Galles Racing

Galles Racing is a former auto racing team owned by Rick Galles that competed in the CART series and Indy Racing League, winning the 1990 CART Championship and 1992 Indianapolis 500 with driver Al Unser, Jr..

History

Early years

The team first competed in a partial CART season in 1980, then was away from CART until 1983 when it fielded a car for rookie Al Unser, Jr.. Unser left the team after the 1984 season only to return again for the 1988 and 1989 seasons. In 1989, Unser, Jr. then driving his familiar Valvoline-sponsored Chevy machine, nearly won the Indy 500, finishing second after crashing out with just over a lap to go in a famous duel with Emerson Fittipaldi.

Championship years

After the 1989 season, Galles merged teams with Maurice Kranes (who had fielded Kraco-sponsored cars for Michael Andretti and then Bobby Rahal). Kranes brought Rahal and Kraco with him, while Unser, Jr. remained in the Valvoline-sponsored machine. The team competed as Galles-Kraco Racing from 1990 to 1992 and Unser won the 1990 CART Championship with five wins. The Galles duo of Unser and Bobby Rahal was one of the top teams in CART during that period. Rahal finished 2nd at the 1990 Indy 500 and finished second in the 1991 CART championship. Rahal was replaced in 1992 by veteran Danny Sullivan as the team introduced their new proprietary Galmer chassis. Unser won the 1992 Indianapolis 500 in a Galmer in what would be the closest finish in race history. Despite winning, the Galmer chassis was scraped after only one season. After a lackluster 1993, Unser left for Penske Racing, and Danny Sullivan moved into semi-retirement (he raced stock cars in 1994, and raced for PacWest in 1995). For 1994, rookie Adrián Fernández was the team's lone entry, as the team reverted to its Galles Racing name. Fernandez was joined by Brazilian journeyman Marco Greco for 1995.

Transition to IRL

1996 saw several drivers in Galles cars as the team also became the only CART team to cross over and compete in the rival Indy Racing League's first Indianapolis 500 with driver Davy Jones who finished second. Jones also drove a partial schedule in CART while rookie and former Motorcycle champion Eddie Lawson drove Galles' full-time CART entry. In 1997 the team moved full-time to the IRL with rookie Kenny Bräck. Bräck switched to A. J. Foyt Enterprises for 1998 and the team again ceased operations. Galles returned in 1999 with veteran Davey Hamilton. Hamilton was replaced in 2000 by a returning Al Unser, Jr., who was switching over from CART after being released from Penske Racing. Unser was one of the first CART stars to switch full-time to the IRL. The team's final year was 2001 where Unser was joined by rookies Didier André and Casey Mears.

ummary

Throughout the team's 22 year history, their drivers captured 21 wins - 18 by Al Unser, Jr. (6 in 1990, 4 in 1988, 2 in 1991 and 1 each in 1984, 1989, 1992, 1993, 2000, and 2001), two by Danny Sullivan (1 each in 1992 and 1993), and one by Bobby Rahal in 1991 in addition to capturing the 1990 CART championship and 1992 Indianapolis 500 with Unser.

Former drivers

CART

*flagicon|AUS Geoff Brabham (1985-1987)
*flagicon|USA Pancho Carter (1984-1986)
*flagicon|USA Kevin Cogan (1993)
*flagicon|USA Dick Ferguson (1980)
*flagicon|MEX Adrián Fernández (1993-1995)
*flagicon|USA Tom Gloy (1984)
*flagicon|BRA Marco Greco (1995)
*flagicon|USA Davy Jones (1996)
*flagicon|USA Eddie Lawson (1996)
*flagicon|USA Jeff MacPherson (1987)
*flagicon|BRA Roberto Moreno (1985-1986)
*flagicon|USA Bobby Rahal (1990-1991)
*flagicon|USA Danny Sullivan (1992-1993)
*flagicon|USA Al Unser, Jr. (1983-1984, 1988-1993)

IRL

*flagicon|FRA Didier André (2001)
*flagicon|SWE Kenny Bräck (1997)
*flagicon|BRA Marco Greco (1997)
*flagicon|USA Davey Hamilton (1999)
*flagicon|USA Davy Jones (1996)
*flagicon|USA Casey Mears (2001)
*flagicon|USA Al Unser, Jr. (2000-2001)
*flagicon|USA Jeff Ward (1997)