Road to Indy feeder series discussion

[MonteCristo]

Bottom post of the previous page:

13 now for Lights with Jacob Abel back: https://formulascout.com/indy-lights-re ... son/100266

Might make it to 16 cars in the end? That would be very nice.

Most in 2022 was 14 entries in three rounds.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Indy Lights are dead, gone, no more,..... long Live Indy NXT by Firestone.



The new name and logo the the Indycar feeder series.

IndyCar has announced a new name for its feeder series, with Indy Lights now to be known as ‘Indy NXT’.

In fact, it goes even beyond that, with the competition’s full name including title partner reference now ‘Indy NXT by Firestone’.

That reflects a switch in tyre supplier from Cooper Tires to Firestone, bringing the category into line with the IndyCar Series itself.

I have to say really..... but no doubt it is the lure of the $$$. That and perhaps a new name because its new owner can. Its his game and he can call it what it wants I guess

IndyCar’s announcement,:

“The 2023 season will provide an additional opportunity for a reset and a new mission to emerge, guided by an ethos that aims to inspire and relate to Generation Z and the young talent piloting race cars.”

Maybe its my ignorance of modern lingo but WTF has NXT (by Firestone) got to do with Gen Z. I mean I get the Gen Z link, young guys and all that but is NXT some Gen Z lingo?

They seem to think that this will lead the new growth expected of the category.
(I hope they have a decent prize fund and connections after what happened to Linus)


Anyway Indy NXT by Firestone have released a calendar.....

14 races races across 11 events, all in support of the IndyCar Series.

It kicks off in St Petersburg, followed by stops at Barber Motorsports Park, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (double-header), Detroit (double-header), Road America, Mid-Ohio, Iowa, Nashville, Gateway, Portland, and Laguna Seca (double-header).


Indy NXT 2023 calendar

Race Track Race day
1 Streets of St. Petersburg Sunday, Mar 5
2 Barber Motorsports Park Sunday, Apr 30
3 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 1 Friday, May 12
4 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course Race 2 Saturday, May 13
5 Streets of Detroit Race 1 Saturday, June 3
6 Streets of Detroit Race 2 Sunday, Jun 4
7 Road America Sunday, Jun 18
8 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Sunday, Jul 2
9 Iowa Speedway Saturday, Jul 22
10 Streets of Nashville Sunday, Aug 6
11 World Wide Technology Raceway Sunday, Aug 27
12 Portland International Raceway Sunday, Sep 3
13 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 1 Saturday, Sep 9
14 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Race 2 Sunday, Sep 10

[theracer120]

Maybe its my ignorance of modern lingo but WTF has NXT (by Firestone) got to do with Gen Z. I mean I get the Gen Z link, young guys and all that but is NXT some Gen Z lingo?

They seem to think that this will lead the new growth expected of the category.
(I hope they have a decent prize fund and connections after what happened to Linus)

I don't think so, I think corporate types just think needlessly abbreviating and capitalising words makes them cool for some reason.

[DoubleFart]

I assume NXT is for Next Generation.

Modern marketers love to kill off vowels.

https://www.wired.com/2013/12/obituary-letter-e/

[MonteCristo]

I assume NXT is for Next Generation.

Modern marketers love to kill off vowels.

Back. The. Truck. Up.

Next generation ... Indycar drivers?

iNXT.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

Hi, fellas. I haven't been keeping track of anything in this thread to this point so the answer to my question below may have already been determined.

Is Brian Stewart Racing still active in Indy Lights?

[MonteCristo]

Hi, fellas. I haven't been keeping track of anything in this thread to this point so the answer to my question below may have already been determined.

Is Brian Stewart Racing still active in Indy Lights?

Haven't been around for about a decade as far as I know.

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

Ah... OK. Thanks for that update.

[MonteCristo]

Chadwick joins Andretti for 2023 Indy NXT season

The next step in Jamie Chadwick’s career will be a shift to the United States with a full season of Indy NXT competition piloting the No. 28 Andretti Autosport Indy NXT entry.

Chadwick, the three-time W Series open-wheel champion, will carry sponsorship from longtime Andretti partner DHL.

https://racer.com/2022/12/01/chadwick-j ... xt-season/

Another fulltime car.

[MonteCristo]

Make that ... another two full time cars!

Up to 14 now:

Juncos signs Gold and Nannini for its return to Indy Nxt

Juncos Hollinger Racing has announced the two drivers who will front its return to Indy Nxt after a season out.

Reece Gold will be embarking on a third year as part of Juncos, stepping up after becoming the 2022 Indy Pro 2000 runner-up while driving for the team, and Matteo Nannini joins after previously racing in Formula 2.

Juncos raced in Indy Nxt in 2012, then again from 2015 to ’19. The series did not run in 2020, but Juncos was on the grid the year after. It missed for a variety of factors, but has ended its USFP2000 programme to enable a Indy Nxt return with two cars

https://formulascout.com/juncos-signs-g ... nxt/101764

As for the Nannini name? Says Wikipedia:

His father is a first cousin of former Formula One driver Alessandro Nannini

[MonteCristo]

James Roe Jr has secured a place on the 2023 Indy Nxt grid by signing with Andretti Autosport.

https://formulascout.com/james-roe-jr-s ... ort/102557

Apparently that's 16 full time cars, with maybe 3 extras not yet announced.

Indy Nxt have a 14-race schedule again this year, with three double-header rounds, but the total prize pot has been increased to $1.4 million.

A guaranteed $850,000 will be given to the 2023 champion to spend on “an oval test at Texas Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Open Test/Rookie Orientation Programme, the Indianapolis 500 and an additional 2024 IndyCar event” according to a series representative.

https://formulascout.com/indy-nxt-udpat ... son/102833

Well that's slightly better. But it's a still a step back from what used to be pre-2022.

But I'd like to think that Lundqvist would retrospectively get enough to do the 500 this year. Total BS if not.

[MonteCristo]

Rasmussen just needs to start the final race to win "NXT". What will he do next year?

Also, 18 cars entered the final round. Very nice. Come a long way since the days of 7-8 cars in 2018.

[MonteCristo]

Decent field size for NXT in 2024. 16 drivers confirmed so far. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Indy_NXT

Only 10 confirmed so far for USF Pro 2000. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_USF_ ... ampionship

[PTRACER]

Decent field size for NXT in 2024. 16 drivers confirmed so far. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Indy_NXT

Only 10 confirmed so far for USF Pro 2000. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_USF_ ... ampionship

16 cars is a small field but 10 is terrible. Costs too high?

[MonteCristo]

18 fulltime cars on Wikipedia now for NXT. I'm officially calling that "solid". Pretty huge turnaround for the series in a few short years (with Covid in between). Don't expect them to all last the season though.

12 drivers and 13 cars for USF Pro 2000. I'm calling that an upgrade to "bad" from "abysmal".

Oh and 14 for USF2000, including an Australian! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_USF2000_Championship

Hopefully they both get a couple more entries before things kick-off at St Pete at the start of March.

[Everso Biggyballies]

And is it still one lucky driver will get rewarded with a (relative) bag of peanuts for winning the series, compared to previous winners.... no works assisted drives or the previous sweeteners (pre Penske ownership?) or big chunk of budget to help career progression in another category up the ladder.

I just remember Lundqvist I think it was got shafted royally on his feeder series win.

Im hoping that the situation was remedied after that but not holding my breath. I must confess I dont follow the Indy feeder stuff that closely and may be suffering good old fashioned ignorance with this.