He makes Beer,& hangs out at the Indy 500,to be popular on campus

He was seen on the National Mall in Washington DC playing cricket. Then he was spotted at the 2010 American College Cricket Spring Break Championship in March. Now this month he has been seen at the Indianapolis 500 race, hanging with race car drivers. Who are we talking about ? Forest Gump ?

No, its Hugo Scheckter of George Washington University, and he had a reason to be at the American College Cricket Championship, he was the President of the GWU Cricket Club, in his words “GW’s only nationally ranked team” and the “# 19 nationally ranked college cricket club” . At the Indianapolis 500 race Hugo is on the Pit Crew for his brother Tomas Scheckter.

Tomas Scheckter, now a veteran race driver, was the Indy 500 co-Rookie of the year in 2002. He started in go-karts in South Africa and progressed to Formula Racing in Europe. In 2006 he had 9 top 10 finishes in the IndyCar Series. Their father, Jody Scheckter was the 1979 Formula One Champion.

Latest news is that Hugo makes Beer, on his family farm in England, Laverstoke Park Farm. The beer is about to go on the market in the USA. We couldn’t help but wonder….is this all a giant scheme to make Hugo popular on campus ? Is this all just an elaborate set-up to get him girls ?

Our Investigative Reporter caught up with Hugo at the Indianapolis 500 and asked him some hard-hitting questions:

1. Tell us about the Laverstoke Park Farm, and do you really make Beer ?

My dad created the farm in 1996 to create the best food for his family, and it grew rapidly into the large company it is today! The beer organic, and there is an ale and a lager. It is bottled and grown with special crops from England, and should be available nationwide in the coming weeks !

2. Was the Beer making at your family’s farm your idea to help you get friends on campus ?

I’d like to think so. Most business decisions nowadays are made by how popular it can make your kids, and I’m glad to see my Dad did so. I bet Hugh Hefner’s son’s are also delighted with the route their dad took !

3. Describe the sound, the smell and the atmosphere of the pit and the racetrack.

It is amazing. Every time a car goes past at 230mph, you feel it run through your body. The smell is burning rubber, mixed with the corn based ethanol the cars run on, which has a unique, sweet smell. My favorite part of the month is the national anthem before the race. 300,000 people jammed in, all singing the last line of the Star Spangled Banner, and then the flyover. Stunning.

4. Have you been inside a Grand Prix or Formula One race car,and have you driven one ?
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I actually got wedged into my Dad’s Ferrari from back in the day. I’m not really the right build for it, but I got in anyway, and got stuck inside! They had to take the bodywork off to get me out! I’ve never driven them, it would scare the crap out of me! I am hoping to do a two seater experience here at Indy in the next few weeks!

5. When you were pulled over for speeding in D.C did you tell the cop that it was not your fault,that your family has a tradition of speeding ?

This was actually on the way back from Wooster for the Triangular Cricket -tournament there! I drove the whole way both their and back (about 8 hrs) and with about 15 mins to go I got clocked doing 36 in a 30, despite going at about 90 on the freeway the whole way. It was a camera not a cop, and it never came in the mail, so I guess they heard that I’m probably okay to drive quickly !

6. Now that England has ended their drought in World Championships in sports by winning the 2010 World T20 Cricket Championship, how does it feel and do you regret leaving the GW Cricket Club ? Perhaps you would have finally been allowed to play ?
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As my South African side of the family tells me, most of the players who won aren’t actually English! I’m proud that England won, and despite having split allegiances to England, USA and South Africa, I’m still a little bit more English! As for playing, I fielded against American University and against Wooster, but never batted or bowled, which was certainly a good thing for the team.
My talents are far better utilized doing paperwork and carrying water, which is actually what I’m doing at the Indy 500 this summer!

7. What’s it like having a brother as a Race Car driver ?

It’s cool – never really known anything else as both my older brothers have been racing since I was about 6… It’s almost like Tomas is a brother, friend and client all rolled into one. We’re related, but we hang out like friends do, but when we are at the track it all goes out the window, and if I’m not on my game then I’ll be in trouble like any other employee! It’s great fun though!

8. You claimed that being President of the GW Cricket put a strain on you, and affected your Academic performance to the point where you were on “Academic Probation”. Yet you are now running the GW Soccer Club. Did you tell us the truth ? Do we have a scandal here ? Are you just another politician ?
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Wow, Lloyd, not pulling any punches here! Cricket wasn’t the reason I was put on probation – It was a mix up on my part. In England the grade boundaries are much lower (about 60 is a B) so I never thought to check that they could be different! I found out a week before finals but it was too late! I ended up with a 0.9 GPA and on probation, but I’ve rebounded this semester with a 3.2, and that’s with going to the 2010 American College Cricket Championships!

Cricket was the best thing I did since coming to GWU, and I learnt so much. The time was right to leave cricket, and GW cricket is going to go from strength to strength with Victor Williams running things. GW Cricket and the ACC have made me more of a cricket fan than I ever was back home, and I’ve loved it. I’m looking forward to working with Soccer, but am also pumped to running the Club Sports Council, which has just agreed with GWU Administrators to quadruple the club sports budget! The only scandal going around is that I wasn’t named President of the All American cricket Team!! Haha

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SOME OTHER “POPULARITY PLOYS” BY HUGO