We're very excited within the Champ Car community, both in Champ Car and in Atlantics, to see Red Bull getting involved. They spend a lot of money and have a lot of bright minds and employ a lot of resources to maximise their investment. I think that working together, both Forsythe and Atlantic, the programme that's going to be operating with another team in the Champ Car World Series, I think we're going to see a great marriage. I think we're going to see Champ Car get a lot of benefit from that. The fans get a lot of benefit. The television package, which we've seen for Champ Car and Atlantic, being enhanced and improved this year, partners like Red Bull are going to be a huge asset for the series.
Q:
John, you hail from Little Rock, Arkansas. It's a dirt track state, a sprint car state. You're probably one of the first to drive an open-wheel car outside the United States and probably the first from Arkansas to drive in Champ Car. How did you come from dirt to find the open-wheel and road course racing?
JE:
Yeah, actually, when I tell people I'm a race car driver, they always ask me if I'm ever driving out at I-40 Speedway. That's not the case. I was actually born in Louisville, Kentucky. I've only lived in Little Rock for a couple of years. I got into racing because my dad was racing the Skip Barber Masters Series. He was just doing that for fun. I loved going to the races. I kept asking him if I could get started. Eventually he got me a go-kart. I started out in karts, just like most Champ Car or
Formula One drivers, just driving for fun. I started moving up to cars. Actually, when I was twelve, I got my license with Skip Barber. Then, the following year, I won the shoot-out with Red
Bull. It was really unexpected and really soon.
I had always kind of thought I would go to Europe eventually, but I never expected to move over there when I was 13. Red Bull helped me with that. I actually never started or have never been to a dirt track race. I always have been driving on road courses, on pavement.
Q:
When you said you're not from Arkansas originally, but from Kentucky, tongue-in-cheek. That's a big road racing state as well.
JE:
Well, I actually started karting, I would drive -- my dad and I would drive from Louisville up to Indianapolis, which was just about an hour away. They have a couple go-kart tracks up there I would race at.
Q:
John Brunner, obviously one of the big things about the kids is their talent level. Are there some maybe intangibles that you and Red Bull have noticed about these two young men that added to their attraction, enhanced their opportunity to drive for you?
JB:
I obviously can't speak for
Red Bull. These kids have been in their programme for a few years now. For us, when I found out who I was getting in the cars, you immediately start doing as much research on the drivers as you can to find out what you've got coming. When they're this young, there's not a whole lot of history there. You get a little bit.
