Kevin O'Connell (racing driver)

Kevin O'Connell (born April 29, 1967) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet SS for Premium Motorsports.

Kevin O'Connell
O'Connell in 2018
Born (1967-04-29) April 29, 1967
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2017 position46th
Best finish46th (2017)
First race2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
7 races run over 5 years
2015 position58th
Best finish52nd (2014)
First race2008 Corona México 200 (Mexico City)
Last race2015 Road America 180 (Road America)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
Statistics current as of June 25, 2017.

Racing career

O'Connell ran in the Rolex Sports Car Series in 2006 for O'Connell Racing in the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen.[1] O'Connell also ran two races in the 2012 season with Rick Ware Racing at Road America and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.[2]

From 2007 to 2008, O'Connell ran four races in the K&N Pro Series West, with a best finish of 15th at Infineon Raceway in 2007.[3] In 2013, O'Connell entered the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series race at Brands Hatch, becoming the first American to race in the series on a road course.[4]

In 2008, O'Connell made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in the No. 09 Chevrolet for O'Connell Racing, with his Rolex pit crew also servicing his NASCAR team, and Rolex teammate Kevin Roush serving as spotter.[5] After starting 34th, O'Connell was involved in a crash with David Reutimann in turn 7 on lap 36, finishing 37th.[6] In 2010, O'Connell joined Curb Racing in the No. 43 at Road America,[7] finishing 34th after suffering an engine failure.[8] On June 21, 2014, it was announced that O'Connell would run in the Nationwide races at Road America and Watkins Glen International in the No. 23 for Rick Ware Racing.[9] At Road America, after qualifying 26th with a lap speed of 104.941 miles per hour (168.886 km/h),[10] O'Connell finished third.[11] In 2015, O'Connell drove the No. 13 Dodge Challenger for MBM Motorsports at Watkins Glen.

In 2017, it was announced that O'Connell would make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut for Rick Ware Racing at Sonoma Raceway that summer.[12] However, after the report came out Josh Bilicki said that he would drive the Sonoma race for the team.[13] Instead, O'Connell drove the No. 15 for Premium Motorsports; after starting 36th, he finished 33rd.[14]

Personal life

O'Connell is the first driver in NASCAR's top three series (Cup, Xfinity, Camping World Truck Series) to receive his master's degree.[15]

Images
  • O'Connell's 74 at Road America in 2013
    O'Connell's 74 at Road America in 2013
  • O'Connell's 23 at Road America in 2014
    O'Connell's 23 at Road America in 2014
  • O'Connell's 23 at Road America in 2014
    O'Connell's 23 at Road America in 2014
  • O'Connell's No. 15 during the 2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350
    O'Connell's No. 15 during the 2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Monster Energy Cup Series
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 MENCC Pts Ref
2017 Premium Motorsports 15 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL KAN CLT DOV POC MCH SON
33		 DAY KEN NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH CHI NHA DOV CLT TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM 46th 4 [16]

Xfinity Series
NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NXSC Pts Ref
2008 O'Connell Racing 09 Chevy DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC
37		 TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV
DNQ		 GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 140th 52 [17]
2010 Curb Racing 43 Chevy DAY CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA
34		 NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV
DNQ		 ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM 134th 61 [18]
2013 Mike Harmon Racing 74 Chevy DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV IOW MCH ROA
22		 KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN MOH
34		 BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 66th 32 [19]
2014 Rick Ware Racing 23 Chevy DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX DAR RCH TAL IOW CLT DOV MCH ROA
3		 KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN
37		 MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 52nd 48 [20]
2015 MBM Motorsports 13 Dodge DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL IOW CLT DOV MCH CHI DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN
33		 MOH BRI 58th 35 [21]
Rick Ware Racing 15 Chevy ROA
17		 DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM

K&N Pro Series East
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NKNPSEC Pts Ref
2015 Spraker Racing 37 Chevy NSM GRE BRI IOW BGS LGY COL NHA IOW GLN
21		 MOT VIR RCH DOV 57th 23 [22]

K&N Pro Series West
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NKNPSWC Pts Ref
2007 O'Connell Racing 06 Chevy CTS PHO AMP ELK IOW CNS SON
15		 DCS IRW 34th 330 [23]
Melo Motorsports 59 Chevy MMP
17		 EVG CSR
21		 AMP
2008 O'Connell Racing AAS PHO CTS IOW CNS SON
20		 IRW DCS EVG MMP IRW AMP AAS 64th 103 [24]
2017 Performance P-1 Motorsports 77 Chevy TUS KCR IRW IRW SPO OSS CNS SON
32		 IOW EVG DCS MER AAS KCR 63rd 12 [25]

Canadian Tire Series
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 NCTSC Pts Ref
2015 Derek White 00 Chevy MSP
21		 ACD SSS ICAR EIR SAS ASE CTR RIS MSP KWA 50th 23 [26]

Mexico Series
NASCAR Mexico Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 NMSC Pts Ref
2015 Fenix Racing 14 Ford PHO
18		 SLP TUX QRO PUE AGS CHI SLP PUE SLP CHI AGS MXC MXC TUX 34th 26 [27]

Whelen Euro Series - Elite 1
NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - Elite 1 results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 NWES Pts Ref
2013 Racing Club Partners 20 Toyota NOG NOG DIJ DIJ BRH
14		 BRH
15		 TOU TOU MNZ MNZ BUG BUG 35th - [28]

Whelen Euro Series - Elite 2
NASCAR Whelen Euro Series - Elite 2 results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 NWES Pts Ref
2013 Racing Club Partners 20 Toyota NOG NOG DIJ DIJ BRH
22		 BRH
8		 TOU TOU MNZ MNZ BUG BUG 35th - [29]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References
  1. "2006 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  2. "2012 NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  3. "NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results (races)". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  4. Green, Edmund (June 6, 2013). "American O'Connell To Race in Euro NASCAR Series". Edmunds.com. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  5. O'Connell Racing (April 15, 2008). "Mexico City: O'Connell Racing preview". Motorsport. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  6. "2008 Corona Mexico 200 Presented by Banamex". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  7. "BUCYRUS 200 - ROAD AMERICA". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on November 1, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  8. "2010 Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  9. O'Connell Racing (July 7, 2014). "Kevin O'Connell to Race Road America & Watkins Glen in 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  10. "2014 Gardner Denver 200 qualifying results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  11. Associated Press (June 21, 2014). "Brendan Gaughan wins Nationwide race at Road America". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  12. "RICK WARE RACING TO FIELD MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES TEAM". NASCAR. January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  13. "NASCAR Cup: Josh Bilicki joins Rick Ware Racing for road courses". Auto Racing Daily. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  14. "2017 Toyota / Save Mart 350". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  15. "KEVIN O'CONNELL RECEIVES 1ST ANNUAL DAVID M. JACKSON RACER'S ACHIEVEMENT AWARD". O'Connell Racing. December 20, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  16. "Kevin O'Connell – 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  17. "Kevin O'Connell – 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  18. "Kevin O'Connell – 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  19. "Kevin O'Connell – 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  20. "Kevin O'Connell – 2004 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  21. "Kevin O'Connell – 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  22. "Kevin O'Connell – 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  23. "Kevin O'Connell – 2007 NASCAR Camping World West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  24. "Kevin O'Connell – 2008 NASCAR Camping World West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  25. "Kevin O'Connell – 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  26. "Kevin O'Connell – 2015 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  27. "Kevin O'Connell – 2015 NASCAR Mexico Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  28. "Kevin O'Connell – 2013 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 1 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  29. "Kevin O'Connell – 2013 NASCAR Whelen Euro Elite 2 Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
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