A Team Pelfrey Star Mazda car driven by Petri Suvanto in 2012
Team Pelfrey is an American racing team in the F1600 Championship Series and F2000 Championship Series .[ 4] The team is owned by Dale Pelfrey.[ 2] [ 3]
Indy Racing League (1998–2000)
John Paul Jr. replaced Danny Ongais as driver for the 1998 Indianapolis 500 due to Ongais crashing and suffering a concussion.[ 11] Paul Jr. finished seventh and led the race.[ 12] Robby Unser drove for Pelfrey in 1999 .[ 13] Lyn St. James failed to qualify for the 1999 Indianapolis 500 due to rain on the final qualifying day and a backup car accident.[ 14] The team was put up for auction on eBay in June 1999. The high bid was $1,500,300 and did not meet the reserve of $3 million.[ 2] [ 15] Sarah Fisher raced for the team at Texas Motor Speedway in 1999.[ 16] [ 17] Billy Boat drove for Pelfrey after being unable to fund his own team for the 2000 Indy Racing League season .[ 18] Boat wrecked his Pelfrey primary car for the 2000 Indianapolis 500 , but would qualify driving for A. J. Foyt Enterprises .[ 19] [ 20] [ 21]
Road to Indy (2011–present)
USF2000 and Pro Mazda
The team returned to racing in the 2011 Star Mazda Championship with driver Nick Andries .[ 3] Jack Hawksworth won the 2012 Star Mazda Championship .[ 8] Pelfrey would join the U.S. F2000 National Championship in 2015 .[ 8] Santiago Urrutia won the 2015 Pro Mazda Championship .[ 9] Both series teams underwent a leadership change in May 2016, with Dale Pelfrey taking over operations from Nigel Tuckey.[ 22] Aaron Telitz won the 2016 Pro Mazda Championship over teammate Patricio O'Ward .[ 10] [ 23] Team Pelfrey's USF2000 and Pro Mazda teams moved from Pompano Beach, Florida to Indianapolis, Indiana in late 2016. The team was located at TKM Inc. under Thomas Knapp.[ 1] Pelfrey shut down its USF2000 after the 2018 season.[ 7]
Indy Lights
2016
Team Pelfrey purchased 8 Star Motorsports and entered two cars in the 2016 Indy Lights series.[ 6] [ 24] Felix Rosenqvist tested with the team at Palm Beach International Raceway , but would later sign with Belardi Auto Racing .[ 24] [ 25] [ 26] Juan Piedrahita became the team's full-time driver, with Scott Hargrove running several races.[ 27] [ 28] Garett Grist moved up from Pro Mazda for the road course races starting at Road America , replacing Hargrove.[ 29] Piedrahita left the team after Toronto and Sean Rayhall joined for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca .[ 30] [ 31]
2017
Juan Piedrahita rejoined Team Pelfrey for the 2017 Indy Lights season.[ 32] Patricio O'Ward joined the team for St. Petersburg and finished third in race two.[ 33] [ 34] [ 35] Piedrahita won the pole at Gateway and finished 2nd.[ 36] [ 37]
2018
Neil Alberico and Shelby Blackstock joined the team for St. Petersburg.[ 7] [ 38] Davey Hamilton Jr. joined for the Freedom 100 .[ 7] [ 39] The team moved its operations from Florida to Indianapolis before the 2019 season.[ 7]
2019
Toby Sowery joined the team for St. Petersburg.[ 5] Sowery won for HMD Motorsports /Team Pelfrey at the Sunday Portland race.[ 40] [ 41]
Driver history
Indy Racing League
Road to Indy
Indy Lights (2016–present)
Pro Mazda Championship (2011–present)
U.S. F2000 National Championship (2015–present)
Complete racing results
Indy Racing League
(key )
Indy Lights
(key )
Star Mazda/Pro Mazda Championship
key )
U.S. F2000 National Championship
key )
F1600 Championship Series
F1600 Championship Series results
Year
Car
No.
Driver
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Pos
Points
2021
CMP
MO
BAR
PITT
RA
SP
ABCC
PITT
Mygale
81
Nicholas d'Orlando
13
1
1
3
2
2
DNF
1
1
1
26
1
3
5
1
DNF
1
1
1
2
3
1
1
DNF
1st
901
80
Hugh Esterson
3
12
7
7
4
10
2
9
8
2
16
3
6
11
6
DNF
7
4
6
9
2
3
3
3
5th
642
84
David Adorno
21
18
15
8
11
14
16
8
10
11
12
8
18
17
8
11
11
14
11
11
6
10th
358
2022
CMP
MO
BAR
PITT
ABCC
SP
PITT
Mygale
80
Hugh Esterson
DNF
3
14
4
6
2
1
3
3
1
2
16
4
9
3
4
1
18
2
2
3
3rd
678
81
Nolan Allaer
2
19
4
22
9
6
3
4
7
3
4
1
6
4
5
1
3
12
3
3
2
4th
647
82
Ayrton Houk
1
2
2
3
1
13
4
1
5
10
1
3
7
3
16
17
2
1
9
4
4
2nd
704
84
David Adorno
12
14
8
DNS
20
DNF
8
10
8
7
9
5
21
11
22
14th
247
2023
RAT
MO
LRP
PITT
RA
NJMP
SP
Mygale
80
Sebastian Mateo Naranjo
2
7
19
7
6
8
9
11
5
4
3
1
4
2
4
4
5
5
3
20
3
4th
597
81
Dillion Defonce
7
8
8
11
7
8
12
3
14
13th
219
82
Karsten Defonce
11
23
16
25
9
15
11
8
13
20th
170
83
Ken Bouquillion
18
16
24
13
4
11
10
7
6
10th
291
84
David Adorno
10
13
13
20
11
14
23
23
22
9
6
10
11th
255
88
Dexter Czuba
10
9
7
38th
71
Hugh Esterson
6
DNF
DNF
48th
31
F2000 Championship Series
References
^ a b Malsher, David (December 15, 2016). "Team Pelfrey relocates to Indianapolis" . Motorsport . Retrieved 21 March 2017 .
^ a b c Lamm, Marcy (July 5, 1999). "Want an Indy Racing League team? Click here!" . American City Business Journals . Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ a b c d "Pelfrey Fielding New Star Mazda Team" . National Speed Sport News . January 14, 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ a b "Team Pelfrey F1600" . Team Pelfrey . Retrieved 17 August 2020 .
^ a b "Claman flag to flag in St. Pete Indy Lights Race 1" . Racer . 9 March 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2019 .
^ a b c "Team Pelfrey Expands To Indy Lights" . National Speed Sport News . October 26, 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ a b c d e Malsher, David (September 7, 2018). "Team Pelfrey relaunches Indy Lights team, relocates to Indy" . Motorsport . Retrieved 14 March 2019 .
^ a b c "Team Pelfrey Expands Scope To USF2000" . National Speed Sport News . November 14, 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ a b DiZinno, Tony (September 12, 2015). "Santi Urrutia claims Pro Mazda title in dramatic fashion at Mazda Raceway" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ a b DiZinno, Tony (September 11, 2016). "Aaron Telitz brings home the Pro Mazda title for Team Pelfrey" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 4 October 2016 .
^ Harris, Mike (May 15, 1998). "Paul appreciates Indy opportunity" . The Tuscaloosa News . The Associated Press. p. 3C. Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ "Embattled racer John Paul Jr. trades checkered past for checkered flag" . Las Vegas Sun . October 7, 1998. Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ Carroll, Chris (March 21, 1999). "Publisher's Link aims to unite African-Americans in Texas" . Houston Business Journal . Retrieved 20 April 2016 .
^ Glick, Shav (May 24, 1999). "Rain Brings Disappointment as Indianapolis 500 Field Set" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 20 April 2016 .
^ "Fried improving from injuries, hoping to return to work soon" . Star-News . Associated Press. June 27, 1999. p. 7C. Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ Smith, Steven Cole. "Can This Little Girl Help Save The IRL?" . Car and Driver . Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ Smith, Steven Cole. "Sarah Fisher: The Female Driver With the Most Indianapolis 500 Starts" . Car and Driver . Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ Newberry, Paul (June 9, 2000). "Boat trying to adjust to racing life outside the fast lane" . The Daily Gazette . The Associated Press. p. C6. Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ Glick, Shav (May 22, 2000). "Qualifying Turns Into a Boat Race" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ Harris, Mike (May 22, 2000). "Frenzied finish to Indy qualifying" . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . The Associated Press. p. D-7. Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ "Boat battles back to respectability with Team Pelfrey" . The Spokesman-Review . The Associated Press. June 7, 2000. p. C3. Retrieved 16 April 2016 .
^ DiZinno, Tony (May 26, 2016). "Team Pelfrey restructures its operations, leadership structure" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 26 June 2016 .
^ "Telitz Locks Up Pro Mazda Championship" . National Speed Sport News . September 11, 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016 .
^ a b DiZinno, Tony (January 18, 2016). "MRTI: Team Pelfrey primed for big first full season in Indy Lights" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ Simmons, Marcus (December 11, 2015). "Euro F3 champion and Macau GP winner Rosenqvist to test Indy Lights" . Autosport . Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ Simmons, Marcus (February 23, 2016). "Macau GP winner and F3 champ Rosenqvist secures Indy Lights move" . Autosport . Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ DiZinno, Tony (February 18, 2016). "Piedrahita confirmed as Team Pelfrey's first Indy Lights driver" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ DiZinno, Tony (March 24, 2016). "Hargrove, Pelfrey, plan Phoenix, Barber in working towards full season" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 17 April 2016 .
^ DiZinno, Tony (June 14, 2016). "Garett Grist steps up to Indy Lights with Team Pelfrey" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 26 June 2016 .
^ DiZinno, Tony (July 27, 2016). "MRTI: Potential dramatic weekend looms ahead at Mid-Ohio" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 5 October 2016 .
^ DiZinno, Tony (September 6, 2016). "Sean Rayhall makes Indy Lights return with Pelfrey in Monterey" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 4 October 2016 .
^ Khorounzhiy, Valentin (February 3, 2017). "Piedrahita to contest fourth Indy Lights season in 2017" . Motorsport . Retrieved 21 March 2017 .
^ Malsher, David (March 1, 2017). "Pelfrey to run O'Ward in Lights season-opener" . Motorsport . Retrieved 21 March 2017 .
^ DiZinno, Tony (March 1, 2017). "Telitz, O'Ward both formally confirmed for Indy Lights step-up" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 21 March 2017 .
^ Malsher, David (March 12, 2017). "St Pete Indy Lights: Herta holds off Urrutia for Race 2 win" . Motorsport . Retrieved 21 March 2017 .
^ Malsher, David (August 26, 2017). "Gateway Indy Lights: Piedrahita scores shock pole" . Motorsport . Retrieved 17 February 2018 .
^ DiZinno, Tony (August 26, 2017). "Urrutia wins Gateway as Kaiser all but seals Indy Lights title" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 17 February 2018 .
^ Lavigne, Kyle (March 5, 2018). "MRTI: Team Pelfrey signs Alberico for St. Petersburg" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 7 March 2018 .
^ Malsher, David (April 30, 2018). "Hamilton Jr. to race Indy Lights' Freedom 100 for Pelfrey" . NBC Sports . Retrieved 25 May 2018 .
^ "Sowery Earns First Indy Lights Triumph" . National Speed Sport News . 1 September 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ "Sowery scores hard-earned first Indy Lights triumph at Portland" . RACER . 1 September 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
External links