Wade Cunningham
Wade Grant Cunningham ( born August 19, 1984 in Auckland ) is a New Zealand racing driver. In 2005 he was master of the IRL Pro Series. 2011 and 2012 he went to some races of the IndyCar Series. His brother Mitch Cunningham is also a racing driver.
Career
Cunningham began his motorsport career in 1998 in karting, where he was active until 2003. Among other things, he won the Formula A World Championship in 2003. In 2004 he moved to Formula racing and became an instant fifth in the U.S. F2000 National Championship. In 2005, he first started out in the New Zealand Toyota Racing Series, finishing with a victory in eighth place overall. He then joined for Brian Stewart Racing in the IRL Pro Series. Although he won only one race, he secured thanks to additional nine podium finishes the championship. In 2006 he stayed with Brian Stewart Racing. Although this season even three races, including at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, decided in his favor, it was not enough time to win the title and he was third overall.
After he had taken part in three races of New Zealand's Toyota Racing Series 2007, Cunningham moved to the IRL Pro Series AFS Racing / Andretti Green Racing. With a victory, he was able to retain third place overall. 2008 Cunningham took only seven races, the now renamed Indy Lights Championship, in part. With two podium finishes, he finished the season in 19th place overall. 2009 Cunningham played for Sam Schmidt Motorsports again the entire season in the Indy Lights. With two victories, he was the best pilot of his team to fourth place in the championship. Among other things, he won again in Indianapolis, becoming the first pilot who repeatedly won the Indy Lights race at Indianapolis.
Cunningham joined in 2010 for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in only two Indy Lights race. He finished both races on the podium, winning the Indy Lights race at Indianapolis for the third time in his career. In the overall classification, he finished 15th place. 2011 Cunningham gave his debut in the IndyCar Series. For Sam Schmidt Motorsports, he participated in several races. At the season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Cunningham caused a mass accident in which his teammate Dan Wheldon suffered fatal injuries. Cunningham was 37th in the driver standings. A seventh place was his best result. 2012 Cunningham received an IndyCar cockpit for the Indianapolis 500 at AJ Foyt Enterprises. He retired from the race. In addition, he completed the last race of the IndyCar Series for AJ Foyt Enterprises, since the regular driver Mike Conway had renounced at short notice to attend. In the IndyCar overall standings he was 28th in the second half of 2012 Cunningham also participated in three events organized by the V8SuperTourer, a New Zealand touring car series, in part. There he shared a vehicle with Jonny Reid.
Statistics
Career stations
- 2007: Toyota Racing Series (No. 26)
- 2007: IRL Pro Series ( 3rd place)
- 2008: Indy Lights ( 19th place )
- 2009: Indy Lights (4th place )
- 2010: Indy Lights ( 15th place)
- 2011: IndyCar Series ( No. 37 )
- 2012: IndyCar Series ( No. 28 )
- 2012: V8SuperTourer, Endurance ( 15th place)
Individual results in the IndyCar Series
( Legend)