Former Formula 1 Champion Jenson Button is about to sort out his first-ever inventory automotive race later this month at Circuit of the Americas, however his curiosity within the NASCAR Cup Series isn’t new. In reality, he’s been harboring that zeal for many years — ever since he first noticed Days of Thunder.
“Growing up in the UK, we had four channels, and we didn’t get much sport outside of European sport,” Button defined in a media press convention on Friday morning — which he admitted to conducting from his “gran’s living room.” Then, he laughed: “It was actually Days of Thunder that brought me to NASCAR.”
The 1990 movie starring Tom Cruise as a hotshot inventory automotive racer will not be the most correct depiction of NASCAR racing within the universe, however on this case, it served its function. It introduced new eyes to the game and inspired Button and his father to tune in on Sundays. Stock automotive racing, although, was by no means one thing Button truly thought he’d do.
Watching these races, he stated, “stopped me asking the question of, ‘Can I race in NASCAR?’ It was just so different, and back then, it was mostly ovals. They didn’t excite me much because that’s an entirely different skillset” than the one he was honing as a street course racer. The 2009 F1 champion, although, enthused about NASCAR’s rising slate of street programs, which have attracted expertise from around the globe and round a number of totally different racing disciplines.
“A racing car is a racing car; it’s very different to what I’m used to, but you come to grips with it over time,” Button defined of inventory automotive racing. “What’s different is having cars all around you, a spotter in your ear. I’m sure I could go drive on an oval [alone], and I’m sure I’d come to grips with it — but when you add other cars into the equation, with pushing and drafting, it’s a whole different story.”
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Hence why Button is choosing a three-race slate of street programs to ease him into the Cup Series. This month is COTA, a monitor he’s competed on a number of occasions earlier than. In July, he’ll be taking over the Chicago road circuit, explaining that he felt it’d be an ideal occasion for him as a result of it’s a monitor that no NASCAR driver has ever skilled. Finally, Button defined that he’s taking over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway street course as a result of, regardless that it’s totally different to the circuit he raced in F1, it does characteristic a few of the identical corners. By the time that race happens in August, although, he must be a formidable knowledgeable behind the wheel of his Ford. If all goes effectively, he’s optimistic that he’ll be again in NASCAR in 2024.
He’s not the one former F1 driver to be taking over the upcoming race at COTA, both. Kimi Raikkonen may also be there, competing in Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 machine. It’s an interesting shift of focus for these two open-wheel racers, and Button was very clear about how he started to rethink his method to racing in a collection that felt “so far removed” from European drivers.
“I don’t want to be negative about F1,” Button stated, “but you’re so focused. Your family doesn’t come to races because the teams don’t want them around because your focus is so important. [Formula 1] is your whole life. I did it for 17 years, and you just forget about everything else.”
NASCAR, Button stated, was enticing as a result of it was very a lot the alternative. Families are inspired to come back to races (and Button stated he’s bringing his spouse and youngsters to COTA after seeing the best way Garage 56 teammate Jimmie Johnson’s children loved enjoying with the households of different drivers at different races). NASCAR drivers are nonetheless working laborious, however there’s a way more relaxed mentality within the sport that eases a few of the immense stress of competitors and permits for decompression exterior of the race automotive.
At the top of the day, although, Button is assured that we’ll see extra former F1 drivers making an attempt their hand at inventory automotive racing, just because it’s “something different.”
“We’re not just Formula 1 drivers,” he stated. “We’re racing drivers. We love another challenge.”
Source: jalopnik.com