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MISC: Average Driver Age Differs In Series Across The World

17 May 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

NASCAR Drivers Oldest, Formula One Drivers Youngest, CART & IRL In Middle

Each auto racing series in the world stage some of their biggest events of the season in May. Charlotte headlines the NASCAR Winston Cup schedule while the Formula One cars run through the streets of Monaco. CART's highspeed cars tackle Gateway International Raceway and the Indianapolis 500 highlights the IRL's schedule.

It's not just the machines that separate these series, the men and women that drive them are different as well. A review of the ages of most of the series regular drivers show those drivers' average age to be significantly different. A NASCAR Winston Cup driver's average age in 2000 is about 39 years old - ten years older than a Formula One driver. CART, and the Indy Racing League drivers fall in between with a CART driver's average age of 30 and an IRL drivers average age of 33.

Except for Winston Cup, driver ages in each series decreased slightly in 2000 compared to the 1999 season.

Average Driver Ages

FORMULA ONE

2000 28.5 years old

1999 28.9 years old

CART

2000 30.0 years old

1999 30.1 years old

INDY RACING LEAGUE

2000 32.7 years old

1999 34.1 years old

NASCAR WINSTON CUP

2000 38.9 years old

1999 38.5 years old

Lycos Pontiac Driver Johnny Benson:

"It surprised me that the average driver age in NASCAR is 39. Actually, that makes me feel good. I'm 36 so I have a ways to go before I even reach the average age. I don't think there is one simple explanation for the different ages. I think it all boils down to the type of driver needed to get the job done. I think in those open wheel series its important the driver have the good reaction time, reflexes and the desire to take that car into a corner without regard. I think in NASCAR that stuff is important also but experience means more than it does in those other series. I think the secret to our racing is also reflexes and daring plus it is understanding what our car is doing. It isn't so much how far can you take a car into the corner as it is 'how can I make our tires last so that they will still let me go in the corner at the same way on lap 60 as I did in the first few laps.'

"It's also knowing what makes a car run better. Those other series have all kinds of engineers and computers to tell them what the car needs. In our deal it's the seat of the pants of the driver that has to make all those calls. That's what experience is all about."

Text provided by Drew Brown

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.