Junior Open Wheel Talent

In an effort to make the Indy Lights cars slightly more attractive, Speedway Engine Development has changed the 90 degree crankshaft over to a 180 degree crankshaft....giving the engine a sound similar to that of an Indy Car. You can take a tour of Speedway Engine Development here.

Richard Antinucci had a chance to test the new powerplant and had this to say about the new package:

"It's pulls more off the corners, and it's a lot quieter in the cockpit. I was pleasantly surprised by that."

Personally, I like the idea of giving the car a slightly higher pitched sound and improving it's low to mid range powerband. I think the main concern, which won't truly be addressed until 2009, is... Will the crankshaft prove to be a reliable modification? The last thing the series needs is mechanical failures caused by a part that was designed to make the car sound better. Panther Racing, Guthrie Racing and Sam Schmidt Motorsports have all tested the new crankshaft with solid results, let's just hope the rest of the teams have similar findings come January.