Fast Facts: Scott Speed



Photo Credit: LJ Cloud/Skirts & Scuffs

Scott Speed, driver of the No. 95 Ford Fusion for Leavine Family Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, recently added another first to his already-impressive driver’s resume: he won a gold medal in his first career RallyCross race in the 2013 X Games in Foz do Iguacu in Brazil. Check out the rest of Speed’s career in this week’s Fast Facts.

• Scott Andrew Speed was born January 24, 1983 in Manteca, California. He began his racing career in karting at age 10, and won three IKF regional titles along with  the SKUSA Super Pro title in 2000. His brother Alex still races karts, and has three Stars of Karting titles and three SKUSA Supernationals titles to his name.
• In 2001, Speed moved up to the US Formula Russell series, winning the title in his first season. He moved on to the US Barber Formula Dodge Series and US Star Mazda Series in 2002, then on to British Formula Three in 2003. He was forced to return to the States for treatment of ulcerative colitis during the 2003 season, but returned to the track in 2004, winning two championships in the Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup and the German Formula Renault series.
• Speed’s results in 2004 led to a ride in the GP2 Series in 2005, as well as a spot as a test driver for Red Bull Racing’s Formula One program as the year progressed. Speed was the first American driver to participate in an F1 event since Michael Andretti in 1993. He competed in F1 for Red Bull Racing’s Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006 and part of 2007; he was released from his contract on July 31, 2007 and replaced by Sebastian Vettel.
• While his F1 ride was gone, Speed remained on good terms with Red Bull, and secured a US-based ride with the team later in 2007. He raced in selected ARCA Racing Series events in 2007 and the full season in 2008, when he contended for the championship. Speed also made his NASCAR debut in the Truck Series in 2007, and his Cup Series debut for Red Bull in October 2008.
• Speed attempted to qualify for the 2011 Indianapolis 500 with Dragon Racing, but was unable to get the car up to speed; he was later replaced by Patrick Carpentier, who went on to crash the car in practice.
• Speed and his wife Amanda welcomed daughter Juliet Leigh in October 2011. The family lives in North Carolina.
• Find out more about Speed at his website, www.scottspeed.com.