Boys' high-speed dreams become reality
Young Brits planned for racing careers; Indianapolis will be
site for fulfillment
June 20, 2004
They were bright-eyed British boys in the 1980s when they started dreaming about stardom. They planned to reach Formula One, where they would be national heroes on the world's biggest racing stage. And they wanted to do it together, if possible. "We always knew that one of us would make it big," said Anthony Davidson, a member of this generation's British Pack. "We just didn't know which one of us, but we thought it was possible that we all could be there." They are all well on their way. • Davidson is the rising star of the British American Racing team, a test driver who was second in Friday's practice for the U.S. Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. • Jenson Button is BAR's lead driver. He is third in the series points race behind Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. • Dan Wheldon, an Indy Racing League driver, finished third in last month's Indianapolis 500. They, along with another boyhood friend, Gary Paffett, a star in the German touring car division known as DTM, have become heroes and stars like they once imagined. "We just had a feeling about making it a long, long time ago," Wheldon said. "We knew we had talent and the things it would take. We were only 8, 9 years old at the time, but somehow we knew." Each driver had help. Davidson received assistance from his father, Denis, a race fan who took his two sons to many events when they were growing up, including the Daytona 500 in 1982. Racing became John Button's hobby, with Jenson the beneficiary. The same was true with the Wheldons, where Clive, a regular go-kart racer, tutored the son everyone called "Danny." Wheldon had a head start over Button and Davidson because of his father's participation in the sport. But it didn't take long for the others to catch up. By 1988, Wheldon was 10 years old and the winner of the cadet class in Britain's karting championships. He had some of the best equipment. Few youngsters beat him. In 1989, Wheldon did lose a few races, to Davidson, Button and IRL rookie Mark Taylor, whose father, Mike, was sculpting a career. The competition was as fierce as the Brazilian karting battles that included future stars Tony Kanaan, Gil de Ferran, Helio Castroneves, Felipe Massa, Felipe Giaffone and Enrique Bernoldi. "We were always beating on each other, and it was good fun," Button said. "We were friends, too, which made it nice. We were just kids, but we were learning to be competitive." The battles continued for three years before their career paths began to change. At age 12, Wheldon moved up in class in karting, leaving Davidson and Button to battle for a lower-level national title. Button won that round, with a stronger engine tuned by his father. Said Denis Davidson: "Anthony had a graphic artist for a dad." Button finished his karting career with a 4-3 record against Davidson in national class titles. Button also beat Wheldon to the British title at the prestigious Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. Their careers have been linked ever since. In 1996, Davidson replaced Wheldon on Britain's best international karting team. Davidson followed Button into Formula Fords in 1999, beating Taylor in the winter series, winning the Festival twice and the World Cup in 2000. By the time Button finished third in the British F3 championships in 1999, Wheldon was in the United States, dominating the F2000 series with six race victories. Last year, they all made it to the big time. In the span of three weeks, they drove in three of the most important races in the world -- Button in F-1's Monaco Grand Prix, Wheldon in his first Indy 500 and Davidson in the 24 Hours of LeMans. Surprisingly, it wasn't as they had dreamed. Wheldon spun and flipped late in his race, Button crashed in practice and Davidson's event ended with a broken wheel bearing. It was one of many things they could talk about at this week's reunion as part of the U.S. Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "It's funny that we don't see each other that often anymore, but when we do it's like we've been together forever," Wheldon said. "It takes us like five minutes to catch up." Call Star reporter Curt Cavin at (317) 444-6409.
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