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| Johnny O'Connell | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
O'Connell atRoad America in 2014 | |||||||
| Born | (1962-07-24)July 24, 1962 (age 63) Poughkeepsie,New York, U.S. | ||||||
| NASCARO'Reilly Auto Parts Series career | |||||||
| 1 race run over 1 year | |||||||
| 2013 position | 65th | ||||||
| Best finish | 65th (2013) | ||||||
| First race | 2013Johnsonville Sausage 200 (Road America) | ||||||
| |||||||
| IndyCar Series career | |||||||
| 4 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 9th (1996) | ||||||
| First race | 1996Indy 200 (Orlando) | ||||||
| Last race | 1996-97Las Vegas 500K (Las Vegas) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Statistics up to date as of November 16, 2013. | |||||||
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |||||||
| Years | 1994,1998–2010,2016 | ||||||
| Teams | Clayton Cunningham Racing,Panoz Motorsports,Corvette Racing, Team AAI | ||||||
| Best finish | 5th(1994,2000) | ||||||
| Class wins | 4(1994,2001,2002,2009) | ||||||
Johnny O'Connell (born July 24, 1962) is a racing driver from theUnited States. He currently drives for Cadillac in thePirelli World Challenge, winning the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 GT driver's championship.

Born inPoughkeepsie, New York, O'Connell started racing in theFormula Atlantic series in 1987, winning the Championship and Rookie of the Year. He also spent 1996 in theIndy Racing League, racing in theIndianapolis 500 and finishing in the top 10 in half of his 4 starts. He has seven class wins in the12 Hours of Sebring, more than any other driver, and an overall title in 1994 when racing for Nissan. Driving for Corvette Racing, he has also won a number of class victories at the24 Hours of Le Mans and the24 Hours of Daytona. With his teammateRon Fellows he won the 2003 GTS class driver's championship.
O'Connell was also featured inChevy's 2007,Super Bowl ad, "Ain't We Got Love" also featuringMary J. Blige, rapperT.I.,Big & Rich, andDale Earnhardt Jr.
In 2013, O'Connell competed in theJohnsonville Sausage 200 atRoad America in theNASCARNationwide Series forJR Motorsports, driving the No. 5Chevrolet Camaro;[1] he finished 12th in the event.
In 2023, O'Connell announced his return to racing in theGT America Series after being reclassified as abronze driver due to his age.[2][3] He won the2024 GT America Series in anAudi R8 LMS GT3.[4]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| NASCARNationwide Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NNSC | Pts | Ref | |||||
| 2013 | JR Motorsports | 5 | Chevy | DAY | PHO | LVS | BRI | CAL | TEX | RCH | TAL | DAR | CLT | DOV | IOW | MCH | ROA 12 | KEN | DAY | NHA | CHI | IND | IOW | GLN | MOH | BRI | ATL | RCH | CHI | KEN | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | PHO | HOM | 65th | 32 | [5] | |||||
1 Ineligible for series points
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position)
| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Cunningham Racing | Lola T941 Reynard 95i2 | 75 | FordXBV8t | WDW 7 | PHX 5 | INDY 29 | 9th | 192 | [6] | |||||||
| 1996–97 | Treadway Racing | Reynard 95i | 10 | FordXBV8t | NHA Wth | 40th | 23 | [7] | |||||||||
| Reynard 94i | 6 | FordXBV8t | LVS 12 | WDW | PHX | ||||||||||||
| A. J. Foyt Enterprises | G-Force GF01 | 1 | OldsmobileAuroraV8 | INDY DNQ | TXS | PPIR | CLT | NHA | LVS |
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Reynard | Ford-Cosworth | 29th | 29th | Byrd-Cunningham Racing |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | North American Formula Atlantic Pacific Division Champion 1987 | Succeeded by |