Elements Quietly Working Toward IndyConcept Series

Elements within the IndyCar paddock are quietly working toward creating an "IndyConcept Series," according to several unnamed sources.

"It's a real development, and I expect Robin Miller to have a story on it shortly," said one source who met in a parking garage in Indianapolis Thursday.

The effort came to light after team owner Chip Ganassi, a driving force behind the "owner-backed" Delta Wing group, said the Delta Wing car (above) unveiled Feb. 10 was actually a "concept, not a car."

The concept/car was quickly endorsed by 100% of drivers who currently or ever want to work for Ganassi. Other drivers have not weighed in, creating a "don't insult the boss's baby" vibe.

The always loud bloggosphere erupted quickly with near universal scorn. Concepts are fine, many said, but they need to be in packages that will sell to the public and don't inspire comparisons to tricycles, fendered cars and "rolling man parts." Bloggers also questioned the wisdom of putting the money required to create a full-sized mock up and video simulations of a "concept" on tracks like Mid-Ohio and Indianapolis.

Delta Wing did not say when it would unveil a "car" design that it actually expected to be built and used by the league starting in 2012.

There was some joy around the Delta Wing announcement. It set off unparalleled partying and drinking the headquarters of Dallara, Swift and Lola, which are the other competitors for the IndyCar's chassis business.

Dallara (images here) and Swift (images here) have already released renderings of their cars, while Lola has issued a news release but has yet to release images.

The parties broke out because the D Wing "made us look like fan-friendly rock stars in comparison." While the car images are available, none of the three have provided full-scale mock ups of their concepts as yet.

At NASCAR headquarters, where accountants were working overtime to count the cash rolling in thanks to IndyCar star Danica Patrick driving an actual car at Daytona, leaders were jubilant. Ads proclaiming "Come see cars with four wheels" were being prepared on Thursday.

Now pressdog.com has learned that the concept release from Delta Wing was just the first salvo in an effort to transform the IndyCar series into a IndyConcept series.

Details are sketchy, but it seems to involve asking a million people over the course of a race season to pay $100 each for tickets and concessions to imagine concepts on the track.

"Think of the cost savings to teams," said one insider. "Concepts cost very little, actually, so we could achieve the fans' dream of having multiple concept chassis and concept engines competing in concept races."

The league's layout for beverages laced with hallucinogens and cannabis air misters at each track would increase substantially, however.  "But net cost would be way down. And, on the upside, think of the team-branded bong sales," said an insider.

The plan would hit the goals of creating closer, less-predictable racing and reducing costs dramatically without sacrificing speed. 

Race officials could tow various concept cars around the track a few times to get the image in fans minds, then start the sitar music and let imagination take over. "Not only is imagination free, nothing is faster," said a proponent.

The plan could bring back the beloved "It's a NEW CONCEPT RECORD" to the Indy 500 as well.

Swift and Dallara (after sobering up from their Delta Wing launch parties) cried foul, however, claiming hey read the league's Request for Proposal as requiring designs that are "cars" rather than "concepts."

 

"If we knew it could just be concepts, then we could have saved ourselves a ton of time and money worrying about if anyone would pay to watch it race," said an official from a competing company. There was no word as to whether Lola, which has yet to release drawings, would switch strategies and release a full-sized mocked-up concept.

Delta Wing officials privately hope that Swift designs will be at least somewhat Delta Wingy allowing them to take credit for "influencing the discussion."

When asked why fans should pay $100 each to sit in the stands and imagine they are being entertained and excited by the race, IndyConcept proponents said the league had already done a great job of preparing the way.

"Fans do that now," said the spokesperson. "They imagine seeing the same four guys win every oval and no-passing street and road parades are entertaining -- even without the hallucinogens -- clinging to hope that some day it will be different, which it hasn't been for years. In this way, the Concept concept is evolutionary, not revolutionary."

Comments

[Marcbever]

You hit the nail on the head with this one.

[Roy Hobbson]

"beverages laced with hallucinogens and cannabis"

Yeah, we call that "Old English" malt liquor. Or "paint thinner" if you're nasty. It's quite wonderful.

(Top-notch post, by the way. For whatever that's worth.)

[CurlingRacer]

Can we have a Concept Tweetup and imagine we get to meet everyone in person??

[Edward]

THANK YOU! P-Dog. After seeing the Delta Wing, I really needed something to laugh about in this regard. Better than getting drunk and trying to forget I saw it.

[Don]

I urge IndyCar fans that hate Delta Wing to FLOOD the corporate IndyCar office with emails, phone calls and personal letters sent to Brian Barnhart and Randy Bernard at the below address.

Indy Racing League
4565 W. 16th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46222
317-492-6526

Because the amount of money invested by the IndyCar team owners in Delta THING, they are not going to accept any design concept proposed other than their own. They MUST understand that we refuse to watch something this hideous, and another Open Wheel war will lead to the end of the sport once and for all.