Continuing with this theme of profiling just some
of the myriad 'O Rising Stars, primarily in Open Wheels, with my original draft weighing in at
5-pages, per my usual, I've decided to split I-T into another two-part harmony.
This time focusing upon the Stateside feeder series, with a last minutes nod to
a current Sports Car BAD ARSE Hombre still dreaming of winning the Indianapolis 500!
INDY LIGHTS
Although this theme is getting a 'Wee bit long
in thy tooth, nevertheless not as near as long as the current chassis/engine
package has been 'round, but it's become
quite redundant hearing how even though the series is lacking in
quantity, it's not lacking in quality when it comes to driver talent.
Yet, I'd have to agree with this assessment,
even if getting tired of hearing I-T, like isn't this true in a-L-L of the
Feeder series? But just ask Open Wheel Standout Mathew Brabham how stiff the
competition is, after the 'Aussie had simply walked away with the lower Mazda
Road To Indy ladder rung series, claiming both the FF2000 and Pro Mazda championships in
convincing fashion.
Alas, Brabham, albeit in his Rookie season, a
la Bloody Jack Harvey, has found the heavier
Indy Lights chassis more difficult to drive, and hence, it's been
somewhat of an uphill battle to adapt to the 'Ol School Dallara IPS V-8 chassis
which apparently still utilize, GASP! manual shifting; aye Karumba!
Meanwhile Gabby Chaves and Brabham's
team-mate, the affable (and funny) Zach Veach, who's in his second Lights
season have run up front all year long, with Veach scoring his breakout victory
at the season opener in St Pete, while
ex-GP2 and Formula 1 hopeful Luiz Razia has constantly
been at the sharp end of the grid this
year too.
As Brabham continued his winning ways by
"Breaking his 'Duck" upon becoming the debutant Indy Lights winner during
the Indianapolis Grand Prix weekend upon the
newly repaved road course, with Razia
also claiming his inaugural Lights victory at Mother Speedway's Round-2 of the
Double Header race weekend.
Hence, all five of these drivers, with NO
disrespect to the other competitors are surely potential rising Open Wheel
stars, albeit it was somewhat disheartening to hear Mikey Andretti say he
wasn't gonna buy any of the new Dallara
IL15/AER Turbo-4 chassis next year. (As obviously somebody found Mikey some Dinero
since Shelby Blackstock's just been announced graduating to Indy Lights to
drive for Andretti Autosport next year...) Whilst it's
been GURR-REAT! Seeing a new name added
to the championship conversation with the emergence of Balardi Auto Racing this
season...
MID-OHIO
The Bloody Brit' Jack Harvey had his breakout
weekend by winning both rounds of the Double Header format at the storied
Mid-Ohio permanent road course venue, vaulting himself into second place in the
points behind front runner Gabby Chaves, not Pedro; Hya! And third place Zachery
Veach...
Point Standings
1) Chaves: 431
2) Harvey: 413
3) Veach: 407
MILWAUKEE
Going into the penultimate round, Zach Veach
ultimately got his wish of winning on the famed Oval, albeit Andretti Autosport
team-mate Mathew Brabham led for quite awhile before a late race restart after Luiz Razia
caused a yellow-flag to be unfurled, saw Veach pass Brabham for the lead
and hold onto win with Gabby Chaves
third, while Harvey had a somewhat quiet day, finishing P5...
Point Standings
1) Chaves: 466
2) Veach: 459
3) Harvey: 443
SONOMA
Had NO idea I'd be there live in person, albeit I missed Saturday's Race-1
when attending the IndyCar 'B-I-G BOYZ autograph session, as it took us nearly
the entire Lights race to get up to Turn-7 where there's NO loudspeakers
or video screens following collecting
half of the Indy Cars field's "John Hancock's!" So really don't know
what happened and couldn't hear the results... Which on Sunday I'd discover
that Jack Harvey had walked I-T! (Saturday) With NO mention of Zack Veach; Hmm?
Having now found out he finished seventh.
Watched Jack Harvey simply run away 'N hide
on Sunday, although Gabby Chaves did what he needed to do, running all alone in second place, as
the two championship protagonists disappeared from the rest of the field, with
all of the fighting being over the podium's final step... And although Harvey
did everything possible, i.e.; starting from Pole, leading wire-to-wire,
fastest lap, etc, Chaves won on the
title via (second) tiebreaker, due to his propensity of second place finishes,
as that was fun watching both drivers doing their jobs! While apparently Veach
had a lackluster weekend and was never
in the championship title fight...
Final Point Standings
1) Chaves: 547
2) Harvey: 547
3) Veach: 520
PRO MAZDA
Only two names I know in this series is
points leader Spencer Pickett and Shelby Blackstock who's the son of Big Time
Country Star Reba McEntire...
And having re-read Ryan's MRIT Mid-Ohio update,
it's good to hear that there's two aspiring 'KuhNucks in the series, both being
winners - with Scott
Hargrove and Garett Grist standing atop
the podium, as we need more than just
thee Mayor 'O Hinchtown (James Hinchcliffe) flying the maple leaf in Indy
Cars...
USF2000
Unfortunately I DON'T follow this MRIT feeder
rung at all, and thus, won't even pretend to know who any of the rising stars
are, which after all, is why there's always Junior Open Wheel Talent to fall back upon,
even if Ryan's currently busy changing diapers, as Congrat's Daddy! But now get
back to work and post some more news 'bout the Up 'N Comers; Hya!
SPORTS CARS
Originally wasn't in the plans to feature
this category, since after all this is a
story 'bout single seaters! Yet, then again, there's so many single seater
Feeder Series Boyz, aka Toyota Atlantics, etc who got squeezed out from
progressing to IndyCar during that 'lil thingy called "The Split!"
Thus, upon listening to a very entertaining Speed
Freaks interview with a name I've heard of before, nee 19yr old Shawn Rayhall,
whom I'd originally wondered if he was an unknown Rahal bro, Hya! I decided to
include this BAD ARSE racer along with "the Taylor Brothers," while
who knows whom I'm forgetting on the European side of the ladder, eh?
INTERVIEW: Shawn Rayhall enters the Freaks Room of Doom
With another pair
of Up 'N Comers being the "Brothers Taylor," aka Jordan & Ricky
who are also pretty BAD ARSE Sports Cars piloto's on their own right, as the
apple doesn't fall very far from the tree, eh? As in Y'all may have heard of
their father Wayne Taylor, right?
