How loud are the IRL cars?
The IRL engines, unmuffled by turbochargers, are rather loud. At some tracks, such as Charlotte, the shape of the banking seems to contain and focus the sound to the point where it becomes painfully loud at times. If you’re at all concerned about your hearing, or have small children who are bothered by noise, take some ear protection as a precaution. (Foam ear plugs seem to be available at the concessions at most IRL events.) However, the IRL engine exhaust note is a very satisfying sound; not like a Stock car, but not “whiney” like a Formula 1 engine either; it’s a sound that is both heard and felt. The nearest analog I can make is a turboprop-engined aircraft.
