IZOD IndyCar Series - Tony Kanaan

JR Hildebrand Panther Racing
16th
18th
Will Power Team Penske
Tony Kanaan
Tony  Kanaan
KV Racing Technology
  • 11-Hydroxycut
  • Brazil
17th
Tony Kanaan
Driver Info
Tony Kanaan
All-Time Career Statistics - IZOD IndyCar Series
  • Championship
    1
  • Indy 500 Wins
    0
  • Total Poles
    15
  • Race Wins
    15
11
Biography of Tony Kanaan

When racing great Michael Andretti decided to retire as a driver, he searched for a replacement to anchor his team. Andretti thought Tony Kanaan was the perfect choice. Kanaan didn't let him down, posting a solid season in 2003, with one victory, nine top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 16 races.

But it was Kanaan's accomplishments in 2004 that were quite spectacular. He became the first driver in major auto racing history to complete every lap of every race for an entire season on his way to winning the 2004 IndyCar Series title.

Kanaan has more than 250 Indy car starts since 1998, and is the active leader in consecutive starts.

He enjoys competing in triathlons, karting and watersports. He speaks English, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish.
IZOD INDYCAR SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

First start: May 26, 2002 (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
First victory: March 23, 2003 (Phoenix International Raceway)
First pole: March 2, 2003 (Homestead-Miami Speedway)

2012
• Finished ninth in IZOD IndyCar Series standings for KV Racing Technology.
• Recorded eight top-10 finishes, with best of second at Milwaukee.

2011
• Finished fifth in IZOD IndyCar Series standings for KV Racing Technology.
• Recorded nine top-10 finishes, with a best of second at Iowa. Finished third in debut with team.
• Advanced 18 positions to finish sixth at Barber and equaled the gain with fourth place at Indianapolis.

2010
• Finished sixth in IZOD IndyCar Series standings for Andretti Autosport.
• Won at Iowa, advancing 14 positions and leading 62 laps.
• Recorded seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.
• Front-row start at St. Petersburg was first since winning pole at Richmond in 2008.
• Started last at Indianapolis, ran as high as second and finished 11th.
• Completed 2,413 of 2,414 laps.

2009
• Finished sixth in IndyCar Series standings for Andretti Green Racing.
• Recorded five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes, with a best of third three times.
• Only driver with top-five finishes in each of first three races.
• Milwaukee was first time in 103 IndyCar Series starts he had back-to-back DNFs.

2008
• Finished third in IndyCar Series standings for Andretti Green Racing.
• Won at Richmond from the pole, and had 11 top-five finishes overall. Closed the season with three consecutive top fives, including podiums at Infineon and Belle Isle.

2007
• Finished third in IndyCar Series standings for Andretti Green Racing with series-best five victories.
• Won at Motegi, Milwaukee, Michigan, Kentucky and Belle Isle.
• Recorded 12 top-five finishes and 13 top-10 finishes.
• Led 83 laps at Indianapolis, becoming first driver to lead laps in his first six "500" starts.

2006
• Finished sixth in IndyCar Series standings for Andretti Green Racing with two victories.
• Won at The Milwaukee Mile and recorded eight other top-10 finishes.
• Started in the top 10 in 12 of the 14 races.

2005
• Finished second in IndyCar Series standings with two victories (Kansas, Infineon) and 12 other top-10 finishes.
• Started from the pole and finished eighth in the 89th Indianapolis 500.

2004
• Won the IndyCar Series championship for Andretti Green Racing at California Speedway. Raced to a second-place finish after starting 21st. Lost to Adrian Fernandez by 0.0183 of a second.
• Finished eighth in season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway before recording 15 consecutive top-five finishes, including three wins and six second-place finishes.
• Won at Phoenix, leading 191 of 200 laps. Also won at Texas1 and Nashville.
• Earned MBNA Pole Awards at Michigan and Pikes Peak.
• Completed 3,305 laps, the first IndyCar Series driver to complete every possible lap in a season.
• Led 889 laps to establish IndyCar Series record. Led laps in 13 races, including the final 10.

2003
• Finished fourth in IndyCar Series standings for Andretti Green Racing in first full IndyCar Series season.
• Scored first career series win at Phoenix.
• Won MBNA Pole Awards at Homestead, Phoenix and Pikes Peak.
• Tied for series lead in top-five (9) and top-10 (12) finishes.
• Led 12 of 16 races, second to series champion Scott Dixon.

2002
• Made IndyCar Series debut at Indianapolis 500, starting fifth and leading 23 laps before an accident on Lap 89 ended his race. Finished 28th.

ROAD TO THE IZOD INDYCAR SERIES

2002
• Finished 12th in CART standings for Mo Nunn Racing. Best finish was third at Vancouver and Montreal.

2001
• Finished ninth in CART standings for Mo Nunn Racing. Best finish was third at Japan.

2000
• Finished 19th in partial CART season for Mo Nunn Racing. Best finish was eighth at Nazareth, Road America and Australia.
• Missed four events after sustaining a fractured left forearm in qualifying accident in Detroit.

1999
• Competed for Forsythe Racing and finished 11th in CART standings, scoring first win at Michigan.

1998
• Named CART Jim Trueman Rookie of the Year driving for Tasman Motorsports Group. Finished ninth in CART point standings.
• Highest finish was third at Laguna Seca and Houston.

1997
• Won Dayton Indy Lights championship driving for Tasman Motorsports Group.
• Scored two victories and seven top-three finishes.

1996
• Finished second in Indy Lights, scoring two victories and five top-three finishes for Tasman Motorsports Group.

1995
• Scored one victory and nine podium finishes en route to fifth place in Italian Formula 3 Championship

1994
• Won the Italian Formula Alfa-Boxer Championship, scoring five wins.

1993
• Drove a limited schedule in Formula Opel Euroseries Championship, finishing 10th in points.

1992
• Finished fifth in the Brazilian Formula Chevrolet Championship.

1991
• Competed in Brazilian Formula Ford Championship, finishing sixth.

Early Career
• Competed in karts, winning the Sao Paulo city Junior Karting Championship three times (1986-88), the Brazilian Junior Karting Championship (1988), the Sao Paulo City B Category Karting Championship (1989) and the Sao Paulo City Graduated A Category Karting Championship (1990).
Driver Photos
Year Series Starts Wins Poles** Top 5 Top 10 Laps Led RAF
2013 IZOD IndyCar Series 4 0 0 1 1 12 3
2012 IZOD IndyCar Series 15 0 0 5 8 54 12
2011 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 0 1 7 9 97 13
2010 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 1 0 7 13 68 17
2009 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 0 0 5 10 88 12
2008 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 1 2 11 15 415 15
2007 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 5 2 12 13 348 15
2006 IZOD IndyCar Series 14 1 0 7 9 148 11
2005 IZOD IndyCar Series 17 2 1 12 14 375 14
2004 IZOD IndyCar Series 16 3 2 15 16 889 16
2003 IZOD IndyCar Series 16 1 3 9 12 337 13
2002 IZOD IndyCar Series 1 0 0 0 0 23 0
2002 CART 19 0 2 5 11 145 11
2001 CART 19 0 1 4 12 179 16
2000 CART 16 0 0 0 6 43 9
1999 CART 20 1 1 2 10 51 13
1998 CART 19 0 0 5 10 0 13
Total 261 15 15 107 169 3272 203
Year Series Starts Wins Poles** Top 5 Top 10 Laps Led RAF
* Under INDYCAR sanction RAF = Running at Finish
** Includes all poles, including those awarded based on entrant points
KV Racing Technology

The team was formed in January 2003 as a single-car operation under the banner of KV Racing. In 2004, the Indianapolis-based team expanded to a two-car effort when Jimmy Vasser joined as a driver in addition to co-owning the operation with Kevin Kalkhoven, becoming PKV Racing.

Vasser, the 1996 CART champion, also raced with the team in the Champ Car finale at Long Beach in 2008. The team joined the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2008.

Kalkhoven, who was also a co-owner of the Champ Car World Series, is a successful venture capitalist. International industrialist Imran Safiulla joined the ownership group in 2013.