2011 Firestone Indy Lights Thread

All about the IRL Indy Pro Series and the Atlantic Championship

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2011 Firestone Indy Lights Thread

Post by mlittle » Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:07 am

With the 2010 season in the rear-views, it is once again time to begin counting down the days until the 2011 campaign begins and a fresh crop of drivers make their presence known on the Indy Lights stage.............


---J.K. Vernay didn’t know what 2010 held for him at the beginning of the year. After a solid year in the F3 Euro Series and a strong performance in the Macau Grand Prix, the 22-year-old Frenchman had options to compete in Touring Cars in Germany or moving to Japan to race when his management group suggested a test with perennial Firestone Indy Lights contender Sam Schmidt Motorsports...........the rest is history.

Despite not knowing any of the tracks when the year began, Vernay led the championship from start to finish and clinched the Firestone Firehawk Cup as Firestone Indy Lights champion in the Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka 100 at Homestead-Miami Speedway despite finishing 15th in the race won by Brandon Wagner.

“You never know if it’s a big solution, but it was a really great thing to come (to America),” Vernay said. “Winning the championship and being Firestone Indy Lights champion is a great thing. We won five races and had nine podiums. That is a great first year in America, but it’s just one step. This is just like I graduated from college and now I have to get a good job.”

That job, of course, is a ride with an IZOD IndyCar Series team for 2011. Vernay hopes his on-track performance has impressed future employers and knows he has some important selling points when it comes to landing his next job. “I’m a better driver than I was when I got here,” he said. “I’ve improved since the end of last year. I finished in F3 with five podiums and I arrived here and I led the championship all year. After Indy, (James) Hinchcliffe and (Charlie) Kimball cut the lead to only five points, but when I had to win, the team did it. That is credit to the team for giving me a car to do that. I never had problems with the car all year long.”

But Vernay knows he still has much to learn about racing in North America’s top open-wheel racing series – especially when it comes to oval racing. But after a season that featured success on both ovals and road/street, Vernay is confident his experience in Firestone Indy Lights has prepared him for the next level. “What I want to do is IndyCar,” Vernay said. “That’s why we chose Indy Lights. I have the title and the normal way is for the champion to go to IndyCar. It’s the next step. Everybody knows it’s not easy to get there, but I’m really confident that we will have a good deal with a good team.

“I like racing in America. The environment is very different than in Europe and it’s been a pleasure to race here. I still have a lot to learn on ovals, but I was still competitive this year and feel like I can be in IndyCar. On road tracks, I know I can be competitive. I hope to stay in America for a long time.”
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Star Mazda Champion Earns Indy Lights Test...........

Post by mlittle » Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:16 pm

---Conor Daly, 2010 champion of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, will utilize part of his career-enhancing prize package on Oct. 28 in Sebring, Fla., when he climbs into the seat of an Andersen Racing Firestone Indy Lights car to begin a day of intensive testing to help prepare him for his next step up the open-wheel ladder.

The Andersen team expects Daly to run 150 test miles during the day. 2010 Andersen Racing Star Mazda drivers Tristan Vautier and Nick Andries will also test the team's Firestone Indy Lights cars at Sebring.

The test, made possible by Performance Friction, is part of a previously-announced expansion of the Indy Racing League's 'Road to Indy' program in which the 2009 and 2010 Star Mazda series champion is guaranteed a test with a top Firestone Indy Lights team.
"I'm really looking forward to the test and expect to learn a lot," said Daly, the son of former Indy car and Formula One racer Derek Daly. "Anytime a driver has the chance to get in a car with more horsepower, more downforce and more speed, it's both a pleasure and an opportunity. I'd like to thank Star Mazda, Performance Friction and Andersen Racing for all the effort they're making to help me take my career to the next level."

Daly, the 2008 Skip Barber Nationals presented by Mazda champion, drove his first season of Star Mazda Championship competition with backing from the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder; this unique driver development program which reaches all the way from karting to the top levels of motorsports, awards champions at each level a fully-funded ride in the next series up the ladder.

In his first season, driving for Andersen Racing, he won from the pole in Round 4 and scored six podiums to finish third in the championship. Switching to the Juncos Racing team in 2009, Daly won seven races and broke the series' all-time record with nine starts from the pole. His racing resume also includes winning the prestigious Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone, England in 2008 and the Stars of Karting Eastern TAG championship in 2007.

"Our goal has always been to provide our drivers with the most competitive, cost-effective and comprehensive opportunity to advance their careers," said Star Mazda Championship founder and CEO Gary Rodrigues. "Conor is obviously a superb open-wheel racer destined to rise to the top of the sport and we're happy to help him take the next step. This test is made possible by Performance Friction Company and Andersen Racing, and we'd like to thank them for their support."

The test is being conducted in cooperation with Performance Friction, the exclusive brake pad and disc supplier to both the Star Mazda Championship and the newly-announced Cooper Tires Presents USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda; Performance Friction is also the overwhelming brake component choice for teams competing in the Firestone Indy Lights. All three series are part of the Indy Racing League's 'Road to Indy' program. PFC also supplies a variety of open-wheel series in Europe, Japan, Australia as well as NASCAR, IZOD IndyCar Series, ALMS, FIA, ACO, JGTC, V8 Supercar and Grand-Am just to name a few.

"The Star Mazda Championship is a terrific series that produces some of the top racing talent in the sport today," says Don Burgoon, President of Performance Friction. "Open-wheel racing is in our company DNA and we're doing all we can to support these rising stars as they climb the motorsports ladder. It is our goal to support the Road to Indy program at every level and provide these drivers with the very best equipment on the way up."

Daly's Indy Lights test is one element of a comprehensive package of cash and prizes valued at more than $1.5 million for which drivers in the 2010 Star Mazda Championship were competing. Another top prize is the VISITFLORIDA Cup, a 7-race championship-within-a-championship; the grand prize for the top-finishing driver in those events is a custom-designed dream vacation in Florida courtesy of VISITFLORIDA, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation and sponsor of the 2010 Star Mazda Championship television package which reached fans in more than 155 million homes worldwide.

In addition to the MAZDASPEED Ladder, the Star Mazda Championship is also part of the IndyCar 'Road to Indy,' an innovative and high-profile new driver development program designed to bridge the gap between the premier open-wheel racing divisions and the entry level open-wheel series by creating a clear career path for aspiring racing drivers; Road to Indy series include Firestone Indy Lights, The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda.

“With Andersen Racing’s involvement in all steps on the Road to Indy ladder, we are delighted to work with Performance Friction and Star Mazda in providing Conor with a full-scale Indy Lights test," says Andersen Racing co-owner Dan Andersen. "My long term relationship with the folks at PFC, coupled with our involvement in and support of the Star Mazda Championship for the past seven years, makes this an easy decision. So many Star Mazda drivers in recent years have successfully transitioned into Indy Lights, and now with the support of PFC, more drivers can sample the next step properly. We look forward to seeing what Conor can do at the wheel of one of our cars at Sebring.”

Two drivers who competed for Andersen Racing in the 2010 Star Mazda Championship will also test Indy Lights cars at Sebring. French racer Tristan Vautier (right), a veteran of several European open-wheel series, won two Star Mazda races this season and finished 5th in the championship. Nick Andries, who made his Star Mazda debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, ran nine of 13 races, finished in the top-10 four times, including a 6th-place finish in the season-ending race at Road Atlanta. And, competing in the Skip Barber Pro Series concurrently with his Star Mazda effort, he won the season finale at Road Atlanta and finished 6th in that championship.

Firestone Indy Lights is the premier ladder series for drivers and teams striving to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. Run in conjunction with the IZOD IndyCar Series, the Firestone Indy Lights’ 13-race schedule features eight races on road courses/street circuits and five races on ovals, including the famed 2.5-mile circuit at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Teams compete for nearly $4 million in prize money in cars that are second only in speed to the IZOD IndyCar Series at most tracks they visits.

"The Star Mazda race car is just the right vehicle, with the right horsepower and driving characteristics, to produce drivers ready to hit the ground running in Firestone Indy Lights," says Roger Bailey, Executive Director of Firestone Indy Lights. "And this test for the Star Mazda Champion is just the sort of opportunity that the Road to Indy was designed to create, both for the driver in the car and the company sponsoring the test. This is the first of many more such things to come for the Road to Indy program."
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TMR Begins 2011 Driver Search.........

Post by mlittle » Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:32 am

---Venezuelan driver Jorge Goncalvez successfully completed a Firestone Indy Lights test with Team Moore Racing at Putnam Park Road Course near Indianapolis.

The 19-year-old completed more than 220 miles on his first day of testing before being joined by James Hinchcliffe, who drove TMR’s car to second place in the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights championship for the second day of the test. Hinchcliffe, who drove TMR’s car to second place in the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights championship, was asked to test to set a baseline for Goncalves.

“There is a big difference between the Star Mazda cars and the Indy Lights cars,” Goncalvez said. “The bigger cars are much faster, and I like that. I liked working with the team; the way they work. They all work very well together. It was good to have James Hinchcliffe come out on Friday. It was very helpful to me. My times were good. I was very happy with that. I was very impressed with the car and the team. I am very happy. I am looking forward to running in the (Firestone) Indy Lights series."

Goncalvez finished fourth in his second season in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear with four runner up finishes. He finished ninth in the series as a rookie and won the Star Mazda Winter Series.

“Naturally, the next step for Jorge is to move up to the Indy Lights cars,” said Louis D’Agostino of Team Apex Racing, who ran Goncalvez for the past two years in Star Mazda. “Jorge demonstrated the skills that he learned in Star Mazda have indeed transferred well to the bigger cars. By the second day of the test, he was able to get within a few tenths of James HInchcliffe’s time.”

Mark Moore, co-owner of Team Moore Racing, was equally impressed with the young driver. “The two day test went smoothly for young Jorge. He never put a wheel wrong and had excellent feedback from the car. Having Hinchcliffe out in the morning on Friday really helped move the whole test in a very positive direction,” Moore said. “I also have to give credit to Team Apex and Star Mazda on preparing a young driver to this level. Jorge Goncalvez is well on his way to a very bright future in Indy Lights for 2011.”
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Belardi Expands Program to Indy Lights

Post by mlittle » Sun Nov 07, 2010 1:17 pm

---Belardi Auto Racing will expand its efforts to two Road to Indy series in 2011 with plans to field a two-car effort in Firestone Indy Lights in addition to its entry in the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda. The team, which previously competed as Liberty Motorsports, will be led by IndyCar veteran Larry Nash of the Nash Performance Group, Inc., and will relocate from Rockford, Ill., to Indianapolis.

“This has been a long-time dream of mine,” said team owner Brian Belardi. “I have a true passion for open-wheel racing and am completely supportive of the Road to Indy and what it can mean for today’s young drivers. To be a part of that process is very exciting.”

With four seats available for the 2011 season, the team is already busy preparing equipment. Nash has a long history of excellence in open-wheel racing that started with the likes of Gary Bettenhausen and Emerson Fittipaldi. As one of the original IZOD IndyCar Series entrants, Nash helped field cars for Sam Schmidt, Eliseo Salazar, Jaques Lazier, Scott Harrington and Davey Hamilton.

“The opportunity to work with Larry was one of the key factors that made the decision to add the Indy Lights effort an easy one,” Belardi said. “His reputation, his integrity and his talent in making cars fast, in my opinion, is second to none.”

Belardi Auto Racing also expanded its marketing operations with the addition of LeeAnne Nash, who will serve as director of marketing and administration. “With the experience that Larry and LeeAnne bring to the team, having run the big cars, we believe we can do an outstanding job helping to train the next generation of IndyCar drivers, providing them with a level of preparation and service that they and their sponsors can be proud of,” Belardi said.
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Genoa/O2 Racing lands sponsor for 2011

Post by mlittle » Sun Nov 07, 2010 1:19 pm

Quamtel, the telecommunications company which backed O2 Racing Technology for three races in 2010 will return to the team as the primary sponsor of the team's No. 36 entry for the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season.

“Obviously, we’re excited by the continued growth of this program," O2 Racing owner Mark Olson said. "We’re very proud of our in-house marketing team and how they moved the needle for Quamtel last year and look forward to our continuedpartnership in 2011."

Quamtel, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,is a 21st century communications company. With VoIP products, pre-paid international calling cards, 1-800 numbers, virtual office services, a major on-line dating service, 3G wireless. It will use Firestone Indy Lights and its motorsports marketing program from a Brand/Image, B2C, and a B2B perspective,

"This program brings another corporate partner to the Firestone Indy Lights … so it’s great news for everybody. Quamtel is growing by leaps and bounds, with new technology and through strategic acquisitions. It’s very important for us to be a key part of that growth.” O2 Racing is in discussions with several top drivers to challenge for the 2011 championship in the #36 Quamtel car.
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Jensen Motorsports To Field Indy Lights Entry For 2011

Post by mlittle » Thu Nov 18, 2010 3:48 am

---Jensen Motorsport will join Firestone Indy Lights in 2011 with Canadian driver David Ostella, who has signed a long-term contract with the Canadian-based team, which has a long storied history in North American open-wheel racing. “This is a very exciting new program involving some terrific people,” Jensen MotorSport team owner Eric Jensen said.

During the past 15 years, the team has competed in championships including Firestone Indy Lights, the Atlantic Championship and Formula BMW Americas. Jensen Motorsport has enjoyed considerable success with driver development, including training many of North America’s top young racing talents during the past 10 years, including Markus Niemela, Frankie Muniz, Daniel Herrington, Tom Sutherland Tim Bridgman and Adam Pecorari.

Ostella is an example of a driver hoping to use the Road to Indy to move up the racing ladder with in hopes of reaching the IZOD IndyCar Series. The 19-year-old from Toronto is set to graduate to Firestone Indy Lights competition after having raced in the 2009 and 2010 Star Mazda championships.

“David Ostella is a very fast and marketable race car driver,” Jensen said. “Our team has recently signed renowned race engineer Remi Lanteigne to quarterback our technical program, so together with David, we are enthusiastic about our new initiative.”

Jensen MotorSport is also pleased to announce Dipdive Network – www.dipdive.com – as a feature team partner for the 2011 racing season. The California-based company started with just one single video - will.i.am’s inspired Yes We Can 2008 montage based on Barack Obama's popular campaign slogan and New Hampshire speech and has grown into a leading-edge media network redefining artist/fan and content owner/consumer relationships through interactive connectivity.
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2011 Schedule Released

Post by mlittle » Fri Nov 19, 2010 11:10 am

Firestone Indy Lights officials released the 2011 Indy Lights schedule; 12 races including 6 ovals, 5 street circuits and 1 road course event. Returning to the schedule is Milwaukee, last present in 2009 while Trois-Rivieres' makes its' debut on the modern-era calendar. Trois-Rivieres' will also become the first stand-alone FIL event since the 2007 Liberty Challenge race at IMS during the 2007 U.S. Grand Prix weekend.........


2011 Firestone Indy Lights Schedule
Rd.1: 26-27 March 2011, Streets of St. Petersburg
Rd.2: 9-10 April 2011, Barber Motorsports Park
Rd.3: 16-17 April 2011, Streets of Long Beach
Rd.4: 27 May 2011, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Rd.5: 18-19 June 2011, the Milwaukee Mile
Rd.6: 24-25 June 2011, Iowa Speedway
Rd.7: 9-10 July 2011, Exhibition Place-Toronto
Rd.8: 6-7 Aug. 2011, Trois-Rivieres Street Circuit
Rd.9: 13-14 Aug. 2011, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Rd.10: 3-4 Sept. 2011, Streets of Baltimore
Rd.11: 1-2 Oct. 2011, Kentucky Motor Speedway
Rd.12: 15-16 Oct. 2011, Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Mod's note.........the schedule will consist of 13 events w/the addition of Edmonton back to the calendar.
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Yacaman To Race With Team Moore in 2011

Post by mlittle » Mon Dec 06, 2010 7:12 am

Image


After two seasons in Firestone Indy Lights, Gustavo Yacaman believes he can contend for the Firestone Firehawk Cup. He’s found the team he thinks can bring him victories and the championship.

The 19-year-old Colombian announced Dec. 1 that he has signed with Team Moore Racing for the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season, where he will be team with noted race engineer Lee Dysktra.

“I believe with all that I learned last year, I am ready to take on the championship,” Yacaman said. “Lee Dykstra will be a very important piece this year. (Both my dad and I) believe he is one of the best, if not the best engineer out there, in combination with Team Moore Racing being one of the neatest and most detailed teams in the field. I am looking forward to testing in January and to start working on a really good car to make it as close to perfect as we possibly can.”

Despite being the youngest driver in the field in each of his two seasons in Firestone Indy Lights, Yacaman has shown the potential to be a front runner. He scored his first podium in the series at Toronto in 2010 and scored twice as many top-five finishes (four) than he had as a rookie.

We are very happy to sign Gustavo to our team,” said team co-owner Tom Wood. “He has really matured as a race car driver in the last couple of years in the Firestone Indy Lights. We feel this will be his year to be a contender for the championship.”

Dysktra, who returns to Team Moore Racing for a second consecutive season, has scored wins in Firestone Indy Lights with Frank Perera, James Davison and James Hinchcliife. Under his tutelage, Davison and Hinchcliffe notched runner up finishes in the championship. He said he’s looking forward working with Yacaman.

“TMR is well organized and ready to build on the season we had in 2010,” Dykstra said. “Having a car and driver capable of winning on both oval and street circuits is a bonus. Working with Gustavo is another opportunity to provide engineering for a maturing young driver. He has the ability to be a serious contender this year.”

Team Moore Racing co-owner Mark Moore said the signing of Yacaman is the first piece in building the foundation for a championship-winning organization in 2011. “We have an extensive preseason testing program planned and we have a lot of hard work ahead of us before we compete on the streets of St. Pete in March,” Moore said. “ Having Gustavo on board and everyone in place this early with the same common goal is a huge advantage, which we plan to capitalize on throughout the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season.”
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Krohn Joins Belardi For 2011 Indy Lights Campaign

Post by mlittle » Fri Dec 10, 2010 9:10 am

Image


Anders Krohn got a taste of Firestone Indy Lights in 2010. He’ll return for a full season in 2011 with series newcomer Belardi Auto Racing. “Anders Krohn is the kind of driver that inspires team owners, engineers and mechanics to bring their very best to the racetrack,” team owner Brian Belardi said. “As an owner, I know that I will get 110 percent and then some from Anders and could not be more pleased to have him on board at Belardi Auto Racing for the 2011 season. We look forward to working with Anders and all of his sponsors in the pursuit of many trips to victory circle.”

Krohn, nicknamed “The Viking,” made his Firestone Indy Lights debut at Watkins Glen, running among the top five before falling to 10th due to a mechanical issue. The 23-year old native of Norway is a clear example of a driver groomed by the Mazda Road to Indy ladder. Arriving in the U.S. as an unknown, Krohn won the F2000 Championship series in 2008 with Andersen Racing and raced in Star Mazda for 2009-10 with Mundill and Andersen Racing. He finished second in Star Mazda points.

“I am now just one step away from the IZOD IndyCar Series. Moving up the Mazda Road to Indy ladder has been such a great experience,” said Krohn. “It's a ladder that has already benefitted quite a few, and in the future it will be essential in continuing to feed the very best drivers into what I think is the best racing series in the world. IndyCar and all the sanctioning bodies and sponsors on the ladder, like Mazda and Firestone, have done a tremendous job with supporting their up-and-coming talents, and I am so proud not only to be part of Belardi Auto Racing, but also to be one of the future faces of IndyCar.

Krohn will be reunited with Larry Nash, IndyCar veteran and Belardi general manager and technical director who engineered and called the race for Krohn’s first run at an oval, winning at the Milwaukee Mile in Star Mazda in 2009. Krohn will be surrounded by familiar faces as Mike Reggio his engineer from Star Mazda (2010) and Chuck Lessick, his chief mechanic from his championship season in the F2000 Championship Series have also joined the team.

“It is an absolute honor to be part of Belardi Auto Racing as they step into Firestone Indy Lights,” Krohn said. “I know what these guys are capable of having already worked and established relationships with several guys on the team. To me, it's not like I'm coming into a new team. Brian Belardi has put a lot of faith in me, and I intend to repay that faith with results.

“Beyond the team, I am fortunate enough to have several long-term partners join me for yet another season of adventures. Trallfa will enter their sixth season as a partner of mine, and Logi Trans/Offshore Express is starting their second. PM International Suppliers also joins me this year in what promises to be an exciting partnership. Right now, I feel like the most fortunate person in the world.”
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Post by mlittle » Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:04 am

Mod's Note..................As with a few others threads, my apologies for not keeping this thread up-to-date; however, the season is once again upon us, so we're starting now from a clean slate....... 8) :lol: :lol: :lol:


2011 Firestone Indy Lights Schedule
Rd.1, 27 March 2011: St. Pete Grand Prix[St. Petersburg, Fla.]
Rd.2, 10 April 2011: Grand Prix of Alabama[Leeds, Ala.]
Rd.3, 17 April 2011: Long Beach Grand Prix[Long Beach, Ca.]
Rd.4, 27 May 2011: American Freedom 100[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]
Rd.5, 19 June 2011: David Hobbs 100[The Milwaukee Mile, W.Allis, Wisc.]
Rd.6, 27 June 2011: Iowa 100[Newton, Ia.]
Rd.7, 10 July 2011: Toronto 100[Streets of Toronto]
Rd.8, 23 July 2011: City Centre 100[Edmonton City Centre Airport]
Rd.9, 7 August 2011: Trois-Rivieres Grand Prix[Trois Riviere, Quebec]
Rd.10, 14 August 2011: New England 100[Loudon, NH]
Rd.11, 4 Sept. 2011: Baltimore Grand Prix[Streets of Baltimore]
Rd.12, 2 Oct. 2011: Kentucky 100[Kentucky Speedway]
Rd.13, 16 Oct. 2011: Indy Lights World Championship[Las Vegas Motor Speedway]
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Guerrieri Claims St. Pete Pole

Post by mlittle » Mon Mar 28, 2011 6:15 am

Image

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Esteban Guerrieri, what's that about saving the best for last? Guerrieri became the eighth driver -- and first since Graham Rahal in 2006 -- to earn the Sunoco Pole Award in their debut race with a quick lap of 1 minute, 7.6903 seconds on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn St. Petersburg street course.

Guerrieri, driving the No. 7 Lucas Oil/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, jumped to the top on the final green flag lap of the 45-minute session. He leapfrogged Conor Daly, who rose to P1 (1:07.9338) in the No. 77 Mazda Road to Indy/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car with 13 minutes remaining and further improved his lap time (1:07.7009).

“We’ve had competitive cars all weekend," said Guerrieri, of Argentina. "It will be great to start my first race from P1 and I hope our race day goes well. I like the track a lot and it will be fun to race with the field and my teammates. I want to thank Sam for this opportunity and start the season well tomorrow from the front."

Added Daly, a resident of Noblesville, Ind.: "I was strongly P1 the whole session, but just at the end Esteban got me with a good lap. I'm looking forward to the race. I think we’ve got a really fast consistent car and I think we’ll be OK.”

Josef Newgarden completed a 1-2-3 for Sam Schmidt Motorsports with a best lap of 1:07.8731. He'll be joined on the second row by Stephan Wilson (1:07.9582) in the No. 5 Andretti Autosport car. "Obviously, we would have liked to have been on pole position," said Newgarden, who was P1 with 30 minutes left in the session. "It’s a great effort by the entire Sam Schmidt Motorsports organization. What more can you ask for to have the top three being all your cars.

"In the race, I think you’re going to want to keep your nose clean and try to learn as much as possible. It’s the first race of the year. I don’t think you want to get too excited and throw something away this early in the season. I definitely want to learn as much as I can and just take what the track gives you."

Sam Schmidt Motorsports cars have started 1-2 14 times -- the most recent at the Firestone Freedom 100 last May. It's also the fourth 1-2-3 start for the team.

Peter Dempsey, driving the No. 36 Pulse/O2 Racing car, and Gustavo Yacaman in the No. 2 TMR-Tuvacol-Xtreme Coil Drilling car for Team Moore Racing will share Row 3. Yacaman is the only driver in the season opener who competed in the 2010 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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Newgarten Wins Debut Race In St. Pete

Post by mlittle » Mon Mar 28, 2011 6:27 am

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---ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Team owner Sam Schmidt missed out on a trifecta in the season-opening Firestone Indy Lights race, but he gladly accepted the 1-2 finish.

Josef Newgarden, who started third in the No. 11 Robo-Pong/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, led teammate Conor Daly across the finish line by 0.8552 of a second to win in his series debut. "I don’t know what to say, I am so happy for everyone else," said Newgarden, who is the ninth driver to win their initial Firestone Indy Lights race. "This is way beyond me. It takes the efforts of the entire team that worked so hard over the winter to make this win happen. I am so happy for Sam Schmidt and proud to be driving for him and give him a victory.

"Sam is a remarkable man and what kid wouldn’t want to do this. I feel so blessed and happy to be here with the team and have these remarkable partners around me. This is a dream come true."

Peter Dempsey, who started fifth but jump to the point for the first 11 laps in the No. Pulse/O2 Racing car, finished third and David Ostella advanced seven positions to finish fourth in the No. 16 Global Precast Team Jensen entry. Anders Krohn moved up two positions to finish sixth in the No. 9 Liberty Engineering Special for Belardi Auto Racing.

Newgarden overtook Dempsey in Turn 5 of Lap 12 and completed the lap 1.2578 seconds ahead of pole sitter and teammate Esteban Guerrieri. The the pole sitter, driving the No. 7 Lucas Oil/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, ran second through the latter of quick back-to-back full-course caution periods on Lap 43. But he dropped to seventh as he was forced wide in Turn 1 on the restart in the 45-lap race.

"It was a really good race until the last two laps," Guerrieri said. "We were lapping great, really consistent. I didn’t want to make any mistakes. I was trying to push on the restart and we got to the first corner very close with other cars and I missed my braking point a little bit. That was my mistake."

Daly, the 2010 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear champion who won the race on the St. Pete course last March, wasn't able to mount an attack following the second restart. "It is great to race here again and a good day for Sam Schmidt Motorsports," he said. "We had really fast race cars and were running 1-2-3 until that restart. Unfortunately, on that initial start I was just in the wrong gear. It was my mistake, and next time I will be able to learn from it. It was unfortunate for us there, but it is also good to know that we can make passes happen in this car.

"It was a valuable experience for me if I ever have to get into a dog fight situation again. The last restart was epic and Esteban went straight down the inside and he saw I was coming and he was trying to make a move on Josef as well. I could tell that it was basically an ice rink on the inside of the track as there was dust flying everywhere.

"Me and Josef haven’t raced together since 2008 and we always seem to end up together on the podium as 1-2 one way or another. It was a great day for the entire Mazda Road to Indy team."

Top-10 from St. Pete...............
1st} #11 Josef Newgarten, San Schmidt Mtrspts., 45 laps
2nd} #77 Conor Daly, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts., -0.855 sec
3rd} #36 Peter Dempsey, O2 Racing Tech, -3.135 sec
4th} #16 David Ostella, Belardi Auto Racing, -4.633 sec
5th} #9 Anders Krohn, Liberty Eng. Racing, -5.200 sec
6th} #6 Esteban Guerrieri, San Schmidt Mtrspts., -5.999 sec
7th} #63 Mikael Grenier, O2 Racing Tech., -7.434 sec
8th} #28 Duarte Ferriera, Bryan Herta Autosport, -9.183 sec
9th} #3 Victor Carbone, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts., -16.078 sec
10th} #26 James Winslow, Andretti Autosport, -1 lap
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Post by mlittle » Mon Mar 28, 2011 6:30 am

2011 Firestone Indy Lights Top-10 Standings
Event: Streets of St. Petersburg[rd.1 of 13]


1st} Josef Newgarten, 52 pts(1 win)
2nd} Conor Daly, 40 pts
3rd} Peter Dempsey, 35 pts
4th} David Ostella, 32 pts
5th} Anders Krohn, 30 pts
6th} Esteban Guerrieri, 29 pts
7th} Mikael Grenier, 26 pts
8th} Duarte Ferriera, 24 pts
9th} Victor Carbone, 22 pts
10th} James Winslow, 20 pts
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Post by mlittle » Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:50 am

Barber Practice Session #1 Top-5
1st} Peter Dempsey, O2 Racing Tech., 1:18.861 sec
2nd} Anders Krohn, Liberty Eng. Racing, 1:18.995 sec
3rd} Conor Daly, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts., 1:19.193 sec
4th} Josef Newgarden, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts., 1:19.297 sec
5th} Esteban Guerrieri, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts., 1:19.377 sec

Barber Practice Session #2 Top-5
1st} Anders Krohn, Liberty Eng. Racing, 1:19.808 sec
2nd} Josef Newgarden, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts., 1:20.113 sec
3rd} Victor Garcia, Team Moore Racing, 1:20.322 sec*
4th} Duarte Ferreira, Bryan Herta Autosport, 1:20.322 sec*
5th} Victor Carbone, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts., 1:20.577 sec

*--time to the 1/10,000ths.........
Garcia: 1:20.3222 sec
Ferreira: 1:20.3223 sec
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Garcia On Point In Barber...........

Post by mlittle » Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:52 am

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----BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Victor Garcia had to make the most of limited time during Firestone Indy Lights qualifications at Barber Motorsports Park. His quick lap after a brief full-course caution late in the 40-mminute session caught the 21-year-old Spainard -- and the rest of the field -- by surprise.

Garcia toured the 2.38-mile, 17-turn natural-terrain course in 1 minute, 17.279 seconds, jumping from fourth on the time sheet to first with 40 seconds remaining. That's where he remained in the No. 22 TMR-Xtreme Coil Drilling car to claim his first Sunoco Pole Award. “Team Moore Racing did a really great job," said Garcia, who started seventh and finished 15th in the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., on March 27. "At the end, we had three minutes to go and knew the car was quick. We were able to get our best speed on the last lap. I am really happy and want to thank my crew and team. When my crew chief told me that I only had three minutes left I knew that we only two laps and I had to put it all out there.”

Esteban Guerrieri, who rose to the top with 18 minutes left and looked to be the pole winner for the second consecutive race with a best lap of 1:17.3080, will start second in the No. 7 Lucas Oil/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car. “It was a tight qualifying today, especially with that full-course yellow flag that forced everyone to pit," Guerrieri said. "Our pit box was in the back of pit lane so that wasn’t good for us because I only got one full lap in after I went back out after the yellow and the lap was in traffic. The rest of the field was able to get two full laps after the yellow and that is where Victor Garcia got me, but the car is good and we are going to fight back in the race.

"The car is very smooth and it is nice to drive so I feel confident heading into the race tomorrow. We are in a good position sitting on the front row."
Stefan Wilson also posted his quickest lap following the caution (1:17.3123) in the No. 5 Andretti Autosport car to move to third on the grid. He'll start next to Conor Daly (1:17.3463) in the No. 77 Mazda Road to Indy/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car. The top 12 cars were separated by a second.

"I felt like we were really close to having it on the last lap, but unfortunately I made a tiny mistake," said Wilson, who scored his best start since qualifying on the front row at Watkins Glen in 2010. "With the field as competitive as it is, you can't afford to make little mistakes. I feel bad for the guys because I almost gave them their first pole of the season. We just have to look toward to tomorrow and see what we can do to make the car even quicker for the race."

Anders Krohn, driving the No. 9 Liberty Engineering Racing Special for Belardi Auto Racing, will join Gustavo Yacaman (No. 2 TMR-Xtreme Coil Drilling) on Row 3. Josef Newgarden, the St. Pete race winner in the No. 11 Robo-Pong/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, and Peter Dempsey, who set the pace in practice April 9 in the No. 36 Pulse/02 Racing car, will start on Row 4.
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