“There’s not one path that does it,” said a prominent team owner, revealing his thoughts on becoming a professional open-wheel racer in the United States. While NASCAR has the CARS Tour, ARCA Menards Series, as well as the Truck and Xfinity Series competitions for aspiring stock car racing drivers, the same can’t be said about IndyCar. Making it in the world of open-wheel racing has always been somewhat of an enigma in the country, with the lack of a clear ladder or a progression system hampering the growth of many young drivers.
However, Chip Ganassi has now revealed some key factors in breaking into the IndyCar world. Could his suggestions potentially pave the way for a future Josef Newgarden or Álex Palou to make their way into the sport? Time will tell. But the 66-year-old does give some valuable insights that could give youngsters a leg up over the competition.
Chip Ganassi reveals what it takes to compete in IndyCar
When Keelan Harvick wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, Kevin Harvick knew that going to Europe would be key for the young driver’s development. After all, when it comes to karting and open-wheel racing, Europe is the place to be, with Formula 4, Formula 3, and Formula 2 serving as grassroots programs to filter out the most promising talent in the world. Perhaps that’s why the level of Formula 1 is so high, simply because drivers have to ‘earn’ their way to the top level, proving time and again why they belong amongst the sport’s heavyweights.
In comparison, there isn’t a clear path to making it in IndyCar. However, team owner Chip Ganassi has shared his insights on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, revealing what it takes to make it in the world of open-wheel racing. He said, “You want the max grip, the max downforce to be at the highest level. That’s one ladder you want to be on. The other ladder you want to be on is who you’re racing against, okay? Look, you can be in the best championship in the world, but if you’re not racing against anyone any good, it doesn’t matter.”
Ganassi also revealed that understanding how the cars work is key to improving in open-wheel racing. He said, “You need to understand mechanically what makes these cars work, okay?” For any young driver, developing their racecraft on a vehicle with lower downforce and lesser grip at the grassroots stages is beneficial, as it helps them in the development stages. That’s what makes adapting to the highest level easier, as vehicles in IndyCar typically have more grip and downforce.
SONOMA, CA – JUNE 24: Team owner Chip Ganassi speaks at a press conference prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 24, 2016 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Images)
His reasoning may go on to explain why a stock car racing driver like Kyle Larson can consider competing at the Indy 500 while Josef Newgarden might find it more difficult to compete in the Cup Series. It’s a factor Chip Ganassi touched upon as well, going on to say, “That’s why when a Cup driver gets into IndyCar, he adapts very quickly. But when an IndyCar driver gets in a Cup car, it takes a long time to adapt to the grip level.”
While open-wheel racing in the United States might not have a traditional ‘ladder’ or a clear-cut progression system to break into IndyCar, there are some set rules that drivers can follow to improve their chances of making it to the highest level. Whether it’s understanding the mechanics of a vehicle, driving a car with less downforce, or competing against quality opposition, each factor contributes to the development of a youngster’s racecraft, helping them make it to the highest level of the sport.
Ganassi wants Team Penske to be held to a higher standard
It was a scandal that sent shockwaves throughout the motorsports world. On the second day of qualifying ahead of the 109th Indianapolis 500, Team Penske‘s Josef Newgarden and Will Power were found guilty of running vehicles with an illegally modified part. Not only were they disqualified from making the four-lap run, but Newgarden was relegated to 32nd place, and Power dropped down to last for ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’
Understandably, there was an uproar from rival team owners, many of whom wanted to see Roger Penske’s side held accountable. Chip Ganassi was one of them, and he told Kevin Harvick, “I think all teams have a certain responsibility to uphold the integrity of the sport, in any series, and no team more than team Penske. They’ve had so much success over the years, and it’s a team that everybody has heard of, and they have success around the world in a lot of different series, so they need to be held to a higher standard to protect the sport.”
Since then, Roger Penske has parted ways with team president Tim Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski, and general manager Kyle Moyer after the team was found guilty of tech inspection violations. But the damage was already done. Reputations take years to build and seconds to crash down, and being caught in a ‘cheating scandal’ will lead to what can only be described as irreparable harm. Will Team Penske manage to claw their way out of the hole it currently finds itself in? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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