Champ Car World Series

Manufacturers
 Teams' champion
 Makes' champion

The **Champ Car World Series**, currently known as the  **Lucas Oil Champ Car World Series** for sponsorship purposes, is an American open-wheel racing series owned and sanctioned by INDYCAR, LLC. The series was first formed in 2002 as the ASCRA Open Wheel Division, a touring series owned by the American Stock Car Racing Association. The series operated under a number of sponsored names before becoming the ASCRA Lucas Oil Formula Series Championship in 2017. Prior to the 2022 season, the series was sold to INDYCAR, LLC as a result of the strain the COVID-19 pandemic put on the ASCRA. INDYCAR, LLC announced they would revive the "Champ Car" name for the series and that it would operate as the *de facto* "minor league" circuit, serving as a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's top level circuit, the NTT IndyCar Series.

The series' premier event is the Indianapolis Grand Prix.

## History

Formed in 2002 as the **ASCRA Open Wheel Division**, ExxonMobil motor oil brand Mobil 1 took over sponsorship for 2008 becoming the **ASCRA Mobil 1 Open Wheel Series**. After their initial five-year contract ended, ExxonMobil chose not to exercise their two-year option and left the sport following the 2012 season. Fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken agreed to sponsor the series for a season resulting in the 2013 **ASCRA KFC Open Wheel Series**. For 2014, Lucas Oil Products, Inc. became the new entitlement sponsor, signing a 10-year, $10 million/year contract to become the **ASCRA Lucas Oil Open Wheel Series** and as of 2017, the **A****SCRA Lucas Oil Formula Series Championship**. Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the series' finances in 2020 and 2021, ASCRA announced they would be selling the series sanctioning rights to INDYCAR, LLC for the 2022 season.

## Rules and regulations

### Points

Champ Car tries to incentivize winning races and finishing on the podium by providing a higher point value as well as bonus points. Bonus points are awarded to the top five finishers with first place receiving 10, second and third place receive 5, and fourth and fifth receive 1 bonus point each. Bonus points are immediately added to a driver's overall points total, although bonus points earned are also used as a tie-breaker in the standings.

### Cars

Despite its misleading name, the Lucas Oil Formula Series is not an open formula motor sport archetype. A spec series, the league mandates chassis and engine manufacturers which teams must use each season. Currently, Dallara provides a specification chassis to all teams, with Chevrolet, Honda and Mazda providing teams engines.

#### First gen car (2002-2011)

The **First-Gen** cars debuted alongside the series in 2002 and intended to make open wheel racing more affordable. The cars featured a chassis provided by Dallara (Dallara OWD-02) and teams could run their choice of Chevrolet, Honda or Toyota engines.

Following the 2005 season, Toyota pulled their support and the three Toyota teams switched to Honda for 2006. Dallara unveiled the Dallara OWD-02 Mark 2 chassis prior to the 2007 season which featured minor safety upgrades from the Mark 1 and teams were free to run either chassis. Chevrolet left the sport prior to the 2007 season, leaving Honda as the spec engine for five years.

#### Second gen car (2012-2021)

The **Second-Gen** cars debuted in the 2012 season, the eleventh for the series. The cars featured a chassis provided by Dallara (Dallara OWS-12) and teams could run Chevrolet or Honda engines. 2012 marked the first season of competition for Chevrolet since 2007. Like the first gen cars, Dallara introduced a second chassis with improved safety features teams could use during the Second Generation. The Dallara OWS-12v.2 was largely ignored upon its release in 2016 although all teams had elected to run them by the 2020 season.

#### Third gen car (2022-*future*)

The **Third-Gen** cars were originally scheduled to debut in the 2020 season, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic were delayed to 2021 and again to 2022. The cars were initially set to feature a chassis provided by Dallara codenamed the Dallara AFS-20 with teams able to pick from Chevrolet, Honda or Mazda engines. After INDYCAR, LLC acquired the series they subsequently canceled the Dallara AFS-20 with teams instead running the Dallara IR-18 chassis that is used in the main IndyCar Series. Mazda will no longer supply engines despite their previous plans to.