2009 Indy Lights Silly Season Thread

[JOWT Blog]

Originally Posted by jondownunder

Sean Guthrie confirmed at Guthrie Meyer Racing:
http://www.crash.net/motorsport/indy...rie_meyer.html

That one's not a huge surprise.....

Genoa Racing recently tested Richard Philippe.

[JOWT Blog]

Palm Beach International Raceway has announced a "Indy Lights Rookie Challenge", where aspiring Indy Lights drivers have a shot at a funded ride for 2009. Each driver participating will be evaluated while they log 150 miles on the Palm Beach Road Course as well as 150 miles on the Homestead-Miami Oval. Here's the catch: Entry is $35,000 USD.

I really like the idea, I'm just worried about how the event will be judged and what this will do to a underfunded driver's already-limited budget....should they fail to secure the funded ride. It will be real interesting to see what kind of turnout PBIR will get....

[Allan Craighead]

For $35K the Indy Lights Rookie Challenge is pretty good bang for your buck, as you get bunch of testing. I believe a full-test in an Indy Lights car runs around $20K anyways, so the shot at a funded ride makes it worthwhile in my books. As previously said the only real concern is how it will be judged. Will it be solely based on speed or are here other factors involved? In any case, will be interesting to see who takes part and who gets the ride.

Cheers,

Al.

[nic.v814]

Does anyone know if johnny reid is racing in the championship this year

[JOWT Blog]

Originally Posted by nic.v814

Does anyone know if johnny reid is racing in the championship this year

I haven't heard anything official yet, but I know he is working on putting together another program in the series for 2009.

[JOWT Blog]

Sort of old news by now, but Spanish F3 pilot Gustavo Yacaman signed with Sam Schmidt Motorsports for 2009.

[nic.v814]

Good to see euro drivers having a go

[JOWT Blog]

Alistair Jackson recently signed with Guthrie Meyer Racing for the 2009 season after completing a test with the team in November.

[JOWT Blog]

Scary news...but we may even have the privilege of watching a stuntman in the Indy Lights series for 2009.

[NAC]

Has anyone got a current list of who's playing?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by JOWT Blog

Scary news...but we may even have the privilege of watching a stuntman in the Indy Lights series for 2009.

More power to em. Doing car stunts or driving for filming is a decent living and quite fun.

[JOWT Blog]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

More power to em. Doing car stunts or driving for filming is a decent living and quite fun.

Agreed

[JOWT Blog]

Junior Strous signed with ASR Motorsports today. It's nice to have Strous return to North America for 2009, after finishing fifth in the 2008 Atlantic Championship.

[JOWT Blog]

Sebastian Saavedra signed with AFS/AGR yesterday.

Saavedra also tested in the Atlantic Series with US RaceTronics prior to making his commitment to the 2009 Indy Lights Series.

[F3L]

Driver I want to know about is Battistini. He was hot in 08 on the ovals and seems to me could be a championship leader in 09 if he gets a drive.

[Allan Craighead]

Haven't heard anything about Battistini, but I know several of teams believe he was only quick because of Panther Racing on the ovals. We'll see if he shows up anywhere.

Of note reportedly bunch of drivers with cash/sponsorship talking to assorted teams.

Here's what we have as a current entry list:

AFS Racing/Andretti-Green Racing
JR Hildebrand
Sebastian Saavedra

ASR-Nelan Motorsports
Junior Strous

Guthrie-Meyer Racing
Sean Guthrie
Alistair Jackson

Palm Beach International Racing
Indy Lights Rookie Challenge shootout winner

Panther Racing
Martin Plowman
Pippa Mann

Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Ana Beatriz
Gustavo Yacaman

Team 3G
Stanton Barrett

Team Moore Racing
Andrew Prendeville

Wagner Racing
Brandon Wagner

Cheers,

Al.

[F3L]

Originally Posted by Allan Craighead

Haven't heard anything about Battistini, but I know several of teams believe he was only quick because of Panther Racing on the ovals. We'll see if he shows up anywhere.

Of note reportedly bunch of drivers with cash/sponsorship talking to assorted teams.

Here's what we have as a current entry list:

AFS Racing/Andretti-Green Racing
JR Hildebrand
Sebastian Saavedra

ASR-Nelan Motorsports
Junior Strous

Guthrie-Meyer Racing
Sean Guthrie
Alistair Jackson

Palm Beach International Racing
Indy Lights Rookie Challenge shootout winner

Panther Racing
Martin Plowman
Pippa Mann

Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Ana Beatriz
Gustavo Yacaman

Team 3G
Stanton Barrett

Team Moore Racing
Andrew Prendeville

Wagner Racing
Brandon Wagner

Cheers,

Al.

It is not clear on Team 3G as I was sure they were doing the Indy Series and not Lights. Battistini showed speed as well when he tested for Sam Schmidt on both ovals and road course just before Christmas so maybe he will turn up there.

[Allan Craighead]

Barrett stated he was doing Indy Lights with Team 3G in his release, so who knows. I'm pretty sure the IRL will make him run at least a few Lights races before giving him a IndyCar series license, given he has not run any junior formula car series.

Cheers,

Al.

[JOWT Blog]

It's been awhile, so here are a few testing updates for you...

Charlie Kimball is testing with Sam Schmidt Motorsports again today... he has completed multiple tests with the team this off-season and is rumored to have also scheduled a test day with Genoa Racing...for the near future. It seems fairly apparent that he will be back in the U.S. for the 2009 season.

Richard Phillippe tested with Genoa Racing yesterday and was reportedly the quickest driver in attendance.

I believe James Hinchcliffe also tested with SSM at PBIR this week. I am yet to receive the names of the other drivers involved. I know Panther was also testing, so I would assume Martin Plowman and Pippa Mann were in attendance.

[JOWT Blog]

More interesting news...the rumors have been circulating for awhile that Bryan Herta purchased an Indy Lights package from Playa Del Racing, with hopes of setting up his own team for 2009. Well the rumors are true. Apparently the equipment was delivered to Vision Racing's shop in Indianapolis...which might lead to another announcement...we shall see.

[jondownunder]

Nelson Merlo also tested for Sam Schmidt Motorsports according to italiaracing.net... I think they say the test was a prize for his SudAm F3 title success.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by JOWT Blog

More interesting news...the rumors have been circulating for awhile that Bryan Herta purchased an Indy Lights package from Playa Del Racing, with hopes of setting up his own team for 2009. Well the rumors are true. Apparently the equipment was delivered to Vision Racing's shop in Indianapolis...which might lead to another announcement...we shall see.

Yeah, and Herta will race Daniel Herrington, who went to my alma mater NC State. I exchanged emails with him last year after he got a 4-race deal at the end of last year in Lights. He was excited about it and his aim is to get to Indy. So I have one guy to cheer for in the series.

Also, Davey Hamilton is going to start a two-car Indy Lights team and will field two Hoosiers. One from road racing in Logan Gomez and the other from USAC in Brandon Wagner.

[guetty]

Originally Posted by JOWT Blog

Sort of old news by now, but Spanish F3 pilot Gustavo Yacaman signed with Sam Schmidt Motorsports for 2009.

F3 Pilot Gustavo Yacaman is Colombian

[F3L]

[quote=Flyin Ryan]Yeah, and Herta will race Daniel Herrington, who went to my alma mater NC State. I exchanged emails with him last year after he got a 4-race deal at the end of last year in Lights. He was excited about it and his aim is to get to Indy. So I have one guy to cheer for in the series.

quote]

I do hope then that he does not take out too many other cars as he did on lap one at Chicagoland last year.....

[jondownunder]

Originally Posted by guetty

F3 Pilot Gustavo Yacaman is Colombian

I think the OP means he raced in Spanish F3