Lotus Blooms as 2012 IndyCar Engine Supplier

Photo Credit: Chris Jones

For the second time in two weeks, the esteemed press and observers of the IZOD IndyCar Series were enlightened to yet another encouraging sign for the future of the open wheel organization. Surprising many with an announcement, Lotus Cars has officially become the 3rd engine supplier slated to be powering the upcoming 2012 IndyCar Series vehicles.

Revealed Friday at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show in the presence of IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard, Lotus Cars CEO Dany Bahar and IndyCar racing legend Parnelli Jones, the announcement involved not only the admittance to supplying engines but also confirming a previously-stated intent to offer a body kit to the Dallara chassis in 2012.

Since the formulation of the new car rules, it was more than likely Lotus was clamouring for a greater role in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Throughout this year, Lotus had a technical cooperation with the KV Racing team. In part of that agreement, the green and yellow colours of Lotus had been worn through the 2010 campaign by KV Racing's #5 car of Takuma Sato. Of course most notably, Lotus Racing has also reactivated as a Formula 1 competitor as one of three new teams joining the grand prix grid this past season. 

Through the 1960s, Team Lotus founder Colin Chapman launched an all-out charge to take the world's greatest oval racing event. Making a first stand at the 1963 Indy 500, the rear-engined Lotus race cars piloted by Formula 1 legends Jim Clark and Graham Hill would both have their pictures mounted on the Borg-Warner Trophy. Clark brought Lotus to the first ever victory at the Brickyard for a rear-engined open wheel car in 1965 with Graham Hill repeating for Chapman's team in 1966.

While Lotus' victory at the Indy 500 quickly led to complete adoption of rear-engine configuration on Indy cars, a two-year stint of 1967 and 1968 saw technology which would never again visit the Brickyard. Running a gasoline-powered turbine Indy car, Parnelli Jones almost won the 1967 race if it had not been for a late race mechanical failure. In 1969, Mario Andretti charged to the Indy 500 in a four-wheel drive Lotus but the car was lost in a crash prior to the 500-mile race. Andretti won the 1969 Indy 500 in a modified Brawner-Hawk chassis.

A part of such a rich racing past, Dany Bahar provided details on why Lotus has decided for a return to North American open wheel racing. "We believe in the series. We believe the series is developing very, very well. I think it fits perfectly very well our activities and strategies in the U.S., which is our biggest market."


With KV Racing being a likely client of the Lotus engines and aero kits, it is too early to identify which teams will opt for the components of the British-based organization but it will certainly not be an exclusive deal. Rules set out by the IndyCar ICONIC committee behind the 2012 race machine was to require any aero kits to be available to other teams.

While supplying chassis parts is not new for Lotus, it remains interesting to ponder how Lotus will develop an engine in just one year. As a sports car builder, many of Lotus' powerplants for production cars were harvested and modified from other company designs (The Lotus Elise and the upcoming 2013 Esprit borrow engines from Toyota Motor Company). Lotus does have experience as well as resources in building their own production powerplants (the Lotus 900 and the twin-turbo used on the Esprit V-8 are two examples).

Looking forward to about 15 months time, Lotus' Bahar states "We want to compete. We would like to design our own cars and hopefully maybe other teams can profit from our design capabilities. That's why we start already from today investing money and also capacities in developing the right aero kit and engine for 2012".

Chevy Rejoins IndyCar Series in 2012

Photo Credit: Daniel Incandela

On Friday, a press conference was initiated at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Hall of Fame Museum for what would be an important announcement regarding a new manufacturer to the 2012 season. The fact this event was taking place within such a close vicinity to motor racing heritage gave an impression that the orchestration would relate to a new return of an old name. Sure enough, word spread on the intentions of 104-time IndyCar-type race winner and 7-time Indianapolis 500-winning engine manufacturer Chevrolet coming back to IndyCar racing. Following speculation first brought to light by Peter M. De Lorenzo at Autoextremist.com, the announcement was initially dismissed by the IndyCar Series as a mere rumour. Obviously with the Friday morning gathering, the rumour was true.
Convening on the museum, the notables appearing in front of a sizable press deligation, IZOD IndyCar Series' CEO Randy Bernard, the project manager of the upcoming 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series car Tony Cotman, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet marketing Chris Perry and General Motors vice chairman of global product development Tom Stephens formalized the future partnership between the series and the auto company. Beyond the representatives of IndyCar and GM, other figures present for the announcement included IZOD IndyCar team owner Roger Penske along with his Penske Racing drivers Helio Castroneves and Will Power, Simona de Silvestro and Firestone Indy Lights driver Martin Plowman.

Active in NASCAR and Grand-Am road racing, Chris Perry sheds light on why now Chevrolet has decided to add the IZOD IndyCar Series back into the brand's portfolio. "There are several reasons. First this series opens up a new, distinct fan base for Chevrolet in the motorsports community. These fans are passionate about IndyCar and the technology that drives the sport and these teams. A return provides an important opportunity to expose our product and our technology to this well-educated, highly desirable audience.". Perry also added the series' skyrocketing growth of appeal to the younger male market as well as the utilization of modern day engine technologies as lures back to IndyCar racing for 2012. Reentering Indy-style racing lets us take our advanced engine technology to the upper bounds of what's possible. GM's Tom Stephens supported the latter point saying "It will provide a dynamic training ground for our engineers who will transfer the technologies we develop for racing to the products we sell to our customers." echoing the auto company's commitment to reducing employing high-technology in production-based powerplants to improve engine efficiency, CO2 emissions and take advantage of Ethanol-based fuels.


Chevrolet's participation in IndyCar-style racing is reflected within two stints, the first between 1986-1993 and the second time when Chevrolet replaced General Motor's discontinued Oldsmobile name in the IRL for 2003 to 2005. Having left open wheel IndyCar-style racing for the second time in 2005, it was doubtful if the bowtie branding would ever be worn on the nose cone of an open wheel racing car again.
As Chevrolet enters the IZOD IndyCar series in 2012, there will once again be an engine rivalry in North America's premier open wheel racing organization. Honda Racing Development (who has been the exclusive powerplant provider for the series since Toyota pulled out after the 2005 campaign) was the first company to conform to the new engine requirements for 2012 and beyond. 
 
Chevrolet's entrance back to IndyCar racing comes as a result of the ICONIC Advisory Committee that has spent much of this year constructing what the future will bring to the North American open wheel racing tour. With all competition cars running on Dallara chassis modified with a selection of aerodynamic body kits, some IndyCar fans felt betrayed that the series will not feature technology in competition with other technology. IndyCar's Randy Bernard recognizes that point saying "The one thing that we have heard time and time again from fans and everyone involved in the IZOD IndyCar Series is, "We want competition." Today is a new day. The IndyCar is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead." The promise of engine rivalry provides some colour to the upcoming 2012 starting order.


Bracing for extensive testing of the Ilmor-based racing engine built to the 2.4 liter turbocharged V-6 specs, Chevrolet project staff will be working through the first half of 2011 to ready the powerplant in preparations to sign-up teams into the 2012 season. "Our goal, no matter which series we enter, no matter which track we compete on, is to power Chevrolet drivers to Victory Lane. That's our goal here, as well. It will be great to compete on the track in IndyCar once again." Perry said.

Kasey Kahne Cometh to Hendrick #5 Chevrolet in 2012

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images for NASCAR| NASCAR

Into the current 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, the status of Richard Petty Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne has rested in limbo. Holding 11 victories on the elite stock car circuit, 30 year-old Kahne has ridden a rocky road in the #9 car which included ownership and sponsorship changes since he was drafted to the team in 2004. Kahne's status as one of the Sprint Cup season's most consistently popular drivers left to chance of a nousy silly season. However, entering into only the 7th race of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Texas this weekend, Kasey Kahne assembled with Sprint Cup car owner Rick Hendrick to announce his future relationship Hendrick Motorsports' #5 Chevrolet for 2012.

In a April 14th press conference, Kasey Kahne happily shared the news of his upcoming 4-year commitment with members of the media. "I think it’s the best opportunity I could ever have, and I’m just going to make the most out of it. And I feel like the drivers there, the crew chiefs, the people that work for Hendrick Motorsports, I think it will just be a great fit." Kahne responded to the reason for choosing the championship-winning racing organization. Mentioning that he had entertained multiple teams before signing with Hendrick, Kahne spoke highly of the personnel and equipment of the top Chevrolet team as solidifying has decision. "Well, I think their equipment’s, you know, definitely very good. You know, but I think it takes people, and they have great people and it takes a lot of dedication and hard work, and that’s where you get Jimmie Johnson. That’s why that guy and that team are so strong." Kahne said in his own words answering Sirius NASCAR Radio's Claire B Lang.

With Kasey Kahne's current contract between himself and Richard Petty Motorsports expiring at the end of this season, Kahne's 2011 downtime remains a question. Due to NASCAR's strict rules limiting teams to four cars, Hendrick Motorsports is unable to field Kahne through the 2011 season. On speculation that Mark Martin could leave the #5 car early, Rick Hendrick clearly iterated on the press conference that Mark Martin will continue to drive the #5 Chevrolet as planned through the end of 2011. At the same time, Hendrick also affirmed that Kahne will be driving a Chevrolet in NASCAR competition next year. Possibilities have Kahne temporarily going to a 3rd car for Stewart-Haas Racing or perhaps running a full Nationwide Series schedule. The latter suggestion is a little absurd as Kasey Kahne has had a presence in Sprint Cup for 7 seasons.

In the past, deals involving such career foresight for drivers have not resulted as planned. In 2005, Jamie McMurray was hired by Roush Fenway Racing as an intended replacement to Mark Martin after the 2006 season. However, the departure of Roush Fenway Racing's than driver Kurt Busch as well as the discontent of McMurray's Chip Ganassi Racing team led the deal to be modified to allow McMurray to make a 2006 entrance with the new team.

Kasey Kahne concluded to mention that he remains fully dedicated to the Richard Petty Motorsports #9 Ford through the rest of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup campaign.