About Us
BEAMdesigns
remembers Indianapolis History with themed helmets for Jimmie
Johnson and Tony Stewart for 2010 Brickyard 400!
For the past two decades, Jason Beam has gained a stellar reputation for creating the most unique, custom painted helmets in the motorsports industry. His eye-catching designs have graced the headgear of legendary racers from Daytona to Dakar. The unrivaled quality and attention to detail that Jason brings to each helmet has made BEAMdesigns the go-to paint shop for professionals throughout the racing world!
Jason Beam celebrates his 25th year of creating the most sought-after helmets in autoracing, by commemorating two one-of-a-kind helmet designs for the 2010 Brickyard 400 held at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for me to simultaneously capture the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway along with the personal history of two of today’s champion drivers (Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart). I have always had a passion, love and respect for the Indianapolis 500 and the history of autoracing as we know it. It has continuously shaped the future of the sport and of the automobile itself. I have always wanted to design a helmet that had the elements of its special history-making events involving the sport, so what better place than the Brickyard?”
The Idea :
Honestly, the ideas came easy to me…
Tony Stewart, a long-time client and friend, is probably one of the biggest fans of the Speedway and the History that helped shape it. Tony’s helmet design was difficult because there are so many elements that could have portrayed his passion for the track, the hardest part was choosing which elements I could actually fit onto the helmet. The first thing that came to mind was the #14 and AJ Foyt., and of course, Ray Harroun, the 1st Indy winner in 1911..
Jimmie Johnson, a long time friend of mine and fan of every type of racing, has become a 3-time winner at this place, so I knew he was a driver that would appreciate the concept of incorporating the history onto his helmet. I thought to base his individual helmet on the Chevrolet brothers of Louis and Gaston, whose inspiration of building their first automobile, came from this very speedway.
Every element on both helmets have to do with the drivers sponsors and own history involved with the speedway. Tony Stewart ’s # 14 car is represented in the design with 4-time winner AJ Foyt, in which Stewart based his car’s number. Bill Vukavich was also a winner here in the # 14, so I incorporated numerous elements in his design, along with program cover of the 1914 Indy 500.
So many huge elements made these helmets special in an artistic standpoint, and I feel strongly these could be my most proud pieces of art yet. Over 70 hours of effort have been achieved by everyone involved. Only one thing could make these better and that would be if Tony or Jimmie were to win with one of these helmets during the race!!!
