With another new IndyCar season brings back the head-to-head league format I have been following for the
previous three seasons.
We know how the points system works and how the championship is decided, but this looks at IndyCar as if it were a sports league. Each race sees the teams paired head-to-head and whichever driver finishes better gets a victory. At the end of the regular season, there is a playoff to determine the champion while the worst teams from the first league are relegated and the best teams from the second league are promoted.
The increased car count has forced an alteration to the structure, but this is a good thing.
Where were we?
Josef Newgarden won his third consecutive championship in the #2 Team Penske entry after defeating Patricio O'Ward and the #5 Arrow McLaren SP entry in the final. The #9 Ganassi and #30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entries were each in the semifinal. The #12 and #22 Penske entries were each quarterfinalists, as were the #51 Dale Coyne Racing entry and the #15 RLLR entry.
Andretti Autosport's #26, #27 and #28 entries all missed the playoffs but remain in league one. Álex Palou might have won the IndyCar championship, but he couldn't get the #10 Ganassi entry into the playoffs, finishing sixth in conference, but avoiding relegation. The #18 Coyne entry also remains in league one.
The #21 Ed Carpenter Racing and the #7 AMSP entry were relegated. Promoted directly from league two were the #8 Ganassi entry and the #60 Meyer Shank Racing entry. The final spot in league one was decided via a promotion playoff, and the #3 Penske entry won it over the #29 Andretti entry.
There is one problem. The #22 Penske entry is no longer running, as Penske downsizes to three cars. Simon Pagenaud will remain in league one, as Pagenaud takes over the #60 MSR entry, but how should we fill that final spot?
I thought about keeping a team up, but instead I decided to put the #45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entry into league one. Why? Because Jack Harvey will be driving that car and he earned the #60 MSR entry its promotion. So no offense to Devlin DeFrancesco, Rinus VeeKay or Felix Rosenqvist, but Harvey deserved this.
How does league one look? Each conference is set via entrants' points from last season.
Conference One:
#10 Ganassi
#9 Ganassi
#26 Andretti
#12 Penske
#27 Andretti
#51 DCR
#3 Penske
#45 RLLR
Conference Two:
#2 Penske
#5 AMSP
#8 Ganassi
#15 RLLR
#30 RLLR
#60 MSR
#28 Andretti
#18 DCR
As for league two, we have a little problem. IndyCar will have 26 full-time teams this season. If 16 are in league one, that means there are ten left. Last year, league two had eight teams, as it has had since the inception of this hypothetical. With ten teams, it doesn't quite fit into the 14-week schedule. With 17 total races, it is possible to make league two a complete round robin, and that is what will be done.
League two will be 18 weeks, with all 17 races and Indianapolis 500 qualifying determining who will earn promotion. The top three from league two will earn automatic promotion. The bottom entry from each conference in league one will be automatically relegated. To keep it interesting, sixth and seventh from each conference will move to a relegation playoff in an interconference format. Sixth from conference one will face seventh from conference two and vice versa. The entry to lose twice in the playoff will be relegated.
League Two:
#21 ECR
#20 ECR
#14 Foyt
#29 Andretti
#7 AMSP
#48 Ganassi
#06 MSR
#4 Foyt
#77 JHR
#11 Foyt
Schedule
League One:
Week 1 (ST. PETERSBURG):
#10 CGR vs. #45 RLLR
#9 CGR vs. #3 Penske
#26 Andretti vs. #51 DCR
#12 Penske vs. #27 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #18 DCR
#5 AMSP vs. #28 Andretti
#8 CGR vs. #60 MSR
#15 RLLR vs. #30 RLLR
Week 2 (TEXAS):
#10 CGR vs. #3 Penske
#9 CGR vs. #45 RLLR
#26 Andretti vs. #27 Andretti
#12 Penske vs. #51 DCR
#2 Penske vs. #28 Andretti
#5 AMSP vs. #18 DCR
#8 CGR vs. #30 RLLR
#15 RLLR vs. #60 MSR
Week 3 (LONG BEACH):
#10 CGR vs. #51 DCR
#9 CGR vs. #12 Penske
#26 Andretti vs. #45 RLLR
#27 Andretti vs. #3 Penske
#2 Penske vs. #60 MSR
#5 AMSP vs. #15 RLLR
#8 CGR vs. #18 DCR
#30 RLLR vs. #28 Andretti
Week 4 (BARBER):
#10 CGR vs. #27 Andretti
#9 CGR vs. #51 DCR
#26 Andretti vs. #3 Penske
#12 Penske vs. #45 RLLR
#2 Penske vs. #30 RLLR
#5 AMSP vs. #60 MSR
#8 CGR vs. #28 Andretti
#15 RLLR vs. #18 DCR
Week 5 (GPOI):
#10 CGR vs. #12 Penske
#9 CGR vs. #26 Andretti
#27 Andretti vs. #45 RLLR
#51 DCR vs. #3 Penske
#2 Penske vs. #15 RLLR
#5 AMSP vs. #8 CGR
#30 RLLR vs. #18 DCR
#60 MSR vs. #28 Andretti
Week 6 (INDIANAPOLIS 500):
#10 CGR vs. #26 Andretti
#9 CGR vs. #27 Andretti
#12 Penske vs. #3 Penske
#51 DCR vs. #45 RLLR
#2 Penske vs. #8 CGR
#5 AMSP vs. #30 RLLR
#15 RLLR vs. #28 Andretti
#60 MSR vs. #18 DCR
Week 7 (BELLE ISLE):
#10 CGR vs. #9 CGR
#26 Andretti vs. #12 Penske
#27 Andretti vs. #51 DCR
#3 Penske vs. #45 RLLR
#2 Penske vs. #5 AMSP
#8 CGR vs. #15 RLLR
#30 RLLR vs. #60 MSR
#28 Andretti vs. #18 DCR
Week 8 (ROAD AMERICA):
#10 CGR vs. #45 RLLR
#9 CGR vs. #3 Penske
#26 Andretti vs. #51 DCR
#12 Penske vs. #27 Andretti
#2 Penske vs. #18 DCR
#5 AMSP vs. #28 Andretti
#8 CGR vs. #60 MSR
#15 RLLR vs. #30 RLLR
Week 9 (MID-OHIO):
#10 CGR vs. #3 Penske
#9 CGR vs. #45 RLLR
#26 Andretti vs. #27 Andretti
#12 Penske vs. #51 DCR
#2 Penske vs. #28 Andretti
#5 AMSP vs. #18 DCR
#8 CGR vs. #30 RLLR
#15 RLLR vs. #60 MSR
Week 10 (TORONTO):
#10 CGR vs. #51 DCR
#9 CGR vs. #12 Penske
#26 Andretti vs. #45 RLLR
#27 Andretti vs. #3 Penske
#2 Penske vs. #60 MSR
#5 AMSP vs. #15 RLLR
#8 CGR vs. #18 DCR
#30 RLLR vs. #28 Andretti
Week 11 (IOWA):
#10 CGR vs. #27 Andretti
#9 CGR vs. #51 DCR
#26 Andretti vs. #3 Penske
#12 Penske vs. #45 RLLR
#2 Penske vs. #30 RLLR
#5 AMSP vs. #60 MSR
#8 CGR vs. #28 Andretti
#15 RLLR vs. #18 DCR
Week 12 (IOWA):
#10 CGR vs. #12 Penske
#9 CGR vs. #26 Andretti
#27 Andretti vs. #45 RLLR
#51 DCR vs. #3 Penske
#2 Penske vs. #15 RLLR
#5 AMSP vs. #8 CGR
#30 RLLR vs. #18 DCR
#60 MSR vs. #28 Andretti
Week 13 (IMS ROAD COURSE):
#10 CGR vs. #26 Andretti
#9 CGR vs. #27 Andretti
#12 Penske vs. #3 Penske
#51 DCR vs. #45 RLLR
#2 Penske vs. #8 CGR
#5 AMSP vs. #30 RLLR
#15 RLLR vs. #28 Andretti
#60 MSR vs. #18 DCR
Week 14 (NASHVILLE):
#10 CGR vs. #9 CGR
#26 Andretti vs. #12 Penske
#27 Andretti vs. #51 DCR
#3 Penske vs. #45 RLLR
#2 Penske vs. #5 AMSP
#8 CGR vs. #15 RLLR
#30 RLLR vs. #60 MSR
#28 Andretti vs. #18 DCR
League Two
Week 1:
#21 ECR vs. #11 Foyt
#20 ECR vs. #77 JHR
#14 Foyt vs. #4 Foyt
#29 Andretti vs. #06 MSR
#7 AMSP vs. #48 CGR
Week 2:
#21 ECR vs. #77 JHR
#20 ECR vs. #11 Foyt
#14 Foyt vs. #06 MSR
#29 Andretti vs. #7 AMSP
#48 CGR vs. #4 Foyt
Week 3:
#21 ECR vs. #4 Foyt
#20 ECR vs. #06 MSR
#14 Foyt vs #11 Foyt
#29 Andretti vs. #48 CGR
#7 AMSP vs. #77 JHR
Week 4:
#21 ECR vs. #06 MSR
#20 ECR vs. #4 Foyt
#14 Foyt vs. #7 AMSP
#29 Andretti vs. #11 Foyt
#48 CGR vs. #77 JHR
Week 5:
#21 ECR vs. #48 CGR
#20 ECR vs. #29 Andretti
#14 Foyt vs. #77 JHR
#7 AMSP vs. #11 Foyt
#06 MSR vs. #4 Foyt
*Week 6* (Indianapolis 500 Qualifying):
#21 ECR vs. #7 AMSP
#20 ECR vs. #14 Foyt
#29 Andretti vs. #4 Foyt
#48 CGR vs. #11 Foyt
#06 MSR vs. #77 JHR
Week 7:
#21 ECR vs. #29 Andretti
#20 ECR vs. #7 AMSP
#14 Foyt vs. #48 CGR
#06 MSR vs. #11 Foyt
#4 Foyt vs. #77 JHR
Week 8:
#21 ECR vs. #14 Foyt
#20 ECR vs. #48 CGR
#29 Andretti vs. #77 JHR
#7 AMSP vs. #06 MSR
#4 Foyt vs. #11 Foyt
Week 9:
#21 ECR vs. #20 ECR
#14 Foyt vs. #29 Andretti
#7 AMSP vs. #4 Foyt
#48 CGR vs. # 06 MSR
#77 JHR vs. #11 Foyt
Week 10:
#21 ECR vs. #11 Foyt
#20 ECR vs. #77 JHR
#14 Foyt vs. #4 Foyt
#29 Andretti vs. #06 MSR
#7 AMSP vs. #48 CGR
Week 11:
#21 ECR vs. #77 JHR
#20 ECR vs. #11 Foyt
#14 Foyt vs. #06 MSR
#29 Andretti vs. #7 AMSP
#48 CGR vs. #4 Foyt
Week 12:
#21 ECR vs. #4 Foyt
#20 ECR vs. #06 MSR
#14 Foyt vs #11 Foyt
#29 Andretti vs. #48 CGR
#7 AMSP vs. #77 JHR
Week 13:
#21 ECR vs. #06 MSR
#20 ECR vs. #4 Foyt
#14 Foyt vs. #7 AMSP
#29 Andretti vs. #11 Foyt
#48 CGR vs. #77 JHR
Week 14:
#21 ECR vs. #48 CGR
#20 ECR vs. #29 Andretti
#14 Foyt vs. #77 JHR
#7 AMSP vs. #11 Foyt
#06 MSR vs. #4 Foyt
Week 15:
#21 ECR vs. #7 AMSP
#20 ECR vs. #14 Foyt
#29 Andretti vs. #4 Foyt
#48 CGR vs. #11 Foyt
#06 MSR vs. #77 JHR
Week 16:
#21 ECR vs. #29 Andretti
#20 ECR vs. #7 AMSP
#14 Foyt vs. #48 CGR
#06 MSR vs. #11 Foyt
#4 Foyt vs. #77 JHR
Week 17:
#21 ECR vs. #14 Foyt
#20 ECR vs. #48 CGR
#29 Andretti vs. #77 JHR
#7 AMSP vs. #06 MSR
#4 Foyt vs. #11 Foyt
Week 18:
#21 ECR vs. #20 ECR
#14 Foyt vs. #29 Andretti
#7 AMSP vs. #4 Foyt
#48 CGR vs. # 06 MSR
#77 JHR vs. #11 Foyt
Notable Matchups (League One):
Week one starts with Scott Dixon vs. Scott McLaughlin in an all-Kiwi affair. Will Power and Alexander Rossi face-off. Romain Grosjean's first race with Andretti is against Patricio O'Ward. Christian Lundgaard's IndyCar career begins with a matchup against his oldest teammate Graham Rahal.
Colton Herta and Rossi meet in Texas, which could decide who has the early upper hand in the Andretti battle.
Josef Newgarden takes on his old teammate Simon Pagenaud at Long Beach, while Dixon faces Power.
Álex Palou returns to Barber, the site of his first career victory, to face Rossi.
Grand Prix of Indianapolis: Palou vs. Power. Dixon vs. Herta. Rossi vs. Jack Harvey. Newgarden vs. Rahal.
Indianapolis 500: Palou vs. Herta. Dixon vs. Rossi. Power vs. McLaughlin.
We haven't mentioned Takuma Sato yet, but he faces Rossi at Belle Isle. We will also see Palou vs. Dixon, Newgarden vs. O'Ward and Ericsson vs. Rahal in the Motor City.
Week eight at Road America repeats the week one matchups, as we begin the second half of the regular season.
It is important to note that Newgarden all face Lundgaard and Rahal at Iowa while Palou will take on Rossi and Power.
At the July IMS road course weekend, Palou is matched with Herta, Dixon with Rossi, O'Ward with Lundgaard and Rahal with Grosjean.
Nashville will be the final regular season round and it again has the Palou-Dixon matchup, Herta vs. Power, Rossi takes on Sato, Newgarden is against O'Ward, and we haven't mentioned David Malukas yet, but he will face Grosjean.
Notable Matchups (League Two):
Kyle Kirkwood starts his season against teammate Dalton Kellett at St. Petersburg. Tatiana Calderón begins against Rinus VeeKay.
In week two, Jimmie Johnson's first IndyCar oval race will be against Kellett at Texas. Conor Daly is paired with the unknown driver of the #11 Foyt entry. VeeKay will face Callum Ilott. Kirkwood has Hélio Castroneves.
At Long Beach, Felix Rosenqvist has Ilott, Johnson takes on Devlin DeFrancesco and Daly has Castroneves.
On the IMS road course, Kirkwood meets Ilott.
Indianapolis 500 qualifying sees VeeKay vs. Rosenqvist, Daly vs. Kirkwood, an all-Canadian meeting of DeFrancesco and Kellett, Johnson against the unknown #11 Foyt driver and Castroneves vs. Ilott.
For the Indianapolis 500, VeeKay vs. DeFrancesco, Daly vs. Rosenqvist, Kirkwood vs. Johnson, Castroneves against the unknown #11 Foyt entry and Kellett faces Ilott.
Rosenqvist is scheduled to meet Castroneves at Belle Isle.
Road America is the final race before rematches begin and the first half of the regular season ends with VeeKay vs. Daly, Kirkwood vs. DeFrancesco and Johnson vs. Castroneves.
Kirkwood heads to his favorite track, Mid-Ohio, to face Kellett.
In Toronto, DeFrancesco will face Rosenqvist and Kellett has Johnson.
At the Iowa doubleheader, Johnson has DeFrancesco and Ilott. Daly faces Castroneves and Kellett. Castroneves will have VeeKay in the second Iowa race.
Coincidentally, the matchups in the first IMS road course race are repeated in the second IMS road course race in July.
VeeKay has Rosenqvist in Nashville.
At Gateway, Daly is paired with Rosenqvist, Kirkwood has Johnson and Castroneves faces the unknown #11 Foyt entry.
VeeKay and Kirkwood meet in Portland, as do Daly and Johnson, Rosenqvist and Castroneves, and the all-Foyt matchup of Kellett and Calderón.
In the Laguna Seca season finale, VeeKay is against Daly, Kirkwood has DeFrancesco, Rosenqvist takes on Kellett, Johnson battles Castroneves and Ilott meets Calderón.
Gateway and Portland will be the location of the relegation playoff, with the third relegated entry being decided in Oregon. Gateway, Portland and Laguna Seca will comprise the playoffs.
Conference one has two Ganassi entries, two Penske entries and two Andretti entries. Good luck to Takuma Sato and Jack Harvey.
Conference two has seven different teams represented. Because Grosjean takes over the #28 Andretti entry, he has some tough matchups early on, beginning the season against O'Ward and Newgarden. The first two weeks could be crucial in deciding who tops that conference and who makes it to the playoffs.
League Two is wide open, as there is no clear promotion favorite, and there are flaws in each entry. VeeKay started well but was poor in the second half of 2021. Daly has difficulty finishing in the top ten. Kirkwood is driving for Foyt. DeFrancesco is driving for Andretti, but his talent is questionable. Rosenqvist is inconsistent. Johnson's best finish on a road/street course was 17th. Castroneves is coming back after four years as a part-timer. Kellett seems unlikely to get promoted. Ilott is driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing and retired from two of three starts last year. Calderón is new to IndyCar, and we don't know who will be driving that car on the ovals.
From Newgarden looking to remain undefeated and take his fourth league championship, Palou attempting to make the playoffs, someone having to break out of League Two, there is plenty to watch for this season.
