Sean Guthrie
Encyclopedia
Sean Guthrie is an American
racing driver from Albuquerque, New Mexico
currently competing in the Firestone Indy Lights Series. He is the son of Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
race winner Jim Guthrie.
Sean began his karting career at the age of eight. He won an IKF championship in 2002 and the SKUSA Long Track Nationals in 2003 and moved up to cars in SCCA
Formula Ford
in 2004. In 2005 he moved up to the Star Mazda Series
and finished 14th in points in a season beset by mechanical problems. The team, owned by his father, decided to move up to the Indy Pro Series
in 2006
, but Sean was forced to miss the first three races of the season as he was not yet the league-mandated 18 years old. He competed in 5 races with a best finish of 5th at Kentucky Speedway
. The team returned for 2007
for a full season. After crashing out of the first three races of the season, the team regrouped and finished the Freedom 100
and Sean registered a career-best 4th place finish at the Milwaukee Mile
a week later. In the Iowa Speedway
race Sean suffered a heavy crash and the team's car had to be sent back to the manufacturer Dallara
in Italy for repairs. Sean injured both his foot and knee in the accident. Sean made three starts at the end of the season for Playa Del Racing
as the team ran in cooperation with Guthrie. Until his suspension in April of 2009, he drove for his father's team Guthrie Racing
along with teammates Alistair Jackson
and Jesse Mason
. Sean finished 14th in the 2007 championship and returned to the series, now called the Firestone Indy Lights Series in 2008, finishing 10th in points. In April 2009 he was suspended from the Indy Racing League after the race at Kansas Speedway
in which he was penalized for driving through an accident zone too quickly and passing a car under the yellow flag and then refused to respond to the black flag. He made his return to the Firestone Indy Lights Series on October 9, 2009 at Homestead with Andersen Racing. After participating in dirt track racing
throughout 2010, Guthrie again returned to Indy Lights for the season finale at Homestead with Andersen, finishing 10th.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
racing driver from Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
currently competing in the Firestone Indy Lights Series. He is the son of Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
race winner Jim Guthrie.
Sean began his karting career at the age of eight. He won an IKF championship in 2002 and the SKUSA Long Track Nationals in 2003 and moved up to cars in SCCA
Sports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
Formula Ford
Formula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
in 2004. In 2005 he moved up to the Star Mazda Series
Star Mazda Series
The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is an open-wheel racecar driver development series in North America. Competitors use spec Formula Mazda race cars built by Star Race Cars. The original series, using first-generation tube-frame cars started in the early 1990s, with the current,...
and finished 14th in points in a season beset by mechanical problems. The team, owned by his father, decided to move up to the Indy Pro Series
Indy Pro Series
Firestone Indy Lights is a developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar. Previously, another series named Indy Lights filled the same role for CART and ran from 1986 to 1993 as the American Racing Series and Dayton Indy Lights from 1991 to 2001...
in 2006
2006 in IPS
The 2006 Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series started the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 26th and finished September 9th at Chicagoland Speedway.-Miami 100:* Date: March 26* Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway...
, but Sean was forced to miss the first three races of the season as he was not yet the league-mandated 18 years old. He competed in 5 races with a best finish of 5th at Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
. The team returned for 2007
2007 in IPS
The 2007 Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series started on Saturday March 24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The season's premiere race is the Freedom 100 on May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The season finale was held at Chicagoland Speedway on September 9...
for a full season. After crashing out of the first three races of the season, the team regrouped and finished the Freedom 100
Freedom 100
The Firestone Freedom 100 is a Firestone Indy Lights Series auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is currently held the Friday before the Indianapolis 500...
and Sean registered a career-best 4th place finish at the Milwaukee Mile
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
a week later. In the Iowa Speedway
Iowa Speedway
Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence from Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond International Raceway, a short track where Wallace was very successful...
race Sean suffered a heavy crash and the team's car had to be sent back to the manufacturer Dallara
Dallara
Dallara Automobili is an Italian chassis manufacturer for various motor racing series, being most notable for its near-monopoly in Formula 3 since 1993...
in Italy for repairs. Sean injured both his foot and knee in the accident. Sean made three starts at the end of the season for Playa Del Racing
Playa Del Racing
American Dream Motorsports was a racing team that competed in the Indy Racing League's Indy Lights series and the IndyCar Series' Indianapolis 500 owned by Eric Zimmerman and William T. Kelsey...
as the team ran in cooperation with Guthrie. Until his suspension in April of 2009, he drove for his father's team Guthrie Racing
Guthrie Racing
Guthrie Meyer Racing is a former Firestone Indy Lights Series team.The team started in 2005 as Guthrie Racing owned by 1997 IndyCar Series “Rookie of the Year” winner and 1997 Phoenix race winner Jim Guthrie. The team began running in the Star Mazda Pro Series in 2005 with numerous podium and top...
along with teammates Alistair Jackson
Alistair Jackson
Alastair "Ali" Jackson is an Northern Irish racing driver.Jackson raced in the Asian Formula Three Championship in 2006 and finished 3rd in points with four victories, becoming the youngest driver to win in series history...
and Jesse Mason
Jesse Mason
Jesse Mason is a Canadian racecar driver from Niagara Falls, Ontario.After karting and some amateur classes in Canada, Mason competed in the British Formula Three Championship National Class for Performance Racing in 2003 and finished 6th in class points. He also made two starts in the German...
. Sean finished 14th in the 2007 championship and returned to the series, now called the Firestone Indy Lights Series in 2008, finishing 10th in points. In April 2009 he was suspended from the Indy Racing League after the race at Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
in which he was penalized for driving through an accident zone too quickly and passing a car under the yellow flag and then refused to respond to the black flag. He made his return to the Firestone Indy Lights Series on October 9, 2009 at Homestead with Andersen Racing. After participating in dirt track racing
Dirt track racing
Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
throughout 2010, Guthrie again returned to Indy Lights for the season finale at Homestead with Andersen, finishing 10th.