Thursday’s announcement of an IndyCar event planned for Boston in 2016 has left some wondering what exactly is IndyCar?
The short answer is IndyCar is the type of racing you see every year in the Indianapolis 500 — sleek, low-profile race cars with exposed wheels and an exposed driver cockpit. It lags behind NASCAR in popularity in the United States, but IndyCars can reach higher speeds.
Here’s a closer look at what Boston will be hosting on Labor Day Weekend in 2016.
How fast can they go?
Top speeds in an IndyCar can approach 230 m.p.h., although the size and type of track play a big role in what speeds are actually attained during a race. The fastest average speed in an IndyCar race was 207.1 m.p.h., at a 2003 event at California Speedway.
By comparison, NASCAR cars can hit 200 m.p.h., and Formula 1 can reach 225.
Is it like NASCAR?
No. NASCAR’s full-bodied cars allow much more jostling and room for error, whereas IndyCars usually can’t continue after contact because the wheels and body parts break off easily.
Who are the biggest names?
Most of the sport’s most recognizable names are from the good old days of IndyCar racing – Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, A.J. Foyt, and Al Unser Sr.
Modern stars include 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, Will Power, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, and Juan Pablo Montoya.
Several current NASCAR drivers have IndyCar experience, including Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick.
Where does IndyCar race?
The series includes stops at both road-racing (Sonoma, Calif.) and oval (Indianapolis, Texas) race tracks, as well as several street race circuits (Detroit, Toronto, Long Beach) constructed within a city’s existing roads. The 2015 schedule began in March and ends in August.
What’s it like driving an IndyCar?
See for yourself:
IndyCar history
IndyCars have been around for more than 100 years. The first Indianapolis 500 was held in 1911, and the type of auto racing it gave birth to took its name from its signature event. A disagreement over direction in the 1990s divided the sport — one faction only wanted to race on oval tracks, the other wanted road courses — but it has since been reformed under one governing body.
Matt Pepin can be reached at matt.pepin@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at@mattpep15.