HOUSTON – With ambient temperature forecast to be in the high 80s, coupled with nearly equal humidity, for the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston presented by the Greater Houston Honda Dealers, INDYCAR authorized a modification to provide additional cooling to the cockpit.
Verzion IndyCar Series teams are allowed to use templates provided by Dallara to trim an opening (1 by 4 inches) in the nose cap of the front wing assembly.
“Fortunately, it’s not supposed to be a bazillion degrees but the humidity is what makes it difficult,” said Sebastien Bourdais, whose No. 11 Mistic KVSH Racing car has the opening with a mesh screen. “Any air flow can only help.”
INDYCAR also approved the introduction of an optional water radiator from Mezzo Technologies for use at the Houston doubleheader and Auto Club Speedway race with high ambient and track temperatures.
A different style than a conventional radiator, the Mezzo product is composed of micro channel heat exchangers. INDYCAR expects an 8- to 10-degree drop in water temperature.
“The continued refinement of standing starts will be shown on Saturday and the allowed use of optional radiators for the first time will keep the engineers busy this weekend," said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing’s Verizon IndyCar Series program manager. “The added challenge of racing in Houston during the mid-afternoon in late June will definitely test the thermal vigor of the engines, drivers and crews.”
Mezzo Technologies earned the 2010 Louis Schwitzer Award for Engineering Innovative Excellence.
New livery for Kimball's car
Beginning this weekend and continuing through the July races at Pocono, Iowa and Toronto, Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing driver Charlie Kimball will sport a green livery on the No. 83 entry.
The new color scheme (photo below) for the Levemir FlexTouch car is in support of Novo Nordisk’s Levemir FlexTouch – a pre-filled insulin delivery device that just launched in the U.S. Kimball, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2007, uses FlexTouch for his daily insulin delivery of Levemir along with his NovoLog FlexPen.
Of note
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced that Boingo Wireless has become an Official Team Partner. Boingo has launched an exclusive discount program for enlisted members of the Army National Guard. … The Mazda Road to Indy has formed a partnership with MAXSpeed Group, the U.S. distributor of the Rotax MAX engine platform to help foster the next wave of drivers. The Rotax Max Challenge will be clearly defined as an introduction to the first step on the ladder system, Andersen Promotions will award four one-day tests in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda during offseason testing to rising Rotax drivers chosen by a panel.
