Johnny O'Connell

John Chandler O'Connell (born July 24, 1962) is a racing driver from the United States. He currently drives for Cadillac in the Pirelli World Challenge, winning the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 GT driver's championship.

Career

Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, O'Connell started racing in the Formula Atlantic series in 1987, winning the Championship and Rookie of the Year. He also spent 1996 in the Indy Racing League, racing in the Indianapolis 500 and finishing in the top-ten in half of his four starts. He has seven class wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring, more than any other driver, and an overall title in 1994 when racing for Nissan. Driving for Corvette Racing, he has also won a number of class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona. With his teammate Ron Fellows, he won the 2003 GTS class driver's championship.

O'Connell was also featured in Chevy's 2007, Super Bowl ad, "Ain't We Got Love" also featuring Mary J. Blige, rapper T.I., Big & Rich, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In 2013, O'Connell competed in the Johnsonville Sausage 200 at Road America in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro; he finished 12th in the event.

In 2023, O'Connell announced his return to racing in the GT America Series after being reclassified as a bronze driver due to his age. He won the 2024 GT America Series in an Audi R8 LMS GT3.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Nationwide Series NASCAR Nationwide Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Pts Ref 2013 JR Motorsports 5 Chevy DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV IOW MCH ROA KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 65th 32

Ineligible for series points

24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1994 Clayton Cunningham Racing Steve Millen John Morton Nissan 300ZX Turbo IMSAGTS 317 5th 1st 1998 Panoz Motorsports DAMS Éric Bernard Christophe Tinseau Panoz Esperante GTR-1 GT1 236 DNF DNF 1999 Panoz Motorsports Jan Magnussen Max Angelelli Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-SFord LMP 323 11th 9th 2000 Panoz Motorsports Hiroki Katoh Pierre-Henri Raphanel Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S-Élan LMP900 342 5th 5th 2001 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows Scott Pruett Chevrolet Corvette C5-R GTS 278 8th 1st 2002 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows Oliver Gavin Chevrolet Corvette C5-R GTS 335 11th 1st 2003 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows Franck Fréon Chevrolet Corvette C5-R GTS 326 12th 3rd 2004 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows Max Papis Chevrolet Corvette C5-R GTS 334 8th 2nd 2005 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows Max Papis Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT1 347 6th 2nd 2006 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows Max Papis Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT1 327 12th 7th 2007 Corvette Racing Jan Magnussen Ron Fellows Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT1 342 6th 2nd 2008 Corvette Racing Jan Magnussen Ron Fellows Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT1 344 14th 2nd 2009 Corvette Racing Jan Magnussen Antonio García Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT1 342 15th 1st 2010 Corvette Racing Jan Magnussen Antonio García Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT2 225 DNF DNF 2016 Team AAI Oliver Bryant Mark Patterson Chevrolet Corvette C7.R GTEAm 306 39th 9th

Indy Racing League results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) Year Team Chassis No. Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rank Points Ref 1996 Cunningham Racing Lola T94 Reynard 95i 75 Ford XB V8t WDW PHX INDY 9th 192 1996–97 Treadway Racing Reynard 95i 10 Ford XB V8t NHAWth 40th 23 Reynard 94i 6 Ford XB V8t LVS WDW PHX A. J. Foyt Enterprises G-Force GF01 1 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 INDY TXS PPIR CLT NHA LVS

Indianapolis 500 results Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team 1996 Reynard Ford-Cosworth 29th29th Byrd-Cunningham Racing