Tony Renna

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Tony Renna

Renna at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 2003.
Nationality United States American
Born November 23, 1976
Victorville, California, U.S.
Died October 22, 2003(2003-10-22) (aged 26)
Speedway, Indiana, U.S.
Debut season 2002
Former teams Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Kelley Racing
Starts 7
Wins 0
Poles 0
Best finish 24th in 2002

Tony Renna (November 23, 1976 – October 22, 2003) was an American race car driver raised in DeLand, Florida who raced in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He made seven starts for Kelley Racing in 2002 and 2003 including the 2003 Indianapolis 500. His best finish was fourth place at Michigan International Speedway in 2002. Renna signed to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2004 IndyCar Series season alongside Scott Dixon, but during an offseason tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 22, 2003, his car spun and became airborne, smashed into the catch fence and shredded apart. Renna died instantly.

Indy Racing League

Tony Renna was employed by Kelley Racing for two years from 2002–2003 in the Indy Racing League (IRL). His first race start came on July 20, 2002 when he was driving for Al Unser Jr., while Unser was in alcohol rehabilitation after his arrest on July 9, 2002. Renna filled in for Unser Jr. twice that season, and was then sponsored in his own car by Dean Kruse in the #78 Kruse Special car for Kelley Racing.

Death

On the night of October 21, 2003, Team Ganassi's crew was up late during the night getting Renna fitted for his new car that was driven earlier that day by his teammate Scott Dixon. The next morning, Renna was assigned to complete a tire test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On that morning, it was about 50 degrees outside and the track was cool. On Renna's 4th lap he was driving approximately 218 mph (351 km/h) and spun out in turn three. While spinning, his car caught some air underneath the chassis, which lifted the car in the air, and into the catch fence, which was over the four-foot concrete wall. Renna died instantly of massive internal trauma, and was pronounced dead on arrival at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.[1]

Motorsports career results

Career summary

Season Series Team Car No. Races Wins Poles F/Laps Points Position
1998 CART Indy Lights Mattco Raceworks 77 12 1 2 0 68 8th
1999 CART Indy Lights PacWest Lights 17 5 0 0 1 22 16th
2000 CART Indy Lights PacWest Lights 18 12 0 0 0 105 5th
2002 Indy Racing League Kelley Racing 7 & 78 6 0 0 0 121 24th
2003 IRL IndyCar Series Kelley Racing 32 1 0 0 0 26 30th

American open–wheel racing results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Indy Lights

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points
1998 Mattco Raceworks MIA
DNS		 LBH
12		 NAZ
10		 STL
22		 MIL
5		 DET
15		 POR
12		 CLE
5		 TOR
21		 MIS
1		 TRO
20		 VAN LS
8		 FON
3		 8th 68
1999 PacWest Lights MIA LBH NAZ MIL
3		 POR
14		 CLE
19		 TOR
14		 MIS
WD		 DET CHI LS FON
6		 16th 22
2000 PacWest Lights LBH
9		 MIL
17		 DET
17		 POR
4		 MIS
3		 CHI
3		 MDO
4		 VAN
6		 LS
4		 STL
4		 HOU
10		 FON
3		 5th 105

IndyCar

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Rank Points
2002 Kelley Racing HMS PHX FON NZR INDY TXS PPIR RIR KAN NSH
10		 MIS
4		 KTY
7		 STL
24		 CHI
15		 TX2
9		 24th 121
2003 Kelley Racing HMS PHX MOT INDY
7		 TXS PPIR RIR KAN NSH MIS STL KTY NZR CHI FON TX2 30th 26
Years Teams Races Poles Wins Podiums
(Non-win)		 Top 10s
(Non-podium)		 Indianapolis 500
Wins		 Championships
2 1 7 0 0 0 5 0 0
Indy 500 results
Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
2003 Dallara Honda 8 7 Kelley Racing

See also

References

  1. ↑ Wilson, Phillip B. (October 22, 2013). "Friends salute IndyCar driver Tony Renna 10 years after his death". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, IN. Retrieved 2013-12-21. 

External links

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