Next Karter to advance..?

[Chris Ortenburger]

Obviously after Alex Barron dominated the sport of karting, he was quickly well on his way in making his climb up to the professional ranks of auto racing.

With many drivers hotter than ever in our sport, I am wondering who everyone feels will be the next logical driver to advance up the ladder.

Obviously there are many factors, most notably money and such, but its interesting to see what the consensus is on who people FEEL should be the next logical person:

I have noticed solid efforts from:

AJ Alemindinger doing so well in his rookie season of car racing..

Speed doing very well in the Russell series..

Phil Carlson doing well in Russell.

Travis Irving doing well in F2000..

Patrick Long doing good in Slick50 FFord..

[Darren Swisher]

What About Darren Elliot? He has what it takes.

Darren

[Rob Hogenmiller]

Well I try to follow Formula racing pretty closely since, I'm hoping to make my way thru Formula racing. If I had dollars to bet it would be Travis Irving by a long shot, for multiple reasons. America is filled with talented drivers that could progess, there are plenty, but if your talking strictly coming out of karting I'd say Irving.

Any how you might recall that Scott Speed won the 2000 SuperNationals earning him an invite to the Russell Run Offs. Which he did win.

Winning the Run Offs is a great boost, it provides you with a whole season of racing the Russell Formula Mitsibushi Cars. The same series that produced Memo Gidley. He started out of the Mechanics Training Program. I think Phil Carlson was one of the top three too at the run offs. Second and third received partial series rides.

On another note I just got back from the Russell school where I'm happy to say I did well and will be attending the Run Offs this year too. It was an amazing experience, they do a heck of a job out at Russell. I learned alot and came out feeling pretty good especially after my first day thinking I suck! Planning on doing a write up about the whole experience either for www.nationalkarting.com or www.robhogenmiller.com

It was A LOT different than what I expected.

Rob Hogenmiller

[Drew Cleaver]

I agree with Chris. Darren isn't old but to start a racing carrer at his age would be considered old in my opinion. These days guys(and a few gals) are getting into high ranks early like Button, Rakkinen, etc. But to start at the low levels of racing I think he missed the window.

Sorry Darren,
Drew Cleaver www.vmaxracing.cjb.net

[Dave Stevens]

It'll be Speed. He's go the whole pcakage, he's young, fast, has an outgoing personality.

Someone needs to get that boy into Barber Dodge Pro, (Barber's got TV, Russell doesn't) or a test in Atlantics or Indy Lights.

That kid will be the next one out into "the bigs".

Dave

Dave

[Chris Ortenburger]

I could not aruge that at all. I have alot of respect for Darren. Unfortunately, (which is sad), I think his age might be a factor. The type of dominance displayed by Speed at the moment is rivaled only to that (in my opinion) of Patrick Long's performance in the constructor series some years back.

I wonder if car guys are chomping at the bit to get a peice of Scott..

[Darren Swisher]

Chris, You hit the nail on the head there.

Who would think at age 32? you could be considered to old.

Does Scott Speed run other Cars? Thought I heard he was running a sprint car somewhere?

Darren

[Brant Williams]

Talent is only 1/3 the package. I suggest you all read the "Yellow Brick Road" chapter from Carroll Smiths last book. Sadly, the odds are against all these guys.

The list of guys who made it to the top level (I mean a contracted ride with a decent team...not a 2nd string operation) in road racing without big time family money is VERY short:
- Scott Pruett
- Jimmy Vasser
- Rick Mears
- Scott Goodyear
- Danny Sullivan
- Patrick Carpentier
- Parker Johnstone
- and hopefully Memo in 2002

Still, some of these guys had enough money to get through the Jr leagues on their own wallet (Vasser), and the Canadians seem to getter better corporate support. Parker was a Honda golden boy from his IMSA/sprotscar days too. That shows how tough it really is!

It will be the guy who can comes up with money, whether it be his own, or someone elses. If you can't come up with the money, you have to sacrafice everthing else in your life to get a shot. Look at Memo...that's what it took for him....

As for a guy who has put results up in cars that few in recent years can compare to...look at Aaron Justus. He dropped out for a few years, not really driving much at all. Did a few one off F2000 races and kicked *** . That got him the opportunity to do the whole season and he dominated F2000 like no one has in recent years. Now sitting on his *** , sidelined in a deal with Forsysth and no money. If he can't do it after the results he has shown, what makes you think any of those others can do it without money.

There are also a bunch of guys you are missing that are already in FA, etc.

I would rank their chances as follows:

1. Buddy Rice? Has everyone forgotten about the FA champ. I hope not.

2. Patrick Long: The fact that Long is in the UK and passed on the BDPS shows he has been well advised. The road to Indy, for the most part, still goes through the British F3 series (unless you are Canadian!) It also shows he perhaps has the funding to get to a serious Jr series, such as FA.

3. Joey Hand! Has shown to be pretty adaptable. He has really changed his driving style since karting. DSTP has been in disarray a bit this year, but he's doing pretty good for a rookie. If his team can get on a roll, Joey could pull top 3 as a rookie. That could turn some heads...and at least get him another season.

4.Micheal Valiente: If he gets some podiums soon, he could get noticed. Needs $ to do a whole season.

5. Travis Irving: Enough money to go through the right Jr Series (F2000) Hooked in with the right people, he will finish in the top 3 in F2000 in 2002, probably will win. Has a TON of F2000 testing under his belt already. He needs to hope he doesn't get any bigger, though. He is pushing 195# already. You may laugh, but at 18, he will probably put on another 20# in the next two years. Too big.

6. Aaron Justus: His window is pretty narrow. He must get into FA soon. If CART dumps Lights something might shake out for him.

7. AJ/Speed etc.: Way too soon to tell. I pesonally am rooting for AJ. He is a good kid, and was always FUN to race with.

There are some other guys too. Ryan Hunter Reay is looking good, but the sucess of BDPS guys in the last few years has not been good. The series is viewed by professional racing people as a joke. Billy Asaro is doing well in F2000, but he has been running in that formula for quite a while.

[Dawn Irving]

quote:

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Originally posted by Shooter:
Talent is only 1/3 the package....It will be the guy who can comes up with money, whether it be his own, or someone elses. If you can't come up with the money, you have to sacrafice everthing else in your life to get a shot....Travis Irving...He needs to hope he doesn't get any bigger, though. He is pushing 195# already. You may laugh, but at 18, he will probably put on another 20# in the next two years. Too big.

---

Thanks for your vote of confidence. I hope your on the money. Travis will contest the enire Pro USF2000 series in 2002 with Primus Racing West/Bobby Oergel. Team mate, Sean McIntosh, will be there too.
You're right...it takes money, alot of it, but we are working on a sponsor program. Primus is very methodical in their game plan and Bobby O knows exactly what he's doing.

Now, Shooter (are you who I think you are??), let's set the record straight: Travis is 16, and weighs 170#. Believe me, we know about the weight factor and have been battling it ever since the Jr 1 Cadet days. Keeping his weight down is not the problem. Keeping his feet from getting bigger is our focus!

Dawn
GCT Racing Team

[Pete Van Ginkel]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dawn Irving:

Now, Shooter (are you who I think you are??),

---

Shooter,
You need to play by the same rules as the rest of us. Register under your real name.

[Glenn Holland]

Pete, Darren,

I have already contacted 'Shooter' and asked him to use his or her real name. In the future, if you see someone using a handle, simply email me and I'll follow up, thanks!

Glenn

[Brant Williams]

Dawn and others,

Shooter = Brant Williams.

Sorry guys, I did not know about the use the real name thing. I guess I skimmed right by the fine print...

I stand corrected with regards to Travis's size (and age). Still, 170# at 16, is pretty big. Hope he doesn't put on too much more in the next 3-4 years.

Dawn, congrats for Travis breaking the 2L track record at Laguna Seca. That's cool!

Bobby is sure going to be busy next year with all those guys running.

[Larry Ferguson]

I gotta' buz in here. I've been watching Travis for about five years now, and he has always been "not one of the little ones". Yet, the family is "Rock" solid and Travis is really a kick-*** driver. His size shouldn't be a worry. Just look at some of the "goobers" running in the big Cup cars. Now there's some big boys, and they don't have any problem. Many of them aren't even in shape. I think Travis should do fine.
He's not a Sumo Wrestler. Hey...

[Brant Williams]

Larry,

I 100% agree. But I assume that since Travis is going F2000 racing, that Winston Cup is not the goal. Not everyone thinks that NASCAR is the ultimate to aspire towards in racing.

But you are probably right, I could be off here. After all, look at Paul Tracy (CART) these days...and Wurz (I think) in F1 is over 6' and 185..so who am I to say.

[John Denman]

I would have to go with Travis Irving. He has the talent, probably the money (enough for a Primus ride...) and has done well in the series. It helps to have both parents behind him 110%.

Even if he gets bigger, he can always do what few of the early Swift DB-1 pilots did - wear ballerina shoes!