Dennis Vitolo

Last updated
Dennis Vitolo
NationalityAmerican
Born (1956-12-18) December 18, 1956 (age 66)
Massapequa, New York, U.S.
Retired1999
CART World Series
Years active1988–1989, 1991–1999
Teams Bettenhausen Racing
Dale Coyne Racing
Walker Racing
Dick Simon Racing
Pagan Racing
Project Indy
Payton/Coyne Racing
Starts36
Wins0
Poles0
Best finish25th in 1997
Previous series
1997 Indy Racing League

Dennis Vitolo (born December 18, 1956) is an American former race driver who competed in the CART series. He raced in the 1988 and 1991-1999 seasons with 36 career starts, including the 1994 Indianapolis 500. He was involved in a crash in that race, taking out reigning CART champion Nigel Mansell in an incident that occurred under caution. The field had slowed and Vitolo ran into the rear of Mansell's car on the warm-up lane between turns 1 and 2. [1] He also raced in the 1997 Indianapolis 500, which by then had become part of the Indy Racing League. His best career CART finish was 7th, in the U.S. 500 at Michigan International Speedway. Vitolo also mentored NASCAR Driver Mike Senica as the two met back in 1994 after the Indianapolis 500.

Contents

Racing record

American Open Wheel racing results

(key)

CART

YearTeam1234567891011121314151617181920RankPointsRef
1988 Bettenhausen Racing PHXLBH INDY MILPORCLETORMEAMISPOCMDOROANZRLSMIA
11
33rd2 [2]
1989 Bettenhausen Racing PHXLBH INDY MILDET
DNQ
PORCLEMEATORMISPOCMDO
DNQ
ROANZRLSNC- [3]
1991 Dale Coyne Racing SRF
24
LBH
26
PHX INDY MILDET
20
PORCLEMEATORMISDENVANMDOROANZR
14
LS37th0 [4]
1992 Dale Coyne Racing SRF PHX
21
LBH INDY DETPORMILNHM
14
TORMISCLEROAVANNZR
20
LS
17
42nd0 [5]
Walker Motorsport MDO
DNS
1993 Dale Coyne Racing SRF PHXLBH INDY MILDET
DNQ
PORCLETORMISNHMROAVANMDONZRLSNC- [6]
1994 Dick Simon Racing SRF PHXLBH INDY
26
MILDETPORCLETORMISMDONHMVANROANZRLS53rd0 [7]
1995 Pagan Racing MIA
18
SRF PHXLBHNZR INDY MILDETPORROATORCLEMISMDONHMVANLS41st0 [8]
1996 Project Indy MIA RIO SRF LBH
17
NZR 500 MIL DET PORCLETORMISMDOROAVANLS38th0 [9]
1997 Project Indy MIA
23
SRF LBH
Wth
NZR
DNQ
RIOGATMILDETPORCLE VAN
27
LS
20
25th6 [10]
Payton/Coyne Racing TOR
28
MIS
7
MDOROA FON
16
1998 Payton/Coyne Racing MIA
25
MOT LBHNZR
25
RIO GAT
25
MIL
DNQ
DET
28
POR
18
CLE
24
TOR MIS
26
MDOROAVAN
17
LS
26
HOU
19
SRF
DNQ
FON
25
33rd0 [11]
1999 Payton/Coyne Racing MIA
16
MOTLBHNZR
Wth
RIOGAT
24
MIL
22
PORCLEROA TOR
18
MIS
11
DETMDOCHI
15
VANLSHOU SRF FON
15
30th2 [12]

Indy Racing League

YearTeamChassisNo.Engine12345678910RankPointsRef
1996-97 Beck Motorsports Dallara IR754 Infiniti NHM LVS WDW PHX INDY
15
TXS PPIR CHR NH2 LV2 45th20 [13]

Indianapolis 500

YearChassisEngineStartFinishTeam
1994 Lola T93/00 Ford XB 1526 Dick Simon Racing
1997 Dallara Infiniti 2815 Beck Motorsports

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arie Luyendyk</span> Dutch racing driver

Arie Luijendijk, nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," is a Dutch former auto racing driver, and winner of the 1990 and 1997 Indianapolis 500 races. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2009, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2014.

Stanley Cole Fuchs, known professionally as Stan Fox, was an American open wheel race car driver. Fox was one of the last links between the midget car racing world and the Indianapolis 500.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Rahal</span> American racing driver

Robert Woodward Rahal is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 and 2020 Indy 500s as a team owner for Buddy Rice and Takuma Sato, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Cheever</span> American racing driver

Edward McKayCheever Jr. is an American former racing driver who raced for almost 30 years in Formula One, sports cars, CART, and the Indy Racing League. Cheever participated in 143 Formula One World Championship races and started 132, more than any other American, driving for nine different teams from 1978 through 1989. In 1996, he formed his own IRL team, Team Cheever, and won the 1998 Indianapolis 500 as both owner and driver. The team later competed in sports cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Unser Jr.</span> American racecar driver

Alfred Unser Jr., nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior", or simply "Junior", is a retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Andretti</span> American racing driver

Michael Mario Andretti is an American semi-retired auto racing driver and current team owner. Statistically one of the most successful drivers in the history of American open-wheel car racing, Andretti won the 1991 CART PPG Indy Car World Series and amassed 42 race victories, the most in the CART era and fourth-most all time. Since his retirement from active racing, Andretti has owned Andretti Autosport, which has won four IndyCar Series championships and five Indianapolis 500 races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Sullivan</span> American racecar driver

Daniel John Sullivan III, better known as Danny Sullivan, is an American former racing driver. He earned 17 wins in the CART Indy Car World Series, including the 1985 Indianapolis 500. Sullivan won the 1988 CART Championship, and placed third in points in 1986. Sullivan also scored a victory in IROC. He competed in the 1983 Formula One season with Tyrrell, scoring 2 championship points.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raul Boesel</span> Brazilian racing driver

Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a Brazilian former racing driver who raced for the March and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Crawford (racing driver)</span> British racing driver

James Alan Crawford was a British racing driver from Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gil de Ferran</span> Brazilian racecar driver and team owner

Gil de Ferran is a French-born Brazilian professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car champion driving for Team Penske and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500. He also finished runner-up in the American Le Mans Series LMP1 class in 2009, with his own de Ferran Motorsports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Vasser</span> American racecar driver and team owner

James Vasser Jr. is an American former racing driver. Vasser won the 1996 CART IndyCar championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series. Vasser was the last American to win the CART championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Andretti</span> American race car driver (1963–2020)

John Andrew Andretti was an American race car driver. He won individual races in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series, and NASCAR during his career. A member of the Andretti racing family, he was the son of Aldo Andretti, older brother of racer Adam Andretti, nephew of Mario Andretti, and first cousin to IndyCar champion Michael and Jeff Andretti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Herta</span> American race car driver

Bryan John Herta is an American race strategist and former race car driver. He currently runs his own team, Bryan Herta Autosport in the NTT IndyCar Series and is the strategist for the #27 Andretti Autosport in the same series. His team won the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with driver Dan Wheldon and the 2016 Indianapolis 500 with driver Alexander Rossi. He is the father and former strategist of IndyCar driver Colton Herta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Goodyear</span> Canadian former race car driver

Scott Goodyear is a Canadian former race car driver. He ran the Indy Racing League and Champ Car series during his career from 1987, winning the Michigan 500 in 1992 and 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Sharp</span> American racing driver

Scott Sharp is an American professional racing driver in the United SportsCar Championship. He is the son of six-time SCCA champion Bob Sharp. Sharp is best known for his years as a competitor in the Indy Racing League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Brayton</span> American open-wheel racing driver

Scott Everts Brayton was an American race car driver on the American open-wheel circuit. He competed in 14 Indianapolis 500s, beginning with the 1981 event. Brayton was killed in practice after qualifying for the pole position for the 1996 race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richie Hearn</span> American racing driver

Richie Hearn is an American former racing driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Bettenhausen</span> American racing driver

Gary Bettenhausen was an American midget car driver. He was the winner the 1967 and 1970 Turkey Night Grand Prix, the 1972 Astro Grand Prix, and the 1976 Hut Hundred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoff Brabham</span> Australian racecar driver

Geoff Brabham is an Australian racing driver. Brabham spent the majority of his racing career in the United States.

Michael Dennis Groff is a former race car driver who competed in CART and the IRL IndyCar Series and was the 1989 Indy Lights champion. His younger brother Robbie was also a CART and IRL driver from 1994 to 1998.

References

  1. Reed, Terry. id=uahb3ND5jxwC&pg=PA176&lpg=PA176&dq=1994+indianapolis+500+dennis+vitolo&source=web&ots=lNAfy_RI4-&sig=vZk79hPo481bQwbNWEWXrKwFi-A#PPA176,M1 Indy: The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500
  2. "Dennis Vitolo – 1988 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  3. "Dennis Vitolo – 1989 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  4. "Dennis Vitolo – 1991 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  5. "Dennis Vitolo – 1992 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  6. "Dennis Vitolo – 1993 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  7. "Dennis Vitolo – 1994 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  8. "Dennis Vitolo – 1995 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  9. "Dennis Vitolo – 1996 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  10. "Dennis Vitolo – 1997 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  11. "Dennis Vitolo – 1998 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  12. "Dennis Vitolo – 1999 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  13. "Dennis Vitolo – 1997 Indy Racing League Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 7, 2023.