Tony Renna

Anthony James Renna (November 23, 1976 – October 22, 2003) was an American racing driver who competed in Indy Lights and the Indy Racing League (IRL) from 1998 to 2003. Renna began competitive racing at the age of six, winning 252 races and two national quarter-midget championships before the age of fifteen. Renna progressed to car racing at sixteen, competing for three years in the Barber Dodge Pro Series and partnering with stock car driver Jerry Nadeau to finish second for the United States team at the 1996 EFDA Nations Cup. He progressed to Championship Auto Racing Teams' developmental series Indy Lights, winning one race during his three seasons in the championship from 1998 to 2000.

In 2002, Renna signed with Kelley Racing to be its test driver in the IRL, and was the driving coach and spotter to actor and Infiniti Pro Series participant Jason Priestley. Renna competed in seven races for Kelley Racing before signing a contract to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing in the 2004 IndyCar Series. During an October 2003 tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Renna was killed instantly in a collision with a retaining fence. He was the first driver to be killed in an accident in the IRL since Scott Brayton died during practice for the 1996 Indianapolis 500. As a consequence of Renna's death, car speeds and horsepower were reduced through a reduction in engine sizes and aerodynamics were altered in a bid to prevent cars becoming airborne. A memorial fund and IRL award were named after him.

Early and personal life Renna was born in Victorville, California, on November 23, 1976, to jockey and meat-company owner Joe Renna and his wife Mary. The family moved to Apple Valley, California, from Tampa, Florida, in 1975 and Renna's parents subsequently divorced. His family later moved to the Orlando neighborhood of College Park before residing in DeLand.

Renna was educated at Bishop Moore High School and Father Lopez Catholic High School, graduating from the latter in 1995. and played American football, basketball and baseball. refined his driving ability at circuits in Barberville, Bithlo and New Smyrna Beach, He told his father of his choice of career, and was asked, "Do you know what you're asking for? Do you know you are asking for the brass ring and the Olympic gold medal?". and wanted to drive for Team Penske. Renna went on to drive a quarter-midget, a mini sprint, and two national quarter-midget championships before the age of fifteen. in a bid to become a road course ringer. In the UK, Renna drove six races in a Dallara F394-Vauxhall car for West Surrey Racing in the 1995 British Formula Three Class B Championship. and won a Skip Barber Racing School Big Scholarship. Renna won the Team USA Scholarship over six other candidates and participated at the 1996 EFDA Nations Cup at Donington Park. He partnered with stock-car driver Jerry Nadeau in a Formula Opel Lotus car, finishing second to win the silver medal. He continued to race in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, entering eight races and claiming three podium finishes and two pole positions to score 54 points and place tenth in the championship. he won at Michigan International Speedway, took two pole positions, and had six top ten finishes to place eighth in the drivers' championship with 68 points.

In April 1999, CART imposed a one-year suspension on Mattco Raceworks from its racing series for illegal engine modifications in the car of Renna's teammate Mark Hotchkis. Renna, still contracted to Mattco, sought employment in either NASCAR's Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) or the Truck Series. Motor-racing journalist Jeremy Shaw and the Team USA Scholarship made the PacWest Racing team aware of Renna's potential. and was the test and development driver for its CART team.

Having signed a five-year contract in late October 1999, Renna returned to PacWest Racing for the 2000 Indy Lights, and continued as its test and development driver. He undertook a two-day test session at Firebird Raceway in December 1999 as preparation for the season. Renna changed his car number to 18; he attained top-ten finishes in every round during the season except for two due to consecutive retirements: a mechanical failure at Milwaukee Mile and an accident in Detroit. Renna finished fifth in the drivers' championship with 105 points.

Before the 2001 racing season, He spent much of the year seeking employment with race teams, and competed in NASCAR late model stock car events for Dick Cobb on a weekly basis at the track. In mid-2002, Renna and his business manager suggested he should coach actor Jason Priestley, who raced in the developmental Infiniti Pro Series that year; and the two became friends. In his first two races driving Kelley Racing's 7 Dallara-Chevrolet vehicle in the 2002 Indy Racing League, Renna took consecutive top-ten finishes at Nashville Superspeedway and Michigan International Speedway. he remained an employee of the team. The difficulty in finding sponsorship to compete in races restricted Renna primarily to being a test driver, but he made a single race appearance in the 2003 IndyCar Series, the Indianapolis 500. In October 2003, Ganassi offered Renna a driving role in his team for the 2004 IndyCar Series —and to partner 2003 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon.

Death

Renna made his first on-track appearance for CGR in a private Firestone tire-test session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 22. At 9:20 am Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−05:00), while on his fourth lap driving the 10 G-Force-Toyota car, On the afternoon of October 27, Renna was given a memorial service at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church; another took place four days later at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Deland, Florida, and was attended by 400 people. Darren Manning took Renna's seat at CGR. |name=|group= The black box was sent to its manufacturer in the United Kingdom, and was described by Reggie Yates of The News-Sentinel as "a driver open-wheel fans wanted to see succeed". and vibrant.

The Tony Renna Memorial Fund was established in Michigan to continue the driver's work, which was based on his "approach to life of caring about others". In January 2004, Father Lopez Catholic School renamed its annual golf tournament after Renna to raise funds for the memorial foundation. The same year, the IRL renamed its Rising Star Award after Renna. The award is given to "an up-and-coming IndyCar Series driver who embodies the qualities of the late Renna". At the season-ending Lime Rock Rolex Sports Car Series race and the 2013 Petit Le Mans of the American Le Mans Series, sports car driver and Renna's protégé Patrick Long sported a helmet livery similar to Renna in celebration of his mentor's career on the tenth anniversary of his death.

Motorsports career results Career summary Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Points Position 1995 British Formula Three Championship – Class B West Surrey Racing 70 6 0 2 N/A 63 8th 1996 Barber Dodge Pro Series N/A N/A 12 0 2 N/A 105 7th EDFA Nations Cup United States N/A 1 0 0 0 N/A 2nd 1997 Barber Dodge Pro Series N/A N/A 8 0 2 0 54 10th U.S. F2000 National Championship DSTP Motorsports N/A 1 0 0 0 12 31st 1998 Indy Lights Mattco Raceworks 77 12 1 2 0 68 8th 1999 Indy Lights PacWest Lights 17 5 0 0 1 22 16th 2000 Indy Lights PacWest Lights 18 12 0 0 0 105 5th 2001 SpeedVision World Challenge SSF Parts/TC Kline 12 1 0 0 0 9 54th 2002 Indy Racing League Kelley Racing 7 & 78 6 0 0 0 121 24th 2003 IndyCar Series Kelley Racing 32 1 0 0 0 26 30th

American open-wheel racing results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Small number denotes finishing position)

Complete USF2000 National Championship results

Years Teams Races Poles Wins Podiums(Non-win) Top 10s(Non-podium) Indianapolis 500Wins Championships 217000500

Indianapolis 500 results Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team 2003 Dallara Toyota87 Kelley Racing