[JagtechOhio]

Depends on your perspective, I suppose. To me, this is not so much about specific developments in feeder series competition as it is the potential effect on the IndyCar Series.

Financial support and sanctioning is expected to come from IndyCar, so potential allocation of resources is relevant. I have been a proponent of establishing a top prize for Indy Lights, so that progression up the ladder has a more direct cause and effect.

If J.R. Hildebrand won $500K in Izod money last year, he would have been able to fund a program similar to what Davey Hamilton ran in 2010. Or dedicate the money to another effort of his choosing.

That makes Lights a destination series in itself, and might attract more entries if the step up to IndyCar was recognized as a direct one.

With that "gold ring" established, participation on lower rungs makes more sense, doesn't it? If a title championship in an IndyCar sanctioned feeder series gets you a check to seed a Lights program, teams and drivers might see it as an attainable goal.

As it stands now, success in Lights gets you some attention and the opportunity to troll around for sponsorship. Often that leads to a tough road, and I would point to Hildebrand, Alex Lloyd and Jay Howard as examples. Saavedra had better luck.

Now Vernay, Pippa and Hinch are trolling. Running another year in Lights would be a waste or resources.

Winning the Lights championship, or staying in it long enough to do so (or alternatively attracting enough sponsorship) should be worth something. Right now, it doesn't even look like smart money to race there.