Panoz Gets 2007 Chassis Contract

[Snrub]

Good point macdaddy regarding the old penske design and also a good point on the increase importance of venturis as opposed to the wings. Enemy-ace is correct in saying that today CC runs higher downforce on ovals than they did in the past. Milwaukee may be an exception because I think they ran similar levels in the past. (I realize there aren't many other ovals on the recent schedules)

I wonder if the new increase venturi effectiveness completely rules out running a low downforce setup on a big oval like MI or Fontana? Recall that in the past the wings they ran were VERY small. Even with no wings would they now be flat out?

I don't think Bridgestone will have to do anything radical. They could theoretically just use a stickier compound, eg. from the tire war era. The new cars will be lighter than the current ones so they should load the tires less. Currently Bridgestone seem to recycle old compound designs or tweek them.

[macdaddy]

Downforce could be reduced on superspeedways by using "tunnel blockers" like they did at Michigan the year before the Handford.

[gttouring]

so i s mechanical just ripped away? or is the idea of a smaller car in width adn length relative and they will maintain the equivalent Grip there?
also isn't it something that PAnoz has turned into a Juggernuat of Racecar building?
wow what money can do! seriously thought thy have some good things coming out of georgia- say didn't our own Mulsanne Mike go downthere? hmm...

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Foster

I notice a lot of the A1GP car in the Lola design.

I expected that.

[Snrub]

Originally Posted by macdaddy

Downforce could be reduced on superspeedways by using "tunnel blockers" like they did at Michigan the year before the Handford.

I didn't realize they used something like that!

[Sniffer]

Lola have uploaded images of their proposed Champ Car. Looks really good. Go to Lola Cars and then to News. Any thoughts on the look?

Proposed Lola Champ Car

[Kicking-back]

It's been discussed earlier in this thread

[rustyfan]

Early simulations seem to indicate that the new chassis might be around 2 seconds faster than the current one.

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, Tom Smith and his fellow engineers at the championship winning team have come up with some potential figures that would see the new-for-2007 Champ Car 2.1-seconds or 3.1mph faster around the Surfers Paradise street course that the current generation Lola.

Full article here. Should be interesting to see how far off these early simulations are, once real testing gets underway.

[nickyf1]

the front of the car is so ugly me thinks

[NikkiM]

I agree the car looks ugly and will date very quickly, looks cheap as well. The Lola was much better looking imo.

[mountainstar]

I'm waiting to see the actual car. But from what I've seen so far it looks good, much better than the mosquito nosed IRL cars.

[Amar7605]

Yeah, let's see how the real car looks. Has Panoz set a date on unveiling a prototype, or at least a full-scale mockup?

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I'm waiting to see the actual car. But from what I've seen so far it looks good, much better than the mosquito nosed IRL cars.

I think you're confusing the Dallara's nose with the Panoz nose in the other Series, mountainstar....

The Panoz doesn't have the Pinnochio beak....the slope of the nose is actually closer to the current Lola's nose than it is to a mosquito nose...IMO, anyway...

I think the Panoz Champ Car nose remindes me a little of the Star Mazda chassis nose...which is built by one of the Panoz Motorsports Groups subsidiaries...