Speed trap

Making the current IndyCar both look fast and hit its performance targets was a delicate balance of engineering and aesthetics

- CHRIS BEATTY

There had been several runners in the race to land the 2012 IndyCar chassis supplier contract, including concepts from Reynard, Lola and Swift. The extraordinary looking Delta Wing was also in the mix for a while, but was perhaps a step too far out of the traditional comfort zone for some. But in July of 2010, IndyCar announced that Italian racecar manufacturer, Dallara, had been awarded the contract to replace the series’ ageing IR-5 chassis with a new vehicle titled the IR-12.

Dallara had been sole supplier of chassis to IndyCar since 2007 with the IR-5, which was a development of the IR-3 and had become the weapon of choice for teams, pushing out Panoz at the end of the 2006 season.

The IR-5 served the series well but, as always in motorsport, there was a need to progress and further enhance driver safety. IndyCar’s intent was to produce a next-generation safety cell, drawing on Dallara’s extensive experience in the series, and the wider racing industry. The chassis was designed to allow the upper surfaces of the car to be swapped for updated parts as both Dallara and IndyCar refined the aero package.

Dallara worked with IndyCar legend, Dan Wheldon, while testing the IR-12, with Wheldon providing invaluable feedback to the engineers and designers refining the car ready for manufacture and customer delivery. Such was Wheldon’s contribution, it was named the DW12 in his honour following the Las Vegas accident that cost Wheldon his life and rocked the sport to its core.