Swift Files 2014 Indy Lights Proposal

Of the primary companies vying for the contract to build the next-generation Firestone Indy Lights car, California-based Swift Engineering has a lot of positives for the Firestone Indy Lights Series to consider.

Of the three potential Indy Lights constructors SPEED.com has chronicled so far, Swift is the only outfit with an existing, turnkey solution to offer for the car that’s due to arrive for the 2014 season, and also ticks the “Made in America" box the series desires.

Whether those factors will result in Swift getting the nod for 2014 won’t be known until this weekend’s race at Baltimore, at the earliest. As Swift President Jan Refsdal told SPEED.com, if his company gets the commission, they’ll use their proven Formula Nippon chassis as the basis for its Lights car, code named the Swift 020.I.

“We think we can offer a cutting-edge solution to the series," he said. “The leveraging of our Formula Nippon car into something that is very relevant and modern for the Indy Lights series makes a lot of sense. And at the same time, it can help to drive the series forward with a major engine manufacturer as well as with promotional value."

Swift came to prominence in the early 1980s with its championship-winning DB1 Formula Ford chassis, and went on to produce open-wheel chassis for F2000, Formula Atlantic and the CART Indy car series. In recent years, a major portion of its business model has included aerospace and defense-related projects.

Its spec Atlantics chassis were used through the 2009 season, but with the demise of Champ Car, the company has focused its racing endeavors on Formula Nippon, and also submitted a proposal to supply the 2012 Indy car. More at speed.com