Is this true?

Will we see SM and SRX7 instead?

RJ - who's looking forward to checking these badass machines out if they are there

 

Maybe F6000 did not have enough cars to make it worthwhile for them. In their opening race at Mosport, they only had 4 cars, and 1 broke before the race. All no-name drivers, who couldn't make it in a regular Formula series because they aren't good enough, even if they had the money.

F6000 is a "joke" series that will not survive, along with their companion "Champcar Lights" series. It is organized by Mexican and Canadian backers, who think they can break into the US market, but the US market is already saturated with different formula series.

They even have the guts to call it "Champ Car," trying to give the impression that it is like a CART Champ Car. That alone should tell you this series is BS and all the organizers have a history of failed series, such as the USF3.

The only real USA Formula Series are the one's sanctioned by CART as their Driver Development Ladder, such as Formula Toyota-Atlantic, Formula Barber-Dodge, Formula Dodge, and Stars of Tomorrow Karting series, in that order.

That's where all the best guys in the country are, along with the best from South America & Canada too. All the future USA stars are coming out of these series. This are the series to watch. All the rest are total waste of time.

http://www.cart.com

http://www.champcarf6000.com




[Modified by Alexis, 10:27 PM 6/27/2002]

 

I hope that's not the case. That would really suck if this all fell through at the last minute.

What do you think of Formula Mazda (Star Mazda) btw?

 

The Star Mazda Series has been around for awhile and has become quite popular lately since they run with the ALMS and have TV coverage now, but it is still not as good as CART's Development Ladder Series.

The Star Mazda Series has usually around 40 cars, but only a handful of the drivers have true talent, less than 5. The rest are all amateurs with money, who just like to fool around. If you want to become good, you need to race with the best.

The Star Mazda Series point leader, Scott Speed (factory driver), is good, but also has the best car. He also races in the CART Formula Dodge National Championship and he is also a front runner, but not dominating like in Star Mazda.

In the Formula Dodge races the whole field of 22-26 cars usually qualify within a second, while the Star Mazda field is seperated by many seconds. The Formula Dodge series is run by Skip Barber and is a by invitation only series for the top guys in the world. Also all cars are equally prepared, unlike Star Mazda wherin some guys have better cars.

So if you want to be a Pro, CART Development Ladder is the only way to go, aside from Europe of course. The Star Mazda Series is good for the amateur racer and older guys, who cannot keep up with the young guns of CART.

 

That might be true for the national run-off races, but for the regionals, if you graduated the school, you qualify. I participated in one Formula Dodge race weekend after I graduated in 1999. The drivers were FAR from being equal. For my part, it had been a few months since I had done the school, and I couldn't heel-toe double clutch anymore. I had my *** handed to me.

Matt

 

I was referring to the National Championship. Yes, anyone who took the school and other advanced classes required can race in the Regionals or if you have a SCCA National license.

There are new guys and older guys in the Regionals, but the Regionals also have some National Championship drivers competing in them, so to win is quite tough. Over 100+ compete in the Regionals and there is usually around 10 guys who are capable of winning anytime.

And most young drivers in the Regional all want to be a Pro and have extensive Kart experience, so all the good drivers come through the Regionals at some point in their carrer.

There's a saying that "If you can win at Skip Barber, you can win anywhere."

 

F2000 is a very good open wheel development program. Where Ron Fellows, Alexandre Tagliani, and Jacques Villeneuve all got their starts.
(also a personal favorite USTCC driver Gary Sheehan)

http://www.racef2000.com/home.html

 

They may have started there, but didn't stay long. It wasn't really where they started racing. It may just be the place where they first drove a F2000 car.

What's important is now and which series is recognized as the legimtimate stepping stone series that is being watched by the team owners, sponsors, press, etc. You can check out RACER magazine and see which series they cover. No point racing in a series that doesn't receive press coverage.

Maybe you are thinking of the USF2000 which is a good series too, but more in the level like Star Mazda. They have a handful of good drivers with lots of other wanabees. The current USF2000 points leader, Bryan Sellers, was racing in Formula Dodge National Championship a couple of years ago. He went to the USF2000 since it is cheaper than the CART Barber-Dodge Pro Series.

As for the Bridgestone F2000 Series, the link you gave, that's another series that is good for amateurs, not guys who want to be Pro. You don't learn as much if you race with so-so drivers. Then when you move up, most guys from those kind of series can't keep up. It would be better to do the Skip Barber Regionals instead.

http://www.usf2000.com

http://www.skipbarber.com

 

Alexis,

You are mistaken on a couple of points.

All 4 ChampCar F6000 cars started both races at Mosport. One dropped out during race 1; not before.

The organizers of these 2 series were not the organizers of USF3. They merely allowed the USF3 cars to join them on their grids.

I agree with you on the US market being over loaded with junior open wheel series. I'm not sure where these series think they are going to get drivers. Fran-Am has been added to the mix as well and I'm interested to see what their car count will be.