| Taking a cue from the old Six Million Dollar Man television show, the IZOD IndyCar Series is unveiling a new car this year that is better, stronger and definitely faster. With a sleeker body design and the introduction of additional engine suppliers, the new cars are expected to break track records when they arrive at Barber Motorsports Park for the running of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by Legacy, to be held March 30 through April 1. "I expect you’ll see significantly faster lap times here at Barber," four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti said. "It’s lighter weight, more downforce, the engines are producing more power. I definitely expect it to be faster on the road courses." Will Power, the winner of the 2011 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, agreed. "No question it’s going to be faster than last year’s car," Power said. "The engine is probably going to have more power, and the car is larger. So it has more downforce, more grip." The new car will both look and sound different from the old one. The rear wheels are now nearly enclosed, a safety feature that will also provide more stability, enabling the cars to go faster through the turns. In addition, Chevy and Lotus have joined longtime engine supplier Honda in producing the new V-6 turbo-charged motors, which will generate a lower sound than the high-pitched whine normally associated with Indy cars. "It’s going to make a better noise," Franchitti said.  Another change that fans won’t notice, except in terms of faster speeds, is the switch to a carbon fiber braking system similar to what is used in Formula 1. The new system, which will allow for quicker entry into the corners, has been met with rave reviews from the drivers. "The brakes on this car are phenomenal," said Graham Rahal, son of 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal. "It’s incredible the way it stops. I think it has a lot of potential." The drivers admit there will be a learning period early this season as they become accustomed to all the changes. But the consensus is that the new car will produce a better brand of racing for the fans. "The biggest thing is we’d had a car for about eight years that we understood and knew everything about," Scott Dixon said. "Once you get something new it requires a lot of work to try to get it exactly where you want it. But by all means, given a little time, we can make the car do what we want. It’s exciting for all of us, and I think it will be exciting for the fans." There also is a new look in the Grand Am Rolex Series, which will be at Barber Motorsports Park on March 31 for the running of the Porsche 250. Chevrolet has introduced a 2012 Corvette Prototype that looks a lot like the famous Corvette street car. "The design of this race car incorporates iconic Corvette styling cues and will be immediately recognized by sports car enthusiasts," Chevrolet vice president Jim Campbell said. "This has the potential to change the face of sports car racing." The Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by Legacy will take place March 30 - April 1 at Barber Motorsports Park. Tickets start at $15 and kids 12 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult. | ||||||
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