Swift Engineering
Encyclopedia
Swift Engineering is an American engineering firm, most notable for producing racing cars for a variety of open-wheel racing series, including Champ Car World Series, Formula Atlantic
, and Formula Nippon
.
which won the SCCA National Championship in its debut race. The company later built cars for Sports 2000
, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Atlantic
and CART
. Swift chassis won the Atlantic Championship from 1989 to 1992 and British Formula Renault in 1990.
In 1991, Swift was purchased by Panasonic
executive and Indycar racing driver Hiro Matsushita
who renamed the firm Swift Engineering. Under his direction Swift moved up to the CART World Series
from 1997 to 2000, with two cars entered by Newman/Haas Racing and driven by Michael Andretti
and Christian Fittipaldi
. In CART, Swifts won four races from 182 race entries. Tarso Marques
was the last driver to race a Swift chassis in CART competition.
In 1998, Swift became the sole supplier for the new spec regulation Toyota Atlantic Championship. In 2006, the Atlantic race series became a part of the Champ Car (formerly CART) organization and was renamed the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda
. Swift built an entirely new car for the series, using 016.a as a chassis code.
Swift is the sole supplier of chassis for the Japanese Formula Nippon
championship, beginning in 2009 with the 017.n chassis.
single engine jet aircraft under contract to Eclipse Aviation
. The aircraft was built in secrecy at NASA
's Wallops Flight Facility
in Virginia
and first flown on 2 July 2007.
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
, and Formula Nippon
Formula Nippon
Formula Nippon is a type of formula racing and the top level of single-seater racing in Japan.Formula Nippon evolved from the Japanese Formula 2000 series begun in 1973 by way of the Japanese Formula Two and Japanese Formula 3000 championships...
.
History
Swift Cars was founded in 1983 by David Bruns, Alex Cross, R.K. Smith, and Paul White . The first car, the DB-1, was a Formula Ford 1600Formula Ford 1600
Formula Ford 1600 is a number of championships which cater to 1600cc, Ford Kent powered Formula Ford racing cars. These are cars which were disbanded when the UK national Formula Ford category adopted the 1800cc Zetec engines in 1993...
which won the SCCA National Championship in its debut race. The company later built cars for Sports 2000
Sports 2000
Sports 2000 is a restricted-rules class of two-seat, rear-engined, open-cockpit, full-bodied sports-prototype racecar used largely in amateur road racing. Sometimes known as S2000 or S2, the class was developed by John Webb, then of the Brands Hatch racing circuit in England, as an affordable form...
, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
and CART
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...
. Swift chassis won the Atlantic Championship from 1989 to 1992 and British Formula Renault in 1990.
In 1991, Swift was purchased by Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
executive and Indycar racing driver Hiro Matsushita
Hiro Matsushita
, is a former driver in the Champ Car series. He is the grandson of Konosuke Matsushita, founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.. The family relationship has allowed him to receive financial backing from Panasonic throughout his racing career.-Early career:...
who renamed the firm Swift Engineering. Under his direction Swift moved up to the CART World Series
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...
from 1997 to 2000, with two cars entered by Newman/Haas Racing and driven by Michael Andretti
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:...
and Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR...
. In CART, Swifts won four races from 182 race entries. Tarso Marques
Tarso Marques
Tarso Anibal Santanna Marques is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 24 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on March 31, 1996...
was the last driver to race a Swift chassis in CART competition.
In 1998, Swift became the sole supplier for the new spec regulation Toyota Atlantic Championship. In 2006, the Atlantic race series became a part of the Champ Car (formerly CART) organization and was renamed the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
. Swift built an entirely new car for the series, using 016.a as a chassis code.
Swift is the sole supplier of chassis for the Japanese Formula Nippon
Formula Nippon
Formula Nippon is a type of formula racing and the top level of single-seater racing in Japan.Formula Nippon evolved from the Japanese Formula 2000 series begun in 1973 by way of the Japanese Formula Two and Japanese Formula 3000 championships...
championship, beginning in 2009 with the 017.n chassis.
Aviation
In 2007 Swift Engineering produced the prototype Eclipse 400Eclipse 400
The Eclipse 400 is a single engine very light jet that was designed by Eclipse Aviation, producer of the Eclipse 500.The Eclipse 400 was cancelled when the company went bankrupt in 2008 and development has not been pursued by Eclipse Aerospace, the company that bought Eclipse Aviation's...
single engine jet aircraft under contract to Eclipse Aviation
Eclipse Aviation
Eclipse Aviation Corporation was the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 very light jet and also at one time proposed developing the Eclipse 400 single-engined jet....
. The aircraft was built in secrecy at NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility , located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is operated by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, primarily as a rocket launch site to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other U.S. government agencies...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and first flown on 2 July 2007.