Promising Drivers Take the European Route to Big Time

There is not a single road to the top for an American race driver in Indy car or Formula One racing.

Most of today’s crop--Al Unser Jr., Michael Andretti and Robby Gordon--chose the old-fashioned way and moved up through U.S. series--Super Vee, Formula Ford, Barber Saab. Or, in Gordon’s case, off-road trucks.

A few, notably Bobby Rahal and Danny Sullivan, headed overseas to hone their talents in the highly competitive European Formula Three and Formula Two series before returning home to race Indy cars.

Two young Southern Californians, Zak Brown of North Hollywood and Elton Julian of Beverly Hills, are taking the European route. Both had electrifying victories as teen-agers.

Brown, 22, won the first race he entered in England, a Formula Ford 1600 event in the rain at Donington Park. In a field of 60, he started sixth, took the lead on the first lap and led all the way.

When it was over, an enthusiastic British journalist exclaimed, “You’re the next (Ayrton) Senna.” Brown was 18.

“I believed him,” Brown remembered. “But I’ve sobered up since then.”

Julian, 20, became the youngest driver to win in the British Formula Three championships when he was 17 and drove a Ralt to victory for the Alan Docking team at Thruxton.

It was a bittersweet triumph for the teen-ager. Only two weeks earlier, he had been involved in a racing accident in which his teammate, Marcel Albers of the Netherlands, was killed.

“This one’s for you, Marcel,” Julian said in the winner’s circle.

Both Brown and Julian started their careers at the Jim Hall Racing School for kart drivers in Oxnard, but they are going in different directions today. Brown is working toward Indy cars, while Julian, a true internationalist who was born in the Canary Islands of an Armenian father and Ecuadorean mother, will make his debut in Formula One next season.

Julian recently tested two days with the Tourtel Larrousse team at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, and when his lap times were quicker than those of Hideki Noda and Jean Dennis Deletraz, he was signed on as the team’s test driver for 1995.

“We are hoping he will be the team’s No. 2 driver when the racing season starts,” said his father, Arman, a former television sports producer.

Julian drove a Lola in the final three races of the European Formula Three series before testing for the Larrousse ride.

Brown will have a busy 1995 schedule, racing in both the European Formula Three and the Toyota Atlantic series in the United States.

“I’m doing both because I don’t want to lose sight of my main goal, which is Indy, and yet I don’t want to lose my contacts in Europe where I’ve done my best driving,” Brown said.

His best showing this year was a second in a Formula Three support race to the British Grand Prix before 100,000 spectators at Silverstone.

Briefly

SPRINT CARS--Ron Shuman, winner of six of the last seven Sprint Car Racing Assn. events, will try to maintain his 31-point lead over Rip Williams for the championship of the inaugural SCRA season in Saturday night’s main event at Ventura Raceway. Only one event remains after Ventura, the Quaker State Classic at the Imperial County Fairgrounds in Imperial Nov. 25-26.

DRAG RACING--The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is doubling its prize money for the Winston Drag Racing Series in 1995 to $2 million to showcase its 20th year with the National Hot Rod Assn. Top-fuel and funny car champions will each receive $200,000 and the pro stock winner will get $125,000. . . . When Kenny Berstein made the first 300-m.p.h. pass on March 20, 1992, it was like getting the first olive out of the jar. In last week’s Winston Select Finals at Pomona, there were 19 runs of 300 or better. . . . Named to the McDonald’s all-star team, as selected by fans, were Don Prudhomme, top fuel; John Force, funny car; Darrell Alderman, pro stock, and David Schultz, pro motorcycle. . . . Oldsmobile announced that it will drop out of drag racing after the 1995 season.

MIDGETS--Two races remain in the U.S. Auto Club’s Western States series, Nov. 19 at Ventura and Nov. 24, the Turkey Night Grand Prix, at Bakersfield, but John Cofer of Macdoel, Calif., has already clinched the championship. . . . In three-quarter midget competition, only 46 points separate Rick Atkins, Marc Hart and Scott Hansen, with two races remaining. . . . Tony Stewart, who is fourth in the Western States series, can clinch the USAC national title by merely showing up Nov. 19 at Ventura, which will be a combination regional-national race.

STOCK CARS--Sunrise Valley Raceway in Adelanto will hold its Fall Classic on Saturday and Sunday. . . . The third annual Blythe 100, final race of the Telles Industries pro stock series, is set for Saturday night at Blythe Speedway.

MOTOCROSS--After eight years at Perris Raceway, the White brothers have moved the annual world veteran championships to Glen Helen Park in San Bernardino. Entries in this weekend’s over-30 field include defending champion Doug Dubach, Rex Staten, Johnny O’Mara, Jeff Ward and Chuck Sun. . . . Sidecars will be featured in the Viewfinders Grand Prix on Saturday in Castaic Park.

PAGE JONES--The race car driver from Rolling Hills, who has been unconscious more than five weeks since suffering head injuries in an accident at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, is showing signs of awakening, a family spokesperson said Thursday. Jones, 22, has been undergoing rigorous physical therapy at Daniel Freeman Hospital in Inglewood.

INDY CARS--Gil de Ferran, 26, a French-born Brazilian, will replace Teo Fabi in Jim Hall’s car next season. De Ferran finished third in the European Formula 3000 series this year. Team owner Hall has been named winner of the Solchiro Honda Medal, awarded by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, for his innovations in motor racing, dating to the 1960s.

MISCELLANY--Gerry Glenn Jr., son of the 1971 NHRA top fuel drag racing champion, will make his debut in the American IndyCar series finale this weekend at Willow Springs Raceway. . . . Former motorcycle champions Skip Van Leeuwen, Eddie Mulder and Gene Romero will be among riders and drivers helping conduct a Citizens for Community College Education Motorsports Day on Saturday at Hansen Dam Park in Sylmar. . . . The Southern California Pro Gas Assn. will hold its final race of the year Saturday at the Los Angeles County Raceway in Palmdale.