sad that top-level American open wheel racing is spec. Half of the fun, seeing the new cars every year, is gone.

What do you think? Will the innovation return to Indy- and Champ- car racing?

I've always said that attempting to regulate the economics of a sport by regulating its technology is doomed to failure. Look at NASCAR -- not that NASCAR is a failure by any stretch, but their teams spend the $$$ available to them, and always will. If you want to regulate budgets, well then regulate them sort of the way the NFL does the salary cap. If it's going to be a customer-car situation like CART was, then it's pretty easy to at least set the price a chassis, gearbox, and engine go for...

Answer 1

i agree completely, one thing i liked about the old ppg indy car series was that if you wanted to buy a car lola, raynard, and swift were there to sell them to you. but if you wanted to build one like penski did then that option was there as well,

the biggest problem with the indy 500 is this....
i have a thousand dollar bet that next years indy 500 winner will a dallara, powered by Honda on Firestone tires....any takers? that's whats wrong with indy

Answer 2

I don't think significant innovation will return to Indy cars, but I don't think that 's a bad thing. I say give everyone equal equipment and let the best driver win. I wouldn't care if they got rid of the teams altogether, let the IRL prepare the cars, and have the drivers pick out of a hat to see who got what car.

It really stinks when a driver in his prime is stuck in an uncompetitive car. This happened to some of my favorite drivers (like Sam Hornish in 2003-04 and Jacques Villeneuve after his first 2 F1 seasons.)

Answer 3

I agree, it doesn't seem right.