Stock
cars might seem 'natural' fit
But FSU
student Festa focused on Indy cars
ATLANTA - For
most living in the southeastern United States, "road racing"
is what Junior Johnson did when speeding away from federal
officers during his "moonshining" days in the North Carolina
mountains . . . or what stock cars do twice a year in the
wine countries of Sonoma, Calif., and Watkins Glen, N.Y.
"I wouldn't
refer to myself as 'one of the wine-and-cheese boys' like
you sometimes hear," laughs race car driver Chris Festa,
"but my career goals are focused on open-wheel cars and the
IRL."
Festa, a
19-year-old rising sophomore at Florida State University, is
something of an anomaly for a race car driver who grew up in
Atlanta. While he won't discount the possibilities of a
stock car racing career at some point, his thoughts are
squarely set on the IRL. Currently, he drives the #19
SpacePak/CareCentric entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in
the IRL's Menards Infiniti Pro Series, and is currently
fourth in the standings.
"I probably get
asked more than anything else - why not stock cars?" Festa
laughed. "I really took a lot of heat from my friends in
high school. They just couldn't figure it out. About every
day they'd ask why I didn't want to race stock cars."
John Festa,
Chris' father, is a native of the northeastern U.S., and
sparked his son's interest in open-wheel racing and road
courses. Once Chris' obvious talent began shining, the two
realized the IRL was the obvious direction.
"My dad raced
sports cars on road courses. That's where it all started for
me. I've raced in the Toyota Atlantic Championship Series,
and I've made the move to the Pro Series because I'm really
focused on making a career of driving in the IndyCar
Series," said Festa.
The teenager has
had the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of a NASCAR
stock car, and though he recognizes that it takes plenty of
talent to handle a stock car, he, respectfully, isn't
interested in them.
"The cars are
just really bulky and clumsy compared to an IndyCar. To put
it in plain terms, it'd be the difference between driving a
sports car or a school bus. The cars just aren't as
responsive as IndyCars and, to me, they just aren't as fun
as the open wheel cars," explained Festa. "I have a ton of
respect for those guys that can pull those cars around the
track and make them look smooth. I don't know, I just like
the feel of the open wheel cars better."
Festa's favorite
racing situation is running an open wheel car on a road
course, a situation with which he is very familiar. During
his podium celebration at Indianapolis, where he finished
third in the Liberty Challenge race on the road course, his
comfort and joy radiated. He never said it − he didn't have
to − but Festa was obviously very at home with his
surroundings.
"The Liberty
Challenge in Indy was just a great day for me. I had a lot
of fun racing with Wade Cunningham (who finished second),
and I didn't even realize until I got out of the car that I
really shouldn't have been able to see let alone race
throughout the second half of the race," said Festa,
referring to the blackened oil and debris caked on his car,
helmet and visor for the last half of the race following the
expiration of a competitor's motor. "I guess that's as good
an example as I can give as to how much I enjoy racing these
cars, and how much fun I have on the road course. I finished
that race, challenging for second place, and I shouldn't
even have been able to see at all, but I could. It was a
really fun race."
Festa has over
60 wins to his credit in his seven years behind the wheel of
a variety of go-karts and race cars. He's as studious in
his approach to racing as he is in his scholastic work, and
he looks forward to continuing to develop his racing skills.
"There's a lot
to learn about racing - from setting up the cars, to the
attitudes of different race tracks, to knowing actually how
to race your competitors - then you have to factor in how
your competitors like to race - there's a lot to learn. I'm
working everyday to take in more and improve my driving
skills," said Festa.
While Festa
continues developing his IndyCar racing career, he'll
continue studying at Florida State University and continue
answering the question of why he drives open wheel cars. He
doesn't mind the question because each time he gets to
answer, he gets to revisit all the great things about his
favorite style of racing.
ay.