Juan Manuel Fangio II (born 19 September 1956) is an Argentine former auto racing driver. He is the nephew of five-time Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio.
After some experience in European Formula Three, Fangio debuted as a professional auto racer in IMSA in 1984 in the Miami Grand Prix in a Porsche 935 with Hugo Gralia. He had an award-winning career, winning two GTP driver's championships, as well as 2 manufacturer titles when he was racing for Toyota and All American Racers. Fangio further established his legacy in the world of auto racing by winning the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring two times (as did his uncle), posting 21 GTP wins, and establishing an IMSA record with 19 solo victories. His victories came while driving the Eagle HF89/90 and Eagle MkIII GTP cars.
Fangio won ten pole positions during his career. He made most of his driving career in the United States and was chosen in 1992 and 1993 as an "All-American" by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA), an organization which also named Fangio their 1992 driver of the year. He also participated in the CART series, but did not win any races, a fact that he regretted.
Fangio's boss, and also a personal friend, was Dan Gurney. In 1997, Fangio called Gurney to let him know that he was retiring from CART competition. He told Gurney, "I have discovered that regardless of what my passion says, despite what I command my mind to do, I am no longer able to give my whole being, my total focus at the exclusion of everything else to this sport that I love. 99% is not enough, I shall stop." Gurney described Fangio as "A gentleman in a driver's suit with a core of steel exuding an aura of Latin American dignity and honor even in the worst of circumstances will be missing from the grid".
Fangio returned home in 1998 to race in the South American Super Touring Car Championship. He finished fifth in the standings with one win and five podiums at the wheel of a Peugeot 406. Shortly after, he retired from motorsports after a final appearance at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1999 with a Ferrari 333 SP, finishing in sixth place for Doyle-Risi Racing.
Fangio currently resides in his hometown of Balcarce, Argentina.
Career results
Complete International Formula 3000 results (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 Pts 1985 Corbari Italia SIL THR EST NÜR VAL PAU SPA DIJ PER ÖST ZAN DON 16th 1
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Class No Tyres Car Team Co-Drivers Laps Pos. ClassPos. C1 38 Toyota TS010Toyota RV10 3.5L V10 Toyota Team Tom's Geoff Lees Jan Lammers 353 8th 5th
Complete IMSA GTP results (key) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Rank Points 1989 All American RacersD24MIAS12ATLWPBLRPMDOWGIROAPDXHPTSANSONTPADLM13th53 1990 All American RacersD24MIAS12ATLWPBHPTLRPMDOWGISONPORROASANTPADLM4th115 1991 All American RacersD24WPBS12MIAATLHPTLRPMDONORWGILSPORROADLM5th107 1992 All American RacersD24MIAS12ATLLRPMDONORWGILSPORROAPHODLM1st215 1993 All American RacersD24MIAS12AMSLRPMDOWGIROALSPORPHO1st183
American Open-Wheel racing results (key)
Indy Lights Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points Ref 1986 Ralph Sanchez RacingPHX1MILMEATORPOC 5th 69 ProMotion / ManlibaMDOROALSPHX2MIA 1987 TEAMKAR InternationalPHXMILMEACLETORPOCMDONZRLSMIA7th57 1988 TEAMKAR InternationalPHXMILPORCLETORMEA 5th 69 Leading Edge MotorsportPOCMDOROANZRLSMIA
CART Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points Ref 1995 PacWest Racing Reynard 95i Ford XB V8tMIASRFPHXLBHNZRINDYMILDETPORROATORCLEMISMDONHMVANLS24th6 1996 All American Racers Eagle Mk-V Toyota RV8A V8tMIARIOSRFLBHNZR500MILDETPORCLETORMISMDOROAVANLS23rd5 1997 All American Racers Reynard 96i Toyota RV8A V8tMIASRFLBHNZR23rd9 Reynard 97i Toyota RV8B V8tRIOSTLMILDETPORCLETORMISMDOROAVANLSFON
Complete American Le Mans Series results Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine Tyres 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points Ref 1999 Doyle-Risi Racing LMP Ferrari 333 SP Ferrari F310E 4.0 L V12 SEBovr:6cls:6 ATL MOS SON POR PET MON LSV 90th 0
International Race of Champions (key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.) International Race of Champions results Year Make 1 2 3 4 Pos. Points Ref 1993 Dodge DAY DAR TAL MCH 10th 27
References
External links
On his retirement Biography on AAR's site