Aussies don’t rust

So if a race car drivers with a family heritage of racing and winning spends 8 years honing his craft in open wheel formulas and then just before his final rung of the ladder to the top league has to wait four year years for his chance, one might be a bit rusty. Not for Australian James Davison as he proved quite impressive in his one day full on Indy Car test yesterday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The 26 year old from Melbourne, Australia took to the Mid-Ohio track yesterday, driving one of Dale Coyne Racings 2013 Indy Cars for a full day of testing.

“It was great to finally get a proper chance to see what I could do in these impressive cars and have a bench mark with Justin running on a track we race on," gleamed the Aussie. “It is great to be here as a rookie and especially have Justin Wilson as a team mate to help in all that happens on and off the track in preparation for this day."

James would run 87 laps on the 2.258 mile, 13 turn road course that will host a round of the IZOD IndyCar World Series in just under 5 weeks time.

“James did a great job’" reported Team Owner Dale Coyne. “James had won two races here in Indy Lights but has not raced an open wheel car in 4 years. To be within 1 second of Justin’s comparable times was very impressive."

Davison has not competed in open wheel car since he finished second in the highly competitive 2009 Indy Lights championship. That year’s second overall placed him sandwiched between Indy Lights Champion JR Hildebrand and 3rd place finish Sebastian Saavedra and ahead of James Hinchcliffe’s 5th in the Championship, all now Indy Car veterans.

James has done a handful of sports car races over the past 4 years in America and a run at the historic Bathurst 12 hour race in Australia. The talented Mr. Davison has climbed the American ladder since 2005. Racing in Formula BMW, Formula Atlantic, Star Mazda and Indy Lights, yesterday he got to stand on the top rung of the ladder, Indy Cars and enjoyed the view.

“I am very thankful for this opportunity and hope it can be the catalyst for great things in the future," said Davison. “I would love to be able to do a race with Dale before the years is out."