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Bryan Herta

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Bryan Herta
Herta at the 2004 Indianapolis 500
NationalityUnited States American
BornBryan John Herta
(1970-05-23) May 23, 1970 (age 54)
Warren, Michigan, U.S.
Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
Racing licence FIA Bronze
Years active2003–2006
TeamsAndretti Green Racing
Starts58
Wins2
Poles3
Best finish8th in 2005
CART Championship Car
Years active1994–2001, 2003
TeamsA. J. Foyt Enterprises
Chip Ganassi Racing
Team Rahal
Walker Racing
Mo Nunn Racing
Zakspeed/Forsythe Racing
PK Racing
Starts121
Wins2
Poles7
Best finish8th in 1996 & 1998
Previous series
2005–2006
1992–1993
1990–1991		A1 Grand Prix
Indy Lights
Barber Saab Pro Series
Championship titles
1993
1991		Indy Lights champion
Barber Saab Pro Series champion

Bryan John Herta (born May 23, 1970) is an American race strategist and former race car driver. He currently runs his own team, Bryan Herta Autosport in the NTT IndyCar Series and is the strategist for the #27 Andretti Autosport in the same series.[1] His team won the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with driver Dan Wheldon and the 2016 Indianapolis 500 with driver Alexander Rossi. He is the father and former strategist of IndyCar driver Colton Herta.

Racing career

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CART/Champ Cars/IndyCars

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Bryan Herta driving for Team Rahal at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1996

Herta enjoyed considerable success in the lower formulae, winning the Barber Formula Ford and Barber Saab Pro Series, and dominating the 1993 Indy Lights championship with Tasman Motorsports, race engineered by Gerald Tyler.

He graduated to IndyCar racing in 1994 with team owner A. J. Foyt, where he had several promising races before suffering a season-ending injury at Toronto.

In 1995, Herta was hired to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing. Despite a pole at Phoenix, the association was unsuccessful, with Herta managing only a 20th place in the series standings while his teammate Jimmy Vasser finished 8th. Even so, Herta landed a top ride with Team Rahal for the 1996 season.

During the next few years, Herta developed a reputation for his prowess on road courses, especially at Laguna Seca Raceway. In 1996, he was the leader until the last lap, when Alex Zanardi made a pass through the "Corkscrew" chicane and took the victory. Herta, who rarely qualified below the first row at Laguna Seca, won two events at the circuit in 1998 and 1999. At the height of Herta's career, fan interest in the Shell-sponsored driver was dubbed "Hertamania" by team owner David Letterman.

Bryan Herta's #77 Forsythe Championship Racing car in 2001

In the opening laps of the 1998 event at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin's Road America circuit, Herta was involved in a major accident. In the 4-mile (6.4 km) road course's fifth turn, Herta got too close to the back of the car of co-owner Rahal, and spun out into a paved runoff area, facing oncoming traffic. A few seconds later, Alex Barron slid into the front of Herta's car and rode up on top of it. Both drivers were uninjured; Herta reported that Barron's car had actually hit his hands, only inches from his face.

From 2000 to 2003, Herta drove for a variety of Champ Car teams including Forsythe Championship Racing, Mo Nunn Racing, and PK Racing, but never quite regained his form from the late 1990s. In 2002 Herta drove an F1 car for the first time, piloting a Minardi at the "Thunder in the Park" event held at Donington Park. This led to speculation that he would test and even race for Minardi in F1.[citation needed]

IRL IndyCar Series

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After dabbling in sports cars, he revitalized his open-wheel racing career by substituting for an injured Dario Franchitti halfway through the 2003 IRL season.

In just his third IRL start, Herta picked up his first IndyCar Series win at Kansas Speedway for Andretti Green Racing. He was retained in an expanded four-car squad in 2004, usually running development engines. On July 31, 2005, Herta took his second IndyCar Series win, defeating AGR teammate Dan Wheldon in a close finish in the Firestone Indy 400 at the Michigan International Speedway.

In early 2006, he drove at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Fundidora Park for A1 Team USA in the A1 Grand Prix series before returning to Andretti Green for the IRL season.

As of 2006, Herta has started in the Indianapolis 500 five times (1994–1995, 2004–2006) with three top ten finishes, including a best of 3rd in 2005. Bryan has his helmets painted by AliveDesignCo.com

Sports cars

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On October 31, 2006, Herta was confirmed as a driver for Andretti Green Racing's new Acura Le Mans prototype program for the 2007 American Le Mans Series season. He shared the car with Marino Franchitti, brother of his former teammate Dario Franchitti. On January 3, 2007, it was announced that Dario would also drive a limited ALMS programme with both Marino and Herta. Herta finished the season 7th in driver points with 1 class win. He also drove for A1 Team USA. At the event in Australia, Herta scored a 10th-place finish.

After racing

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Since retiring from racing, Herta served as a driver coach for Vision Racing and founded a Firestone Indy Lights Series team named Bryan Herta Autosport, which has a technical alliance with Vision Racing's Indy Lights team. In 2009, the team fielded a full-time entry for Daniel Herrington. The team campaigned Sebastián Saavedra for eleven races of the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights season and the Indianapolis 500. In 2011 the team fielded a car for Dan Wheldon in the 2011 Indianapolis 500 which resulted in a stunning victory, and a full-time entry in Indy Lights for Duarte Ferreira.

For the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season, Alex Tagliani ran the 500. The team switched to a Honda powered DW12 in May 2012 for the remainder of the season.

In 2016 Herta partnered with Michael Andretti as a co-owner and won the 2016 Indianapolis 500. Their car was driven by series rookie Alexander Rossi.

Herta's son, Colton, is also a racing driver, and made his IndyCar debut in 2019 with Harding Steinbrenner Racing. In March 2019, Colton became the youngest ever IndyCar winner in the second round at the Circuit of the Americas.[2]

Personal life

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Herta and his wife Janette Michele (née Fountaine) have three children: Calysta, Colton, and Caden.[3]

Career racing results

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American Open Wheel

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(key)

Indy Lights

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Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
1992 Landford Racing PHX
16 		LBH
13 		DET
7 		POR
7 		MIL
6 		NHA
4 		TOR
1 		CLE
2 		VAN
5 		MDO
4 		NAZ
3 		LS
2 		5th 120
1993 Tasman Motorsports PHX
2 		LBH
3 		MIL
1 		DET
2 		POR
4 		CLE
1 		TOR
1 		NHA
13 		VAN
1 		MDO
1 		NAZ
1 		LS
1 		1st 213

CART results

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Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Rank Points Ref
1994 A. J. Foyt Enterprises Lola T94/00 Ford XB V8t SRF PHX LBH INDY
9 		MIL
10 		DET
9 		POR
27 		CLE
13 		TOR
DNS 		MIS MDO NHM VAN ROA NZR LS 23rd 11 [4]
1995 Chip Ganassi Racing Reynard 95i Ford XB V8t MIA
10 		SRF
15 		PHX
20 		LBH
26 		NZR
23 		INDY
13 		MIL
24 		DET
27 		POR
26 		ROA
14 		TOR
27 		CLE
2 		MIS
15 		MDO
5 		NHM
19 		VAN
16 		LS
25 		20th 30 [5]
1996 Team Rahal Reynard 96i Mercedes-Benz IC108C V8t MIA
10 		RIO
13 		SRF
17 		LBH
12 		NZR
11 		500
15 		MIL
14 		DET
13 		POR
26 		CLE
5 		TOR
6 		MIS
2 		MDO
4 		ROA
5 		VAN
6 		LS
2 		8th 86 [6]
1997 Team Rahal Reynard 97i Ford XD V8t MIA
10 		SRF
22 		LBH
6 		NZR
7 		RIO
6 		STL
22 		MIL
15 		DET
7 		POR
21 		CLE
3 		TOR
17 		MIS
5 		MDO
24 		ROA
11 		VAN
8 		LS
6 		FON
21 		11th 72 [7]
1998 Team Rahal Reynard 98i Ford XD V8t MIA
8 		MOT
28 		LBH
3 		NZR
8 		RIO
4 		STL
23 		MIL
11 		DET
21 		POR
3 		CLE
13 		TOR
5 		MIS
10 		MDO
25 		ROA
23 		VAN
22 		LS
1* 		HOU
8 		SRF
10 		FON
15 		8th 97 [8]
1999 Team Rahal Reynard 99i Ford XD V8t MIA
12 		MOT
23 		LBH
3 		NZR
22 		RIO
13 		STL
23 		MIL
25 		POR
6 		CLE
6 		ROA
15 		TOR
15 		MIS
20 		DET
9 		MDO
21 		CHI
8 		VAN
24 		LS
1* 		HOU
5 		SRF
4 		FON
14 		12th 84 [9]
2000 Walker Racing Reynard 2Ki Honda HR-0 V8t MIA LBH
5 		RIO
20 		MOT NZR MIL DET 18th 26 [10]
Mo Nunn Racing Mercedes-Benz IC108F V8t POR
16 		CLE
9 		TOR
18 		MIS CHI MDO ROA VAN
Forsythe Championship Racing Ford XF V8t LS
4 		STL HOU SRF FON
2001 Zakspeed
Forsythe Championship Racing 		Reynard 01i Ford XF V8t MTY
16 		LBH
10 		TXS
NH 		NZR
21 		MOT
21 		MIL
22 		DET
15 		POR
14 		CLE
3 		TOR
18 		22nd 28 [11]
Forsythe Championship Racing MIS
5 		CHI
21 		MDO
25 		ROA
24 		VAN
17 		LAU
27 		ROC
15 		HOU
13 		LS
12 		SRF
18 		FON
25
2003 PK Racing Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8t STP MTY LBH BRH LAU MIL LS
11 		POR CLE TOR VAN ROA MDO MTL DEN MIA MXC SRF 25th 2 [12]

CART career summary

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Year Team Wins Points Championship Finish
1994 A. J. Foyt Enterprises 0 11 23rd
1995 Chip Ganassi Racing 0 30 20th
1996 Team Rahal 0 86 8th
1997 Team Rahal 0 72 11th
1998 Team Rahal 1 97 8th
1999 Team Rahal 1 84 12th
2000 Forsythe/Walker/Mo Nunn 0 26 18th
2001 Forsythe Championship Racing 0 28 22nd
2003 PK Racing 0 2 25th

2 wins, Best championship result: 8th

IndyCar Series results

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Year Team Chassis No. Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points Ref
2003 Andretti Green Racing Dallara IR-03 27 Honda HI3R V8 HMS PHX MOT INDY TXS
5 		PPIR RIR
14 		KAN
1 		NSH
12 		MIS
19 		STL
21 		KTY
3 		NZR
3 		CHI
3 		FON
22 		TX2
5 		13th 277 [13]
2004 Dallara IR-04 7 Honda HI4R V8 HMS
13 		PHX
7 		MOT
14 		INDY
4 		TXS
19 		RIR
4 		KAN
5 		NSH
18 		MIL
9 		MIS
6 		KTY
9 		PPIR
9 		NZR
8 		CHI
2 		FON
17 		TX2
16 		9th 362 [14]
2005 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI5R V8 HMS
14 		PHX
7 		STP
4 		MOT
5 		INDY
3 		TXS
10 		RIR
8 		KAN
15 		NSH
22 		MIL
6 		MIS
1 		KTY
19 		PPIR
12 		SNM
13 		CHI
14 		WGL
8 		FON
11 		8th 397 [15]
2006 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI6R V8 HMS
13 		STP
4 		MOT
6 		INDY
20 		WGL
13 		TXS
11 		RIR
6 		KAN
13 		NSH
11 		MIL
7 		MIS
11 		KTY
10 		SNM
10 		CHI
15 		11th 289 [16]

IndyCar Series career summary

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Year Team Wins Points Championship Finish
2003 Andretti Green Racing 1 277 13th
2004 Andretti Green Racing 0 362 9th
2005 Andretti Green Racing 1 397 8th
2006 Andretti Green Racing 0 289 11th

2 wins, best championship result: 8th

Indianapolis 500

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Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
1994 Lola T94/00 Ford XB V8t 22 9 A. J. Foyt Enterprises
1995 Reynard 95i Ford XB V8t 33 13 Chip Ganassi Racing
2004 Dallara IR-04 Honda HI4R V8 23 4 Andretti Green Racing
2005 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI5R V8 18 3 Andretti Green Racing
2006 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI6R V8 16 20 Andretti Green Racing

Complete American Le Mans Series results

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Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine Tyres 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
2002 Panoz Motor Sports LMP900 Panoz LMP01 Evo Élan 6L8 6.0L V8 M SEB
ovr:8
cls:7 		SON
ovr:3
cls:3 		MID
ovr:4
cls:4 		AME
ovr:Ret
cls:Ret 		WAS
ovr:6
cls:6 		TRO
ovr:4
cls:4 		MOS
ovr:5
cls:5 		MON
ovr:6
cls:6 		MIA
ovr:11
cls:8 		PET
ovr:5
cls:5 		10th 153
2003 Team Nasamax LMP900 Reynard 01Q Cosworth XDE 2.6L Turbo V8
(Bio-ethanol) 		G SEB
ovr:Ret
cls:Ret 		ATL SON TRO MOS AME MON MIA PET NC 0
2007 Andretti Green Racing LMP2 Acura ARX-01a Acura 3.4L V8 M SEB
ovr:2
cls:1 		STP
ovr:21
cls:7 		LNB
ovr:6
cls:6 		TEX
ovr:2
cls:2 		UTA
ovr:Ret
cls:Ret 		LIM
ovr:7
cls:6 		MID
ovr:10
cls:7 		AME
ovr:9
cls:7 		MOS
ovr:5
cls:3 		DET
ovr:19
cls:8 		PET
ovr:Ret
cls:Ret 		MON
ovr:6
cls:4 		13th 98
2008 Andretti Green Racing LMP2 Acura ARX-01b Acura 3.4L V8 M SEB
ovr:18
cls:6 		STP
ovr:6
cls:5 		LNB
ovr:6
cls:4 		UTA
ovr:8
cls:7 		LIM MID AME MOS DET PET MON 24th 38

24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2002 United States Panoz Motor Sports Australia David Brabham
Denmark Jan Magnussen 		Panoz LMP01 Evo LMP900 90 DNF DNF

Complete A1 Grand Prix results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 DC Points
2005–06 USA GBR
SPR 		GBR
FEA 		GER
SPR 		GER
FEA 		POR
SPR 		POR
FEA 		AUS
SPR
15 		AUS
FEA
10 		MYS
SPR
10 		MYS
FEA
7 		UAE
SPR 		UAE
FEA 		RSA
SPR 		RSA
FEA 		IDN
SPR 		IDN
FEA 		MEX
SPR
6 		MEX
FEA
13 		USA
SPR
9 		USA
FEA
Ret 		CHN
SPR 		CHN
FEA 		16th 23

References

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  1. ^ "Andretti swaps IndyCar strategists for Herta, Kirkwood". us.motorsport.com. 2023-04-01. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  2. ^ Malsher, David (March 24, 2019). "COTA IndyCar: Herta becomes series' youngest ever winner". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  3. ^ "Honda Newsroom". 14 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Bryan Herta – 1994 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  5. ^ "Bryan Herta – 1995 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "Bryan Herta – 1996 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  7. ^ "Bryan Herta – 1997 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  8. ^ "Bryan Herta – 1998 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  9. ^ "Bryan Herta – 1999 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "Bryan Herta – 2000 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  11. ^ "Bryan Herta – 2001 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  12. ^ "Bryan Herta – 2003 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  13. ^ "Bryan Herta – 2003 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  14. ^ "Bryan Herta – 2004 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  15. ^ "Bryan Herta – 2005 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  16. ^ "Bryan Herta – 2006 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
[edit]
Sporting positions
Preceded by Barber Saab Pro Series Champion
1991 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Indy Lights Champion
1993 		Succeeded by
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