IndyCar’s "struggling Indy Lights Series is about to get a new direction" from Andersen Promotions CEO Dan Andersen, according to Curt Cavin of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Andersen owns the first two steps in IndyCar's ladder system after he bought the Pro Mazda Series last year. USF2000 Championship is the first step and Indy Lights is the last. To what "extent IndyCar’s parent company has given Andersen control of Indy Lights isn’t clear ... but he will eventually own it, and his involvement can’t come soon enough." Indy Lights had "only eight car-and-driver combinations at last week’s" at the Milwaukee Mile speedway, and "no more than nine entries will be" at Iowa Speedway for Saturday's Sukup 100. Andersen "believes IndyCar’s ladder system needs to teach oval-track racing, but it doesn’t have to be in mass quantities both from an expense perspective and for the peace of mind of the parents of young racers in the series." He wants "one oval race in USF2000, two in Pro Mazda and three in Indy Lights." Formal confirmation of Andersen’s acquisition is "expected at IndyCar’s Toronto weekend (July 12-14) since all of the series will be participating there." It is "believed IndyCar will continue to subsidize Indy Lights as the transition period continues" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 6/21).
RETURN TRIP: SPEEDTV.com's Robin Miller reported there is a "decent chance" the Milwaukee Mile and Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisc., "could be on" the '14 IndyCar schedule. Hulman & Co. CEO Mark Miles in an e-mail wrote that IndyCar "wants to wait and see what happens with Milwaukee before making any decisions on Elkhart Lake." Miller: "Of course that’s contingent on Michael Andretti continuing to promote Milwaukee." Andretti Sports Marketing Managing Dir Kevin Healy "didn't go into specifics but scoring a major title sponsor would be the best way to insure Milwaukee's future" (SPEEDTV.com, 6/19).
