IndyCar releases latest tease of 2018 car

INDIANAPOLIS -- A new era of racing is almost here. IndyCar released its latest tease of the 2018 Indy car Wednesday afternoon, sending out images of the new car in its superspeedway and road course/short oval configurations.

The reaction around the racing world has been much the same as it was after the first two releases: Excitement.

“I can’t wait to get on track testing at the end of the season,” Chip Ganassi Racing driver Charlie Kimball said of the new car. “I think the car is going to produce some really good racing. I think all of the metrics they’ve been looking at, they’ve been pleasantly surprised with the performance metrics and the feedback from the fans which is extremely important. So it’s nice to see the positive side of the development happening.”

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The 2018 car borrows upon design elements of bygone eras to create a retro chic look. The Verizon IndyCar Series still anticipates testing the car in mid-summer.

Next year, teams will be able to choose between Chevrolet and Honda engines, but all of the cars will sport the same body kit. The supplier of the kit has yet to be announced.

The initial concepts, which outline the bodywork that will cover the Dallara IR-12 chassis, were revealed in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The biggest difference between the new car and the current one will be that the new car's downforce will originate from the undercarriage instead of the wings on top, many of which are not part of the new car.  This change is designed not only to make the car look sleeker, but also to generate more passing, as drivers will have less turbulence to deal with when closing on other cars.

"I think it's really cool," Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said. "A lot of Indy 500 fans, especially Indy 500 fans who have been around for awhile, are going to think it's really sleek. It's a really cool look. I like the idea that the universal platform opens up the opportunity for the IndyCar Series to have conversations with other OEMs, which I think makes our sport better to the extent that we can add to Chevrolet and Honda in the field. I can't wait to see it. It looks really sleek. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, and I think our fans will enjoy it. And I know the drivers are excited about it." 

Follow IndyStar Motor Sports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter and Instagram: @jimayello