2008 Indy Lights... - Page 3

JOWT Blog · 30 Jul 2008, 14:37 (Ref:2260351)

Daniel Herrington, Tom Dyer, Christina Orr and Leonardo Cordeiro passed their rookie tests at Kentucky Speedway late last week. All four drivers will now be allowed to compete on the oval track events, should the opportunity arise.

nic.v814 · 31 Jul 2008, 06:32 (Ref:2260731)

it a bit disapointing that alex missed out on a drive after last year but i guess there was a bit of turmoil with the merger

**gomick** · 11 Aug 2008, 06:39 (Ref:2267110)

Kentucky Starting Grid - 24 drivers...

1. Raphael Matos AFS Racing, Inc./Andretti Green Racing 55.9064
2. Ana Beatriz Sam Schmidt Motorsports 56.0219
3. Arie Luyendyk Jr. AFS Racing, Inc./ Andretti Green Racing 56.1725
4. Dillon Battistini Panther Racing 56.1937
5. James Davison Sam Schmidt Motorsports 56.2052
6. Brent Sherman Panther Racing 56.2995
7. Travis Gregg Sam Schmidt Motorsports 56.3533
8. Logan Gomez Guthrie Racing 56.3578
9. Daniel Herrington RLR/Andersen Racing 56.4021
10. Richard Antinucci Sam Schmidt Motorsports 56.5179

**gomick** · 11 Aug 2008, 06:43 (Ref:2267113)

Another race win to Dillon Battistini - James Davison, oh so close to back to back race wins...

Race Results...

1. Dillon Battistini Panther Racing
2. James Davison Sam Schmidt Motorsports
3. Arie Luyendyk Jnr AFS Racing Inc
4. Richard Antinucci Sam Schmidt Motorsports
5. Brent Sherman Panther Racing
6. Raphael Matos AFS Racing Inc
7. Sean Guthrie Guthrie Racing
8. Jonathan Klein Team Moore Racing
9. Bobby Wilson Team E
10. Robbie Pecorari Guthrie Racing

Points after 13 rounds...

1. Richard Antinucci 408
2. Raphael Matos 404
3. Dillon Battistini 351
4. Arie Luyendyk Jnr 351
5. Ana Beatriz 346
6. JR Hildebrand 337
7. Jeff Simmons 285
8. James Davison 270
9. Sean Guthrie 270
10. Brent Sherman 269

nic.v814 · 11 Aug 2008, 08:16 (Ref:2267137)

where was johnny reid?

**gomick** · 12 Aug 2008, 10:52 (Ref:2267737)

he didnt qualify or race - dont know why

drdisque · 14 Aug 2008, 00:23 (Ref:2268788)

He was on the entry list too - no word on TSO as to why they didn't show up for the event.

JOWT Blog · 14 Aug 2008, 01:29 (Ref:2268798)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nic.v814

where was johnny reid?

According to a reliable source, Reid returned to New Zealand due to a scheduling conflict, I would guess that means A1GP.?.?. Hopefully the incident at Mid-Ohio hasn't affected him, I look forward to seeing him back in the car at Infineon.

JOWT Blog · 20 Aug 2008, 14:55 (Ref:2272164)

Tom Dyer will make his debut this weekend at Infineon driving for Michael Crawford Motorsports.

nic.v814 · 21 Aug 2008, 11:33 (Ref:2272663)

interesting see we got 3 kiwi drivers racing this weekend

**gomick** · 23 Aug 2008, 23:38 (Ref:2274065)

Sears Point Qualifying...

1. Franck Perera Guthrie Racing 1:23.2851
2. Raphael Matos AFS Racing, Inc./Andretti Green Racing 1:23.2870
3. Richard Antinucci Sam Schmidt Motorsports 1:23.5182
4. Logan Gomez Guthrie Racing 1:23.7947
5. Ana Beatriz Sam Schmidt Motorsports 1:23.8918
6. J.R. Hildebrand RLR/ Andersen Racing 1:24.0152
7. Daniel Herrington RLR/Andersen Racing 1:24.1269
8. Mitch Cunningham Mo'sGold Racing 1:24.1582
9. Jonny Reid Sam Schmidt Motorsports 1:24.2215
10. Pablo Donoso Team Moore Racing 1:24.2251

17. James Davison Sam Schmidt Motorsports 1:24.6042

drdisque · 24 Aug 2008, 03:25 (Ref:2274103)

Franck Perera won his first Indy Lights race, leading every lap.

It was very difficult to pass.

Matos 2nd, Antinucci 3rd. - Matos takes points lead by 1.

They're inverting 8 places for tomorrow's race, putting Antinucci, Matos, and Perera in 6th, 7th, and 8th respectively and Pablo Donoso on pole. Should be very interesting.

JOWT Blog · 25 Aug 2008, 02:28 (Ref:2274796)

Pablo Donoso won today's race (the second first time winner of the weekend), while becoming the ninth different victor this season. Matos and Antinucci will now head to Chicago, 3pts. apart (Matos 472, Antinucci 469).

**gomick** · 26 Aug 2008, 11:37 (Ref:2275523)

Should be a thrilling finish to the season - may the best man win

... I am gunning for Matos to win the crown...

Points after 15 rounds...

1. Raphael Matos - 472
2. Richard Antinucci - 469
3. Ana Beatriz - 409
4. JR Hildebrand - 401
5. Dillon Battistini - 378
6. Arie Luyendyk Jnr - 378
7. Pablo Donoso - 343
8. Logan Gomez - 334
9. Sean Guthrie - 309
10. James Davison - 303

foreversideways · 26 Aug 2008, 11:47 (Ref:2275534)

Should be a thriller but that SS no 7 is good on the ovals !!, perhaps not as close as last years race though.

drdisque · 27 Aug 2008, 03:48 (Ref:2276024)

I can't wait for this race. I will be there!

**gomick** · 6 Sep 2008, 21:31 (Ref:2283076)

Raphael Matos won the pole at Chicagoland - Richard Antinucci will start from 7th...

JOWT Blog · 7 Sep 2008, 17:22 (Ref:2283642)

Arie Luyendyk Jr. just won his first Indy Lights race after 62 starts! He ran right on Rafa's rear wing until the last lap.

Matos finishes third after leading 66 laps and claims the 2008 title, Antinucci was taken out by Sean Guthrie midway through the race. It didn't matter much though, Antinucci didn't have the car to run with Matos, Luyendyk Jr., Beatriz or Wilson.

It was a good day for AFS/Andretti-Green.

Live Coverage of the Event

**gomick** · 8 Sep 2008, 06:56 (Ref:2284334)

Congrats to Arie Jnr - thats a long time coming

Big congrats to Rafael Matos on the championship win - he has won everything in the junior classes from Star Mazda to Atlantics to Indy Lights

.... definitely one to watch in 09 when he races with the big boys!

**gomick** · 8 Sep 2008, 06:59 (Ref:2284337)

Final Points...

1. Raphael Matos 510
2. Richard Antinucci 478
3. Ana Beatriz 449
4. Arie Luyendyk Jr. 428
5. JR Hildebrand 409
6. Dillon Battistini 385
7. Pablo Donoso 360
8. Logan Gomez 358
9. James Davison 333
10. Sean Guthrie 322

foreversideways · 8 Sep 2008, 14:16 (Ref:2284724)

One does have to question the relevance of this series when the previous two championship winners have gone nowhere since their winning year. Unless Matos has a backer (like Mutoh and Honda ) i don't see a slot for him in Indy Car in 2009 as apart from the financial considerations he has hardly been a dominant champion. There appears to be an obsession in US racing with sticking with the old tried and tested names at the expense of young talent. The return of Dario to a team with the current Indy Championship winner and the 2007 Indy Pro champion in it is a good example of this. There is no doubt in my mind that if this was a F1 team, it would be Dixon and Lloyd at Ganassi for 2008.

JOWT Blog · 8 Sep 2008, 17:31 (Ref:2284882)

Quote:

Originally Posted by foreversideways

One does have to question the relevance of this series when the previous two championship winners have gone nowhere since their winning year. Unless Matos has a backer (like Mutoh and Honda ) i don't see a slot for him in Indy Car in 2009 as apart from the financial considerations he has hardly been a dominant champion. There appears to be an obsession in US racing with sticking with the old tried and tested names at the expense of young talent. The return of Dario to a team with the current Indy Championship winner and the 2007 Indy Pro champion in it is a good example of this. There is no doubt in my mind that if this was a F1 team, it would be Dixon and Lloyd at Ganassi for 2008.

Racing will always revolve around money.

You could go back much farther than just Lloyd and Howard, when looking at past Indy Pro/Indy Lights Champions that have failed to secure rides at the top levels of open wheel racing. You actually have to go back to about 2001 (Townsend Bell) or 2002 (A.J. Foyt IV) to see names that many recognize today. Quite frankly, many could argue about their success as well.

Does this make the championship insignificant??..absolutely not. So many of today's junior formula champions up and down the ladder across the world, end up sitting home due to a lack of funding. It's unfortunate, but it's reality.

I would love to see Lloyd and Matos get a seat next year....will it happen? I just don't know.

foreversideways · 8 Sep 2008, 17:36 (Ref:2284886)

I have no illusions about the money issue and know from my own personal experience back in the early 80s, that when the money runs out the racing runs out. i just feel that if you want to have a feeder series you must do some feeding otherwise it will ultimately fail. GP2 has been able to feed its champions into F1, which is obviously a healthy state of affairs. It also keeps up the pressure on the older guys who have been in there for a few years.

JOWT Blog · 8 Sep 2008, 19:58 (Ref:2285006)

It's tough to argue against the GP2 driver placement. But looking at the bigger picture...the Indy Lights Championship is far from the only junior formula series where title holders remain stationary.

You bring up an excellent point though, a feeder series must feed in order to survive.

Rob29 · 12 Sep 2008, 16:19 (Ref:2288207)

Any chance of discovering when Motors TV might show coverage of Sears Point round? Two scheduled listings have beed inexplicably replaced by Silverstone F3.

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