Everyone Needs a Rookie to Root For

It's only natural, with the approach of the Indianapolis 500, that the attention of many focuses on those drivers that have achieved the greatest amount of success at the corner of 16th and Georgetown.

This year, four previous winners of the '500' are scheduled to participate: Three-time champions, Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti, as well as one-time winners, Scott Dixon and Buddy Lazier.  

But at the opposite end of the spectrum, there are some very talented first-time entrants in this year's race that deserve there own measure of recognition.

On the eve of qualifications for the 97th running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," take a moment to meet this year's crop of fast learners--the rookie class of 2013--because everyone needs a rookie to root for. Who's your favorite?

--Chris

A.J. Allmendinger
IZOD Penske Racing #2  
Age: 31
Hometown: Los Gatos, CA, USA

The scoop: Allmendinger left a promising career in the ChampCar Indy car series (5 wins) to pursue NASCAR, where he would record 29 top-ten finishes and two pole positions. He's back in Indy cars, on a part-time basis, with his former stock car owner, Roger Penske, in an effort to resurrect his racing career after violating NASCAR's drug policy. Allmendinger continues to race Sprint Cup, part-time.

Conor Daly
ABC Supply A.J. Foyt Racing #41 
Age: 21
Hometown: Noblesville, IN, USA

The scoop: Son of former Formula One and Indy car driver, Derek Daly, Conor grew up in the shadow of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He's poised to realize a lifelong dream by qualifying and racing in his hometown event. Daly also aspires to reach Formula One and is competing full-time in the European junior formula, GP3.

Carlos Munoz
Electric Energy Straws Andretti Autosport #26 
Age: 21
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia

The scoop: After honing his craft in multiple European-based series, Munoz moved to the Firestone Indy Lights series in 2012, finishing 5th in the championship. He is currently leading the 2013 Indy Lights points, notching two wins, thus far. Early signs indicate Munoz is aggressive on the Indy oval and should be fun to watch, going forward.

Tristan Vautier
Lucas Oil Schmidt Peterson Motorsports #55 
Age: 23
Hometown: Corenc, France

The scoop: Vautier brings an impressive resume in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system to this year's '500.' He won the Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights championships in successive years and has already shown impressive speed in his rookie year in the IndyCar series. He and his SPM teammate, Simon Pagenaud, comprise two-thirds of IndyCar's three-man "French Connection."  

Where in the world is Conor Daly?

Daly will balance a full season of GP3 (above) with
selected events in the Firestone Indy Lights Series 

Think your 2011 is shaping up to be a busy one? Let’s see how your itinerary stacks up against my man Conor Daly’s.

Competing in both a full season of GP3, plus selected events in the Firestone Indy Lights Series, to say Conor will be racking up the frequent-flyer miles is an understatement.

Here it is in a nutshell: 21 races (GP3 holds two per weekend) and the potential to run on 12 test days scattered across 10 countries, 4 states, and only 6 months.

Check out the full list of events, below, then stop back over the course of the 2011 racing season to see where in the world is Conor Daly.

Date                   Series     Race/Test         Venue

March 3-4          GP3         Test                     Paul Ricard, France

March 27            FILS         Race                   St. Petersburg, FL

March 29-31      GP3         Test                     Silverstone, GB

April 10               FILS        Race                    Birmingham, AL

April 12-14         GP3        Test                      Barcelona, Spain

April 17               FILS        Race                    Long Beach, CA

May 7-8              GP3         Race                    Istanbul, Turkey

May 21-22         GP3         Race                    Barcelona, Spain

June TBD          GP3         Test                      TBD

June 16-17        GP3         Test                      Valencia, Spain

June 25-26        GP3         Race                    Valencia, Spain

July 9-10            GP3         Race                    Silverstone, GB

July 23-24          GP3         Race                    Nurburgring, Germany

July 30-31          GP3         Race                    Budapest, Hungary

August 7             FILS        Race                    Trois Rivieres, Quebec

August 27-28     GP3        Race                    Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Sept. 4                FILS       Race                     Baltimore, MD

Sept. 10-11        GP3       Race                     Monza, Italy

—JM

P.S. Hey, CD... better print this and strap it to your wrist like an NFL QB, you’re going to need it.

A Backstage Conversation from the “State of IndyCar” Address

FILS Dude #1: [casually] “So, you called Conor’s rep, right?”

FILS Dude #2: “Uh... no, I thought you called him?”

FILS Dude #1: [agitated] “No. I didn’t call him. I’m on confetti, remember?”

FILS Dude #2: [confused] “I thought I was on confetti.”

FILS Dude #1: [angry] “No. DUDE. You are NOT on confetti. And if you didn’t call his rep and I didn’t call him that means they have no fu**ing clue about what is... [stops abruptly]

LOOK. Forget it. He’s about to make the announcement, and we’re completely fu**ed. Get back! I’m doing the confetti.”

[Moments later (in a biblical downpour of diced paper) Roger Bailey, Executive Director of the Firestone Indy Lights Series, announces that 2010 Star Mazda Champ, Conor Daly, will be stepping up to FIL, sharing driving duties for next season with USAC scholarship winner, Bryan Clauson—participating in the road/street races that Clauson does not take part in.]

[Daly’s thought bubble] “WTF?!?”

**************************************************************************************************

Okay. So the conversation may be something I conjured up, but the announcement of Daly’s ride, and the fact that he didn’t know a thing about it, was NOT [insert favorite farcically-induced acronym here; ROFLMAO]. Here’s the proof:

Now, you might think this would be stellar news for Conor but, ruh-roh, PROBLEM. It’s no secret that Daly has his eyes set on Formula One, which means the next logical step for him is Europe’s GP3 Series.

Did Conor already have a GP3 deal done when the announcement came? Was he set to do some FILS races with a team other than the one associated with Clauson’s scholarship? Who knows... since the above tweet, Conor’s been pretty quiet on the subject, so we’ll have to see how this one plays out.

Regardless, this is one wickedly funny episode in the life of a race car driver.

Stay tuned...

—JM

‘Road to Indy,’ Clean and Green

Underachiever, Daly,
only won half of his races

The IZOD IndyCar Series’ ladder system, designed to help junior open-wheel talent successfully ascend through the lower formula to Indycars, will be on full display this week.

Thanks to multi-series competitors, Andersen Racing, the respective USF2000 and Star Mazda champs will have the chance to test the waters at the next level by lapping around legendary Sebring Raceway in Florida.

Sage Karam (USF2000) who, by the way, POUNDED his competitors by winning a mere 75% of the races run this season, will be testing a Star Mazda ride, while Conor Daly—fresh from a multi-week GP3 test across The Pond—will trade in his regular Star Mazda drive for Andersen’s Firestone Indy Lights car.

Props to Andersen, the respective series, and sponsors involved for making it happen. Cool to see champs rewarded for their accomplishments and get the opportunity to try and take it to the next level.

BONUS. Both of these young soldiers just happened to grow up saluting Old Glory, “so we’ve got that going for us... which is nice.”

Make the best of it, boys.

—JM

Strap on, F1, it’s GO TIME

Eddie, Danny, Mikey, and Speed... peculiar little amusements, no? Well, Formula One, the ol’ U.S. of A. is stripping off the red nose and oversized shoes, because we’re tired of looking like clowns.

That’s right. We’re done dickin’ around. It’s been three decades since the almighty Mario [angels softly sing out, “ahhhhhhh”] brought you to your knees, and it’s high time those snotty pukes you have spewing champagne all over Qatar, and the rest of creation, get some serious competition.

Yes, we’ve identified the threat and, no, they’ll be no names—you can just call him “O’Shaughnessy.” And there’s no need for a CV, either. Suffice it to say, O’Shaughnessy is napalm in Nomex, the WMD of motorsport, and Special Forces of formula cars all wrapped up into one barely-humanlike form. 

He’s a Levi’s wearin’, Marlboro smokin’, ‘Beam swillin’ sh*t storm of AWESOME, and he’s coming to a twisty near you.

O’Shaughnessy has already conducted reconnaissance at your beloved Monza and will be infiltrating your lower formula, posthaste.

For now, he’s in training: pulling coal cars out of the West Virginia mines—with his teeth—while only on respite from skinning Florida ‘gators—with his wheel-crushing bare hands.

How will you know when he has arrived? Oh, there will be no confusion. Look skyward. Behold the mushroom cloud, projectile vomit-inducing bright light, and unmistakable stain in Herr Vettel’s lederhosen. 

You have been warned, Formula One. He. Is. Coming. And may God help you... may the Almighty help you.  

Uhhh... we got this, Conor, right??

—JM

IndyCar Drivers Storm the 'Castle

Think you’re 171 days from seeing your favorite IndyCar drivers in action? Not so fast…

October 9th and 10th (that’s this weekend), former IndyCar driver Mark Dismore hosts the 2010 RoboPong 200 Presented by Bridgestone kart race at his totally awesome New Castle Motorsports Park.

IndyCar drivers scheduled to get back to their roots include: Ed Carpenter, Dan Wheldon, Graham Rahal, Will Power, Alex Tagliani, and [wait for it] Milka Duno—just to add that old familiar feeling.

Look for several Firestone Indy Lights upstarts, also, as well as my boy Conor Daly, 2010 Star Mazda Champion. 

Where else will you have the opportunity to see such racing superstars in this sort of setting? If you're lucky, maybe you can snag an autograph or quick pic, if you like.

Can’t make it in person? Thanks to RaceFanRadio.com, you can watch the LIVE stream from the comfort of your own castle.

Gonna be a long off-season—catch them while you can…

—JM