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No Fenders head scribe Tomaso briefly chats with
then America's next hopeful Formula 1 Pilote' Alexander Rossi during Will
Buxton's Charity Bash in Austin, Texas, circa 2014. (The Tomaso Collection)
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Ahem, does anybody still remember the year 2015?
And what took me so Freakin' long, eh? Especially since I've known the winner
since then...
Otay, I've got an idea that Nobody gives a Rats
Patooey 'bout these Semi Annual nifSTAR trophy awards in Nofendersville... Albeit
thou splittin' of this Mystical No Fenders Awards into two separate trophies is
in honour of the People's President, aka Randy "the CandyMann"
Bernard. Y'all know, who created the Foyt v Andretti Awards, 'Cause Since
sometime Yuhs Feels like Uh; Oh Never Mind!
Ah, did somebody
say the word Mystical? Which made me think of the No Fenders "House
Band" RUSh's song... Hmm? Perhaps since them Darn Blasted Torontan FC
Footballers Up North beat Thy Sounders FC, Eh!
VIDEO: Mystic Rhythms - Song
Hence, whilst I'm just "tidying-up"
some of the countless story-logs Ah-waitin' splittin' here in Nofendersville,
per tipicali, the EuroNifStar winner was selected from that year's shooting
Starz' to me, Me Thinks?
WINNER
Alexander Rossi , Age: 26
Born: Sept 25, 1991
Birthplace: Nevada City, California (USA)
2015 Results: GP2 Series Runner-up
Apparently, I first became awares' of this
young American Open Wheel Racing talent upon learning of him winning the
Formula BMW World Final in 2008 in
Mexico City, where he defeated the Homeboy Esteban Gutierrez
and the Dane' Michael Christensen, with Gutierrez naturally disappointed
with only standing on the podium's third step, Ci!
As Rossi's "double," i.e.; winning
both the Formula BMW USA series and Formula BMW World Final netted him a tryout
aboard one of BMW's Formula 1 cars - where he got to try-on the BMW Sauber F1.09
in Spain.
Yet as typical, I lost track of Rossi
afterwards, albeit vaguely knowing he was competing in the then GP2 Asia
"Winter" series 2009-10 season, where he finished a respectable
ninth.
But I was unawares he'd gone off to the
lesser followed here Stateside, Formula Renault 3.5 V-8 Series for 2011.
Having discovered earlier last month upon the
World Series Formula V-8 3.5 Series demise, Rossi was the 2011 Rookie Of the
Year (ROY) for Fortec Motorsport, finishing third overall, behind the Carlin
duo of Robert Wickens and Jean-Eric Vergne.
As my selection of the Yank whom I'm now
calling "Joe Cool" as the 2015 EuroNifStar winner was made prior to
his Formula 1 Drive, or later success at Mother Speedway! for which I'm quite happy
I witnessed in thou Flesh.
Having become quite enraptured by Rossi after
first meeting him briefly in Austin in 2014 - when still knocking 'bout as a
Formula 1 Test & Reserve Driver, along with contesting the GP2 series.
And then his performance during his very
impressive GP2 campaign in 2015, when he had the audacity to upstage former
Yank Scotty "the Goose" Speed, by finishing runner-up to that' seasons'
runaway GP2 Champion Stoffel Vandoorne, who Uhm, has gone onto Formula 1, but
I'm getting ahead of Thyself...
As I know I followed Rossi thru all of his
gyrations as an aspiring F1 Test & Reserve Driver for the various
iterations of Tony Fernandes's "Lotus-Lotus" affair.
As Rossi made sporadic Friday Free Practice
F1 sessions aboard Caterham F1 chassis, beginning with the Spanish Grand Prix in
2012, then becoming the first Yank to participate in Formula 1 since the
departed Scott Speed.
Alexander's F1 reserve status continued All
the while contesting GP2, where ironically he competed against another Yank
named Conor Daly during 2014, as the pairs just completed the soon to be aired
Amazing Race TV Series, whilst they're also Roommates, with Daly sharing space
at Rossi's house in Indiana.
Yet for Mwah, my periodical focus upon
Formula 1's final rung to it's pinnacle... Hinges largely on whether or not I
can catch any delayed "Canned" Highlight shows, when or if NBC Sports
Network feels so inclined to show 'em; but I digress...
As who knows what
will be shown next year when the Disney shopping Channels Network takes over F1
TV Coverage...
As my focus upon the GP2 series two years ago
revolved round American Hot Schue Alexander Rossi's marvelous campaign. When he closed out the season with an excellent Overall
runner-up finish! After having finished his five race stint in Formula 1 at the
Brazilian Grand Prix.
Rossi, who'd come Oh, So tantalizingly close
to making his long awaited F1 Debut, finally got the nod, when taking over the
seat of Roberto Merhi for the Singapore Grand Prix.
As his F1 foray was Capped by his season best
12th place drive for the Minnowesqe Tail Gunner Charlie's Manor Marussia F1 in
the rain, appropriately at Circuit Of The Americas in Austin.
Rossi claimed the best season finish in the
GP2 Championship by a 'Yank ever, eclipsing somebody named Scotty "The
Goose!" Speed's third place finish 'Wayback in Twenty-oh-Five, which
ultimately led to his selection as a Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Pilote' during Red
Bull's American Formula 1 driver search programme.
As I believe that Rossi's the only Yank to
ever win a GP2 race, which he did on more than one occasion! As he thoroughly
waxed his Racing Engineering GP2 Team-mate Jordan King.
And as we all know, Rossi was basically
"Out-funded" by the country of Indonesia during the race for the
final seat upon the 2016 F1 Grid, which ironically went to Rio Haryanto, who'd
been his GP2 team-mate previously. Before Rio's funding dried up and Mercedes
"Junior" Esteban Ocon replaced him for the season's second half.
But Formula 1's loss was Indy Cars gain,
since we all know how that 'lil 500 mile Oval race panned out, Eh! And the rest
as those "rocket Surgeon's," right Jeffie? Hya! Say, Duh rest is
History...
Although I'm very
happy he's since recorded another W', at last year's Watkins Glen IndyCar race,
and thus, won't be remembered as a "One Hit Wonder..."
For
last year's EuroNifStar winner's story, see; 2014 nifSTAR winner announced as the Inaugural EuroNifStar trophy is unveiled...
EuroNIFStar
Winners
2015: Alexander Rossi
2014: Dean Stoneman