Hunter McElrea (born 21 November 1999 in Los Angeles, California, United States) is a New Zealand racing driver currently competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for TDS Racing.[1]
| Hunter McElrea | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality |  New Zealander | ||||||
| Born | 21 November 1999 Los Angeles, California, United States | ||||||
| IndyCar Series career | |||||||
| 1 race run over 1 year | |||||||
| Team(s) | No. 18 (Dale Coyne Racing) | ||||||
| Best finish | 41st (2024) | ||||||
| First race | 2024 Honda Indy Toronto (Exhibition Place) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Previous series | |||||||
| 2016–18 2019 2020–21 2022–23 | Australian Formula Ford U.S. F2000 National Championship Indy Pro 2000 Championship Indy Lights | ||||||
| Championship titles | |||||||
| 2024 2018 | IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (LMP2) Australian Formula Ford | ||||||
Career
editKarting
editMcElrea began his career in karting at the age of seven.[2]
Formula Ford
editIn 2015, McElrea stepped up to single-seaters, competing in Formula Ford championships in both Australia and New Zealand, sometimes with the family outfit McElrea Racing.[2][3] In 2018, McElrea contested a second full season of Australian Formula Ford with Sonic Motor Racing Services, accumulating thirteen wins and becoming the first non-Australian driver to win the title since 1985.[4]
Road to Indy
editUSF2000 Championship
editIn December 2018, McElrea won the $200,000 Mazda Road to Indy Shootout at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park to compete in the 2019 U.S. F2000 National Championship.[5] Joining with Pabst Racing, McElrea claimed four victories, including back-to-back wins at Portland and ultimately finished as championship runner-up after missing out on the title five points to Braden Eves.[6][7][8]
Indy Pro 2000
editIn October 2019, McElrea reunited with Pabst to partake in the Chris Griffis Memorial Test, setting the fastest time in the Indy Pro 2000 category.[9] In March the following year, Pabst officially confirmed McElrea as one of its entrants into the 2020 championship.[10] His rookie season in Indy Pro 2000 netted him 5th position in championship, with six podiums and a win at the final race of the year at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. McElrea again signed for Pabst Racing, for the 2021 season. McElrea won races at Barber Motorsports Park, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and New Jersey Motorsports Park on his way to 3rd in the championship. He also claimed seven podiums and a season leading five pole positions.
Indy Lights
editMcElrea signed with Andretti Autosport, for the 2022 Indy Lights season.[11] He scored pole position on debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.[12] In 2022 McElrea achieved three pole positions, two race wins at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Iowa Speedway, and claimed 'Rookie of the Year' honours.[13] On 3 September, Andretti Autosport announced that McElrea would join them again for the 2023 season.[14]
Indycar
editPersonal life
editMcElrea is the third generation in his motor racing family. His grandfather Rod McElrea won the New Zealand Beach Racing championships, in Nelson, in 1971 and the OSCA championships in 1983. His father Andy McElrea won the 1991 New Zealand Formula Ford Championship, and the 1996 New Zealand Trans-Am Championship.[3] Andy is also the Founder & Team Principal of McElrea Racing, which competes in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship & Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia.[15]
Racing record
editCareer summary
edit| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Queensland Formula Ford | McElrea Racing | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 83 | NC |
| 2016 | Australian Formula Ford Series | Torelli Motorsport | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 9th |
| Queensland Formula Ford 1600 Series | McElrea Racing | 8 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 117 | NC | |
| 2017 | Australian Formula Ford Series | Sonic Motor Racing Services | 17 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 189 | 4th |
| 2018 | Australian Formula Ford Series | Sonic Motor Racing Services | 21 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 321 | 1st |
| 2019 | U.S. F2000 National Championship | Pabst Racing | 15 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 356 | 2nd |
| 2020 | Indy Pro 2000 Championship | Pabst Racing | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 320 | 5th |
| 2021 | Indy Pro 2000 Championship | Pabst Racing | 18 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 378 | 3rd |
| 2022 | Indy Lights | Andretti Autosport | 14 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 460 | 4th |
| 2023 | Indy NXT | Andretti Autosport | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 474 | 2nd |
| 2024 | IMSA SportsCar Championship - LMP2 | TDS Racing | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1563 | 18th |
| IndyCar Series | Dale Coyne Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 41st |
* Season still in progress.
American open–wheel racing results
editU.S. F2000 National Championship
edit| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Pabst Racing | STP 1 3 |
STP 2 2 |
IMS 1 2 |
IMS 2 3 |
LOR 11 |
ROA 1 1 |
ROA 2 3 |
TOR 1 3 |
TOR 2 14 |
MDO 1 2 |
MDO 2 1 |
POR 1 1 |
POR 2 1 |
LAG 1 2 |
LAG 2 7 |
2nd | 356 |
Indy Pro 2000 Championship
edit| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Pabst Racing | ROA 1 15 |
ROA 2 15 |
MOH 1 8 |
MOH 2 6 |
MOH 3 2 |
LOR 2 |
GMP 11 |
IMS 1 2 |
IMS 2 6 |
IMS 3 2 |
MOH 4 3 |
MOH 5 9 |
NJM 1 6 |
NJM 2 4 |
NJM 3 5 |
STP 1 4 |
STP 2 1 |
5th | 320 | |
| 2021 | Pabst Racing | ALA 1 6 |
ALA 2 1 |
STP 1 3 |
STP 2 4 |
IMS 1 10 |
IMS 2 8 |
IMS 3 7 |
LOR 5 |
ROA 1 7 |
ROA 2 6 |
MOH 1 4 |
MOH 2 1 |
GMP 3 |
NJM 1 2 |
NJM 2 2 |
NJM 3 1 |
MOH 4 7 |
MOH 5 6 |
3rd | 378 |
Indy Lights/Indy NXT
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races with L indicate a race lap led) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Andretti Autosport | STP 14L |
ALA 12 |
IMS 1 2L |
IMS 2 6 |
DET 1 12 |
DET 2 2 |
RDA 3 |
MDO 1L* |
IOW 1L* |
NSH 3 |
GTW 5 |
POR 5 |
LAG 1 3 |
LAG 2 8 |
4th | 460 |
| 2023 | Andretti Autosport | STP 5 |
BAR 13 |
IMS 4 |
DET 7L |
DET 4 |
RDA 3 |
MDO 4 |
IOW 5 |
NSH 2 |
IMS 1L* |
GMP 3L |
POR 15 |
LAG 1L* |
LAG 2 |
2nd | 474 |
IndyCar Series
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dale Coyne Racing | Dallara DW12 | 18 | Honda | STP |
THE |
LBH |
ALA |
IMS |
INDY |
DET |
ROA |
LAG |
MDO |
IOW |
IOW |
TOR 24 |
GTW |
POR |
MIL |
MIL |
NSH |
41st | 6 | [16] |
Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results
edit(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | TDS Racing | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | DAY 13 |
SEB 2 |
WGL 9 |
MOS | ELK | IMS 1 |
PET 1 |
18th | 1563 |
References
edit- ^ Herrero, Daniel (1 September 2022). "McElrea signs new Indy Lights contract with Andretti". Speedcafe. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ a b "CATCHING UP WITH HUNTER MCELREA". 17 January 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ a b Lindsay, Brayden (13 October 2017). "Three generations team up in three-hour endurance motorsport race". Stuff. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "HUNTER MCELREA WINS WILD AUSTRALIAN FORMULA FORD TITLE". October 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Australian FFord champion Hunter McElrea wins MRTI Shootout". 10 December 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "MCELREA TO PABST RACING FOR 2019 COOPER TIRES USF2000 CHAMPIONSHIP EFFORT". 12 February 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "Hunter McElrea leads USF2000 after sweeping Portland". 2 September 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "Braden Eves Wears USF2000 Crown". Speed Sport. 22 September 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "VEEKAY, MCELREA, RASMUSSEN FASTEST AS IMS TEST ENDS". NTT IndyCar Series. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ "MCELREA MOVES UP THE ROAD TO INDY LADDER WITH PABST RACING". 7 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ Andretti (10 November 2021). "McElrea Signs with Andretti for 2022 Indy Lights Season".
- ^ "McElrea Steals St. Petersburg Pole in Closing Seconds". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ "Hunter McElrea wins Indy Lights Rookie of the Year". www.66magazine.co.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "McElrea Staying with Andretti for 2023 Indy Lights Season". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ "Andy McElrea". www.mcelrearacing.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
- ^ "Hunter McElrea – 2024 NTT IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
External links
edit- Official website
- Hunter McElrea career summary at DriverDB.com
- Hunter McElrea driver statistics at Racing-Reference
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