2011 Indy Lights season

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

Yep. The Lights ride was paid for (at least in part) for winning Star Mazda, so why not? I think Daly, or his father, or his managers, or whomever, is probably aware that while he may be talented, he's not really at the F1 level, and it's important not to disappear from the INDYCAR ladder when, whether he wants it to or not, his career is likely heading there.

I'm not so sure that the irl would be his future. I think they are open to all options, but when his dad talked to all the irl teams, all they want is money, what your actual skills are pretty meaningless anymore. They came away disappointed. But they get what the deal is, they know american open wheel racing is near dead.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I'm not so sure that the irl would be his future. I think they are open to all options, but when his dad talked to all the irl teams, all they want is money, what your actual skills are pretty meaningless anymore. They came away disappointed. But they get what the deal is, they know american open wheel racing is near dead.

If he doesn't make it in F1, INDYCAR will be his most likely destination. The chances of him making it in F1 are, in my opinion, not very high. He'll need even more money to get into Formula One, because while he may be good, he's not enough of a stand-out to get one of the few merit seats there. He's covering his bases running FILS, and I think that's wise, because I just don't think he's quite at the F1 level of potential.

[marcostraz]

As well as the confirmed drivers, also the following drivers are testing at Barber:

Peter Dempsey - O2 Racing Technology
Duarte Ferreira - Bryan Herta Autosport
Stefan Wilson - Andretti Autosport
Philip Major - Andretti Autosport

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I'm not so sure that the irl would be his future. I think they are open to all options, but when his dad talked to all the irl teams, all they want is money, what your actual skills are pretty meaningless anymore. They came away disappointed. But they get what the deal is, they know american open wheel racing is near dead.

He says, as the field is the strongest AOWR has seen since the split.

[marcostraz]

Stefan Wilson joins Andretti Autosport:
http://www.junioropenwheeltalent.com...tti-autosport/

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

He says, as the field is the strongest AOWR has seen since the split.

You have got to be joking

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

You have got to be joking

Name one stronger.

[gomick]

Josef Newgarden wins the season opener from Conor Daly. Think it was a Sam Schmidt clean sweep of the podium

STANDINGS (after 1 of 12)

Josef Newgarden - 52
Conor Daly - 40
Peter Dempsey - 35
David Ostella - 32
Anders Krohn - 30
Esteban Guerrieri - 29
Mikael Grenier - 26
Duarte Ferreira - 24
Victor Carbone - 22
James Winslow - 20

[ptclaus98]

It wasn't, Dempsey drives for another team.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

Name one stronger.

First... five years of CART? Until Penske went away.

[kylekosir]

Alex Ellis that did a race last season, has won the scholarship to race F2 in Europe. He wanted to race in Indy lights but fell short of family funds.
Either way he Can't afford either.

He wants to either race Indy lights, Star Mazda, or F2

[NaBUru38]

Results at Barber:

1. VÃ*ctor GarcÃ*a (Moore)
2. Stefan Wilson (Andretti)
3. Peter Dempsey (O2)
4. Jorge Goncalvez (Belardi)
5. Mikaël Grenier (O2)
6. Josef Newgarden (Schmidt)
7. Duarte Ferreira (Herta)
8. Juan Pablo GarcÃ*a (Jensen)
9. Anders Krohn (Belardi)
10. James Winslow (Andretti)
11. Conor Daly (Schmidt)
12. Gustavo Yacamán (Moore)
13. David Ostella (Jensen)
14. Victor Carbone (Schmidt)
15. Esteban Guerrieri (Schmidt)

Standings after 2 races:

1. Josef Newgarden (Schmidt), 80
2. Peter Dempsey (O2), 70
3. VÃ*ctor GarcÃ*a (Moore), 68
4. Conor Daly (Schmidt), 59
5. Mikaël Grenier (O2), 56

Long Beach is next weekend.

[NaBUru38]

Results at Long Beach:

1. Conor Daly (Schmidt), 109
2. Esteban Guerrieri (Schmidt), 85
3. Stefan Wilson (Andretti), 89
4. Gustavo Yacamán (Moore), 66
5. James Winslow (Andretti), 70
6. Victor Carbone (Schmidt), 66
7. Mikaël Grenier (O2), 82
8. Anders Krohn (Belardi), 76
9. David Ostella (Jensen), 71
10. Jorge Goncalvez (Belardi), 71
11. Rusty Mitchell (E), 19
12. VÃ*ctor GarcÃ*a (Moore), 86
13. Josef Newgarden (Schmidt), 99
14. Duarte Ferreira (Herta), 66
15. Juan Pablo GarcÃ*a (Jensen), 57
16. Ryan Phinny (Brooks), 14
17. Peter Dempsey (O2), 83

17 cars, not too bad for now.

Standings after 3 races:

1. Conor Daly (Schmidt), 109
2. Josef Newgarden (Schmidt), 99
3. Stefan Wilson (Andretti), 89
4. VÃ*ctor GarcÃ*a (Moore), 86
5. Esteban Guerrieri (Schmidt), 85
6. Peter Dempsey (O2), 83
7. Mikaël Grenier (O2), 82
8. Anders Krohn (Belardi), 76
9. David Ostella (Jensen), 71
10. Jorge Goncalvez (Belardi), 71
11. James Winslow (Andretti), 70
12. Gustavo Yacamán (Moore), 66
13. Victor Carbone (Schmidt), 66
14. Duarte Ferreira (Herta), 66
15. Juan Pablo GarcÃ*a (Jensen), 57
16. Rusty Mitchell (E), 19
18. Ryan Phinny (Brooks), 14

The non-oval season is over. The Freedom 100 is on May 28 at the Speedway.

[Belatti]

Does the Schmidt cars have an edge or just Daly and Guerrieri are better drivers? Or both?

[ff1600]

In my opinion the Schmidt cars are by far the strongest package. I wouldnt rate Daly as the strongest driver, as his results in GP3 show. I think Dempsey is an outstanding driver who is putting in star performances in an average car.

Its going to be a really tight championship but ultimately its between three drivers Dempsey, Guerrieri, Newgarden.

[marcostraz]

Originally Posted by ff1600

Its going to be a really tight championship but ultimately its between three drivers Dempsey, Guerrieri, Newgarden.

Maybe Wilson too...

[ptclaus98]

I don't think I'd call O2 hopeless or anything, they are the remnants of Genoa Racing, which was a decent outfit.

[JasonZBell]

Originally Posted by kylekosir

Alex Ellis that did a race last season, has won the scholarship to race F2 in Europe. He wanted to race in Indy lights but fell short of family funds.
Either way he Can't afford either.

He wants to either race Indy lights, Star Mazda, or F2

Alex is a prime example of the perils these drivers face when it comes to funding. I've spoken with him a few times about it and between school and racing, he is unsure of his future in motorsports. Obviously, if funding were to come along, he would progress, but that is something so many drivers are facing even more than usual nowadays. Alex is a great talent and it would be such a waste if he didn't get a ride in the upper levels of open wheel racing.

-Jason

[JasonZBell]

I wish Connor De Phillippi were running Indy Lights this year so we all could see the top U.S. open wheel talent in Daly, Newgarden and De Phillippi battle it out! Of course with Daly only running the road course/street circuits, it wouldn't be a full season, but it would be fine to see these guys dice it up together. If you guys recall a few years back, these three went over to Silverstone and each won prestigious races over there in Formula Ford, including the Walter Hayes Memorial trophy! Throw Dempsey into the mix and you have fireworks!

-Jason

[Jacques Rabbit]

The Firestone Freedom 100 is tomorrow, if anyone cares (and with the level of activity in this thread, I guess not ).

Bryan Clauson makes his debut from the first grid position as rain cancelled qualifying. That makes it a sweep of the top starting spot for SSM cars numbered 77. Clauson in FILS is huge for the sport, so it would be really cool if he could keep it up front and prove the short-trackers of the world can get it done and that the grassroots path to the top shall not be overlooked.

12:30 Eastern Time on VERSUS tomorrow if you can watch.

[icemachine]

Guess they won't stream it on indycar.com, a shame since that's the only way I could catch a bit of it on my lunch

[jondownunder]

Race highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW7gUYxbfoQ

There was a huge crash for Goncalvez:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMY2od5R7kA

[gomick]

Just watched the race, was entertaining - huge crash by Goncalvez...

Standings

[NaBUru38]

Legendary auto racing announcer Carlos Alberto Legnani and his son were broadcasting the race live for Argentine radio network Rivadavia. Guerrieri's second place at Indianapolis got several headlines, at least at websites. On Monday I'll tell you if that won over Turismo Carretera at Buenos Aires and the Rally Argentina at Córdoba on magazine frontpages. Mainstream websites are obviously covering today Argentine football, Messi's Champions League win and politics.

[racer69]

I wached this race from the exit of turn 1, which as it turned out was where all the action was unfortunatly...

It was good racing, if abit "NASCAR-ish" with all the pack racing.

James Winslow was of particular interest to me given his racing down in Australia, unfortunatly he got caught up in one of the accidents