Category: Indy Lights

news and commentary on the direct feeder series to the IndyCar Series.

Episode 210 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhitesell, Shaw, and Patterson are at it again! Not much news this week in IndyCar, but we talk about some driver announcements in MRTI and announce that OpenPaddock and Belardi Auto Racing will continue their partnership in 2014. Max is back in the news while the new 2014 F1 regulations result in a near obscene nosecone. Kimi is out and Alonso is in for the support race to the Longhorns football game. In rally, Shaw previews Rally GB, gives Gymkhana 6 a “meh” rating,…

Read More

Episode 209 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhitesell, Patterson, and Shaw examine the news from INDYCAR and the organizational changes surrounding IMS and INDYCAR, and we’re agog at the stunning revelation that Dallara will produce the 2015 IndyLights chassis. Whitesell leads us through the news from Formula 1, the Kimi drama, and we review the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Shaw wraps up the show with all the news from the WRC, Rally America, and the Global Rallycross including a discussion of Kubica’s future, a recap of the Perryville Farms Rally, a…

Read More

IndyLights – Dallara to Make 2015 Indy Lights Chassis

Doug Patterson

Yesterday, INDYCAR released word that the manufacturer for the 2015 Indy Lights Chassis would be none other than Dallara. Surprise! …or not. As regular listeners to our podcast know, we’ve been expecting as much since the announcement that there would be a new Indy Lights chassis. The series solicited bids in 2012 when it was expected that a new chassis would roll out in 2014. Proposals were made by many of the same companies that had gone through the bid process for the new IndyCar chassis including Swift and Lola.…

Read More

Inside the Helmet – Jason Penix Looking Ahead to Mazda Road to Indy in 2014

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe chat with Jason “King of the Mazda Road to Indy” Penix, Director of Grassroots Initiatives at INDYCAR about the progress made in the MRTI program in 2013 and where USF2000, Pro Mazda, and the newly retitled IndyLights Presented by Cooper Tires are headed in 2014.

Read More

MRTI – 2014 Event Schedules Are Here!

Doug Patterson

The 2014 schedules are out for the entire Mazda Road to Indy: USF2000, Pro Mazda, and Indy Lights. This will be the fifth year for the Mazda Road to Indy Program and for the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, the second year of operation under Andersen Promotions for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, and will be the first year for the newly retitled Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. Firestone, who had been a long-standing supporter and title sponsor of the Indy…

Read More

Episode 208 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week Doug, Mike, and Mike review the IndyCar and IndyLights finales at Fontana and begin looking at the silly season news and rumors. Mr. Whitesell leads us through the news in Formula 1 and we preview the final Indian Grand Prix. Wrapping up the show, Mr. Shaw recaps the glorious event that was LSPR and gives us a preview of the WRC Rally de Espana. OpenPaddock.net Podcast: Episode 208 – Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013 IndyCar Fontana Review IndyCar title rivals get grid penalties…

Read More

Episode 207 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadOpenPaddock.net Podcast: Episode 207 – Tuesday, October 7th, 2013 IndyCar Houston Review Standings Local viewer video of Grand Prix of Houston crash Franchitti ruled out of Fontana race Fontana Preview 2014 IndyCar schedule set to be revealed Penske confirms Allmendinger for Fontana Alex Tagliani tabbed to replace Dario Franchitti in IndyCar season finale National Guard switches IndyCar allegiance to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing from 2014 – Racer.com Chip Ganassi Racing confirms Kanaan and Chevrolet engines for 2014 Honda: IndyCar needs third supplier MRTI Lights…

Read More

Episode 206 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadKevin Neely and Mike Shaw are joined by special guests John Olsakovsky, regular Op-Ed contributor to OpenPaddock.net, and USF2000 pilot for Belardi Auto Racing and friend of OpenPaddock.net Peter Portante. The boys hash out all the news in IndyCar as everyone including all of the MRTI head to Houston, the details of the Indianapolis GP opening the Month of May, and the driver swaps and additions in Indy Lights. Formula 1 heads to Korea as the WRC heads to France, and Shaw wraps things…

Read More

IndyLights – Conor Daly Returns to Indy Lights With Team Moore Racing

Doug Patterson

Conor Daly, who has been running a full-season in GP3 for ART Grand Prix, returns to American open-wheel racing for a encore performance in Firestone Indy Lights. Team Moore Racing announced today that the Irish-American hotshoe will be driving their #22 TMR/RUS Industrial/ALS Association Dallara in Houston. Conor has been pursuing an open-wheel career along any avenue that he can. His primary goal has always been to compete in Formula 1, and he has been racing in GP3 and GP2 this season toward that end. He hasn’t shut the door…

Read More

IndyLights – Dempsey Is Out for the Remainder of 2013

Doug Patterson

I must admit that this doesn’t come as too much of a surprise as we’ve seen Peter Dempsey’s car running sans a primary sponsor since MidOhio. Peter, who had won the Firestone Freedom 100 in dramatic fashion in May and had several strong finishes in the races since, has run out of funds to continue the 2013 season. We’ve really appreciated having Peter on the OpenPaddock.net podcast and sharing his race weekend thoughts with us throughout the season. We’re bummed and disappointed that he’ll not be able to continue with…

Read More