Indy Lights suspended for the 2020 season

By Steve Wittich

We broke this story last night on TSOLadder.com, but also wanted to share it over here. Steve will be adding to this story as we learn more.

TSO Ladder has learned from several reliable sources that the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires series will take a break for the 2020 season.

From all indications, the Indy Lights series will return in 2021, and this announcement will not impact the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires or Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship series.

This season will be the first time since 1986 that Indy car will not have a top rung on Road To Indy.

Fabrizio Barbazza won the first championship while driving for Arciero Racing before moving to the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) PPG Indy Car World Series the following season. The 2019 champion, Oliver Askew, is a full-time driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Arrow McLaren SP.

For the first 16-years, the series that began as the American Racing Series ran under sanction from CART and since 2002 has been sanctioned by INDYCAR.

Some of the current NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers that got their start in Indy Lights include INDYCAR champions Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Sage Karam, Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, and Spencer Pigot.

Teams were first informed of the decision today, and the move is expected to be announced officially on Monday.

This decision does not come as a big surprise, as at least three drivers expected to contest this season have decided to step back from their race programs.

TSO Ladder has reached out to the series and has not heard back from them yet. We will have more as we have a chance to catch up with a few more people.