IRL faces engine shortage

[rustyfan]

I'm a bit surprised no one has mentioned this before, but in any case, this article was posted over at the Indianapolis Star a couple of days ago. I found it very interesting.

IRL faces engine shortage - Indy league may not be able to handle early demand, or fill 500-mile race field.
By Curt Cavin
January 31, 2004


HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- The Indy Racing League avoided a major power shortage this week when it lost in U.S. Bankruptcy court.

Officials from Toyota, Honda and Chevrolet confirmed there wouldn't have been enough engines to supply the Championship Auto Racing Teams series cars that would have switched to the IRL had Judge Frank J. Otte's ruling shut down champ-car racing.

As it is, there might not be enough IRL engines to meet demand in the first four races of the season, and that includes filling the traditional 33-car field at the Indianapolis 500, the fourth of those races.

Nineteen teams currently have engine contracts -- seven each for Toyota and Honda and five for Chevrolet. Honda has a two-race contract for Roger Yasukawa in Motegi, Japan, and Indianapolis.

Although there aren't more teams ready to sign up, officials from Honda and Chevrolet say they can accommodate only one additional car apiece in the three races before Indianapolis, and probably only five more combined at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Toyota can take on five more cars, but only if they are the right five, according to Lee White, group vice president of Toyota Racing Development. He said TRD is committing to supplying second cars for IRL teams owned by Tom Kelley, Morris Nunn and A.J. Foyt, if sponsorship can be found, and it must supply the CART team of Carl Haas at Indy if Haas decides to participate.

That brings engine capacity for the league's first two races to 24 cars, 25 for the Japan race and 32 for Indy.

The shortage stems from the IRL's switch to a new power-reducing 3.0-liter engine in midseason. The manufacturers have a limited number of the current 3.5-liter engines, and they aren't building more because they are focused on the 3.0, which becomes legal at the 500.

"We've tried to be very open with people that there could be a shortage here," said Robert Clarke, general manager of Honda Performance Development. "Companies like ours just don't go off and build extra engines so we can have them.

"There are some spares in the system, but giving them away now can hurt current (customers)."

Teams worked with the league last year to ensure the 500 had 33 starters. This year it likely will take the engine manufacturers working together to fill the field.

"It's a situation that everyone is aware of and we're monitoring very closely," IRL senior vice president Brian Barnhart said.

Chevrolet program manager Joe Negri might have done the league a favor Wednesday. He had until then to order his engines for the 500, so realizing a possible shortage he added a couple of extras even though he doesn't have commitments at this time.

"Based on the numbers, I only counted 28 cars for Indy, so how do you ensure a full field?" Negri asked. "I ordered a bit more to accommodate, just in case."

The problem will be eliminated after the 500 when there is a large inventory of 3.0-liter engines.

Honda is in a difficult situation with its final few engines. Team Rahal and Fernandez Racing already have single-car programs and Beck Motorsports was a client last year. Walker Racing would like to be a Honda customer, too.

Now, it's first come first served.

"We're at theoretic capacity now," White said of Toyota's situation. "People have to understand that it's going to be tight this year."

Some really interesting tidbits in that article, like the snippet about Walker (highlighted above) just to name one.