Greene Steps Up to IndyCar Challenge
August 19, 2009 by Andrew Nicholson
In a prelude to the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway Aug. 21-23, IndyCar series driver Justin Wilson challenged Kings forward Donté Greene to a game of I-N-D-Y-C-A-R on the blacktop of the ARCO Arena parking lot followed by a behind-the-wheel competition of IndyCar iRacing motorsport simulation.
Despite having just completed his rigorous morning workout with strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro, the ever-competitive Greene was up to the test.
As the tallest driver in the IndyCar series at 6-foot-3, the native of England has the size to be an NBA point guard but, when it comes to I-N-D-Y-C-A-R, height has little do with the outcome.
After opening the game with a few midrange and behind-the-backboard shots, Wilson suggested Greene was “taking it easy” on him. Rather than refute the claim, Greene stepped outside and quickly ended the competition with a shutout.
As the Kings forward grinned, Wilson admitted he’d been to basketball games before but had never actually played!
Feeling confident about his victory on the court, Greene stepped into the iRacing simulation trailer with hopes of upsetting the Watkins Glen winner.
As the handful of reporters and cameramen surrounded the pair, Greene sat in the iRacing simulator as Wilson stood behind him giving him advance scouting tips on the course, which is identical to Infineon Raceway. According to Wilson, simulated racing can be an essential preparation tool for races. A savvy videogamer, Greene can’t say the same about basketball games.
“You can’t compare playing videogames for basketball to this,” Greene laughed. “You can steal moves on videogames and then go on-court and work on them.”
For an iRacing rookie, Greene fared well on the racetrack, but Wilson secured a win by 30 seconds.
“He kind of topped me out,” Greene said smiling. “I kind of crashed a little bit but that’s why he’s a pro. IndyCar’s definitely tough — (knowing) when to brake, when a turn is coming — it’s definitely not regular driving. I definitely learned a little bit.”
Just as Greene gained an appreciation the IndyCar series, Wilson gained perspective on the talent necessary to play in the NBA.
“It’s great to meet up with Donté and see what these guys do up-close,” Wilson said. “I’ve sat there in the stands and watched. It’s pretty incredible to watch, the skill and coordination they have is pretty impressive.
“He took it easy by not making me do any really hard shots, but you could tell he had a lot more in reserve than he was letting on.”
With Wilson’s positive review on Greene’s first go-round on the track, the 6-foot-11 forward may have a post-NBA career in his sights.
“Maybe you’ll see me out there on the racetrack one of these days,” Greene said.
Eight inches shorter than Greene, Wilson already has issues with the racecar’s size, but that’s just another challenge for the Kings forward.
“You never know,” Greene said as he sat down for another race. “If you give me an IndyCar built for my size…”
Let's see another Donte Greene Show already!