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May162011

Monday, May 16, 2011 at 09:06AM

May 18, 2011

The Future 500.

By Peter M. De Lorenzo

(Posted 5/16, 9:00 a.m.) Detroit. With the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 in full celebratory mode, and with IndyCar poised to welcome a new chassis, new aero kits and new engine manufacturers next year, it would seem that Randy Bernard has a full plate. And he certainly does, but I also know he's consumed with what's next for IndyCar and what lies in store beyond 2012. Today I'm going to create a parallel universe for IndyCar, one that could happily coexist along with the rejuvenation of major league open-wheel racing in this country, while pointing to a newly imaginitve and technologically relevant future.

When I proposed the Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation back in January of 2007, I envisioned a dramatic new and technologically relevant future for IndyCar, one that would return racing to its role of proving advanced automotive technologies and accelerate the development of innovations that would end up in the vehicles that we would drive in the future. With the onset of the electrification revolution that was consuming the auto industry at the time, it seemed like creating a visionary step-off point for major league open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the thing to do. And even though automakers embraced the concept, the hydrogen fuel cell component of the idea and downward spiraling budgets precluded any further action being taken.

But there was one component of that futuristic proposal that needs to exist today, albeit in modified form. And that is the idea of creating a special 500-mile event at The Speedway that would happen on the Sunday one week before the 500, an "experimental" race open to any and all advanced technological concepts as long as they met the minimal rules and entry criteria.

In the original proposal this was going to be a technological demonstration previewing the advanced concepts that vehicle manufacturers were working on for the inaugural HERF racing season. Today, I am proposing that this event become the R & D testbed for the future of IndyCar. As I mentioned last week, the rules package for this "Future 500" would be remarkably simple. 1. The car must fit into a dimensional "box" or envelope for size, and 2. All safety issues must be addressed and met. That's it. Everything else would be free with one key proviso: You will have to travel the 500 miles on 40 gallons of ethanol - total - or its energy equivalent, or less. (I said 50 gallons last week but since this event couldn't happen before May of 2013, I want to take ten gallons right off the top, because in 2014 the allotment would be 30 gallons, and by 2015 the total would be reduced to 20.)

Needless to say, this "Future 500" would be dramatically different from the race that would go off one week later. First of all, manufacturers looking to showcase their technological prowess would be enticed to put their advanced vehicle concepts on display. Considering there are no specifications in the rules package governing power or propulsion, manufacturers could enter everything from a full-on electric or extended-range electric vehicle (Chevrolet Volt-R anyone?), to hybrids with turbo-diesel power and everything and anything in between. Creativity in propulsion, materials, tires and aerodynamics would flourish. And if a forward-thinking event sponsor could be lined-up, a new and popular event could be created at The Speedway, the most exotic "run what you brung" race in the world.

I know for a fact that there are three manufacturers who would be interested in an event of this kind. And with the right care and nurturing, I believe this event could grow in importance and significance with each passing year.

My ultimate goal for this "Future 500?" That at some point down the road its mission and rules package would become one with the Indianapolis 500, dropping the "future" moniker altogether. Because at that point the transition to the future for The Speedway and IndyCar would be complete and all of us - from casual fans to hardcore enthusiasts alike - would look forward with anticipation to May of each year, when we would get a glimpse of our driving future.

A perfect starting point for the merger of this advanced technological perspective with IndyCar. How does 2016 sound, which is the anniversary of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500?

I will update you about about this program in the coming months as I gauge manufacturer interest and wrangle commitments. And hopefully at some point Randy Bernard and I will be able to sit down in a room with representatives from these interested manufacturers so we can chart out The Future of Racing for many years to come.

Publisher's Note: As part of our continuing series celebrating the "Glory Days" of racing, we're proud to present another noteworthy image from the Ford Racing Archives. - PMD

(Courtesy of the Ford Racing Archives)
Indianapolis, Indiana, 1981. Johnny Rutherford easily dominated the 1980 Indy 500 collecting his third win in the Memorial Day classic, leading 118 of the 200 laps in his John Barnard-designed, advanced ground effects Chaparral 2K-Cosworth, finishing ahead of Tom Sneva, who started last in the 33-car starting lineup. In 1981 Rutherford (above) qualified in fifth position, as the rest of the field caught-up by bringing ground effect cars of their own to The Speedway, but he only completed 25 laps during the race. Jim Hall (below), clearly one of the most innovative minds in racing history, relished the performance of his "Yellow Submarine" as much as that of his refrigerator white, high-winged wonders, the incredible Chaparral sports racers that dominated American road racing in the early to mid-60s.

(Courtesy of the Ford Racing Archives)

Publisher's Note: Like these Ford racing photos? Check out www.fordimages.com. Be forewarned, however, because you won't be able to go there and not order something. - PMD

See another live episode of "Autoline After Hours" with hosts John McElroy, from Autoline Detroit, and Peter De Lorenzo, The Autoextremist, and guests this Thursday evening, at 7:00PM EDT at www.autolinedetroit.tv.