IRL announces rules changes for 2007
In addition to its switch to 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol, a motorsports first, IndyCar Series officials announced several technical and administrative changes to the rules that will govern the 2007 IndyCar Series season.
“Though they are not dramatic, the changes made for 2007 are necessary as our drivers and teams face the most diverse schedule in racing," said Les Mactaggart, senior technical director for the Indy Racing League, sanctioning body for the IndyCar Series. “The changes will enhance an already extremely competitive race product."
Several technical changes have been made in an effort to further contain costs and increase the safety of IndyCar Series cars.
The changes include:
 An increase in the displacement of the Honda Indy V-8 engine to 3.5 liters, which will increase low-end torque for short ovals and road courses.
 A reduction in the capacity of the fuel cell to 22 gallons, to correspond with improved fuel mileage associated with the change to 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol.
 The addition of a rear-mounted safety light for all events. The light, which will be mounted on the attenuator, will function as a safety light on at all events and will be controlled by race control. It will additionally serve a rain light on road courses.
 On short ovals and road courses, IndyCar Series teams may use any wing angle on the front wing main plane between negative five (-5) and five (+5) degrees.
In addition, several administrative changes have been made to race event weekends. They include:
 Final practice sessions have been eliminated at all oval events but in order to maintain on-track time pre-qualifying sessions have been extended by 15 minutes.
 If qualifications are cancelled, IndyCar Series officials will set the starting lineup by entrant points.
 IndyCar Series officials, in their discretion, will determine the rookie status of any driver. Drivers who have been rookies in prior seasons may maintain retain rookie status independent of number of races started.
The 2007 IndyCar Series season begins under the lights, an IndyCar Series first, with the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 24. The race will be telecast live by ESPN2 at 8 p.m. (EST) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network. A Spanish-language telecast of the race will be carried by ESPN Deportes. The IMS Radio Network broadcast also is carried on XM Satellite Radio and www.indycar.com. The sixth season of Indy Pro Series competition begins with the Homestead-Miami 100 on March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be telecast on at 5 p.m. (EST) on March 28 by ESPN2.