View source for Talk:Alternate IndyCar Series

= Alt-IndyCar Planning Sandbox =

Basically, when we get there I think that Alt-IndyCar essentially needs a hard reset as well as several key plot points to aim for on our way. So I'm just going to do a bunch of planning here and we'll see how it shapes up.

== Timeline ==

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:55%"
! colspan="126" width="100%" | <big>Timeline of American Open Wheel Championships</big>
|-
! rowspan=2 | Championship Name 
! colspan="5" width="40px" | 1905- 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1910s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1920s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1930s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1940s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1950s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1960s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1970s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1980s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 1990s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 2000s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 2010s 
! colspan="10" width="80px" | 2020s
|-
| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || | || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || 
|-
!rowspan=2 width=80px | AAA National Championship
| style="background-color:#1B4792" | &nbsp; 
| colspan=10 style="background-color:#5269A8; color:#F7F7F7; text-align:center" | unofficial 
| style="background-color:#1B4792" | &nbsp; 
| colspan=3 style="background-color:#6F7096; text-align:center" | {{Tooltip|WWI|World War One}} 
| colspan=22 style="background-color:#1B4792" | &nbsp; 
| rowspan=2 colspan=4 style="background-color:#606060; text-align:center" | {{Tooltip|WWII|World War Two}} 
| colspan=10 style="background-color:#1B4792" | &nbsp; 
| rowspan=2 colspan=74 | &nbsp; 
|-
| style="height:0.1em" colspan=6 |
| style="height:0.1em; background-color:#E3BA22" colspan=6 |
| style="height:0.1em" colspan=2 |
| style="height:0.1em; background-color:#E3BA22" colspan=23 |
| style="height:0.1em; background-color:#E3BA22" colspan=10 |
|-
! rowspan=2 | USAC National Championship
| rowspan=2 colspan=51 | &nbsp; 
| colspan=14 style="background-color:#30D749" | &nbsp; 
| "border-style: none" colspan=24 | &nbsp;
| rowspan=2 colspan=36 | &nbsp;
|-
| style="height:0.1em; background-color:#E3BA22" colspan=38 |
|-
! Marlboro Championship Trail
| colspan=65 | &nbsp; 
| colspan=4 style="background-color:#D73049" | &nbsp; 
| colspan=56 | &nbsp;
|-
! Championship Racing League
| colspan=69 | &nbsp; 
| colspan=7 style="background-color:#B730B9" | &nbsp; 
| colspan=49 | &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan=3 | {{Tooltip|IndyCar<br>World Series|The 2004 creation of the Euro Series also meant that the season finale at The Mickyard was rebranded as the IndyCar World Championship - a world title for oval racing. Although the Euro Series folded, the World Championship was retained.}}
| rowspan=3 colspan=76 | &nbsp; 
| colspan=16 style="background-color:#E7E739" | &nbsp;
| colspan=22 style="background-color:#FF7739" | In 1996, ICWS is bought out by Tony George and Indy Motor Speedway
| colspan=11 bgcolor="#E77739" style:"color:white" | [[2019 Airbnb IndyCar Series|Ataxia's series, 2019-present]]
|-
| "border-style: none" colspan=13 |
| style="height:0.1em; background-color:#E3BA22" colspan=37 |
|-
| "border-style: none" colspan=23 |
| style="height:0.1em; background-color:#68FFBF" colspan=27 |
|-
! {{Tooltip|IndyCar<br>Euro Series|In 2004, F1's cancelled European races were formed into an ad-hoc series by IndyCar. Most returned to F1 for 2005, and by 2006 it was absorbed into the World Series}}
| colspan=99 | &nbsp; 
| colspan=2 style="background-color:#7777E9" | &nbsp; 
| colspan=24 | &nbsp;
|-
|colspan=126 | <big>The golden bar pertains specifically to who sanctions the Indianapolis 500 race. USAC continues to sanction it until 1994, at which point the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (and new CEO Tony George) buys back the hosting rights. They then also buy out the IndyCar World Series in 1996. The blue bar refers to the World Championship, the one-off race at [[Walt Disney World Speedway]] that carries the season's second-biggest purse.</big>
|}
===Timeline Changes===
* Prior to 1970, nothing needs to change.
* In 1970, Marlboro come in with title sponsorship for the '''Marlboro Championship Trail'''. Rather than dropping the ball like in real life, the series capitalises upon the deal, becoming the '''Marlboro Championship Racing League''' in 1974.
* From 1981, the series changes its identity again, becoming the '''IndyCar World Series'''. This remains its identity into the present day, unless it regresses far enough that it doesn't have any races outside of North America - in which case it becomes simply the '''IndyCar Series''' like in real life.
* The '''IndyCar Euro Series''' is a short-lived reaction to the catastrophe in the [[2004 Alternate Formula One season|2004 F1 season]], where they take advantage of F1's inability to host these races to form an ad-hoc European championship. The '''IndyCar World Championship''' was also established in this year: a season-ending race to crown the "World Champion" of oval racing. The race is held at the [[Walt Disney World Speedway]], and has a sponsorship arrangement with Disney to promote whatever film they're pushing as a Christmas blockbuster.

==Railroading==
Certain plot-points will have to be railroaded into Alt-Indy, usually due to events already established and referred to in [[Alternate Formula One]], but also sometimes the events of the seminal work of art ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driven_(2001_film) Driven]''. Here shall be a list of all such things:
''This list is incomplete, you can help by expanding it!''
* [[Beau Brandenburg]]'s career in IndyCar should align with what is established in ''Driven''. This will also include the to-be-established careers of [[Jimmy Bly]], [[Joe Tanto]], [[Memo Moreno]] and [[Carl Henry]]. All real-life drivers who made cameos in the film must also appear in the 2000 Alt-IndyCar season.
* [[Ayrton Senna]] fails to qualify for the 1995 Indianapolis 500.
* Certain drivers who appear in Formula One are established to have previously had a successful IndyCar career, including (but not limited to) [[Mario Andretti]], [[Tom Sneva]], [[Sébastien Bourdais]], [[Jacques Villeneuve]] and others.
* Other drivers are established to have moved from Formula One to IndyCar. This includes (but is not limited to) [[Ayrton Senna]].

==Notable Drivers==
''This list is obviously incomplete''
{| class="wikitable"
! Name
! Nat
!colspan=2| Possible Span
! Notes
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Mario Andretti]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{USA}} American
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1964
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1975
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| He is in F1 by 1976; presumably on the back of strong results.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Tom Sneva]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{USA}} American
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1970<br>1979
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1976<br>1987
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Does well enough to get nabbed by McLaren in mid-1976; has to do well enough before then.
|-
| [[Jody Scheckter]]
| {{RZA}} South African
| 1973<br>1980
| 1974<br>1981
| Scheckter arrived in F1 on the back of his results in America. After leaving F1, he tries for a couple of Indy 500s before retiring.
|-
| [[Danny Ongais]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1976<br>1980<br>1996
| 1977<br>1987<br>1998
| Drives in Indy either side of his F1 career; also a possible carney comeback in his older years.
|-
| [[Bill Whittington]]<br>[[Don Whittington]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1979
| 1985
| You can't beat a good drug-running arc, can you?
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Bobby Rahal]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{USA}} American
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1979
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1998
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Immediately scrubs out of F1, heads off to IndyCar. Becomes successful.
|-
| [[Roberto Horford]]
| {{ITA}} Italian
| 197X
| 1986
| Previously established, father of [[Anita Horford]]; dies at Indy 500 in 1986; possibly interrupted by F1 stint
|-
| [[Thomas Nurmester]]
| {{GBR}} British
| 1980
| 1985
| After flaming out of F1 after his one with the racing gods, goes to chase racing greatness elsewhere.
|-
| [[Ronald Tenpecost]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1980
| 1989
| Starts his career with a one-off attempt at the Indy 500; by '89 he's scrabbling around for odd drives.
|-
| [[Arie Luyendyk]]
| {{NED}} Dutch
| 1980<br>199?
| 1991<br>1999
| Definitely still a major figure in IndyCars when he's not in F1.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Emerson Fittipaldi]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{BRA}} Brazilian
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1980
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1996
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Is part of the high-profile exodus of F1 drivers at the end of [[1979 Alternate Formula One season|1979]].
|-
| [[Héctor Rebaque]]
| {{MEX}} Mexican
| 1981
| 1983
| Post-F1, he has a brief Indy career (but refuses to race on ovals).
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Brendon Cassidy]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{USA}} American
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1982<br>1993
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1985<br>2001
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Arrives in F1 off the back of a 1984 or 1985 IndyCar title; returns after his F1 career is done.
|-
| [[Carl Henry]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1982
| 1988
| His career was closely tied to Tanto's until he suffered a career-ending accident. Becomes a team boss.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Joe Tanto]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{USA}} American
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1982<br>2000
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1995<br>2000
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| A veteran champion who is called out of retirement for the 2000 season. Used Danny Sullivan as a template.
|-
| [[Silvio Bachot]]
| {{BEL}} Belgian
| 198?
| 1989
| Indy 500 cameos perhaps?
|-
| [[Michael Tyrrell]]
| {{ANT}} Antiguan
| 1984
| 198?
| Michael Tyrrell seems like the natural successor to the Whittington Brothers. Perhaps he specialises in Florida races.
|-
| [[Willy T. Ribbs]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1984
| 1999
| Never needs to go to NASCAR because IndyCar sees what he can offer them.
|-
| [[Leonhard von Gottorp]]
| {{GER}} German
| 1992
| 1994
| Leonhard von Gottorp has driven everything. IndyCars should not be an exception. In previously established events, he went to America after he was done with LifeGP
|-
| [[Eddie Cheever]]
| {{USA}} American
| TBC
| 2002
| Joins after his F1 career hits a dead end. There's also the possibility of a carney comeback c. 2006 as owner-driver.
|-
| [[Roberto Moreno]]
| {{BRA}} Brazilian
| 1985
| 2007
| IndyCar is the perfect place for him whenever he's not driving F1 shitboxes.
|-
| [[Marky Howard]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1986
| 1990
| A really low-tier pay-driver. Doesn't hang around long at all though.
|-
| [[Davy Jones]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1987<br>1991
| 1993<br>2002
| Competes in IndyCar either side of his brief F1 career with Team Oreca.
|-
| [[Memo Moreno]]
| {{MEX}} Mexican
| 1988
| 2000
| Is benched for Joe Tanto in 2000; finds another drive and suffers a career-ending accident.
|-
| [[Paul Tracy]]
| {{CAN}} Canadian
| 1991<br>199?
| 1991<br>2007
| I'm feeling an Indy 500 one-off in 1991; inevitably burns his F1 bridges and returns to IndyCar.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Nigel Mansell]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{GBR}} British
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1991
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1994
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Bails on F1 to give IndyCars a shot. Wins a Championship.
|-
| [[Ayrton Senna]]
| {{BRA}} Brazilian
| 1992
| 2003
| Signs with Penske in 1992; DNQs for the Indy 500 in 1995.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Jeff Gordon]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{USA}} American
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1992
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 2017
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| In real life, only NASCAR teams were prepared to pay him. In a stronger IndyCar, would that be the case?
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Jacques Villeneuve]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{CAN}} Canada
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1994<br>2002<br>2008<br>2011
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1995/6<br>2003<br>2009<br>2012
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Earns his Williams seat by becoming Champion in either 95 or 96; keeps returning for little stints to see if he can do it again.
|-
| [[Mike Boullier]]
| {{FRA}} French
| 1994
| 1999
| The most important man in canon ''has'' to attempt at least one Indy 500.
|-
| [[Kazuki Fushida]]
| {{JPN}} Japanese
| 1994
| 200?
| Honda's chosen driver for their 1994 push into IndyCar - ends up having a long and prosperous career as a result.
|-
| [[Eliseo Salazar]]
| {{CHI}} Chilean
| 1995
| 2002
| Absolute legend, most definitely has to appear here.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Beau Brandenburg]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{GER}} German
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1995
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 200?
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Ends up as the 1999 Champion at Newman-Haas; 2000 runner-up.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Tony Stewart]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{USA}} American
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1996
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 2016
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| With a much stronger IndyCar, there's no need for him to go to NASCAR to achieve his dreams.
|-
| [[Christian Fittipaldi]]
| {{BRA}} Brazilian
| 199?
| 2004
| Goes to IndyCar after a solid F1 career; never bothers with NASCAR.
|-
| [[Vic Sunset]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1997
| 200?
| Classic IndyCar lower-midfield scrub.
|-
| [[Neil McEwan]]
| {{GBR}} British
| 1998<br>2004
| 2001<br>2005
| Makes a few appearances after his F1 career; returns for the Euro Series while that exists.
|-
| [[Sarah Fisher]]
| {{USA}} American
| 1999
| 2010
| Briefly gets called up by Prost in 2002, but is an Indy racer through and through.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Jimmy Bly]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{USA}} American
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 2000
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 201?
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Becomes a Champion in his rookie year; what a driver.
|-
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| [[Dario Franchitti]]
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| {{GBR}} British
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 2001
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 2013
|bgcolor="#ffffbf"| Absolute legend, gets signed to Team Green as a rookie.
|-
| [[Helio Castroneves]]
| {{BRA}} Brazilian
| 2001
| 2017
| Obvious Indy legend. OP at the Brickyard.
|-
| [[Tomas Scheckter]]
| {{RSA}} South African
| 2002
| 2011
| Finishes his career mostly as a part-timer, but coulda been a contenda.
|-
| [[Daniel Moreno]]
| {{CAN}} Canadian
| 2003
| 2005
| Very part-time schedule - his heart's not in it by this point at all.
|-
| [[Jack Christopherson]]
| {{GBR}} British
| 2003
| 2016
| Another driver who joined IndyCar on the back of a decent Formula One career.
|-
| [[Sébastien Bourdais]]
| {{FRA}} French
| 2004<br>2013<br>2019
| 2007<br>2014<br>2019
| Initially joins Euro Series in 2004. Honestly, Bourdais flip-flopping to and from IndyCar will be a meme.
|-
| [[Justin Wilson]]
| {{GBR}} British
| 2004
| 201?
| Is out of a drive in F1, works his way up the grid across his Indy career.
|-
| [[Dave Simpson]]
| {{AUS}} Australian
| 2005
| 2005
| A short stint that started with a one-off drive in his home race. Ends with F1 call-up.
|-
| [[Ralf Alden]]
| {{USA}} American
| 2006
| 2010
| Road course specialist pay driver who later turns his attention to a backmarker F1 team.
|-
| [[John Bovy]]
| {{GRN}} Grenadan
| 2007
| 2008
| Hugely competitive rookie year, backed up with a decent second season to break into Formula One.
|-
| "[[T. Hemo Goblin]]"
| {{USA}} American
| 200?
| 201?
| Two DNQs for the Indy 500, never heard of again.
|-
| [[Ashley Cassidy]]
| {{USA}} American
| 2011
| present
| Daughter of [[Brendon Cassidy]]; she's the new Danica Patrick I guess.
|-
| [[Daniel Melrose]]
| {{AUS}} Australian
| 2015
| 2016
| A short IndyCar stint.
|-
| [[Robert Wickens]]
| {{CAN}} Canadian
| 2016
| present
| Makes a real career out of IndyCar after washing out of the Formula 1 paddock.
|-
| [[Romain Grosjean]]
| {{FRA}} French
| 2020
| present
| Finishes with Formula One and heads to IndyCar to turn Rick Ware Racing into a force for good in the world.
|-
| [[Daniel Ricciardo]]
| {{AUS}} Australian
| 2020
| present
| Daniel Ricciardo takes on the world.
|-
|}

Still *very* incomplete, especially with the likes of [[Josef Newgarden]], [[J.R. Hildebrand]] and [[Conor Daly]] all making F1 cameos that will most definitely affect their IndyCar availability.