Scott
Speed
United States
·
Rallycross
Date of birth | January 24, 1983 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Manteca, California |
Age | 42 |
Nationality | United States |
Career start | 2001 |
Disciplines | Rally |
Scott Speed is a jack-of-all-trades driver who separates himself in the world of motorsport as such.
Speed’s versatility and fervent competitive nature has led him through various successes in his racing career, as he has cross-pollinated into several racing disciplines on a global scale, from Formula 1 to NASCAR to Rallycross, each requiring deep-rooted skillsets behind the wheel.
It all began for Speed as a child as he frequented trips to the racetracks alongside his father, Mike, a three-time national kart champion himself.
In 1993 at 10 years old, he climbed aboard a kart of his own and landed at the top of the podium, winning his first national championship just two years later. And the rest is history.
Speed shared the same grand prix dreams that thousands of kart racers in America aspire to – climbing the ladder to one of the world’s most celebrated racing series, Formula 1.
After winning the Red Bull Driver Search, a nationwide talent hunt for potential F1 drivers, he moved to Europe at age 19 and finally reached the pinnacle of sport at age 23 when he became the first American driver to compete in F1 in 13 years.
Following a two-year stint in F1 from 2006-2007, Speed returned to America to compete in NASCAR, where he made 118 Cup Series starts and claimed victory in the rough-and-tumble Truck Series.
Speed’s affinity for trying new things might, in fact, be his true driving force, as he then transitioned to rallycross racing where he found instant success.
He won gold at his first ever rallycross race (the 2013 X Games) and went on to win Global Rallycross titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017, plus the Americas Rallycross Championship in 2018.
In 2018, Speed announced his next phase in rally racing with the Subaru Rally Team USA for the 2019 Rally America series, but his pursuit of chasing down another title was suddenly halted in August when he fractured three vertebrae competing at the Nitro World Games.
The season-ending injury forced Speed to leave behind his points-leader position and derailed his shot at a fifth consecutive rallycross title in the States.
Thankfully, Speed fully healed and got back to doing what he does best, fighting for victories.