Darren Manning, A.J. Foyt Racing, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, River Nidd, England, United Kingdom, Dan Wheldon, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, St. Petersburg, Florida, The Vinoy
They may have a nomadic spirit, traveling the country and the world in
search of racing glory. Many have uprooted themselves far from where they
grew up to live and work in a foreign land, and even then spend much of their
time living out of a motor home in places like Homestead, Milwaukee, Fort
Worth and Sonoma.
Still, there’s always a place an IndyCar Series driver calls home. It might be
where they grew up, or a new place they’ve adopted as their own. Whichever,
that locale holds a special spot in their hearts. What follows is several of the
IndyCar Series drivers talking about that special place, or sometimes places,
they call home. DARREN MANNING, A.J. FOYT RACING
DAN WHELDON, TARGET CHIP GANASSI RACING
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. POP: 249,090 (2004)
FACTOID: Home to the Honda Grand Prix of St.
Petersburg, round 2 of the IndyCar Series
n I first moved to the U.S. in 1999, I lived in St.
rsburg, Fla., because the team I drove for was based
e. I made some really good friends who I kept in
h with after I moved away when my racing career
me to other places.
hen I became established as an IndyCar Series
er, I moved back to St. Pete because I loved it so
ch. I love the warm climate and being near the water.
ngs have changed since the time I first came here
ht years ago. There are more nice shops and
taurants downtown. It’s a great place to call home.
e of my favorite places to go to is the restaurant in the
noy. The Vinoy is an old, elaborate hotel with a lot of
story in St. Pete. Every Sunday they have a gourmet
runch with seven or eight stations of the most delicious
od and the best part...a chocolate fountain dessert
ar! I have been to some really nice places, but nothing
eats Sunday brunch at the Vinoy.
KNARESBOROUGH, ENGLAND. Pop: 14,740
FACTOID: Home of the oldest chemist shop
(pharmacy) in England, opened in 1720.
I grew up in Knaresborough, England, a beautiful old
market town on the River Nidd in North Yorkshire. It has a
big castle (and no, not every town in England has a castle)
on a steep hill that overlooks the town. There are lots of
picturesque old bridges in the town, which dates back to
the time of William the Conqueror (1066 A.D.).
Mother Shipton’s Cave is where the witch Mother
Shipton was born in the 15th century. Her Petrifying Well
and Dripping Cave is a great attraction – people put things
in it and they turn to stone. It has to do with the high
mineral content (lime) in the water; but back in the
1400s, people thought it was witchcraft.
As a kid I would spend a lot of time on the river, boating
and swimming. Now when I go back, I spend time with my
family. Loving golf as I do, I play it with my dad and uncles at
Flaxby Park or Rudding Park. I’ll drop into a pub now and then
for a pint of beer. Knaresborough has about 50 pubs and I’ve
probably had a pint in all of them at one time or another.
Off the track
IndyCarSeries 2007 winterspecial 23
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