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| Hello everyone! Every time I get to go to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is special, especially when I am behind the wheel. The Chris Griffis Memorial test this past weekend on the road course went beyond being a fun experience. It was hugely beneficial in my preparation for a much stronger 2022 and a chance to compete for a championship. After recently testing with Pabst Racing at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois, I had the chance to drive for Cape Motorsports at the Griffis test. The Pabst test was private, so there weren’t many drivers to compare times, so the IMS test was a good chance to see how much a season’s worth of experience would help. Since this was my first time driving for this team, I was expecting it to take me a session or two to learn their cars and get familiar with their style. But I was able to work with the team on their simulator before the test, and they did a great job helping me get up to speed quickly. So, I was able to run fast laps right from the start of the test, which started in the wet (and just after the sun came up on a chilly Saturday morning).    There were six sessions over the two days and I’m told I spent time in five of the sessions as the fastest. One of my teammates for the weekend was Jagger Jones, the grandson of the legendary Parnelli Jones and son of former INDYCAR driver PJ Jones. Jagger and I went back and forth during several sessions turning the fastest lap. I grabbed the top spot in the final seconds of the fastest session until Jagger crossed the line right behind me and topped me by .0069! I’m pretty satisfied to end up P2 for the weekend and that close to the top.It’s been cool to drive for three different teams in the last month and I’ve learned something from each of them, starting with finishing up the season with Jay Howard Driver Development. I am super excited to get to St. Petersburg for the start of the 2022 season next February. I believe I have a strong shot at the championship in my second season in USF2000, and I can’t wait to show what I can do. We are now considering several different options for my team and trying to finalize our budget to sign. Big thanks to Cape Motorsports, Pabst Racing, and Jay Howard Driver Development for the opportunities.  Thank you to all of our partners throughout 2021! Also, we are very grateful to Don and Jennifer Caldwell with Caldwell Subways (in Valparaiso and Hobart, IN) and Caldwell Realty (in NW Indiana and on Indy’s north side), as well as Don Weidig of Lake Cable Consulting for partnerships that allowed some extra post-season testing. It is a big help to get the extra track time over the offseason. Thank you for making that happen! Hopefully, we’ll have some more news soon about 2022! Stay Fast! Jackson PS. Here are a couple extra pictures from the weekend at IMS!    |
2021 Chris Griffis Memorial Test at IMS
