Road to Indycar

[millrace]

1. karts
2. Formula BMW - 140hp
3. Star Mazda - 240hp
4. IPS - 450hp
5. Indycar

Not that it has to go this way, but it seems like a progressive road with the right amount of steps and increases in car performance.

[TUBORG-fan]

there's also the skip barber school, which as been used by many of today's top drivers. And hopefully the atlantic series won't go the same way as cc

[millrace]

I guess the A1GP could be considered a sort of stepping stone as well. But I'm not sure its really considered a ladder series.

[Threewide]

Boy, no USAC!!!!! What gives????

[DapperDan]

1. karts
2. Formula BMW - 140hp
3. Star Mazda - 240hp
4 Atlantic Championship - 300hp
5. IPS - 450hp
6. Indycar

Not that it has to go this way, but it seems like a progressive road with the right amount of steps and increases in car performance.

I'd add in the Atlantics at number 4 after Star Mazda and bump the ladder to 6 levels. Mazda promotes the Star Mazda winner to Atlantics and this past year's Atlantic winner moved up to IPS. So it's a progressive thing as far as I can see among those 3 series.

[rjohnson999]

All this misses an important aspect of the lower formula car series. It isn't just about getting to Indy. There aren't enough rides in the Indy 500/ICS to support two let alone four or five lower formula. There are rides in GrandAm, IMSA, World Challenge, etc., to justify a lot of stratification in the formula feeder series. That's why there will be more than just a linear progression by horsepower. Other specifications of the different series sometimes trip an otherwise excellent driver up. Lateral moves are an accepted part of driver progression.

[drdisque]

There's also the SCCA Amateur route to get there, for example Formula Vee, Formula Continental, Formula Atlantic. Then going to Champ Car Atlantic is the next natural step as it's the same equipment as FA, just a pro series.

[fatlantic]

Unfortunately, the brilliant management of the now dead Champcar series changed the Pro Atlantic rules from what they were(since 1974) and now the pro Atlantics are no longer eligible to run club FA because the motors are 2300cc not 1600cc. What saved Atlantics in the past was the chance for the local SCCA FA racer to run the pro series when they came to town and thus fill the grids. Now you have to have a Swift 016 Cosworth to run pro Atlantic and you can not run the same car in SCCA unless you change the motor to a 1600cc, this may kill pro Atlantic, smart move! Also don't forget the pro F2000 series, using SCCA FC rules they should have 35+ car grids this year. BTW, if you ran 2 years at every rung on the above "ladder" you would need to spend about 5 million dollars before Indycar, better have a nice trust fund!