Red Bull Driver Search Run-off Was a Big Success
and the semi-finalists all have one thing in common

The semi-final phase of this year's Red Bull Driver Search program wrapped up in early September and by all accounts, was a huge success. Because of Skip Barber Racing's vast experience and reputation in conducting equal-car programs (we've been doing it since 1976), Driver Search creator Maria Jannace (Maxim Sports Management) and Red Bull Energy Drink hired Skip Barber Racing to execute the final U.S. phase of the program designed to unearth America's next Formula 1 star.

Skip Barber Racing provided the race cars (135h.p., five-speed R/T 2000s, as used in five of the company's championships), the coaching staff (headed by Jim Pace), and a program manager (noted driver and instructor Divina Galica) all under the aegis of Danny Sullivan, head of the Red Bull Driver Search.

The semi-final phase at Sebring pitted 24 hopefuls against each other, all vying for a seat with the European Red Bull Junior Team for 2004. Two days of intense testing in Skip Barber Formula Dodge race cars culminated in the selection of six drivers to move forward in the program: Dominique Claessens, Rolling Hills, Calif.; Joe D'Agostino, Plantation, Fa.; Travis Firing, Cherryville, N.C.; Colin Fleming, North Hills, Calif.; Matt Jaskol, Las Vegas, N.V.; and David Jurca, Seattle, Wash.

The judging panel was comprised of five members, each with the best of racing credentials: Bertram Schafer, a three-time open-wheel champion as a driver, and owner of the highly successful BSR F3 racing team; Dr. Helmut Marko, former BRM F1 driver and longtime Red Bull Racing advisor; Alan Docking, owner of ADR, one of the most successful junior-formula race teams in Europe, including championships in British F3, considered by many to be the toughest proving ground in motorsport; Roberto Cavallari, co-founder of JD Motorsport, a four-time winner of the Eurocup Formula Renault championship; and Sullivan, of course, former F1 driver for Tyrell-Ford, 1985 Indy 500 winner and 1988 CART IndyCar champion.

So when all the discussions, evaluations and assessments amongst that storied panel were complete, the final six drivers they picked all had one thing in common. Skip Barber training on their racing resumes…
  • Claessens: 2003 Skip Barber Regional Series; 2003 Skip Barber National Championship Presented by RACER
  • D'Agostino: Aug. 2001 3-Day grad; 2002 Skip Barber Regional Series; 2003 Skip Barber National Championship Presented by RACER
  • Firing: Dec. 2001 3-Day grad
  • Fleming: July 2001 3-Day grad; 2001 Skip Barber Regional Series; 2002 Skip Barber National Championship Presented by RACER; 2003 CART Champ Car Barber Dodge Pro Series
  • Jaskol: Mar. 2001 3-Day grad; 2001 & 2002 Skip Barber Regional Series; 2003 Skip Barber National Championship Presented by RACER
  • Jurca: Nov. 2002 3-Day grad; 2002 Skip Barber Regional Series; 2003 Skip Barber National Championship Presented by RACER
As the manager of the Red Bull Driver Search, Sullivan was extremely pleased with the three-day event at Sebring International. "The cars were fantastic, not only to drive but also in their preparation. The Barber crew that prepared and maintained the cars did their usual tremendous job," Sullivan said. Out of a fleet of 30 race cars - 24 R/T 2000s and six 2-liter School cars - just one mechanical problem was suffered over the three days of training, lapping and racing: A fuel pick-up problem on one R/T.

In October, the final event of the 2003 Red Bull Driver Search will take place at the famed Estoril F1 circuit in Portugal. The six finalists will be assessed in F3 race cars; the chosen winners will earn a seat with a leading European junior-series team for 2004.

The long term goal of the groundbreaking Red Bull Driver Search program is to produce and grow a steady group of four to six American drivers racing in Europe, groomed to break into Formula 1 and compete for the World Championship.


Oh, one more really cool thing happened that many of you reading this will appreciate very much: At the end of the final day, the judges - Sullivan, Docking, Schafer, Marko and Cavallari - were so impressed with the R/Ts that they all did something each hadn't done in years. Hot-lapped in an open-wheel race car. Yep, for more than 30 minutes the master shoes went at it. Sullivan, in particular, was "pedaling at 10/10s!," according to Galica. But if anybody had a watch running, they're not talking…