adminAutosport team in the popular IndyCar series this year.
Jefferies (19) arrived in Indianapolis, the home of American motorsport, last week and was provided with accommodation (full board) for a month and was enrolled with Pitfit Training, America’s premium motorsport training facility.
They (Pitfit Training) were reported to be very impressed by Jefferies’ level of fitness and they came up with a training regime for him.
The young Zimbabwean driver also met fellow members of the Bryan Herta Autosport team and since his arrival in Indianapolis he has been spending three hours a day at their factory where he also had his seat fitting done before he left last Sunday for Mid Ohio.
On Monday, testing commenced with Jefferies hitting the ground running by consistently setting times in the top three.
Even though it is a new track to him and new car, Jefferies is driving the Indy Lights car, a 3.5-litre V8 with top speeds in excess of 300kph.
The fact that the current championship leader Carlos Munoz was there and Jefferies matching him for pace has got tongues wagging among the players in the motorsport fraternity there.
After finishing Monday in the top three, Jefferies posted on his twitter and Facebook page that he was gunning for top spot on Tuesday.
True to his word he dominated the morning sessions consistently being the fastest by 0.6 seconds to his closest rivals and by lunch-time, radio stations in Mid Ohio were reporting on the young Zimbabwean’s feats and journalists were eager to get insights into the history and mind of Jefferies.
Bryan Herta Autosport were immediately impressed by Jefferies’ work ethic and methodical approach to his trade.
In the afternoon, teams were elected to run full race simulations to gauge tyre wear and set ups for the forthcoming race in Mid Ohio. Again Jefferies ran consistently in the top three.
On Thursday, the team headed back to Indianapolis where Jefferies resumed his training regime at Pitfit Training before he competes in his first competitive race in two weeks time.
In two weeks time, the Indianapolis 500 race, which attracts about 300 000 fans, will take place and Jefferies is set to make his debut appearance at this popular event where he is expected to carry the Zimbabwean flag high.
Starting Grid Inc, who facilitated young Jefferies’s trip to the United States and have sponsored him, will introduce him to the fanatical fans at this event.
Speaking from Indianapolis on Thursday, Jefferies stated: “I have come here to learn, but also to make a point. Having failed to get sponsorship to compete for Malaysia’s Caterham GP2 Team where we had such a fantastic opportunity to make it to Formula One, I am more determined to prove my worth.
“I believe we have done that. So I am looking forward to the upcoming race. The Indy cars are very different to F2. These are raw power whereas in Europe it is about technology.
“We have just been for measurements for my new race suits. I am proud to say my management team insisted on having Zimbabwean flag colours again. We are proud of our country and will continue to fly the (Zimbabwean) flag high.”
Jefferies’ management are excited at prospects for him and feel his performance vindicates the reasons he deserves support and hope that the corporate world in Zimbabwe get behind him.
Most other countries support there upcoming sports talents so Zimbabwe should also seize the opportunity to showcase itself with the platform at Jefferies’ disposal.
Jefferies has recently been invited to feature in an African reality show due to be broadcast across the North American continent featuring Africa’s most influential youth.
The programme will be called Sky Deep. It is about African heritage and the importance on maintaining African pride. The producers see Jefferies as an example of African pride amongst the youth.
And with overseas countries snapping up talented sports people, Zimbabwe need to view Jefferies as a national asset as he is one of the few patriotic Zimbabwean sporting heroes that deserve to be nurtured and supported.
Online Reporter