2017 Indy Lights

Last updated

2017 Indy Lights season
Indy Lights
Season
Races16
Start dateMarch 12
End dateSeptember 3
Awards
Drivers' champion Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser
Teams' champion Flag of the United States.svg Belardi Auto Racing
Rookie of the Year Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta
  2016
2018  
Matheus Leist, winner of the 2017 Freedom 100 2017 Freedom 100 race - Matheus Leist.jpg
Matheus Leist, winner of the 2017 Freedom 100

The 2017 Indy Lights season was the 32nd season of the Indy Lights open wheel motor racing series and the 16th sanctioned by IndyCar, acting as the primary support series for the IndyCar Series. A 16-race schedule was announced on September 14, 2016. [1] The schedule included a stop at Gateway Motorsports Park for the first time since 2003. This replaced the race at Phoenix International Raceway after it returned to the schedule for only a single season. The Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca round to end the season was omitted, as it was for the other Road to Indy series.

Contents

American Kyle Kaiser driving for Juncos Racing led a steady campaign where he finished every lap of the season in a season where no particular team or driver was dominant and in doing so essentially clinched the championship with one round remaining (he only had to start the final round). Kaiser won three races with an additional three podium finishes. Santiago Urrutia struggled during the first half of the season but logged six podium finishes in the last seven races, including two wins, to vault his way to second in the championship. Colton Herta won six poles, but was only able to convert that to two wins and he finished third in the championship. Brazilian rookie Matheus Leist had a brilliant stretch of races in the middle of the season, capturing three wins, but was otherwise unremarkable and wound up fourth. Zachary Claman DeMelo won a single race and finished fifth in points while 2016 Pro Mazda Championship winner Aaron Telitz bookended the season with his only two wins and finished sixth. Nico Jamin won three races but also suffered four DNFs and fell to seventh in points. Juan Piedrahita captured his first Indy Lights pole at Gateway Motorsports Park, his 57th Indy Lights start.

Team and driver chart

TeamNo.DriversRounds
Andretti Autosport 27 Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin [2] All
28 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dalton Kellett [3] All
48 Flag of the United States.svg Ryan Norman [4] All
Andretti Steinbrenner Racing 98 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta [5] All
Belardi Auto Racing [6] 5 Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia [7] All
9 Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Telitz [8] All
51 Flag of the United States.svg Shelby Blackstock [9] All
84 Flag of the United States.svg Chad Boat 15
Carlin [6] 11 Flag of the United States.svg Garth Rickards [10] All
13 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zachary Claman DeMelo [11] All
22 Flag of the United States.svg Neil Alberico [12] All
26 Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist [13] All
Juncos Racing [6] 18 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser [14] All
31 Flag of Argentina.svg Nicolás Dapero [15] All
Team Pelfrey [6] 2 Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Piedrahíta [16] All
3 Flag of Mexico.svg Patricio O'Ward [17] 1–4

Schedule

Rd.DateRace nameTrackLocation
1March 11 Flag of the United States.svg St. Petersburg 100 Streets of St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, Florida
2March 12
3April 22 Flag of the United States.svg Legacy Indy Lights 100 Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, Alabama
4April 23
5May 12 Flag of the United States.svg Grand Prix of Indianapolis Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course Speedway, Indiana
6May 13
7May 26 Flag of the United States.svg Freedom 100 Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval Speedway, Indiana
8June 24 Flag of the United States.svg Grand Prix of Road America Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
9June 25
10July 9 Flag of the United States.svg Mazda Iowa 100 Iowa Speedway Newton, Iowa
11July 15 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Grand Prix of Toronto Exhibition Place Toronto, Ontario, Canada
12July 16
13July 29 Flag of the United States.svg Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, Ohio
14July 30
15August 26 Flag of the United States.svg Illinois 100 Gateway Motorsports Park Madison, Illinois
16September 3 Flag of the United States.svg Grand Prix of Watkins Glen Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen, New York

Race results

RoundRace Pole position Fastest lap Most laps ledRace Winner
DriverTeam
1 St. Petersburg 1 Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Telitz Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Telitz Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Telitz Belardi Auto Racing
2 St. Petersburg 2 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Andretti Steinbrenner Racing
3 Birmingham 1 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin Andretti Autosport
4 Birmingham 2 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta 1 Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Andretti Steinbrenner Racing
5 Indianapolis GP 1 Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin Andretti Autosport
6 Indianapolis GP 2 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zachary Claman DeMelo Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Juncos Racing
7 Indianapolis Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Carlin
8 Road America 1 Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Carlin
9 Road America 2 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zachary Claman DeMelo Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zachary Claman DeMelo Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zachary Claman DeMelo Carlin
10 Iowa Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dalton Kellett Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist Carlin
11 Toronto 1 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Juncos Racing
12 Toronto 2 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser Juncos Racing
13 Mid-Ohio 1 Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia Flag of the United States.svg Shelby Blackstock Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia Belardi Auto Racing
14 Mid-Ohio 2 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin Andretti Autosport
15 Gateway Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Piedrahíta Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zachary Claman DeMelo Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Piedrahíta Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia Belardi Auto Racing
16 Watkins Glen Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Telitz Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Telitz Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Telitz Belardi Auto Racing
1Qualifying canceled due to weather and grid was set on points

Championship standings

Drivers' championship

Scoring system
Position 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  10th  11th  12th  13th  14th  15th  16th  17th  18th  19th  20th 
Points3025221917151413121110987654321
PosDriver STP ALA IND INDY RDA IOW TOR MOH GAT WGL Pts
1 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Kaiser 642231*93251*1121247330
2 Flag of Uruguay.svg Santiago Urrutia 132151372521123111*212310
3 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Herta  RY 21*101*1210131234410*2633300
4 Flag of Brazil.svg Matheus Leist  R 151147531*1*41*1351110104279
5 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zachary Claman DeMelo   875142116101*6235466274
6 Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Telitz  R 1*5135613211595285151*271
7 Flag of France.svg Nico Jamin  R 7141*31*4106147141231*115269
8 Flag of the United States.svg Neil Alberico 315344647811814691211225
9 Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Piedrahita 14101111DNS58510106410112*9208
10 Flag of the United States.svg Shelby Blackstock 4678914118613111343912207
11 Flag of the United States.svg Ryan Norman  R 109129871447810697810200
12 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dalton Kellett 12126101393993129713713198
13 Flag of Argentina.svg Nicolás Dapero  R 9896118121412127714858187
14 Flag of the United States.svg Garth Rickards  R 111314121012713131498131413DNS146
15 Flag of Mexico.svg Patricio O'Ward  R 5381558
16 Flag of the United States.svg Chad Boat  R 147
PosDriver STP ALA IND INDY RDA IOW TOR MOH GAT WGL Pts
ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th–10th place
Dark BlueFinished
(Outside Top 10)
PurpleDid not finish
RedDid not qualify
(DNQ)
BrownWithdrawn
(Wth)
BlackDisqualified
(DSQ)
WhiteDid not start
(DNS)
BlankDid not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing
In-line notation
Bold Pole position
(1 point)
ItalicsRan fastest race lap
(1 point)
*Led most race laps
(1 point)
1Qualifying cancelled
no bonus point awarded
Rookie

Teams' championship

PosTeamPoints
1 Flag of the United States.svg Belardi Auto Racing 393
2 Flag of the United States.svg Andretti Autosport 389
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Carlin 365
4 Flag of the United States.svg Juncos Racing 282
5 Flag of the United States.svg Team Pelfrey 162

References

  1. "2017 Mazda Road to Indy schedules revealed". September 14, 2016.
  2. "Andretti Autosport | JAMIN TO JOIN ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT 2017 INDY LIGHTS LINE UP". November 29, 2016.
  3. "Kellett Returns to Andretti Autosport for 2017". Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  4. "Andretti Autosport | RYAN NORMAN NAMED THIRD DRIVER TO ANDRETTI INDY LIGHTS ROSTER". December 5, 2016.
  5. "Colton Herta quits Europe to race Indy Lights in 2017".
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Mazda Road to Indy Teams, Drivers to Gain Head Start on 2017 Season". Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  7. "The Official Site of the Road to Indy, Drivers, Schedule & Shop".
  8. "Belardi signs Pro Mazda champ Telitz for 2017". Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  9. "The Official Site of the Road to Indy, Drivers, Schedule & Shop".
  10. "Rickards moves up to Indy Lights with Carlin - Carlin". Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  11. "Claman DeMelo ready for Indy Lights assault". February 6, 2017. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  12. "Alberico returns with Carlin for 2017 season". February 14, 2017. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  13. "Leist joins Carlin for Indy Lights". February 3, 2017. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  14. "American Kyle Kaiser Looks to Lead Juncos Racing in 2017 Indy Lights Championship". December 10, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  15. "Dapero graduates with Juncos to Indy Lights". www.motorsport.com.
  16. "Piedrahita to Rejoin Team Pelfrey IL in 2017". Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  17. "The Official Site of the Road to Indy, Drivers, Schedule & Shop".