Hunter McElrea
NationalityNew Zealand New Zealand
Born (1999-11-21) November 21, 1999
Los Angeles, California, United States
Indy Lights career
28 races run over 2 years
Team(s)No. 27 (Andretti Autosport)
First race2022 Indy Lights Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)
Last race2023 Indy NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey
First win2022 Indy Lights Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio (Mid-Ohio)
Last win2023 Indy NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey
Wins Podiums Poles
4 13 5

Hunter McElrea (born 21 November 1999 in Los Angeles, California, United States) is a New Zealand racing driver currently competing in Indy NXT for Andretti Autosport.[1]

Career

Karting

McElrea began his career in karting at the age of seven.[2]

Formula Ford

In 2015, McElrea stepped up to single-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 of Australian Formula Ford with Sonic Motor Racing Services, accumulating thirteen wins and becoming the first non-Australian driver to win the title since 1985.[4]

Road to Indy

USF2000 Championship

In December 2018, McElrea won the $200,000 Mazda Road to Indy Shootout at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park to compete in the 2019 U.S. F2000 National Championship.[5] Joining with Pabst Racing, McElrea claimed four victories, including back-to-back wins at Portland and ultimately finished as championship runner-up after missing out on the title five points to Braden Eves.[6][7][8]

Indy Pro 2000

In October 2019, McElrea reunited with Pabst to partake in the Chris 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 the 2020 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 the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. McElrea again signed for Pabst Racing, for the 2021 season. McElrea won races at Barber Motorsports Park, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and New Jersey Motorsports Park on his way to 3rd in the championship. He also claimed seven podiums and a season leading five pole positions.

Indy Lights

McElrea signed with Andretti Autosport, for the 2022 Indy Lights season.[11] He scored pole position on debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.[12] In 2022 McElrea achieved three pole positions, two race wins at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Iowa Speedway, and claimed 'Rookie of the Year' honours.[13] On September 3, Andretti Autosport announced that McElrea would join them again for the 2023 season.[14]

Personal life

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 1991 New 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 the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship & Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia championships.[15]

Racing record

Career summary

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

* Season still in progress.

Motorsports career results

American open–wheel racing results

U.S. F2000 National Championship

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		 MDO
1
2		 MDO
2
1		 POR
1
1		 POR
2
1		 LAG
1
2		 LAG
2
7		 2nd 356

Indy Pro 2000 Championship

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

Indy Lights/Indy NXT

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races with L 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
1
2L		 IMS
2
6		 DET
1
12		 DET
2
2		 RDA
3		 MDO
1L*		 IOW
1L*		 NSH
3		 GTW
5		 POR
5		 LAG
1
3		 LAG
2
8		 4th 460
2023 Andretti Autosport STP
5		 BAR
13		 IMS
4		 DET
7L		 DET
4		 RDA
3		 MDO
4		 IOW
5		 NSH
2		 IMS
1L*		 GMP
3L		 POR
15		 LAG
1L*		 LAG
2		 2nd 474

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics 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 L V8 DAY SEB WGL MOS ELK IMS ATL

References

  1. ↑ Herrero, Daniel (2022-09-01). "McElrea signs new Indy Lights contract with Andretti". Speedcafe. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  2. 1 2 "CATCHING UP WITH HUNTER MCELREA". January 17, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Lindsay, Brayden (October 13, 2017). "Three generations team up in three-hour endurance motorsport race". Stuff. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  4. ↑ "HUNTER MCELREA WINS WILD AUSTRALIAN FORMULA FORD TITLE". October 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Australian FFord champion Hunter McElrea wins MRTI Shootout". 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  6. ↑ "MCELREA TO PABST RACING FOR 2019 COOPER TIRES USF2000 CHAMPIONSHIP EFFORT". February 12, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Hunter McElrea leads USF2000 after sweeping Portland". September 2, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Braden Eves Wears USF2000 Crown". Speed Sport. September 22, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  9. ↑ "VEEKAY, MCELREA, RASMUSSEN FASTEST AS IMS TEST ENDS". NTT IndyCar Series. October 19, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  10. ↑ "MCELREA MOVES UP THE ROAD TO INDY LADDER WITH PABST RACING". March 7, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  11. ↑ Andretti (10 November 2021). "McElrea Signs with Andretti for 2022 Indy Lights Season".
  12. ↑ "McElrea Steals St. Petersburg Pole in Closing Seconds". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
  13. ↑ "Hunter McElrea wins Indy Lights Rookie of the Year". www.66magazine.co.nz. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
  14. ↑ "McElrea Staying with Andretti for 2023 Indy Lights Season". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
  15. ↑ "Andy McElrea". www.mcelrearacing.com. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
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