We've lost another one

jhansen · 21 Nov 2003, 22:04 (Ref:791071)

We have lost another top notch open wheel shoe to NASCAR. Saw this on the USAC site today. I know he's had a few IRL starts, but I was hoping he'd make it back eventually. Funny thing though, NASCAR seems to pick up a lot of their big talent from the open wheel short track stars of America. Here's the link.

http://www.usacracing.com/stories.asp?StoryID=1075

macdaddy · 22 Nov 2003, 02:33 (Ref:791184)

Link isn't working for me...
To whom are you referring?

**skycafe** · 22 Nov 2003, 03:51 (Ref:791194)

JJ Yeley

macdaddy · 22 Nov 2003, 03:57 (Ref:791197)

Thanks, skycafe. And the link is working now.

B/Mark · 22 Nov 2003, 12:37 (Ref:791406)

Come on the IRL didn't lose him, he didn't want it.
This is an old story.

Down F0rce · 22 Nov 2003, 12:45 (Ref:791412)

He had a test with Panther, but apparantly didn't bother showing up...

Martin · 22 Nov 2003, 15:01 (Ref:791473)

When I saw the headline, I thought you meant someone was dead.

Maybe JJ chose not to show up for the Pantehr test because he already knew he had this deal set up.

Without any circuit racing experience, he wouldn't've done anything in the IRL. It's dominated by road-course veterans now, most of whom have raced in Europe. Fact is, you can have a series with American drivers, or a series with the best drivers.

Down F0rce · 22 Nov 2003, 15:21 (Ref:791480)

I belive he's already driven in some IRL races...

Down F0rce · 22 Nov 2003, 15:28 (Ref:791489)

Yup, just been on his site. From the bio page -

1998
-Wins both main events at SCRA's season opening "Winter Classic" at Manzanita Speedway. Breaks his own 30 lap track record during Friday's race.

-Qualifies for his first Indianapolis 500 at 218.044mph., making him the highest qualified rookie in the field.

-Finishes 9th in the 82nd Indianapolis 500.

Dosent say anything else about other IRL events.

Jay · 22 Nov 2003, 16:50 (Ref:791523)

Money is a powerful thing... it's why most IRL drivers are in the series they are, and it's why the ones that are good at ovals will head elsewhere.

dirtfan · 22 Nov 2003, 17:14 (Ref:791529)

Here we go again with that "inferior American driver" cr@p!
Dja notice how C Fittipaldi tore up NASCAR? The high downforce giant go-karts in IRL and CART take different skills from those used in USAC. Sterling Moss, the king of the four wheel drift, said he was impressed at how the F1 cars could stick to the ceiling, but he wouldn't be interested in driving one, since they didn't take his kind of skills.
JJ works on his own cars, and works with the chassis builder on innovative designs (most of which are outlawed by USAC), and that, combined with his Ford connections, makes him a better fit in NASCAR. That, and the fact he drives for Tony Stewart.

Russfeld · 24 Nov 2003, 01:11 (Ref:792526)

Id take Moss's comments with a grain of salt and a tablet of whatever the current alzheimer's medication is. I lost all credence to his comments ever since he said you cant 'drive an f1 car on the throttle'

Hell even with traction control you do

MichaelH · 24 Nov 2003, 02:46 (Ref:792563)

Quote:

Originally posted by Martin
When I saw the headline, I thought you meant someone was dead.

ditto. Not a nice feeling. Thank God...

racer69 · 24 Nov 2003, 07:38 (Ref:792694)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jay
Money is a powerful thing... it's why most IRL drivers are in the series they are, and it's why the ones that are good at ovals will head elsewhere.

It's also why most of the CART drivers are in the series they are

jhansen · 24 Nov 2003, 18:21 (Ref:793149)

Appologies about the thread title, after reading your comments I admit it was a poor choice. :headbang:

As for Yeley, I think he would have made a good driver choice. He has talent and had the stuff to challenge in the IRL. However, I don't advocate having American drivers in the IRL just for the sake of having American drivers. I don't want watered down fields, only the best. I think he would have added to the grid. But he's gone elsewhere and that's that. I do say the IRL needs some top American drivers to build on TV viewership here in the states, but as I said, they need to earn it. As for the Panther test, hadn't heard that, thanks for the info.

dirtfan · 25 Nov 2003, 04:20 (Ref:793531)

- However, I don't advocate having American drivers in the IRL just for the sake of having American drivers.-
Why not, Herdez thinks it's OK to run Mexican drivers in CART just because they're Mexican...
I think Yeley's deal with Panther was just a "meet the crew" deal, and JJ said he'd been playing phone tag with Barnes all day, and then some emergency came up. At least that was his side of it.

macdaddy · 25 Nov 2003, 04:55 (Ref:793546)

"Phone Tag"?
For a call like that, I'd either make sure somebody was home, or else I'd splurge and buy a cell.

Sorry... Just felt that excuse to be kinda funny.

Tim Northcutt · 3 Dec 2003, 21:06 (Ref:803043)

Ddidn't Yeley drive a few races in a Menard car a few years back???

I could have sworn he did...

jhansen · 3 Dec 2003, 21:16 (Ref:803053)

Yes he did Tim. I have video of him at Phoenix in 1998. He's a completely different racer now though. Pretty young back then.

Tim Northcutt · 3 Dec 2003, 21:30 (Ref:803066)

VERY Young back then...

I've watched him in Sprinters and Midgets here in central Indiana for more than a few years....

Hes' going to be a good one...too bad he's going to NAZ-CAW-WUHR, but that's where the money seems to be right now...

sr230772 · 3 Dec 2003, 21:31 (Ref:803067)

thats a shame irl needs young talent but i guess you gotta go were the benjamins are

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