Clear path designed
By Dave Lewandowski - Indycar.com


Multiple options were posed to J.R. Hildebrand and his family as they attempted to determine the next step in the California teen's motorsports path. America or Europe? Is Firestone Indy Lights too much of a jump too soon?

"I was fortunate enough to find my way to the right series and program to put myself in a position to move up, but the way of getting there was always a big question mark," said the 21-year-old Hildebrand, the 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion and 2006 Cooper Tires FF2000 Series titlist.

Much of the guesswork will be removed as the Indy Racing League has launched the "Road To Indy," a defined developmental ladder system incorporating the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and Firestone Indy Lights.

The announcement of the program, which seeks to nurture the future of the sport in North America, was made at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando, Fla.

"The Indy Racing League is providing some much needed clarity to the question, 'How do I become an IndyCar driver?' said former IZOD IndyCar Series driver and current Firestone Indy Lights team owner Bryan Herta. "The path is now well defined and gives young drivers a chance to develop their skills towards the goal of competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series. As a Firestone Indy Lights team, we will be closely watching the Star Mazda and USF2000 series for our future drivers, and I'm sure our competitors will be doing the same."



Clear path designed

does this mean the IRL and Star Mazda are some how now connected? i thought they were IMSA?

derek77 - 10 December 2009 04:43 PM

Much of the guesswork will be removed as the Indy Racing League has launched the "Road To Indy," a defined developmental ladder system incorporating the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and Firestone Indy Lights.

Sounds good on paper.

Ladder system? Why do you need a ladder system when you have foreign ride buyers?

springfield_mile - 10 December 2009 10:01 PM

Ladder system? Why do you need a ladder system when you have foreign ride buyers?

Yeah why don't we ask guys like Graham Rahal, Ryan Hunter Reay, Rafa Matos, Scott Dixon, Paul Tracy, and many others who have come up from the American open wheel ladder series.

I know the counter argument is that many of the winner like Jon Fogarty have slipped through the cracks and even Jon Edwards the Atlantic Series champion is having a struggle finding a ride. As I listed above though there are those who come up from the ladder series and succeed though.

What Indy Lights needs is what Champ Car did with their Atlantic Series champs. Give them a whole bunch of money for winning the championship that well at least give them a shot finding a ride in Indycar. Better yet lets be like F1 and give the winner a shot to test an Indycar or test for a team. F1 does this and this is how stars are born and Indycar should follow suit.

I'll change what Springfield said.

Why have a ladder system that doesn't get any drivers to the top of the ladder ? If the drivers follow the "road" and find other guys there, that took a different path, why follow the prescribed road ?

If Rahal hadn't shepherded Danica to the IRL, I doubt she would be here now. It took a team owner who believed in her, to get the job done. I think THAT is the key. The teams in the top rung must believe that the ladder graduates have the skills to win and give them the chance to show that.

Right now, the ladders lead to the waiting room to the top series. Many can't keep waiting, and try to move elsewhere.

This is strictly good news. A unified AOW ladder has finally been clearly defined, Mazda has joined Cooper Tires with USF2000, and Star Mazda has been openly embraced by the IRL.

USF2000 Official Press Release: Mazda to power new USF2000 Championship

There was always a ladder, and it had a few different paths. It sort of changed over the years. That didn't keep drivers from making their way to the top. Until recent history, of course.

A nice shiny new ladder won't mean anything, if it doesn't lead to a drive at the top. For the sake of the young drivers who are trying to follow this ladder, I hope the top, doesn't stop a bit short.

Hitokiri2 - 10 December 2009 11:47 PM

springfield_mile - 10 December 2009 10:01 PM

Ladder system? Why do you need a ladder system when you have foreign ride buyers?

Yeah why don't we ask guys like Graham Rahal, Ryan Hunter Reay, Rafa Matos, Scott Dixon, Paul Tracy, and many others who have come up from the American open wheel ladder series.

I know the counter argument is that many of the winner like Jon Fogarty have slipped through the cracks and even Jon Edwards the Atlantic Series champion is having a struggle finding a ride. As I listed above though there are those who come up from the ladder series and succeed though.

What Indy Lights needs is what Champ Car did with their Atlantic Series champs. Give them a whole bunch of money for winning the championship that well at least give them a shot finding a ride in Indycar. Better yet lets be like F1 and give the winner a shot to test an Indycar or test for a team. F1 does this and this is how stars are born and Indycar should follow suit.

How well did that work out?

PLN_ Fan - 11 December 2009 12:55 AM

A nice shiny new ladder won't mean anything, if it doesn't lead to a drive at the top. For the sake of the young drivers who are trying to follow this ladder, I hope the top, doesn't stop a bit short.

Every ladder series has this open and especially with open wheel. F1 the past 10 years has looked to F3000, then Euro F3, then now to GP2 for talent. How many champions in each series have gone unrewarded? How many "losers" have gone on to F1 either because of connections or because they had the larger wallet?

F1 or AOW, in either series the ladder is very important though. Sometimes unquestionable talent like Rafa Matos does rise up and someone does pick him up and enriches the series. As you said PLN_Fan, I hope also that where talent is seen and champions are made that the reward well fit the effort.