Where do teams stand on engines?
As per INDYCAR rules, each IZOD IndyCar Series squad is allowed a maximum of five fresh engines in a season. Should a team go beyond that fifth engine, they will be penalized for an unapproved engine change -- which have yielded 10-spot grid penalties throughout the season so far.
With six races remaining on the 2012 schedule, the sanctioning body has released a list of where each teams stands in terms of available engines. Considering the tight championship battle, this matter may prove critical in the weeks ahead.
Here's the count, separated by number of fresh engines:
TWO ENGINES LEFT
4-J.R. Hildebrand/Panther Racing
5-E.J. Viso/KV Racing Technology
6/7-Katherine Legge and Sebastien Bourdais/Dragon Racing
19-James Jakes/Dale Coyne Racing
22-Oriol Servia/Panther + Dreyer & Reinbold
26-Marco Andretti/Andretti Autosport
27-James Hinchcliffe/Andretti Autosport
28-Ryan Hunter-Reay/Andretti Autosport
98-Alex Tagliani/Bryan Herta Autosport
ONE ENGINE LEFT
2-Ryan Briscoe/Team Penske
3-Helio Castroneves/Team Penske
8-Rubens Barrichello/KV Racing Technology
10-Dario Franchitti/Chip Ganassi Racing
11-Tony Kanaan/KV Racing Technology
12-Will Power/Team Penske
18-Justin Wilson/Dale Coyne Racing
20-Ed Carpenter/Ed Carpenter Racing
38-Graham Rahal/Chip Ganassi Racing
67-Josef Newgarden/Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
83-Charlie Kimball/Chip Ganassi Racing
ON ENGINE NO. 5
9-Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi Racing
14-Mike Conway/A.J. Foyt Racing
15-Takuma Sato/Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
77-Simon Pagenaud/Sam Schmidt Motorsports
78-Simona de Silvestro/HVM Racing
Obviously, you're better off having more fresh engines to help you, so teammates Hunter-Reay (second in points) and Hinchcliffe (fifth) should feel good going into this last stretch as each of them have two Chevy powerplants remaining. Meanwhile, points leader Power and Castroneves (fourth) of Team Penske each only have one Chevy remaining.
But those four drivers are all better off than Dixon, who only sits 15 points behind Power in third place but is on his final fresh Honda. Pagenaud is still in striking distance too at 40 points behind in sixth place, but he is also on his fifth Honda.
With six races remaining on the 2012 schedule, the sanctioning body has released a list of where each teams stands in terms of available engines. Considering the tight championship battle, this matter may prove critical in the weeks ahead.
Here's the count, separated by number of fresh engines:
TWO ENGINES LEFT
4-J.R. Hildebrand/Panther Racing
5-E.J. Viso/KV Racing Technology
6/7-Katherine Legge and Sebastien Bourdais/Dragon Racing
19-James Jakes/Dale Coyne Racing
22-Oriol Servia/Panther + Dreyer & Reinbold
26-Marco Andretti/Andretti Autosport
27-James Hinchcliffe/Andretti Autosport
28-Ryan Hunter-Reay/Andretti Autosport
98-Alex Tagliani/Bryan Herta Autosport
ONE ENGINE LEFT
2-Ryan Briscoe/Team Penske
3-Helio Castroneves/Team Penske
8-Rubens Barrichello/KV Racing Technology
10-Dario Franchitti/Chip Ganassi Racing
11-Tony Kanaan/KV Racing Technology
12-Will Power/Team Penske
18-Justin Wilson/Dale Coyne Racing
20-Ed Carpenter/Ed Carpenter Racing
38-Graham Rahal/Chip Ganassi Racing
67-Josef Newgarden/Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
83-Charlie Kimball/Chip Ganassi Racing
ON ENGINE NO. 5
9-Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi Racing
14-Mike Conway/A.J. Foyt Racing
15-Takuma Sato/Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
77-Simon Pagenaud/Sam Schmidt Motorsports
78-Simona de Silvestro/HVM Racing
Obviously, you're better off having more fresh engines to help you, so teammates Hunter-Reay (second in points) and Hinchcliffe (fifth) should feel good going into this last stretch as each of them have two Chevy powerplants remaining. Meanwhile, points leader Power and Castroneves (fourth) of Team Penske each only have one Chevy remaining.
But those four drivers are all better off than Dixon, who only sits 15 points behind Power in third place but is on his final fresh Honda. Pagenaud is still in striking distance too at 40 points behind in sixth place, but he is also on his fifth Honda.
