Another Brit in the Indy 500
Discussion
Not sure what the point of this is. Another kid with a rich dad has bought a drive at the 500? Is that the main story here? I ask because it is a pretty normal (annual) occurrence. Is this person more noteworthy than the multitude of limeys that have gone before him - one or two doing rather well, the majority being singularly forgettable?
Well it wouldn't be somebody with an impoverished dad would it ? Mike Hailwood, John Surtees, Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen and Max Verstappen all benefitted from parental help of one sort or another and are no worse for that . Plenty of people who paid for no hoper kids too- in any sport . But let's judge the lad on what he does at Indy shall we , not on who signs the cheque ?
Matt Harper said:
Not sure what the point of this is. Another kid with a rich dad has bought a drive at the 500? Is that the main story here? I ask because it is a pretty normal (annual) occurrence. Is this person more noteworthy than the multitude of limeys that have gone before him - one or two doing rather well, the majority being singularly forgettable?
He's won the feeder series in the past, so he's not a complete idiot. From reading Wikipedia, he also seems to have lost out to pay drivers in the past, so I don't think it's entirely fair to paint him as just another ride buyer.Wikipedia said:
Roth Racing announced on November 26, 2007 that they had signed Jay Howard to drive their second car for the 2008 IndyCar Series season.[1]
Howard was hired on merit/talent and did not bring sponsorship to the team. The team was presented with a sponsorship opportunity with another driver and Howard was replaced in the #24 Roth Racing entry by John Andretti for the 2008 Indianapolis 500
Howard was hired on merit/talent and did not bring sponsorship to the team. The team was presented with a sponsorship opportunity with another driver and Howard was replaced in the #24 Roth Racing entry by John Andretti for the 2008 Indianapolis 500
Sounds like you'd be disappointed if he did better next time? Seriously - would you rather he wasn't there at all? Would his absence make somebody of whom you approve do better? If his Dad were not paying and he'd scrimped and saved himself with the same results would that be better? Or is it just the fact that some people have rich parents and you don't perhaps ? (I don't by the way which is one of many reasons I have yet to make my debut at the Brickyard)
coppice said:
Sounds like you'd be disappointed if he did better next time? Seriously - would you rather he wasn't there at all? Would his absence make somebody of whom you approve do better? If his Dad were not paying and he'd scrimped and saved himself with the same results would that be better? Or is it just the fact that some people have rich parents and you don't perhaps ? (I don't by the way which is one of many reasons I have yet to make my debut at the Brickyard)
No - none of the above. I wish him well in his endeavors - I just feel that the announcement of yet another spikey-haired no-hoper on the provisional entry list isn't at all unusual or remarkable. But thanks for the psycho-analysis, all the same.Jay is far from being the kid of a rich family and a spikey haired no hoper as the kind chap above put him.
If you look at his career he won in most single seaters he sat in, with titles in each series in that year Jay has NEVER paid for a drive.
Oh, lets highlight him winning in his debut, at Donington in the wet in Formula Renault against some of the top drivers in Europe at the time, and his 9 wins in USF2000 destroying highly praised rival Joey Foster in the process.
If you look at his career he won in most single seaters he sat in, with titles in each series in that year Jay has NEVER paid for a drive.
Oh, lets highlight him winning in his debut, at Donington in the wet in Formula Renault against some of the top drivers in Europe at the time, and his 9 wins in USF2000 destroying highly praised rival Joey Foster in the process.
Matt Harper said:
Not sure what the point of this is. Another kid with a rich dad has bought a drive at the 500? Is that the main story here? I ask because it is a pretty normal (annual) occurrence. Is this person more noteworthy than the multitude of limeys that have gone before him - one or two doing rather well, the majority being singularly forgettable?
SPONSOR NOT PARENT.The reality is that I'm asking a question - not making a statement. Hence the question marks.
Another reality is that pretty much each and every year there is another brood of British racers (the vast majority of whom are journeymen mid-gridders, pay-to-drive "instructors"). Fantastic exceptions notwithstanding (Franchitti, Wheldon etc), most just make up the numbers and as often as not fail to even qualify.
My question remains - is this guy any different?
Another reality is that pretty much each and every year there is another brood of British racers (the vast majority of whom are journeymen mid-gridders, pay-to-drive "instructors"). Fantastic exceptions notwithstanding (Franchitti, Wheldon etc), most just make up the numbers and as often as not fail to even qualify.
My question remains - is this guy any different?
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