As I Hate to say this, but what’s Indy Cars NXT
move?
In a forever languishing story I’ve intended to
scribble here upon No fenders for years regarding the long forgotten Luddi’ lumps’.
For which Engine Developments Limited, a racing engine manufacturer founded by
John Judd and Jack Brabham during the early 1970’s built those unsuccessful
Lotus IndyCar engines campaigned briefly during the 2012 IndyCar season.
As I still recall No Fenders Offical
Photographer Carpets’ asking the late Dr. Who, aka Tim Wardrop tongue-in-cheek
if He wanted Him to throw something on-track? In order to bring out a caution
so “Mean Jean” (Alesi) could catch-up to the pack?
As that was when sitting in the IMS Flagroom
having a few Adult beverages and just Joshin’ around following Carb Day
practice, where bothLotus powered entries had been dead last!
Making it hard to believe that it will have
been twelve years ago come this May! Since I also fondly recall Dr. Who asking
me incredulously, What’s a Last Row Party? But I digress…
As I’ve previously scribbled a brief version of
Honda’s IndyCar history in my three part tome about Honda celebrating it’s 75th
Anniversary, so no need to reinvent the wheel here.
http://www.nofenders.net/2023/11/honda-racings-75yrs-trilogy-conclusion.html
As I first became aware of Judd engines Wayback’
in 1988. When Team Willy’, ergo Williams F1 had lost it’s supply of then Honda’s
All Conquering 1.5-litre twin turbo V-6 lump’ to Arch rivals McLaren. Primarily
due to Il Lione’, Red 5’, Bloody Nige’ or simply Nigel Mansell wringing the
stuffing out of His underpowered Judd CV V-8!
Since for some vague reason, I rememberd that
Bloody Nige’ had stood on the podium at Silverstone that year. Actually
finishing runner-up to McLaren’s Ayrton Senna. With Alessandro Nannini third in
the Benetton Ford, while Mansell also set Fastest lap during the race.
Judd then built the narrow angled EV V-8 lump’
before constructing the GV V-10 engine, for which I’d forgotten JJ Letho finished
third for BMS Scuderia Italia in the ’91 San Marino Grand Prix no less.
Since I tend to recall that the naturally
aspirated Judd V-10’s had far more success in Sports Car racing. With Kevin
Doran inserting one into a Ferrari 333 SP! Along with winning the 2002 Rolex 24
in a Doran Lista Racing Dallara SP1 chassis.
Yet as mentioned, Judd provided Formula 1
customer engines during the 3.5-litre normally aspirated era of the 1990’s, mandated
for the start of the 1989 F1 season. Not to mention building Honda’s first
IndyCar engine Wayback’ in 1986, when it made it’s CART debut with Geoff
Brabham driving for Galles Racing.
Thus Judd had extensive experience building
racing engines for the top two Open Wheel Racing series, and you’d like to
believe that this would have transferred successfully to it’s abortive 2012
IndyCar campaign, where it’s 2.2-litre turbocharged V-6 motor sadly became the
laughing stock of Indy Cars, myself included!
As all I can figure is that obviously the Judd
Lotus IndyCar engines were underdeveloped and once again lacked sufficient
horsepower to challenge Chevy and Honda, both having more current IndyCar
engine production and competition experience vs. Judd…
Having read Racer’s December 20, 2023 Mailbag,
I came away with some new thoughts towards the conundrum of IndyCar’s current
engine dilemma, due to Honda’s Mega’ Shot across the Bow warning over
potentially leaving at the end of it’s current supply contract in 2026.
First, I now feel sort of glad that IndyCar
hasn’t been able to lure a third engine manufacturer into the fray. Since if
Toyota had joined, then Arse-sumedly with the exception of going Hybrid, we’d
still be stuck in the same racing rut.
Having been fortunate to “Grow-up” during the CART
Glory Days, including Groan, Nigel mania. Unlike what Marshall Pruett claims
about today’s 20-something’s, I did care about the actual, individual engine
manufacturer battle!
And being a died in the wool FoMoCo’ devotee. Naturally
I was thrilled when Ford released it’s new Cosworth XB lump’ which was Uber competitive,
followed by the XD Me Thinks…
Thus I have to admit I’m not at all interested
in a single-spec engine formula as Honda’s Chuck Schifsky has proposed. Yet
obviously I also do not wish to lose Honda from the series. Since a small part
of my appeal to today’s IndyCar series is there being two engine manufacturers
giving us amazing competition!
Initially I thought of why couldn’t IndyCar
propose an engine development freeze period like Formula 1 is currently in?
Although I don’t know if Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Honda/RBPT are still
spending vast amounts of income for engine “reliability” updates?
Thus I liked one Mailbag reader’s question of
why not implement a single source V-6 Short Block and allow engine
manufacturers to develop their own cylinder head or some other portion of the
engine?
Or am I just remaining a Dinosaur by not admitting
the future of Automobiles and racing purely electrical?
As I still do not understand why none of the
amazing F1 Hybrid technology has made it’s way into mainstream Automotive
application today, some ten-plus years later?
Whilst as much as I detest IndyCar’s No. 1
Puffed Shirt Mark Miles. I do agree that IndyCar really cannot go forward until
the current Hybrid Energy Recovery System (ERS) is properly sorted and working
seamlessly in competition!
Especially since it’s such a complicated piece
of Kit! Needing to be implemented into an existing design with exceedingly
tight packaging constraints!
So perhaps the way forward in the future after
all is to simplify the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) portion. And perhaps
have either somebody like Engine Developments Limited or Cosworth or others win
a tender to provide spec long block engines?
As I do realize whilst typing this that the lower
tier LMP2 and LMP3 Sports Car categories for both European, Asian and North
American series have currently been utilizing sole sourced spec engines…
Yet I just feel that this totally Dumbs down
the DNA of top-flight motor racing series. Since would Formula 1 still be
considered the Pinnicle of Motorsports running a single-spec Power Unit? (PU)
Or would there be such a proclaimedBuzz over
IMSA GTP if the same sole specification Hybrid engine was required? Nor should IndyCar,
the top Open Wheel Racing single seater category in North America be forced to
do so…
Since after all, what’s that U.S. Open Wheel Racing series that currently utilizes single-spec chassis, engine and tyres? Oh yeah, Can Y’all say Indy NXT?
