Kelly Joseph Collins (born April 21, 1965) is an American racing driver. He was a Corvette Racing factory driver from 2000 to 2003, winning in the American Le Mans Series and taking four podiums in a row at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was later crowned Grand-Am champion in the GT class for Pontiac in 2008.
Career Collins began his racing career in motocross at the age of seven, before switching to single-seaters in 1990, competing in the Barber Saab Pro Series. Following that, Collins primarily competed in the IMSA Firehawk Series for the next five years, while working full-time as an instructor for the Skip Barber Racing School. In 1996, while in line to get a hot dog and a beer at the 24 Hours of Daytona, Collins was approached by Jay Cochran, who gave him his seat in Alan Friedman's Porsche 911 Carrera RSR two hours into the race. On his IMSA GT debut, Collins drove 11 of the 24 hours and finished 17th overall and tenth in the GTS-2 class after the engine blew up with 20 minutes to go.
Racing part-time in the IMSA GT Championship for the next three seasons, Collins most notably won the 1998 Sebring Classic in the GTS-3 class, whilst also making sporadic appearances in the FIA GT Championship in 1997. In 1999, Collins began the year by winning the 24 Hours of Daytona for Porsche-fielding Alex Job Racing in GTS-3, before winning the 12 Hours of Sebring with them in the GT class. Seeing out the ALMS season in the GTS class, Collins mainly raced for fellow Porsche customer team Martin Snow Racing, taking a pair of podiums, as well as making his debut for Corvette Racing at Petit Le Mans alongside Andy Pilgrim and Scott Sharp.
Joining the Corvette factory stable in 2000, Collins raced a Chevrolet Corvette C5-R on a part-time basis in ALMS, winning Petit Le Mans and placing third in the GTS class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Pilgrim and Franck Fréon. Remaining with the Corvette squad for 2001 for an expanded program, Collins began the year by finishing second in GTS at the 24 Hours of Daytona alongside Pilgrim, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Returning to ALMS for the rest of the year for a near full-time campaign, Collins won Petit Le Mans and took five other podiums to end the season fifth in the GTS standings. During 2001, Collins also returned to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing second in the GTS class with Pilgrim and Fréon.
Continuing in ALMS for 2002, now on a full-time basis, Collins together with Andy Pilgrim won the Road America 500 and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, as well as taking seven other podiums in the ten-race season en route to a third-place points finish. During 2002, Collins, Pilgrim and Fréon also took their third consecutive class podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing second in GTS. In the 2003 American Le Mans Series, Collins partnered Oliver Gavin to win the Grand Prix of Atlanta and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, taking fourth in the GTS points with four other podiums to his name. Collins also raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans during the year, finishing second with Gavin and Pilgrim in GTS.
Exiting Corvette and switching to the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2004, Collins mainly competed in the DP class, in which he took two podiums for G&W Motorsports. He returned to the GT class towards the end of the season, winning at Fontana for BMW-fielding Prototype Technology Group and making two ALMS starts for Panoz Motor Sports. Remaining with PTG for his maiden full season in Grand-Am in 2005, Collins scored a lone win at Mid-Ohio and two other podiums to end the year 14th in the GT standings. Collins then joined The Racer's Group for the 2006 season, sharing their Pontiac GTO.R with Paul Edwards. In his only full season with the team, Collins won in Mexico, Homestead–Miami and Phoenix en route to a third-place points finish.
Remaining with Pontiac machinery for 2007, Collins and Edwards switched to Banner Racing, taking wins at Barber and Utah to end the year runner-up in the GT points. In 2008, the pair began the season by winning at Homestead–Miami, Phoenix and Lime Rock, before ending the season with a win in Utah to seal the GT title. Continuing with Banner Racing for 2009, Collins and Edwards scored a lone win at the Homestead–Miami finale, as well as six other podiums to end the year runner-up in points. After a quiet campaign the following year, headlined by finishing third at the 24 Hours of Daytona for TRG, Collins made select appearances in the 2011 Pirelli World Challenge and the 2013 American Le Mans Series for Porsche-fielding TruSpeed Motorsports.
Racing record Career Summary SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition 1990 Barber Saab Pro Series 2 0 0 0 1 2 14th 1991 IMSA Firehawk Series 1992 IMSA Firehawk Series 1993 IMSA Firehawk Series 1 5th 1994 IMSA Firehawk Series 1 6th 1995 IMSA Firehawk Series 1 3rd1996 IMSA GT Championship – GTS-2 Alan Friedman 1 Team A.R.E. 4 21997 IMSA Speedvision Cup – Grand Sports Royal Purple IMSA GT Championship – GTS-3 Team A.R.E. 2 1 Jim Mathews Racing 1 1 IMSA GT Championship – GTS-2 Roock Racing 2 0 0 0 0 GMB Motorsports 2 0 0 0 2 Martin Snow 3 0 0 0 2 FIA GT Championship – GT2 Konrad Motorsport 1 0 0 0 00NC GMB Motorsport 1 0 0 0 01998 United States Road Racing Championship – GT3 Technodyne 1 IMSA GT Championship – GT3 AASCO Performance 1 Alex Job Racing 5 1 1999 United States Road Racing Championship – GTS-3 Alex Job Racing 1 1 0 0 1 American Le Mans Series – GT 1 1 0 0 1 30 30thAmerican Le Mans Series – GTS Martin Snow Racing 6 0 0 0 21165th Corvette Racing 1 0 0 0 02000 Grand American Road Racing Championship – GTO Corvette Racing 1 0 0 0 0 31 45th Grand American Road Racing Championship – GTU Genesis Racing 1 0 0 0 0 41 60th American Le Mans Series – GTSCorvette Racing 3 1 0 0 1 67 14th 24 Hours of Le Mans – GTS 1 0 0 0 1 3rd2001 Grand American Road Racing Championship – GTSCorvette Racing 1 0 0 0 1 35 21st American Le Mans Series – GTS 8 1 0 0 6 153 5th 24 Hours of Le Mans – GTS 1 0 0 0 1 2nd2002 American Le Mans Series – GTSCorvette Racing 10 2 0 0 9 2253rd 24 Hours of Le Mans – GTS 1 0 0 0 1 2nd2003 American Le Mans Series – GTSCorvette Racing 9 2 0 0 6 115 4th 24 Hours of Le Mans – GTS 1 0 0 0 1 2nd2004Rolex Sports Car Series – DP Michael Shank Racing 1 0 0 0 015721st G&W Motorsports 5 0 0 0 2 Doran Lista Racing 1 0 0 0 0 Grand Am Cup – GS Performance Nissan 198 11th Rolex Sports Car Series – GT Prototype Technology Group, Inc. 2 1 0 0 1 58 33rdAmerican Le Mans Series – GT The Racer's Group 1 0 0 0 0927th Panoz Motor Sports 2 0 0 0 02005 Rolex Sports Car Series – GT Prototype Technology Group, Inc. 13 1 1 0 3 280 14th Grand Am Cup – GS Synergy Racing 65 61st 2006 Rolex Sports Car Series – GT The Racer's Group 13 3 0 0 8 4513rd 2007 Rolex Sports Car Series – GT Banner Racing 13 2 0 4 7 3652nd 2008 Rolex Sports Car Series – GT Banner Racing 13 4 0 1 6 3731st 2009 Rolex Sports Car Series – GT Banner Racing 12 1 0 1 7 3342nd2010 Rolex Sports Car Series – GT The Racer's Group 1 0 0 0 114423rd LG Motorsports 7 0 0 0 0 2011 Pirelli World Challenge – GT TruSpeed Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 76 24th 2013 Rolex Sports Car Series – GT TruSpeed Motorsports 2 0 0 0 0 35 47thSources:
Complete American Le Mans Series results (key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap. YearTeamClassMakeEngine123456789101112PointsRef1999 Alex Job Racing GT Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Porsche 3.8 L Flat-6SEB 30th 30 Martin Snow RacingGTS Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6ATLMOSSONPORMONLSV5th116 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Chevrolet 6.0 L V8PET 2000 Corvette Racing GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Chevrolet 7.0 L V8SEBCHASILNÜRSONMOSTEXROSPETMONLSVADE 14th 67 2001 Corvette Racing GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Chevrolet 7.0 L V8TEXSEBDONJARSONPORMOSMIDMONPET 5th 153 2002 Corvette Racing GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Chevrolet 7.0 L V8SEBSONMIDELKWASTROMOSMONMIAPET3rd225 2003 Corvette Racing GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Chevrolet 7.0 L V8SEBATLSONTROMOSELKMONMIAPET 4th 1152004 The Racer's GroupGT Porsche 911 GT3 RSR Porsche 3.6 L Flat-6SEBMID27th9 Panoz Motor Sports Panoz Esperante GT-LM Ford (Elan) 5.0 L V8LIMSONPORMOSELKPETMON † Did not finish the race but was classified as his car completed more than 70% of the overall winner's race distance.
Complete Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap) YearTeamClassMakeEngine1234567891011121314RankPoints2000 Corvette Racing GTO Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Chevrolet LS1 7.0 L V8DAYPHXMIALIMMOHDAYELKTRO 45th 31 Genesis Racing GTU BMW M3 E36 BMW 3.2 L I6WGL 60th 41 2001 Corvette Racing GTS Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Chevrolet LS1 7.0 L V8DAYMIAPHXWGLLIMMOHELKTROWGLDAY 21st 352004 Michael Shank RacingDPDoran JE4 Lexus 4.3 L V8DAY21st157 G&W Motorsports BMW 4.9 L V8MIAPHXMTTWGLDAYMOHWGLMIAVIRBAR Doran Lista Racing Lexus 4.3 L V8MIA Prototype Technology Group GT BMW M3 E46 BMW 3.2 L I6VIRBARCAL 33rd 58 2005 Prototype Technology Group, Inc. GT BMW M3 E46 BMW 3.2 L I6DAYMIACALLAGMTTWGLDAYBARWGLMOHPHXWGLVIRMEX 14th 280 2006 The Racer's Group GT Pontiac GTO.R Pontiac 6.0L V8DAYMEXMIAVIRLAGPHXLIMWGLMOHDAYBARSONMIL3rd451 2007 Banner Racing GT Pontiac GXP.R Pontiac 6.0L V8DAYMEXMIAVIRLAGLIMWGLMOHDAYIOWBARCGVMIL2nd365 2008 Banner Racing GT Pontiac GXP.R Pontiac 6.0L V8DAYMIAMEXVIRLAGLIMWGLMOHDAYBARCGVNJMPMIL1st373 2009 Banner Racing GT Pontiac GXP.R Pontiac 6.0L V8DAYVIRNJMPLAGWGLMOHDAYBARWGLCGVMILMIA2nd3342010 The Racer's GroupGT Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Porsche 3.6L F6DAY23rd144 LG Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette C6 Chevrolet 5.7L V8MIABARVIRLIMWGLMOHDAYNJMPWGLCGVMIL 2013 TruSpeed Motorsports GT Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Porsche 4.0L F6DAYCOABARATLBELMOHWGLIMSELKKNSLAGLIM 47th 35
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLaps 2000 Corvette Racing Franck Fréon Andy PilgrimChevrolet Corvette C5-R GTS 327 10th3rd 2001 Corvette Racing Pratt Andy Pilgrim Franck FréonChevrolet Corvette C5-R GTS 271 14th2nd 2002 Corvette Racing Andy Pilgrim Franck FréonChevrolet Corvette C5-R GTS 331 13th2nd 2003 Corvette Racing Oliver Gavin Andy PilgrimChevrolet Corvette C5-R GTS 326 11th2ndSources:
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