Birthdate: July 24, 1962
Birthplace: Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Residence: Flowery Branch, Ga.
Family: Children Canaan, Kelly
Notable: Three-time ALMS GT1 champion, 36 career ALMS wins, record seven Sebring 12-hour class victories, holds ALMS records for most starts (95), most podium finishes (74), most top-five finishes (87) and most top-10 finishes (93); first American driver to win 24 Hours of Le Mans four times
Web site: www.johnnyoconnell.com
American Le Mans Series Career Record |
||||
Year |
Starts |
Wins |
Fast Qualifier |
Notes |
1999 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
Panoz LMP1 |
2000 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
Panoz LMP1 |
2001 |
7 |
5 |
0 |
First season with Corvette Racing, won Daytona and Le Mans 24-hour races |
2002 |
10 |
7 |
0 |
|
2003 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
ALMS GTS co-champion (with Fellows) |
2004 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
ALM S GTS co-champion (with Fellows) |
2005 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
Second in GT1 championship |
2006 |
10 |
1 |
1 |
Fourth in GT1 championship |
2007 |
11 |
3 |
0 |
Second in GT1 championship |
2008 |
11 |
8 |
3 |
ALMS GT1 co-champion (with Magnussen) |
Total |
95* |
36 |
5 |
*ALMS record for career starts |
24 Hours of Le Mans Record |
||||
Year |
Finish |
Class |
Car |
Co-drivers |
1994 |
1st |
GTS |
Nissan 300ZX |
Morton, Miller |
1998 |
Rtd. |
GT1 |
Panoz |
Bernard, Tinseau |
1999 |
11th |
LMP900 |
Panoz |
Magnussen, Angelelli |
2000 |
5th |
LMP900 |
Panoz |
Kato, Raphanel |
2001 |
1st |
GTS |
Corvette C5-R |
Fellows, Pruett |
2002 |
1st |
GTS |
Corvette C5-R |
Fellows, Gavin |
2003 |
3rd |
GTS |
Corvette C5-R |
Fellows, Freon |
2004 |
2nd |
GTS |
Corvette C5-R |
Fellows, Papis |
2005 |
2nd |
GT1 |
Corvette C6.R |
Fellows, Papis |
2006 |
7th |
GT1 |
Corvette C6.R |
Fellows, Papis |
2007 |
2nd |
GT1 |
Corvette C6.R |
Fellows, Magnussen |
2008 |
2nd |
GT1 |
Corvette C6.R |
Fellows, Magnussen |
2009 |
1st |
GT1 |
Corvette C6.R |
Magnussen, Garcia |
Career Highlights
1984-85: Jim Russell School champion
1987: Formula Atlantic West champion and Rookie of the Year (five wins)
1988: Formula Atlantic West (one win)
1989: American Racing Series (one win)
1991-1993: Two wins in IMSA GTO (Nissan)
1993: GTS class winner in 12 Hours of Sebring (Nissan)
1994: Two wins in IMSA GTS, overall win in 12 Hours of Sebring (Nissan)
1995: GT1 class winner in 12 Hours of Sebring (Nissan)
1996: Indy Racing League (Reynard)
1997-98: One win in PSCR World Sports Car Championship (Hawk, Panoz)
1999-2000: One win in American Le Mans Series (Panoz)
2001: Overall winner in 24 Hours of Daytona, five ALMS wins (Corvette)
2002: Seven ALMS wins (Corvette)
2003: American Le Mans Series GTS co-champion, three ALMS wins (Corvette)
2004: American Le Mans Series GTS co-champion, five ALMS wins (Corvette)
2005: Runner-up in ALMS GT1 championship, three ALMS wins (Corvette), first ALMS pole
2006: Fourth in ALMS GT1 championship, one ALMS win, one ALMS pole (Corvette)
2007: Runner-up in ALMS GT1 championship, three ALMS wins, second in GT1 at 24 Hours of Le Mans (Corvette)
2008: Won ALMS GT1 championship (with Magnussen) for third time; eight ALMS victories (including Sebring 12-hour and 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans endurance races) and career-high three fast qualifiers; runner-up in GT1 class at 24 Hours of Le Mans for second consecutive year (Corvette)
Fast, funny and fearless, red-haired Johnny O'Connell is as quick with a quip as he is with a race car. Born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., this transplanted Yankee now lives in Flowery Branch, Ga. He began his racing career in open-wheel cars, but found a home at Corvette Racing. He shared the ALMS GT1 drivers championship with Ron Fellows in 2003-04, and was on board for Corvette Racing's historic overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona and its first Le Mans class victory in 2001.
O'Connell is recognized as one of North America's most talented and versatile racing drivers. His racing career began in single-seaters. Competing professionally for the first time in the Formula Atlantic series in 1987, he won five races en route to the championship and Rookie of the Year honors. Success followed in the road racing arena, where O'Connell scored a class victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1993, an overall win in 1994 and another class victory in 1995. He also won his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994 in his first outing in the prestigious endurance race.
O'Connell subsequently ran a season of Indy Cars and then returned to sports car racing with Panoz in the late '90s. He joined the factory Corvette effort in 2001, scoring an overall victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona in his first race behind the wheel of the Corvette C5-R, followed by Corvette Racing's first class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since then, he has helped GM's factory team capture eight straight manufacturers titles. He shared the drivers championship for the GTS class with teammate Fellows in 2003-04, and dominated the GT1 class with teammate Jan Magnussen in 2008, scoring eight wins en route to the class championship. O'Connell became the all-time leader in Sebring victories with his seventh career win on the historic circuit.
At the conclusion of the 2008 season, O'Connell held numerous ALMS records, including the most career starts (95), most podium finishes (74), most top-five finishes (87) and most top-10 finishes (93)
O'Connell conducts an annual charity auction at Road Atlanta to benefit senior citizens and research on Alzheimer's disease. A black belt in karate, O'Connell practices martial arts as part of his fitness training regimen. He appeared as a rapper in a Chevy commercial that was first televised during the 2007 Super Bowl, and threw out the first pitch at a Detroit Tigers baseball game before the inaugural ALMS Detroit Sports Car Challenge.
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Contact:
Rick Voegelin
Chevy Racing
Communications