Page 1 of 5

2010 Firestone Indy Lights Thread

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:09 pm
by mlittle
----2010 Firestone Indy Lights Schedule


~~28 March 2010: St. Petersburg, Fla.(street circuit)
~~11 April 2010: Barber Motorsports Park(road course)
~~18 April 2010: Long Beach, Ca.(street circuit)
~~28 May 2010: Indianapolis Motor Speedway(superspeedway)
~~19 June 2010: Iowa Speedway(short oval)
~~4 July 2010: Watkins Glen(road course)
~~18 July 2010: Toronto, Canada(street circuit)
~~25 July 2010: Edmonton, Canada(airport circuit)
~~8 Aug. 2010: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course(road course)
~~22 Aug. 2010: Infineon Raceway(road course)
~~28 Aug. 2010: Chicagoland Speedway(1.5-mile oval)
~~4 Sept. 2010: Kentucky Speedway(1.5-mile oval)
~~2 Oct. 2010: Homestead-Miami Speedway(1.5-mile oval)

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:13 pm
by mlittle
Expected List of Indy Lights Teams for 2010.............
note............list subject to change prior to beginning of season

~~~Andretti Autosport
~~~Alliance Motorsports
~~~Brian Stewart Racing
~~~Brooks Associates Racing
~~~Bryan Herta Autosport
~~~ELFF Racing
~~~HVM Racing
~~~Panther Racing
~~~RLR/Andersen Racing
~~~Sam Schmidt Motorsports
~~~Team Enerson
~~~Team Moore Racing
~~~Team PBIR
~~~Walker Racing

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:31 pm
by mlittle
~~~Stefan Wilson will return to Firestone Indy Lights in 2010 contesting the full season with Bryan Herta Autosport, team co-owners Bryan Herta and Steve Newey announced on Feb. 3. Wilson, the younger brother of IZOD IndyCar Series driver Justin Wilson and winner of the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award, will embark on his first full year in the development series following six road course starts in 2009.

"Stefan showed great pace last year in his limited program, so when we had the opportunity to sign him for this season, we did not hesitate," Herta said. "As this is our sophomore season in the Firestone Indy Lights, we know expectations will be higher for us and I'm confident that Stefan will deliver the results he and the team are expecting."

Wilson, a 20-year-old native of Sheffield, England, contested six Indy Lights events for Walker Racing with a best result of fourth in Toronto.

He tested a Formula 1 car for McLaren earlier this winter as his prize for winning the esteemed McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, whose past recipients include Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button and two-time IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti.

"I am so excited to be returning to the Firestone Indy Lights, especially with such a competitive outfit as Bryan Herta Autosport," said Wilson. "I was very impressed by the team's quick rise to the top last year. In their first year, they managed to win and score further podiums and I'm confident that the team will immediately demonstrate that same pace this season. I had a few good results in the small amount of races I was able to participate in and it was a good learning year. I want to build on that and go after race wins early in the season. That is the main objective initially, and then we will see how the championship plays out."

Wilson turned his first laps with the BHA squad last week in a test at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Ariz. "I was able to get to know the team really quickly, and we got down to some important testing work in the afternoon," noted Wilson. "I really liked the environment of the team and the car was already handling great. We have a few more tests lined up in the next month, so we should hit the ground running when we arrive in St. Petersburg for the first race."

The past month has seen a flurry of activity at BHA with a move to a new race shop, the hiring of new personnel and the start of pre-season testing. Sponsorship for Wilson's BHA entry will be unveiled in the near future. "We are very excited to have Stefan join our team," added Newey. "His results while racing in Europe were very impressive. He also had some strong drives last year in the few Indy Lights races that he entered. He is a very talented young man and we are looking forward to competing for the 2010 championship."

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:32 pm
by mlittle
~~~Second-generation Spanish driver Adrian Campos Jr. will contest the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights season with Team Moore Racing, team co-owners Mark Moore and Tom Wood announced on Feb. 11. Campos, the 21-year-old son of former Formula One driver Adrian Campos, will drive the No. 22 Xtreme Coil Drilling car for the team, which previously announced the signing of Dutchman Junior Strous for its No. 2 car.

"I am very happy to be in America and to be with TMR," Campos said. "I am sure this team and I will be very successful. I will learn a lot this season and will do my best."

Campos has previously competed in the European F3 Championship (formerly Spanish Formula 3 Championship), recording nine wins, 25 podiums, five pole positions and two fastest laps in 82 starts. In 2009, he competed in the European F3 Open Championship, where he scored two wins, three podiums and 10 top-10 finishes. He finished fourth overall.

"This is a decision of a lifetime for my son and I support him," said Adrian Campos Sr., who has fielded his son's cars throughout his career. "I am completely sure that he can be one of the best drivers in the USA. He is mature and he has enough experience to do a great job."

Moore said the team is excited to welcome the younger Campos to the fold, especially since it was selected by Adrian Campos, Sr., who intends to field a Formula 1 entry in 2010. "Adrian's father has had teams in Europe that have won championships in everything from F-3 to GP2 and he is currently testing the waters of F-1 as a team owner," Moore said. "The man certainly knows what it takes to win races and Tom and I are very proud that he and young Adrian chose Team Moore Racing to take him to the next level in his career."

Added Wood: "We are really pleased to have Adrian as an addition to TMR. His family has a tremendous racing background and we are honored to be chosen to work with him. I think he will be very fast in our cars. He has had success in Europe and it will be our job to insure that carries through to our series."

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:34 pm
by mlittle
~~~Junior Strous, who won his first two Firestone Indy Lights races before his season was cut short, will return to the series in 2010 with Team Moore Racing. The 23-year-old Dutchman will drive the No. 2 Xtreme Coil Drilling-Shell car for the team as as part of the Shell Driver Development Program.

"We had some good options this year to race for the top teams," Strous said. "After some long meetings with Mark Moore and a friendly visit to his spotless, super professional team's shop in Pittsboro, Ind., I knew this was the team we could win the 2010 Championship with. Together with my management Winners Circle Group, Shell and sponsors like HTP investments Knaus, BK Gas, and local Indy based Global plastic, we have created a perfect business to business situation for all parties."

Team Moore Racing, which won its first race in 2008 with Pablo Donoso, finished 10th in Firestone Indy Lights entrant points last season with Andrew Prendeville's podium finish at Chicagoland Speedway as its highlight of the season. Team co-owners Mark Moore and Tom Wood hope Strous can return to the team to championship contention in 2010.

"Tom and I are very proud to have Junior competing for us in the 2010 Championship," said team co-owner Mark Moore. "I believe he is a rare talent and has great charisma. When you at look the past season, Strous had the highest per race win ratio of any of the drivers. This is very impressive given the talent level of our series. He is also quite a fine young man and I know we will work well together. This is going to be a great season for us all."

A veteran of the Atlantic Championship, Strous made five starts in 2009 for Winner Circle Group, sweeping the season-opening doubleheader on the Streets of St. Petersburg. He has won championships in multiple auto racing disciplines including road racing, drifting, and rallying.

"Everyone is really excited and I cannot wait to jump in the car and go win races again. We are definitely championship contenders in 2010; TMR will be a big force to be reckoned with this coming season. With my partners and sponsors we will generate a lot of press for the Team and me; not just in North America and Europe but around the world. The news is big in Holland and my fans are really happy," concluded Strous.

Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:55 am
by mlittle
-----The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and Performance Friction Company announced an expansion of the Indy Racing League's 'Road to Indy' program with the series champion guaranteed a test with a top Firestone Indy Lights team.

2009 Star Mazda champion Adam Christodoulou will test with Andersen Racing's Firestone Indy Lights team later this month, and the champion of the upcoming 2010 season will also get a test as part of his or her prize package.

"Our goal has always been to provide our drivers with the most competitive, cost-effective and comprehensive opportunity to advance their career," says Star Mazda Championship founder and CEO Gary Rodrigues. "This is another step forward in creating a clearly-defined path for Road to Indy drivers whose goal is the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indy 500. We'd like to thank Performance Friction Company and Andersen Racing for their support in making this possible."

Performance Friction is 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, and is 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."

The Indy Racing League 'Road to Indy' program is 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; it includes 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 PFC and Star Mazda in making this exciting test program a reality," 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 six 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 testing Adam in the next few weeks."

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."

Christodoulou, who previously tested a Firestone Indy Lights car late last year, is looking forward to experiencing the additional power and speed of the Indy Lights car.

"I've already had a taste of testing the Indy lights car towards the end of last year, but it's a great car to drive and I'm eager to get behind the wheel again," Christodoulou said. "I've been in quite a variety of cars recently and each car I get in adds to my racing knowledge… and to the level of experience I can bring to my next team. The opportunities that arise from being part of the Star Mazda Championship, the Road to Indy and the MAZDASPEED Ladder are much greater than anything that exists in Europe. These programs have provided a huge boost to my career and I would recommend them to any driver who is serious about advancing their ambitions in open-wheel racing."

Hinch Takes Point at St. Pete.

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:25 am
by mlittle
Image


-----ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – James Hinchcliffe started from the front row in three Firestone Indy Lights races last year. But the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be his first race with the inside lane.

Hinchcliffe, making his first start with Team Moore Racing, earned his first pole position with a quick lap of 1 minute, 6.3497 seconds in the 60-minute qualifying session on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit.

“Pole is a fantastic place to start and it’s such a great way to start the season,” said Hinchcliffe, whose best finish in ‘09 was second at Mid-Ohio. “Huge thanks to all the Team Moore guys. Our deal came together really late, but we were able to put together a great group of people. All their hard work paid off. Hopefully, we can keep the car underneath us for 45 laps.”

In two races at St. Pete last year, Hinchcliffe finished sixth and third – among his 10 top-10 finishes with Sam Schmidt Motorsports.

JK Vernay, making his Firestone Indy Lights debut, will join Hinchcliffe on the front row after a quick lap of 1:06.4814. Bryan Herta Autosport’s Sebastian Saavedra (1:06.6555) and Jan Heylen of Team E (1:06.6848) will share Row 2.

“Being on the first row is a good thing, but I really wanted to be on the pole because it is an advantage for the first corner here,” said Vernay, a 22-year-old native of France who competed in the Formula 3 Euro Series last year. “It’s not bad. We have the performance and the car is really fast. We worked really well with my engineer (Tim Neff). I know I don’t have to take too much risk because I need to score points for the championship, but we will see what happens. I’m happy, but it would have been nice to win the pole for my first race.”

Martin Plowman of AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport (1:06.9131) and James Winslow of Sam Schmidt Motorsports (1:06.9307) will be on the third row. AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport’s Charlie Kimball (1:06.9909) and Jonathan Summerton (1:07.2259), in his first Firestone Indy Lights race with Walker Racing, will occupy Row 4.

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:31 am
by mlittle
St. Pete Practice Session Top-5 Results...........
~~~~SESSION 1
1} Martin Plowman, Andretti Autosport.......................1:08.196 sec
2} James Hinchcliffe, Team Moore Racing...................1:08.229 sec
3} Stefan Wilson, Bryan Herta Autosport....................1:08.347 sec
4} Charlie Kimball, Andretti Autosport........................1:08.410 sec
5} Gustavo Yacaman, Cape Motorsports.....................1:08.452 sec

~~~~SESSION 2
1} Sebastien Saavedra, Bryan Herta Autosport...........1:06.587 sec
2} James Hinchcliffe, Team Moore Racing...................1:06.616 sec
3} Martin Plowman, Andretti Autosport.......................1:06.658 sec
4} Jan Heylen, Team Enerson....................................1:06.760 sec
5} Charlie Kimball, Andretti Autosport........................1:06.856 sec

Debut win for Verney in St. Pete

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:37 am
by mlittle
Image
Sam Schmidt Mtrspts. driver J.K. Verney wins his debut Indy Lights race at St. Pete


~~~ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – J.K. Vernay ringed out his driving gloves for emphasis after climbing from the No. 7 Lucas Slick Mist/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car on pit lane. The soaking he received in the rain-saturated Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, though, was of little consequence. Vernay had won in his Firestone Indy Lights debut.

Vernay, 22, who started on the outside of the front row, held off open-wheel racing veteran Jan Heylen on a Lap 29 restart and went on to an 11.2338-second victory in the shortened (from 45 laps to 35) race on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit.

Stefan Wilson drove from the 14th starting position to finish third in the No. 28 Bryan Herta Autosport car and Charlie Kimball tied his series-best finish of fourth in the No. 26 AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport car.

“I didn’t know this track, so I had to learn a lot,” said Vernay, who competed in the Formula 3 Euro series the past three years (two victories and five podium finishes in 20 starts in 2009). “It helped with the work I did with my team. We had a great setup on the car. Practice after practice, I was pushing more and more and we were there so it was good. It was hard not to have the pole, but I was very careful on the first lap. I didn’t want to crash at the start of the race. It was great to win in my first weekend in Indy Lights.”

Cars started the race on slicks, with pole sitter James Hinchcliffe punted in Turn 1 of the first green flag lap by the No. 49 Sam Schmidt Motorsports car driven by Philip Major. He was looking to make a big move on the inside (started ninth) but braked too late to make the sharp right-hand turn.

Sebastian Saavedra emerged as the leader -- until he spun in Turn 4 of Lap 5. Vernay was in position to avoid the mid-track mess and took the lead through a red flag at the completion of Lap 6 for crews to change to rain tires.

A full-course caution on Lap 26 when the No. 29 Bryan Herta Autosport car driven by Saavedra made contact with the tire barrier on the exit of Turn 7 was the lone challenge for Vernay to overcome. Heylen, who competed in nine Champ Car races in 2007, couldn’t overtake Vernay on the restart with time running out.

“The conditions were difficult, especially in Turn 1,” Heylen said. “I think we made a bad setup on the car. It was nice being back in the car, I have not been racing for almost three years. So it’s good to be back and I really hope that I can race in some more this year. I very much enjoyed it.”

Gustavo Yacaman, who started 10th in the No. 10 Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing car, advanced five positions, while Martin Plowman finished sixth in the No. 27 AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport car. “It was a really hard and long race,” said Yacaman, who posted two top-five finishes in 14 races last year with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. “I had a good start on the outside, and I was able to make up some positions. I was really cautious on the restart, but I was able to move up to second place before they stopped the race due to conditions. From then on, it was a really long race. I made a couple of mistakes going into Turn 4 that cost us a podium finish. But at the end of the day, I kept it off the wall and a finished a solid fifth."

James Winslow and Jonathan Summerton, also making their series debuts, finished seventh and eighth, respectively.

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:46 am
by mlittle
----Streets of St Petersburg Top-10..............

1} J.K. Vernay, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts.,.........................35 laps
2} Jan Heylen, Team Enerson.....................................-11.234 sec
3} Stefan Wilson, Bryan Herta Autosport....................-11.578 sec
4} Charlie Kimball, Andretti Autosport.........................-20.404 sec
5} Gustavo Yacaman, Cape Mtrspts.,..........................-21.801 sec
6} Martin Plowman, Andretti Autosport........................-23.009 sec
7} James Winslow, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts.,...................-24.673 sec
8} Jonathan Summerton, Walker Racing.....................-48.602 sec
9} Rodrigo Barbosa, PDM Racing.................................-1 lap
10} Junior Strous, HVM Racing....................................-1 lap
race was shortened due to weather from 45 laps down to 35 laps

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:02 pm
by mlittle
Current 2010 Firestone Indy Lights Top-10 Standings.................
1} J.K. Verney, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts.,...................52 pts(1 win)
2} Jan Heylen, Team Enerson...............................40 pts
3} Stefan Wilson, Bryan Herta Autosport...............35 pts
4} Charlie Kimball, Andretti Autosport...................32 pts
5} Gustavo Yacaman, Cape Motorsports...............30 pts
6} Martin Plowman, Andretti Autosport..................28 pts
7} James Winslow, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts.,.............26 pts
8} Jonathan Summerton, Walker Racing................24 pts
9} Rodrigo Barbosa, PDM Racing...........................22 pts
10} Junior Strous, HVM Racing...............................20 pts

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:16 am
by mlittle
Barber Practice Session Top-5 Results.................
----SESSION ONE
1} Charlie Kimball, Andretti Autosport...........................1:17.038 sec
2} James Hinclcliffe, Team Moore Racing........................1:17.041 sec
3} Martin Plowman, Andretti Autosport.........................1:17.239 sec
4} Sebastien Saavedra, Bryan Herta Autosport.............1:17.243 sec
5} Stefan Wilson, Bryan Herta Autosport.......................1:17.406 sec

----SESSION TWO
1} Niall Quinn, Team P.B.I.R.,.........................................1:16.850 sec
2} James Hinchcliffe, Team Moore Racing........................1:17.611 sec
3} Sebastien Saavedra, Bryan Herta Autosport.............1:17.647 sec
4} Charlie Kimball, Andretti Autosport............................1:17.730 sec
5} Martin Plowman, Andretti Autosport...........................1:17.923 sec

Vernay to start from pole in Barber..........

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:18 am
by mlittle
Image


----BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In the Firestone Indy Lights season opener two weeks ago at St. Petersburg, J.K. Vernay swept into the lead on Lap 5 and went on to a comfortable victory. He started second in the 35-lap race on the temporary street circuit. For the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, the native of Villeurbanne, France, will start from the pole position.

Vernay, driving the No. 7 Lucas Slick Mist/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, covered the 2.38-mile Barber Motorsports Park circuit in 1 minute, 14.8726 seconds – lowering his time by two-tenths of a second on the final lap of the 45-minute qualifying session.

“I am very happy to be on the pole because yesterday we didn’t have very good practice runs," Vernay said. "I finished P7 in practice and wasn’t very confident heading into today. We worked really late and my crew did a great job on my car. This proves that when you work hard, it pays off. Now we have to focus on the race, especially the starts because my starts have not been very good. I think it will help that I am starting first."

Charlie Kimball, who was second on the time chart in practice a day earlier, will start on the front row for the first time in his Firestone Indy Lights career courtesy of a quick lap of 1:153354 in the No. 26 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Inc. car for Andretti Autosport. His previous best was fifth at Watkins Glen International and Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2009.

“It was a slightly broken up session due to the yellows and trouble on the track, but it was a good run," Kimball said. "The No. 26 Levemir FlexPen car ran great during qualifying. Anytime we went out and had a clean lap, we were quick. We were never outside the top four, and when it went green for those last two laps at the end I had to make sure I had a good gap and put the laps in from there.

"I was dying to know how I had done once I was on my in lap because the dash beacons are at the start/finish line and the timing is in the back, so I wasn’t aware yet of how I had finished. The team told me I was P2 and until they came through on my radio, I didn’t know if I had it for sure.

"I am confident heading into the tomorrow because I think we have a lot better race pace then we do qualifying pace. Putting the car on the front row gives us a pretty good shot."

Teammate Martin Plowman also posted a series-high starting position of third (1:15.3636; previous best of fifth at St. Petersburg on March 28 and at Indianapolis last year). Sebastian Saavedra, driving the No. 29 William Rast/Bryan Herta Autosport car, will share Row 2 after a best lap of 1:15.3868.

James Hinchcliffe (1:15.4496) of Team Moore Racing and Stefan Wilson (1:15.6124) of Bryan Herta Autosport will occupy Row 3 for the 40-lap race (watch live on indycar.com at 1 p.m. ET April 11).

Vernay 2 for 2 in Lights competition........

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:03 am
by mlittle
Image

----BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – J.K. Vernay picked up a $5,000 bonus from Firestone for winning two races in a row. He also picked up valuable championship points, which might prove more valuable long term.

Vernay, starting from the pole in the No. 7 Lucas Slick Mist/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, held off Charlie Kimball by 1.1542 seconds to win the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Alabama on the 2.38-mile Barber Motorsports Park.

Vernay, who won the season opener on the temporary St. Petersburg street circuit two weeks earlier, joined Junior Strous (2009) in earning the bonus since its inception. Vernay also became the fourth driver in series history to win the first two races at season’s outset (Mark Taylor 2003; Raphael Matos 2006; Alex Lloyd 2007, won the first five; and Strous). He takes a 33-point lead over Kimball in the Firestone Indy Lights championship standings heading to Long Beach.

“I was confident that we'd be able to do well since the beginning of the championship,” said Vernay, a native of France. “To say yes, for sure, we'd win the first two races, no, nobody can say that. The competition level in Indy Lights is very high, and you have to work very hard if you want to get the pole or win the race.

“So I'm just very happy because everything worked well. I worked well with my team, my engineer, the crew, everything. The car was great at the beginning, middle and at the end of the race. I was always able to push and to do a good gap with Charlie. We just have to continue to work like that and to do the same next weekend.”

Kimball, driving the No. 26 Levemir FlexPen car for AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport, recorded a career best. “When you're out front, you obviously have clean air and that makes a huge difference the way the car handles as hot as the track is,” he said. “Even behind J.K. in traffic, the 26 Levemir FlexPen car was quick. I think we were sort of pacing each other, staying tight, knowing that I couldn't run right up behind him because of the downforce. But it was just running together.

“He tried to get a gap, and I could close that down, run a couple of quick laps and close that down. I was just waiting for a mistake, because honestly there is not a huge opportunity to pass around here.

“All credit to him. He ran 35 laps or 30 laps at green with no mistakes. Not big enough for me to capitalize on, at least, even as close as I was.” Following a Lap 27 restart, Kimball was no further than 1.8222 seconds behind Vernay but no closer than the final margin.

Sebastian Saavedra in the No. 29 William Rast/Bryan Herta Autosport entry, advanced from the fourth starting position to third (5.7 seconds back). Martin Plowman finished a career-best fourth in the No. 27 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Inc. car for AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport, and James Hinchcliffe was fifth in the No. 2 TMR-Xtreme Coil Drilling car.

Stefan Wilson finished sixth in the No. 28 Bryan Herta Autosport car. Dan Clarke, making his series debut in the No. 40 Wasteco Deans Knight Special for Walker Racing, moved up four positions to finish seventh. Strous was eighth in the No. 6 Shell/HVM Racing car and Gustavo Yacaman moved up one spot to ninth in the No. 10 Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing entry.

“At the end of the day, it is another top-10 finish and good for the championship, and we will leave the track with no crash damage," Yacaman said. "Now we can turn the page and start thinking about the next race at Long Beach."

Phillip Major, whose first race in the series ended early, advanced three positions to finish 10th. Also making progress was Nic LeDuc, driving the No. 37 Palm Beach Indy Racing car, who advanced six spots to finish 11th.

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:09 am
by mlittle
Current Firestone Indy Lights Top-10 Standings....................
1st} J.K. Vernay, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts.,.......................105 pts(2 wins)
2nd} Charlie Kimball, Andretti Autosport.......................72 pts
3rd} Stefan Wilson, Bryan Herta Autosport...................63 pts
4th} Martin Plowman, Andretti Autosport......................60 pts
5th} Sebastien Saavedra, Bryan Herta Autosport..........53 pts
6th} Gustavo Yacaman, Cape Mtrspts.,.........................52 pts
7th} James Hinchcliffe, Team Moore Racing...................46 pts
8th} Junior Strous, HVM Racing.....................................44 pts
9th} James Winslow, Sam Schmidt Mtrspts.,.................41 pts
10th} Jan Heylen, Team Enerson..................................40 pts