Jones honors Payton

Dale Coyne driver Ed Jones

Ed Jones, the 22 year old who hails from Dubai, wanted to cheer up his team owner, Dale Coyne, after all the crash damage from the last race in Texas. So Jones is sporting a new helmet that bears the famous number 34 of Walter Payton and Payton's nickname of Sweetness when he played for the 1985 Super Bowl winning Chicago Bears.

AR1 talked about the new gear with Jones. Jones replied, "It has been a tough year for Dale and the team so far. I wanted to give something back to Dale to cheer him up a little bit. Payton was partners with Dale and the team quite a while ago. And Walter actually had his first race at Road America as well. This place is close to Chicago. So it is quite fitting. I love doing things like this, a one off."

Payton and Coyne started as co-owners in 1988 as Payton/Coyne Racing and concentrated on tutoring newer, younger drivers. Payton also drove in several Trans-Am Series events. After struggling with the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis for several months, Payton died on November 1, 1999 at age 45.