USA TODAY International Edition
IndyCar rookie Jones off to impressive start
LEEDS, ALA. Landing a full- time ride in the Verizon IndyCar Series is tough.
But even tougher than that? Hanging onto one. Since 2014, 13 drivers who ran 10 or more races are no longer in the series.
That’s the pressure IndyCar’s lone rookie Ed Jones has carried with him since the day he signed on with Dale Coyne Racing during the offseason.
The British driver who calls Dubai home knows that the day he takes his position for granted will be the day he’s out of the job.
“For me, the mentality is that every time I’m on track, race day or qualifying, I’ve told myself, ‘ I have to perform,’ ” the 2016 Indy Lights champion told The Indianapolis Star. “For me this is my year. This is when I have to prove to everyone in the series that I’m capable of being a front- runner in the Verizon IndyCar Series. Every time I go out I have to prove a point. I just want it so badly.”
So far, there likely isn’t a soul in the series who thinks Jones doesn’t belong.
After his sixth- place run on the streets of Long Beach, the driver of the No. 19 Honda became the first rookie since Nigel Mansell in 1993 to post top- 10 finishes in his first two races.
In other words, he has made Dale Coyne look like one of the smartest team owners in the paddock. Though even Coyne concedes he didn’t expect Jones to start as fast as he has.
“He’s been much better than expected,” Coyne said. “He needs to qualify stronger, but he races strong. He passes people and races very consistent. He’s also very safe. He hasn’t broke a single part of the car all year. He’s really doing a great job. ... People are stating to take notice.”
Sebastien Bourdais, Jones’ teammate and the series points leader, has similarly been impressed. Considering the competitiveness and the fact that Coyne is one of the smallest teams, Bourdais said, it makes what Jones has done so far special.
Bourdais thinks the secret to Jones’ early success has been something most rookies don’t have much of: patience.
“I think he’s just been clean,” Bourdais said. “No mistakes. He’s really benefited from everyone else trying too hard and making mistakes.
“He’s not trying to bust doors open. He’s just doing his job and showing a lot of maturity. It’s very easy to get caught up in the moment. Sometimes, if you feel like something’s there, you try to grab at it and end up make a big mistake. To his credit, he hasn’t done that because it’s very tempting to do. In terms of risk vs. reward, he’s very good at drawing the line and not stepping over it.”
Eventually, Jones said, he’d like to start closing in on his frontrunning mentor. But for now, he’s happy with their relationship.