page_title: Ryan Hunter-Reay
section_title: 2011-2014
hierarchical_section_title: Ryan Hunter-Reay / Career history / 2011-2014
caption_attribution_description: IndyCar Series 2011 Rd.15 Indy Japan 300: Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti Autosport)
context_page_description: Ryan Christopher Hunter-Reay is a professional American racing driver best known as a winner of both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series championship 2012. In each accomplishment, Hunter-Reay became the first American to win since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006. Hunter-Reay also won in the defunct Champ Car World Series twice and the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. In addition to his experience in Indy car racing, Hunter-Reay has competed in the Race of Champions, A1 Grand Prix, and various forms of sports car racing.
  Hunter-Reay currently drives for Andretti Autosport. When Hunter-Reay initially joined Andretti for the 2010, he was only signed on to drive for a partial season. Additional sponsorship was found and Hunter-Reay began to drive the entire season for Andretti. Hunter-Reay has since won both the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon IndyCar Series championship.
  Hunter-Reay currently drives the number 28 car in the Verizon IndyCar Series. The number is a show of support for the estimated 28 million people living with cancer worldwide. Hunter-Reay, who lost his mother to colon cancer in 2009, acts a spokesman on behalf of Racing for Cancer, an advocacy organization.
context_section_description: In 2011 Hunter-Reay returned with Andretti Autosport to drive the #28 DHL/Sun Drop Dallara IR07-Ilmor-Indy V8 HI7R. At the first two races of the season, the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the Streets of St. Petersburg and the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park. In these races Hunter-Reay finished 21st (retired due to handling) and 14th in the races. At the third race of the season, the 2011 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on the Streets of Long Beach Hunter-Reay started 2nd and led for 2 laps. Hunter-Reay was on his way to a respectable finish when he suffered gearbox problems. Hunter-Reays's teammate Mike Conway would win the race while Hunter-Reay finished 23rd. At the following race, the Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 presented by Nestlé on the Streets of São Paulo Hunter-Reay started in 2nd place. At the start of the race Hunter-Reay's steering failed and as a result Hunter-Reay drove straight into a sign along the track. The team made repairs to the car while the race was stopped for rain. Hunter-Reay would finish 18th, five laps down, due to the repairs and the crash. At the Indianapolis 500 the Andretti team struggled in practice. On Bump Day Hunter-Reay was bumped from the field by teammate Marco Andretti with 55 seconds left in qualifying. Andretti later made a deal with A.J. Foyt Enterprises for Hunter-Reay to replace Bruno Junqueira in his already-qualified car. Hunter-Reay would drive the #41 ABC Supply Company/DHL/Sun Drop Dallara IR07-Ilmor-Indy V8 HI7R. In the race Hunter-Reay started 33rd and finished 23rd, three laps down. Following Indianapolis Hunter-Reay would gain additional sponsorships at various races from Snapple (both Texas races), GoDaddy.com (Milwaukee, without DHL or Sun Drop) and Circle K (all other races following Indianapolis). Hunter-Reay would get his first top 10 of the season at the Firestone Twin 275s Race #2 at Texas Motor Speedway with a 9th-place finish after starting 5th in a race that had its starting lineup determined by a random draw. At the following race, the Milwaukee 225 at the Milwaukee Mile Hunter-Reay started 7th and crashed on the first lap, finishing in 26th (last) place. Hunter-Reay then started and finished 8th at the following race, the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at Iowa Speedway. At the following race of the season, the Honda Indy Toronto at Exhibition Place Hunter-Reay started 8th and finished 3rd to get his first podium of the year. Hunter-Reay would then start and finish 7th at the next race, the Edmonton Indy at Edmonton City Centre Airport. Hunter-Reay then got another podium at the following race, the Honda Indy 200 presented by Westfield Insurance at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a 3rd after starting 5th. At the following race, the MoveThatBlock.com Indy 225 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Hunter-Reay started 5th and led for 71 laps. Hunter-Reay inherited the lead when several other drivers who had led the race, such as Dario Franchitti and Takuma Sato, were involved in crashes. Rain came in the late stages of the race. On lap 220 of 225 Hunter-Reay was leading Oriol Servià when the race was restarted and almost immediately teammate Danica Patrick spun due to the rain and collected several cars making the race go back to a caution. During this time Servià took the lead. INDYCAR officials decided to revert the results to lap 215 when the race was under caution for the rain. Hunter-Reay's best finish following the New Hampshire race was a 5th at the Kentucky Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway. At the season-ending 2011 Izod IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Hunter-Reay and Alex Tagliani made light contact while racing each other early in the race. On lap 11 James Hinchcliffe was clipped by Wade Cunningham. Cunningham and J. R. Hildebrand then made contact when Cunningham swerved and Hildebrand drove over the rear of his car. Hildebrand's car became airborne and Cunningham collected Jay Howard on the inside and then Townsend Bell on the outside before crashing into the wall. Attempting to avoid the crash ahead, Vítor Meir
caption: Hunter-Reay competing in the 2011 Indy Japan: The Final at Twin Ring Motegi.
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