For the third IndyCar offseason, we will look at a series of drivers through a Career Retrospective, taking into consideration how their careers and IndyCar changed from their first start to their last. We will look at where these drivers came from and what impression they have left on the North American based open-wheel series.
There will be a theme in this year's drivers, and they each share something very obvious. A few of these drivers are at the very end of their driving careers while one has been out of IndyCar for a generation. However, their decisions show a stark contrast a few years can make in how a career plays out.
In part one of this three-part series, we will dive into the most beloved of the drivers, the one that makes every current fan smile, but also makes everyone a little sad that we have likely seen his final race. A past champion who overcame tremendous heartbreak on and off the track, but one who ultimately got his glorious day in the sun, this driver spanned the split and then some. As he is about to enter the next phase of his career on a timing stand, he remember his time in the cockpit.
It is Tony Kanaan.
Where was Kanaan coming from?
After winning karting championships as a teenager in his native Brazil, Kanaan went to Europe to compete in the Formula Opel Lotus Euroseries for a partial season in 1993. That led to a seat in the Formula Opel Nations Cup, competing for Brazil, finishing third with teammate Luis Garcia at Estoril.
The following year, Kanaan was full-time in Italy, competing in the Formula Europa Boxer, where he won the championship. He moved to the Italian Formula Three championship in 1995. Though he won a race and was fifth in the championship, and Kanaan moved to Indy Lights in 1996, joining the Tasman Racing organization.
Paired with Argentine José Luis Di Palma and fellow Brazilian Hélio Castroneves, Kanaan got off to a slow start in Indy Lights. Though he was runner-up in his second start, it was his only finish better than seventh in the first five races. However, in the final seven races he went first, fifth, 19th, 24th, second, second and first. It was not enough to overcome the consistency of David Empringham, but it raised Kanaan to second in the championship.
Kanaan returned for a second Indy Lights season. His best result in the first five races was fifth, but a streak of seven consecutive podium results, including two victories meant a ninth in the season finale would seal Kanaan the championship by four points over his teammate Castroneves while Cristiano da Matta made it three Brazilians in the top three positions.
With an Indy Lights championship, Tasman took Kanaan to IndyCar for the 1998 season.
What did IndyCar look like when Kanaan started in the series?
Like many drivers we have done in this series, it was during the split.
Somewhat the final highpoint for CART, the series had 19 races. It competed on four different continents. Eight of 19 races were on ovals including oval races on three different continents.
His debut was at Homestead, qualifying 18th, the top rookie. Next to him on row nine was Bobby Rahal. Directly ahead of him was Bryan Herta. Greg Moore started on pole position, the first of Moore's career. Twenty-cars started that race. Of the 29 drivers, including Kanaan, seven hailed from Brazil. Only the United States produced more drivers (ten).
Kanaan's second race was at Motegi, his first street race was Long Beach and he raced at Nazareth and Rio de Janeiro all in the first two months of his career.
Due to the split, Kanaan's first Memorial Day weekend in a top flight series was at Gateway, but the race was on the Saturday as the Indianapolis 500 was held that Sunday. There were 28 starters in that Gateway race. Including Kanaan, there were four future Indianapolis 500 winners while two past Indianapolis 500 winners competed in that Gateway race.
Less than 24 hours later, and about 240 miles away, 33 drivers representing seven countries took the green flag at the intersection of 16th and Georgetown. Only two past Indianapolis 500 winners were in that starting field. Including the eventual winner, there were only two future Indianapolis 500 winners competing that day.
Milwaukee was the week after the Indianapolis 500, though a CART event. Other events of note during Kanaan's rookie season were Cleveland, Michigan, Vancouver and the series ran its first race on the streets of Houston. The season concluded with races at Surfers Paradise and Fontana, a season finale that took place on November 1.
How does IndyCar look now?
Of the 19 races on the 1998 CART schedule, eight are on the 2024 IndyCar schedule. The only race from he 1998 Indy Racing League season that will still be on the schedule in 2024 is the Indianapolis 500.
Long Beach is still in April and Indianapolis is still Memorial Day weekend. Portland has gone from middle of June to late August after being Labor Day weekend for a number of years after over a decade absent from the schedule. Mid-Ohio has shifted from August to Independence Day weekend. Laguna Seca will be in June after a spell in September after being off the schedule for nearly 15 years.
Road America will technically be in springtime but in June. Gateway will be a night race in August. Toronto is the only international race on the calendar. Milwaukee returns in 2024 as a doubleheader race weekend on Labor Day weekend and will be two weeks before the season finale, a street race in Nashville to close out the summer.
Last season, the grid had 27 cars compete full-time and the grid should remain the same size in 2024. Among those drivers on the grid include Graham Rahal, son of Bobby Rahal, and Colton Herta, son of Bryan Herta.
In Kanaan's final start, the only other Brazilian in the race also made his IndyCar debut at Homestead on that March afternoon in 1998: Hélio Castroneves.
What did Kanaan do in-between?
Kanaan's career could almost be broken into three parts.
In CART, Kanaan had spurts of speed driving for midpack teams. After his rookie season with Tasman, the team withdrew from CART despite Kanaan ending up ninth in the championship with a pair of podium finishes, and comfortably taking rookie of the year. He moved to Forsythe Racing for his sophomore season in a third car alongside Greg Moore and Patrick Carpentier.
Kanaan held his own in the organization, and placing himself at the right spot at the right time to win his first race at Michigan after Max Papis ran out of fuel, and Kanaan was just ahead of a charging Juan Pablo Montoya at the checkered flag. The victory and 11th in the championship was not enough to keep him at Forsythe, and for the third time in three years, Kanaan switched teams.
He went to Mo Nunn Racing and it was the first bit of stability in Kanaan's career. There were good days, but victory was out of grasp over his three seasons. Mo Nunn was the man to bring Kanaan to Indianapolis for the first time, and he led as a rookie before being caught in some oil dropped on the track and sending Kanaan into the barrier.
After years of promise, Kanaan finally caught a break when Michael Andretti and Kim Green purchased Team Green and moved to the Indy Racing League.
Phase two of Kanaan's career saw him switch series, focus on oval racing, and establish himself as one of the best in the series. His first full season in the IRL saw him win for the first time in nearly four years, and he was third in his second Indianapolis 500 appearance. This laid the foundation for one of the most historic seasons in IndyCar history.
In 2004, Kanaan completed every lap in the season, the first driver in IndyCar history to complete every lap. On top of that history, he won three races, scored 15 top five finishes and his worst result was eighth on his way to taking a dominant championship.
For the next four seasons, Kanaan was always in the championship battle, regularly winning races and showing great speed at every track. His greatest competition came from within. In 2005, Andretti Green teammate Dan Wheldon ran the show and there was daylight between Wheldon and Kanaan in second of the championship. In 2007, Dario Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500 after Kanaan lost the lead when the race was restarted after a rain delay only to be called early due to another storm. Franchitti led the championship from there forward, but Kanaan stayed in the mix and had a shot at a second title in the finale.
After Franchitti left, Andretti Green faced greater struggles as Kanaan became the most experienced driver while surrounded with youth in Marco Andretti, Danica Patrick and Hideki Mutoh. The team dipped and Kanaan flirted with moving to Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2009 season. The Brazilian remained loyal to Andretti, however, Kanaan went winless that season for the first time since 2002.
Under new branding, and with Ryan Hunter-Reay as teammate, Kanaan lifted Andretti Autosport back to the top step of the podium in 2010, and he won at Iowa. However, financial issues forced Kanaan out of the team he helped make a powerhouse.
Thus began the third phase of Tony Kanaan's career.
It looked like it would begin at de Ferran Dragon Racing, a team co-owned by Gil de Ferran, Jay Penske and Steve Luczo. However, late funding issues saw the program close up shop and about a month prior to the 2011 season opener, Kanaan was without a ride.
Too good of a talent to be out for long, KV Racing, with increased sponsorship from Lotus, picked up Kanaan a week prior to the first race at St. Petersburg. With no time for testing, Kanaan hopped in and finished third in the season opener. Ending up fifth in the championship, Kanaan locked down a ride for multiple years.
Kanaan continued to show his pace, though victories were not coming at the same rate as in prior seasons. There were a few close calls, he was third at Indianapolis in 2012 and was on the podium at Milwaukee and Iowa later that season.
Of all the Indianapolis 500s for Kanaan to win, he of course won the most frantic event we had ever seen. The race where the number of lead changes shot up to 68 after never breaking 40 in the prior 96 editions of the famed event, and Kanaan won it with a daring pass on a restart moments before the caution came out for an accident with three laps remaining.
When Dario Franchitti suffered his career-ending accident at Houston, Chip Ganassi Racing came calling a second time, and there was no denying Ganassi on this occasion. Kanaan moved to the red #10 Target entry over five years after it was first offered. Kanaan had six podium finishes that season, his most since 2008, and it culminated with victory in the Fontana season finale.
While being a top ten championship driver, Kanaan could not match the output of Scott Dixon at Ganassi. He would not win again in his next three seasons with Ganassi and he was shuffled out at the end of the 2017 season, leading Kanaan to move to A.J. Foyt Racing for 2018. Kanaan went through his worst results since 2000. In two seasons, his lone top five finish was a third at Gateway in 2019 after catching a caution before his final pit stop.
After two turbulent seasons, Kanaan stepped back from full-time competition, running only the ovals for Foyt in 2020. In 2021, as Jimmie Johnson joined the series to run the road and street courses for Ganassi, Kanaan returned to the team to run the ovals. This led to a third at Indianapolis as a one-off entry in 2022. One final Indianapolis opportunity came this year with McLaren, ending up 16th after being stuck in the middle of the field throughout all of practice and qualifying.
What impression did Kanaan leave on IndyCar?
Without a doubt the most beloved IndyCar driver of the 21st century, Kanaan has a level of admiration few in IndyCar history few have ever received. It will always remain curious how a boy from Salvador, Brazil became the darling of Speedway, Indiana, especially during a period when another Brazilian was winning the race with regular frequency while Kanaan could not quite conquer the famed race.
However, the perseverance is likely what enamored everyone with Kanaan. We knew he was talented. We knew the skill was there. We didn't need a victory from Kanaan to prove his skill level, but we all wanted him to win to fairly be recognized in the annals of history.
Beyond being a driver, Kanaan's personality was affectionate, making it easier to love the driver. Quick to a joke or a prank, Kanaan showed himself as a character everyone wished they could hangout with, and all the other drivers loved him. He had the respect of his peers, and it translated beyond the paddock to the fanbase.
Kanaan became a fixture on the grid, someone we could always count on being there. Even through the uncertain points in his career, Kanaan found a way on the grid. When the de Ferran Dragon Racing deal fell apart over the winter of 2010 and 2011, it felt inevitable somebody would hire Kanaan. He was too good to be left behind.
Sure enough, KV Racing stepped up and fielded Kanaan. That wonderfully rash move after the collapse of a deal led to Kanaan's Indianapolis 500 victory. For a driver who had so much heartbreak, his greatest moment of joy stems from a near-unfathomable moment when it looked like he would be out of IndyCar altogether and all too soon.
Kanaan's longevity cannot be overstated. He debuted in 1998. His final start likely came in 2023. He didn't miss a race from June 2001 until July 2020. He shattered the record for most consecutive starts, reaching 318 consecutive starts, 107 more than Jimmy Vasser's previous record. Of course, Scott Dixon has since broken the mark Kanaan set, but Kanaan raised the bar further than anyone had thought was practical.
There is a complexity to Kanaan's career as it spanned the split and reunification, and his career's peaks and valleys correspond with the political make up of American open-wheel racing.
In 93 CART starts, he won once with six podium finishes and 16 top five finishes, 13th most during that five-season span, though he had an average finish of 11.9.
From 2003 to 2007, Kanaan started 80 races and he won 12 times, second only to Wheldon. His 36 podium finishes were the most in that timeframe while his 55 top five finishes were 11 more than Wheldon in second. Kanaan's average finish was 5.7875.
In the final 12 full seasons of his career, he won four times in 203 starts. He had 36 podium finishes, tied for fifth most during that span, but he is tied with Dario Franchitti, who only ran in half of those seasons. Kanaan's average finish over those 203 races was 10.8522.
The other sharp contrast in Kanaan's career is he won 17 races. Fifteen of those victories were on ovals. His two road/street course victories came at Sonoma in 2005 and Belle Isle 2007, prior to reunification. After reunification, he only finished in the championship top five twice, 2008 and 2011, both prior to the introduction of the DW12 chassis.
Undoubtedly a talented driver, Kanaan's record once everyone was racing together and in a chassis where he didn't have a five-year head start compared to some of the competition does change the perspective of his career. Still an admirable career that anyone would take, he was not the same dominant driver once the balance of tracks tipped into more road and street events and the competition intensified.
On-track success aside, there isn't a driver that is more cherished in modern IndyCar than Kanaan, and not many drivers have cherished the fanbase more than Kanaan. Always embracing the supporters, Kanaan was a welcoming ambassador for IndyCar, and found a way to connect with many.
Though his driving career is over, Kanaan will remain around, having found a role as sporting director for McLaren. His presence will continue for years to come, and it does not appear Kanaan is going anywhere anytime soon. We will all be better off with him around.
