Downforce to Compensate for Forecast High Temps at MAVTV 500

The superspeedway aerodynamic configuration for the MAVTV 500 on June 27 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., will remain as written in the Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook.

The rear wing mainplane angle must be set between 0 degrees and -10.5 degrees for the 250-lap race on the 2-mile, D-shaped oval with 14 degrees of banking in the turns. It was -6 degrees to -10.5 degrees for the race June 6 on the 1.5-mile, high-banked Texas Motor Speedway oval.

Six degrees more rear wing, even without a wicker that is unapproved for the event, will add about 300 pounds of downforce to compensate for the forecast 90-degree afternoon ambient and higher track temperatures. The past three Verizon IndyCar Series races at the track have been contested under the lights.

"We looked at the downforce increase that we had at Texas and saw marginal improvement in the degradation from the tires," INDYCAR vice president of technology Will Phillips said. "Fontana is a little different in that it doesn't have the tire degradation that Texas did when you go through the stats from 2014, so it's just the challenge to drive the track, which is why it will have more downforce in the heat of the day."

A sidewall or trimmed sidewall added to the underwing are among the aero kit-approved options. Front and aft rear wheel guard closure panels that were added for the Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway will remain part of the aero platform.