Scott Sharp

Team (Class):
Extreme Speed Motorsports – Ferrari F430 GT (GT)

Website:
extremespeedmotorsports.com

Series Championships:
1 – 2009 (LMP1)

Birthdate:
February 15, 1968

Birthplace:
Norwalk, CT

Height/Weight:
5-8, 155 pounds

Residence:
Tequesta, FL

Family: Children:
Briana, Jackson, Hudson

Special Interests:
Training, boating

Scott Sharp is transitioning to team ownership in 2010. ◊ As well as team owner, will also drive one of Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferrari F430 GT. ◊ Teaming with former Flying Lizard pilot Johannes van Overbeek. ◊ Moved to GT competition a year after winning LMP1 title with Patrón Highcroft Racing. ◊ Won three times with David Brabham in 2009. ◊ Racing career started in sports cars in SCCA GT competition. ◊ Moved to prototypes from IndyCar after 2007 season but . ◊ All-time leader in IRL starts.

Sharp Pit Notes:
2010: At Sebring, transitioned to team ownership and as driver of Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferrari with Johannes van Overbeek/Dominik Farnbacher. Spent bulk of race running in top-five before brake fire ignited rear of Ferrari with Sharp aboard. Exited car safely but placed 11th in class.

2009: Made all 10 starts in LMP1 championship run aboard Patrón Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-02a prototype with three victories. ◊ At Sebring, rejoined David Brabham/Dario Franchitti to debut Patrón Highcrofts new Acura ARX-02a. Entry struggled a bit with pace and an early spin but remained in touch with lead cars before transmission failure after 302 laps. ◊ At St. Petersburg, drove opening stint in first victory for Acura ARX-02a. Also won overall for second time with Brabham. After early-race spin, drove storming stint and handed off to Brabham in overall lead. ◊ At Long Beach, finished second overall in tandem with Brabham after entry started on pole. Pitted from lead before crew assessed 20-second penalty during pit stop. ◊ At Utah, drove opening stint in eventual runner-up overall finish with Brabham. Lost time in following Intersport Lola in opening laps. ◊ At Lime Rock, drove opening stint in runner-up finish that saw Patrón Highcroft entry in position to win at circuit for second straight season before late tire puncture. ◊ At Mid-Ohio, drove opening stint in runner-up finish with Brabham to maintain championship lead. Mid-stint contact with GT2 car slightly damaged Acura and hindered top-end speed capability. ◊ At Road America, returned to Victory Circle in tense, close battle with de Ferran Acura for first overall victory since St. Petersburg. Led 18 laps before handing off to Brabham. ◊ At Mosport, drove opening stint in second straight overall victory with Brabham. Struggled with tire setup but woes for de Ferran Acura negated that disadvantage. Moved four points closer to P1 championship. ◊ A trying week for Patrón Highcroft team after Thursday afternoon crash that destroyed car and track fencing. Team flew in replacement tub and built up new car in less than 30 hours. Teamed with Brabham/Franchitti for sixth-place finish and retained P1 championship lead. ◊ At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, wrapped up first career LMP2 championship with runner-up finish in class and third overall with Brabham. Part of early-race fracas that sent Acura off track, and also experienced gearing problems before smooth run to checkered flag.

2008: Made 11 starts in first full season in American Le Mans Series. Drove with Brabham in Patrón Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-01b. ◊ Debuted in prototypes at Sebring, with Brabham/Stefan Johansson. After tough opening to week, ended fourth in P2 and fifth overall as lead Acura. ◊ Second in class at St. Petersburg before solid opening stint at Long Beach in teams first victory. Watched Brabham make last-lap pass for class victory, first for Acura since Sebring.

2007. ◊ Suffered rear suspension damage early in Utah race following multi-car collision. Lost time in pits and finished ninth in P2. ◊ Home Lime Rock race for Patrón Highcroft was one for history books. Watched Brabham qualify on overall pole. Started race and handed off to Brabham, who passed leading Porsche with only a minute and a half to go for team and marques first overall victory. ◊ Started Mid-Ohio race second overall and again was most consistent of Acura teams. Duo finished a close second in P2. ◊ Sharp/Brabham duo continued string of top-flight performances with seasons third win at Road America. Team appeared set for runner-up class finish until P2-leading Andretti Green Racing Acura collided with slower GT2 entry with 10 minutes left. ◊ At Mosport, Sharp/Brabham pairing continued as Series hottest with third win in four starts. Sharp drove opening stint, and Brabham passed snake-bit Gil de Ferran, who ran out of fuel while leading in class on final lap. ◊ Part of historic overall podium sweep for Acura at Detroit with runner-up finish. Sharp led first 48 laps. ◊ Suffered heartbreaking Petit Le Mans weekend after spin and crash late in Lap 16. Car had to be repaired after tub was cracked following Test Day shunt with team having car ready for raceday warmup. ◊ Lost time in Mazda Raceway pit lane for power steering repairs and a ninth place finish. ◊ Took second place in P2 driver championship with Brabham and named Series Rookie of the Year.

1999: Made two starts in Series inaugural season, both with Corvette Racing and Corvette C5-R. ◊ Ran seventh in GTS (38th overall) at Sebring with Andy Pilgrim/John Heinricy; entry retired after crash on Lap 158. ◊ Rejoined Pilgrim and Kelly Collins for fourth-place GTS finish (13th overall) at Petit Le Mans and was highest-finishing Corvette team.

Son of six-time SCCA national champion Bob Sharp. ◊ Only driver to compete in each IndyCar Series season from 1996-2007 and currently holds the series record for most starts (146). ◊ Started racing karts at age 8, winning 50 of 75 starts. ◊ Won the first SCCA race he entered (New Hampshire 1984). ◊ Won three consecutive SCCA national championship – GT-2 in 1986 and GT-1 in 1987 and 1988. ◊ Made Trans-Am debut in 1988 with four starts. ◊ Competed in Trans-Am through 1992, collecting nine victories. ◊ Won first race at Detroit in 1990, same season he teamed with Paul Newman in SCCA competition. ◊ Became youngest Trans-Am champion by winning six races and eight poles in Chevy Camaro. Also set seven track records. ◊ Championship runner-up in 1992 with two wins and seven poles in 11 starts. ◊ Won second championship with six wins in 1993; also made CART debut. ◊ Second in 1994 CART rookie championship and placed 16th in first Indy 500. ◊ Won 1994 Daytona 24 Hours in Riley & Scott-Oldsmobile with Wayne Taylor/Jim Pace. ◊ Shared inaugural IndyCar Series championship with Buzz Calkins with best finish of second at Phoenix. ◊ Missed majority of 1996 season and all of 1997 season (head injury). ◊ Recorded at least one victory per year from 1998-2003. ◊ Returned in 1998 to score victories at Phoenix and Dover to highlight fourth-place championship finish. ◊ Won at Atlanta in 1999. ◊ Won at Texas in 2000 by leading 38 laps after 12-place start. ◊ Took first Indianapolis 500 pole position in 2001 and won at Texas for second straight season. ◊ Third-place championship finish in 2001 was career best. ◊ Won at Nazareth in 2002 and followed with Motegi win in 2003 season that saw him lead three races and completed a series-best 3,175 laps out of a possible 3.251. ◊ Winless in 2004 but scored emotional win at Kentucky in 2005 (career highlight); also finished seventh at Indianapolis. ◊ Best result of 2006 was fifth at Texas and Richmond. ◊ Eighth in 2007 IRL championship with pole position at Texas. Third at Iowa and Michigan after leading in both. Placed career-best sixth at Indianapolis. ... Placed 14th in 2009 Indy 500 in Patrón-sponsored Panther Racing entry. ◊ Son-in-law of former American Le Mans Series team owner and competitor Greg Pickett (Team Cytosport). ◊ Favorite sport is college football. ◊ Favorite venues are Long Beach (the atmosphere) and Road America (best track in North America).