Would you let a 15-year-old play professional hockey?

I was talking with a colleague about Zach Veach, the 15-year-old Ohio karter who’s going straight to the Formula Atlantic series in 2010 with Canadian team Jensen Motorsport and he was not impressed.

“Okay,” he said. “Say you have a 15-year-old hockey player. He’s six-feet and 200 pounds of muscle and has the skills of Sidney Crosby. Do you put him in the American Hockey League? I don’t think so.”

Of course, he’s right. As Indy cars are the NHL, Atlantics and Indy Lights are the American League.l

And how a 15-year-old who’s never driven in an open-wheel car race of any kind (he’s apparently tested in Formula BMW and Atlantics but he’s never raced them) is being allowed to go directly into such a high-speed series as Formula Atlantic is boggling the minds of many.

It's a recipe for disaster.

When I first broached this subject the other day, I said I would return to it and discuss what the Indy Racing League has done to create a “ladder” system where a young driver could go from karts to U.S. Formula Ford 2000, then the Star Mazda Series, Indy Lights and maybe – just maybe – Indy cars.

Called the Road to Indy, it  makes perfect sense. You “graduate,” if you will, from one series to the next that’s a little bit faster and where you have to be a little more mature. Hopefully, by the time you get to Indy Lights (or Atlantics), where you’re going to be travelling wheel-to-wheel and in excess of 175 miles an hour at times, you’re going to be old enough physically and emotionally to handle it.

The key thing, of course, is that a driver will have to have turned 18 before being allowed into an Indy Lights race. NASCAR has a similar rule and there are several reasons, chief among them being the danger factor and the negative publicity that would result if a minor was seriously injured – or worse – while racing under their sanction.

I also like to think they’re protecting young drivers, because nobody else seems to be.

In any event, the IRL and NASCAR have said no to the Zach Veaches of the world. What about Sebring, where the Atlantic Series will start its season next March? And the American Le Mans Series will be the headliner. And IMSA will sanction. How comfortable are they going to be?

Comments

[Bill Taylor]

Have you seen pictures of this kid? Some 15-year-olds look older than their years. He doesn't. He looks like a. . . kid. His website -- www.zachveach.com -- invites inquiries about "corporate sponsor partnerships and beneficially creative marketing opportunities." You don't, of course, email Zach but his dad. Sure, a lot of top racing drivers have been guided by their fathers. Lewis Hamilton, his dad always at his shoulder, was 18 when he started in Formula Renault. Michael Andretti didn't start in Formula Vee until he was 22. Obviously, some parents are pushier than others. It leaves a nasty taste to see a young teenager being manipulated as a sales gimmick.

[dale weis]

NASCAR's refusale to let Veach race probably has to do with liabilty issues if he were to be injured. I'm sure NASCAR would love to use his age as a marketing gimmick.
In sprintcar racing they are letting many young (14 yr olds) race. These cars are certainly more dagerous per mile than the stock cars.
Eventually this practice will wind in up in court when one of these kids is killed or crippled. It's only a matter of time unfortunatly.It's not inexpereince or lack of ability I'm worried about, as many are very safe and experinced racers, it just that the odds are going to catch up with one of them. It will change racing forever.

[Steve_YYZ]

It's really all about finding a good "kid" driver who because of his immaturity still thinks he/she is invincible. They will therefore take more chances right to the edge than a mature thinking driver will. Until one of them dies tragically. Then we'll wonder why we let it happen.