IndyCar in desperate need of new car

Paul Tracy didn't call the current IndyCar a Crapwagon for no reason.

Scott Dixon's qualifying run today at Motegi – 1m38.3918s
Joao Paulo Lima de Oliveira's Formula Nippon qualifying run from earlier this year – 1m35.012s

The slug they call the current IndyCar is over 3-seconds per lap slower. So what product is IndyCar selling? A main even series or a support series? Based on lap times it should be a support series to Formula Nippon