Rules Changes

[¡As-de-mim!]

"INDIANAPOLIS--A Championship Auto Racing Teams Franchise Board meeting at CART's Indianapolis headquarters Tuesday resulted in a number of positive rule changes for 2003, and also established the members of the 2003 Technical Advisory and Safety Advisory committees.
"As has been the case with all of our Franchise Board meetings in 2002, Tuesday's meeting was another productive outing for everybody involved," said CART Vice President of Racing Operations John Lopes. "We were able to agree on many changes that will enhance our race weekends throughout the 2003 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season, and we are confident that these changes will lead to better competition for our fans to enjoy in the coming year."

The rule changes will take effect at the start of the 2003 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season. Perhaps the most notable rule changes empowered the CART stewards with more flexibility in regard to penalties.

Story

[enemy-ace]

Interesting! Any short Oval race will use the 2002 road course aero package. Could be good. Too bad they have chosen to remain with the mandatory pit window rule. Oh well, at least traction control is out.

[SALEEN S7R]

I wonder if CART will ever use the Indy course at Indionapolis?

[The Snout]

I thought they we going to off the pitstop windows ? Anyone have any thought how the 02 roadpackage will run on ovals ? Plenty of side by side I hope, but not flatout.

Cart on the Indy roadcourse, maybe in a long time, in a galaxy far far away.

[¡As-de-mim!]

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
I wonder if CART will ever use the Indy course at Indionapolis?

Over TG's dead body, hopefully someday, soon.

[19000RPM]

I think the new oval package will be a dramatic improvement; too bad this rule is a few years too late since CART is only racing at one short oval next year . At least the era of single file oval racing is over.

Originally posted by The Snout
Cart on the Indy roadcourse, maybe in a long time, in a galaxy far far away.

As long as Tony George is in charge of things over there, CART will never get close to that circuit.

-Jeremy

[Snrub]

My only concern is that with the road course wing and only 700hp it will be like IRL with faux wheel to wheel action.

[macdaddy]

After the excellent run at Fontana, why change a good thing? They'll be using 2002's short oval package at Fontana next year.

I like that fact that the stewards will have more flexibility over punishments. Call that one the "Fernandez Rule".

Calling a race "official" before the halfway point? Call that one the "Surfers Rule". Has anybody ever won/lost the championship by a half-point before?

Not being able to assume the lead on pit lane is a good rule. But it could be confusing with timing & scoring.

But here's the kicker: The mandatory pitstop rule stays in place. That one caught me completely off-guard. I understood that the fuel-mixture knob was to be abolished, thereby placing all cars on the same fuel mapping, making the mandatory stops unnecessary. I think that any driver who has the patience and finesse to nurse his tires through two fuel runs should be allowed to take advantage of that skill. This is one rule that I've grown to not like much, and I'm sorry to hear that it's still in the books.

[Snrub]

Originally posted by macdaddy
But here's the kicker: The mandatory pitstop rule stays in place. That one caught me completely off-guard. I understood that the fuel-mixture knob was to be abolished, thereby placing all cars on the same fuel mapping, making the mandatory stops unnecessary. I think that any driver who has the patience and finesse to nurse his tires through two fuel runs should be allowed to take advantage of that skill. This is one rule that I've grown to not like much, and I'm sorry to hear that it's still in the books.

I don't understand why this rule is remaining. People should be allowed to pit when they deem it nesissary. It seems to contrived when there are scheduled pit stops, especially when it didn't really work out last year.

[gaines]

Isn't this rule all because of what Max did in Portland in the rain in 2001? Didn't he make like two hundred pit stops or something like that? I remember he was last the whole race and he kept pitting every lap or some nonsense and then won at the end. That's pretty awesome, really. To win by pitting two hundred times. Not as awesome as officials making everybody run five extra laps in a monsoon so they'll all have to pit, giving Dominguez the win. If we do put the PWR pieces together with Ganassi leftovers and glue a car together, I want to drive in the event of rain. I'm pretty sure I'll win just because I'm the least deserving.

[enemy-ace]

No. The rule was put into place to negate any fuel conservation runs. They wan't flat-out sprint races from beginning to end. But like Macdaddy said, with the one engine supplier I thought the fuel-mixture option was to be abolished. However the franchises (meaning the teams) voted in it's favor, so I guess they like it. Either way I'm glad the fuel conservation runs are a thing of the past. No matter what way they achieve it.

[macdaddy]

So two weeks ago CART announces that they are sticking with the mandated pitstop rule.

Now today they put up an interview with Cicale.

"I think the mandated number of stops we had this past year and having to change tires, to me that was foolish. It made racing worse, for sure. I think the thing we had last year in terms of mandating stopping distances discouraged overtaking. A rule like that is quite offensive to the whole concept of what we should be about.

That just struck me as funny for some reason.

Cicale makes some other suggestions for the future.

"Devise some kind of scheme where you would actually get points for overtaking cars in a legitimate way."

"I think allowing more total downforce is actualy quite a good thing."

"I don't think the concept of taking off the wings and having large underwings is stupid at all."

[BootsOntheSide]

CART on the Indy road course??????

Thanks for cheering me up Saleen!

Do you know the slightest bit about CART's current position?

[Snrub]

I think Cicale said some intelligent things.

I disagree with the points for passing. No one is going to pass because they get one extra point (it would have to be small). We don't want crazy passes either, yellow flags detract from races.

"I think the problem that we've had with our racing, particuarly on the ovals, has been anytime a driver attempts to pass, he pulls up behind someone and basically loses all his grip in the turbulence, which isn't a lot these days because of the restrictions. Consequently, he can't get close to the car in front of him. He doesn't have enough load on the car and basically has to back off to a certain distance, just to stay where he is.

"So there's no sticking your nose under the back of somebody and holding that line through the corner and accelerating out past him into the next corner. You can't stick your nose in there, so I think allowing more total downforce is actualy quite a good thing. I don't think there will be any safety issues that arise from that."

The passing thing drove me nuts in 2002. The racing wasn't as good as it could have been. If you have a bigger wing don't you get more turbulance? There is a balance that has to be made. IRL has too much downforce, we don't want that much.

I've said it before and I'm glad Cicale mentioned it. They don't have to have wings! It can be accomplished through other means that could mean better racing.

He also made the point that the courses must have passing zones. What a novel concept! The Vancouver race has sucked. They need a freaking passing zone. Greg Moore got to help design it, I don't know why he didn't freak out about no passing zones.

"Hybrid engines are quite interesting and it would be exciting. If you could get three or four car manufacturers involved in some type of a hybrid program and come up with something that would be legitimate and powerful and packageable in our types of systems, that would be a great thing. How you go about doing that I think would be pretty complex, but it would be a good idea."

Kind of a wierd idea, but not the worst. Honda and Toyota would have big incentive to come back since they're the only ones doing it. GM has 3 cars that will have hybrids and Ford will have one. It goes back to the technology comming from racing. Manufacturers would love that. CART could be unique in that it would be ridiculous speed with efficent technology.

[Lee Janotta]

You need rear wings for sponsor space, and because modern cars would look like **** without them! Front wings, I can live without if a team wants to take them off.

Street courses need to be better, definitly.

I also agree with him that the cars are too close to being spec, so there are few times when one car is faster than the one in front.

Hybrids and V-10s? Check this guy's papers, I think he's working for the other side!

I still say ban refuelling, so there's more passing out on the track. And we get to watch the magnificent spectacle of teams racing each other to change the tires and get the car out quick.

[Snrub]

Lee, I think everyone agrees V10s are a stupid idea. Why V10, what's the advantage? (conspiracy theory time) I guess you're right about wings for sponsors. Now I that I think about it I remember someone (you?) mentioning that before.

Mid-Ohio is a bad course too! Portland would be a lot better with a sharper corner at the end of the back straight. It would take $50k tops on most courses to modify a corner and you get much better racing.

I disagree that there are few times when cars are faster than the one infront. (might be more that way this season)There were tons of times in 2002 when cars catch up but just can't get by. The track and chasis needs to be designed to facilitate the passing. Driver skill and car setup complete the pass instead of someone having a better motor or chasis. The massive tank of gas is somewhat artificial too.

[Flatspot]

First I'll say I don't want the V10's but here's the advantage (marketing)...

At the very least the following companies either already have or are testing V10's for production vehicles (alphabetical):

BMW
Cadillac
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferarri
Ford
Lamborghini
Mercedes-Benz
Porsche

There's a few in there that CART should love to sign on.

[Snrub]

But with the exception of Lamborghini they all have V8 and V6s. Seperating Dodge and Chrysler is a tad silly. Lamborghini is owned by VW, I would see them branding it Audi before spending gobs of money on a 100 unit/year brand. I thought Cadillac was only testing V12 and V16s? I can't see Ferrari needing to bother with CART. Bunch of posers cars anyway! (the road cars)

The stock block thing; All the V8s mentioned there could produce 800hp with zero to minor modifications. (maybe major with Ford and the new Chrysler 5.7L - probably Ferrari) Porsche would probably want to use the forthcomming Flat 8. (drool)