The NTT IndyCar Series is the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States. Most well known for hosting the Indy 500, the series also races at other ovals and road courses during the regular season. The final race of the 2022 season is ready to kick off this weekend at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.
We recently interviewed AJ Foyt Racing's Dalton Kellet, a Canadian IndyCar driver whose favorite track happens to be Laguna Seca.
IndyCar is one of the only open-wheel racing series on the planet that speeds down both ovals and road courses-making it one of the most demanding to compete in.
Ovals are simple to understand, as they're, well . oval-shaped. This means that drivers circulate around the track counterclockwise and can only turn left. Meanwhile, a road course features far more complex corners that go left and right. Both types of courses present unique challenges to the driver, requiring vastly different techniques. The upcoming race at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca is a road course race.
With its infamous reputation as having the most difficult corners in American motorsports, the corkscrew presents very unique challenges. First off, the uphill approach to the corner is completely blind, meaning drivers have very limited visual references to spot their braking and turn-in points. That's not to mention the 10-story drop from corner entry to corner exit that drivers experience in a mere handful of seconds.
However, Kellett says that the corkscrew isn't actually the most challenging corner on the track-the corner that follows is much more demanding: after successfully squeaking through the corkscrew, drivers are fired straight into turn nine, a fast downhill left-hander. The downhill off-camber nature of the corner means the car is super on edge-ready to spin out. Getting it wrong here is bad news, as there's a gravel trap on the edge of the track, ready to bite drivers pushing their luck.
Racetracks like Laguna Seca present very different physical challenges from what driver's may experience on an oval like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kellett mentions that Laguna is particularly tough, due to the amount of steering effort required to get around the track's myriad corners; IndyCars don't have power steering, which makes them incredibly physical to drive at any speed.
Along with the strength required to turn the wheel, the cardio load is also very demanding. Straightaways allow IndyCar drivers respite from the g-forces they experience during cornering, and the start-finish straight at Laguna Seca is one of the shortest on the IndyCar calendar. This means that drivers will be constantly bombarded by extreme g-forces for nearly an hour and a half before they see the checkered flag.
?? Be sure to tune in to NBC Sports this weekend to watch Kellett compete in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Coverage of the race will start promptly at 2:40 PM EST on Sunday, September 11th.