Charlie Kimball


Charles Newton Kimball is an American racecar driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series with A.J. Foyt Enterprises He has scored a win, six podiums and 13 top 5s. His best season result was ninth in 2013 and 2016. In addition, he won the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona.

Career

2002–2005

Born in Chertsey, England, Kimball's single-seater career started in 2002 when he took part in the American Formula Dodge national championship, finishing the season in 10th place overall. He also won three races in the SCCA Formula Ford series. For 2003 he moved up to Formula Ford US, finishing third overall with two race wins and seven podium finishes. He also contested the UK Formula Ford winter series, taking one race win to finish third overall.
In 2004, he competed in the full UK Formula Ford championship for Team JLR, taking two race wins and eleven podiums on his way to fourth in the championship. In the end-of-season Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch he finished in eighth place. His performances earned him a drive with front runners Carlin Motorsport in the 2005 British Formula 3 Championship, where he took five race wins to finish an impressive second behind teammate Álvaro Parente. He also finished 12th in the Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort, but failed to finish the season-ending Macau Grand Prix.

2006–2008

For 2006 Kimball stayed in Formula Three, but moved up to the Formula 3 Euro Series with the French Signature-Plus team. He took one race win and three podiums to finish the season in eleventh place. Once again, he took part in the Masters Formula 3 race at Zandvoort and the Macau Grand Prix, finishing in 9th and 21st places respectively.
in the Donington Park round of the 2007 Formula Renault 3.5 Series season.
In 2007, he competed in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series for the Italian Victory Engineering team, alongside Dutchman Giedo van der Garde. He competed in 12 races and finished 24th in points with a best finish of 8th in the Monza and Nurburgring sprint races. His departed the team due to the onset of Type 1 diabetes which required hospitalization. As part of his ongoing treatment he wears a wireless blood sugar monitor and carries sugar water on board the car while racing. In 2008, he returned to F3 EuroSeries for 6 races with Prema Powerteam. Late in 2008 he competed in the first round of the A1 Grand Prix series for A1 Team USA.

Firestone Indy Lights (2009–2010)

For 2009 Kimball signed to drive in Indy Lights for the new Team PBIR outfit. He stated that an influencing factor in his return to the U.S. is to increase Diabetes awareness in his home country. Kimball finished 10th in points with a best finish of 4th at Watkins Glen International.
He returned to in Indy Lights in 2010 and signed with AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport. Despite not winning a race or pole, Kimball had four second-place finishes on the season and captured 4th in points, one spot behind his teammate Martin Plowman.

IndyCar Series (2011–present)

It was announced on December 16, 2010 that Kimball would move up to the IndyCar Series in 2011, in which he would drive the No. 83 entry for Chip Ganassi Racing. Kimball finished 19th in points with a best finish of ninth at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Kimball returned to the team in 2012 and again finished 19th in points despite missing a race due to injury. He finished second at the Honda Indy Toronto, his first career podium finish. In 2013, he competed in his first 24 Hours of Daytona race with Ganassi and was on the race winning team with co-drivers Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett, and Memo Rojas. Kimball also won his first IndyCar race on August 4, 2013 at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

Personal

Kimball was born in England but grew up in Camarillo, California. His father Gordon was a designer of Formula One and Indy cars.
At 22, Kimball was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was forced to abandon his racing program midseason. Undeterred, he climbed back into the cockpit the following year and claimed a podium finish in his first race after returning. He is also the first licensed driver with diabetes in the history of IndyCar racing. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of the insulin Kimball uses, became a full-time sponsor of his racing program in 2011.
Kimball married Kathleen, whom he first met in high school, in 2014, the wedding officiated by fellow driver James Hinchcliffe. The couple relocated to Indianapolis, where they live with two dogs. Kathleen earned her MBA from Indiana University Kelley School of Business, and works at Kimball Marketing Group.
Kimball is a long-time fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.

Racing record

Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011121314151617181920DCPoints
2006Signature-PlusDallara F306/010MercedesHOC
1
22		HOC
2
12		LAU
1
9		LAU
2
8		OSC
1
10		OSC
2
Ret		BRH
1
15		BRH
2
11		NOR
1
13		NOR
2
4		NÜR
1
10		NÜR
2
6		ZAN
1
11		ZAN
2
1		CAT
1
6		CAT
2
2		LMS
1
4		LMS
2
2		HOC
1
6		HOC
2
Ret		11th31
2008Prema PowerteamDallara F308/047MercedesHOC
1
2		HOC
2
Ret		MUG
1
17		MUG
2
Ret		PAU
1
Ret		PAU
2
23		NOR
1		NOR
2		ZAN
1		ZAN
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		BRH
1		BRH
2		CAT
1		CAT
2		LMS
1		LMS
2		HOC
1		HOC
2		17th8

Complete Formula Renault 3.5 Series results

YearEntrant1234567891011121314151617DCPoints
2007Victory EngineeringMNZ
FEA
Ret		MNZ
SPR
8		NÜR
FEA
16		NÜR
SPR
8		MON
FEA
Ret		HUN
FEA
10		HUN
SPR
Ret		SPA
FEA
13		SPA
SPR
Ret		DON
FEA
Ret		DON
SPR
13		MAG
FEA
Ret		MAG
SPR
17		EST
FEA		EST
SPR		CAT
FEA		CAT
SPR		24th7

American open–wheel results

Indy Lights

IndyCar Series

* Season still in progress.
YearsTeamsRacesPolesWinsTop 5sTop 10sIndianapolis 500
Wins		Championships
518411113300

Indianapolis 500