James Hinchcliffe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Hinchcliffe
Hinchcliffe at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021
Nationality	Canadian
Born	(1986-12-05) December 5, 1986 (age 38) North York, Ontario, Canada
IMSA SportsCar Championship career
Debut season	2014
Current team	Pfaff Motorsports
Racing licence	FIA Gold
Car no.	9
Former teams	Mazda Motorsports, SpeedSource, Starworks Motorsport
Starts	7
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Poles	0
Fastest laps	0
Best finish	26th in 2024
Previous series
2009–10 2006–08 2006–07 2005 2004	Indy Lights Atlantic Championship A1 Grand Prix Star Mazda Series Formula BMW USA
Awards
2010 2011 2024	Greg Moore Legacy Award IndyCar Rookie of the Year Tony Renna Rising Star Award CMHF Inductee
IndyCar Series career
161 races run over 11 years
2020 position	23rd
Best finish	8th (2012, 2013)
First race	2011 Indy Grand Prix of Alabama (Barber)
Last race	2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (Long Beach)
First win	2013 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg)
Last win	2018 Iowa Corn 300 (Iowa)
Wins Podiums Poles 6 18 1

James Douglas Meredith Hinchcliffe (born December 5, 1986) is a Canadian race car driver. He currently races in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Pfaff Motorsports. James also works as a commentator for FOX Sports. He is most famous for his time in the IndyCar Series.

Hinchcliffe won six races during his career. He raced for teams like Andretti Autosport and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

In 2015, while practicing for the Indianapolis 500, he had a very serious crash. He suffered major injuries but made an amazing recovery. The next year, he won the pole position for the Indianapolis 500. This meant he started the race from the very front. He finished that race in sixth place.

In 2016, James also appeared on the TV show Dancing with the Stars. He finished in second place. People often call him by his nicknames "Hinch" and "the Mayor of Hinchtown".

Racing Journey

Starting in Racing

James Hinchcliffe was born in North York, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Oakville, Ontario. His racing journey began when he got a go-kart for his 9th birthday. He started car racing in 2003. He finished third in the Bridgestone Racing Academy F2000 series.

The next year, he was the best rookie in Formula BMW USA. He won three races that season. In 2005, he raced in the Star Mazda Series. He finished third overall with three wins. In 2006, he moved to the Champ Car Atlantic Series. He won one race and had two other podium finishes.

IndyCar Series Adventures

Joining Newman/Haas Racing

Hinchcliffe at Mid-Ohio in 2011.

In April 2011, Hinchcliffe joined Newman/Haas Racing for most of the 2011 IndyCar Series. He made his first start at Barber Motorsports Park. He quickly showed his talent. In only his second race, he finished fourth at Long Beach. This was his first top-five finish.

He also raced in his first Indianapolis 500. He started 13th and led some laps. Later in the season, he earned the Rookie of the Year award. This was a big achievement for a new driver. After the 2011 season, Newman/Haas Racing left IndyCar. This made Hinchcliffe a free agent.

Time with Andretti Autosport

Hinchcliffe in 2013

On January 10, 2012, James joined Andretti Autosport. He took over the No. 27 car. This number was special because other Canadian drivers like Gilles Villeneuve and Jacques Villeneuve also used it. At the 2012 Indianapolis 500, Hinchcliffe qualified second. He even carried gloves that belonged to his hero, Greg Moore. He finished sixth in the race.

In 2013, Hinchcliffe started the season with a win. He won the first race in St. Petersburg, Florida. He then won again in Brazil at the São Paulo Indy 300. He made a last-turn pass to take the victory. He won a third race that year at Iowa.

In 2014, during the 2014 Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Hinchcliffe was hit by flying debris. He suffered a concussion. Luckily, he was cleared to race again just five days later.

Racing for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports

Hinchcliffe's No. 5 IndyCar was piloted by Ryan Briscoe during the 2015 Indianapolis 500.

In October 2014, Hinchcliffe moved to Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. He drove the No. 5 car. He won his first race with the team in New Orleans in 2015.

However, in May 2015, he had a very serious crash during practice for the 2015 Indianapolis 500. He was badly hurt and had to have surgery. The quick actions of the IndyCar safety team likely saved his life. He missed the rest of the 2015 season while recovering. Ryan Briscoe and Conor Daly filled in for him.

On May 22, 2016, Hinchcliffe made an amazing comeback. He won the pole position for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. This was one year after his near-fatal crash. He finished seventh in that race. Later in 2016, he finished second in a very close race at Texas. He ended the season 13th in the standings.

On April 9, 2017, Hinchcliffe won his first race of the season. This was at the Long Beach Grand Prix. This win came two years after his last victory.

In 2018, Leena Gade became his lead race engineer. She was the first female lead race engineer in IndyCar. Sadly, Hinchcliffe did not qualify for the 2018 Indianapolis 500 that year. This was the first time in his career. But he bounced back in July, winning a race at Iowa.

Hinchcliffe in 2019

After the 2019 season, his team, now called Arrow McLaren SP, decided to make changes. Hinchcliffe was no longer their main driver. He remained under contract but could look for other racing chances.

Returning to Andretti Autosport

On February 19, 2020, Andretti Autosport announced Hinchcliffe would return. He signed a three-race deal for the 2020 season. He raced in the GMR Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the Genesys 600. He finished seventh in the Indy 500. Later, he replaced another driver for the final three races of the season.

On January 26, 2021, Andretti Autosport announced Hinchcliffe would race full-time. He drove the No. 29 car. He finished 20th in the points standings. His best result was a third-place finish at the Music City Grand Prix.

On December 12, 2021, Hinchcliffe announced he would stop racing full-time. He joined NBC Sports as a commentator for IndyCar races.

Personal Life

James Hinchcliffe is married to Canadian actress Rebecca "Becky" Dalton. They got engaged in July 2018 and married on August 3, 2019.

If he hadn't become a race car driver, James wanted to be a motorsports journalist.

On February 17, 2024, Hinchcliffe was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. At 37 years old, he was the youngest person ever to receive this honor.

Racing Achievements

IndyCar Series Results

• ¹ The Las Vegas Indy 300 was stopped after Dan Wheldon passed away from injuries in a crash.

Indianapolis 500 Results

Images for kids

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  James Hinchcliffe at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021

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  FIA Gold Driver license

See also

In Spanish: James Hinchcliffe para niños