Last season, everyone agreed that the talent from top to bottom in the IndyCar series was as deep as it has ever been. That was proven on the track too, as every team won at least one race, with the exception of Dragon Racing, which is no longer in the mix. The 2013 season also featured four first-time winners, the most since 1965.

You would assume that the next year would be just as good, if not better, given the added experience of young drivers, and teams getting a better handle on the engines, and the DW12. Unfortunately, like many things associated with this sport, it’s one step forward and two steps back. The onus for this one though, lies mostly with the team owners.

Look at the crop of drivers that won’t be back this season: Dario Franchitti, Simona de Silvestro, EJ Viso, Tristan Vautier, Alex Tagliani, and JR Hildebrand. Now who has been added for this year? Juan Montoya, Carlos Munoz, Ryan Briscoe, Mikhail Aleshin, and likely Luca Filippi and Carlos Huertas. The question everyone keeps asking is, where did he come from?

There are only a handful of full-time seats left at this point, and heavy speculation as to which drivers will fill them. This is where the series really takes a hit, in my opinion. These seats are going to drivers that have more money than talent. It sounds harsh, but the reality is, economics play more of a role in this industry now more than ever. Ride buyers are nothing new, but it is diluting the amazing crop of talent that is the makeup of IndyCar. What is the point of having a ladder system in place, if teams aren’t going to utilize it?

My opinion is that IndyCar needs more eyeballs, and the teams are not helping by not giving these rides to the drivers that deserve them, like Conor Daly, Jack Hawksworth, Sam Bird, Hildebrand, etc. Is Conor the next big thing? We don’t know, mostly because the opportunity for him to show us isn’t there. The sport can’t afford to lose another Kyle Larson.

It was announced earlier today that Martin Plowman will drive AJ Foyt’s second car (41) at both Indianapolis races this May, the car that Daly drove last year. Yes, the money these drivers bring helps fund the team, but they probably have better options out there if they want to actually win races. Of course this type of thing has been going on for years, but none of us have a solution for it. Unfortunately, you never have enough money in racing.