Alex Barron (racing driver)

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Alex Barron (2006)

Alex Barron (born June 11, 1970 in San Diego , California ) is a retired American automobile racing driver . He won the Atlantic Championship in 1997 . From 1998 to 2001 he drove in the CART series. From 2001 to 2007 he competed in the IndyCar Series . Fifth overall place in 2002 was his best overall ranking.

Career

Barron began his motorsport career in karting . In 1996 he switched to formula racing and drove in the US F2000 National Championship . He reached eighth place in his debut season. In 1997 Barron moved to the Atlantic Championship and started for Lynx Racing . He won five races and won the championship with 178 to 136 points ahead of his teammate Memo Gidley .

In 1998 Barron received a cockpit in the CART series at All American Racing . With two twelfth places as the best results, Barron finished the season in 27th place overall. That put him one position behind his teammate PJ Jones . In 1999 Barron began his second CART season for All American Racing. In the fourth race of the season he achieved a top 10 position for the first time with his ninth place. After the seventh race, he lost his cockpit to Gualter Salles . He was then used in two races for Penske . However, he did not receive a long-term engagement with the racing team.

In 2000 , Barron was initially without a cockpit. He eventually replaced Salles at Dale Coyne Racing for the last six races of the season. In the overall ranking he achieved his best final placement in this series with 26th place. In 2001 he drove the last two races for Arciero-Blair Racing as a replacement for Max Wilson . He finished in ninth place once. In addition, Barron made his debut in the 2001 Indy Racing League . He completed a race for Sam Schmidt Motorsports .

In 2002 Barron decided to switch completely to the Indy Racing League. He was a full-time pilot with Blair Racing . He finished fourth at this year's Indianapolis 500 , which was his first top five finish in either of the two IndyCar championships. When Firestone Indy 200 at the Nashville Superspeedway he achieved his first IndyCar victory. With another podium finish, he finished the season in fifth place overall. After Blair Racing in 2003 had set on racing, Barron was no fixed cockpit in in IndyCar Series renamed series. For Penske, he first completed a race as a substitute for Gil de Ferran . In test drives before the next race, the Indianapolis 500 , Barron set a fastest time for Penske. However, de Ferran was fit again in time and Penske was unable to use an additional vehicle for Barron. After Arie Luyendyk , who was supposed to drive an additional vehicle from Mo Nunn Racing , injured himself in practice for the Indianapolis 500, Barron was signed as a replacement. He finished sixth in the race. Barron then stayed with Mo Nunn Racing and acted as a spotter , but did not race in the next four races. Then he returned - this time as injury replacement for Felipe Giaffone - in the Mo-Nunn cockpit and drove five races. He achieved his second IndyCar win at the Firestone Indy 400 at Michigan International Speedway . For the last three races of the season, Barron was given a cockpit at Red Bull Cheever Racing and replaced Buddy Rice . In the overall standings, Barron was 17.

In 2004 Barron formed the driver duo at Red Bull Cheever Racing together with rookie Ed Carpenter . Third place was Barron's only podium finish. Barron reached twelfth overall and decided the internal duel against Carpenter, who was 16th, for himself. In 2005 , Barron was again a driver for Red Bull Cheever Racing. Patrick Carpentier became his new teammate. Barron stood on the podium one more time with a third place. In the drivers' standings, he improved to eleventh place, one position behind Carpentier.

After Red Bull left Cheever Racing in late 2005, Barron lost his IndyCar cockpit. Barron switched back to the Atlantic Championship, where he participated in ten of twelve races for Polestar Racing . He did not succeed there to build on his former successes and he reached 14th place in the drivers' championship. In addition, Barron drove two endurance races in the Rolex Sports Car Series .

In 2007 Barron returned with CURB / Agajanian / Beck Motorsports for three races in the IndyCar Series. He reached the 22nd place in the drivers' championship. In 2008 Barron took part in a race in the Rolex Sports Car Series. This was his last race and he ended his career afterwards.

statistics

Career stations

  • 2005 : IndyCar Series (11th place)
  • 2006: Atlantic Championship (14th place)
  • 2006: Rolex Sports Car Series , DP (78th place)
  • 2007 : IndyCar Series (22nd place)
  • 2008: Rolex Sports Car Series, DP (59th place)

Web links

Commons : Alex Barron  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "IRL: Alex Barron, the sport's best kept secret". motorsport.com, July 30, 2003, accessed August 29, 2014 .