MDS
11th February 2011, 18:51
I think this is the third year I've put together a list to give you guys the idea of what talent is out there and I can say its getting better. There are more 15-year-old boys with open wheel resumes than I've seen in a long time. There are a lot of kids who are out there talking about wanting to get to Indy, and for some of these young guys Indy is looking more accessible than NASCAR for the first time in a long, long time.
The biggest problem is that only one team "Gets it" when it comes to young driver development programs, and that's Andretti Autosport. Michael Andretti has at least three of the drivers in this list in his stable of development drivers and possibly four. There's no reason why Ganassi, Penske and KV can't do the same.
Most of these guys of these guys are a year away from the ICS, others three or four, but they're all impressive and could be Indycar race winners by their 21st birthday.
Sage Karem
Age: 15
Series: Star Mazda
Granted the F-2000 field wasn't that deep and Karem arguably had the best car he was still impressive. In thirteen races he won eleven pole positions and nine races. He's moving up to Mazda Star where he'll race for two years before moving into Indy lights and and then the Indy 500 in 2013, hopefully all with Andretti Autosport.
In what could be a massive thing Dave Popielarz has signed on as Karam's crew cheif. This guy has been around the sport a long time and if everything progresses at AA the way it should, he'll be his crew chief his first year in the ICS.
Zach Veach
Age: 16
Series: F-2000
He makes the list because of Andretti's backing, but I haven't been that impressed with him honestly. He had the same equipment Karem did and didn't produce nearly the same results. He was impressive in winter fest, but he's ahead of a lot of the guys on this list because of Michael's support
Conor Daly
Age: 19
Series: GP3?/FIL?
Daly dominated Mazda Star this year winning four races in a row this year, and it would have been five if not for a screw up by race officials. He won on roads and ovals and hasn't announced plans for 2011 yet but I believe he's going to race in the FIL. Yes his stated goal is Formula 1 but he's not in Europe, where he should be if he wants to be an F-1 driver. Still hasn't been signed for 2011 yet.
Spencer Pigot
Age: 17
Series: F-2000
Spencer started karting when he was nine and has a room full of karting trophies. He won the Team USA scholarship this year, competed in the Formula Ford festival in England where he was more impressive than his older teammate. He's taking over Sage Karem's seat in F-2000 so he's set to have a blazing year this year.
Alexander Rossi
Age: 20
Current Series: GP3 and hopefully GP2
Rossi is definitely chasing that Formula 1 and had a very good year in the inaugural GP3 championship. He won two races, three poles and finished fourth in the standings, which ought to be enough to get him a ride in GP2. Rossi has stated over and over again that Formula 1 is his goal, but he doesn't have the money to buy his way in and the big teams have their driver lineups set for the next few years. I wouldn't be surprised to see him back in the states, and hopefully it won't be in a tin-top.
Josef Newgarden
Age: 19
Current Series: FIL?
The other serious American F-1 prospect Josef Newgarden put in a respectable year in GP3. He's another driver with stunning talent who has come up the right way, but there are only so many F-1 seats available and ask Nico Hulkenburg how easy it is to get and keep an F-1 seat on talent alone. I can't imagine a world where both Newgarden and Rossi have lengthy careers in F-1 the way the sport is at the moment, and Newgarden is looking at doing FIL with Andretti
Conner De Phillipi
Age: 19
Current Series: Star Mazda
Conner De Phillipi did well for himself in his rookie year in Star Mazda, he finished third in the points in a competitive field and end the season with three podiums including a win from pole at Road Atlanta. I think he plans on doing another year in Star Mazda before moving up to the FIL.
Trent Hindman
Age: 15
Current Series: Skip Barber National Tour
Tiny little Jersey kid has speed. He's been racing and winning in carts since he was nine and recently won the Skip Barber Shootout. Hindman has a feel for the car and has the background you look for in an ICS driver. He's not on the same fast track that Sage Karam is, but he may be just as good. He did well at winter fest in December.
Gustavo Menezes
Age: 16
Current Series: Star Mazda
Gustavo is a California kid who has a bunch of carting experience but not much formula experience.. However, he's impressed two people whose opinions mean a lot, Ryan at juniopenwheeltalent.com and Ricardo Juncos owner of Juncos Racing, which is the same team that Conor Daly drove for last season. According to Ryan he's fast and patient, its a good combo.
It also doesn't hurt him that he's Brazilian American. It would definitely be a good marketing hook and helps him find money.
Sean Rayhall
Age: 15
Current Series: Thursday night Legends and Formula Enterprise
He's on the track I'd like to see more young drivers on. He's doing Legends races this year as well as SCCA Formula E In 2010 he won six developmental series crowns and set a bunch of “Youngest Driver” records in SCCA. If NASCAR doesn't not get him open wheel cause he's got touch and that's hard to come by. Also by the time he's 18 he'll have more oval experience than anyone else on the list at his current clip.
The biggest problem with this Rayahall might be his size. His website lists him as 5'7 and 175 pounds, so he's going to be a big guy. For sake of comparison Trent Hindman is like 5'3 and 100 pounds or so, Gustavo Meneze is the same height about 50 pounds lighter, Sage Karam wrestles in the 125 pound weight class. Fifty pounds makes a huge difference in a car's performance, just as Robby Gordon and Danica Patrick.
The biggest problem is that only one team "Gets it" when it comes to young driver development programs, and that's Andretti Autosport. Michael Andretti has at least three of the drivers in this list in his stable of development drivers and possibly four. There's no reason why Ganassi, Penske and KV can't do the same.
Most of these guys of these guys are a year away from the ICS, others three or four, but they're all impressive and could be Indycar race winners by their 21st birthday.
Sage Karem
Age: 15
Series: Star Mazda
Granted the F-2000 field wasn't that deep and Karem arguably had the best car he was still impressive. In thirteen races he won eleven pole positions and nine races. He's moving up to Mazda Star where he'll race for two years before moving into Indy lights and and then the Indy 500 in 2013, hopefully all with Andretti Autosport.
In what could be a massive thing Dave Popielarz has signed on as Karam's crew cheif. This guy has been around the sport a long time and if everything progresses at AA the way it should, he'll be his crew chief his first year in the ICS.
Zach Veach
Age: 16
Series: F-2000
He makes the list because of Andretti's backing, but I haven't been that impressed with him honestly. He had the same equipment Karem did and didn't produce nearly the same results. He was impressive in winter fest, but he's ahead of a lot of the guys on this list because of Michael's support
Conor Daly
Age: 19
Series: GP3?/FIL?
Daly dominated Mazda Star this year winning four races in a row this year, and it would have been five if not for a screw up by race officials. He won on roads and ovals and hasn't announced plans for 2011 yet but I believe he's going to race in the FIL. Yes his stated goal is Formula 1 but he's not in Europe, where he should be if he wants to be an F-1 driver. Still hasn't been signed for 2011 yet.
Spencer Pigot
Age: 17
Series: F-2000
Spencer started karting when he was nine and has a room full of karting trophies. He won the Team USA scholarship this year, competed in the Formula Ford festival in England where he was more impressive than his older teammate. He's taking over Sage Karem's seat in F-2000 so he's set to have a blazing year this year.
Alexander Rossi
Age: 20
Current Series: GP3 and hopefully GP2
Rossi is definitely chasing that Formula 1 and had a very good year in the inaugural GP3 championship. He won two races, three poles and finished fourth in the standings, which ought to be enough to get him a ride in GP2. Rossi has stated over and over again that Formula 1 is his goal, but he doesn't have the money to buy his way in and the big teams have their driver lineups set for the next few years. I wouldn't be surprised to see him back in the states, and hopefully it won't be in a tin-top.
Josef Newgarden
Age: 19
Current Series: FIL?
The other serious American F-1 prospect Josef Newgarden put in a respectable year in GP3. He's another driver with stunning talent who has come up the right way, but there are only so many F-1 seats available and ask Nico Hulkenburg how easy it is to get and keep an F-1 seat on talent alone. I can't imagine a world where both Newgarden and Rossi have lengthy careers in F-1 the way the sport is at the moment, and Newgarden is looking at doing FIL with Andretti
Conner De Phillipi
Age: 19
Current Series: Star Mazda
Conner De Phillipi did well for himself in his rookie year in Star Mazda, he finished third in the points in a competitive field and end the season with three podiums including a win from pole at Road Atlanta. I think he plans on doing another year in Star Mazda before moving up to the FIL.
Trent Hindman
Age: 15
Current Series: Skip Barber National Tour
Tiny little Jersey kid has speed. He's been racing and winning in carts since he was nine and recently won the Skip Barber Shootout. Hindman has a feel for the car and has the background you look for in an ICS driver. He's not on the same fast track that Sage Karam is, but he may be just as good. He did well at winter fest in December.
Gustavo Menezes
Age: 16
Current Series: Star Mazda
Gustavo is a California kid who has a bunch of carting experience but not much formula experience.. However, he's impressed two people whose opinions mean a lot, Ryan at juniopenwheeltalent.com and Ricardo Juncos owner of Juncos Racing, which is the same team that Conor Daly drove for last season. According to Ryan he's fast and patient, its a good combo.
It also doesn't hurt him that he's Brazilian American. It would definitely be a good marketing hook and helps him find money.
Sean Rayhall
Age: 15
Current Series: Thursday night Legends and Formula Enterprise
He's on the track I'd like to see more young drivers on. He's doing Legends races this year as well as SCCA Formula E In 2010 he won six developmental series crowns and set a bunch of “Youngest Driver” records in SCCA. If NASCAR doesn't not get him open wheel cause he's got touch and that's hard to come by. Also by the time he's 18 he'll have more oval experience than anyone else on the list at his current clip.
The biggest problem with this Rayahall might be his size. His website lists him as 5'7 and 175 pounds, so he's going to be a big guy. For sake of comparison Trent Hindman is like 5'3 and 100 pounds or so, Gustavo Meneze is the same height about 50 pounds lighter, Sage Karam wrestles in the 125 pound weight class. Fifty pounds makes a huge difference in a car's performance, just as Robby Gordon and Danica Patrick.