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SILVERSTONE, England - As Formula One expands its reach into the United States, theres still a missing ingredient that could keep some fans away from the stands — an American driver on the grid. There hasnt been an American in Formula One since 2007 when Scott Speed drove for Toro Rosso. But the pressure is building for an American to make the jump now that the United States successfully hosted the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, last year and is set to hold second grand prix in New Jersey as soon as 2014. "It would be tremendous boost for Formula One to have an American driver," Mario Andretti, the Formula One champion in 1978, told The Associated Press. "It would not only be good for America but also Formula One. No question about it. The U.S. is a very powerful nation from the standpoint of the financial situation. Every company in Formula One now does business in the Unites States." Scores of Americans have given F1 a try but few have succeeded. Andretti was the last American to win a drivers championship title and before him it was Phil Hill in 1961. More common were the likes of Andrettis son Michael, who raced 13 grand prix races for McLaren in 1993 with a third-place finish as his best result. Speed never scored a point in the two years he raced in F1. There was talk in 2010 of creating an American team dubbed USF1 team with strong backing from YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley and featuring Danica Patrick and possibly Speed as drivers. But USF1 struggled to attract sponsors amid the global recession and ran afoul of F1 when it didnt race in 2010. The dearth of drivers — there are only Americans Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly in all the F1 feeders — is blamed on the a mix of cultural and financial factors. Among the biggest challenges is raising the millions needed to fund a team from American corporations that may have doubts about the benefits of investing in a sport that is not a major attraction in the U.S. "Its extremely difficult for an American mostly because there is no American support from companies," said Speed, who now races in NASCAR and Global Rally Cross. "Why would an American company spend x amount of money in Formula One when they can get 10 times that exposure in America racing NASCAR? It makes zero sense financially." F1 drivers and executives said it also can be difficult for an American to make the transition to F1 since they are raised on tracks and a system that grooms them for IndyCar and NASCAR rather than serpentine circuits of Europe. There also isnt the kind of support system that European drivers can count on to provide mentoring and the occasional break as they attempt to rise through the ranks of the sport. "Formula One has flirted with North American for many years but Formula One hasnt been seen as the pinnacle of the sport in the eyes of youngster in North America. North America has evolved in a slightly different approach with things like NASCAR," said McLarens Martin Whitmarsh, who heads the F1 teams association. "North American doesnt have the karting program. Without exception, every single one of these (F1) drivers started at 8 or 9 in karting and went into competitive karting. Karting became the launch pad for their careers." In the short term, Whitmarsh said prospective American drivers will have to go to Europe early on in their careers. But Andretti said the addition of two American races should help in the long-term — by inspiring more youngsters to take up the sport, providing the facilities needed to develop that talent and convincing American companies to step up their sponsorship. Rossi and Daly have beaten the odds partly because they are not your typical American drivers. Rossi is a reserve driver for Caterham and drives for them in the series GP2 which is a notch below F1. Daly drives in a lesser, GP3 series with ART Grand Prix. Both grew up on F1 — Rossi watching as a 6-year-old with his father — and Daly benefiting from the stories a father, Derek, who raced in F1 from 1978 to 1982. They also raced in Europe at a young age which Whitmarsh and others recommend. Rossi moved to Italy at 16 to pursue his F1 dream while the 21-year-old Daly first raced as a 16-year-old in Europe before moving there in 2011. The duo also have the belief they will make it to F1 — emboldened by the success they have had so far. Daly won a race in Barcelona last year and again this year in Valencia and sits fifth in the GP3 standings. Rossi joined Caterham in 2011 as a test driver and was named a reserve driver this year. He then replaced Chinese reserve driver Ma Qing Hua in GP2 after the opening race in Malaysia and placed third place in Bahrain. "When we were able to come over here and win races and qualify on pole, it justified that we can do it too. That is what has been encouraging," Daly said. "Rossi has been great so far and he has done an awesome job and he has kind of gotten there with Caterham already," he said. "Its not just one American we want in F1. Its as many as we can get. Right now, its just us two that at least have made it into Formula One cars and are kind of getting there." The two also understand the significance of becoming the next American on the grid. They have already witnessed a few flag-waving Americans at European races and the kind of support that comes across Twitter and Facebook when they win races. Doing that in Austin or New Jersey, they said, would be special. "It would mean everything not only to be an American on the grid but to be an American on the grid as Formula One starts to rebuild an audience in America," Rossi said. "The timing would be amazing." Noting the buzz he saw for Brit Lewis Hamilton at the British GP and Spaniard Fernando Alonso at the Spanish GP, Daly said an American race needs a homegrown driver. "In America, we have a race. Any drivers? No. Was there a good crowd? Absolutely, its a great venue Austin and the track is incredible. But in reality, who do Americans have to cheer for?" he said. "Its like the Olympics. When you watch the Olympics, you want to see Americans do well." Adidas Shoes Canada . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Cheap Adidas Shoes Online Canada . It was the second consecutive win for the Pacers (2-5), who lost their first five preseason games. Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-5) with 17 points and eight assists and Al Horford had 12 points and seven rebounds. Mike Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. http://www.discountadidasshoescanada.com/ . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Cheap Adidas Shoes Canada . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Adidas Shoes Canada Online . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. When your programs motto is row the boat, you cant be too preoccupied with where it will end up.Focus on the process and the results will follow. Thats how Western Michigan is reacting to a pair of head-turning victories over Big Ten schools.The Broncos and coach P.J. Fleck have made quite an impression to start this season, beating Northwestern and Illinois on the road and living up -- so far -- to their billing as favorites in the Mid-American Conference. The 35-year-old Fleck still talks with the same kind of energy he showed when he took over the job before the 2013 season. Only now, WMU is having so much success that a more even-keeled approach is sometimes required.Obviously, beating the two Big Ten schools has gotten a lot of attention, he said. But to us, they were just another win, and maybe one day well look back at the end of the year and look at it a little differently.Before this season, Fleck tried to keep expectations under control, scoffing at the idea that his team was favored in the MAC. The hype has only grown since then. The Broncos opened the season with a 22-21 win at Northwestern. After routing North Carolina Central, they went on the road again and thumped Illinois 34-10.Now WMU can start dreaming about a truly special season. Those victories raised the stakes.Theyve earned the right to have expectation and pressure. A lot of people go through life and never have that, Fleck said. If youre not any good, you dont have any pressure. ... That was the one thing we wanted to create here.Western Michigan went 1-11 in Flecks first season, and offensive lineman Taylor Moton recalls a bit of upheaval after the new coach arrived.There was a divide, Moton said.New coaches often face challenging transitions, and it took some time for Fleck to put together a roster talented enough to compete.Well, 1-11 gets you thrown out of the boat very quickly. Thats what everyone wanted to do to me, Fleck said. Thats when you need to row the boat the hardest.Immediately after that season, Fleck signed a recruiting class in 2014 that was ranked by Scout.com as the best in the MAC. Since then, the Broncos havent looked back, on the field or the recruiting trail. They went 8-5 each of the past two seasons, winning the Bahamas Bowl laast year for the first bowl victory in school history.ddddddddddddRow the boat has become an ideal mantra for a team like WMU -- quirky enough to draw attention to an under-the-radar school and unusual enough to give the program an identity that players, coaches and fans can rally around. It helps that Fleck is such an effective messenger.`Row the boat can truly be a never-give-up mantra for every single person, and I think thats what it was designed to do, he said. People that hate Western Michigan football, people that hate football in general, they can still relate to our culture because of `row the boat. Ive lost a child, so anybody thats lost a child can relate to `row the boat. Ive been divorced, so anybody thats been divorced can relate to `row the boat.Fleck wants the programs motto to apply on and off the field, and the phrase obviously resonates more when the Broncos are winning. WMU converted four times on fourth down in the victory over Northwestern. Morale was already high coming into the season for the Broncos, but that win was a nice early sign of what was possible.I feel like we are always confident, Moton said, before adding that it was great to see the teams progress coming to fruition that week.After sweeping the two Big Ten teams in the state of Illinois, the Broncos still have to prove they can measure up against the MACs lone football team from that state. That would be Northern Illinois, which has played in the MAC title game six straight seasons and stands in WMUs way in the West Division.The Broncos host Northern Illinois on Oct. 8 -- and there are challenges even before that game. On Oct. 1, WMU plays at Central Michigan, which upset Oklahoma State. And this weekend, the Broncos host a Georgia Southern team that beat them 43-17 last year.In other words, now is not the time to take a break from rowing. Not even for a moment.You can only row where youre at, Fleck said. You cant row six miles out (in) the river or the lake or the ocean. Youve got to go right now.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister---Online: AP College Football website www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '