Fast Facts: Charlie Kimball

Photo by Lisa Janine Cloud
for Skirts and Scuffs
IZOD IndyCar Series driver Charlie Kimball began driving go-karts at age 9, and 18 years later he’s driving for one of the top-ranked IndyCar teams in the world, Chip Ganassi Racing. He’s also driving with a disease that put his career choice on hiatus for part of the 2007 season. Find out more about Kimball, who was recently awarded for his community and public service, in this week’s Fast Facts.
  • Kimball was born February 20, 1985 in Chertsey, England but grew up in Camarillo, California. Kimball’s father, Gordon, was a Formula One and IndyCar designer.
  • Kimball began racing go-karts at age 9 and won seven National Go-Karting Championships. He tested a Formula Ford on his 16th birthday and as hooked on auto racing – he even bypassed acceptance into Stanford University to pursue racing as a career.
  • From 2002 to 2006, Kimball raced in a series of Formula divisions, including Formula Dodge, Formula Ford and Formula Three. In 2007, with just two races remaining in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series season, Kimball was hospitalized due to the onset of Type 1 diabetes.
  • Kimball returned to action in 2008 in the Formula Three Euroseries, moving up to the Firestone Indy Lights Series in 2009. That same year, he began his partnership with Novo Nordisk, a company dedicated to diabetes care; they continue to serve as Kimball’s sponsor in the IZOD IndyCar Series, which he moved up to in 2011.
  • In 2011, Kimball became the first driver to qualify for the Indy 500 with Type 1 diabetes; he finished 13th.
  • Kimball was recently among the 18 people awarded the Jefferson Award for Public Service in recognition for his work in spreading awareness of diabetes and for helping others pursue their dreams in the wake of diabetes. Others honored this year included musicians Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis, CIA director David Petraeus, former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly and former NHL star Pat LaFontaine.
  • Find out more about Charlie Kimball and follow his blog at http://www.charliekimball.com/.
Fast Facts: Charlie Kimball Fast Facts: Charlie Kimball Reviewed by Paula on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 Rating: 5