Kevin O'Connell (racing driver)

Kevin O'Connell
O'Connell in 2024
Born	(1967-04-29) April 29, 1967 (age 58) Newport Beach, California, U.S.
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2017 position	46th
Best finish	46th (2017)
First race	2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
7 races run over 5 years
2015 position	58th
Best finish	52nd (2014)
First race	2008 Corona México 200 (Mexico City)
Last race	2015 Road America 180 (Road America)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 0
Statistics up to date as of June 25, 2017.

Kevin O'Connell (born April 29, 1967) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet SS for Premium Motorsports.

Racing career

O'Connell ran in the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2006 for O'Connell Racing in the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen. ^[1] O'Connell also ran two races in the 2012 season with Rick Ware Racing at Road America and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ^[2]

From 2007 to 2008, O'Connell ran four races in the K&N Pro Series West, with a best finish of 15th at Infineon Raceway in 2007. ^[3] In 2013, O'Connell entered the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series race at Brands Hatch, becoming the first American to race in the series on a road course. ^[4]

In 2008, O'Connell made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in the No. 09 Chevrolet for O'Connell Racing, with his Rolex pit crew also servicing his NASCAR team, and Rolex teammate Kevin Roush serving as spotter. ^[5] After starting 34th, O'Connell was involved in a crash with David Reutimann in turn 7 on lap 36, finishing 37th. ^[6] In 2010, O'Connell joined Curb Racing in the No. 43 at Road America, ^[7] finishing 34th after suffering an engine failure. ^[8] On June 21, 2014, it was announced that O'Connell would run in the Nationwide races at Road America and Watkins Glen International in the No. 23 for Rick Ware Racing. ^[9] At Road America, after qualifying 26th with a lap speed of 104.941 miles per hour (168.886 km/h), ^[10] O'Connell finished third. ^[11] In 2015, O'Connell drove the No. 13 Dodge Challenger for MBM Motorsports at Watkins Glen.

In 2017, it was announced that O'Connell would make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut for Rick Ware Racing at Sonoma Raceway that summer. ^[12] However, after the report came out Josh Bilicki said that he would drive the Sonoma race for the team. ^[13] Instead, O'Connell drove the No. 15 for Premium Motorsports; after starting 36th, he finished 33rd. ^[14]

Personal life

O'Connell is the first driver in NASCAR's top three series (Cup, Xfinity, Camping World Truck Series) to receive his master's degree. ^[15]

Images

• 
• 
  O'Connell's 74 at Road America in 2013
• 
  O'Connell's 23 at Road America in 2014
• 
  O'Connell's 23 at Road America in 2014
• 
  O'Connell's No. 15 during the 2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Monster Energy Cup Series

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	MENCC	Pts	Ref
2017	Premium Motorsports	15	Chevy	DAY	ATL	LVS	PHO	CAL	MAR	TEX	BRI	RCH	TAL	KAN	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON 33	DAY	KEN	NHA	IND	POC	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	CHI	NHA	DOV	CLT	TAL	KAN	MAR	TEX	PHO	HOM	46th	4	[16]

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	NXSC	Pts	Ref
2008	O'Connell Racing	09	Chevy	DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	NSH	TEX	PHO	MXC 37	TAL	RCH	DAR	CLT	DOV	NSH	KEN	MLW	NHA	DAY	CHI	GTY	IRP	CGV DNQ	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	DOV	KAN	CLT	MEM	TEX	PHO	HOM	140th	52	[17]
2010	Curb Racing	43	Chevy	DAY	CAL	LVS	BRI	NSH	PHO	TEX	TAL	RCH	DAR	DOV	CLT	NSH	KEN	ROA 34	NHA	DAY	CHI	GTY	IRP	IOW	GLN	MCH	BRI	CGV DNQ	ATL	RCH	DOV	KAN	CAL	CLT	GTY	TEX	PHO	HOM	134th	61	[18]
2013	Mike Harmon Racing	74	Chevy	DAY	PHO	LVS	BRI	CAL	TEX	RCH	TAL	DAR	CLT	DOV	IOW	MCH	ROA 22	KEN	DAY	NHA	CHI	IND	IOW	GLN	MOH 34	BRI	ATL	RCH	CHI	KEN	DOV	KAN	CLT	TEX	PHO	HOM			66th	32	[19]
2014	Rick Ware Racing	23	Chevy	DAY	PHO	LVS	BRI	CAL	TEX	DAR	RCH	TAL	IOW	CLT	DOV	MCH	ROA 3	KEN	DAY	NHA	CHI	IND	IOW	GLN 37	MOH	BRI	ATL	RCH	CHI	KEN	DOV	KAN	CLT	TEX	PHO	HOM			52nd	48	[20]
2015	MBM Motorsports	13	Dodge	DAY	ATL	LVS	PHO	CAL	TEX	BRI	RCH	TAL	IOW	CLT	DOV	MCH	CHI	DAY	KEN	NHA	IND	IOW	GLN 33	MOH	BRI														58th	35	[21]
	Rick Ware Racing	15	Chevy																							ROA 17	DAR	RCH	CHI	KEN	DOV	CLT	KAN	TEX	PHO	HOM

K&N Pro Series East

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	NKNPSEC	Pts	Ref
2015	Spraker Racing	37	Chevy	NSM	GRE	BRI	IOW	BGS	LGY	COL	NHA	IOW	GLN 21	MOT	VIR	RCH	DOV	57th	23	[22]

K&N Pro Series West

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	NKNPSWC	Pts	Ref
2007	O'Connell Racing	06	Chevy	CTS	PHO	AMP	ELK	IOW	CNS	SON 15	DCS	IRW						34th	330	[23]
	Melo Motorsports	59	Chevy										MMP 17	EVG	CSR 21	AMP
2008	O'Connell Racing			AAS	PHO	CTS	IOW	CNS	SON 20	IRW	DCS	EVG	MMP	IRW	AMP	AAS		64th	103	[24]
2017	Performance P-1 Motorsports	77	Chevy	TUS	KCR	IRW	IRW	SPO	OSS	CNS	SON 32	IOW	EVG	DCS	MER	AAS	KCR	63rd	12	[25]

Canadian Tire Series

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	NCTSC	Pts	Ref
2015	Derek White	00	Chevy	MSP 21	ACD	SSS	ICAR	EIR	SAS	ASE	CTR	RIS	MSP	KWA	50th	23	[26]

Mexico Series

NASCAR Mexico Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	NMSC	Pts	Ref
2015	Fenix Racing	14	Ford	PHO 18	SLP	TUX	QRO	PUE	AGS	CHI	SLP	PUE	SLP	CHI	AGS	MXC	MXC	TUX	34th	26	[27]

Whelen Euro Series - Elite 1

NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - Elite 1 results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	NWES	Pts	Ref
2013	Racing Club Partners	20	Toyota	NOG	NOG	DIJ	DIJ	BRH 14	BRH 15	TOU	TOU	MNZ	MNZ	BUG	BUG	35th	-	[28]

Whelen Euro Series - Elite 2

NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - Elite 2 results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	NWES	Pts	Ref
2013	Racing Club Partners	20	Toyota	NOG	NOG	DIJ	DIJ	BRH 22	BRH 8	TOU	TOU	MNZ	MNZ	BUG	BUG	35th	-	[29]

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

References

1. "2006 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
2. "2012 NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
3. "NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results (races)". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
4. Green, Edmund (June 6, 2013). "American O'Connell To Race in Euro NASCAR Series". Edmunds.com . Retrieved July 7, 2014.
5. O'Connell Racing (April 15, 2008). "Mexico City: O'Connell Racing preview". Motorsport. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
6. "2008 Corona Mexico 200 Presented by Banamex". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
7. "BUCYRUS 200 - ROAD AMERICA". Jayski's Silly Season Site . Archived from the original on November 1, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
8. "2010 Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
9. O'Connell Racing (July 7, 2014). "Kevin O'Connell to Race Road America & Watkins Glen in 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series". Yahoo! Finance . Retrieved July 7, 2014.
10. "2014 Gardner Denver 200 qualifying results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
11. "Brendan Gaughan wins Nationwide race at Road America". Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. June 21, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
12. "RICK WARE RACING TO FIELD MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES TEAM". NASCAR . January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
13. "NASCAR Cup: Josh Bilicki joins Rick Ware Racing for road courses". Auto Racing Daily. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
14. "2017 Toyota / Save Mart 350". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
15. "KEVIN O'CONNELL RECEIVES 1ST ANNUAL DAVID M. JACKSON RACER'S ACHIEVEMENT AWARD". O'Connell Racing. December 20, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
16. "Kevin O'Connell – 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
17. "Kevin O'Connell – 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
18. "Kevin O'Connell – 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
19. "Kevin O'Connell – 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
20. "Kevin O'Connell – 2004 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
21. "Kevin O'Connell – 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
22. "Kevin O'Connell – 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
23. "Kevin O'Connell – 2007 NASCAR Camping World West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
24. "Kevin O'Connell – 2008 NASCAR Camping World West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
25. "Kevin O'Connell – 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
26. "Kevin O'Connell – 2015 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
27. "Kevin O'Connell – 2015 NASCAR Mexico Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
28. "Kevin O'Connell – 2013 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
29. "Kevin O'Connell – 2013 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 2 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.

External links

• Kevin O'Connell driver statistics at Racing-Reference