AWARDS: And the 2017 nifSTAR winner is...

Tuh-Dhuh Ladies and Germs', it's Showtime Once Again. With another Mesmerizing NifStar Trophy selection...

AWARDS: Dusting Off the 2016 nifSTAR winner's trophy, And the Winner is...

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.

It was A Very Good Year

As it was Bloody Hell trying to find out which exact Blancpaine Team Nico's competing for, albeit I found his Driver page below...

Blancpain Drivers - Nicolas Jamin

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

AWARDS: Dusting Off the 2016 nifSTAR winner's trophy, And the Winner is...

Zach Veach secured a three year contract to race Indy Cars for former Boss Michael Andretti beginning in 2018. (Image source: autoweek.com)

Yeah, once again, I've neglected unveiling the winner in a timely fashion, having last left Y'all in Stitches with my 2015 selection...

AWARDS: A Forgotten Winner, The 2015 nifSTAR edition...

WINNER

Zach Veach , Age: 24

Born: December 9, 1994

Birthplace: Stockdale, Ohio; USA

2016 Results

3rd Overall, Indy Lights

Championships

2011 U.S. F2000 Winter fest, 2012 Formula Car Championship

Thanxs to a 'lil 'Ol Radio Show I used to listen to weekly called Autosport Radio, I was introduced to the driver I enjoy calling Zachery "Moose" Veach, playfully in jest towards his Bulking Up over the years from being a precocious teenager. whom after all, was Hangin' Out with some Celeb' named Oprah when he was 12 if memory serves me correct?

Zach seems to be not only very Affable, but Humble as well, never taking anything for granted, and has also persevered. Showing a tenacity for making his "Dream" happen, i.e.; Fulltime IndyCar Driver.

As I'm feeling like not doing any Heavy lifting here, and pretty sure I've already briefly chronicled Zachery's Junior Open Wheel Racing career in;

INDYCAR: 2018 Rookie Class - Full Season Contendahs'

Veach has finished third Overall in two separate Indy Lights campaigns with two different entities, i.e.; Andretti autosport, whom he did the bulk of his Feeder Series driving for.

After a year's time away from racing due to injury requiring hand surgery, when Veach further solidified his place upon thou Radar, by doing Colour commentary for what will always be the IMS Radio Network for Mwah, filling in over various Indy Cars Broadcasts. Veach returned to Indy Lights for a second Crack at the $1.0m Mazda Road To Indy prize with Belardi Auto Racing in 2016.

Zach spent the majority of the 2017 IndyCar season on the sidelines, albeit making his series debut as a last minute substitute for the injured J. R. Hildebrand at Barber Motorsports Park and Ed Carpenter Racing, where I think he finished P17, or was it P19?

Zach Veach signs Multi-year IndyCar Deal with Andretti Autosport

Veach then contested his Debutante Indy 500 for A.J. Foyt Enterprises, aboard a third Foyt entry before focusing upon landing sponsorship to secure a Fulltime ride in Indy Cars, which we now know he did successfully with his sponsor the 1001 Group. Landing a three year Dealio' with former team boss Mikey A'.

Finishing 15th Overall, in his Rookie season with two Top-5 finishes, with a best result of P4 at thee Oh, so Bootyful' Barbers, nee Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, ironically the first racetrack he'd run in the B-I-G CARZ' a year before...

Is Zach Veach the Dark Horse Contender for the 2019 IndyCar Championship?

NIFSTAR WINNERS

2016: Zach Veach

2015: Shawn Rayhall

2014: Jack Harvey

2013: Conor Daly

2012: Tristan Nunez

Inaugural Award Winner

2007: Marcus Wilkinson

INDYCAR: Time's Right to return to Mexico for Indy Cars to resume racing Across the Border

As Surely, Hey Don't call me Shirley; Oh Never Mind!

Otay, I know this won't be occurring anytime soon, but the momentum's definitely crescendoing now, El Correctomundo, Ci?

As I find it amazing how easily I'm swayed these days by racing drivers personalities - along with exuding natural talent behind the wheel. Since after my newest IndyCar Numero Uno pick thee Young Wicky', aka Robert Wickens sensational rookie season unraveled, I found myself somewhat dejected over Indy Cars.

Yet the tide quickly shifted for Mwah after first having the luxury of watching Takuma Sato win at Portland, and then witnessing the newest IndyCar sensation Pato O'Ward put on a Driving Clinique at Sonoma.

Indy Cars Future gets Brighter with arrival of Indy Lights Pato O'Ward

As IndyCar's been toying with returning to Mexico City's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the past few years now, for which I thought the arrival of Esteban Gutierrez at Dale Coyne Racing would seal the Dealio', Ci?

As  Gutierrez sparked hopes when Deputizing for the injured Sealmeister B', nee le Hamburgular', aka Sebastain Bourdais at the Detroit Duelie' last year before making his Oval debut later at Pocono.

Yet that was the last of the former Formula 1 Pilote we've seen in Indy Cars, who had taken up sporadic; Err selected appearances in Formula E beginning last year after being unceremoniously Dumped by Haas F1 in favour of Kevin Bacon' Magnussen.

Meanwhile, Alfonso Celis, Jr. hasn't exactly lit the IndyCar world upon its ear with his few outings this season for the fledgling Juncos Racing organization. With Celis simply being out of his league at his IndyCar debut at Road America, when beginning the weekend by Somersaulting his Juncos mount during practice; Ariva-Ariva-Ariva! Not to mention simply being a footnote at Portland.

Although Celis mustn't be considered a total slouch. As he's won in the now disbanded World Series Formula 3.5 V-8 Championship, atop the podium at Spa the same season that Pietro Fittipaldi was winning the title, before briefly dabbling in Indy Lights this year.

As Alfonso finished third Overall in the championship with one victory vs. Rene Binder's four, with the Austrian finishing fourth overall. As Binder was another IndyCar Rookie this season to come out of Formula 3.5 V-8...

Alfonso also spent time being one of Force; Err Racing Point Force India's countless Pay Drivers to fill its coffers, Uhm, "simulator Jockey" test drivers fleet. Having even participated in a few Friday morning Free Practice FP1 Formula 1 sessions.

While even Patricio O'Ward's ascendency to Open Wheel Racing's top step wasn't clear cut at first, as the Monterey, Mexico native, ironically where fellow countryman Gutierrez hails from, looked set to be headed towards Sports Cars initially.

since his Indy Lights Debutante season was short lived with the always underfunded Team Pelfrey, making four starts during the season's first two Double Header weekends at St Pete and thou Oh, So bootyful' Barber's in 2017, before focusing solely upon IMSA's Prototype Challenge Class instead.

As Pato, at age 17 won both the Rolex 24 and Sebring 12 Hours PC (Prototype Challenge) Class category for Performance Tech Motorsports alongside another aspiring Lights driver named James French. Along with winning the series final PC class Championship...

Whilst O'Ward wisely states his wishes to emulate another past top Mexican Driver named Yo Adrian! nee Adrian Fernandez, Indy Cars All-time winningest Driver, who's definitely not a bad choice at All!

On The Border - Mexicali Racing Talents

While I still fondly remember Fernandez being Super Cool 'N Charismatic  to Mwah. Standing up to personally greet me by name, Huh? How'd he do that? Bowling me over with this personal touch during the 2012 Indy 500 Legends Day Autograph session; Ariva-Ariva-Ariva!

Racer Video: Pato O'Wards first IndyCar test

And as I previously scribbled here on No Fenders, the Mexican teenager O'Ward simply lit up my IndyCar season finale weekend with his Mega Qualie' performance, which I jotted down initially Wayback on Sept 15.

Pato O'Wards  First ever IndyCar Qualifying session. Runs in Group 2 of Round 1 on primary Black rubber - Goes straight to P1! In a group that includes somebody named Dixon. Finishes P5 and advances to Round 2's Top-12 round.

Next O'Ward finishes P4 to advance to the Fast Six Shootout in his IndyCar Debut! The first time ever that his Harding Racing team's made the Fast Six session. Pato' runs a lap good enough for second before the team pulls him in to sit upon his time, ultimately finishing fifth in his first ever Qualie' session.

As I just spent the whole day marveling over his performance by repeatedly saying loudly to the Confuzer' He's a Bad Arse!

IndyCar at Sonoma: Rookie Pato O'Ward delivers 'phenomenal' qualifying performance

And as we All know, Pato went onto finish an excellent P9 at Sonoma, after experiencing the added pressures of hanging onto the far more grippier, more powerful Dallara DW12 Chevrolet powered Harding Racing mount, which surely O'Ward will acclimatize to during next year's Pre-season testing.

O'Ward makes the Most out of IndyCar race Debut

But I've been watching & listening to Indy Cars long enough to know that a single race outing doesn't make or define a driver's career, albeit naturally I'm hoping Pato's Debut is a portent 'O things to come from this Mexican Pilote. As he'll probably vault to my newest Numero Uno IndyCar Driver next year, Ci? although I've also previously been enthused over Sweden's Felix Rosenqvist, which should make next year's Rookie Of the Year (ROY) battle very interesting.

As I've rambled on long enough now, and sorta gone off boil, as it's definitely High Time for IndyCar to Quit Mucking round over returning to Mexico! As hopefully O'Ward can lead the way Across the Border, welcoming back Indy Cars to Mexico's ravenous fans...