How Carroll is pursuing his American dream

Noel Coward once said that an out of work actor isn't an actor. The playwright may therefore have disapproved of Adam Carroll's claim to be a racing driver over recent seasons. At the Hungaroring two weeks ago, the Northern Irish racer entered only his third race meeting in approaching three years.

Carroll raced most recently in Formula Renault 3.5

Substituting for the injured Walter Grubmuller at P1 Motorsport, borrowed baggy overalls and crash helmet failed to prove any hindrance to the man that made Ireland the A1GP champion. A solid podium in the second Formula Renault 3.5 race of the weekend demonstrated that Carroll's involuntary absence from the cockpit had diminished none of his ability. During the post-race press conference, the Portadown man light-heartedly relayed how young guns Jean-Eric Vergne and Albert Costa - occupying the top podium positions - had teased him that they were still karting when Carroll had won at the circuit in GP2 back in 2007.

Such a woeful lack of seat time could eat away at the self-belief of any talented Formula 1 aspirant in his late 20s. But Carroll has his sights set firmly on America. The country's positive outlook has clearly rubbed off, and any attempt to touch on the difficulties of landing a top-line IndyCar seat changes his demeanour from sanguine to forthright.

"It's never ideal [being out of a car for so long] but there is no stigma in the States over not having raced in a while, or even an age. All of that is rubbish. Dan Wheldon did one race this year, and I don't know if you heard about it, but he won it," effuses Carroll, referring to Wheldon's victory at the Indianapolis 500.

"Do you know Davey Hamilton? That guy is 45 [49, actually - Ed]. Last year I did a radio interview with him in an Irish pub, and he was telling a story about how he'd properly smashed his legs and had two years of surgery. But now he is doing four or five races this year. His ankles are all fused, so he has no interest in driving road courses, but on an oval he can still be quick. It is the same for people like Ed Carpenter and a few other oval specialists."

It is easy to see how Carroll draws heart from these success stories. But with so much negative press produced by IndyCar's downward slide following what's simply known as the split, it is slightly surprising to hear Carroll's fervent views on the series' growth prospects. A trip to this year's Indy 500 has clearly endorsed his optimism, so much so that you wonder whether IndyCar CEO Randy Bernhard should consider televangelism if his plans to restore American open wheel racing to its former glories fail to bear fruit.

"Obviously, as a race driver you don't want to stand around watching racing, but if anyone ever wants to go to a race then I'd recommend the Indy 500," says Carroll. "There's nothing like it, it's unbelievable. There were nearly 400,000 people in the place, the atmosphere was electric. It's given me a taste of what kind of opportunities are out there and the type of career you can have."

Wincing financial sacrifices by his family to assist in raising the budget for two IndyCar races with AFS/Andretti Autosport last year weigh on Carroll's shoulders, and partly explain his resolve to hook a sponsor.

"We don't have a lot of money, or any money" continues Carroll. "You have to roll the dice; my eggs are in one basket and then some. If I don't make it, this has got pretty big consequences. I was very close this year to a seat in IndyCar with Andretti. In the end, although it was very close, I couldn't do it. But that's the way I have been trying to go. Hopefully, we'll make the break. It is a process. [Andretti Autosport driver] Ryan Hunter-Reay was out of a car for a year and half. If you can find a sponsor, that's the nicest way of doing it.

Carroll qualified a fine 10th on his IndyCar debut last year at Watkins Glen... © LAT

"IndyCar is different. You can get a big return on the money because of the profile. It really is very sponsor-friendly. Andretti have three fully funded cars and nearly a fully funded fourth one. That's not bad in today's market, and the Indy 500 beat the Coca-Cola 600 [the NASCAR Sprint Cup race held at Charlotte on the same day] in terms of ratings for the first time in six years."

The Andretti squad's problems in securing sponsorship last winter for former champion Tony Kanaan are brushed aside by Carroll's admirably upbeat attitude. In contrast to Wheldon and Hunter-Reay though, Carroll is not yet established across the Atlantic. The importance of securing a crucial breakthrough is something that is keenly recognised.

"You have to almost con someone to get in - then the coin flips," says the former McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award nominee, before offering a showbiz analogy: "It is not much different to a singer or a movie star, they can have the talent but until they get their break... Then it kicks off and you can have a seven or eight year career. Dario [Franchitti] is 38 now and shows no sign of retiring.

"Mario [Andretti] won a race when he was 54. It's nuts! The races being longer, it does leave it much more open. Over there it is completely different. Qualify 20th and, if you're a decent driver, they'll still say, 'Oh, we can get to the front.' Time two yellows right and you're going to be second or third. The positivity out there is impressive. It is a good, good place to go. I like it."

Few doubt that Carroll has the talent to make it. While not having witnessed his IndyCar races first hand, some of this writer's standout memories of the 28-year-old driver's career all come from British F3.

The memories of him questioning the ability of the 2002 pack by ragging a National Class Dallara at the front of the field at Silverstone, or being dazzled by the commitment of a red and white helmeted pilot of a Lola through Snetterton's Esses, or even admiring his taming of Spa-Francorchamps to take two victories in his duel with Nelson Piquet Jr for the 2004 British F3 crown, will not go away quickly.

... and had another roll-out at Sears Point © LAT

With luck, Carroll's stellar qualifying performance on his IndyCar debut at Watkins Glen will be retained with equal clarity by members of the IndyCar fraternity. Carroll recalls his efforts that weekend: "My first day of driving the car was on the Wednesday, as I had only got a flight in the previous weekend. I qualified the car 10th, second out of five Andretti cars. That was the happiest I've ever been qualifying 10th, I mean, there really wasn't anything more coming out of it."

Although having enjoyed plenty of experience with rapid A1GP and GP2 machinery, Carroll's initial acquaintance with his Dallara IndyCar provided an appreciation of the fitness levels required to wrestle the 650bhp beasts. Indeed, speaking in the back of P1's transporter, it is appreciable just how much he has bulked up.

"The top guys coming from Europe, from Formula Renault 3.5 or GP2, find the IndyCar is not as nice to drive. It is just a big tank. It is very physical. I found there's not so much feel with it compared to things like this. It took me a wee while to get used to it. They're two-hour races, it is pretty much twice a GP2 race or another half-an-hour over F1, and the cars are heavy. The boys out there are in good shape. I hope the new IndyCar modernises it. With the workforce involved, it should do. In my view, it needs to happen and it is great that it finally is."

Mention of the new car turns the conversation to his 2012 prospects. More importantly than easing the workload on his arms, the new car should, temporarily at least, create a level playing field after years of domination by the Penske and Ganassi teams. Presuming sponsorship is forthcoming, and current negotiations could allow a Motegi start this year to happen, what does Carroll feel he can achieve?

"It would take a season or two to get yourself in a position where you could fight for a championship. Someone like Dario is a proper, proper champion. To be consistent and to win on road circuits, street circuits, fast ovals, short ovals, flat ovals, banked... The variety in it is impressive. [Penske driver] Will [Power] has only just won his first oval race this year [in his third season in IndyCar] so it just shows you the level of competition."

Remember what he can do? Carroll took Ireland to the final A1GP crown © LAT

Ironically, given Power and Franchitti's post-Toronto spat on Twitter this week, Carroll cites the usually high-levels of respect between drivers as a key element of the series' attraction, alongside its commercial sustainability.

"It is a very uncertain time, but top IndyCar drivers still do alright, still make a decent amount. But more than the money, it's just the atmosphere. The top guys, if you follow them on Twitter, you can see the level of respect between them. They go around to each others houses, and I think you need that racing wheel-to-wheel with someone for half a night at 220mph, you have to have respect.

"They know the consequences if it goes wrong, so there is a nice atmosphere. But don't let that fool you that it is not tough, because it really is. With [series sponsor] Izod putting in millions of dollars and three manufacturers next year, it is really exciting times - it's where I want to be."