Indy Racing League President of competition and operations Brian Barnhart says with an alteration to oval racetrack qualifications 'we'll bring a little bit of Indy with us everywhere we go.'

The sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series will implement four-lap qualifying runs at all ovals, beginning with the season opener March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with a car's cumulative time determining its starting position. Previously, the better of two timed laps was used.

"Qualifying is one of the most nerve-racking experiences for an IndyCar Series driver," Barnhart said. "At Indianapolis, that has meant 10 miles of error-free driving at 225-plus miles per hour. We're going to take that kind of intensity and drama to every other oval on our schedule."

Including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, site of the 92nd Indianapolis 500 on May 25, there are 11 ovals on the schedule. Single-lap, single-car qualifications followed by the Firestone Fast Six (10-minute rally-style shootout to determine the first three rows) will remain in place for road/street course events. The format, introduced in 2006, has added elements of strategy to qualifications and has been well-received by fans.

Now, car preparation and driver consistency are enhanced dimensions on the variety pack of ovals.

"Certainly it ties us back to the Indianapolis 500, and that's some of longest four or six laps you run at a racetrack," Andretti Green Racing co-owner Kim Green said. "I think it adds a new element of challenge to the qualifying. Quite often on oval tracks we've been worried about one lap. If you can get one good lap out of it then you're going to be up near the front. Making a car run more consistently for four laps I think is a good move. It should be a good challenge for the drivers and teams."

One of the challenges to be sorted out by engineers and drivers: How much on the edge is too much on tracks such as the 0.75-mile Richmond International Raceway or the 1.5-mile, 24-degree banked Texas Motor Speedway when aiming for the pole?

"I don't know if I can hold my breath for four laps," A.J. Foyt Racing's Darren Manning said. "Normally it's just two laps you've got to hold your breath. At some of these tracks, I think it's going to be a big difference. You're starting to go a bit slower, your car's handling is already starting to go away after that second flying lap, so it's going to mix up the qualifying order a lot.

"Normally, somebody might put in an absolute flyer just for one lap and then pull into the pits. They've got to do it for four laps now."

The format also includes one attempt per car at tracks outside of Indianapolis, potentially shaking up the front of the starting grid. A blind draw will continue to be used to determine qualifications order on ovals.

"The four-lap qualifying format adds drama and may bridge the gap between the front-running teams and the teams in the back of the pack," said Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage, whose facility hosts the Bombardier Learjet 550k on June 7. "The drama is: Can Helio Castroneves or Danica Patrick or Dan Wheldon avoid a mistake -- a little bobble -- while holding their breath for four laps at 220 mph? Maybe they could for a lap or two of qualifying, but four laps require tremendous focus and mental strength.

"The cars in the back of the pack may be slower, but if they pull of four consistent laps they can qualify at the front of the field. That's good drama for IndyCar racing."

Source IRL IndyCar
© CAPSIS International