David Jay "Davey" Hamilton (born June 13, 1962, in
Nampa, Idaho
Nampa () is the most populous city in Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The population was 100,200 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is Idaho's List of cities in Idaho, third-most populous city. Nampa is about west of Boise, Id ...
) is a race car driver who competed in the
Indy Racing League
IndyCar, LLC (stylized as INDYCAR), is an auto racing Governing body, sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization sanctions two Auto racing, racing series: the premier IndyCar Serie ...
IndyCar Series
The IndyCar Series, officially known as the NTT IndyCar Series for sponsorship reasons, is the highest class of American open-wheel car racing in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of various sanctioning bodies sinc ...
and
Stadium Super Trucks
The Stadium Super Trucks (SST), formerly known as Speed Energy Formula Off-Road, also known as the Boost Mobile Super Trucks in Australia, is an American short course off-road racing series created by off-road racer and former IndyCar and NASCAR d ...
. He has made 56 series starts and while never winning a race, finished second three times. He placed second in series points in the
1996–1997 season and again in
1998 season.
Hamilton had been proficient in
supermodified racing, as a frequent winner in various supermodified races, usually held in the northern areas of the United States.
Early career
Davey Hamilton's IndyCar career started in 1991. His father Ken traded the
Eagle Aircraft Flyer Special he attempted to qualify at the
1982 Indianapolis 500 for a rookie test with
Hemelgarn Racing for Davey. Davey attempted to qualify for the Indy 500 in 1991, 1993 and 1995. He made his first IndyCar start at the
1996 Indy 200 at Walt Disney World
The 1996 Indy 200 at Walt Disney World was the first round of the 1996 Indy Racing League, and the inaugural event for the Indy Racing League, who initiated the American open-wheel split that would last for 12 years. The race was held on Januar ...
, the first ever
Indy Racing League
IndyCar, LLC (stylized as INDYCAR), is an auto racing Governing body, sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization sanctions two Auto racing, racing series: the premier IndyCar Serie ...
race.
Accident
In 2001 at the
Texas Motor Speedway,
Jeret Schroeder lost an engine exiting turn 2. This caused him to lose control of his car and make contact with Davey Hamilton's machine. Hamilton's car slammed into the wall, nearly getting caught in the
catch fence, and beginning to spin a number of times before coming to rest against the inside retaining wall. Also involved in the crash was
Sarah Fisher. Hamilton suffered such severe injuries to his legs and feet, that doctors at one time believed that amputation would be the best option for him.
After the crash, Hamilton took a retirement from driving, and underwent 23 operations to reconstruct his feet and legs. He began standing after five months of the crash, and spent a year requiring the use of a wheelchair.
He did, however, desire to return to racing, and in 2005, started taking steps to return to the cockpit.
In 2010, after retiring from the
2010 Indianapolis 500 on the first lap, Hamilton referenced his 2001 crash while commenting on his early exit from the 500 by saying, "It’s the second-worst day of my racing career...and everyone knows my worst one."
Life after retirement
Hamilton became the color commentator for
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network broadcasts in 2003. He later began driving the 2-seater IndyCar, which gives rides to VIPs and celebrities at IndyCar Series races.
Hamilton partnered with the new
American Speed Association
The American Speed Association (ASA) is a sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States formed in 1968. The Association was based in Pendleton, Indiana, Pendleton, Indiana, and later in Daytona Beach, Florida. The ASA sanctioned asphalt a ...
, partnering with ASA owner Dennis Huth, to take over control of the popular Southwest Tour for 2007, shortly after NASCAR terminated the popular AutoZone Elite division, which includes the popular Southwest series. The Speedco Southwest Tour series uses the same cars as the former NASCAR-sanctioned series.
Hamilton also owns his own racing team, "Davey Hamilton Apex Racing." This team consists of two winged
sprint drivers: his father Ken Hamilton and friend Mike Cullum. Also on the team is Davey's son DJ who races Outlaw Karts and
Go Karts. Mike's daughter Jenna rounds out the team and she drives Outlaw Karts. In 2008, Hamilton became a partner in a group that purchased
Terre Haute Action Track.
In 2014 he co-founded King of the Wing, a national pavement sprint car series.
Return to racing

In 2005, Hamilton started courting sponsors and perusing the paddock in an effort to return to racing. After settling several personal and business issues, he landed a ride for the
2007
2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year.
Events
January
* January 1
**Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...
, driving for
Vision Racing.
Qualifying 20th, Hamilton placed 9th after the race was ended early on lap 166 due to rain. For 2008, Hamilton re-signed with Vision Racing. He finished 14th in the
2008 Indianapolis 500. For the
2009 season, he drove for
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, and was the only one of the team's four drivers to qualify during the first weekend of qualifications. However he crashed out of the race on lap 79.
In
2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, Hamilton competed in the
2010 Indianapolis 500 for
de Ferran Dragon Racing. He was involved in an incident with
Tomas Scheckter on the first lap of the race, and was classified in 33rd, last place.
Hamilton's final season of races would be 2011. He finished 24th in the
2011 Indianapolis 500. He also raced in the Twin 275's at Texas for unfinished business. His final start would be at the tragic
2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas. Hamilton was fortunate enough to escape the major accident on lap 11 that killed
Dan Wheldon, but the race was abandoned, and the results were scratched from official record. When the new chassis and engine package was introduced for the 2012 season, Hamilton was unable to secure a car for the
2012 Indianapolis 500 due to a lack of available rides.
In 2013, Hamilton joined the
Stadium Super Trucks
The Stadium Super Trucks (SST), formerly known as Speed Energy Formula Off-Road, also known as the Boost Mobile Super Trucks in Australia, is an American short course off-road racing series created by off-road racer and former IndyCar and NASCAR d ...
, serving as a substitute for
Jimmy Vasser at
Honda Indy Toronto; Hamilton started first in the event, but engine trouble forced him to finish seventh. In 2014, he made his season debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, where he placed 8th in the first race and 9th in the second race.
Personal life
Davey has a son named
Davey Jay Hamilton Jr. (D.J.) who was born on March 15, 1997, in Idaho. D.J. is also a racing driver, racing in sprint cars and Stadium Super Trucks. Davey also has a daughter named Hailey Hamilton, who was born on November 16th 1999, in Las Vegas, NV. Hailey is artistically inclined, and received a Bachelors degree in Photography at Taylor University. She now does social media marketing for six different brands including Dolly Parton's Stampede and Titanic Museum Attraction. She is aspiring to get her Masters degree in Art Conservation at New York University. .
Career results
American open–wheel results
(
key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
Indy Lights
CART IndyCar
IndyCar Series / Indy Racing League
:
1 ''Races run on same day.''
:
2 ''Non-points-paying, exhibition race.''
:
3 ''The
Las Vegas Indy 300 was abandoned after
Dan Wheldon died from injuries sustained in a 15-car crash on lap 11.''
Indianapolis 500
Stadium Super Trucks
(
key) (
Bold – Pole position. ''Italics'' – Fastest qualifier. * – Most laps led.)
References
External links
Davey Hamilton RacingIndyCar Driver Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Davey
1962 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Nampa, Idaho
Racing drivers from Idaho
Indianapolis 500 drivers
IndyCar Series drivers
Stadium Super Trucks drivers
Motorsport announcers
USAC Silver Crown Series drivers
Dragon Racing drivers
De Ferran Motorsports drivers
Indy Lights drivers
A. J. Foyt Enterprises drivers
Arrow McLaren SP drivers
Vision Racing drivers
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing drivers