Questions about this argument over Dallara's prices.

[Gateway Fan]

Based on what I have read from a few articles, here is what I think should happen (although, I know it will not and probably cannot.) Dallara is charging for the chassis exactly what they said they would (per Foyt interview.) However, some of the things you need to race the car are not included in the crates when you open the "chassis." The car should be considered in multiple sections. Engine - Everything provided by Chevy, Honda, or Lotus. Chassis - Everything that comes from Dallara in the chassis crates. Aero - All aero parts included in the aero kit. Everything else needed to go racing except tires, fuel, trans which are separately speced. The "everything else needed to go racing" should be open for teams to build or source themselves. This would have put Dallara in a position to include it in the chassis crates, or have to compete to supply it. If it was included in the initial price of the chassis, then the teams would have to replace it with OEM parts. If it was not included and considered an option, then the teams could determine their own cost by shopping around. JMHO.

[nm]

This makes no sense. What development costs?? It's been openly said they didn't expect the kit to actually be raced, and therefore did not develop it.

The team owners were promised reduced costs, and got duped.

In actuality, the current situation proves that the costs were lower when the teams could either make their own parts or source them out.

It's not just the aero pieces - EVERYTHING comes from Dallara now.

What development costs? Do you think the new chassis was a gift from Santa?

[BADGER]

Everyone is missing the point of the topic. All I want to know is if multiple chassis would have cost as much as the Dallara is running now.

Multiple chassis would have driven up the costs because development costs go up as well. Additionally, if the current specs (the huge GE tunnels) were allowed in an open chassis competion, the cars would be much faster than they are currently and they would be already be talking about them being too fast for some of the ovals.

[33_In_May]

What development costs? Do you think the new chassis was a gift from Santa?

More like a lump of coal from Santa.

Here's what we KNOW.

The initial aero development was all done in cfd.
The car handled like crap, and the solution was swept control arms and a chunk of lead in the nose.

How much time and money do you suppose was spent to achieve those results?

Dallara knew going in what the price point was and what was expected from the car. They still haven't met the requirements. Nobody forced them into the deal.

[nm]

Would you have preferred Swift, given the problems with the chassis they had in champ car feeder series?

[jcmark611]

Multiple chassis would have driven up the costs because development costs go up as well. Additionally, if the current specs (the huge GE tunnels) were allowed in an open chassis competion, the cars would be much faster than they are currently and they would be already be talking about them being too fast for some of the ovals.

I understand they costs would have gone up, but is that cost near what the teams are paying now? I seem to recall Swift giving a figure of $600,000 for a chassis if they were not the exclusive provider. If the teams can buy the parts anywhere they could have saved some money, who knows.

And that fast problem is a good problem to have. Look at how much free publicity NASCAR got for the speeds at Michigan, and thats only 200!

[ARROWZ46]

Wonder what their budgets would look like if they grounded all their private jets?

You sound like a bunch of those grandstanding senators that asked the auto executives if they drove to DC.

For the record, many Indycar teams DRIVE (caravan) to races & the owners fly commercial. I know Ganassi will use a chartered private plane... his crews aren't sitting in airports on layovers, potentially zapping their energy after extended travel periods.

2011 Indy 500 winners, Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) are one of the teams that do NOT do the private jet thing. Many of the road trips are referenced in this blog:http://www.bryanhertaautosport.com/s...ff-track-blog/

Would you have preferred Swift, given the problems with the chassis they had in champ car feeder series?

I don't recall a major issue with a Swift Atlantics race car... I do recall many teething issues with early Dallaras & the CCWS Panoz DP01