New-look IndyCars finalized; no show and tell yet

The new IndyCar bodywork kits designed by Chevrolet and Honda for their respective teams this season have been finalized and submitted for review, but fans must wait to see the finished products.

That's the word Monday from IndyCar President Derrick Walker, who said it's up to the manufacturers to decide when to showcase their work.

"Our wish is that they'll come out with a release pretty soon so we can get the fans seeing something," Walker told The Star. "We're waiting for them to confirm (how) to release."

All testing so far has been top secret, with only team members and league officials present. Almost no photographs have surfaced.

The bodywork kits include the wings, side pods and other parts that make up the skin of the core Dallara-built chassis. IndyCar allowed Chevrolet and Honda the freedom to give their cars their own identity, hopefully to create more brand competition in the sport.

The plan to differentiate the look of the cars was initially unveiled in July 2010 under the leadership of then-CEO Randy Bernard.

The final bodywork specifications were due to the league office in Indianapolis on Monday, and Walker said both manufacturers met the deadline.

In the coming weeks, Walker said, league officials will review the plans for safety and to make sure designs fit within the rules. If no changes are required by IndyCar, each manufacturer will go into full production with teams taking delivery by March 1.

The first full-scale open test will be March 16-17 at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.

Although the IndyCar season officially begins March 8 with a race in Brasilia, Brazil, the cars with the new bodywork kits will debut with the March 29 race in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Walker said the two designs are different enough, especially in road course configuration, but they carry many similarities.

"Given that most of the car has to be the same, it will be tough to make that big of a change where you'll say, 'Ooh, there's (a Chevrolet or a Honda),'" he said. "In certain configurations you'll see one has a lot more widgets than the other one.

"They've all gone about to gain more from basically a spec car. Had we given them a clean sheet of paper to play with, we probably would have seen a lot more radical design changes, but that's out of our reach financially at this point."

Follow Curt Cavin on Twitter at @curtcavin.