| Hunter McElrea | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Nationality |  New Zealander | ||||||
| Born | (1999-11-21)21 November 1999 (age 26) Los Angeles, California, United States | ||||||
| IMSA SportsCar Championship career | |||||||
| Debut season | 2024 | ||||||
| Current team | TDS Racing | ||||||
| Racing licence |  FIA Silver | ||||||
| Car number | 11 | ||||||
| Starts | 11 (11 entries) | ||||||
| Wins | 4 | ||||||
| Podiums | 6 | ||||||
| Poles | 1 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 3 | ||||||
| Best finish | 9th in2025 | ||||||
| IndyCar Series career | |||||||
| 1 race run over 1 year | |||||||
| Team | No. 18 (Dale Coyne Racing) | ||||||
| Best finish | 41st (2024) | ||||||
| First race | 2024Honda Indy Toronto (Exhibition Place) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Previous series | |||||||
| 2016–18 2019 2020–21 2022–23 | Australian Formula Ford U.S. F2000 National Championship Indy Pro 2000 Championship Indy Lights | ||||||
| Championship titles | |||||||
| 2024-2025 2018 | IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (LMP2) Australian Formula Ford | ||||||
Hunter McElrea (born 21 November 1999 inLos Angeles, California,United States) is an American born New Zealand racing driver currently competing in theIMSA SportsCar Championship inLMP2 forTDS Racing.[1]
McElrea began his career in karting at the age of seven.[2]
In 2015, McElrea stepped up tosingle-seaters, competing in Formula Ford championships in both Australia and New Zealand, sometimes with the family outfit McElrea Racing.[2][3] In 2018, McElrea contested a second full season ofAustralian Formula Ford withSonic Motor Racing Services, accumulating thirteen wins and becoming the first non-Australian driver to win the title since 1985.[4]
In December 2018, McElrea won the $200,000Mazda Road to Indy Shootout atWild Horse Pass Motorsports Park to compete in the2019 U.S. F2000 National Championship.[5] Joining withPabst Racing, McElrea claimed four victories, including back-to-back wins atPortland and ultimately finished as championship runner-up after missing out on the title five points to Braden Eves.[6][7][8]
In October 2019, McElrea reunited with Pabst to partake in theChris Griffis Memorial Test, setting the fastest time in the Indy Pro 2000 category.[9] In March the following year, Pabst officially confirmed McElrea as one of its entrants into the2020 championship.[10] His rookie season in Indy Pro 2000 netted him 5th position in championship, with six podiums and a win at the final race of the year at theGrand Prix of St. Petersburg. McElrea again signed for Pabst Racing, for the2021 season. McElrea won races atBarber Motorsports Park,Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course andNew Jersey Motorsports Park on his way to 3rd in the championship. He also claimed seven podiums and a season leading five pole positions.
McElrea signed withAndretti Autosport, for the 2022Indy Lights season.[11] He scored pole position on debut at theGrand Prix of St. Petersburg.[12] In 2022 McElrea achieved three pole positions, two race wins atMid-Ohio Sports Car Course andIowa Speedway, and claimed 'Rookie of the Year' honours.[13] On 3 September,Andretti Autosport announced that McElrea would join them again for the 2023 season.[14][15]
Prior to the twelfth round of the2024 IndyCar Series,Dale Coyne Racing announced that it had signed McElrea to contest theToronto IndyCar race in their No. 18 Honda.[16] McElrea showed good pace throughout the weekend, but ultimately retired during the race, finishing 24th.
In 2024, McElrea made the switch to sportscar racing and signed withTDS Racing to compete in the2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship inLMP2. He would compete in the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds alongsideSteven Thomas andMikkel Jensen.[1] McElrea would get his first win in the championship atIndianapolis and would win again at the2024 Petit Le Mans.
McElrea returned to the championship for the2025 season, continuing to compete withTDS Racing. He would once again joinSteven Thomas andMikkel Jensen.[17]
McElrea is the third generation in his motor racing family. His grandfather Rod McElrea won the New Zealand Beach Racing championships, in Nelson, in 1971 and the OSCA championships in 1983. His father Andy McElrea won the 1991New Zealand Formula Ford Championship, and the 1996 New Zealand Trans-Am Championship.[3] Andy is also the Founder & Team Principal of McElrea Racing, which competes in thePorsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship &Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia.[18]
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Queensland Formula Ford | McElrea Racing | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 83 | NC |
| 2016 | Australian Formula Ford Series | Torelli Motorsport | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 9th |
| Queensland Formula Ford 1600 Series | McElrea Racing | 8 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 117 | NC | |
| 2017 | Australian Formula Ford Series | Sonic Motor Racing Services | 17 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 189 | 4th |
| 2018 | Australian Formula Ford Series | Sonic Motor Racing Services | 21 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 321 | 1st |
| 2019 | U.S. F2000 National Championship | Pabst Racing | 15 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 356 | 2nd |
| 2020 | Indy Pro 2000 Championship | Pabst Racing | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 320 | 5th |
| 2021 | Indy Pro 2000 Championship | Pabst Racing | 18 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 378 | 3rd |
| 2022 | Indy Lights | Andretti Autosport | 14 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 460 | 4th |
| 2023 | Indy NXT | Andretti Autosport | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 474 | 2nd |
| 2024 | IMSA SportsCar Championship - LMP2 | TDS Racing | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1563 | 18th |
| IndyCar Series | Dale Coyne Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 41st | |
| 2025 | IMSA SportsCar Championship - LMP2 | TDS Racing | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1828 | 9th |
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Pabst Racing | STP 1 3 | STP 2 2 | IMS 1 2 | IMS 2 3 | LOR 11 | ROA 1 1 | ROA 2 3 | TOR 1 3 | TOR 2 14 | MOH 1 2 | MOH 2 1 | POR 1 1 | POR 2 1 | LAG 1 2 | LAG 2 7 | 2nd | 356 |
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Pabst Racing | ROA 1 15 | ROA 2 15 | MOH 1 8 | MOH 2 6 | MOH 3 2 | LOR 2 | GMP 11 | IMS 1 2 | IMS 2 6 | IMS 3 2 | MOH 4 3 | MOH 5 9 | NJM 1 6 | NJM 2 4 | NJM 3 5 | STP 1 4 | STP 2 1 | 5th | 320 | |
| 2021 | Pabst Racing | ALA 1 6 | ALA 2 1 | STP 1 3 | STP 2 4 | IMS 1 10 | IMS 2 8 | IMS 3 7 | LOR 5 | ROA 1 7 | ROA 2 6 | MOH 1 4 | MOH 2 1 | GMP 3 | NJM 1 2 | NJM 2 2 | NJM 3 1 | MOH 4 7 | MOH 5 6 | 3rd | 378 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap) (Races withL indicate a race lap led) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Andretti Autosport | STP 14L | ALA 12 | IMS 2L | IMS 6 | DET 12 | DET 2 | RDA 3 | MOH 1L* | IOW 1L* | NSH 3 | GTW 5 | POR 5 | LAG 3 | LAG 8 | 4th | 460 |
| 2023 | Andretti Autosport | STP 5 | BAR 13 | IMS 4 | DET 7L | DET 4 | RDA 3 | MOH 4 | IOW 5 | NSH 2 | IMS 1L* | GMP 3L | POR 15 | LAG 1L* | LAG 2 | 2nd | 474 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; races initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | No. | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Dale Coyne Racing | 18 | Dallara DW12 | Honda | STP | THE | LBH | ALA | IMS | INDY | DET | ROA | LAG | MOH | IOW | IOW | TOR 24 | GTW | POR | MIL | MIL | NSH | 41st | 6 | [19] |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; results initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | TDS Racing | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 LV8 | DAY 13 | SEB 2 | WGL 9 | MOS | ELK | IMS 1 | PET 1 | 18th | 1563 |
| 2025 | TDS Racing | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 LV8 | DAY 8 | SEB 3 | WGL 11 | MOS 8 | ELK | IMS 1 | PET 1 | 9th | 1828 |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Michelin Endurance Cup LMP2 Champion 2024-2025 With:Mikkel Jensen &Steven Thomas | Succeeded by Incumbent |
Headquarters:Plainfield,Illinois | |
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