Ron McQueeney/IMS
The sweet sound of turbocharged engines is expected to return to Indy-car racing in 2011, officials said at Infineon Raceway.
The plan to switch from the rougher-sounding normally aspirated V-8 engines—used in the Indy Racing League since 1997—will be shared with industry executives during a meeting next month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
IndyCar Series presidents Brian Barnhart and Terry Angstadt said they expect auto manufacturers interested in participating in the series to embrace this decision because it was their consensus at a meeting in June.
The decision left to be made centers on engine size. Two are being considered, Barnhart said.
Erik Berkman, president of Honda Performance Development, said the debate “is over four (cylinders) or six.”
“But both of them include turbos,” Barnhart said. “One of them includes twin turbos.”
Turbocharged engines were the hallmark of the former Champ Car World Series. Extra power is gained from air forced through the engine.
The league hopes to announce specifications in December so manufacturers have two years to design, build, test and mass produce the engines.
Barnhart said potential IndyCar Series manufacturers want to have technology that can be used in other forms of auto racing and “is relevant to their consumer products.”
Until 2011, the IndyCar Series plans to soften the sound of the normally aspirated engines with mufflers being tested. Those should be in place for next season, Barnhart said.
