2010 Skip Barber / F2000 / Star Mazda

[Morris Dancer]

Star Mazda and USF2000 are starting to look like one-horse races - maybe a consequence of both series having fairly small fields.

[Morris Dancer]

Originally Posted by gomick

Thats poor, the junior categories should be racing on the Sunday too - long boring day for the fans...

There's better news for F2000 Championship Series drivers at the Watkins Glen IndyCar meeting on July 2-4:
Friday - 2 practice sessions, Round 7 qualifying and race
Saturday - Round 8 qualifying
Sunday - Round 8 race

It would have been better if Round 7 had been on Saturday instead of Friday, but at least with Round 8 on Sunday it's an improvement on the treatment that IndyCar support categories have been receiving lately.

[gomick]

I dont understand why Star Mazda #'s are down this year - usually good field's...

[Morris Dancer]

Convincing corporate marketing managers to pay $US400,000-450,000 for a championship with no free-to-air TV coverage and limited pay-TV coverage during a global economic downturn might have something to do with it.

The fact that the first prize of a drive in the 2011 Atlantic Championship is looking decidedly shaky might be another factor.

[NaBUru38]

The prize for the Star Mazda champion has been changed to a Mazda seat in a higher class, like this year's Grand-Am Rolex GT-class RX-8 for 2009 Atlantic and Star Mazda champions Edwards and Christopoulos.

[Morris Dancer]

Thanks - I didn't notice the official news release on the Star Mazda website back in February because it was a stupid PDF download instead of a simple HTML link.

A Grand-Am GT season co-drive is better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick (as we say in Australia), but it isn't in the same league as an Indy Lights ride, which would be the logical next step up the ladder for these guys.

I can't see drivers flocking to Star Mazda in 2011 if the same first prize is on offer.

[gomick]

Well, i guess you dont have to take the 1st prize on offer if you dont want too...

[Morris Dancer]

My point is that the series loses some of its attraction if the first prize is a drive in a category that isn't the logical next step up the ladder.

I was about to say that Star Mazda's loss is Jim Russell's gain, but according to JR's website its 2010 'Championship Series', which was supposed to have a fully funded European F2 season drive as its first prize, has been replaced - apparently because there are only six applicants - by the 'Race of Champions', a six-round "invitational" (ha) series with a one-off drive in the Infineon Indy Lights race as the carrot.

[Morris Dancer]

Originally Posted by Morris Dancer

Star Mazda and USF2000 are starting to look like one-horse races - maybe a consequence of both series having fairly small fields.

The F2000 Championship Series is killing USF2000 National Championship in terms of competition.

Only nine drivers took part in the first Friday practice session for this weekend's USF2000 rounds at Thunderbolt Raceway (New Jersey Motorsports Park), whereas the entry list for the F2000 Championship Series rounds at Watkins Glen the following weekend (July 2-4) is rumoured to be close to 40!

[F1 Prospects]

Originally Posted by Morris Dancer

The F2000 Championship Series is killing USF2000 National Championship in terms of competition.

Only nine drivers took part in the first Friday practice session for this weekend's USF2000 rounds at Thunderbolt Raceway (New Jersey Motorsports Park), whereas the entry list for the F2000 Championship Series rounds at Watkins Glen the following weekend (July 2-4) is rumoured to be close to 40!

I love the open formula approach to the F2000 series but almost half of the registered drivers are Master class. It is not necessarily the best proving ground for young guns.

That being said, two F2000 series can doubtfully survive in this market but regardless of which one does survive they will be absorbed into the Road To Indy ladder system. IRL is working on a number of initiatives with Road to Indy to boost the attractiveness of the whole program and I wouldn't bet against Dan Andersen in the long run. He made the original F2000 series what it was and he will work his damdest to make USF2000 work.

2011 will be more telling for both series than 2010, and that applies to more than just these two series.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Morris Dancer

Thanks - I didn't notice the official news release on the Star Mazda website back in February because it was a stupid PDF download instead of a simple HTML link.

A Grand-Am GT season co-drive is better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick (as we say in Australia), but it isn't in the same league as an Indy Lights ride, which would be the logical next step up the ladder for these guys.

I can't see drivers flocking to Star Mazda in 2011 if the same first prize is on offer.

That is the next step in the ladder. Look at what I said previously in this thread. How many of the recent Star Mazda, Atlantic and indy lights drivers that are really good drivers are getting looked at in indycar? Almost none at all. indycar is dying or at best stumbling along with obscure pay drivers and a handful of pros paid by long time team owners that hold all the cars.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by F1 Prospects

I love the open formula approach to the F2000 series but almost half of the registered drivers are Master class. It is not necessarily the best proving ground for young guns.

That being said, two F2000 series can doubtfully survive in this market but regardless of which one does survive they will be absorbed into the Road To Indy ladder system. IRL is working on a number of initiatives with Road to Indy to boost the attractiveness of the whole program and I wouldn't bet against Dan Andersen in the long run. He made the original F2000 series what it was and he will work his damdest to make USF2000 work.

2011 will be more telling for both series than 2010, and that applies to more than just these two series.

F2000 is an excellent proving ground for youngsters rather than racing in another series filled with other clueless youngsters. The recent fad in motorsports is get the youngest and less experienced but especially in this tough economic environment unless they have unlimited funds, that is dying out.

Driving is a trade of which learning never ends and being in a series with 40 cars and having lots of knowledgeable, skilled and at a minimum experienced drivers around is better than 9 clueless guys in another series.

If the "young stars" can't beat the old farts then that star isn't bright yet. Press releases and fluff aside, you have to do the times and get to the finish.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Morris Dancer

My point is that the series loses some of its attraction if the first prize is a drive in a category that isn't the logical next step up the ladder.

I was about to say that Star Mazda's loss is Jim Russell's gain, but according to JR's website its 2010 'Championship Series', which was supposed to have a fully funded European F2 season drive as its first prize, has been replaced - apparently because there are only six applicants - by the 'Race of Champions', a six-round "invitational" (ha) series with a one-off drive in the Infineon Indy Lights race as the carrot.

The Russell series is so 2006. It's extremely pricey for IRC, racing at just one track and costing something like $150K. I understand what they are trying to do but the market isn't going to bear a training wheel series at that price. 18 year olds don't have that cash to race in front of 10 people, so it means Dad pays, and all the Racing Dads are tapped out.

I have known or know of some people that have worked there and I am sure it is good training and a good system and the car I think is good, but again, not many people have the sacks of cash needed for it.

[NaBUru38]

The IRL wants its own sub-Star Mazda series, therefore will try to make USF2000 work.

Keep in mind that, despite the Road to Indy stag, these series also develop drivers for other road racing series (most notably ALMS and Grand-Am), just like it happens in Europe with FR and F3.

[Morris Dancer]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

That is the next step in the ladder. Look at what I said previously in this thread. How many of the recent Star Mazda, Atlantic and indy lights drivers that are really good drivers are getting looked at in indycar? Almost none at all. indycar is dying or at best stumbling along with obscure pay drivers and a handful of pros paid by long time team owners that hold all the cars.

Irrespective of IndyCar's problems, which belong in a separate thread, it's a pity that Mazda won't put up a cash prize sufficient to enable the Star Mazda series winner graduate to Indy Lights if it can't bring itself to fund a drive in a series that uses a competitor car maker's engine (viz. Nissan).

I suppose that's the weakness of a car maker-sponsored one-make development series.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Morris Dancer

Irrespective of IndyCar's problems, which belong in a separate thread, it's a pity that Mazda won't put up a cash prize sufficient to enable the Star Mazda series winner graduate to Indy Lights if it can't bring itself to fund a drive in a series that uses a competitor car maker's engine (viz. Nissan).

I suppose that's the weakness of a car maker-sponsored one-make development series.

Well Mazda is kind of trapped in a way because it doesn't benefit them greatly to spend tons of money putting a driver further up into indycar, especially when indycar is a honda series. And actually the prizes over the years Mazda has put on offer over the years have been fairly generous.

[Morris Dancer]

True. As I said, it's a weakness of a series funded by a car maker that isn't involved in the next step up the ladder.

[NaBUru38]

Now that the oval stage is over, the Star Mazda grid size returned to an acceptable 22 for New Jersey's Mazda festival.

Star Mazda - New Jersey race 1

1. Caio Lara
2. Anders Krohn
3. Conor Daly
4. Connor De Phillippi
5. Mikael Grenier
6. Tristan Vautier
7. Joao Horto
8. Chris Miller
9. Jorge Goncalvez
10. Juan Piedrahita
11. Tatiana Calderon
12. Nick Andries
13. Gerry Kraut
14. J.W. Roberts
15. Carlos Conde
16. Carlos Linares
17. Larry Pegram
18. Dom Bastien
19. Walt Bowlin
20. Rusty Mitchell
21. Patrick O'Neill
22. David Ostella

Star Mazda - New Jersey race 2

1. Tristan Vautier
2. Joao Horto
3. Anders Krohn
4. Conor Daly
5. Jorge Goncalvez
6. Caio Lara
7. David Ostella
8. Connor De Phillippi
9. Tatiana Calderon
10. Rusty Mitchell
11. Carlos Linares
12. Nick Andries
13. Juan Piedrahita
14. Chris Miller
15. Patrick O'Neill
16. Larry Pegram
17. J.W. Roberts
18. Carlos Conde
19. Dom Bastien
20. Gerry Kraut
21. Mikael Grenier
22. Walt Bowlin

[gomick]

Good to see 2 different race winners - Conor still got a healthy points lead...

STANDINGS (after 7 of 13)

Conor Daly - 289
Anders Krohn - 248
Joao Horto - 234
Tristan Vautier - 226
Caio Lara - 223
Connor de Phillippi - 220
Mikael Grenier - 210
Jorge Goncalvez - 209
Rusty Mitchell - 181
Chris Miller - 173

[NaBUru38]

One step below, the USF2000 grid only gets thinner.

USF2000 - New Jersey race 1

1. Sage Karam
2. Patrick McKenna
3. Mikhail Goikhberg
4. Zach Veach
5. MartÃ*n Scuncio
6. MartÃ*n Sala
7. Raphael Abbate
8. Javier Barrales
9. Ardie Greenamyer
(and that's it)

USF2000 - New Jersey race 2

1. Patrick McKenna
2. Mikhail Goikhberg
3. Raphael Abbate
4. MartÃ*n Sala
5. Zach Veach
6. MartÃ*n Scuncio
7. Javier Barrales
8. Ardie Greenamyer
9. Sage Karam

Standings after

1. Sage Karam, 160
2. Patrick McKenna, 149
3. Mikhail Goikhberg, 120
4. Raphael Abbate, 100
5. MartÃ*n Scuncio, 88
6. Zach Veach, 72

Next rounds of both Star Mazda and USF2000 are in the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, in five weeks.

[gomick]

Good that Sage Karam dnf'd race 2 - keeps the series half interesting....1 car in the national class

[Morris Dancer]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Now that the oval stage is over, the Star Mazda grid size returned to an acceptable 22 for New Jersey's Mazda festival.

Star Mazda - New Jersey race 1

1. Caio Lara
2. Anders Krohn
3. Conor Daly
4. Connor De Phillippi
5. Mikael Grenier
6. Tristan Vautier
7. Joao Horto
8. Chris Miller
9. Jorge Goncalvez
10. Juan Piedrahita
11. Tatiana Calderon
12. Nick Andries
13. Gerry Kraut
14. J.W. Roberts
15. Carlos Conde
16. Carlos Linares
17. Larry Pegram
18. Dom Bastien
19. Walt Bowlin
20. Rusty Mitchell
21. Patrick O'Neill
22. David Ostella

Star Mazda - New Jersey race 2

1. Tristan Vautier
2. Joao Horto
3. Anders Krohn
4. Conor Daly
5. Jorge Goncalvez
6. Caio Lara
7. David Ostella
8. Connor De Phillippi
9. Tatiana Calderon
10. Rusty Mitchell
11. Carlos Linares
12. Nick Andries
13. Juan Piedrahita
14. Chris Miller
15. Patrick O'Neill
16. Larry Pegram
17. J.W. Roberts
18. Carlos Conde
19. Dom Bastien
20. Gerry Kraut
21. Mikael Grenier
22. Walt Bowlin

That's more like it, but why didn't the road racers go to Iowa? Aren't they serious about fighting for the championship?

[NaBUru38]

I guess that they feared of totalling their cars, which is more likely than in a road course.

[Morris Dancer]

If they're really that worried about ovals (which still seems strange) then they might as well run in the F2000 Championship Series, which is all road circuits.

[NaBUru38]

Speaking of the F2000 Championship Series, they are visiting Watkins Glen with one 14-lap race on Saturday at 10am and another one on Sunday at 11am.