Rocketsports Racing was a motor racing team based in East Lansing, Michigan in the United States.
Team history
Rocketsports was founded in 1985 by racing driver Paul Gentilozzi to compete in the Trans-Am series. It competed in Trans-Am until 2004, when the championship was cancelled, and achieved 57 outright wins in 20 years. It has also raced in the IMSA sports car racing championship.
Rocketsports joined Champ Car in 2003 with driver Alex Tagliani, who scored the team's only victory at Road America in 2004. In 2005 and 2006 the team fielded cars for pay drivers and frequently changed drivers. In 2007, Tagliani returned full-time and the team shared technical information with RuSPORT. This alliance was dubbed RSPORTS, and took a race win with RuSPORT's Justin Wilson. However, the alliance ended at the end of the season. In 2008, following the unification of Champ Car and the IRL, Rocketsports announced that it would not transition to the IndyCar Series. They did compete in the Champ Car finale at Long Beach Grand Prix, with drivers Antônio Pizzonia, who competed for Rocketsports at Long Beach in 2006, and Juho Annala.Rocketsports confirms swansong line-up, Crash.net, April 8, 2008
Since the demise of Champ Car, Rocketsports has competed in the revived Trans-Am Series with driver Tomy Drissi, winning the 2009 championship.Trans-Am Wraps 2009 Season at Road America This Weekend , Sports Car Club of America, September 19, 2009, Retrieved 2009-10-02
Gentilozzi went on to form RSR Racing in 2009.
Drivers that have competed for Rocketsports in Champ Car Juho Annala (2008) Mario Domínguez (2006) Memo Gidley (2004) Timo Glock (2005) Ryan Hunter-Reay (2005) Tõnis Kasemets (2006) Michael McDowell (2005) Nicky Pastorelli (2006) Nelson Philippe (2004) Antônio Pizzonia (2006, 2008) Guy Smith (2004) Alex Tagliani (2003–2004, 2007)
Racing results
Complete CART / Champ Car World Series results (key) (results in bold indicate pole position) (results in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Chassis Engine Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 2003 STP MTY LBH BRH LAU MIL LAG POR CLE TOR VAN ROA MDO MTL DEN MIA MXC SFRLola B02/00Ford XFE V8t Alex Tagliani33 19 3 10 8 18 5 14 3 8 17 14 3 6 4* 9 13 16 710th97 2004 LBH MTY MIL POR CLE TOR VAN ROA DEN MTL LAG LSV SFR MXC Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8t Alex Tagliani8 8 5 13 7 3 7 7 1* 10 7 6 16 19 117th218 Nelson Philippe 17 13 10 14 15 1089 Memo Gidley 16 1121st15 Guy Smith 10 18 16 9 17 9 1718th53 2005 LBH MTY MIL POR CLE TOR EDM SJO DEN MTL LSV SRF MXC Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8t Timo Glock8 6 11 9 10 10 7 13 6 13 2 8 6 58th202 Ryan Hunter-Reay31 13 7 17 15 18 6 16 14 6 12 1015th110 Michael McDowell 12 1121st19 2006 LBH HOU MTY MIL POR CLE TOR EDM SJO DEN MTL ROA SRF MXC Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8t Nicky Pastorelli8 17 15 10 17 17 17 10 12 617th73 Mario Domínguez 12 2 17202 Antônio Pizzonia 1018th4318 11 10 12 Tõnis Kasemets 16 12 15 11 1719th34 2007 LSV LBH HOU POR CLE MTT TOR EDM SJO ROA ZOL ASN SFR MXCPanoz DP01Cosworth XFE V8t Alex Tagliani8 9 15 7 13205
Competed as RSPORTS at Rds. 1–10.
Complete IndyCar Series results (key) Year Chassis Engine Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2008 HMS STP MOT LBH KAN INDY MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL NSH MDO EDM KTY SNM DET CHI SRF Panoz DP01 Cosworth XFE V8t Antônio Pizzonia916 Juho Annala1018
Run to Champ Car specifications. Non-points-paying, exhibition race.
References
External links