What can Reynard do?

[power&glory]

We all know that the Lola is a better chassis right now because it produces 400 lbs. more downforce than the Reynard. However, I think that the Reynard has a lower center of gravity than the Lola. I also think that it is less difficult for Reynard to figure out how to copy little aerodynamic things off the Lola to make more downforce than it is for Lola to make the center of gravity lower. So, if Reynard can figure out how to make a little more downforce, they would have a quicker car, right? I am only saying this based on close visual observation and comparison of the two cars, and it really looks like the Reynard has a lower CofG.
And cosidering that the Ferrari grand prix car has a lower CofG than any competitors, and produces just as much downforce with less drag (and the Reynard already makes less drag than the Lola), it seems like low CofG+hi d-force+low drag= a really quick car, am i right?
However, CART has a current ban on aero development in order to save money for the teams, so it looks like Reynard are hung out to dry, so perhaps all of this talk of chassis is pointless and in a year there will be no more Reynard, or it will be irrelevant, which would be very very sad. If only Reynard can do some serious aero work...I really believe that car has so much potential.

[macdaddy]

What Reynard needs (but they're unlikely to get) is the opportunity to make some changes to their undertray. The aero freeze is really effecting them, and I sincerely hope that the chassis will survive. After having been purchased by Panoz, hopefully it will.

[Snrub]

That's why I really think the zero freeeze clause should be given a one time exemption. Reynard should be allowed to make some small changes to be approved by CART to make them a bit more competitive. Clearly Lola runners will be screaming foul if they do too much, so the Reynard will have to remain at a bit of a disadvantage.

Drag is bad, downforce is good, weight placement & balance is important. Obviously if you are in the best of all three you've got a good chasis.

[power&glory]

If Reynard are given a special allowance, who would be doing the work? Would it be the same people that designed Reynards before the company went into recievership? Or would it be Panoz people? Or both? The people at Reynard certainly seemed to have something good going: the car changed very little from 99 to present, yet was the dominant chassis for 3 seasons.
During 2001 when Penske based their car on the Reynard, the Penske chassis looked very different and seemed to have an advantage...perhaps some of those drawings could be obtained by whoever does the work?

[macdaddy]

Unlikely. Penske gives no quarter.

[Omega99]

Look what Zanardi did with a Reynard! Hadn't driven for a year and a half, lost his legs, and still puts down a time good enough for fifth on the grid. If I'm not mistaking, He was using a 2001 Reynard chasis, which is the same as this year's because of the chasis freeze. Reynard haven't updated there's for two years, I believe.

Zanardi has to come back and race. He seems to know something that no one else does... (He'd probably have to work out a new brake control though, because he was operating it with his prosthetic legs, and not being able to feel the pedal would be a bit of a problem on street and road courses...)

At any rate, Zanardi's my new hero (one of them). Oh right! This thread's about Reynards...

[Snrub]

Great idea about getting the info from Penske. Why wouldn't he sell that info for a reasonable price? It's not like he's going to be using it. The best part is none of the Lola runners could complain.

I didn't realize Zanardi was driving a Reynard, that makes his accomplishment all that much better. Zanardi made himself very clear at one point and do did his wife. Later made a statement that left the possibility open. I really don't think he'll be back. As others have mentioned we could definately use him as a team owner or significant part of a team. Maybe next year we can have a Mo Nunn entry with Zanardi running it. (like what Emmo has)

[Omega99]

Reynard could probably be competitive, with a new design. The chasis freeze will keep them out of contention until 2005, unless they bring back Zanardi!

[BootsOntheSide]

I made the same suggestion regarding the Reynskes of 2001, but I'm not sure Roger would be willing to help CART. It's unfortuante for the Reynard teams, but they got into CART cheap and they always knew the situation.

[Lee Janotta]

Why couldn't Van Diemen (another Panoz brand, since G-Force is officially with the IRL) cook up a new undertray after a few trips to the windtunnel? CART artificially restricts the the venturi tunnels to keep the chassis competitive, but since there's no real angle for either Lola or the now-defunct Reynard to have the more competitive chassis, that should mean CART can for one time only open up that restriction just a little, and only for Reynard, just to get them on near-equal footing.

Hell, at the same time, we could just re-badge the Reynards as Van Diemens, to make Mr. Panoz happy.

[gttouring]

PAnoz buying Raynard and G-force (and rielly and scott haveing been bought out buy g-force-the indy car operation) this seem to leave the door open for a 'common chassis' with a different name to run in the two series, and that the "reynard' will probably begin to be developed signifigantly in a bit- i am sure if a 400lbs downforce difference is testable they will allow some change for the reynard, team mods to the cars is allowed isn't it? so maybe they will get help..what was that about the Reynskes of 2001?

[Lee Janotta]

In fact, I just found this:
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/5490/

So why are the Reynards still so screwed? Are the teams and drivers just so vastly inferior to Players, Newmann-Haas and Rahal? After all, Dale Coyne's Rent-A-Racer is running Lolas, but his drivers both look like the hacks they are.

[Lee Janotta]

Did Panoz totally buy out R&S, or just their IRL operation? I thought the core of the company was still independant. It wouldn't have made much sense to keep developing both the MkIIIc and the LMP-01 if Panoz owned both.