PURE | IndyCar3 / Indy Lights Preseason Discussion

[cgr-10]

Just to give you all a heads up, the next season of Indy racing is unlikely to start until September due to my personal llife being quite busy and the fact we're making some quite major changes to how the series will be run. One of which is the feeder 'Indy Lights' series that will be run on Sunday nights by Joe and Matty along with many other rule changes, and alterations regarding teams, car spec etc.

This is for any questions you guys have got (shoot them at me and i'll answer), any suggestions or just so you guys can stay in touch in the offseason. We always want new recruits remember so if you know anybody who may be interested in either series, get them involved!

First question from me....would you all be averse to making the road course races closer to real life distance? We're talking 100-200 miles here.

Draft Order - Tom, Joe, Knelly, Matty, Neljack, Smuffy, Frasier, ADR, Cowboys, Indy, Kartman

S3 IndyCar Series Roster

Chip Ganassi Racing

Team owner - TomMcD in the #10 Target Dallara/Honda (Red)
Driver 2 - Knelly in the #38 Service Central Dallara/Honda (Yellow/Black)
Driver 3 - Neljack in the #42 Ebay Dallara/Honda (Orange)

Team Penske

Team owner - JoeOfTheFire in the #?? ?? Dallara/Chevrolet
Driver 2 -Matty in the #17 Durex Dallara/Chevrolet
Driver 3 - Smuffyatfcp in the #?? ?? Dallara/Chevrolet

Andretti Autosport

Team owner - Cowboys965 in the #28 DHL/Sun Drop Dallara/Chevrolet (Yellow/Black)
Driver 2 - IndyWolf in the #27 GoDaddy Dallara/Chevrolet (Green/White)
Driver 3 - Spurgy777 in the #77 RC Cola Dallara/Chevrolet (Blue)

KV Racing Technology

Team owner - Xstylez in the #5 Citgo Dallara/Chevrolet (Orange)
Driver 2 - RedPartyhat in the #?? ?? Dallara/Chevrolet

Rahal-Letterman Racing

Team owner - FrasierCrane in the #15 Panasonic/Mi-Jack Dallara/Honda (White/Blue)
Driver 2 - Gokartman in the #78 McAfee Dallara/Honda (White/Blue)

Dale Coyne Racing

Team owner - Litchi in the #30 McDonalds Dallara/Honda (Green/Yellow)
Driver 2 - Pluxtheduck in the #21 Playmobil Dallara/Honda (White/Blue)

 

[Cowboys965]

First non-Tom post.

I think the road course distances were fine last season. Why change them? Races would be too long.

 

[smuffyatfcp]

Can’t wait for the new season. Might be more competitive this time.

 

[Pluxtheduck]

I'd be interested in either series especially after the regs for Lights are put up.

EDITED again after more thought

 

[cgr-10]

First non-Tom post.

I think the road course distances were fine last season. Why change them? Races would be too long.

It was just a suggestion based on how long they took last season, I think they'd be less processional and fuel strategy would be more important over a slightly longer race. They were always under an hour so I think we could afford to stretch a few of them (some 100, some 150, couple of flagship 200 milers at places like Laguna).

Should be Smuffy, expecting more entries this time across both series.

Awesome plux, like I said it won't start for a month or so but it's always nice to have new drivers. Get to know some of the guys around here, they're all gents if slightly annoying *cough* Cowboys and Matty *cough*

 

[neljack]

I quite liked the race distances as they were, but honestly wouldnt mind if they were made longer 👍

 

[Xstylez]

Of course I'll be interested to race, don't know which though.Too bad for the delay.

 

[cgr-10]

Of course I'll be interested to race, don't know which though.Too bad for the delay.

Friday 22:30BST - 1:00BSTish onwards for IndyCar and 19:00-21:00ish BST for Lights on a Sunday by the way. Thanks for the interest.

Not sure on the format of teams yet. The IndyCar draft will take place and team owners will sign drivers but it's not yet known whether the IndyCar teams will be connected to the Lights teams like Cup-Nationwide. I may ditch it and have open sign up.

 

[neljack]

9 for Indy Lights would be grand

 

[Furinkazen]

Might have the odd clash with any of my plans, but I like the idea.

 

[DrifterJoe]

Indy Lights will run 473bhp at most tracks*, while weighing 680kg on ovals and 700kg on road and street courses. Tyres used will be the same as the IndyCar series- comfort hard for ovals, comfort hard+medium on road courses, and comfort medium+soft for street courses. Track schedule will mostly follow that of the IndyCar series. Matty will be the room host but never be on track, while I'll be the pace car. This allows Matty to kick randomers who join during the race, as well as type out important messages duing the race, such as cautions and if the pits are open. Of course, if I see or hear a caution that Matty hasn't, I will type it out too before heading to track for a caution period.

Start, caution, and restart procedures will be the same as the IndyCar series (with our new caution laps, GWC finishes for late cautions, and added laps for celebrations and possible photos), with a standing start after a pace lap on all non-ovals and a double file rolling start after a pace lap on the ovals.

The race time is currently- 8:15 practice, 8:45 qualify, 9:00 race (with the longest races not lasting more than 1 to 1 1/2 hours unless there's a lot of cautions). Times can be pushed both forward and back before we start the series to try and find a time that (nearly) everyone can do.

*Power may be increased to make for some different racing for each Motegi oval race. It will remain at 473bhp for all other races.

EDIT: The only DLC needed for the series should be Motegi. I don't plan on including SSRX, and Spa would be a bit too slow in these cars.

 

[Xstylez]

Will the Lights have a delay as well?

And also, what are the times zoned as?

 

[neljack]

So nor you or Matty will be racing in the Lights Joe?

 

[DrifterJoe]

All times are BST, which is 5 hours ahead of EDT. Lights will start 5 days before the IndyCar series.

Since we're making Lights like the GTP Nationwide series, an IndyCar driver wouldn't be able to also compete for the Lights championship. You'd have to decide on which one you want to do. (Drivers don't compete in both series at the same time in real life either)

Indy Lights will have 2 car teams using any FGT colours you want. So you could have a red FGT and a blue FGT driving as Sam Schmidt Motorsports, for example.

EDIT: I should mention the driving aids, which are the same as the IndyCar series:

Skid Recovery OFF
ASM OFF
ABS & TCS Both limited to 0 or 1
All Other Assists Unrestricted
Grip Reduction Real
Draft Strength Weak
Penalties OFF
Damage Heavy

 

[Furinkazen]

Won't it be GMT in september?

 

[neljack]

Oh, I wont do Indy Lights then, wanna stick with Indy Car

 

[DrifterJoe]

Won't it be GMT in september?

I'll probably add a race countdown timer for the race each week, that should help with any confusion over times.

EDIT: Lights will be the feeder series for IndyCar. I suppose IndyCar drivers could run in it if they are filling in for someone so that a team doesn't miss out on team points.

 

[Furinkazen]

I'll probably add a race countdown timer for the race each week, that should help with any confusion over times.

EDIT: Lights will be the feeder series for IndyCar. I suppose IndyCar drivers could run in it if they are filling in for someone so that a team doesn't miss out on team points.

Or do what the NASCAR guys are doing and say that Indycar drivers can only do maximum 3 events for team points only...

 

[rustyMercedes]

I'd like to see Nurburgring GP/D on the schedule as it is a similar track to Watkins Glen, and Spa as a similar track to Road America.

and also different specs for oval tracks that are run multiple times, like 650hp for the first Indy and Motegi races then 850hp for the Indy 500 and World Championship. Something like that, or different weights or different tires, whatever works.

also Motegi road course, sure it is boring and has no flow but that makes it similar to a lot of street circuits in IndyCar with its point and shoot nature plus the indycars raced there once IRL.

 

[DrifterJoe]

Or do what the NASCAR guys are doing and say that Indycar drivers can only do maximum 3 events for team points only...

Or that, yeah.

I checked when the clocks go back, and in the UK the clocks go back on sunday the 28th of October (early in the morning).

 

[cgr-10]

I'd like to see Nurburgring GP/D on the schedule as it is a similar track to Watkins Glen, and Spa as a similar track to Road America.

and also different specs for oval tracks that are run multiple times, like 650hp for the first Indy and Motegi races then 850hp for the Indy 500 and World Championship. Something like that, or different weights or different tires, whatever works.

also Motegi road course, sure it is boring and has no flow but that makes it similar to a lot of street circuits in IndyCar with its point and shoot nature plus the indycars raced there once IRL.

We were considering the differing specs and it's something i'll look into mate. May have to do a test session with Joe to work all the new specs out when I get back, may need an open spec test as well to test drafting.

Motegi Road was always gonna be in, as for the others, I did want to stick with at least moderately realistic track choices but we'll see. It's hard for me to make choices like this when I can't hop on my PS3 and test them out immediatley.

EDIT: Immortal man, we've said enough times that we'd rather not have your disregard for sportsmanship in this series and made it quite clear that you're banned.

 

[gorsad]

Will Indy Lights definitely be on a Sunday or is there another day in contention.

 

[cgr-10]

Will Indy Lights definitely be on a Sunday or is there another day in contention.

Definitely Sunday mate.

 

[DrifterJoe]

Friday was considered so that Lights would run right before the IndyCar series, but NASCAR Trucks S4 is running then. The early time would also be an issue for US drivers, who need the late starting time to make the IndyCar races after getting back from work. Sundays were the only other day we could really do it, with weekdays being busy due to work and school, and saturdays having TOCA, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup running.

 

[cgr-10]

I may get the draft started in this thread when you're all ready so I can just put the thread up with the drivers straight away when I have the time.

I think this is a good layout....

Ganassi - 3 cars
Penske - 3 cars
KV Racing - 3 cars
Rahal Letterman Racing - 2 cars
AJ Foyt Enterprises - 2 cars
Dale Coyne - 2 cars

The alternative is giving Ganassi another car and dropping a 2 team but I think that may be an unpopular idea

 

[rustyMercedes]

It's hard for me to make choices like this when I can't hop on my PS3 and test them out immediatley.

this is why I have not bothered you about Grand-Am recently

EDIT: Ganassi has a 4 car team IRL, Andretti has a 3 car team...I say use the teams which have won races IRL this season

 

[cgr-10]

this is why I have not bothered you about Grand-Am recently

Aw man that's hanging in the balance, had completely forgotten. I'm so busy this summer

 

[neljack]

Keep Ganassi to 3 cars, Tom....

 

[smuffyatfcp]

Would the 3 car teams take the top finishing places of 2 drivers to make it fair?

 

[rustyMercedes]

Aw man that's hanging in the balance, had completely forgotten. I'm so busy this summer

I'm still thinking about it . Really want to add that to the GTP America roster 👍
might send a few PMs to people about hosting, maybe start an Interest Checks thread, we'll see

Schedule is getting congested with all the great series in progress and being planned.

EDIT: would like to do ALMS too , lots of ideas...