IndyCar is finally going in the right direction. Honda has announced that they will implement a "boost overtake system" starting this week in Kentucky in an attempt to increasing passing. All I can say is Thank God!!! It's about time!!!

For full story & details, click here:
http://www.indycar.com/news/?story_id=14744

So this P2P is for both road courses and ovals?

Hitokiri2 - 29 July 2009 05:04 PM

So this P2P is for both road courses and ovals?

Both, really? it would seem to make sense on road course, but would seem to raise the risk in ovals.

Yes the P2P will be used on both ovals and RCs.

diehardpatriot - 29 July 2009 11:51 AM

IndyCar is finally going in the right direction.

Now hold on. That's not fair.
2005 - Added road and street circuits
2006 - Indycar adds Mid Ohio and Bell Isle to schedule
2007 - following fans complaints, Indycar ditched the fuel setting and forced cars to run full rich. Didn't change a thing.
2008 - Unification
2008 - Adds Edmonton
2009 - Adds more televised content on VERSUS
2009 - following CCWS fan requests Indycar reduces the amount of parts teams are allowed to modify the cars with to allow newer teams to more easily adapt to the series.
2009 - Following fan complainsts, Indycar adds silencers to the exhaust systems.
2009 - Following fan requests, Indycar adds the optinal "red" soft tire to road and street courses.

diehardpatriot - 29 July 2009 11:51 AM

Honda has announced that they will implement a "boost overtake system" starting this week in Kentucky in an attempt to increasing passing. All I can say is Thank God!!! It's about time!!!

You're right. That 5 month spell of no passing on ovals just went on way too long. I mean c'mon - 6 races to make a complete regulation change? Who are these guys?

If you haven't read the article yet, the P2P is according to fuel setting. More fuel you use, less horsepower you get when you press the button and vice versa and it will vary from race to race. For Kentucky I think the cars will get 12 uses of the button.

The "full-rich" or "overtake" button has actually been in the Indycars for many years with the exception of 2007 when they removed fuel mapping just to see what difference it made on fuel conservation run (which it didn't matter - drivers merely lifted and/or short-shifted to conserve fuel). Anyway, drivers in the past have been able to hit the full rich button whenever running a lower fuel mapping - effectively giving them full power. Danica used this to great effect at Indy in 2005 to fend of Dan Wheldon in the closing laps until Ray Letto informed her she couldn't use it again and make the checkered flag. Also, as recently as Edmonton Paul Tracy makes mention of going for the full rich button to get around traffic and accidently hitting the pit limiter (if you recall the time in turns 2-3 when Tracy momentarily was passed by two cars).

This new ECU programming merely takes the old full-rich code, adds spark advance and increases the IRL imposed 10300 rev limit to 10500 rpm for a preset time. It also adds the limited number of uses and the programmed 10-second "reset" time where the feature cannot be used concurrently.

So on the face of it, don't be expecting miracles. Its a feature we've had for quite some time with just a few tweaks. I'm not trying to be pessimistic here. Just informative.

too little power increase to be worthwhile.

RacerAlex - 30 July 2009 11:12 AM

2007 - following fans complaints, Indycar ditched the fuel setting and forced cars to run full rich. Didn't change a thing.

That change was made to help teams adjust to running ethanol instead of methanol.

EDIT: Unless there's a limit to the number of times it can be used during a race, I expect less passes because drivers will use it defensively.

the lack of power increase is because the Honda engine is running at full tilt. the CCWS had turbo boost adjustment for the power gains. Indycar changes fuel and engine timing. if they can get new motors it might get more power.

Should this be called Push 2 Pass or Push 2 Defend. Because the IRL is saying that the P2P is woth anywhere from 20 to 5 HP depending your fuel setting and gearing.