The IndyCar Series has decided to go with a Dallara chassis for the 2012 season in a move it hopes will help small-budget teams and generate some fresh buzz for open-wheel racing.
The new chassis will cost $349,000 each, with a complete car costing $385,000, a 45% price decrease from the current formula.
Cars will feature a rolling chassis with an enhanced safety cell, and manufacturers will be able to be dress the cars in multiple ways with aero kits. Each team can race two different aero kits from any manufacturer during the season, with a maximum price cap of $70,000 for each kit.
Submitted designs were submitted and vetted by a “Magnificent Seven” ICONIC Advisory Committee, consisting of IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard, Eddie Gossage, Tony Purnell, Gil de Ferran, Rick Long, Tony Cotman and Neil Ressler.
Known as the IndyCar Safety Cell, it will be manufactured as a new facility in Speedway, Indiana, and it will serve as the base of the new car. Various manufacturers can produce an aero kit to produce the car with different body work including front and rear wings and engine covers and more.
Randy Bernard “We had key objectives in what we were trying to do, and we talked to a lot of people, fans, drivers, team owners and auto manufacturers, fans wanted to see more than one race car out on that racetrack, and team owners wanted to see cost efficiency, auto manufacturers wanted to be able to see brand identity, if they came onboard”
