Why is this big news? For one, Toyota will now be in all three major world-wide open wheel racing series -- F-1, CART and the IRL. That's spreading the corporate racing budget pretty thin. Next, many observers are wondering if Toyota will have the same learning curve in the IRL as it did in CART. Who can forget Dan Gurney's drivers flogging the underpowered Toyotas around the circuits just a few years ago.
Toyota's announcement centered on the Indy 500, which seems to have returned to its glory as the crown jewel of motorsports in the United States. "Toyota Motor Sales has stated its desire to win the Indianapolis 500 since it first began plans to enter open-wheel racing in 1993," said Jim Aust, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., vice president of motorsports, when the announcement came.
Odd it is, but the racing engines Toyota (a Japanese company) uses in CART are USA-designed and built, and that will be the case when Toyota enters the IRL wars in 2003. The work is done at Toyota Racing Development at Costa Mesa, California.
Okay, fine. Now a CART engine maker decides the IRL is here to stay. Does it mean anything more than that?
Checking the move with the Speculation Meter, you have to believe that we're one step nearer a common engine formula for the two series. And, if either Ford-Cosworth or Honda break ranks, you can bet it's a done deal.
Are either of them likely to sign up with the Tony George gang? The IRL will be seeing an Oldsmobile Aurora engine re-badged as a Chevrolet soon, and Ford has never shirked from trying to get one up on the Bow-tie Brigade.
My gut feeling is we'll eventually see the two series merge -- or at least become allies -- if Ford chooses to join Toyota in the IRL.
Just What's the Engine Difference Anyway?
CART
- V-8
- 2.65 liter displacement
- Exhaust turbo-booster intake at 37 inches of mercury with a pop-off valve
- No rev limiters and engines will turn about 15,000 rpm
- 900 horsepower
- Methanol fuel
- Manufacturers include Honda, Toyota or Ford-Cosworth
IRL
- V-8
- 3.5-liter
- Normally aspirated, no turbo boost or superchargers
- Rev limiters holding rpm to 10,700
- 700 horsepower
- Methanol fuel
- Nissan (Infiniti) and GM (Olds Aurora) supply kit engines to approved engine builders
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