Indy NXT Driver James Roe Has An Unbelievable Notre Dame Tribute Helmet

There's a lot of debate in the motorsports world about drivers' helmet designs. Some say that especially in the case of drivers in open-wheel series, they should keep it the same every race because it's how they're identified while in the car.

However, it has become increasingly common for drivers to use special helmets for select races and Indy NXT driver James Roe dropped an absolute beauty for the series' double-header at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course that pays homage to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

If you're unfamiliar with Indy NXT, it's a feeder series to the NTT IndyCar Series. It Is to IndyCar what F2 is to F1 and the NASCAR Xfinity Series is to the NASCAR Cup Series.

So, a lot of drivers on the current IndyCar grid have come through the series (which used to be called Indy Lights) and it's got a solid field of drivers.

Roe went into this weekend with a Top 5 under his belt at the Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park late last month, but he also came in with the best brain bucket of the weekend.

I mean, c'mon; just look at this thing.

That's about as good as it gets for a special lid. 

I get the arguments against them, but I kind of love seeing drivers use different helmets every once in a while. 

They're sort of like goalie masks. Sure, some guys like Curtis Joseph or Marty Brodeur adopted an iconic look that they kept virtually their entire career, but others like to mess around with their lids and use them to express themselves, commemorate special events, or just because it's cool.

Roe took that lucky lid of his to a solid P4 finish in Saturday's second and final race of the weekend for the guys and gals of Indy NXT.