Junior Open Wheel Talent

(photo: FormulaTwo.com)

Dean Stoneman, 21, will be traveling to North America on Monday to test an Indy Lights machine at Las Vegas, according to a report by Autosport.com’s Sam Tremayne.

Stoneman has also been testing a Formula Renault 3.5 machine while evaluating options for next season. For those who don’t know, the talented Briton recently beat testicular cancer. After 12 months away from racing, he’s looking to make a full-time return to the sport he loves.

Prior to his diagnosis, Stoneman won the 2010 FIA Formula Two Championship with six wins and 13 podiums. Last month, he tested a World Series by Renault car with ISR at Aragon. It will be nice to see him return to the cockpit. Regardless of the route he chooses for 2012, he will undoubtedly add tremendous depth to the field.

On Monday, the Indy Lights winter testing ban will be lifted and I should have more information on who’s testing with whom. Stay tuned for updates.

For up-to-date news and views on karting and junior formula racing follow @JOWT on Twitter or follow on Facebook.

STORM BREWING: USF2000 drivers test at Iowa Speedway in 2010. The event marked the first time the entire 'Road to Indy' development ladder raced together at one venue.
(Photo: Ryan - JuniorOpenWheelTalent.com)

Are you looking to keep track of who’s racing with whom in the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder?  Well, you’re in luck.

Make the jump to read about each of the USF2000 National Championship drivers who committed early for the 2012 season.

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Indy Lights cars are lined up post-qualifying at Iowa Speedway. (Photo: Ryan - JuniorOpenWheelTalent.com)

INDYCAR released the 12-race 2012 Firestone Indy Lights schedule earlier this week. One event in mid-October is yet to be named.

The current release has eight venues returning from 2011, but drops the Milwaukee Mile, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Kentucky Speedway. A few new additions have been added.

On June 2-3, the Series will run at Raceway at Belle Isle Park. On July 21-22 — midway through the Canadian stops — drivers will compete at Edmonton City Centre Airport. Then, on Sept. 15, teams will make the haul to Fontana Speedway in California for the first time in seven years.

The schedule is split between road courses, street circuits, and ovals. Here’s how it breaks down.

• 63.6% – Street Circuits (including Edmonton)
• 9.0% – Road Courses
• 27.3% – Ovals

*excluding the yet-to-be-named event in October.

The current list is certainly street-circuit heavy, but that’s not a bad thing. Drivers have less (or zero) opportunity to do pre-event testing on those tracks, which should help level the playing field. Additionally, street circuits tend to provide additional challenges for drivers and engineers (surface paint, bumps, manhole covers, surface oils, less run-off area, etc.) which, in theory, requires more of the driver in terms of feedback and adaptability.

Hit the jump to see the 2012 Firestone Indy Lights schedule.

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According to a spreadsheet that hit my inbox today, the Oct. 28-29 Chris Griffis Memorial ‘Road to Indy’ test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has 43 cars entered between the three feeder series, with seven more entries in limbo. Those numbers seem to be in question, though, as more information arrives. Stay tuned for final numbers and updates.

Hopefully, the entries remain — or grow — when the teams begin to unload their cars this week. I’ll try to update the list below as additional information becomes available.

The USF2000 National Championship and Star Mazda Championship provided driver and team information. My Indy Lights contact hasn’t provided any information at this point. Per today’s spreadsheet:

• USF2000: Seven teams, 14 cars with four additional entries on the fence.
• Star Mazda: Five teams, 7 drivers and 13 cars with one additional entry on the fence.
• Indy Lights: 10 teams, 16 cars with three additional entries on the fence.

Make the jump to see who will be testing with whom in the USF2000 and Star Mazda ranks.

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Team USA's Neil Alberico leads Kenneth Thirlwall at Brands Hatch during the 40th running of the Formula Ford Festival with Team Canada's Xavier Coupal close behind in the No. 23 car. (Photo: Jeff Bloxham)

F2000 Championship Series

• Kyle Connery swept the competition at Watkins Glen; bumping his win total to six while claiming Rookie of the Year honors.
• Remy Audette picked up two more podiums securing the 2011 championship, continuing his consistency. The talented Canadian finished all but one race inside the top five this season.
• Chris Livengood wrapped up a solid season with a fourth and seventh-place finish en route to third overall in the points championship.

F1600 Championship Series

• Wyatt Gooden is still looking for competition. The up-and-comer remained undefeated in F1600 competition; going 4-for-4 this season behind the wheel.
• Bill Valet won the 2011 championship with a pair of third-place finishes during the season finale.
• Ryan Leach put together a solid outing with two podiums.
• Several other up-and-coming drivers joined the fray this weekend and showed promise.

Indy Lights

• Following up on the F2000 recap, the 2010 F2000 Champion Victor Carbone found his way to victory lane in the Indy Lights season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• Series champion Josef Newgarden led laps 4-66, but fell to ninth on the final lap when his tire went down following contact with teammate Carbone’s wing.
• Stefan Wilson set the fastest lap of the race, clocking a 28.32227 while hitting 196.252 miles per hour down the straight.
• Jorge Goncalvez put together another solid race by finishing third behind Carbone and Esteban Guerrieri — his fourth top-five finish on an oval this season.

Team USA and Canada at the Formula Ford Festival

• Neil Alberico led the way for the North American contingent competing at the 40th Annual Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch by finishing third in the 20-lap “Kent” final.

• USA’s Trent Hindman and Alberico both won heat races over the weekend and Team Canada’s Xavier Coupal was equally quick finishing runner-up in his heat. In addition, Coupal earned the pole position for the final with his semi-final speed.
• Spencer Pigot struggled with tire issues and contact throughout the weekend, but held his head high and worked through adversity for a 16th-place finish in the “Duratec” final.
• Despite contact Hindman put in several impressive “through the field” drives en route to a ninth in the final (he started 22nd).
• Ivor McCullough won the Kent final and Scott Malvern won the Duratec Final at Brands Hatch.

IndyCar announced the following this afternoon:

Mazda Road to Indy teams will get a jump start on 2012 when INDYCAR hosts a two-day test open to USF2000 National Championship, Star Mazda Championship and Firestone Indy Lights teams at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course on Oct. 28-29. The Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Open Test is dedicated to the memory of Chris Griffis, the team manager of Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ Firestone Indy Lights team, who died unexpectedly on Sept. 12.

Read the full release here.

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[Update] – View the entry list for the Chris Griffis Memorial ‘Road to Indy’ test.

DISAPPEARING ACT: Drivers take the green flag Sunday for the Kentucky 100 at Kentucky Speedway. Less than half of the starters finished the race on the 1.5-mile oval.
(Photo: Chris Jones/IndyCar.com)

It’s almost unfortunate that Stefan Wilson and Josef Newgarden were so fast Sunday at Kentucky Speedway.

The two checked out early in the race after 13 starters were dwindled to just eight following a five-car clash on the opening lap; which started following a cold-tire spin by Series’ newcomer Jacob Wilson.

When the track went back to green flag racing, Newgarden and Wilson put on a show up front, racing side-by-side, lap after lap, at speeds of nearly 190 miles per hour. Cleanly, I might add.

The remaining drivers — which was only five by races end — were left to fight for a podium spot.

Wilson, who earned his first career Indy Lights pole position earlier in the weekend, found himself in second place trailing Newgarden following the restart, but continued to pursue the top spot utilizing the high-side of the 1.5-mile oval.

On Lap 36, Wilson made the pass stick and gradually pulled away to a 3.1136 margin of victory — his first on an oval. The win catapulted Wilson into second place in the point standings. His previous victory came on the streets of Toronto.

“[Newgarden and I] fought for quite a few laps,” Wilson said. “I’m quite glad we had that battle because it took up the majority of the race; better than just having a lonely race out front.  It was fun to race side-by-side, not just lead from the front and go out and win, but to drop back into second and get back by him.”

While Newgarden would have enjoyed a race win, he was content with a runner-up finish. The podium finish (his 10th of the year)  clinched the 2011 Indy Lights championship for the Tennessee native. He was so consistent this year that all he needed to do was start the race in order seal the championship.

Jorge Goncalvez was able to pick up the final podium spot, besting Brandon Wagner and Bryan Clauson who finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Just a few laps before the finish, Duarte Ferreira was parked by race control for repeatedly blocking and changing lines on the race track. Prior to the penalty, Ferreira set the fastest lap of the race.

Check out the Indy Lights Kentucky 100 Box Score.

The Firestone Indy Lights championship will return to action on Oct. 16 for the season-finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

For up-to-date news and views on junior formula racing follow @JOWT on Twitter or follow on Facebook.

The following was posted on O2 Racing’s Facebook page Tuesday, Sept. 27.

Today, O2 Racing and team owner Mark Olson filed its lawsuit in Indiana State Court (Marion County Superior Court) against INDYCAR for Defamation, for Breach of Contract, and for Violation of Indiana’s Deceptive Franchise Practices Act.

The lawsuit stems from O2′s withdrawal from competition at Milwaukee and subsequent suspension by INDYCAR. It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds. Regardless of the end result, this is a truly tragic situation for both parties. Stay tuned for updates.

For up-to-date news and views on junior formula racing follow @JOWT on Twitter or follow on Facebook.

Take a ride with Team E’s Rusty Mitchell as he pilots the squad’s Indy Lights car around the Baltimore Street Circuit. Enjoy.

Jacob Wilson has signed with Belardi Auto Racing for the final two Indy Lights events of the 2011 season.

The 21-year-old sprint car driver passed his Indy Lights rookie test Thursday afternoon at Kentucky Speedway; running 225 miles in the No. 19 Belardi machine.

Wilson is set to compete next weekend at Kentucky before capping off the 2011 season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He has been busy this season competing in the USAC Silver Crown Series, National Pavement Sprint Car Series, and the Xtreme Sprint Series.

Wilson — who, next weekend, will become the fifth driver with the last name of Wilson to compete in Indy Lights — is scheduled to join Anders Krohn and Jorge Goncalvez under the Belardi Auto Racing tent.