Added on May 5, 2015  The News Wheel   , , , , , , ,
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Chevy Unveils Indy 500-Ready Speedway Aero Kit

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Chevrolet speedway aero kit for Indianapolis 500

Honda recently revealed its “Super Speedway” aero kit, and not to be outdone, Chevrolet has just debuted its own speedway aero kit to be used on high-speed ovals in the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series—most notably, that big high-speed oval in Indianapolis. In fact, according to the bowtie brand, this kit has several features that were developed exclusively for this year’s Indy 500.

Developed in conjunction with the previously unveiled road course configuration, this new speedway configuration emphasizes the low-drag attributes that allow Chevy’s race cars to exceed speeds of 230 mph on the track.

Chevrolet speedway aero kit for Indianapolis 500

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“With the speedway configuration, the emphasis is on reducing aerodynamic drag, for greater speed, while maintaining sufficient downforce,” said Chevy IndyCar program manager Chris Berube. “Innovative designs were used to develop the right combination of downforce and drag, along with engine performance.”

According to Chevrolet, the new design’s list of highlights include:

Front wing

  • Unique mainplane surface contour serves two purposes: the inboard section directs air to the radiator inlets to enhance engine cooling while the outboard section creates airflow around the front tire to minimize drag.

Engine cover and side pods

  • The engine cover and side pods are shared with the road course configuration, but are optimized in their speedway configuration by adding close out panels to their trailing edges to reduce drag.
  • Louvers in the side pods provide cooling benefits and clean airflow to the rear of the car, delivering higher levels of diffuser and rear wing efficiency.
  • The wheel wedge configuration is fully adjustable, providing various levels of downforce and efficiency to meet changing track conditions.

Rear bumper pods

  • The rear bumper pods and wheel wedges were designed as an integrated solution to reduce vehicle drag.

Rear wing

  • A high-efficiency upper rear wing, unique for the Indy 500, features low-mass rear wing pillars and a low-mass rear mainplane.

Chevrolet speedway aero kit for Indianapolis 500

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Chevy race teams will use the road course aero kit for the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 9th, before switching to this speedway aero kit for the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24th.