3
Sam Garrett which is your position and
your role at Dallara, and how do you
operate?
“
For fourteen years, 1997-2011, I was an
independent contractor to Dallara, serving
as the technical representative in the US
and dealing on a day to day basis with the
IndyCar Series and teams. Early last year I
became the first employee of the new US
company, Dallara LLC. My current title is
Quality Control Leader and Technical
Liaison Leader. I have maintained my role
as the primary technical liaison with the
teams, and added the responsibility for
overseeing the Quality Control department
for the US operation”.
Which is the toughest part of your job?
Could you tell us about a very difficult
case you had to face?
“
The most difficult part for me is the
political aspect of being the sole supplier
for the chassis. As an engineer, it is
relatively straightforward to identify and
solve problems with the physical parts. But
dealing with the conflicting interests of the
teams is a real challenge.
When supplying a car in a series with
chassis competition, the goal is clear-
deliver the fastest car. In a series without
chassis competition, the goals are
more complicated. From the
series perspective, it is essential that we
deliver the same high quality chassis, parts
and service to each team.
In reality, however, what each team
actually wants is a car that is skewed to
their particular individual interests, and the
freedom to modify it at their discretion.
Consider the situation with the new IR12.
INDYCAR, taking input from the team
owners and fans, formulated the concept
of the single rolling chassis and the option
for body kits. Dallara agreed to the concept
and delivered the new cars on time, at the
agreed price. The cars ran, from day one,
without any significant mechanical
problems. And the on-track competition has
been heralded as the best in many years.
And yet, the teams are more vocal than
ever with complaints that they are
unreasonably handicapped by the rules.
Trying to balance these diverse, conflicting
demands is by far the most stressful part of
the job”.
Looking at Italy from the US: can
you pick Dallara’s
strongest weapons
as worldwide
racing car manufacturer?
Dallara’s wide range of projects, in multiple
racing series around the world, and a
strong partnership with the major
automobile manufacturers in the design
and development of ultra-high
performance road vehicles, give the
company the experience and knowledge to
take on any challenge. The constant
reinvestment in technology gives us the
tools we need to be successful. And the
skills of our management team, knowing
which jobs to accept and which ones to
avoid, keep us on sound financial footing.
It’s the combination of
all these things that
make us strong”.
➔
