Hunter McElrea (born 21 November 1999 in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wo ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

) is a New Zealand racing driver currently competing in Indy NXT for Andretti Autosport.

Career

Karting

McElrea began his career in karting at the age of seven.

Formula Ford

In 2015, McElrea stepped up to

single-seaters An open-wheel single-seater (often known as formula car) is a car with the wheels outside the car's main body, and usually having only one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have t ...

, competing in Formula Ford championships in both Australia and New Zealand, sometimes with the family outfit McElrea Racing. In 2018, McElrea contested a second full season of

Australian Formula Ford The Australian Formula Ford Championship is an Australian motor racing competition for drivers of Formula Ford racing cars, held annually since 1970. From 1970 until 1992 it was a national series and from 1993 until 2013 the series was sanctione ...

with

Sonic Motor Racing Services Sonic Motor Racing Services is an Australian racing team that is competes in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship, Porsche Sprint Challenge, the Australian Formula Ford Championship, and the Victorian Formula Ford Championship. The ...

, accumulating thirteen wins and becoming the first non-Australian driver to win the title since 1985.

Road to Indy

USF2000 Championship

In December 2018, McElrea won the $200,000 Mazda Road to Indy Shootout at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park to compete in the 2019 U.S. F2000 National Championship. Joining with

Pabst Racing August Uihlein Pabst III is a former racing driver and current team owner of Pabst Racing. He is also the great-great grandson of Frederick Pabst, founder of the Pabst Brewing Company, and the great-great grandson of August Uihlein of Joseph Sc ...

, McElrea claimed four victories, including back-to-back wins at

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

and ultimately finished as championship runner-up after missing out on the title five points to Braden Eves.

Indy Pro 2000

In October 2019, McElrea reunited with Pabst to partake in the Chris Griffis Memorial Test, setting the fastest time in the Indy Pro 2000 category. In March the following year, Pabst officially confirmed McElrea as one of its entrants into the 2020 championship. His rookie season in Indy Pro 2000 netted him 5th position in championship, with six podiums and a win at the final race of the year at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. McElrea again signed for Pabst Racing, for the

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...

season. McElrea won races at

Barber Motorsports Park Barber Motorsports Park is an multi-purpose racing facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. It was built by George W. Barber, and includes the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum. It has been the site of the IndyCar Series' Grand Prix of Alabam ...

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside the village of Lexington. Mid-Ohio has also colloquially become a term for the entire north-central regi ...

and

New Jersey Motorsports Park New Jersey Motorsports Park is a road course "Motorsports Entertainment Complex" located in Millville, Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It has hosted races since opening in 2008 and currently hosts a schedule including MotoAmeri ...

on his way to 3rd in the championship. He also claimed seven podiums and a season leading five pole positions.

Indy Lights

McElrea signed with

Andretti Autosport Andretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, Indy Pro 2000, and Formula E. The team also has a 37.5% ownership stake in the Australian Supercars Championship touring car team, Walkinshaw Andrett ...

, for the 2022

Indy Lights Indy NXT, previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Firestone Indy NXT Series for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a progr ...

season. He scored pole position on debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. In 2022 McElrea achieved three pole positions, two race wins at

and

Iowa Speedway Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile (1.4 km) paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately east of Des Moines. It has over 25,000 permanent seats as well as a unique multi-tiered RV viewing area along the backstretch ...

, and claimed 'Rookie of the Year' honours. On September 3rd,

announced that McElrea would join them again for the 2023 season.

Personal life

McElrea is the third generation in his motor racing family. His grandfather Rod McElrea won the New Zealand Beach Racing championships, in Nelson, in 1971 and the OSCA championships in 1983. His father Andy McElrea won the 1991

New Zealand Formula Ford Championship The MTA New Zealand Formula Ford Championship has been held annually in New Zealand racing circuits. History Formula Ford emerged as a racing class in New Zealand. In 1972, the inaugural New Zealand Formula Ford championship won by David Oxto ...

, and the 1996 New Zealand Trans-Am Championship. Andy is also the Founder & Team Principal of McElrea Racing, which competes in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship & Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia championships.

Racing record

Career summary

* Season still in progress.

Motorsports career results

American open–wheel racing results

U.S. F2000 National Championship

Indy Pro 2000 Championship

Indy Lights/Indy NXT

( key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap) (Races with ^L indicate a race lap led) (Races with * indicate most race laps led) * Season still in progress.

References

External links

* * * 1999 births Living people Racing drivers from California New Zealand racing drivers Formula Ford drivers U.S. F2000 National Championship drivers Indy Lights drivers {{US-autoracing-bio-stub Indy Pro 2000 Championship drivers Andretti Autosport drivers