Michel Jourdain, Jr.

Michel Jourdain Jr. ( born September 2, 1976 in Mexico City) is a Mexican racing driver. He started from 1996 to 2004 in the CART series. His best overall finish was a third place. In addition, he said, among other things in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC ) and the World Rally Championship ( WRC).

He is the son of Michel Jourdain Sr. and a nephew of Bernard Jourdain.

Career

Michel Jourdain Jr. started his motor racing career in Formula racing in 1987 in the Mexican Formula Junior. He remained four years in this series and was fourth overall in 1989. In 1991 he moved to the Mexican Formula 2 Championship. He went up to half a season and finished 17th in the overall standings. He also participated in the Mexican Formula K Endurance Series. Jourdain was the next four years in the Mexican Formula 2 Championship. He improved his overall rankings. After a 15th place in 1992, a twelfth place in 1993 and an eighth place in 1994 in 1995 he became third in the championship. He also took from 1993 to 1995 also participated in the Mexican Delvac Cup as well as the Mexican Tecate Cup.

1996 Jourdain was without a permanent cockpit. In the Indy Racing League, he joined the team Scandia to two races, including the Indianapolis 500, at. He finished 20th in the driver standings. In the Indy Car World Series he took for Dick Simon Racing participated in six events and reached the 37th place overall. In the 1996/1997 season of the Indy Racing League, he started for the team Scandia to race in Las Vegas and was ranked second. For 1997, Jourdain received in the CART series, the former Indy Car World Series, in Payton / Coyne Racing cockpit for the entire season. With a 13th place as best result he finished the season starting on the 29th rank. 1998 remained at Jourdain Payton / Coyne Racing. With a tenth place he achieved a top 10 ranking. He was 24th in the driver standings. Internal team he won more points than his team mates Gualter Salles and Dennis Vitolo, who shared a cockpit. 1999 Jourdain denied his third season for Payton / Coyne Racing and was once again the only pilot of the team that began some three cars, who played every race. With a seventh place he scored his hitherto best CART result. In the overall classification, he finished the season starting on the 25th place.

In 2000, Jourdain within the CART series to Bettenhausen Racing, who used only a driver. With an eighth and a seventh place he came twice in the top 10 and finished the season at the 22nd place overall. 2001 remained Jourdain at Bettenhausen Racing. He achieved three top-10 results and stood third in Brooklyn for the first time on the podium. In the drivers' standings he was 20th

2002 Jourdain was taken from the Team Rahal as a teammate of former champion Jimmy Vasser under contract. While Vasser finished the season with a win in seventh place, Jourdain is improved in the drivers' standings to tenth place. Three fourth places were his best results. In 14 of 19 races he entered the Top 10 to the finish. 2003 remained Jourdain at Team Rahal, which only began a vehicle. After three podium finishes, he won the race in West Allis his first CART race. In Montreal, he scored another victory. In the championship, he was charged with 195 points, third behind Paul Tracy ( 226 points ) and Bruno Junqueira (199 points). After the team Rahal had left the CART series and the series was renamed the Champ Car World Series, joined Jourdain 2004 RuSPORT and was teammate AJ Allmendinger. A second place in Vancouver was his best result. Internally, he was defeated Allmendinger, who was sixth best rookie, with 185 to 229 points and closed the championship on the twelfth place from.

2005 Jourdain left the Formula racing and moved to NASCAR. He participated in the Busch Series and was 37 Moreover, he started one of the West Series race. In 2006, Jourdain participate only in individual races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Busch Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series.

2007 Jourdain came into the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC ) as the Seat factory driver. With a sixth place he scored a points position and finished 18th in the World Championship. In addition, he participated in two races of the NASCAR Busch Series and a race in the Rolex Sports Car Series in part. At the end of the year he took part for the Mexican team of four A1GP race of the season 2007/2008. A 13th place was his best result. In 2008 he started a race the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the former Busch Series. In a total of 26 Nationwide races, he scored a Top 10 ranking. In addition, he took part in the year in a race of the American Le Mans Series ( ALMS). After a one year break Jourdain joined in 2010 to two races of the Turismo de Resistencia at a Mexican touring car series.

His primary interest was not in 2010 and 2011, however, on the racetrack, but on the rally racing. He took two years to rallies, including in the World Rally Championship ( WRC), in part. A 14th place in the WRC was his best result.

2012 Jourdain returned back to the American single-seater sports. In Rahal Letterman Lanigan, former Team Rahal, he received a cockpit for the Indianapolis 500 His last start in the IndyCar Series, the former Indy Racing League, 1996. During the race he reached the 19th place. 2013 Jourdain again received a cockpit at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for the Indianapolis 500 However, he failed the qualification. Jourdain described the car as impassable. His team was not able to locate the problem. Also Jourdain's team-mate Graham Rahal succeeded with this vehicle no competitive time.

Personal

Michel Jourdain Jr. is not the only rider from his family. His father Michel Jourdain Sr. and his uncle Bernard Jourdain were both active in the CART series.

Statistics

Career stations

• 2006: Rolex Sports Car Series, DP ( number 62 )
• 2007: WTCC ( 18th place)
• 2007 NASCAR Busch Series (No. 106)
• 2007: Rolex Sports Car Series, DP ( number 61 )
• 2008: A1GP
• 2008: NASCAR Nationwide Series (No. 134)
• 2008: ALMS LMP2 ( # 32 )
• 2010: WRC
• 2010: Turismo de Resistencia, GTT ( 12th place)
• 2011: WRC
• 2012: IndyCar Series (No. 32)
• 2013: IndyCar Series

Individual results in the IndyCar Series

( Legend)