Yeley - I don't get it

[murph]

Not to diminish the talent and accomplishments of this fine young man, but I don't get it.

Why does anyone think that driving front-engined SCRA/USAC sprints and midgets adequately prepares anyone to drive rear-engined, aerodynamiclly assisted, ground-effect Indy cars?

The two disciplines are miles apart, both in terms of driving technique and in terms of the kind of feedback and communication the driver needs to give to the engineers. (Do they have full-time engineers on USAC rides; I honestly have to admit ignorance at this). It's just as important to be able to describe and diagnose for the engineer as it is to drive.

I would think that if JJ or any of the other USAC standouts want a crack at Indy cars, they should be putting together a full-season Infiniti Pro Series ride to develop the skills necessary to compete in an Indy car.

The step from a Silver Crown car to a Winston Cup or Busch car is much smaller than that to an Indy car - and that's a technical issue not one of marketing/politics/etc.

I'm all for grass-roots Americans getting rides in Indy cars, but do it the right way. Train for it. Sam Hornish did. He spent his time in the Toyota Atlantic series, as did Alex Barron.

I'd say a solid season in IPS would be a good way to learn the techniques, and the tracks, that are necessary for a successful first season in the Indy cars.

Tony Stewart was successful for a couple reasons; not the least of which is once-in-a-generation God-given talent. The others include coming into a series where the talent pool wasn't nearly as deep, and when the formula was still in its infancy. He was learning, but so was everyone around him. I doubt he'd pull off the switch as well if he had to take on Penske, Panther, AGR, or Ganaassi today.

I'm not saying JJ, or others, wouldn't make it. What I'm contesting is the prevalent belief here that says success in USAC delivers a shot at an Indy car as some form of birth-rite.

[Waiting for May]

Amen !

Perfect Post!

[speedy badger]

This is all too logical!

Be prepared to be lambasted anyway!

[LeaderCardFan]

JJ must think the vintage vision* circa 1996 in still valid.

[BigFig]

Well, you have the 2nd half of the subject line correct. As has been adequately demonstrated, the IPS prepares drivers for NOTHING except how to spend their money.

[Heath Hamilton]

j.j. yeley does have a top 10 in the indy 500.

not even 2-time series champ sam hornish jr. can say that.

[ramdacf]

I hope he gets a shot. If he is a once in a generation god given talent (and he may be) then I don't think the extra training would be that necessary. If not, then who cares?

Randy

[DonnieB]

Help preserve the American open wheel oval racing tradition. Join the SCCA!

"You mean if I wanna become an open wheel oval track racer, I hafta, um, not become an open wheel oval track racer?"

[murph]

As has been adequately demonstrated

One driver, based on 1/2-season of running, is "adequately demonstrated" in your book? Not mine.

I would have listed "Indy Lights" as the example, except that series no longer exists (though Helio, Kanaan, Herta, Buhl, Dixon, Wheldon, Ray, Giaffone, Renna, and Dare can attest to that serie's value), and suggesting anyone get into Atlantics (despite the success of Hornish, Barron, and Rice) at this point is fraught with its own form of uncertainty.

The jury may still be out on IPS in my book, though it's still a series in its infancy, and it's the best bet going IMHO.

[Doc Austin]

Originally posted by speedy badger Be prepared to be lambasted anyway!

It's too easy to pretend it's 1962.

[Doc Austin]

Originally posted by Heath Hamilton
j.j. yeley does have a top 10 in the indy 500.

not even 2-time series champ sam hornish jr. can say that.

Doesn't Dick Simon also have one of those?

[BSJracing]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Tony Renna start in spridgets but then switch disciplines when he realized the road to Indy was through formula cars?

[Racewriter]

Tony Stewart himself indicated, in his book, that the transition to Indy cars was significantly easier for him than the transition to stock cars - as shown by the time it took for him to win in either.

JJ has won more oval races this year than most of the IRL shoes will in their entire careers. Murph, with all due respect, Fig is right.

[D Byrd]

USAC has a fan base. it's top drivers will help to grow the series and make it more popular. people who go scca, formula mazda, barber dodge, f2000, atlantics, indy cars don't have a fan base and are greeted with "well, he is an american". they bring no excitement. they might be a proven winner in what they do but nobody has ever seen them race. the top USAC drivers have raced and won in front of thousands and thousands, who were there to see them race, and they do it over fifty times a year.

when it comes to somebody who is at the top of their game right now and has won as much as Yeley, 47 national wins, 35 of which have come in the last two years, and a top ten at Indy in his second every Indy car race, it should be a no-brainer. the best racers are the best racers are the best racers. a winner is a winner is a winner.

and yes, the best of the best in the open wheel oval track world do have a god-given right to race in the top open wheel oval series in the world. doesn't that just make sense?

[jl]

Originally posted by murph
One driver, based on 1/2-season of running, is "adequately demonstrated" in your book? Not mine.

I would have listed "Indy Lights" as the example, except that series no longer exists (though Helio, Kanaan, Herta, Buhl, Dixon, Wheldon, Ray, Giaffone, Renna, and Dare can attest to that serie's value), and suggesting anyone get into Atlantics (despite the success of Hornish, Barron, and Rice) at this point is fraught with its own form of uncertainty.

The jury may still be out on IPS in my book, though it's still a series in its infancy, and it's the best bet going IMHO.

Ya see murph, there is the problem.

Indylights, atlantics and IPS are all money pits, with NO possile way to make a living driving in anyone of these series. The SCCA has yet to figure out how to make any money in there Pro divisions (former SCCA member here).

Lights doesn't exist, and the IPS deal is just a $$$$ mess right now. **** it would cost upwards of 1 mill to run atlantics.

You canot justify the cost of running any of these series vs. any possible gains. It's like spending a million dollars for college, for a $40,000/yr job. It don't make sense.

Might as well take the million dollars and play the powerball. Your chances of making some money are probably greater playing the powerball anyways.

IMHO The other thing I think that is a wrong assumption form you is what can translate and what can't. Most of the changes that a driver learns in a USAC type car can translate to an Indy car in terms of mechanical grip. It's the aero part that the driver would have to learn. Also the racing skills that a driver learns, easily translate from USAC to IRL.

Roger Y is getting training right now in an IRL car. Most reports put him in the scary catagory when it comes to on-track racing with someone else.

When is someone going to be willing to let a J.J. Yeley get on the job training similiar to what Roger Y is getting?

It's the ole sporty car/oval tracker debate/mentality. I have a foot in both camps so I understand both sides. Neither one is completely right in there beliefs. The biggest issue is that sporty car guys have all the $$$, so right now there way is considered the right way. It ain't. (see CART, F5000, SCCA Pro, ALMS, Can-Am, Indylights, Grand-Am, etc....)

Oval tracks guys aren't much better. (See USAC, 1970's elimination of the RE sprinter)