About Jay

Jay Howard was born in the UK, moved to the U.S. full time in 2005. He had immediate success by winning the USF2000 Championship and Rookie of the Year Honors. With a total of nine wins on the season, Jay broke the win record of eventual Indy 500 winner Dan Weldon. In 2006, Jay claimed the Indy Pro Series (Indy Lights) Championship and Rookie of the Year Honors while driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports with two wins, two pole positions and seven podium finishes in 12 starts. This was an essential step to the top-level of open-wheel racing.

Jay started his INDYCAR career in 2008 and still makes annual attempts to compete in the series. Prior to qualifying for his first Indianapolis 500, Howard also won the seventh annual karting event: RoboPong 200 at New Castle Motorsports Park. A popular fixture at key karting classics across the country, Jay has finished first or second every year he entered the annual Red Bull PRI Show All-Stars of karting event. Given his experience mentoring young drivers, it was no surprise when MTV handpicked Jay to serve as a driving coach for the network as part of a special promotion in their primetime lineup.

Jay is on a very short list of people that have won championships as a driver and as a team owner. This brings a unique approach to the way the team operates on a daily basis. His drive, determination and passion for winning in the sport he dearly loves is passed down to his drivers, pushing them to excel and strive to be the very best they can be everyday.

Jay is married to Courtney Howard and is a proud father to Hudson. He is also a lover of animals and a One Cure ambassador.

Career Highlights

2018 - Competed in the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM)
2018 - Started USF2000 team
2017–2018 - Named One Cure Ambassador
2017 - Started F4 United States Championship team
2017 - Competed in the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM)
2012-2017 - Driver coached many different drivers while kart racing at the highest level to stay sharp with race craft, including RoboPong 200 mile race. Testing with Maserati in Italy in GT3. Assigned as their #1 choice driver for the USA.
2011 - Competed in the 95th Indianapolis 500 in a joint effort between Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM)

2010 - Competed in four INDYCAR events driving for Sarah Fisher Racing/Service Central
2010 - Crowned RoboPong 200 champion
2009 - Competed in four (4) Firestone Indy Lights events for newcomers Palm Beach International Raceway
2007 - Earned top-5 finishes in three (3) starts for start-up Indy Lights team.
2006 - Crowned Indy Lights Series Champion driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports
2005 - Won the U.S. Formula Ford Zetec Championship, Rookie of the Year
2004 - Won U.S Formula Ford Zetec debut at Infineon Raceway
2003 - Awarded BRDC Rising Star honors

2003 - Won United Kingdom Formula Ford Zetec Championship with four victories and seven pole positions
2003 - Won United Kingdom Renault 2000 Winter Series Championship
2000 - Finished third in British Formula A Open Championship
1999 - Won ICA British Open Championship and Vice ICA British Champion
1998 - Competed in the ICA Championship for ex-World Karting Champion, Terry Fullerton, as a Fullerton Factory Driver
1997 - Won TKM British Open Championship, with a record six (6) wins in seven (7) starts, setting record still held today
1988-1996 - Competed in a variety of karting, traveling across the UK and Europe racing as a junior. Won five (5) national championships, and nine (9) regional championships.

Our mission

The mission of JHDD is to develop our own drivers internally by educating and passing down all of our knowledge to help the drivers perform to the very best of their ability.

Our job is to give the drivers all the tools, assets and information to win. If we are able to take a young driver and teach them the correct driving techniques, racecraft and mindset from the beginning, all while building their confidence, maintaining a consistent message and sense of continuity, the driver will be rewarded with results and championships.

Who better to teach this than Team Principal, Jay Howard—former Road to Indy champion, INDYCAR driver and now championship-winning team owner—who has the experience, knows exactly what it takes and how to WIN.