IRL drivers want power steering

[pchall]

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) -Scott Dixon has been unbeatable in the three races the IndyCar Series has staged at Watkins Glen International.

Surely, his road-racing skills have been of paramount importance in his string of success, and so, too, has his size. At 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds, Dixon is one of the biggest and strongest drivers in the open-wheel series.

And yet in spite of his success at The Glen, Dixon wouldn't mind if the IRL added power steering to its cars to help him and the other drivers get through the 11 high-speed curves of the 3.4-mile natural terrain road course.

"Once you go so fast, you create a ton more downforce, and that makes the steering wheel a lot heavier to turn," said Dixon, who also won on the road course at Mid-Ohio a month ago. "It definitely is a big car for anybody,"

http://sports.excite.com/news/08222007/v2923.html

I suppose they could use a small electrically powered assist, but what happens if the unit fails at speed? I remember somebody had a really massive wreck in the high downforce GTP tunnel car times that was attributed to power steering failure. Kendall in the Intrepid? Those cars generated a lot more downforce than an IRL sled, too.

[Andrew Longman]

Other solution is to just run more street courses where they don't go fast enough to generate a ton of downforce.;)

Or they could take downforce out and just let them drive.

I doubt power steering failure should be much of an issue though. I believe F1 has had it for years.

[pchall]

Other solution is to just run more street courses where they don't go fast enough to generate a ton of downforce.;)

Or they could take downforce out and just let them drive.

I doubt power steering failure should be much of an issue though. I believe F1 has had it for years.

You're right about F1.

I suppose I'm just reacting to driver aids in general -- I still don't like the paddle shifters in Champ Car, as well.

[Andrew Longman]

Come to think of it NASCAR has power steering at the Glen.

I share your perspective about driver aids. I want to know the drivers are working hard and that fitness matters late in the race. But Cup goes too far at the Glen as NASCAR mandates ratios and the driver has effectively three gears to negotiate the track.

[FCYTravis]

Power steering failure is still a problem in race cars. A couple of years ago, the electric unit in the Rileys was plagued by overheating... it would shut off in the middle of a corner, cool down and turn back on in the middle of a corner half a mile down the track. Not particularly confidence-inspiring for the driver.

I believe Kendall's Intrepid crash was caused by a suspension upright failure, though.

[Accipiter]

Come to think of it NASCAR has power steering at the Glen.


NASCAR has power steering everywhere 'cause those things weigh a ton.

[emjaya]

The V8 super taxi's have been using power steering for over 10 years. Apart from the odd belt failure and such, they have had no real problems. :\

[Ziggy]

My last two German cars have electro mechanical power steering.

Maybe if the IRL car was not such a truck :tony: