Lookie Ma', I get to G-O First!
Another two IndyCar newcomers from far
different backgrounds will drive for their respective teams first at St Pete.
Dale
Coyne Racing
Engine: Honda
Engine: Honda
#19)
R-Zachary Claman DeMelo; Canada
Age: 19
Career Highlights
As I've mentioned before, this Hoser from
Montreal's definitely got the longest name on the IndyCar grid, correctomundo?
As the teenager will celebrate his 20th birthday at thee Oh, So Booty-ful Barbers
in Alabama.
Zachary, like many IndyCar Drivers is a
multi-times Karting Champion, reportedly having won three Canadian National
championships and five consecutive Eastern Kuhnaidiun' National championships by
age 16 before making the jump to Single Seaters in the Skip Barber series at
the end of 2014.
After spending seat-time contesting multiple
Renault 2.0 and other European Feeder Series, Claman DeMelo joined Juncos
Racing's Indy Lights programme for the 2016 season, just his third in cars.
For 2017 the KuhNuck' joined then defending
series champion's Carlin, and scored his maiden Lights victory at the
legendous' road America circuit.
Next, in his bid to join Indy Cars, he ran a
second Rahal Letterman Lanagin Racing entry at the season finale at Snorhoma',
and as we all know. Zachary will co-drive the "Plain Jane" Dale Coyne
Racing's Dallara DW12-Honda in 11 events this year, beginning at St Pete, and
will possibly make his Oval debut at Indianapolis?
Interestingly, Claman DeMelo, along with his
sister, own a shoe brand named ZCD Montreal, for which I now get the Jokes
Nicky Salt' Yeoman used to make 'bout Zachary wearing his own shoes during his
Lights days...
Juncos
Racing
Engine:
Chevrolet
#32)
Rene Binder, Austria
Age:
26
Career Highlights
Ah ha,
thought I'd heard the news somehow? As indeed, Austrian Rene Binder has inked a
four race Dealio' with Juncos Racing for this season, beginning at St Pete.
As the
26yr old Austrian racer moves Stateside a la the driver who beat him to the
final World Series Formula V-8 3.5 series title last year, nee Pietro
Fittipaldi.
Binder,
in what was his Breakout year, scored four wins and two Poles last season en
route to fourth overall - chasing Pietro in the now discontinued series, and
will take his seat in the Juncos ride at the season opener, then a trip to the
Barber's, (Alabama) Mid Ohio and Toronto are
on the Cards at the moment.
As
Juncos could potentially mimic Dale Coyne's driver sharing model with Binder
and Kyle Kiser this season, filling out the remaining nine races that a driver for
the No. 32 entry hasn't been announced for...
As
Rene can only be described as a Journeyman Driver, who presumably had
aspirations to mimic his Uncle Hans (Binder) ascension into Formula 1. Which
his uncle did during the late 1970's with multiple Minnowesqe teams.
Binder
rose from Karting to the German Formula 3 and ultimately into GP2, the final
rung to the pinnacle of Motorsports, nee Formula 1. Making his GP2 debut in a
"One-Off" outing at his home race's Red Bull ring in Spielberg in
2011, before making his proper GP2 series debut late in 2012.
Binder
subsequently amassed 72 starts in GP2, now the FIA Formula 2 series, with scarce
results. With sixth & seventh place finishes in the Principality, nee
Monaco being his best results overall.
While
his CV in the now defunct World Series Formula V-8 3.5 championship arguably is
his best, Having switched to the series in 2016 with Lotus, albeit Not that
Lotus, but the Lotus concern from the Czech Republic; Oh Never Mind!
As
Charouz Racing System, who've now joined the FIA Formula 2 championship had a
long standing agreement with former Loti associates, whom Binder's team-mate
was Pietro Fittipaldi last year; Hmm, sounds familiar?
Whilst
as mentioned above, Binder was having a career year in his sophomore campaign with
Lotus with a total of four wins, five podiums and two Pole positions before
making the jump Stateside to Indy Cars.
Since obviously, both of the former Formula V-8 3.5
series Drivers were looking for new avenues to extend their Single Seater
careers in...