Car FYI

Photo Credit: Chris Jones The past few months have been a busy time. It has been my deepest regrets I fell behind on the Car FYI Car of the Month updates. One occupation of time has been the rapidly moving 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series. A tight season started in late March and ending in late August, the 16-race schedule quickly flooded towards the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 99th Indy 500. A race won by a brilliant performance by Juan-Pablo Montoya, the Team Penske organization secured its 16th win in the race. However, up until the green flag flew for the Memorial Day weekend classic event, The majority of focus for the Month of May activities at the speedway was foreshadowed by a wicked Monday practice crash. The accident resulting in a broken right front suspension component on the #5 car fielded by Schmidt Peterson Motorsports sent James Hinchcliffe violently into a wall. Thankfully by no small effort of the Holmatro Safety Team, Hinchcliffe received prompt me...

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy The auto racing equivalent of the David versus Goliath story has taken place in the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series. Late last year, two small teams of Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing and Ed Carpenter Racing merged to form CFH Racing. Able to campaign as a multi-car team, CFH Racing has still been perceived as lacking the resources of major teams such as Team Penske or Chip Ganassi Racing. However, earlier this year, young American driver Josef Newgarden drove the team's #67 car to victory at Barber Motorsport Park. At the 2015 Honda Indy Toronto, CFH Racing proved that perhaps a David effort has Goliath strength. While the 1.755-mile race course along the Canadian waterfront remained the same, the 2015 Honda Indy Toronto contained several changes compared to event of other recent years. Bumped from its typical July date by Toronto's hosting of the 2015 Pan-Am Games, the Honda Indy's temporary course was shaped a month ahead of ...

Photo Credit: Jim Haines Being a glorious motorsport locale that his tested many of the world's greatest challengers of speed, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway also bears the reputation for placing individuals on the borderline of blazing fast records and shear danger. Over time and through the injury and loss of so many legends behind the wheel, the efforts for improved safety has been granted a similar devotion as the passion to push a vehicle to faster feats. Early Monday afternoon, one of the most serious incidents resulted in a case where one of IndyCar's most popular drivers James Hinchcliffe became trapped within the undesired, worrisome zone that always haunts motorsports. Silence came to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a result of a massive, high-impact into the turn 3 SAFER barrier wall. At 1:21 p.m. local time, the #5 car of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports piloted by Oakville's James Hinchcliffe struck the wall after a quick puff of smoke appeared ...

Photo Credit: Chris Jones The Indianapolis 500 is set to take place for the 99th time as a Memorial Day weekend classic. Prior to racing for 500 miles on the famed 2.5-mile oval track, Verizon IndyCar drivers need to qualify for the event. To earn their starting positions, Honda and Chevrolet supported race machines would be set loose for a four-lap qualifying run with the pole position being the most coveted spot. For 2015, the qualifying format at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's most prestigious event underwent a forced restructuring. Persistent rain soaking the bricks Saturday prevented the planned qualifying format for the Indianapolis 500. After rescheduling all qualifying activity for Sunday, Ed Carpenter's crash in a morning practice caused another revision to the Indy 500 time trials. While Carpenter did not suffer injury from the accident, a late decision was made to amend the technical guidelines for the qualifying. Te...

Photo Credit: Chris Owens Having already introduced you to the 16 races part of the 2015 Verizon IndyCar schedule , it's time to shed light on the drivers and teams contending for the various trophies. With the entry list for the season-opening race in St. Petersburg posting a healthy 24-car field, drivers connected to the superteams of Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport are still the favoured forces to be reckoned with. However, expansion and consolidations for 2015 has the potential of creating some surprising developments as the IndyCar season progresses.  The following tidbits of information considers the 2015 Verizon IndyCar season as a whole discounting all the special deal put together for the Indianapolis 500. Reigning Champion Power Accepts #1 Photo Credit: Chris Owens For only fourth time in 15 years, the defending champion of the IRL/IndyCar Series has decided to accept a special perk. Wi...

Photo Credit: Chris Owens/IndyCar The start of the 2015 Verizon IndyCar season was delayed three weeks due to the cancellation of the opening round in Brazil. Having planned to run the feature race on March 8th at  Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, the round was withdrawn by promoters. Reportedly, government funding to the race was pulled resulting the IndyCar season having to wait until March 29th's race in St. Petersburg to open the 2015 series. With 16 points-paying races including 'the month of May' festivities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series tour consists of ten road courses and six ovals. Big Easy Debut One new race venue added to the 2015 Verizon IndyCar tour is the series' first-ever stop in the state of Louisiana. To be held on a 13-turn, 2.74-mile course at NOLA Motorsports Park, the Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana is taking place at facility opened just four years ago. Located in Avondale, the race tr...