No American Drivers?

[ASRF1000]

Right now, it looks like there are no American drivers in Indy Lights this year. What's up with that? Is there a kink in the Road to Indy?

[Jnovak]

Americans will not spend enough to get the rides.

Thanks ... Jay Novak

[Dennis Valet]

seems like most of them end up in GT/Prototype racing

[Fred Michael]

Jay, it's not that they won't spend enough, it's that they cannot FIND enough sponsor dollars.

[a. pettipas]

There's a detour through South America

[Jnovak]

Jay, it's not that they won't spend enough, it's that they cannot FIND enough sponsor dollars.

Thats what I actually meant Fred. They can't spend enough because they can't get any sponsors. Plenty of sponsors in SA. Wonder why?

Thanks ... Jay Novak

[a. pettipas]

Chavez petro $$$

[Ty_Handke_83]

What's the going rate for a full Lights season now anyways?

Still hovering around the 1M mark? Or has it gone up with nothing else as an option.

[ASRF1000]

Still hovering around the $1M mark.

[Amon]

What's the annual cost for series just a step or two down the ladder from Indy Lights?

[Christopher Crowe]

Well, if not now, very soon -- and largely do to the efforts of Jon Lewis and a few others -- that will be the cost of a season in pro F1000!

[S Lathrop]

The lack of American drivers may say a lot about the series that are touted as training the drivers for Indy Lights.

The Indy Lights may be a "spec. car" but the setups are not spec. and many of the drivers coming to Indy lights do not have enough experience or skill at doing setups. After all, it is the setup that mates the driver to his car.

As an example, Indy Lights have spec. shocks. But there are about 576 possible settings for a single shock. There are 4 shocks per car. If you assume that shock settings for the front are the same side to side and the rear are the same, then you have over 300,000 possible combinations to try and make your driver go fast. I have personally used springs from 800#/in to 3500 #/in in 100 increments over the years I have worked with the Dallara. You can do all the computer work in the world but people drive these cars, not computers and at some point it is up to the driver to make the calls that really gives him the fast car.

A driver learn setups in lower classes and develops those skills as he advances up the ladder.

The money that supports these drivers is looking for the best bet on the talent available. And the money is looking for quick returns.

F1000 may start to solve the problem.

[protoform]

that it always comes down to money. I guess that is what makes the world go round.:{

[Ty_Handke_83]

What's the annual cost for series just a step or two down the ladder from Indy Lights?

Back a "few" years ago when I was shopping around. And these were starting numbers, not including testing or anything like that.

FBMW - 350-425k (Glorified go-kart, now defunct)
Star Mazda - 365-390K (Alright car, still plugging along)
FRenault 2.0 - 200-250K (Fun little car to flog, gone)
FR V6 - 500-650K (Best bang for the buck, too bad it never even started the series... seemed too cheep actually)
Atlantics - 750K-1M (Amazing car... gone unfortunately... Hopefully it can be brought back to life)
Lights - 950K-1.25Mil (meh, quite un-interesting, brick on wheels compared to FA and V6 Cars)

No idea what the US-F2000 costs, but I can't see it being that cheap...

[jim morgan]

Put the protracted devaluation of the dollar together with the broken ladder to Indy up against the black hole of sponsorship that is Nascar and you have the answer.

[Amon]

Jim,

There were 13 "Start & Parks" at several of this season's Nationwide races which
indicates that even Nascar's lower ranks have been effected by the economy.

Mark

[Darryl Wills]

in the Indy Lights. Troy Castaneda and myself. I don't know if Troy has the funding for the entire season but we do. Many of you know that I come from club racing and have had good success in Formula Mazda and that I am no spring chicken. This series is great and the learning curve is incredibly steep. I had one test before the season started so you can imagine the catch up game our team is playing. The goal is to get better each race and with Stephan Wilson as my driving coach we are obtaining it. We were 9th fastest in the race with an 11th placing. I learned to left foot brake 2 months ago, I have had to learn how to roll a car into the turns, I have had to get used to communicating with an engineer, I have never raced a street course, I am getting used to the rapid pace these guys lay down from the start and I have to quit spinning the damn thing during the race...UGH! But this is a dream conclusion to a 37 year racing career and I appreciate everyone's support that has stopped by the trailer or posted on my Facebook.

Cheers,
Darryl Wills

[Cole Morgan]

Average USF2000 budget is $25k a weekend.

[ASRF1000]

I'm hearing $200-250 for USF2000 Championship class and around $180 for national class.

Under $100,000 for F1000

[HazelNut]

The money that supports these drivers is looking for the best bet on the talent available. And the money is looking for quick returns.

i beg to differ. the money that supports these drivers (assuming it isn't a rich daddie's pocket change) comes from companies and they need to move product. If they driver and program can't help them sell and offer significant ROI for their marketing dollars they won't get dollar 1. Just look at Danica. Companies are throwing money at her and she's entirely mediocre.

[HazelNut]

The money that supports these drivers is looking for the best bet on the talent available. And the money is looking for quick returns.

actually i suppose i misspoke a bit. "talent" could include helping sell stuff. so in that regard yes sponsors would be looking for the best talent they could find.

[Darryl Wills]

to be at the right place at the right time. I won both races at the Indy FCC Infineon race and the NASA and SCCA National Championship all within a month under the watchful eye of an investor in a new Tequila offering. They were looking for a way to increase product awareness and the Indycar series interested them but not the 6 million dollar price tag. The Indy Lights runs about 600K to 800K depending on the price of the car and crash damage. They thought this was a bargain and our team is helping them reach their goals through interaction with distributors in various markets. We hope to use this model to continue in Indy Lights as I migrate from driver to manager in the coming years.

[Darryl Wills]

is that the Indycar series and the Mazda Road to Indy is viable and working. There are some fast young kids in the ladder system and I already have my eye on some Americans that I think are the total package. If you guys make it to a race, notice the fitness level and the presentation of the Star Mazda and F2000 drivers. These drivers know how to read data, they stay in tuned to sector splits, active in track walks, attend each summit and/or driver's meetings offered by IndyCar and are dedicated to making it to IndyCar. Real exciting.....

[S Lathrop]

actually i suppose i misspoke a bit. "talent" could include helping sell stuff. so in that regard yes sponsors would be looking for the best talent they could find.

I made this remark based on my observations as an engineer in Indy Lights for nearly 2 decades. I certainly could be miss reading what I have seen.

[ASRF1000]

The Mazda road to indy has its benefits for sure. But spec racing also has its draw backs. It is not the only road to open-wheel success. There are other alternatives that offer drivers and engineers a greater exposure to changes that can better prepares them for upper levels of the sport at much less cost.

One main draw back in the lower levels of the road to indy is the cost. $250K to run F2000 is a rediculous amount at that level. Sure the racing is good, the events are great, but the exposure value (outside of event spectatorship) is poor. A hour long highlight show can only expose the top three effectively. And as far as prizes, only the champion gets any type of prize that's worth the expense.

Is the Mazda road to indy viable? Yes, of course, but it's not the only road to a career in motorsports.

[Darryl Wills]

There is more than one path to Indy and I truly hope you can grow your series to a recognition level as such. USAC is another avenue available to make it to Indy. If a driver can entice a corporation to enter into one of the lower levels with some support and build a relationship with them then a show of domination may lead to something bigger. I tell all young drivers that I work with or just give advice to that their main focus is to win whatever series they are competing in....You never know when you are auditioning...

[dalz]

Great to see you out there D-Dub. I can only imagine the step up this is. Like you said, you're there because someone liked the way you cleaned up in your FM. I'm sure the results will keep looking up. Looking foward to the ovals?