Dallara and G Force, the chassis manufacturers participating in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series, offer chassis update kits to teams who wish to update 2000-model chassis to 2001 safety standards and performance capabilities.
Safety comes first.
A collapsible steering shaft and a rear-wing retaining system are two new safety features implemented in the 2001 update kit for both chassis. The new steering shaft collapses between 1.5 and 2 inches during a frontal impact, providing shock absorption. Each manufacturer also made specific changes to the aerodynamics of their respective chassis for the update kits. The major changes in the G Force update kit are longer sidepods and underwing refinements, Casey said. The longer sidepods enhance driver safety by providing a larger crushable structure in case of impact.