Indy 500 1990 Era

In the early 1990s, Indy 500 cars were lightweight, single‑seat open‑wheel racers built for extreme speed. They ran on methanol with 2.65‑liter turbocharged V‑8 engines from Ilmor‑Chevrolet, Ford‑Cosworth, Mercedes, or Honda. Chassis from Penske, Lola, and Reynard focused on balancing top speed with cornering grip. Aerodynamics were aggressive, with long noses, sculpted sidepods, and large rear wings. Average lap speeds exceeded 220 mph. Notable cars included the Penske PC‑22 and PC‑23, the latter using a special Mercedes pushrod engine in 1994 to dominate the race. Smaller teams ran Lola or Reynard chassis chasing the same performance edge. The distinctive feature of this model is that it is entirely made of metal, with the rear spoiler made of plastic. The weight of these Indy 500 cars is higher than that of standard Micro Machines.