Scott Harrington | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nationality | American | ||||||
Born | Louisville, Kentucky, United States | December 24, 1963||||||
IndyCar Series career | |||||||
13 races run over 5 years | |||||||
Team(s) | Della Penna Motorsports Riley & Scott Harrington Motorsports Nienhouse Motorsports Mid-America Motorsports Brayton Racing | ||||||
Best finish | 14th (1999) | ||||||
First race | 1996 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
Last race | 2002 Michigan Indy 400 (Michigan) | ||||||
| |||||||
Champ Car career | |||||||
1 race run over 1 year | |||||||
Years active | 1989 | ||||||
Team(s) | U.S. Engineering | ||||||
Best finish | 45th (1989) | ||||||
First race | 1989 Road America 200 (Road America) | ||||||
Last race | 1989 Road America 200 (Road America) | ||||||
| |||||||
Previous series | |||||||
2003 1992–1994 1989 1988 1987–1988 | Indy Pro Series SCCA Can-Am CART ARS Toyota Atlantic | ||||||
Awards | |||||||
1999 | Indy Racing League Rookie of the Year |
Scott Harrington (born December 24, 1963) is a second generation American former auto racing driver, formerly active in the Indy Racing League and sportscar racing. He is now a private racing driver coach. [1] His father, Gene Harrington, was a veteran of both SCCA and IMSA competition.
Harrington was born in Louisville, Kentucky and attended the University of Louisville. [2] Starting out on two wheels, Harrington won a number of championships and achieved much success in the world of AMA Motocross and Supercross. In 1986 Sports Car Magazine picked Harrington as one of the three most promising drivers in the U.S. He was a multiple race winner in Toyota Formula Atlantic, finishing third in the 1988 championship despite running the uncompetitive Ralt chassis. He was the only person ever to win a race in the 1988 Ralt. From 1992 through 1994, Harrington had much success in the SCCA Shelby Can-Am series. During his tenure in the series, he won more races than any other driver. He won the 1992 championship and scored race wins in every season.
An accomplished open wheel racer who made a single CART start in 1989, Harrington made a last second Bump Day run to qualify for the first IRL-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 in 1996. [3] In 1999 he ran a full IRL season with his own team and had numerous top ten finishes, including a top five finish at Phoenix International Raceway, at the time the highest finishing position for the Infiniti engine. Despite failing to qualify for the Indy 500 and suffering serious injuries at Texas 1 (broken left tibia, right fibula, right foot and three ribs) he won the Rookie of the Year honors by a slim margin over Robby McGehee. Harrington attempted to qualify for seven different Indy 500 races but only succeeded once, in his second attempt in 1996. In 1998 he was well on his way to a top qualifying position when he suffered a blown engine that ended his month as the team had no backup. He had a best IRL finish of fourth at Phoenix in 1999 and had a total of 14 series starts, which is the fewest total starts by any IRL Rookie of the Year. Never being one to be short on speed, his bad luck at the Speedway was well known as he won the Jigger Award for his bad luck. Harrington is also the only person to ever compete in Formula Atlantic, the original Indy Lights Series, the Infiniti Pro Series, the CART Indy Car Series and the IRL Indy Car Series. [4]
His career was affected by arrests and convictions for driving while intoxicated. [5] Harrington is also one of the few American drivers to compete in the "Big Three" of American motorsports - the Indy 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Harrington also competed in the SVRA celebrity Pro-Am in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. He finished 9th of the 33 starters in 2015 and in 2018 was on the podium with a second-place finish in AP. Harrington is one of the original instructors at the Mid-Ohio school, a position he still holds today (August 2022).
After retiring from active driving, Harrington has achieved success in his driver coaching business, [6] including coaching Highcroft Racing factory Acura team Championship winning owner-driver Duncan Dayton and Mike Miserandino, who has won four national championships in a row. In 2017, two of his customers won again at the SCCA Runoffs, Mike Miserandino won his fifth National title with Scott's coaching and Max Gee won his first with Scott on board, coaching him to his first national championship. His latest driver, Jacob Abel, won two of the three F3 Americas races at the Road Atlanta round. He also competes in a number of vintage endurance races every year. In 2014 his vintage coaching customer Bill Abel won a national championship at the SVRA National Championship at the Circuit of the Americas. In addition to his testing and training work, Harrington does promotional and testing work for various manufacturers.
Harrington currently lives in Indianapolis with his wife Marsie and his young son.
Year | Track | Car | Engine | Class | Finish | Start | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1985 | Road Atlanta | Spec Racer | Renault | Sports Renault | 3 | 2 | Running |
1986 | Road Atlanta | Spec Racer | Renault | Sports Renault | DNS | ||
Swift DB2 | Ford | Sports 2000 | 2 | 2 | Running |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Rank | Points | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | U.S. Engineering | Lola T8700 | Chevrolet 265A V8 t | PHX | LBH | INDY DNQ | MIL | DET | POR | CLE | MEA | TOR | MCH | POC | MDO | ROA 16 | NAZ | LAG DNQ | 45th | 0 | [7] |
Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Rank | Points | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Della Penna Motorsports | Reynard 95i | 44 | Ford XB V8 t | WDW | PHX | INDY 15 | 31st | 20 | [8] | ||||||||||||
1996–97 | Johansson Motorsports | G-Force GF01 | 36 | Infiniti V8 | NHM | LVS | WDW | PHX | INDY DNQ | TXS | PPIR | CLT | NH2 | LV2 | NC | 0 | [9] | |||||
1998 | LP Racing | Dallara IR8 | 66 | Oldsmobile | WDW | PHX | INDY DNQ | TXS | NHS | 39th | 8 | [10] | ||||||||||
Riley & Scott Cars | Riley & Scott Mk V | 15 | DOV 22 | CLT | PPIR | ATL | TXS | LSV | ||||||||||||||
1999 | Harrington Motorsports | Dallara | 66 | Nissan | WDW 25 | PHX 5 | CLT C | INDY DNQ | TXS DNS | PPIR 19 | ATL 15 | DOV 6 | PPIR 6 | LSV 14 | TXS 6 | 14th | 165 | [11] | ||||
2000 | Nienhouse Racing | G-Force | 17 | Oldsmobile | WDW | PHX | LSV 23 | INDY DNQ | TXS | PPIR | 35th | 17 | [12] | |||||||||
Mid America Motorsports | Dallara | 43 | ATL 20 | DOV | PPIR | |||||||||||||||||
2002 | Brayton Racing | 37 | Chevrolet | MIA | PHX | FON | NAZ | INDY DNQ | TXS | PPIR | RIR | KAN | NSH | MIS 21 | KTY | GAT | CHI | TXS | 47th | 9 | [13] |
Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | Lola | Cosworth | DNQ | |
1996 | Lola | Ford-Cosworth | 32 | 15 |
1997 | G-Force | Oldsmobile | DNQ | |
1998 | Dallara | Oldsmobile | DNQ | |
1999 | Dallara | Infiniti | DNQ | |
2000 | Dallara | Oldsmobile | DNQ | |
2002 | Dallara | Chevrolet | DNQ |
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.
Robert Woodward Rahal is an American former auto racing driver and current team owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. 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 Indianapolis 500 in 2004 and 2020 as team owner for Buddy Rice and Takuma Sato, respectively.
Buddy Rice is an American former race car driver. He is best known for winning the 2004 Indianapolis 500 while driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, and the 2009 24 Hours of Daytona for Brumos Racing.
Toranosuke "Tora" Takagi is a Japanese former racing driver.
Alfred Unser Jr. – nicknamed "Little Al" to distinguish him from his father, Al Unser – is an American retired racing driver. Known primarily for his Championship car career, Unser won two CART championships, and is a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.
Michael Mario Andretti is an American former 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 championship, and amassed 42 race victories, the most in the CART era and fourth-most all time.
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.
James "Jimmy" Vasser Jr. is an American former racing driver who competed primarily in the CART series and Champ Car. Vasser won ten CART series races and won the 1996 CART championship with Chip Ganassi Racing. Vasser was the last American to win the CART title. Vasser won the 1996 U.S. 500, and had a best finish of 4th at the Indianapolis 500 twice.
Jeff Andretti is a former American race car driver. He competed in CART, and was the series' Rookie of the Year in 1991.
Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver who most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.
Alex Barron is an American former race car driver. He began racing CART FedEx World Series Championship cars in 1998 and made his first Indy Racing League Northern Lights Series start in 2001.
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.
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.
Gregory Ray is an American former race car driver.
Airton Daré is a Brazilian race car driver who has competed in the Indy Racing League. Daré began his racing career in jet ski racing in 1990. He won six Brazilian championships, one South American championship and came fourth in the world championship. In 1995, he switched to motorsports, participating in Brazilian Formula Fiat. In 1997, he competed in the Indy Lights and during three years in this category, he managed one victory in Detroit in 1998 and one in Nazareth in 1999, and his best championship result was a sixth place in 1998. He made his first IRL start in 2000 and was a long-time driver for A. J. Foyt Enterprises. Airton has a single IRL race win which he captured for Foyt in 2002 at Kansas Speedway. He was also the 2000 IRL Rookie of the Year. Dare has five starts in the Indianapolis 500 with a best finish of 8th in 2001. His best IRL points finish is 9th in 2002. He drove in the 2006 Indianapolis 500 for Sam Schmidt Motorsports, finishing in 18th position. He also races stock cars and motocross in his native Brazil.
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.
Mark Dismore is a former driver in the Indy Racing League and the 1990 Toyota Pacific champion as well as the winner of the 1993 24 Hours of Daytona with Dan Gurney's All American Racers in a Toyota GTP car with co-drivers Rocky Moran and P. J. Jones. He made 3 CART starts in 1991 but was badly injured in a practice crash for the Indianapolis 500, when his car veered sharply towards the entrance of pit road at the exit of Turn 4 and back-ended the fence, only to careen across the pit lane and smash virtually head on at sizeable speed against the edge of pit wall; this second impact tore off the front of the car leaving Mark's legs exposed. Amongst the injuries he suffered, the most severe was a broken neck. He was largely out of open wheel racing until the 1996 Indy 500 where he drove for Team Menard though he did try to qualify in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 for Concept Motorsports in an outdated Lola/Buick. In 1997 he drove a second car at the Indy 500 for Kelley Racing and would become a full-time fixture there until the 2001 season. He returned to Menard for a partial season in 2002. Dismore has a single IRL win coming in the fall 1999 Texas Motor Speedway race and also finished a career-best third in points that season. Among his 62 career IRL starts he won four poles. He also represented the IRL in the International Race of Champions in 2000 and 2001.
Johnny Unser is a former race car driver. He is the son of open wheel driver Jerry Unser Jr., cousin of Al Unser Jr. and Robby Unser, nephew of Al Unser and Bobby Unser, and first cousin once removed of Alfred Unser. Unser's father, Jerry, died in a racing accident when Unser was seven months old. He made 5 starts in CART in 1993 and 1994 with a best result of 15th. He joined the Indy Racing League in its inaugural 1996 season but had a transmission failure during the pace lap of what would've been his first Indianapolis 500 and was not credited with completing any laps. In 1997 he made his first start in the Indy 500 starting in the 35th position after League and Speedway owner Tony George added his and Lyn St. James' car to the field because slower cars than theirs were guaranteed starting positions because of prior races. He went on to finish 18th, his best "500" result in 5 starts. Unser drove the majority of his IRL races for Hemelgarn Racing and in his 14 career IRL starts he had a best finish of 9th in his very first series start in 1996 at Phoenix International Raceway. His last major open wheel race was the 2000 Indy 500.
Jack Miller, usually known as Dr. Jack Miller, is an American retired racing driver. He drove in the Indy Racing League from 1997 to 2001 and the Indianapolis 500 from 1997 to 1999. Miller is a practicing dentist and was accordingly "The Racing Dentist." For much of his racing career, he was sponsored by dental product companies including Crest and Water Pik.
Ed Pimm, is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series.
Scott Harrington university of louisville.
The career of Indy Racing League driver Scott Harrington has come to a perilous crossroads after he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol last Saturday in Indianapolis. It marks Harrington's third DUI offense in the last eight months,