This driver from South of the border finally got his first win this past season at Toronto. He is a favorite among the fans and drivers alike. The following data on Adrian was provided by Speednet.

"The car was good this morning and we had a good balance but we couldn't balance the car in the afternoon. I couldn't do anything. It was pushing and loose. We just never got a balance for the car to improve qualifying." Sept. 7, 1996 after final qualifying for the Toyota Grand Prix of Monterey

Adrian Fernandez began racing motocross at age eight. He entered first auto race, the 24 Hours of Mexico, in 1982. He then moved into the Formula Vee class of Marlboro Cup Series of Mexico, finishing fourth overall with two wins, three poles and rookie of the year honors.

He won the Mexican Marlboro Formula Vee championship in 1983 and garnered the Formula Ford 1600 rookie of the year title. The following year he repeated as winner of Mexican Marlboro Formula Vee championship. Fernandez also added the Formula K series to his schedule and finished fourth overall. He continued in the series until 1986.

He moved to Europe in 1987, competing in Benelux Formula Ford 1600 series. A year later he was driving in the RAC British Formula Ford series. He returned to British Formula Ford 1600 in 1989, scoring six podium finishes and two pole positions, finishing eighth overall in the Esso series and fifth in the British championship.

Returning to Mexico in 1990, to race in the International Formula Three series, he scored two wins and four pole positions, finishing second in the championship. The next year he won the International F3 championship.

A moved to the Indy Lights series came in 1992. Fernandez broke the rookie record for most wins (four -- Phoenix, Detroit, Milwaukee, New England), most laps led and most oval wins in a season. Finishing third in the series he was named rookie of the year.

The Galles Racing Team started Fernandez in five IndyCar races in 1993. He posted a top finish, seventh, at Detroit. He started all 16 races as Galles Racing International's only driver in 1994.

Best career finish: 1st - 1996 Toronto.
PPG points, standing: 1993 - 7 (24th); 1994 - 46 (13th).

Source: Speednet

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