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Corvette Racing |
Corvette Racing Driver Profile: Johnny O'Connell
Birthplace: Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Residence: Flowery Branch, Ga. Family: Son Canaan, daughter Kelly Notable: Three-time ALMS GT1 champion, 38 career ALMS wins, record eight Sebring 12-hour class victories, holds ALMS records for most starts (102), most podium finishes (80), most top-five finishes (93) and most top-10 finishes (100); first American driver to win 24 Hours of Le Mans four times Web site: www.johnnyoconnell.com
Career Highlights
Fast, funny and fearless, red-haired Johnny O'Connell is as quick with a quip as he is with a race car. Born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., this transplanted Yankee now lives in Flowery Branch, Ga. He began his racing career in open-wheel cars, but found a home at Corvette Racing. He shared the ALMS GT1 drivers championship with Ron Fellows in 2003-04, and was on board for Corvette Racing's historic overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona and its first Le Mans class victory in 2001. O'Connell is recognized as one of North America's most talented and versatile racing drivers. His racing career began in single-seaters. Competing professionally for the first time in the Formula Atlantic series in 1987, he won five races en route to the championship and Rookie of the Year honors. Success followed in the road racing arena, where O'Connell scored a class victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1993, an overall win in 1994 and another class victory in 1995. He also won his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994 in his first outing in the prestigious endurance race. O'Connell subsequently ran a season of Indy Cars and then returned to sports car racing with Panoz in the late '90s. He joined the factory Corvette effort in 2001, scoring an overall victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona in his first race behind the wheel of the Corvette C5-R, followed by Corvette Racing's first class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He helped GM's factory team capture eight straight manufacturers titles and shared the drivers championship for the GTS class with teammate Fellows in 2003-04. In 2008, O'Connell and teammate Jan Magnussen dominated the GT1 class, scoring eight wins en route to the class championship. O'Connell became the all-time leader in Sebring victories with his seventh career win on the historic circuit. O'Connell notched his record-setting eighth Sebring win in the season-opening race in 2009, and then became the first American to score four class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He made a seamless transition to the GT2 class, finishing as runner-up in the competition debut of the GT2 Corvette C6.R at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August. He was third in the next round at Road America, and then scored Corvette Racing's first GT2 win at Mosport in his record-setting 100th career ALMS start. At the conclusion of the 2009 season, O'Connell held numerous ALMS records, including the most career starts (102), most podium finishes (80), most top-five finishes (93) and most top-10 finishes (100). O'Connell conducts an annual charity auction at Road Atlanta to benefit senior citizens and research on Alzheimer's disease. A black belt in karate, O'Connell practices martial arts as part of his fitness training regimen. He appeared as a rapper in a Chevy commercial that was first televised during the 2007 Super Bowl, and threw out the first pitch at a Detroit Tigers baseball game before the inaugural ALMS Detroit Sports Car Challenge. |
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Birthdate: July 24, 1962