LATEST SNIPPET
On September 28th, Jessica had a violent flip at
Gas City I-69 Speedway. Jessica was kept over night
at a near by hospital for observation for a
concussion and some short term memory loss. She is
doing much better now and most of her memory has
come back. As an effect of the crash, Jessica's car
suffered severe damage. So severe that the team is
in need of a new chassis and parts in order to get
Jessica back out on the track in 2013. We at
Jessica Bean Racing are asking for donations to
make this happen. Every little bit helps and we
thank you for your support! Go
here.
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Profile
Age: 21
Birthdate: February 21, 1990
Hometown: Farmland, IN
Residence: Farmland, IN
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 130
Marital Status: Single
Jessica began racing Quarter Midgets at the age
of 12, after spending a year of sitting on the
sidelines and watching her younger brother race.
She quickly showed that she had what it took to be
a champion by winning her first seven races in the
Novice division. In her six years in Quarter
Midgets (2002-2007), Jessica claimed six track
championships, racked up more than 60 feature wins,
and posted three track records.
After Quarter Midgets, Jessica did not have the
funds to move up the ranks and decided to focus on
starting college at Trine University in the fall of
2008. Despite not having a ride, Jessica did not
stay away from the track. She and her father fixed
their racing addiction by helping out a friend who
was participating in Midget racing. Although
sidelined at the time, Jessica still took every
chance she had to learn more about the cars,
tracks, and racing in general. Thanks to several
friends, Jessica had the opportunity to test Winged
and Non-Winged 600cc Micro Sprints, a Kenyon
Midget, and a Ford Focus Midget.
Almost two years after her last Quarter Midget
race, Jessica got the call to get behind the wheel
again. Thanks to her boss at the time, Jessica was
able to find a Ford Focus Midget car owner who was
looking for a driver. After an afternoon test
session at Mt. Lawn Speedway, Jessica was asked to
drive the Ford Focus Midget for Jim Stigall in the
remaining five races of the 2009 USAC Midwest Ford
Focus season.
In 2010, Jessica ran the entire USAC Midwest
Ford Focus schedule placing 4th in the Dirt
Championship points and 5th in the Overall
Championship points. She was also asked to drive
two USSA Kenyon Midget races for Don and Mel
Kenyon, and finished in the top five in both
events.
Also in 2010, Jessica was inducted into the
Central Indiana Quarter Midget Hall of Fame for her
accomplishments in Quarter Midget racing.
Jessica went double duty in 2011, participating
in both the USSA Kenyon Midget Series and the USAC
Midwest Ford Focus Series. Driving the USSA Kenyon
Midget for Don and Mel Kenyon, Jessica became the
first female to win a Kenyon Midget Championship.
She also received Rookie of the Year honors and
collected her first professional career feature win
at Anderson Speedway. Jessica also placed 7th in
the USAC Midwest Ford Focus Overall Championship
points after being plagued with engine problems for
most of the season.
Jessica is looking to continue her open-wheel
racing endeavors in 2012. She plans to compete in
the USSA Mel Kenyon Midget Series and the USAC Ford
Focus Series once again.
Snippets
Jessica joins Race4Girls for 2012
News
Jessica joins
Race4Girls for 2012
Jessica is excited to announce that she will be a
part of Race4Girls for the 2012 racing season.
"I have been following Race4Girls since the
beginning and have always wanted to be a part of
the group," stated Jessica. "I finally have that
chance and I couldn't be happy. I can't thank
Tracey and everyone at Race4Girls for this
opportunity."
Race4Girls raises money to provide higher
quality equipment for the primary race car of
female racers in the US who are competing
professionally.
Contributions made by fans who want to support
women in racing will fuel the fund. 100% of fan
donations (minus the PayPal processing fee) go to
the drivers.
The contribution level starts at only $5 so any
fan can help support registered Race4Girls drivers!
Click
here.
Young Gun prospect
Jessica Bean, America's next great open wheel
star
It's no secret that Americans have not made much
noise in the world of open wheel racing in recent
years. Save for the likes of Sam Hornish Jr. and
Danica Patrick, who've had their share of success
in the IZOD IndyCar Series, it's been a game for
racers across the globe, who've racked up titles
and victories by the handful.
While there's hope in the likes of Marco
Andretti as well as J.R. Hildebrand, if motorsport
fans are waiting for their next big talent from the
United States to dominate the Indianapolis 500,
they may want to keep an eye on 21-year-old Jessica
Bean.
The Farmland, IN racing sensation has been
exceptional in the open wheel ranks, cracking the
top-10 points standings twice in the USAC Ford
Midget Series as well as winning the ultimate "hat
trick" in the USSA Kenyon Midget Series this past
season.
Bean captured her first race win,
rookie-of-the-year honors, and the driver's title
in the Kenyon Midget Series this year, which
certainly immortalized her not only as a great in
that division, but as a true young gun who's always
ambitious at opportunities she earns along the
way.
Upon reflecting on her sensational 2011 season,
Bean was humble and grateful at her immediate
success.
"Winning the championship, receiving rookie
honors, and getting my first win has definitely
helped to boost my career," Bean said. "Making all
of this happen has been a whirlwind of a ride, and
it only keeps getting better. I look forward to see
what is in the next chapter of my career."
Having been an open-wheel racer all her career,
Bean recognizes the fact that there could be seats
in other series that'd help her climb the racing
ladder.
"I would like to stay the course with
open-wheel, with the ultimate goal of making it to
IndyCar," Bean said. "But I would be open to any
good opportunities that I earn along the way. You
can never pass up an opportunity that is good
enough."
For the time being, she's a racer who epitomizes
that "never say die" attitude that her
contemporaries in A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, and
the Unser clan embraced in their illustrious
legacies in open wheel cars.
"Racing is one of those things where when it
gets in your blood, you cant stay away from
it. I have developed a strong passion for racing,"
she said. "Ive been involved in racing for
almost 10 years now; I dont know what life
would be like without it.
"I enjoy every bit of it, the adrenaline rush,
the competition, just the whole experience. Those
are my driving forces."
Even when she got injured earlier this year, she
didn't slow down at all, even if it meant risking
the chance of getting hurt again at the track. Like
most racers, she played with the pain, even when it
came at a high risk - a sign of that true driver
mentality where success will be found, no matter
what.
"The day after the wreck, with a concussion and
only three hours of sleep, I was back out at the
track working the USAC .25 Midget events at Eldora
Speedway," Bean said. "Some would say thats
stupidity, but Id call it dedication. I love
being at the track and enjoyed working for USAC
over the summer so I wanted to be there."
And being there is what Bean's been doing since
age twelve, as she's been merely more than just a
fan in the stands. Instead, she's been there,
making history, and most of all, making all the
right moves to be a winning racer.
Don't be surprised to find her on the starting
grid of a future Indianapolis 500, doing more than
just making the field.
If history's any indication, she might just
become the first American since Sam Hornish, Jr. to
take a swig at that glass of milk in Victory
Lane.
Results
2011
FORD FOCUS MIDGET
7th - USAC Midwest Ford Focus Overall Points
9 Top 10 USAC Finishes
3 Top 5 USAC Finishes
1 USAC Heat Race WIN
Recipient of the USAC Kara Hendrick Spirit
Award, in conjunction with Lyn St. James' Women in
the Winner's Circle Foundation
KENYON MIDGET POINTS CHAMPION
First Female in History to Win a Kenyon Midget
Championship
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
6 Top 10 USSA Finishes
3 Top 5 USSA Finishes
1 USSA Feature WIN
Finished 7th at US 24 Speedway Midget Clash (1st
Kenyon Dirt Race, Started 19th)
2010
FORD FOCUS MIDGET
4th - USAC Midwest Ford Focus Dirt Points
5th - USAC Midwest Ford Focus Overall Points
11 Top 10 USAC Finishes
4 Top 5 USAC Finishes
4 Podium UMARA Finishes
2 UMARA Sportsman Feature WINS
KENYON MIDGET
2 USSA Kenyon Midget Starts
2 USSA Finishes
Inducted into the Central Indiana Quarter Midget
Hall of Fame.
2009
FORD FOCUS MIDGET
5 USAC Midwest Ford Focus Starts
2008
Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship Recipient
2002-2007
QUARTER MIDGETS
6 Track Championships
3 Time KQMC Heavy Honda Champion
CIQMA Heavy 160 Champion
CIQMA Jr. Half Champion
KQMC Jr. Half Champion
60+ Feature WINS
3 Track Records
Jessica has had seat time in a Wing and Non-Wing
600 Micro-Sprint, but never competed.
She graduated with Academic Honors from Monroe
Central Jr.-Sr. High School in 2008 and is
currently in her final year at Trine University,
where she is studying mathematics and business.
Schedule
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