Mo Nunn
Encyclopedia
Morris 'Mo' Nunn is a motor racing team owner and engineer from England
. He ran the Ensign
Formula One
team in the late 1970s and early 80s, and later worked for Chip Ganassi
's highly successful Champ Car
team, before founding Mo Nunn Racing for the 2000 season.
Running his own team did not prove so successful. Like Ensign, the team was often relatively under-funded. Tony Kanaan
, their sole driver in their debut season, never managed a top 5 finish. A second car was added for Alex Zanardi
in 2001, but he was uncompetitive and then lost his legs in a horrific crash at Lausitzring. Kanaan finished in 9th in the championship.
In 2002 Nunn entered one car each in Champ Car
and the rival Indy Racing League. The IRL entry for Felipe Giaffone
proved more competitive than Kanaan's Champ Car entry, encouraging the team to concentrate purely on IRL a year later. With Toyota and Pioneer
backing, the former F1 driver Tora Takagi joined the team. He finished 10th in 2003, while Giaffone missed races because of injuries. He was replaced by Alex Barron
, who won the Michigan race. For 2004 only one car was entered, for Takagi, whose performance was not impressive after a heavy crash at Twin Ring Motegi
. Other than the 2005 Indianapolis 500
, Nunn has not since entered a car of his own, instead returning to act as a technical adviser to Chip Ganassi Racing
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He ran the Ensign
Ensign (racing team)
Ensign was a Formula One constructor from Britain. They participated in 133 grands prix, entering a total of 155 cars. Ensign scored 19 championship points and no podium finish...
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
team in the late 1970s and early 80s, and later worked for Chip Ganassi
Chip Ganassi
Floyd "Chip" Ganassi, Jr is a former American racecar driver and current racecar owner.He is currently the owner and president of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates which operates teams on the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series circuit...
's highly successful Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
team, before founding Mo Nunn Racing for the 2000 season.
Running his own team did not prove so successful. Like Ensign, the team was often relatively under-funded. Tony Kanaan
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
, their sole driver in their debut season, never managed a top 5 finish. A second car was added for Alex Zanardi
Alex Zanardi
Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi is an Italian racing driver and paracyclist.He won two CART championship titles in North America during the late 1990s. He also had a less successful career as a Formula One driver...
in 2001, but he was uncompetitive and then lost his legs in a horrific crash at Lausitzring. Kanaan finished in 9th in the championship.
In 2002 Nunn entered one car each in Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
and the rival Indy Racing League. The IRL entry for Felipe Giaffone
Felipe Giaffone
Felipe Giaffone is a race car driver from Brazil. He competed in the Indy Racing League between 2001 and 2006. His father, "Zeca" Giaffone is the 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and Mil Milhas Brasil five times winner in the 1980s.-Racing career:...
proved more competitive than Kanaan's Champ Car entry, encouraging the team to concentrate purely on IRL a year later. With Toyota and Pioneer
Pioneer Corporation
is a multinational corporation that specializes in digital entertainment products, based in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The company was founded in 1938 in Tokyo as a radio and speaker repair shop...
backing, the former F1 driver Tora Takagi joined the team. He finished 10th in 2003, while Giaffone missed races because of injuries. He was replaced by Alex Barron
Alex Barron (driver)
Alex Barron in San Diego, California) is an American race car driver. He began racing CART FedEx World Series Championship cars in 1998 and made his first Indy Racing League Northern Lights Series start in 2001....
, who won the Michigan race. For 2004 only one car was entered, for Takagi, whose performance was not impressive after a heavy crash at Twin Ring Motegi
Twin Ring Motegi
is an automobile racing track located at Motegi, Japan. Its name comes from the facility having two race tracks: a oval and a road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda, as part of Honda's effort to bring the IndyCar Series to Japan, helping to increase their knowledge of American open-wheel...
. Other than the 2005 Indianapolis 500
2005 Indianapolis 500
The 89th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 2005. It was the premier event of the 2005 IndyCar Series season, and the tenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Dan Wheldon won the race under a yellow flag...
, Nunn has not since entered a car of his own, instead returning to act as a technical adviser to Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
.