Expectantly awaiting Dallara Chassis delivery

Dallara will deliver the first 15 of these hideous looking things this week

Dec. 15 will be a preview of Christmas Day with 15 IZOD IndyCar Series teams taking delivery of a corresponding number of Dallara DW12 chassis.

The second batch of the next-generation car for entrants, again totaling 15, will be ready for pick-up by Jan. 16. Team testing commences in mid-January with their aligned engine manufacturers. Open Tests will be announced soon, and the 2012 season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is March 25.

The universal chassis were shipped from Dallara Automobili's facility in Parma, Italy, to its temporary building in Speedway, Ind. — across the street from its new technology center.

Dallara plans to move into the 112,000-square-foot facility on Main Street in January. Ground was broken in November 2010 for the headquarters, which also will house the Indy Racing Experience, a large interactive display component that will be open to the public and a cafe. An autoclave is being installed, and painters are putting the finishing touches on walls and railings before carpet installers take over.

For the immediate future, the monocoque will continue to be produced in Italy. Supplementary items, including aerodynamic updates to the bodywork of the universal chassis, will be produced in the U.S. for quick dispersal to teams.

"The main production of bodywork, the suspension and the cable work is being done in the United States," according to Dallara USA CEO and General Manager Sefano dePonti. "We are up to speed to produce all the fabricator items and with quality control.

"It is a step-by-step process to get up to speed with the composite shop, with all the equipment coming and then we need to put in place the extra people we hire. When Italy decides we can walk with our own legs, we can start to do more things here."

Dallara was awarded the project in July 2010 partly because of its commitment to build a technology center in Indiana, working with U.S. vendors and hiring skilled labor from the States.

"Immediately after being awarded the new car, we were 'go' with program," de Ponti said. "Everything was prepared on date and schedule. We had to start from scratch to put everything in place. If I go back to March I could say I don’t know how we were really able to do it. It was almost a miracle. From the outside, the perception is different. From inside, I think it’s been a good process. We’re grateful for the support we’ve had and proud of what we’ve done so far." IndyCar.com