Auto racing: Less cheating in IRL than NASCAR?

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Auto racing: Less cheating in IRL than NASCAR?
By DAVID CLIMER
The Tennessean

In NASCAR circles - or high-banked ovals, as the case may be - there is an implied code of conduct embraced by many Nextel Cup teams:
If you're not cheating, you're not really trying.

Call it what you will - cheating, fudging, operating in the gray area of the rulebook. By any name, the practice of seeking a mechanical or aerodynamic advantage is rampant in the sport.

Thus, we constantly are treated to stories of failed inspections, penalties, fines, suspensions and even the occasional disqualification. Things have gotten so bad that NASCAR chief Brian France has declared war on cheaters.
What, then, of the Indy Racing League? With the same need for speed as NASCAR, why are there comparatively few examples of crews pushing the envelope and the throttle simultaneously in an attempt to get an edge on the

competition?

Why the disparity? Are stock cars more easily manipulated than open-wheel cars?

"Trust me, if anybody wants to cheat, they could," said IRL driver Tony Kanaan.

But they don't. Or at least they don't get caught.

Cynics will argue that there are just as many devious minds in IndyCar garages as the Nextel Cup circuit. These mechanics and crew chiefs know their way around a 32-valve dual-overhead cam.

Are these gearbox geniuses playing by the rules or do IRL officials not look as hard for the dark side of the sport?

"I believe we haven't ever had a big problem in IndyCar because the officials are very strict," Kanaan said. "A penalty is not going to be that light for a team."

Sure, the IRL has had its moments, although they pale in comparison to the ongoing tomfoolery in Nextel Cup. During practice sessions at the Indianapolis 500 this year, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing was penalized when

improper fuel was found in a car.

IndyCar Series President Brian Barnhart, who fined the team an undisclosed amount, stressed that the illegal fuel mixture was used only in practice, not in qualifying.

"It's not a big deal," Barnhart said.

Well, it was a big deal because incidents like this so seldom occur.

For starters, there aren't as many places to hide a widget on an IRL car. IndyCar chassis come in only two flavors - Dallara and Panoz. Honda is the sole engine provider.

That means every team is beginning with virtually the same equipment. There isn't much wiggle room.

"We can't look for a way around things by cheating to be better than somebody else," Kanaan said.

Credit the driver for driving home a point.

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