Rocketsports Racing Explained

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.[1]

Since the demise of Champ Car, Rocketsports has competed in the revived Trans-Am Series with driver Tomy Drissi, winning the 2009 championship.[2]

Gentilozzi went on to form RSR Racing in 2009.

Drivers that have competed for Rocketsports in Champ Car

Racing results

Complete CART / Champ Car World Series results

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

YearChassisEngineDriversNo.123456789101112131415161718
2003STPMTYLBHBRHLAUMILLAGPORCLETORVANROAMDOMTLDENMIAMXCSFR
Lola B02/00Ford XFE V8t Alex Tagliani3319310818514381714364*91316710th97
2004LBHMTYMILPORCLETORVANROADENMTLLAGLSVSFRMXC
Lola B02/00Ford XFE V8t Alex Tagliani8851373771*10761619117th218
17131014151089
Memo Gidley161121st15
10181691791718th53
2005LBHMTYMILPORCLETOREDMSJODENMTLLSVSRFMXC
Lola B02/00Ford XFE V8t Timo Glock86119101071361328658th202
Ryan Hunter-Reay31137171518616146121015th110
Michael McDowell121121st19
2006LBHMTYMILPORCLETOREDMSJODENMTLROASRFMXC
Lola B02/00Ford XFE V8t Nicky Pastorelli81715101717171012617th73
Mario Domínguez12217202
Antônio Pizzonia1018th43
18111012
Tõnis Kasemets161215111719th34
2007LSVLBHHOUPORCLEMTTTOREDMSJOROAZOLASNSFRMXC
Panoz DP01Cosworth XFE V8t Alex Tagliani8915713205
  1. Competed as RSPORTS at Rds. 1–10.

Complete IndyCar Series results

(key)

YearChassisEngineDriversNo.12345678910111213141516171819
2008HMSSTPMOTLBHKANINDYMILTXSIOWRIRWGLNSHMDOEDMKTYSNMDETCHISRF
Panoz DP01Cosworth XFE V8t Antônio Pizzonia916
Juho Annala1018
  1. Run to Champ Car specifications.
  2. Non-points-paying, exhibition race.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.crash.net/motorsport/indycar/news/161736-0/rocketsports_confirms_swansong_line-up.html Rocketsports confirms swansong line-up
  2. http://www.scca.com/newsarticle.aspx?hub=1&news=3749 Trans-Am Wraps 2009 Season at Road America This Weekend