James Roe Jr is a young Irish driver with his eyes on world domination.
James Roe Jr is chasing his dreams, and it is a foolish person who tries to get in his way.
At just twenty years of age, the young man from Naas in County Kildare has his eyes fixed on conquering the world of motor racing.
With a passion for driving and all-things motoring, James comes from a long line of motor enthusiasts. His Dad runs a motor garage in his hometown while his Uncle Michael Roe is a former British Formula Ford Festival champion and the only Irishman to win the Can Am Championship.
A late-comer to the sport, James began driving when he was fifteen.
After completing his high school studies, he was given the opportunity to study Mechanical Engineering and as tempting as it may have been to continue his studies at college, James decided to chase his dream after careful counsel from his family.
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From topping podiums to breaking course records Irish racing driving James Roe Jr had an unforgettable debut year in American topped off by winning the rookie driver of the year at just 19 y.o.! To find out more about his incredible year James will be joining us shortly! #IrlAM pic.twitter.com/3mtaCNn6m7
— Ireland AM (@IrelandAMVMT) October 19, 2018
“I came to a decision where I had to ask myself if I wanted to go to America or go to college,” said James in a recent television interview on the Irish morning television show Ireland AM.
“I sat down with my Mom, Dad and uncle and we had a good chat about things. It was just one of those things. We got advice off a number of people who said it was something I should pursue and that it looked like everything was going in the right direction. I could take a chance and go back to college as a mature student if it didn’t work out. That was the decision we took.”
It was while plans were being finalized in Ireland that James received that all-important call from America to see if he would be interested in crossing the Atlantic to begin the next chapter of his motoring career. He wasn’t long making up his mind.
“I arrived over to America by myself, a nineteen-year-old with four bags and had to figure everything out for myself. I had to get a car and a house. It was a huge learning experience.”
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James in action
Although competing in the U.S. for less than twelve months, James has put his mark on the sport, winning the famous Watkins Glen circuit in New York and clocking up wins at Virginia International Raceway and at New Jersey Motorsport Park.
Many of these competitions attract large crowds, with up to 100,000 attending the recent USF2000 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The young driver is also in the running to win the title of Young Irish Driver of the Year this year, which will be announced in Dublin on December 4.
In terms of his long-term ambitions, James is no hurry to take up Mechanical Engineering, but keep with his passion instead.
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“I’d love to be an IndyCar driver but I’m keeping my options completely open. Whatever that may be, I’m just going to go for it and keep striving to be the best. It’s something I’m passionate about and I want to make a career out of it whilst flying Irelands flag. Whatever comes my way, I’m going to go for it.”
For more information, you can get in touch with James or his team at [email protected].
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