| The official website of Shayne Izzo |
PRESSRELEASE
Driven to succeed
Written by: Randy Senior
Written by: Randy Senior
ELLWOOD CITY (April 17, 2007) - For Shayne Izzo, nothing could be finer than being in North Carolina - he has a chance to
make a name for himself there in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
But first, he sought direction from a man who not only builds engines, he builds dreams.
After consulting a Web site for development drivers on Chris Lafferty's Web site, Izzo, a Crescent Avenue resident and 2004
graduate of Lincoln High School, signed a developmental driver contract with Lafferty Motorsports, Concord, N.C.
"I had the racing bug since I grew up across the street from the man who helped build engines for Cale Yarborough, then
Chip Ganassi," said Lafferty, the motorsports team owner. "So I appreciate what Shayne will be going through. I knew ever
since I was in junior high that I wanted to move down South to work on engines. Now, it's a matter of showing Shayne what it
will take.
"I'm not in control of him making it in the racing business," Lafferty added. "He's in control. This week, Shayne's coming
down for an ARCA series race, but not so much for on-track experience. We want him to see what goes on
behind-the-scenes."
But Izzo has been behind the wheel during testing. He recently finished a three-day session in North Carolina at Lafferty's
shop in Concord and the Hickory Motor Speedway, while driving one of Lafferty's Chevrolet Silveradoes.
"Shayne has to jump through some hoops, but we don't want to use the word 'stepping stone' for him," Lafferty said. "We
want to see if he can drive for us someday, not groom him to move on to Evernham, Yates, Hendrick or Roush (notable
NASCAR teams)."
Izzo is the first driver from his family, and his racing "bug" hit when he first worked in the pits for a close friend whose family
was affiliated with dirt track racing. A year after he built a race car for his senior project for Lincoln High School, he made his
dirt modified division debut in 2005 at Mercer Raceway Park.
And not even an episode of adversity could dash Izzo's hopes. He competed in eight races at Mercer Speedway before
slamming his car into a wall during a Memorial Day weekend accident. His knee was shattered and required surgery twice
in 2006. But his spirit to return to the track never wavered - he went out and bought a new car.
Though that car is now prohibited because of his developmental driver contract, Izzo has committed to two years with
Lafferty. But again, seat time in a Craftsman truck will only make up for some of the lessons.
In Lafferty's view, it's more like life lessons for prospective drivers.
"Only about 20 percent of this involves someone's driving ability," Lafferty said. "The other 80 percent is how a driver
presents himself. I told the drivers that goals and objectives don't meet you halfway. You have to go out and chase them. We
want to take a driver like Shayne and show him what it takes to be marketable in this business."
Lafferty Motorsports purchased two asphalt late model cars and by summer, Izzo hopes to be in one of them to gain race
exposure on the pavement. That could lead to him moving down to Tobacco Road - North Carolina.
"Hey, the more I'm down there, the more I'm going to learn," Izzo said on an entry posted on Lafferty Motorsports Web site. "I
have to get used to it, because asphalt racing is 180 degrees different than dirt tracks. I've had to use controlled slides to go
through corners and learn how to counter-steer, turning front wheels to the right to go in the opposite direction, to the left.
"Chris (Lafferty) told me he was impressed with my ability to find the right line and stick with it every lap," Izzo added.
Can Shayne Izzo stick with the sport of racing? Lafferty likes the possibilities.
"I first started out building Busch National engines in my garage, not knowing where my career was heading," Lafferty said.
"I was working on the Winston Cup, Busch and Truck circuits at the same time and I knew I couldn't take the racing
business lightly. And that's the same impression I'm leaving with Shayne.
"If his heart's not in it, he'll end up going home," Lafferty concluded. "I advised him to push himself to become important, not
tell us how important he is. It's up to him to show how badly he wants this."
make a name for himself there in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
But first, he sought direction from a man who not only builds engines, he builds dreams.
After consulting a Web site for development drivers on Chris Lafferty's Web site, Izzo, a Crescent Avenue resident and 2004
graduate of Lincoln High School, signed a developmental driver contract with Lafferty Motorsports, Concord, N.C.
"I had the racing bug since I grew up across the street from the man who helped build engines for Cale Yarborough, then
Chip Ganassi," said Lafferty, the motorsports team owner. "So I appreciate what Shayne will be going through. I knew ever
since I was in junior high that I wanted to move down South to work on engines. Now, it's a matter of showing Shayne what it
will take.
"I'm not in control of him making it in the racing business," Lafferty added. "He's in control. This week, Shayne's coming
down for an ARCA series race, but not so much for on-track experience. We want him to see what goes on
behind-the-scenes."
But Izzo has been behind the wheel during testing. He recently finished a three-day session in North Carolina at Lafferty's
shop in Concord and the Hickory Motor Speedway, while driving one of Lafferty's Chevrolet Silveradoes.
"Shayne has to jump through some hoops, but we don't want to use the word 'stepping stone' for him," Lafferty said. "We
want to see if he can drive for us someday, not groom him to move on to Evernham, Yates, Hendrick or Roush (notable
NASCAR teams)."
Izzo is the first driver from his family, and his racing "bug" hit when he first worked in the pits for a close friend whose family
was affiliated with dirt track racing. A year after he built a race car for his senior project for Lincoln High School, he made his
dirt modified division debut in 2005 at Mercer Raceway Park.
And not even an episode of adversity could dash Izzo's hopes. He competed in eight races at Mercer Speedway before
slamming his car into a wall during a Memorial Day weekend accident. His knee was shattered and required surgery twice
in 2006. But his spirit to return to the track never wavered - he went out and bought a new car.
Though that car is now prohibited because of his developmental driver contract, Izzo has committed to two years with
Lafferty. But again, seat time in a Craftsman truck will only make up for some of the lessons.
In Lafferty's view, it's more like life lessons for prospective drivers.
"Only about 20 percent of this involves someone's driving ability," Lafferty said. "The other 80 percent is how a driver
presents himself. I told the drivers that goals and objectives don't meet you halfway. You have to go out and chase them. We
want to take a driver like Shayne and show him what it takes to be marketable in this business."
Lafferty Motorsports purchased two asphalt late model cars and by summer, Izzo hopes to be in one of them to gain race
exposure on the pavement. That could lead to him moving down to Tobacco Road - North Carolina.
"Hey, the more I'm down there, the more I'm going to learn," Izzo said on an entry posted on Lafferty Motorsports Web site. "I
have to get used to it, because asphalt racing is 180 degrees different than dirt tracks. I've had to use controlled slides to go
through corners and learn how to counter-steer, turning front wheels to the right to go in the opposite direction, to the left.
"Chris (Lafferty) told me he was impressed with my ability to find the right line and stick with it every lap," Izzo added.
Can Shayne Izzo stick with the sport of racing? Lafferty likes the possibilities.
"I first started out building Busch National engines in my garage, not knowing where my career was heading," Lafferty said.
"I was working on the Winston Cup, Busch and Truck circuits at the same time and I knew I couldn't take the racing
business lightly. And that's the same impression I'm leaving with Shayne.
"If his heart's not in it, he'll end up going home," Lafferty concluded. "I advised him to push himself to become important, not
tell us how important he is. It's up to him to show how badly he wants this."
