Paul Durant (born September 26, 1959), is a former American racecar driver from San Diego, California.
He first excelled in supermodified racing, winning a number of regional championships. He then competed in the USAC Silver Crown Series in 1994. Following the founding of the Indy Racing League in 1996, he competed in the series' second ever race at the Phoenix International Raceway but broke on the first lap. Two months later, he competed in the Indianapolis 500, qualifying the oldest car in the field, a 1992 Lola powered by a stock-block Buick V6 engine in the 24th position. He moved up from 24th to 18th in 9 laps before his engine failed. [1] The following year he took over A. J. Foyt Enterprises' #1 car late on bump day and qualified in the final position with only 12 laps of practice in the car. He crashed on lap 111 of the race and was credited with 21st. Later that season he drove at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Byrd-Cunningham Racing and finished 26th after a mechanical issue on lap 62. He drove in the first race of the 1998 season at Phoenix for Cobb Racing but suffered an engine failure 99 laps in. He failed to qualify for the 1998 Indianapolis 500 in the same car and his entry failed to arrive at the race the following week at Texas Motor Speedway despite being entered.
He currently lives in Denver, Colorado.[ citation needed ]
(key)
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Rank | Points | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | ABF Motorsports | WDW | PHX 22 | INDY 32 | 27th | 32 | [2] | ||||||||
1996-97 | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | NHM | LVS | WDW | PHX | INDY 21 | TXS | PPIR | CLT | NH2 | 40th | 23 | [3] | ||
Byrd-Cunningham Racing | LV2 26 | ||||||||||||||
1998 | CBR Cobb Racing | WDW | PHX 21 | INDY DNQ | TXS | NHM | DOV | CLT | PPIR | ATL | TX2 | LVS | 38th | 9 | [4] |
Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Lola | Buick | 24th | 32nd | ABF | [2] |
1997 | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 33rd | 21st | Foyt | [3] |
1998 | G-Force | Oldsmobile | Failed to Qualify | Cobb | [4] |
Teodorico Fabi is an Italian former racing driver. He competed in Formula One, IndyCar, and sports car racing. He claimed pole position in his rookie year at the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Teo is the older brother of former Formula One driver Corrado Fabi.
Roberto José Guerrero Isaza is a Colombian-American former race driver. He participated in 29 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 23 January 1982, becoming the first Colombian to start a Formula One Grand Prix.
Danny Ongais was an American racing driver.
James Ernest Hurtubise was an American racing driver who competed in Championship Cars, sprint cars and stock cars. Hurtubise enjoyed much success in sprint cars, champ dirt cars, and stock cars, and was the winner of the 1966 Atlanta 500; however, he never achieved the success at the Indianapolis 500 which his rookie qualifying run promised, when he out qualified pole-sitter Eddie Sachs by three mph, nearly breaking the 150 mph mark.
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho, nicknamed ''TK,'' is a Brazilian racing driver. He is best known for racing in Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) from 1998 to 2002, and the IndyCar Series from 2002 to 2023.
John Andrew Andretti was an American professional 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 the cousin to CART drivers Michael and Jeff Andretti. He is also the first cousin once-removed of Marco Andretti.
Robert Buddy Lazier is an American auto racing driver, best known for winning the 1996 Indianapolis 500 and the 2000 Indy Racing League season championship.
Samuel Jon Hornish Jr. is an American semi-retired professional auto racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 22 Ford Mustang for Team Penske in 2017.
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 in pole position for the 1996 race.
Gregory Ray is an American former race car driver.
Everette Edward Carpenter, Jr. is an American auto racing driver, currently competing in the IndyCar Series for his team, Ed Carpenter Racing. He is the stepson of Indy Racing League founder Tony George.
Panther Racing was an American open wheel auto racing team. It was one of the oldest continually operating teams in the IndyCar Series.
The 1996–97 Indy Racing League was the second season contested by the Indy Racing League. Tony Stewart was the champion, while Arie Luyendyk won the Indianapolis 500. The lengthy season was a result of the league abandoning the concept of ending each season with the Indianapolis 500. The 1996–97 season would ultimately consist of the two races that followed the Indy 500 in the calendar year of 1996, and all events contested in the calendar year of 1997. It also saw the introduction of a new chassis and engine package.
The 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League was one of relative stability compared to the previous two seasons. For the first time the season consisted of a single and complete spring, summer, and fall like all other motorsports. 15 drivers completed the entire 11 race schedule, twice as many as the previous season. It was also the first complete season for the new Riley & Scott chassis, though it proved unpopular due to its late introduction. A. J. Foyt Enterprises drivers captured 4 wins, the Indy 500 pole, and the championship, arguably the most successful year in the team's history.
David Jay "Davey" Hamilton is a race car driver who competed in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series and Stadium Super Trucks. He has made 56 series starts and while never winning a race, finished second three times. He placed second in series points in the 1996–1997 season and again in 1998 season.
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.
Bill Alsup was an American race car driver. He was the first Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) Rookie of the Year in 1979 and competed in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, finishing 11th. He made 57 CART & USAC Champ Car starts in his career. His best race finish of third came 3 times and he was the 1981 CART Championship runner-up, putting in a winless but consistent season for Penske Racing, his only effort with a top-level team. He returned to his own team the next year and struggled until leaving Champ Car following the 1984 Sanair Super Speedway race.
David MacFarland Steele was an American professional racing driver who won numerous sprint car racing championships and also competed in IndyCar and NASCAR races. Steele last drove a winged sprint car in the Southern Sprintcar Shootout Series, where he won the first 5 races in series history. Steele was killed in a crash at Desoto Speedway on March 25, 2017.
Joseph Paul Leonard was an American professional motorcycle racer and racecar driver.
Vince Granatelli Racing was an American auto racing team that competed in the CART PPG IndyCar World Series between 1987 and 1991.