Ed Carpenter

Start of the Career and Early Success

After a successful career in midgets, Ed Carpenter made the switch in 2002 to the then-brand-new Infiniti Pro Series, the class that has been known as the Indy NXT Series since 2023. The stepson of Indy Racing League founder Tony George finished third in the championship during the inaugural season of this racing class. A year later, he made his IndyCar debut at Chicagoland for PDM Racing, followed by two rather challenging seasons as a full-time driver in the top tier of American open-wheel racing.

The Tragic Crash of 2006

Carpenter made global headlines in 2006 as the driver of the crashed car that Paul Dana collided with at full speed in Miami, leading to Dana’s death shortly after the severe accident. Following this tragic event, Ed Carpenter later that year achieved what was then his best result: a fifth-place finish in the season finale at Chicagoland Speedway.

Transition to a Limited Schedule and First Win

After six years of full-time IndyCar racing for Red Bull Cheever Racing and Vision Racing, Carpenter had a very limited schedule in 2010. The American only drove four races for Panther Racing but managed to secure his first-ever pole position and his second podium finish with a second-place result at Kentucky Speedway.

In 2011, Carpenter competed in all oval races and a few permanent and street circuits for Sarah Fisher Racing. He ended that season with a highlight for both himself and the team: his first victory at Kentucky.

Founding of Ed Carpenter Racing

In 2012, Carpenter opened a new chapter in his career by founding his own team: Ed Carpenter Racing. With sponsorship from Fuzzy’s Premium Vodka, Carpenter endured a very difficult first season but still managed to win the season finale, a 500-mile race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.

In 2013, it became clear once again that Carpenter was only truly competitive on ovals, as he finished in the top ten exclusively on this type of track and occasionally even contended for the win. The pole position at the Indianapolis 500 and a second place at Fontana were the season’s highlights.

Strategic Shift Starting in 2014

In 2014, Ed Carpenter took a different approach. He decided to only drive the ovals himself, while handing over the road and street courses to Mike Conway in the first season of this strategy. This immediately paid off with a win in Long Beach for the team.

Later in the season, Conway would also win on the streets of Toronto, while Carpenter himself secured the third victory of his career at Texas Motor Speedway. In 2015, Carpenter experienced a disappointing season with a tenth-place finish in Milwaukee and a sixth-place finish in Iowa as his best results.

In 2016, Carpenter once again drove all oval races for his own team, but good results continued to elude him. Despite having a shot at a top-five finish at Phoenix International Raceway, his day at Texas Motor Speedway ended in a crash while fighting for the win.

Despite Three Indy 500 Poles, Success Remains Elusive

In 2017, noteworthy results remained out of reach for the three-time race winner. Just like the previous season, bad luck was often to blame for his disappointing performances. The highlights for 'Special Ed' this season were a second starting position at the Indianapolis 500 and a seventh-place finish as his best result at Phoenix International Raceway.

The 2018 season was relatively successful for Carpenter; the American secured his third pole position for the Indianapolis 500 and seemed to be well on his way to his first Indy 500 victory, until Will Power stepped in to stop him. 'Special Ed' was forced to settle for a second-place finish.

In both 2018 and 2019, Carpenter came close to adding two more wins to his record, including an Indy 500 victory. Ultimately, he narrowly missed out on both occasions. During the aforementioned 2018 Indianapolis 500, 'Special Ed' had to settle for second place behind Will Power, and at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway a year later, the experienced American again fell just short, this time finishing second to winner Takuma Sato.

Declining Performance Marks the Final Stages of Carpenter's Career

In recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in Carpenter's results, as he no longer seems able to finish in the top ten, even on ovals. His last top-ten result was in 2021, when he finished fifth in the Indy 500. Since then, the American has gradually dropped to the back of the field, indicating that his retirement as a driver may be imminent.

For 2025, Carpenter reduced his own program to driving only in the Indy 500. Although he qualified respectably in fourteenth place, he played only a minor role in the race and finished fifteenth, one lap down.