Mo Nunn Racing - 2001

Team Owner: Morris Nunn
Owner-Partners: Rod Campbell, Bruce McCaw
Headquarters: Indianapolis, Indiana
Team Manager: Brad Filbey
Chassis: Reynard 01I
Engine: Honda HR-1 V-8
Tires: Firestone Firehawk
Personnel: 45 full time

Primary Sponsors: Hollywood, Pioneer, WorldCom

Car #55
Driver: Tony Kanaan
Chief Mechanic: Dave Popielarz
Engineer: Eric Cowdin

Car #66
Driver: Alex Zanardi
Chief Mechanic: Don Lambert
Engineer: Jim Anderson

In less than two years, Mo Nunn Racing has made the leap from a fledgling start-up to a fully-sponsored two-car team, and the new home two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi, who joins the returning Tony Kanaan in the expanded program. The team also joins the Honda-powered lineup for the 2001 CART FedEx Championship Season.

Mo Nunn Racing was formed in late 1999 as a partnership between Morris Nunn, one of the most successful engineers in Champ Car history; Bruce McCaw, president of PacWest Racing Group; and Rod Campbell, an automotive marketing executive with a long history in the sport. Rising star Tony Kanaan, winner of the 1999 U.S. 500 at Michigan Speedway, was tabbed as the driver.

As chief engineer with Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, Nunn was instrumental in the four consecutive CART championships won by Honda-powered team drivers Jimmy Vasser (1996), Zanardi (1997-98) and Juan Montoya (1999). In three of those seasons, 1996, '98 and '99, Honda also won the CART Manufacturer's Championship.

The Mercedes-powered team got off to a good start, leading the season-opening Grand Prix of Miami until a pair of pit lane penalties dropped Kanaan to an eventual 10th place finish. At Nazareth Speedway the team continued to demonstrate good speed, as Kanaan led 39 of the laps. But reliability problems and a broken arm sustained by Kanaan in a qualifying crash at Detroit hampered the teams efforts.

Bryan Herta substituted for three races while Kanaan recovered from his injuries, the veteran qualifying seventh and finishing ninth for his best result.

Mo Nunn Racing Record