AFS Racing
Encyclopedia
AFS Racing is a professional racing team participating in the IndyCar Series
and previously the Firestone Indy Lights series. It is owned by Gary Peterson, the founder of Automatic Fire Sprinklers for which it is named, and is based in Huntington Beach, California
.
for the final five races of the season after he left Sam Schmidt Motorsports
. Luyendyk finished third in points. The team also fielded a car for sprint car racer Jay Drake
in the Freedom 100
and he finished fourth. In 2005, the team ran only a partial schedule, fielding a car for Luyendyk in three races and Rocky Moran, Jr. in the Freedom 100. In 2006 Alex Lloyd
finished 7th in the team's primary entry while Luyendyk drove in four races and Thiago Medeiros, Phil Giebler, and Tyce Carlson
all drove in one race each for the team. Lloyd captured the team's first two wins that season with victories in the Freedom 100 and the second Infineon Raceway
race.
In 2007 the team formed a partnership with Andretti Green Racing
and fielded cars full-time for Jaime Camara
and Wade Cunningham
. The partnership was often referred to as AGR-AFS Racing Cunningham finished third in points with a win at Watkins Glen International
while Camara finished sixth in points. In 2008 the team fielded full-time entries for reigning Atlantic Championship champion Raphael Matos
and Arie Luyendyk, Jr. Matos won three races on his way to the series championship while Luyendyk finished fourth in points and captured his first series win in the season finale at Chicagoland Speedway
. 2009 saw the team field entries for J. R. Hildebrand
and Sebastian Saavedra
. Hildebrand captured AGR-AFS's second consecutive championship on the back of four race wins while Saavedra won twice and finished third in points, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The team's 2010 drivers were Martin Plowman
and Charlie Kimball
. Plowman captured a win at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
and finished third in points while Kimball failed to win and got fourth.
for Franck Montagny
. In 2010 the partnership participated in two road course races with driver Adam Carroll
, finishing 16th and 19th.
In 2011
the team has separated from Andretti and is now on its own. It began the 2011 season only operating in the IndyCar Series with a single part-time entry driven by Raphael Matos.Rafa Matos Reunited With AFS For St. Pete, Speed, March 17, 2011, Retrieved 2011-03-27 After failing to qualify for the 2011 Indianapolis 500
, Matos and the team parted ways. They signed former AFS Indy Lights driver Martin Plowman to a three race deal in association with Sam Schmidt Motorsports
, AFS's former Indy Lights rival. Hideki Mutoh
was signed to drive the team's car at Twin Ring Motegi
. Wade Cunningham
, who earlier in the season debuted driving an in-house Schmidt Motorsports car, will drive in the season's final two oval races for the team.
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
and previously the Firestone Indy Lights series. It is owned by Gary Peterson, the founder of Automatic Fire Sprinklers for which it is named, and is based in Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
.
Indy Lights
The team was founded with the creation of the Infiniti Pro Series (now Indy Lights) in 2002. At that time the team's only driver was Peterson himself and he finished seventh in points with a best finish of fourth. In 2003 Peterson was joined by G. J. Mennen who made 7 starts and finished 13th in points. Peterson finished 10th. In 2004, Peterson only drove part-time but the team ran a second car for Arie Luyendyk, Jr.Arie Luyendyk, Jr.
Arie Luyendyk, Jr. is an auto racing driver and son of Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk. Despite his European birth, all of his adult racing has taken place in North America where his father lives and made his career. He placed second in points in the 2002 inaugural season of the Infiniti Pro...
for the final five races of the season after he left Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt....
. Luyendyk finished third in points. The team also fielded a car for sprint car racer Jay Drake
Jay Drake
Jay Scott Drake is an American auto racing driver.-Racing career:Drake won the 1998 Turkey Night Grand Prix midget car race. Drake was the USAC National Sprint Car Champion in 2004. He also competed in 14 Indy Pro Series races in 2004 and 2005 with a best finish of third and finishing 9th in the...
in the Freedom 100
Freedom 100
The Firestone Freedom 100 is a Firestone Indy Lights Series auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is currently held the Friday before the Indianapolis 500...
and he finished fourth. In 2005, the team ran only a partial schedule, fielding a car for Luyendyk in three races and Rocky Moran, Jr. in the Freedom 100. In 2006 Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd (racing driver)
Alex Stewart Lloyd is a British motor racing driver. He currently takes part in the IndyCar Series...
finished 7th in the team's primary entry while Luyendyk drove in four races and Thiago Medeiros, Phil Giebler, and Tyce Carlson
Tyce Carlson
Brendyn "Tyce" Carlson , is a former driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He raced in the 1996-2002 seasons with 30 career starts, including 2 at the Indianapolis 500. His 2 career IndyCar top ten finishes both came at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the 1999 and 2000 races...
all drove in one race each for the team. Lloyd captured the team's first two wins that season with victories in the Freedom 100 and the second Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
race.
In 2007 the team formed a partnership with Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Green Racing
Andretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda Championship, and U.S. F2000 National Championship.-Current IndyCar Drivers and Cars:*7 Danica Patrick, GoDaddy.com*26 Marco Andretti...
and fielded cars full-time for Jaime Camara
Jaime Camara
Jaime Camara is a Brazilian race car driver, who most recently competed in the IndyCar Series for Conquest Racing.-Indy Racing League:...
and Wade Cunningham
Wade Cunningham
Wade Cunningham is a racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand who has most notably competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.Cunningham's professional career began when he won the Karting World Championship in 2003....
. The partnership was often referred to as AGR-AFS Racing Cunningham finished third in points with a win at Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
while Camara finished sixth in points. In 2008 the team fielded full-time entries for reigning Atlantic Championship champion Raphael Matos
Raphael Matos
Raphael Matos is a Brazilian racing driver from Belo Horizonte. He currently participates in the IZOD IndyCar Series for AFS Racing. He was the 2008 Firestone Indy Lights Series champion and the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Series champion...
and Arie Luyendyk, Jr. Matos won three races on his way to the series championship while Luyendyk finished fourth in points and captured his first series win in the season finale at Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
. 2009 saw the team field entries for J. R. Hildebrand
J. R. Hildebrand
John R. Hildebrand Jr. is an American race car driver. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series; driving the #4 National Guard car for Panther Racing. Hildebrand's nickname is Captain America...
and Sebastian Saavedra
Sebastian Saavedra
Sebastian Saavedra is a Colombian racing driver of Portuguese and Korean origin from Bogotá.-early career:After a childhood in karting, Saavedra drove in Formula BMW USA for Gelles Racing, finishing 11th in points. He also drove in two races in Formula BMW ADAC and competed in the Formula BMW...
. Hildebrand captured AGR-AFS's second consecutive championship on the back of four race wins while Saavedra won twice and finished third in points, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The team's 2010 drivers were Martin Plowman
Martin Plowman
Martin Plowman is an English racing driver from Burton upon Trent currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series.-Early career:...
and Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball
Charlie Kimball is an Anglo-American racecar driver currently competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.-2002–2005:...
. Plowman captured a win at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington...
and finished third in points while Kimball failed to win and got fourth.
IndyCar Series
The team first entered the IndyCar Series in 2009 by fielding a car in conjunction with Andretti Green Racing at Infineon RacewayInfineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
for Franck Montagny
Franck Montagny
Franck Montagny is a French motor racing driver. He briefly raced for the Super Aguri Formula One team in 2006.-Early career:...
. In 2010 the partnership participated in two road course races with driver Adam Carroll
Adam Carroll
Adam Carroll is a Northern Irish racing driver. He currently races in the GP2 Series for Super Nova and in Auto GP for Campos Racing, making his debut with pole position at Donington Park...
, finishing 16th and 19th.
In 2011
2011 IndyCar Series season
The 2011 Izod IndyCar Series season was the 100th season of American open wheel motor racing. The season consisted of seventeen events over the course of a seven–month season. Its premier event was the 95th Indianapolis 500, run on Sunday, May 29. It was the final season running the IR–05 Dallara...
the team has separated from Andretti and is now on its own. It began the 2011 season only operating in the IndyCar Series with a single part-time entry driven by Raphael Matos.Rafa Matos Reunited With AFS For St. Pete, Speed, March 17, 2011, Retrieved 2011-03-27 After failing to qualify for the 2011 Indianapolis 500
2011 Indianapolis 500
The 95th Indianapolis 500 was held on May 29, 2011 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the premier event of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The track opened for practice on May 14, and time trials were held on May 21–22. The race was won by Dan Wheldon and was the final win of his...
, Matos and the team parted ways. They signed former AFS Indy Lights driver Martin Plowman to a three race deal in association with Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt....
, AFS's former Indy Lights rival. Hideki Mutoh
Hideki Mutoh
is a Japanese race car driver from Tokyo currently racing in the IndyCar Series for Newman/Haas Racing.- History :He began karting at age 12 in 1996 and quickly moved through the ranks, becoming a part of Honda's Formula Dream Project. He moved to Europe in 1998 to compete in Formula Vauxhall...
was signed to drive the team's car at Twin Ring Motegi
Twin Ring Motegi
is an automobile racing track located at Motegi, Japan. Its name comes from the facility having two race tracks: a oval and a road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda, as part of Honda's effort to bring the IndyCar Series to Japan, helping to increase their knowledge of American open-wheel...
. Wade Cunningham
Wade Cunningham
Wade Cunningham is a racing driver from Auckland, New Zealand who has most notably competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.Cunningham's professional career began when he won the Karting World Championship in 2003....
, who earlier in the season debuted driving an in-house Schmidt Motorsports car, will drive in the season's final two oval races for the team.