She shifts doesn't she... aka change gears....

 

Scott Goodyear drove for me, and raced against me in Formula Atlantic (1988). So by then he had money backing him - he wasn't doing it out of his own pocket. And even in 1988, you could run a season of FA for less than $150k. Now, it's damn near $1m. Jeremy Dale wasn't filthy rich, either - but guys like those two get recommendations from crew chiefs like me, and we hope they get the sponsorship to continue (Goodyear did, Jeremy had a bad accident and retired).

However, times are changing. It's the expense - you've got to shine somewhere, get backing to run a series with good exposure (i.e Formula Mazda) and hope that you're young enough and marketable enough to get into the next higher level. Look at all the driver-search events going on these days - almost all of them have a cut-off age of 25 or younger. Guys like Scott Pruett, Lance Stewart, Jonny O'Connell, Tommy Kendall are as talented as anyone driving today. But do you see them with big$ deals in IRL?

 

No Scott was good at getting backing. He's smart, affable and articulate. (Which prompts the question: Why did Cartentier get money... he was snarly with mgmt and did not promote his sponsors well... though I believe he also came from modest means.)

You mention the driver-search events... I think those may be the big leveller between drivers with bucks (from mommy and daddy) and those without. By 25 you *may* have money behind you but it may just be paid for with your day job at Costco that pays... like running Spec Miatas.

My hope it that driver search events running spec cars will produce the level field we're hoping for.

May the best driver win.

 

You still need some significant financial means (i.e. rich parents or sponsorship) to race the spec series like Star Mazda ($70,000 for a car) or Barber Dodge ($38,000 for a season). Even the premier US karting leagues will cost $25,000 and up for a season. I don't know about you, but that's out of the realm of anyone from truly modest means.

To add insult, Red Bull's program has this:
It's pretty tough for a 13-17 year old, working on his own, to achieve what Scott Goodyear did. Goodyear raced karts from the time he was 9 until he was 20. He didn't get into Formula Ford until he was 21 or 22. By that point, modern talent searches would have written him off.

 

You can run Spec Miata a lot cheaper than that.

You've come to a different conclusion looking at the same data. If Scott was established in karts anytime between the ages 13-17 (and he was) he could have tried to qualify in the Red Bull (or Players) as many as 4 times.

I think that does mean that money isn't going to be a big differentiator there and if I'm not mistaken I'd say that's what Red Bull is trying to do... take the money out of the equation as much as possible and look for raw talent.

 

too much to read

 

but I skimmed a lido and Im just glad to hear dat BB was rong NOT all ers are rich or had rich folks


Trivia: my oldest is actually named after Kyle Petty he also has a signed poster from him from when C-6 met him at the 24Hrs Daytona in 02

Hmmmm wonder if Mr.Petty would fund Ky

 

I agree - Scott's a good friend and all around super guy. And it was his excellence in karts that got him noticed and into formula cars (I wish I could remember who sponsored him in FA, but Don Schneiders was the team manager). From there, Scott did selected rides in a variety of cars, including our GTU Dodge Daytona.

I think he's the exception to the rule. And the real point I was making was that the game is much more expensive, now, than it used to be. Spec Miata is inexpensive - but, there is not enough exposure, and success there is not the same as open-wheel success, or short-track experience. You want fast, inexpensive, and want to catch the eye of sponsors, run midgets. You can win money every weekend, as opposed to a nice trophy (typical SCCA fare).

gawd I feel old. As recently as 2001, there was an average of 6 drivers at Indy that had driven for me at one time or another.

 

keep these three kids in mind...Cody Smiley Knabe, Scott Fergus, JT McClintock. All fast kart kids, gonna be blazing fast as they move up.

 

I didn't get to know Scott until he was racing in Indycars (now Champ Cars). I met him in his trailer after a Portland GI Joe race. He was actually my brother's friend.

My wife and I had dinner with him and his wife the night before his first Indycar victory at Michigan Speedway. :-)

Nice guy. Too bad about his luck an the IMS.