Aside from having the perfect name for a successful career in the United States, 21-year-old Kyle Kirkwood seems pretty much destined for an IndyCar seat just now.

He collected multiple titles during his formative karting career before making a victorious transition to car racing in an F1600 part-season. On his maiden outing in the Formula Ford series, he won the season-opener at Road Atlanta and set the championship lap record in the process. A further six races followed and he wound up 16th in the standings.

Since then, he's swept all on his way up the ladder. Where US single-seaters really rather embarrass the European scene is in its tiered structure, whereby the champion of each formula is assured of a supported drive in the next level via the Road To Indy scheme.