Alex Barron (racing driver)

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For other people of the same name, see Alex Barron (disambiguation).

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Not to be confused with Alexandre Baron.
Alex Barron
Alex Barron 2006 Indy 500 Carb Day.jpg
Alex Barron at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2006.
Nationality American
Born (1970-06-11) June 11, 1970 (age 53)
San Diego, California
IRL IndyCar Series
Years active 2001-2005, 2007
Teams Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Blair Racing
Penske Racing
Mo Nunn Racing
Team Cheever
CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports
Starts 62
Wins 2
Poles 0
Best finish 5th in 2002
Alex Barron
CART Championship Car
Years active 1998-2001
Teams All American Racers
Penske Racing
Dale Coyne Racing
Arciero-Blair Racing
Starts 34
Wins 0
Poles 0
Best finish 26th in 2000
Previous series
1997
1996		 Toyota Atlantic
U.S. National Formula Ford 2000
Championship titles
1997 Toyota Atlantic Championship

Alex Barron (born June 11, 1970) is an American race car driver. He began racing CART FedEx World Series Championship cars in 1998 and made his first Indy Racing League Northern Lights Series (now IndyCar Series) start in 2001.

The 1997 KOOL Toyota Atlantic Champion, moved across to the IRL, where he had trouble finding a regular drive and got his opportunities through injuries to other drivers. However, in 2006, he stepped down a level to race in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, and then returned to IRL in 2007. After racing in the 2008 Rolex 24 at Daytona, Barron stopped racing at an international level.

Racing career

Early Years

Barron was born in San Diego, California. In 1996, the opportunity for him to move up to US National Formula Ford 2000 came with the DSTP Team. This proved to be steep learning curve from kart to open wheel race car, for the young racer. However, a podium, a fastest lap and six top ten finishes won him to chance to race in Toyota Atlantic the following season.[1]

Barron in his rookie season in the KOOL Toyota Atlantic series, surprised everyone, including his team, Lynx Racing by dominating and winning the 1997 championship, taking five victories along the way. With four pole positions, six fastest laps and nine top three finishes, he would also win the “Rookie of the Year” award.[2]

Part of his prize for winning the Championship was a test with the Arciero-Wells Racing CART team. During his test, he was quickly matching the speed of their regular driver, Max Papis. Arciero-Wells were so impressed with him, they offered a testing contract. Fate was too intervened. Following the retirement of Juan Manuel Fangio II, the All American Racers Team and their boss, Dan Gurney, wanted a young American driver who could develop with the team, and Alex got the call.[3]

In just 24 races, 12 races in both the Formula Ford 2000 and Toyota Atlantic, Alex made the jump from racing karts to CART.[4]

Indycars

Alex’s time with Gurney and his AAR team was a troubled by an uncompetitive combination of the chassis (they used both Eagle and Reynard chassis), Toyota engines and Goodyear tyres. Midway through his second season (1999) with AAR, he was let go. Later that season, he was signed by Marlboro Team Penske to race in two 500 mile events. Once again he found himself in an uncompetitive combination, this time it was a Penske PC27B-99 with Mercedes engines and Goodyears.[5]

It was not until the second half of 2000 season that Barron re-appeared in CART, running with Dale Coyne Racing. The following season, he raced just the final two races for Arciero-Blair Racing. During these races, Alex lead both, before retiring with problems the Ford Cosworth engines both times.[6]

2002 saw Alex switch to IRL, signing for Blair Racing, where he finish fourth in Indianapolis 500, co-winning the Rookie of the Year. Later that season, he would the first of his two IndyCar Series wins, the 2002 Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Speedway. Sadly, Blair Racing would fold at the end of the season, leaving Barron without a full-time drive for 2003. That’s not say Alex did not race that season, in fact he appeared for three teams. After replacing the injured Gil de Ferran for a one-off appears for Marlboro Team Penske, he raced for Mo Nunn Racing, filling in the injured Felipe Giaffone. It was with Mo Nunn, that Barron scored his second IRL victory, in the 2003 Firestone Indy 400 at Michigan International Speedway. For the final three races of that season, Eddie Cheever hired Barron to drive for his Red Bull Cheever Racing outfit, instead of Buddy Rice. In his first race for Cheever, he gave the team their best finish of the season, seventh place at the Chicagoland Speedway.[7][8][9][10]

Mechanics working on Barron's car in the garage during a practice session for the 2007 Indianapolis 500

In 2004 and 2005 he drove for Eddie Cheever's Red Bull Cheever Racing. Red Bull sponsorship of the team ended for 2006, leaving Alex unable to remain with the team - he instead took a step backward, returning to the Champ Car Atlantic Championship for 2006 with Polestar Racing Group where he finished 14th in points. Early that year he raced twice for alongside Michael McDowell for Playboy/Uniden Racing, with a best finish of sixth in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the pair aided by Memo Gidley. Greg Beck signed him to run races part-time in the IndyCar Series for the 2007 season for CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports. He competed in three races, including the Indy 500. Barron would returning to Daytona for the 2008 Rolex 24, with Southard Motorsport, only the retire from the race. Alex would not race internationally again.[11][12]

Racing record

Career highlights

Season Series Position Team Car
1997 KOOL Toyota Atlantic Championship [13][14] 1st Lynx Racing Ralt-Toyota RT41
1998 CART FedEx Champ Car Series [15][16] 27th All American Racers Eagle-Toyota 987
Reynard-Toyota 98i
1999 CART FedEx Champ Car Series [17][18] 27th All American Racers
Marlboro Team Penske		 Eagle-Toyota 997
Penske-Mercedes PC27B-99
2000 CART FedEx Champ Car Series [19][20] 26th Dale Coyne Racing Lola-Ford B2K/00
2001 CART FedEx Champ Car Series [21][22] 29th Arciero-Blair Racing Lola-Ford B2K/00
Indy Racing Northern Light Series [23][24] 44th Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara-Oldsmobile IR1
2002 Firestone Indy Racing League Series [25][26] 5th Blair Racing Dallara-Chevrolet IR2
2003 IndyCar Series [27][28] 17th Team Penske
Mo Nunn Racing
Red Bull Cheever Racing		 G-Force-Toyota GF09
Dallara-Chevrolet IR2
2004 IndyCar Series [29][30] 12th Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara-Chevrolet IR2
2005 IndyCar Series [31][32] 11th Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara-Toyota IR5
2006 Yokohama Presents the Champ Car
Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda [33][34]		 14th Polestar Racing Swift-Toyota 0.16a
Rolex Sports Car Series [35][36] 78th Playboy/Uniden Racing Crawford-Ford DP03
2007 IndyCar Series [37][38] 22nd CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports Dallara-Honda IR4
2008 Rolex Sports Car Series [39][40] 59th Southard Motorsports Riley-Lexus Mk XI

Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2006 United States Playboy/Uniden Racing United States Memo Gidley
United States Michael McDowell		 Crawford-Ford DP03 DP 716 6th 6th
2008 United States Southard Motorsport United States Shane Lewis
United States Bill Lester
United States Ted Christopher		 Riley-Lexus Mk XI DP 527 DNF DNF

American open wheel racing results

(key)

CART

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Rank Points
1998 All American Racers Reynard 98i Toyota RV8C V8t MIA
18		 MOT
Ret		 LBH
14		 NZR
DNQ		 RIO
12		 STL
14		 MIL
DNQ		 DET
20		 POR
14		 CLE
15		 TOR
Ret		 MIS
15		 27th 2
Eagle 987 Toyota RV8D V8t MDO
16		 ROA
Ret		 VAN
Ret		 LS
Ret		 HOU
12		 SRF
Ret		 FON
13
1999 All American Racers Eagle 997 Toyota RV8D V8t MIA
15		 MOT
17		 LBH
Ret		 NZR
9		 RIO
Ret		 STL
Ret		 MIL
14		 POR CLE ROA TOR
 27th 4
Team Penske Penske PC-27B Mercedes-Benz IC108E V8t MIS
Ret		 DET MDO CHI VAN LS HOU SRF FON
Ret
2000 Dale Coyne Racing Lola B2K/00 Ford XF V8t MIA LBH RIO MOT NZR MIL DET POR CLE TOR MIS CHI MDO ROA VAN
13		 LS
21		 STL
17		 HOU
12		 SRF
Ret		 FON
Ret		 26th 6
2001 Arciero-Blair Racing Lola B2K/00 Ford XF V8t MTY LBH TXS NZR MOT MIL DET POR CLE TOR MIS CHI MDO ROA VAN LAU ROC HOU LS SRF
13		 FON
9		 29th 4

IndyCar Series

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points
2001 Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara IR-01 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 PHX HMS ATL INDY TXS PPI RIR KAN NSH KTY STL
Ret		 CHI TX2 44th 9
2002 Blair Racing Dallara IR-02 Chevrolet Indy V8 HMS
8		 PHX
Ret		 FON
12		 NZR
6		 INDY
4		 TXS
10		 PPI
10		 RIR
10		 KAN
8		 NSH
1		 MIS
12		 KTY
9		 STL
3		 CHI
12		 TX2
5		 5th 366
2003 Team Penske Dallara IR-03 Toyota Indy V8 HMS PHX MOT
Ret		 17th 216
Mo Nunn Racing G-Force GF09 INDY
6		 TXS PPI RIR KAN NSH
5		 MIS
1		 STL
Ret		 KTY
Ret		 NZR
Ret
Team Cheever Dallara IR-03 Chevrolet Indy V8 CHI
7		 FON
10		 TX2
Ret
2004 Team Cheever Dallara IR-04 Chevrolet Indy V8 HMS
Ret		 PHX
4		 MOT
12		 INDY
12		 TXS
3		 RIR
Ret		 KAN
10		 NSH
Ret		 MIL
7		 MIS
11		 KTY
11		 PPI
10		 NZR
12		 CHI
12		 FON
Ret		 12th 310
2005 Team Cheever Dallara IR-05 Toyota Indy V8 HMS
8		 PHX
13		 STP
10		 MOT
Ret		 INDY
13		 TXS
14		 RIR
6		 KAN
13		 NSH
Ret		 MIL
8		 MIS
11		 KTY
4		 PPI
Ret		 SNM
3		 CHI
Ret		 WGL
17		 FON
14		 11th 329
2007 CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 HMS
Ret		 STP MOT KAN
16		 INDY
15		 MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL NSH MDO MIS KTY SNM DET CHI 22nd 41
Years Teams Races Poles Wins Podiums
(Non-win)		 Top 10s
(Non-podium)		 Indianapolis 500
Wins		 Championships
6 6 62 0 2 3 22 0 0

Indianapolis 500

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
2002 Dallara IR-02 Chevrolet Indy V8 26 4 Blair Racing
2003 G-Force GF09 Toyota Indy V8 25 6 Mo Nunn Racing
2004 Dallara IR-04 Chevrolet Indy V8 24 12 Team Cheever
2005 Dallara IR-05 Toyota Indy V8 22 13 Team Cheever
2007 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 26 15 CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports

References

  1. ↑ http://www.blairracing.com/2002/driver/main.html
  2. ↑ http://www.lynxracing.com/grad_barron.html
  3. ↑ http://www.lynxracing.com/grad_barron.html
  4. ↑ http://www.lynxracing.com/grad_barron.html
  5. ↑ http://www.lynxracing.com/grad_barron.html
  6. ↑ http://www.lynxracing.com/grad_barron.html
  7. ↑ http://www.lynxracing.com/grad_barron.html
  8. ↑ http://www.redbullcheeverracing.com/htmldrivers-cfmalexstoryednone/
  9. ↑ http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2002_Firestone_Indy_200/O
  10. ↑ http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2003_Firestone_Indy_400/O
  11. ↑ http://www.redbullcheeverracing.com/htmldrivers-cfmalexstoryednone/
  12. ↑ http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/photo/Alex-Barron-USA.html
  13. ↑ http://www.champcarstats.com/atlantic/year/1997.htm
  14. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/formula-atlantic-championship/1997/
  15. ↑ http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1998.htm
  16. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/champ-car-world-series/1998/
  17. ↑ http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1999.htm
  18. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/champ-car-world-series/1999/
  19. ↑ http://www.champcarstats.com/year/2000.htm
  20. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/champ-car-world-series/2000/
  21. ↑ http://www.champcarstats.com/year/2001.htm
  22. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/champ-car-world-series/2001/
  23. ↑ http://racing-reference.info/yeardet/2001/O
  24. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/indycar-series/2001/
  25. ↑ http://racing-reference.info/yeardet/2002/O
  26. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/indycar-series/2002/
  27. ↑ http://racing-reference.info/yeardet/2003/O
  28. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/indycar-series/2003/
  29. ↑ http://racing-reference.info/yeardet/2004/O
  30. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/indycar-series/2004/
  31. ↑ http://racing-reference.info/yeardet/2005/O
  32. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/indycar-series/2005/
  33. ↑ http://www.champcarstats.com/atlantic/year/2006.htm
  34. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/formula-atlantic-championship/2006/
  35. ↑ http://www.grand-am.com/portals/0/images/standings/Rolex/RolexDriverPoints2006.pdf
  36. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/grand-american-rolex-series-dp/2006/
  37. ↑ http://racing-reference.info/yeardet/2007/O
  38. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/indycar-series/2007/
  39. ↑ http://www.grand-am.com/portals/0/images/standings/Rolex/RolexDriverPoints2008.pdf
  40. ↑ https://www.driverdb.com/championships/standings/grand-american-rolex-series-dp/2008/

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by Toyota Atlantic Champion
1997		 Succeeded by
Lee Bentham
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Indianapolis 500
Rookie of the Year
(with Tomas Scheckter)
2002		 Succeeded by
Toranosuke Takagi
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