Indycar News & Rumors.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

If you think he is sitting there worried about what his lawyers will do to chip away at what Zak could potentially get, well you demonstrate you don't really understand the point of hiring a good lawyer. As no one has so far said anything about the details of his compensation or the in stone plans for use Zak can only argue we may have lost xxx, not a convincing argument when you immediately filled the spot with someone you barely used for any testing. Egg on your face is NOT a legal argument for getting a pound of flesh from someone, you would get the out clause, documented damages and any payments made but more than that is Zak's burden to prove not Palou. And he's a grown up who hired lawyers to do that for him. And HIGHLY doubt his losses testing are even close to what Chip was paying him or he left for less money?? Just think about that without the F1 is the bestest thing ever hat on for just a MOMENT. Piastri wasn't tearing up the track, McLaren on the rise and yeah, yeah let me take less money to run in Indy when I could run in F1 for more money and potentially get a race seat cause no driver thinks he isn't better than the guy in the seat.

You appear to completely misunderstand both the case and the meaning of consequential losses, not to mention underestimating the testing the current/recent F1 cars while vastly overestimating a top-end Indycar stipend.

Also, when testing alongside the likes of Ragunathan, the invoice paid by him will be a very clear starting point for those losses...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by joeb

Honda wants out big time

https://racer.com/2023/12/13/hondas-...-supply-costs/

Suggests everyone should use the Chevy prepped unit

I thought this paragraph in the Racer article was particularly interesting.

''Look no further than Honda and Acura’s TV advertising as a sign of where the company ranks IndyCar’s comparative worth against its other racing programs. Its commercials in the U.S. have featured the Red Bull Formula 1 team and the promotion of its championship-winning hybrid engines used by Max Verstappen, not its championship- and Indy 500-winning IndyCar engines, and its hybrid GTP car is the obvious centerpiece of Acura’s motorsport-themed advertising.''

Obviously, Honda and Acura's TV advertising is clearly geared to their respective hybrid programs, so if Honda's hybrid IndyCar engine had been up and running, would it not have also featured in their TV advertising?

Another aspect of Honda's leaving IndyCar, is what happens to the races which they have the naming rights to? Do they rebadge an Ilmor engine with the Honda logo and continue as is?

[broadrun96]

But the Indy car in Honda livery is in their pedigree/history commercials, I've seen it plenty of times. Not as much as the Honda current and F1 promo or the Acura use of the MSR car in their TV ads

[TheMightyM]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Another aspect of Honda's leaving IndyCar, is what happens to the races which they have the naming rights to? Do they rebadge an Ilmor engine with the Honda logo and continue as is?

Honda says that they don't get an adequate ROI from Indycar. The obvious solution is to spend less. And that would have to include things like naming rights and other forms of sponsorship and advertising. They’ll honor existing contracts, but are presumably going to be very selective going forward.

Honda leaving or scaling way back is a big loss for Indycar, as it reduces the amount of money in the Indycar ecosystem.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

But the Indy car in Honda livery is in their pedigree/history commercials, I've seen it plenty of times. Not as much as the Honda current and F1 promo or the Acura use of the MSR car in their TV ads

Not related to Honda in particular, but there is a Firestone shop 2 blocks from my office which i use regularly. The staff is great, but there is no Indycar advertising in there. All sorts of full wall car pictures and signage of various types around, but they aren't plugging their involvement in Indycar anywhere. It drives me crazy!

I've used multiple Mazda dealers in town and they have all sorts of racing art around featuring everything from the MX-5 cup cars to their LMDh program. I just bought a truck from a small chevy dealer and they had Corvette GTE stuff everywhere on the walls!

[bjohnsonsmith]

The hybrid saga continues to unfold, as Ilmor will be the service provider for the ERS units.


https://racer.com/2023/12/13/ilmor-a...ars-ers-units/

[NaBUru38]

Roger Penske is known as the Captain for his known style of building stability to their businesses.

IndyCar is a professional sports, therefore an entertainment.

It's a business that comes and goes through fads as people get bored quickly.

In other words, sports is a completely different from the business of selling and renting cars.

[broadrun96]

Update your coozies and team lineups folks.

Sting Ray is back and driving for AJ next season

https://racer.com/2023/12/15/robb-mo...team-for-2024/

MP's take: https://racer.com/2023/12/15/why-rob...a-perfect-fit/

Supposedly he's bringing 8 million plus to the team, possibly brings Ferrucci back to the team for 24 as well.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Update your coozies and team lineups folks.

Sting Ray is back and driving for AJ next season

https://racer.com/2023/12/15/robb-mo...team-for-2024/

MP's take: https://racer.com/2023/12/15/why-rob...a-perfect-fit/

Supposedly he's bringing 8 million plus to the team, possibly brings Ferrucci back to the team for 24 as well.

This makes those coozies all the more collectable now!

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by joeb

This makes those coozies all the more collectable now!

Gotta get the full set, Stingie Pokemon

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Update your coozies and team lineups folks.

Sting Ray is back and driving for AJ next season

https://racer.com/2023/12/15/robb-mo...team-for-2024/

All is right with the world. Show ‘em Stingy, show ‘em.

I’m currently drinking a beer in YYZ (hey Rush fans) and wondering why I don’t carry my coosie everywhere with me.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Adam43

All is right with the world. Show ‘em Stingy, show ‘em.

I’m currently drinking a beer in YYZ (hey Rush fans) and wondering why I don’t carry my coosie everywhere with me.

Very happy to see the Peoples Favourite return

Whats a coosie I asked google. Like a tea cosy keeps heat in a coosie keeps heat out. Thanks Google.

We call them Stubby Holders. Mate.
(named after the stubby, popular name for small (375ml) beer bottles down under.)
Sorry about the OT moment.

[mstets]

Originally Posted by E.B

Very happy to see the Peoples Favourite return

Whats a coosie I asked google. Like a tea cosy keeps heat in a coosie keeps heat out. Thanks Google.

We call them Stubby Holders. Mate.
(named after the stubby, popular name for small (375ml) beer bottles down under.)
Sorry about the OT moment.

If a stubby is 375 ml, what's a tube? Sorry if that's a Kiwi term but I remember team mates mentioning Bar B, tubes, and Sheilas in the same sentence.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by mstets

If a stubby is 375 ml, what's a tube? Sorry if that's a Kiwi term but I remember team mates mentioning Bar B, tubes, and Sheilas in the same sentence.

Fairly modern idea. A tube is more of a dispenser, often used in sports clubs and such where you might order a jug of beer to serve to a group. They hold 2.5-3 litres and have a tap. The base stays on the table and the tube is put in the base.
https://aussiebeertubes.com.au

Sorry @Mods if this is OT. I was answering a question here (that came from a comment I made). If you want to move it to "Price of a beer" in Parc Ferme or leave it here, your call.

[mstets]

I enjoyed this but thought it should have been much longer as long as Medland had the two of them together answering history questions.


https://www.epartrade.com/video/db04...trade%E2%A0%80



It's interesting what different folks who were involved with the same project remember. I don't recall altering the front of the '84 March in order to lower the ride height but it's possible that the nose cone was modified and I don't remember it. What I recall Adrian modifying at the front end was to come up with a way to speed up spring changes on the vertically mounted (to rocker arms inside the tub) dampers. The stock March setup took a long time to change springs and with Adrian's mods we were able to change springs in a few minutes which was a huge advantage. I don't think we lowered the sidepods but we did lower the engine cover in an attempt to improve airflow to the wing. The other thing Adrian focused on was reducing the weight but I can't remember much of the specifics. One change I do remember was using a plastic line from the fuel tank vent instead of Aeroquip. That bit us right off as the vent valve failed to seal on a pit stop at the Meadowlands and the plastic line had evidently melted, resulting in an undertray awash with methanol. The resulting fire cooked the rear brake line so Bob went from closing on Mario for the lead before the pit stop to slipping 4 laps down to finish 11th with only the front brakes.

[mstets]

Originally Posted by E.B

Fairly modern idea. A tube is more of a dispenser, often used in sports clubs and such where you might order a jug of beer to serve to a group. They hold 2.5-3 litres and have a tap. The base stays on the table and the tube is put in the base.
https://aussiebeertubes.com.au

Sorry @Mods if this is OT. I was answering a question here (that came from a comment I made). If you want to move it to "Price of a beer" in Parc Ferme or leave it here, your call.

The only place I have ever seen those is in bars in New Glarus Wisconsin. I'm not sure if they're called tubes there.

[joeb]

Pedersen isn't leaving Foyt? Is there confusion?

https://racer.com/2023/12/15/pederse...-robb-signing/

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by joeb

Pedersen isn't leaving Foyt? Is there confusion?

https://racer.com/2023/12/15/pederse...-robb-signing/

Yes, yes there it cause Foyt. Everyone thinks Pedersen has a 3 year deal but was there a last place out clause. Will be interesting if they announce Ferrucci in the other car this week

[bjohnsonsmith]

Some interesting comments from Jim Campbell, General Motors’ VP of Performance and Motorsports, in response to Honda's concerns about costs and possibly leaving IndyCar after 2026.

https://racer.com/2023/12/15/chevy-t...indycar-costs/

[mstets]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Some interesting comments from Jim Campbell, General Motors’ VP of Performance and Motorsports, in response to Honda's concerns about costs and possibly leaving IndyCar after 2026.

https://racer.com/2023/12/15/chevy-t...indycar-costs/

If he answered the question of whether Chevrolet will be ready to supply the whole field if Honda pulls out, it escaped me. I'm guessing they won't for the same reasons that were stated by HPD.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by mstets

If he answered the question of whether Chevrolet will be ready to supply the whole field if Honda pulls out, it escaped me. I'm guessing they won't for the same reasons that were stated by HPD.

He says: “So our strong desire and preference is to compete against other OEMs in every series that we race. We want to compete with other OEMs that want to be in the series. There have been moments in time where the company was the sole supplier. It’s not our preference.”


Regarding a spec engine, he says: “I would like to continue developing our internal combustion engine. We can learn from it, extract more about how we deliver power, efficiency, and durability. Translate those into ICE engines we have in our portfolio just like we’ve been doing for years. And then in terms of cost reduction, as I said, it’s fun to have that dialogue with the series, hosting all the stakeholders that have a vested interest in that, with a variety of ideas, financial and things, multiple ideas.”

[broadrun96]

Good news, music lineup for HyVee races has been established

https://racer.com/2023/12/18/luke-co...dycar-weekend/

Luke Combs Sat and Post Malone Sun

[HighParker]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

... Another aspect of Honda's leaving IndyCar, is what happens to the races which they have the naming rights to?..

It looks like there's three of them:
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
Honda Indy Toronto

Of those, I would guess Long Beach would be the most capable of attracting another title sponsor.
I have trouble imagining that a replacement corporate title sponsor could be easily found for Toronto. And maybe it was the possibility of Honda discontinuing their involvement that was behind the recent renewal of the contract with the city being for only one more year instead of the usual three?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by HighParker

It looks like there's three of them:
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
Honda Indy Toronto

Of those, I would guess Long Beach would be the most capable of attracting another title sponsor.
I have trouble imagining that a replacement corporate title sponsor could be easily found for Toronto. And maybe it was the possibility of Honda discontinuing their involvement that was behind the recent renewal of the contract with the city being for only one more year instead of the usual three?

The IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship races at the Long Beach Grand Prix, along with IndyCar and Acura have been racing in the Weathertech SportsCar Championship for a number of years. Acura are producing the return on investment that American Honda Motorsports Manager Chuck Schifsky wants to see and mentions in the Racer article Racer article, https://racer.com/2023/12/08/honda-w...s-are-slashed/. So in that respect it might be worth keeping Acura as title sponsor.

There's a connection with Mid-Ohio and Toronto. Though Honda are title sponsors of both races, the race organisers and promoters are Green-Savoree Promotions, who purchased the assets of the former Grand Prix of Toronto. Following the cancellation of the 2020 race, a new three-year agreement was reached in September 2020 between Exhibition Place and Green-Savoree to host the event through 2023 and that's been extended through to next year but as you say, it's only one more year instead of the usual three.

However, Green-Savoree also promote the season opener at St. Pete, which has Firestone as the title sponsor. Firestone are also title sponsors for the Monterey Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. Maybe they can get Firestone to sponsor a third race at Toronto but then that still leaves Mid-Ohio.

[broadrun96]

Why would Firestone throw more money at something they already spend a ton on? And if Honda is really saving money by not being the title sponsor, that would be a decent chunk for Firestone to pick up.

Also Honda could feel like being a sponsor of the race without being involved as engine builder is worth it if the price isn't crazy high. Honda also throws a ton of money at the Barber race, like Mid-Ohio there is a plant locally and they do a lot of promo work. And Acura may want a piece of the sponsorship and maintain Long Beach with IMSA as pointed out above, and maybe add some funds in to other events.