MILLER: IndyCar's waiting room

While we wait to see where Tony Kanaan, Juan Montoya, Carlos Munoz and Max Chilton land in 2017 and if Gabby Chavez, Conor Daly, Spencer Pigot, R.C. Enerson and J.R. Hildebrand can remain in the Verizon IndyCar Series, it's also necessary to point out that IndyCar's waiting room is overflowing with youthful, hungry talent.

And they pretty much have nowhere to go.

At least a dozen drivers from the Mazda Road to Indy, past and present, own IndyCar aspirations but opportunities seem limited to the second seat at Dale Coyne and possibly the third car at Schmidt Peterson. Depending on what A.J. and Larry Foyt decide, there's at least one opening in the ABC Supply stable and if Chilton leaves Ganassi to go with Trevor Carlin, one of the primo seats in the series might even be up for bid.

It sounds like Ed Carpenter has his sights set on Montoya or Kanaan to replace Josef Newgarden in the #1 slot for the Fuzzy's Chevrolet, with Hildebrand also a logical candidate and Pigot hopeful of staying on board for Indy and road racing duty. But that still leaves no less than 12-16 imminently qualified drivers going for three or four rides.

And, following the 19-year-old Enerson's seamless and eye-opening transition from Lights to IndyCar this season, it's certainly not out of the question for promising kids to get hired – especially if they bring a little money.

So here's a list (in alphabetical order) of Indy Lights' vets, past and present, that are either praying for a winning lottery ticket or another engine manufacturer to come along so they can move up to the big stage that currently sports far too few car owners.

MATT BRABHAM: The third generation of this famous family finally got into the Indy 500 and did a nice job but the 22-year-old is tired of driving the Honda two-seater and wants a full-time shot with no passengers.

SCOTT HARGROVE: This 21-year-old native of British Columbia lost the 2014 Pro Mazda title by a hair and has been scrambling to find Lights' rides ever since but IndyCar needs to cultivate a good, young Canadian and they have one in this kid.

JACK HARVEY: Runner-up twice in the Lights' championship, the 23-year-old Brit knows how to get to the front (2012 British Formula 3 champion) and has plenty of savvy, just not much money.

ED JONES: The 21-year-old native of Dubai (pictured) is headed for at least three IndyCar starts in 2017 after winning the Indy Lights' crown with Trevor Carlin, who figures to partner with KV racing in 2017.

KYLE KAISER: Only 20, the Californian captured a pair of Lights' races in 2016 and wants to follow Enerson's lead and head for IndyCar in 2017.

SAGE KARAM: It's hard to believe the ex-Ganassi driver is still only 21 and it's harder to believe that nobody has picked up the Nazareth native who dazzled everyone in his 2014 Indy 500 debut and several times as a rookie in 2015. Dario Franchitti believes in him, but sadly no car owners feel that way at the moment.

SEAN RAYHALL: The 21-year-old Georgian triumphed twice in the 2015 Lights' season and then had a good IndyCar test at Sonoma before heading off to sportscars in 2016 to make a living.

FELIX ROSENQVIST: Scored three wins in only 10 starts in the 2016 Lights' campaign and backed that up with an IndyCar test at Mid-Ohio that still has the Ganassi guys raving. The 24-year-old Swede is a two-time Macau Grand Prix winner and has that "can't miss" look but you wonder if anybody in the IndyCar paddock is paying attention.

FELIX SERRALLES: The 24-year-old native of Puerto Rico had two Lights' victories in 2016 and may have enough funding to move up.

DEAN STONEMAN: Appeared to be on the fast track to F1 before battling and beating cancer and the 26-year-old Brit made it to Victory Lane twice during the '16 Lights' season.

SANTI URRITIA: The 20-year-old from Uruguay won four Lights races this year but lost the $1 million prize as champion to team tactics, so he needs funding.

ZACH VEACH: After sitting out a year, the 21-year-old American came storming back with three victories in Lights in 2016 and then blew everyone away with his IndyCar test for ECR at Sonoma.