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INDY 500.

A look at some of the elements of Sunday`s race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

– Pit regulations: A maximum of six crew members, not including the driver, are permitted over the pit wall to service a car during events. If a driver overshoots his pit, his car may be pushed back into the pit unless such action would cause a dangerous condition and provided the driver has not passed his pit area by more than one pit. In that case, the car must continue for another lap unless such action would be dangerous to the driver or other competitors. A penalty will be assessed to any car entering or leaving its assigned pit area before it is free of all hoses and tools. A penalty will also be assessed to any car which drives over such hoses with either of its rear wheels upon entering or leaving the pit area.

– 1989 Indy cars: Maximum measurements are 184 inches in length, 78.5 inches in width and 32 inches in height (excluding roll bars and rear wings). The car must weigh 1,550 pounds, including coolant and lubricant (1,475 pound for non-turbocharged engine cars).

– Indy car costs: An Indy car rolling chassis costs $200,000. A rolling chassis is a race car with a suspension and steering system, but no engine. Engines generally cost $60,000-$80,000 each. Most engines are rebuilt and used again after an event at an average cost of $10,000-$12,000. Competitive Indy car teams start a season with 8-10 engines per race car. Other items to be added include fuel pump, turbocharger, exhaust manifold and waste gates

(controls turbocharger) and electronics. These things vary in price. Tires, manufactured by Goodyear, cost $600-$700 for a set of four. Depending on the event, a team may use 28-44 tires in a weekend.

– The Indianapolis Motor Speedway: The track is a 2.5-mile asphalt oval, lapped 200 times during the Indianapolis 500. Turns are banked nine degrees. The track was built in 1909 by a group of Indianapolis businessmen. It was purchased in 1945 by Tony Hulman and remains in the hands of the Hulman family today.

(Diagram of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway showing) Old main gate, Turn 1, Bump, START/FINISH, Grandstands, Main straightaway, Turn 4, Turn 3, Turn 2,Bump, Grandstands, Short chute, Tunnel, Main gate, Tunnel, Gasoline Alley, Track, Slow lane, Fast lane, Pit area, Pylon scoring tower,

A routine pit stop

:01 After the race car comes to a stop in front of a crew-held placement sign, on-board hydraulic jacks are triggered by compressed air.

:02 Three or four crew members jump from behind the wall to begin changing tires. A plastic squeeze bottle of refreshment is handed to the driver.

:03 Remaining crew members move in to begin refueling.

:04 Two fuel hoses are attached to the car–one on the side for the fill area and one on top for spillover. Any unused fuel is pumped back into the fuel tank behind the pit wall to avoid fires.

:05 Single lug nuts holding each wheel in place are removed with high-power wrenches.

:06 Three tires, weighing approximately 40 pounds each, are removed. The inside front tire usually receives less wear so is changed only when necessary.

:07 Bare hubs are covered with new tires instantly.

:08 To tighten new wheels onto the hubs, impact wrenches are reversed with the flick of a switch.

:09 Fuel crew members finish filling the 40-gallon fuel cell. Other crew members clear debris from air intakes in the sidepods, which house the radiator and oil cooling system, one on each side.

:10 The crew disconnects the fuel hose from the fuel coupler, automatically resealing the fuel cell.

:11 Fuel hoses are handed to crew members behind the pit wall as tire-changers gather any loose equipment.

:12 Crew members quickly haul everything they can hold over the pit wall. Materials left behind can result in the car being penalized.

:13 Two fuel crew members move toward the rear of the car in anticipation of pushing it out of the pits.

:14 Other crew members take their places behind the car, waiting for the crew-held ”Stop” sign in front of the car to be lifted.

:15 A last check is made for equipment and debris. The driver tosses his refreshment bottle back over the wall.

:16 With a push from the crew, the driver maneuvers the car onto Pit Road and roars back onto the track.

– Four-time winners at Indy: Only two drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 four times–A.J. Foyt (1961, `64, `67 and `77) and Al Unser (1970, `71,

`78 and `87).

Closeup of typical pit stop

(Drawings of track and race car and driver and crew members.)

Chicago Tribune Graphic by Tim Williams and Annette Ney Meade; Source: CART.