Tommy Kendall
Encyclopedia
Tommy Kendall is an American
race car driver and television
broadcaster. He is best known for his SCCA Trans-Am Series
career.
Kendall earned a degree in economics
from UCLA and to this day maintains an avid interest in business.
Son of race driver Charles Kendall, Tommy began his racing career competing at the IMSA Camel GT
championship. He drove a Mazda RX-7
in the GTU category
while studying and by the time he completed his studies, he took the 1986 and 1987 championships. Later he won three other titles in the same car, which he still owns. He later dominated the SCCA Trans-Am Series in the 1990s, scoring four series championships. His greatest year came in 1997, when he managed to win every single race on the schedule, except for the last two—almost a perfect season
. During this time, Kendall also honored by representing the series for six IROC
seasons.
He ran in fourteen NASCAR
Winston Cup races between 1987 to 1998. He raced primarily only on road courses (see road course ringer), and scored one Top-10 finish. He nearly won the 1991 Banquet Frozen Foods 300K at Sears Point Raceway before cutting a tire with two laps to go. He had a single start in the NASCAR Busch Series
.
Kendall also had one start with Dick Johnson Racing
at the 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000
co-driving with Steven Johnson
finishing in 8th. In doing so he became the first and so far only American to ever finish the Bathurst 1000.
On June 30, 1991 Kendall encountered serious injuries at Watkins Glen
when a mechanical failure caused his IMSA
GTP car to leave the track. This occurred along the same area of track where JD McDuffie of NASCAR Winston Cup fame lost his life only a month later. Kendall speaks of this incident during Episode 3, Season 2 of the Speed Channel
series, "Setup
" as a "crossroads in his racing career." He returned to racing over a year later in August 1992. He also discusses his accident on Athlete 360
, the sports medicine television show hosted by Mark Adickes
.
In the 2000s, Kendall became a television analyst for the Champ Car
Series. He is also the host of the Speed Test Drive promotional television series where he and another professional race car driver drive a new vehicle on a race course while being able to remotely talk to each other and offer their positive thoughts on the car.
In 2007 and 2008, Kendall was one of the hosts of the show Setup on SpeedTV.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcaster. He is best known for his SCCA Trans-Am Series
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series is an automobile racing series which was created in 1966 by Sports Car Club of America President John Bishop. Originally known as the Trans-American Sedan Championship it has evolved over time from its original format as a manufacturers championship for modified racing sedans...
career.
Kendall earned a degree in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from UCLA and to this day maintains an avid interest in business.
Son of race driver Charles Kendall, Tommy began his racing career competing at the IMSA Camel GT
International Motor Sports Association
The International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
championship. He drove a Mazda RX-7
Mazda RX-7
Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...
in the GTU category
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
while studying and by the time he completed his studies, he took the 1986 and 1987 championships. Later he won three other titles in the same car, which he still owns. He later dominated the SCCA Trans-Am Series in the 1990s, scoring four series championships. His greatest year came in 1997, when he managed to win every single race on the schedule, except for the last two—almost a perfect season
Perfect Season
A perfect season is any sports season, excluding the playoff portion of a season, in which a team remains undefeated and untied. The feat is extremely rare at the professional level of any team sport, and has occurred more commonly at the collegiate level in the United States.A perfect season may...
. During this time, Kendall also honored by representing the series for six IROC
International Race of Champions
International Race of Champions, better known as IROC, was a North American auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an American All-Star Game or The Masters...
seasons.
He ran in fourteen NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Winston Cup races between 1987 to 1998. He raced primarily only on road courses (see road course ringer), and scored one Top-10 finish. He nearly won the 1991 Banquet Frozen Foods 300K at Sears Point Raceway before cutting a tire with two laps to go. He had a single start in the NASCAR Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
.
Kendall also had one start with Dick Johnson Racing
Dick Johnson Racing
Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000...
at the 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000
1996 AMP Bathurst 1000
The 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000 was the 37th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on October 6, 1996 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
co-driving with Steven Johnson
Steven Johnson
Steven Johnson may refer to:* Steven Berlin Johnson , American popular science author* Steven Johnson , Australian V8 Supercar racing driver-See also:* Steve Johnson * Stephen Johnson...
finishing in 8th. In doing so he became the first and so far only American to ever finish the Bathurst 1000.
On June 30, 1991 Kendall encountered serious injuries at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
when a mechanical failure caused his IMSA
IMSA
IMSA can refer to:* International Management Systems Association, original name of the International Project Management Association * Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, a residential magnet school located in Aurora, Illinois...
GTP car to leave the track. This occurred along the same area of track where JD McDuffie of NASCAR Winston Cup fame lost his life only a month later. Kendall speaks of this incident during Episode 3, Season 2 of the Speed Channel
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
series, "Setup
Setup
As pertaining to the playing of a single reed woodwind instrument , a setup is the choice in reeds and mouthpieces a person has made. Players will often have several setups of a selection of these reeds and mouthpieces: one for jazz playing, one for legit playing, etc....
" as a "crossroads in his racing career." He returned to racing over a year later in August 1992. He also discusses his accident on Athlete 360
Athlete 360
Athlete 360 is a television program that runs on Fox Sports Net channels across the United States. The only television show focused exclusively on sports medicine, Athlete 360 takes the form of long interviews with a different athlete each episode. The athletes, some working and some retired, have...
, the sports medicine television show hosted by Mark Adickes
Mark Adickes
Mark Stephen Adickes is currently an Orthopedic surgeon and a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Redskins. Adickes played college football at Baylor University and later attended George Mason University and Harvard...
.
In the 2000s, Kendall became a television analyst for the 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...
Series. He is also the host of the Speed Test Drive promotional television series where he and another professional race car driver drive a new vehicle on a race course while being able to remotely talk to each other and offer their positive thoughts on the car.
In 2007 and 2008, Kendall was one of the hosts of the show Setup on SpeedTV.