12 replies to this topic

[Joe (dad) Jordan]

As we drive to Sonoma from the runoffs at road America gives me a ton of windshield time to ponder... After my kids finish at the runoffs to look back on a 3 year odyssey that started in dec of 2010, when my son and daugher raced our$400 Miata in the buttonwillow lemons race. I told them if the car survived we would. Build it into a spec Miata. It survived even though they got kicked out of the lemons race for too many spins!

Over the last 3 seasons I have watched the growth of my sons driving skills. He did not race karts...he did do 1 season of quarter midgets before other youth sports got in the way, he did not go to a professional driving school. He did not go to scca driving school, he went through nasa Hpde.

He learned his craft through the camaraderie of spec Miata racers, his uncle and I coaching,and our many racing friends advise. It takes a community to raise a kid and that is what has happened here in spec Miata

He left this years runoffs with confidence and hopefully that will pay off this weekend in the last teen challenge (west) event where 4 drivers have a shot at the championship this weekend. We are. All chasing the mazdaspeed shoot out......

Thanks to Tom Fowler at OPM' Autosport for working a plan that was hatched last Feb. Danny steyn for working on data with Joey, Jonathan brasswell for prepping the car and my brother Jim for all the hard work!

Looking forward to the runoffs coming west!

[Michael Novak]

I met Joey during the week and he came across as a young racer who is on his way to greater things in racing. Good luck this weekend.

[chris haldeman]

Joey is a great young man and I wish you both the best in the upcoming Sonoma race!! Anything I can do in the future too help you guys I will always be available

[Bench Racer]

Meeting joey and Joe Dad was enjoyable. Because I hang with Kenny Kannard F prod under the OPM big top there was plenty of time to chat with Joey. Nice young man with talent and another data dude that fit very well with Danny. Joey comes to Road America for his 1st time and did very well. IIRC his comment about the Runoffs race, just another race. Best wishes with at the ShootOut.

 

Have Fun

David Dewhurst

[Danny Steyn]

Joe Snr. - Joey is the real deal. Great hands, great skills, but even better at looking several turns and laps ahead. Joey did what he needed to do in the conditions that played out in the test and qualifying sessions, he got up to speed, kept the car on track, stayed out of trouble and on race day, from seemingly miles back, he and Nick Leverone chased down the lead pack and caught us with 2 laps to go. This picture (taken by his uncle Jim) shows just how close he was to the front at the end of the race. Here the top 7 come through Canada corner with just 2 corners left.

 

What a great class this Spec Miata class is. To have so many all together at the end, that's what racing is all about. No processions. And if Andrew, Craig, Erik, and Steve had not suffered their misfortunes, they would have been there too.

 

And who says you cant show up in a rental car and compete!!!!! Well Joey and Nick did, and showed that good rental cars are every bit as competitive as the front runners!!

 

Good luck to Joey this weekend in the Teen Mazda Challenge, we are all pulling for him.

 

[Mike Collins]

Great to see the Jordan clan again, good neighbors to have at the track.  Best of luck with the Teen Mazda Challenge.

[Jim Drago]

That is an awesome picture!
I echo what all the others said above, only met Joey briefly, but a great kid and obviously very talented.

[davew]

Never got a chance to meet Joey, but have spent considerable time talking and emailing with "the dad"

 

That pic says a lot about Spec Miata. You have the top 7 cars at the Runoffs from 6 different prep shops with at least 4 different engine builders all within 1/2 a second after 50+ miles of racing. Just amazing.

 

Good luck at the teen challenge

Dave

[LarryKing]

That pic says a lot about Spec Miata. You have the top 7 cars at the Runoffs from 6 different prep shops with at least 4 different engine builders all within 1/2 a second after 50+ miles of racing. Just amazing.

 

Now, if there were just some pop-up headlights in that photo...

[Craig Berry]

Congrats Joey on a great week. I remember what its like to be the youngest guy towards the front....enjoy it . Did not get to meet you, but if you can run with this field you will be just fine. Maybe will get to meet you when we come west. Good luck in the future.

[Tom OPM]

I also echo all the above posts. Great kid, great class, great race. I have known the Jordans for a long time and it was great working with them and meeting Joey. Best of luck at the Teen Challenge, all your new SCCA friends will be pulling for you. And again thanks for making my rental look really good. Its going to be hard for me to drive it, no excuses.

[Joe (dad) Jordan]

I hope that link works for my brothers flicker account. Some really cool pics that show the position changes throughout

http://www.flickr.co...s/12272789@N07/

[Todd Tagget]

Joe, 

Make sure you swing by the motorhome this weekend for an adult beverage!!!!