2012 Indy Lights Silly Season

[AFColt]

I'm just glad to see a semi-respectable car count at this point and some new teams.

Will probably be a couple years until we see the feeder system paying off at the Indy Lights level.

That's my hope. USF2000 and Star Mazda look very much improved this year in terms of count and talent. As the glass fills, Lights should be next.

[gottastayfly]

Maybe Gonzo's 5M could go to Indy Lights.. he'd easily have a ride here.

[Baigu]

That's my hope. USF2000 and Star Mazda look very much improved this year in terms of count and talent. As the glass fills, Lights should be next.

I don't think talent is the problem, I think it's teams & talented drivers not being able to find funding for Lights. Unless something changes, we will be saying the same thing next year.

[Miguel]

Charlie Muñoz will also be racing for Andretti Autosport this season. So that'll make two Columbians at that team.

Carlos Munoz to Pilot Andretti Autosport Entry for 2012 Firestone Indy Lights Season

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (March 19, 2012) - Andretti Autosport has signed Carlos Munoz, a Colombian native who will drive the No. 26 Dialy-Ser Firestone Indy Lights entry. The 2012 Indy Lights season begins Saturday at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

The 20-year-old began his motorsports career in karting in 2002. In 2007, he made his debut in single-seaters, racing in the Formula TR Pro Series. He took one podium in four races, ending the season in eighth place.

In 2008, Munoz participated in the Italian Formula Renault 2.0 and Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Championships, racing for
Prema Powerteam. The following season, Munoz competed in both the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup championships for Epsilon Euskadi. He finished eighth in the Eurocup standings, including a podium in the second race at the Nurburgring. In the West European Cup, he took seventh place in the championship, scoring two podium places.

In addition to Formula Renault, he has also competed inthe F3 Euroseries with Signature Team in 2010 and 2011.

For more information, please visit www.andrettiautosport.com.

Michael Andretti, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Andretti Autosport:
"We compete in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder to help develop young and talented people, and Carlos is the latest member of this development team. Having two entries in Firestone Indy Lights allows us to be a stronger contender for the championship and we are looking forward to having Carlos join our effort."

Carlos Munoz, Driver, Andretti Autosport Entry:
"I am really happy to be joining a team with such great history and to be working with the Andretti family. I think we can do a really good job and be successful this year. I know that Sebastian (Saavedra) and I will work well together as teammates. I am looking forward to joining everyone and excited to go to St. Pete to start the season."

I wonder where that leaves Stefan Wilson. I would be seriously disappointed if he is out of a ride this year.

[penskefan4ever]

Here's another one, on the indy lights driver page there's this: Darryl Wills Hillenburg Motorsports.

Found this on the team's facebook page:

Founded in 1993, Hillenburg Motorsports began as a hobby for owners Russell and Roy Hillenburg. Their passion began with dirt-track racing and evolved into SCCA road-racing in 2008.

Hillenburg Motorsports soon started a team with Darryl Wills as driver, quickly launching into record-setting statistics as two-time SCCA national champions while setting 7 track records in 2011 alone. At the end of 2011, they decided to pursue owning a professional team beyond that of the club level, with Darryl Wills as their driver.

Diamond level sponsor Tequila Distinguido joined the team quickly, thus further solidifying Hillenburg Motorsports as a serious contender in racecar ownership.

In November of 2011, two Indy Lights cars were purchased to run a full 2012 schedule, beginning in March of 2012.

[Wiz Khalifa]

where are the times?

[drdisque]

combined practice times from yesterday:

http://www.junioropenwheeltalent.com...r-test-result/

[High Banks]

so steph wilson not signed yet?

what happened to jacob wilson?

I think they both have fallen to the same $pon$orship shortages. It's a shame as they both were good on the ovals too.

[drdisque]

Apparently Duarte Ferreira wants to be a NASCAR driver now, but will also be doing 4 ovals in Indy Lights (link is in Portuguese).

http://www.f1mania.net/noticias/vernoticia.php?id=54515

[ptclaus98]

Apparently Stephan is still getting work in driving the two seaters. Saw him at their tent as the runs were ending.

[High Banks]

Apparently Stephan is still getting work in driving the two seaters. Saw him at their tent as the runs were ending.

Thats good to hear, his big brother sure had a tough time at Barber. I don't think we will see the other Wilson until Indy unless we take in sprint car race before then.

[dalz]

Here's another one, on the indy lights driver page there's this: Darryl Wills Hillenburg Motorsports.

I communicated with D-Dub this week. His micro-booze sponsor was looking to get into Indycar, but found the price prohibitive. After meeting Darryl and Russ at Sonoma last year, and watching Wills lay waste to everything Formula Mazda has to offer, they decided to put together a Lights program. The learning curve is vertical--Barber was the only pre-season day Darryl had in the car--and he's the most "seasoned" driver in the series, but look for them to improve. He also has a 360 sprint car that he competes in ASCS occasionally. A great owner/driver/wrench for many years at the club level.

[Altemus Prime]

Add Nick Andries to the list. The release is coming out sometime today but he announced on Facebook last night that he will be driving the Bryan Herta Autosport #28 Barracuda/Tbolt/Beyond Payroll at the Long Beach Grand Prix this weekend. He's also expecting to be at the oval test at Auto Club Speedway so that he can be cleared to race in the Freedom 100 next month.

[AFColt]

Great news on Andries. He was fun to watch in Star Mazda last year. He's got some talent, and I really hope he secures the ride for Indy, as well.

[GTRacer]

What is the price that most FIL teams charge for a one-off race weekend? I know the season is $700-$800K.

How about a USF2000 one-off weekend?

[drdisque]

I believe a one off in a Indy Lights car can be done for $65k-$80k (depending on the team and your talent of course) with an oval requiring more $ or more crash deposit of course.

USF2000 really depends on team and if you're running National Class or Championship Class, but I would guess in the range of $5k (maybe less) for a bare bones National class entry to $15k for a top Champ Class entry.

[richie]

And now you can add Olivia Newton-John's nephew to the Freedom 100 entry list: Emerson Newton-John. He will drive a second car for Fan Force United alongside Armaan Ebrahim.

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/...rs-Freedom-100

[drdisque]

Very odd decision here. Drove in the Australian drivers championship in 2001, finishing 5th (although it appears only 1 or 2 drivers competed full-time http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Au...7_Championship ), then made one NASCAR Truck start in 2002 and hasn't driven anything professional since. It appears he's been doing some tin-top club racing in the meantime. Racing Reference shows him as being 37 years old.

[GMCguy]

And now you can add Olivia Newton-John's nephew to the Freedom 100 entry list: Emerson Newton-John. He will drive a second car for Fan Force United alongside Armaan Ebrahim.

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/...rs-Freedom-100

This is absurd. Sometimes you gotta just say no. What is the criteria to compete? Bring a check and don't wreck in the rookie oval test? When is the rookie test ? A driver should have to obtain a set minimum total of points in the feeding series in order to compete in the next higher level.

[mcman7890]

Chase Austin is gonna be in the Freedom 100 with Juncos Racing.

[piercey]

Chase Austin is gonna be in the Freedom 100 with Juncos Racing.

Awesome news. It is going to be interesting to see what he does with that equipment.

[ARROWZ46]

Chase Austin is gonna be in the Freedom 100 with Juncos Racing.

Link?

Juncos has nothing on their website or Facebook page about Chase entered @IMS. Hope this is true & he has ties to the ex DHR stuff that Juncos bought.

[Todd Gack]

What is the criteria to compete?

I seriously don't think there is any.

How could there be, if guys like Rodin Younessi and Olivia Newton-John's 37 year old nephew are being allowed to "race"?

Indy is way too fast and dangerous to be farting around without any oval experience and without much racing ability. Hopefully we don't find out the hard way soon in one of these Lights races there.

Jason Priestley would probably also agree with me.

[mcman7890]

Link?

Juncos has nothing on their website or Facebook page about Chase entered @IMS. Hope this is true & he has ties to the ex DHR stuff that Juncos bought.

I jumped the guy slightly, beat out the official, but he IS testing with them at iowa.

The team will be testing @iowaspeedway tomorrow w/ @ChaseAustin111 ! #RoadtoIndy #indycar

from there twitter. I'm about 85% that he will be in that car for the 100.

[ARROWZ46]

Anders Krohn will be in a BHA car for the Freedom 100... PR coming later today.

Here it is:

http://www.indycar.com/News/2012/05-...or-Freedom-100

[piercey]

Anders Krohn will be in a BHA car for the Freedom 100... PR coming later today.

Here it is:

http://www.indycar.com/News/2012/05-...or-Freedom-100

Go Viking!

[OrdinaryRaceFan]

Anders Krohn said on the Freedom 100 radio feed that he's hoping to do a few more races in 2012, and then come back full time in 2013.

[Miguel]

Well, this separation of Ebrahim and Fan Force United should come as no surprise to anyone...

Hope they will stick a proper racer in the car for the next rounds.

[piercey]

Hope they will stick a proper racer in the car for the next rounds.

How about Bryan Clauson?

https://www.facebook.com/fanforceuni...33112720097928

[D Byrd]

Fan Force United is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with USAC standout and newly minted Indy 500 veteran, Bryan Clauson, to pilot its #24 Fan Force United machine in the upcoming Firestone Indy Lights race that is part of the Milwaukee IndyFest weekend (Friday evening, June 15th), as well as the Sukup 100 Firestone Indy Lights race at the Iowa Speedway (Saturday evening, June 23rd).

Bryan is making a return to the Firestone Indy Lights series, where he competed in six events in 2011, scoring four top five finishes. Coincidentally, Bryan’s two best finishes in the series came at Milwaukee and Iowa, where he scored 4th and 3rd place finishes. Milwaukee and Iowa saw Bryan pulling “triple duty” in 2011, as he engaged in Indy Lights, USAC Silver Crown, and USAC Midget competition. Speaking of Iowa Speedway, Bryan dubbed it “one of my favorite tracks,” as he not only scored his best Indy Lights finish there, but it is also the site of one of his most satisfying USAC Sprint car victories.

Next weekend’s Milwaukee race comes in the middle of “Indiana Midget Week,” so Bryan has made the difficult decision to skip the Friday night race at Bloomington Speedway in order to be able to compete in Milwaukee. However, in the two days prior and the two days following the Milwaukee Indy Lights race, Bryan will be going USAC Midget racing at Gas City, Putnamville, Lawrenceburg, and Kokomo. This weekend, Bryan is competing in the USAC Sprint Car series “Eastern Storm Tour,” and has scored victories at New Egypt Speedway and Grandview Speedway.

Offering his thoughts on this opportunity coming to him in the wake of his first run at the Indy 500, Bryan insisted that this is “a giant step forward. To be hired to race at the Indy level, whether in Lights or the big cars, is really exciting. Last year in Lights, and this year at Indy, I was able to use my USAC Road to Indy scholarship funds to get myself in a seat. For these races, Fan Force United came to me and asked if I wanted to do this with them. So not only is Fan Force United giving me a chance to drive for them at two tracks that are a lot of fun to race, they are also doing it as an investment in me, which is a really great feeling.”

Bryan added to his thoughts, saying “I’ve known Tyce (Fan Force United co-owner, Tyce Carlson) for a long time. Since he came up racing the same way I did before he got to Indy, I’ve always kept an eye on his program. Everybody that really pays attention to these types of things, knows that they always put together a qualify effort. What those guys did at Indy this year was not lost on people. Given some really challenging circumstances, they did a fantastic job. Plus I get to work with Tim Wardrop (Fan Force United’s chief engineer and director of competition). Tim’s an Indy legend in his own right and I’ve always heard great things about him. There is so much to learn about this type of racing, and I hope to learn a lot from him. I feel like it certainly gives me a better shot at doing some winning along the way.”

“It’s great to be able to give somebody like Bryan another shot to continue his development,” said Tyce Carlson. “We’re excited that he was available and we’re pretty pumped to be able to hop on the BC bandwagon.” Sharing his partner’s enthusiasm, co-owner Chris Williams added: “We hope to be the beneficiaries of Bryan’s Indy Lights and Indy 500 experience, and that we are able to see a repeat performance of the great runs that he had at these tracks last year – maybe even a few spots better.” Scott Williamson, the third principal of Fan Force United, contributed his own thoughts, saying “This is a time of transition for the team, and it’s great to be able to go through it with a driver like Bryan, whose record of success everywhere he’s gone absolutely speaks for itself. We can’t wait to see what he can do, and we’re looking forward to seeing the #24 near the front of the field. Hopefully we’ll give our Fan Force a reason to bring and ring those cowbells the next couple of weekends.”