Originally Posted by B99:
I'm glad this event went well for Gateway-they've worked extremely hard to make a go of that track.
However, if what I link here is the attitude of the series toward dirt track people, I'm not sure I'd spend my money on a ticket.
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/sho...2244-Chad-Boat
Personally I don't know how he performed. Indy Lights cars are frankly underpowered, over downforced go-karts. You'd think many of the Indy Car set wouldn't be so judgmental after one event and their attitude has been if you want a ride go out and get the funding. I assume that's what he did.
At the time of the crash he was 3 laps down and everyone else was still on the lead lap, if the race had stayed green til the end, Boat would've finished 4 laps down and Alberico and Rickards probably would've gotten lapped. The crash was as much on Alberico as it was Boat.
With hindsight, the Pro Mazda race would've been a better place for him. Smaller car count and spread out pretty quick.
The issue for short-track guys is in the case of Boat he's skipped F2000 and Pro Mazda and jumped right to Lights. Well, he's racing against guys that already have had almost a full season in the Lights car this year, and probably a year or multiple years in lesser formulas, while for Boat was it his first-ever race in a rear-engine car? I don't know what the answer is short of the cars getting more horsepower/less aero to make them more like a dirt car, which may happen in Indycars but it's not happening in the Mazda Road to Indy, or there's a systemic driver development system through all the Mazda Road to Indy program instead of showing up "late in the game" in Lights.