Mouser connects with engineers through high tech IndyCar platform

DALLAS & FORT WORTH, USA: Mouser Electronics Inc. unveiled the No. 11 MOUSER ELECTRONICS/GEICO/KV Racing Technology Chevrolet Dallara to be driven by IndyCar Champion, Tony Kanaan, for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series.

The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season will be the 101st season of American open wheel racing. It also marks the biggest change to the sport in recent history as the existing car used through 2011 – a 2003 model Dallara IR-05 powered by naturally aspirated V8 engines – is permanently retired. Driven by the need to increase driver safety and performance, the ICONIC Project (Innovative, Competitive, Open-Wheel, New, Industry-Relevant, Cost-Effective) was led by experts and executives from racing and technical fields.

The committee included Randy Bernard, William R. Looney III, Brian Barnhart, Gil de Ferran, Tony Purnell, Eddie Gossage, Neil Ressler, Tony Cotman and Rick Long. IndyCar accepted proposals from BAT Engineering, Dallara, DeltaWing, Lola and Swift for chassis design. At the finish, organizers accepted the Dallara proposal.

Under the new ICONIC regulations, all teams will compete with a core rolling chassis, called the "IndyCar Safety Cell," developed by Italian designer Dallara. Teams will then outfit the chassis with various "Aero Kits," which consist of front and rear wings, sidepods, and engine cowlings. Development of Aero Kits is open to any manufacturer. However, all teams will use the Dallara aerodynamic package in 2012 and delay the introduction of multiple aero kits until 2013. The new IndyCar Safety Cell will be assembled at a state-of-the-art Dallara facility in Speedway, Indiana.

2011 Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon carried out the first official test of the Dallara chassis at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August 2011. Following Wheldon's death at the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship, Dallara announced that the 2012 chassis would be named the DW12 in his honor. Safety was one of the foremost requirements in the design of the new chassis, which was designed around identified areas for improvement based on IndyCar’s own research and testing.

The new engine formula consists of 2.4 L V6 turbocharged engines, fine-tuned to produce 550–700 horsepower (410–520 kW) with a 12,000 RPM limit. All engines will run E85 fuel with IndyCar being the only motorsports property to take to the racetrack using this renewable and environmentally friendly fuel. The "push to pass" feature in 2012 will allow a limited horsepower gain up to 100 HP as opposed to the last season’s "overtake assist," which only provided 10 to 20 HP increase.

The turbocharger will be provided by BorgWarner. Powerplants for 2012 will be supplied by Honda, Chevrolet, and Lotus. The No. 11 MOUSER ELECTRONICS/GEICO/KV Racing Technology IndyCar will be powered by a Chevrolet twin turbo V6. The powerplant will be built in a joint effort with Ilmor Engineering. Additionally, Mouser will serve as the exclusive supplier of electronic components to KV Racing Technology.