IndyCar Series Sam Hornish Jr.

1 indycar series

1.1 2000: pdm racing
1.2 2001−2003: panther racing
1.3 2004−2007: team penske

indycar series
2000: pdm racing

hornish began driving in indycar series in 2000 pdm racing in no. 18 g-force gf05-oldsmobile aurora l47 v8. debuted @ season-opening race @ walt disney world speedway, starting in 19th place , finishing in 20th (28 laps behind). in season s third race, vegas indy 300 @ las vegas motor speedway, hornish started 18th , had first career podium finish (third place, 1 lap behind). qualified first indianapolis 500 in 14th place, after team replaced g-force dallara ir00. in mid-race, hornish involved in accident relegated him 24th place. starting 20th @ kentucky speedway, led series career-high 38 laps , finished ninth. hornish ended season 27th- (and last-) place finish @ texas motor speedway, finishing rookie season 110 points (21st in point standings).

2001−2003: panther racing

before 2001 indy racing league season, hornish moved panther racing drive no. 4 dallara ir01-oldsmobile aurora l47 v8. began season consecutive victories @ phoenix , homestead-miami in first 2 races team. @ indianapolis 500, hornish qualified in 13th place. finished 14th, 4 laps behind after spin. continued drive well, clinching championship before final race of season (a second-place finish @ chicagoland speedway). since winner of each race receives 50 points, hornish s 66-point advantage clinched championship 1 race remaining. @ season-ending race @ texas started in pole position, leading 115 laps in third win of season. hornish won championship 503 points, 105 points ahead of second-place buddy lazier. @ age 22, youngest champion in series history.

in 2002 hornish returned panther racing, team changing manufactures , running chevrolet v8. @ season-opening grand prix of miami @ homestead-miami, qualified in pole position , led 166 of 200 laps win fourth career race in series. hornish won yahmaha indy 400 @ california speedway, defeating jaques lazier 0.028 second. @ indianapolis 500, qualified in 7th place. in race hornish brushed wall on lap 78, damaging suspension. returned race , finished 25th place, ten laps behind. hornish won suntrust indy challenge @ richmond international raceway 3 races later. @ delphi indy 300 @ chicagoland defeated al unser jr. 0.0024 second, closest finish in series history. in final race of season @ texas, hornish started in third place , led 79 laps win 0.01 second. won second consecutive championship, amassing 5 wins , 11 top-five finishes on season.

the beginning of 2003 season saw hornish struggle in comparison previous 2 years @ panther. @ indianapolis 500, qualified in 18th place; in race, retired blown engine after completing 195 of 200 laps. hornish finished race in 15th place, dropping tie buddy rice 12th place in points. @ following race @ pikes peak, started in 14th place , finished fifth (his first lead-lap finish of season). around time, panther racing , several other teams using chevrolet engine built general motors (the parent company of chevrolet) switched new engine cosworth badged chevrolet engine. after change hornish s results began improving; started fourth , finished second, after leading 126 of 200 laps, @ michigan international speedway. 2 races later, @ kentucky speedway, qualified pole position , led 181 of 200 laps win. hornish won 2 more consecutive races, @ chicagoland , @ california speedway. won former race 0.01 second on scott dixon , bryan herta, closest top-three finish in series history. going season-ending chevy 500 @ texas motor speedway, hornish mathematically eligible win championship; however, car had spray problem after 176 of 195 laps. finished 17th, , fifth in final point standings 461 points.

2004−2007: team penske

hornish began driving marlboro team penske during 2004 indycar series season in no. 6 dallara ir03-toyota indy v8, winning season opener @ homestead-miami in first race team. after qualifying in 11th place @ indianapolis 500, battled lead buddy rice , dan wheldon , led 9 laps (the first laps hornish led in indianapolis 500 career). on lap 105, entering main straightaway out of fourth turn, hornish tried pass darren manning , greg ray s lapped car. collided, crashing pit lane; hornish finished 26th, dropping ninth place in point standings. rest of season sub-par, 2 podium finishes. hornish seventh in championship standings 387 points, worst finish since placed 21st in 2000.

he returned team penske 2005 season. @ phoenix in season s second race, hornish started in second place , won after leading 25 laps. during practice indianapolis 500, drove on piece of debris after paul dana s second-turn crash , flipped over. 2 days later hornish qualified in second place, crashing out after leading race-high 77 laps , finishing 23rd. @ milwaukee mile qualified pole position , led 123 of 225 laps, passing dario franchitti 9 laps left second win of season. hornish finished third in championship standings, 512 points.

hornish s 2006 indianapolis 500 winning car @ indianapolis motor speedway hall of fame museum

hornish again returned penske in 2006. team changed manufacturers, joining honda when toyota , chevrolet left series after 2005 season. season highlight indianapolis 500, when passed marco andretti lead on final lap win in second-closest margin of victory in race s history. hornish later said pass, figured came way, ought give myself 1 more shot @ it. kind of looked @ as, going drive on him if had to. marco come rookie , drive should proud no matter what. second win of season @ richmond (after leading 38 laps), , took points lead after winning next race @ kansas. fourth , final win of season @ kentucky, when started second , led 57 laps. in season-ending race @ chicagoland hornish qualified pole position , finished third, clinching third series championship , penske s first. although , dan wheldon finished year same number of points, tie broken wins; hornish had four, , wheldon two.

hornish practicing 2007 indianapolis 500

for 2007 season hornish again returned penske, starting indianapolis 500 in fifth place. running consistently in top ten, finished fourth when race halted rain after 166 laps. hornish s win of season bombardier learjet 550 @ texas motor speedway, when started in second place , led 159 of 228 laps. series-best finish on road course or street circuit, second place @ camping world watkins glen grand prix, overshadowed altercation tony kanaan. season-ending race @ chicagoland, hornish ended indycar career third-place finish (after starting second , leading race-high 90 laps) , finished fifth in points standings.

after season, hornish remained optimistic eventual indycar return: hope move schedule it. s goal. if never ran in indy 500 again or indycar series race disappointed that. received offers return after departure, , in late 2008 rumored returning replace hélio castroneves next season due castroneves irs problems. castroneves cleared, missing season opener power driving penske during absence. in november 2013, hornish declined offer drive chip ganassi racing in upcoming season after dario franchitti s career-ending injuries @ 2013 shell-pennzoil grand prix of houston.