Tuh-Dhuh Ladies and Germs', it's Showtime Once
Again. With another Mesmerizing NifStar Trophy selection...
Continuing with Thy Theme of choosing winners
from the Indy Lights ranks; Can Anybody still recall the 2017 Lights season?
Nonetheless, I chose the Driver who I found to be the most entertaining Newcomer
from that year's fairly Stout Lights class, which eventually featured five of its
Drivers Graduating to the B-I-G' Dance, nee Indy Cars.
WINNER
Nico Jamin , Age: 23
Born: December 5, 1995
Birthplace: Rouen,
France
2017 Results
7th Overall, Indy
Lights; 3 Wins
Championships
2015 U.S. F2000
Championship
Nico originally was focused upon becoming a
professional Tennis player, but after twelve years of tennis, at Age 15
experienced knee problems and upon watching his Father racing cars, decided to
change career trajectories towards motor racing instead.
Jamin made his Professional Single Seater
Debut in 2014 with Belardi Auto Racing and Pabst Racing Services, before Dominating
the 2015 U.S. F2000 season with 10 wins in 15 starts for Cape Motorsports with
Wayne Taylor Racing.
In 2016, having won Automatic entry into the
Pro Mazda series, Jamin won two races en route to third Overall in the
Championship before being signed by Andretti Autosport for the 2017 Indy Lights
season.
As the 2017 Lights season comprised six Teams
with 14 Fulltime Drivers competing, including the likes of Andretti Autosport's
Rookie Colton Herta, Carlin's Zachary
Claman DeMelo and Rookie Matheus Leist.
Juncos Racing's Kyle Kiser won the Lights
Championship in his third campaign, whilst Team Pelfrey's Pato O'Ward made his Rookie
Debut in a partial season outing, contesting the season's first two Double
Header events before focusing upon his "Day Job" in IMSA's Prototype
Challenge (PC) Class. With All of these drivers eventually graduating to Indy
Cars.
Albeit Kiser & Claman DeMelo
ran just a partial season last year, whilst Herta & O'Ward made their
series debuts at Season's end, now set to make their Fulltime series Debut's. With
Claman DeMelo
now returning to Indy Lights in 2019 for another crack at the series
championship's $1.0m prize - including automatic entry to the 2020 Indy 500;
but I digress...
And although Nico was the second highest
placed driver from Andretti Autosport's four car Armada, pipped by Herta's
third place overall in 2017. The Frenchman who scored three wins in Lights,
tied with Leist
for most Wins. Also suffered four DNf's - causing him to
finish Mid-pack in his Rookie campaign. And apparently either due to lack of
finances? Since I'm not privy to why, Jamin headed back Across thou Puddle.
For 2018, Nico, who's apparently known as
Nicolas abroad, joined the Blancpain GT Series. Driving for Aka
ASP Team Mercedes, behind the wheel of an AMG Mercedes GT3 racecar and had
decent results towards season's end.
As it was Bloody Hell trying to find out which
exact Blancpaine Team Nico's competing for, albeit I found his Driver page
below...
NIFSTAR
WINNERS
2017: Nico Jamin
2016: Zach Veach
2015: Shawn Rayhall
2014: Jack Harvey
2013: Conor Daly
2012: Tristan Nunez
Inaugural
Award Winner
2007: Marcus Wilkinson
