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John Paul, Jr. (racing driver)

John Paul Jr.
Nationality United States American
Born (1960-02-19)February 19, 1960
Muncie, Indiana, United States
Achievements 1982 IMSA GTP Champion
Awards 1997 Scott Brayton Trophy winner
IndyCar Series career
24 races run over 4 years
Best finish 11th (1998)
First race 1996 Indy 200 (Orlando)
Last race 1999 Mall.com 500 (Texas)
First win 1998 Lone Star 500 (Texas)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 1 0
Champ Car career
29 races run over 9 years
Best finish 8th (1983)
First race 1982 Road America 200 (Road America)
Last race 1994 Indianapolis 500 (Indy)
First win 1983 Norton Michigan 500 (Michigan)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 5 1
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career
2 races run over 1 year
Best finish 56th (1991)
First race 1991 Miller Genuine Draft 500 (Pocono)
Last race 1991 Budweiser at The Glen (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0

John Lee Paul Jr. (born February 19, 1960 in Muncie, Indiana) is a retired American racing driver. He competed in CART and the Indy Racing League competitions, but primarily in IMSA GT Championship, winning the title in 1982.

During his career, Paul was a twice winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, the first of these was while co-driving his father, John Paul Sr. A few weeks later, the pair won the 1982 12 Hours of Sebring. Paul also triumphed in another major US race, the 1983 CART’s Michigan 500.

After graduating from high school, Paul Jr. started working for his father's team, JLP Racing, learning the ins and outs of what a racing organisation was. He became some kind of jack-of-all-trades within the team. As Paul Jr. started to learn about engines, his father decided his son needed to go a racing school. He was enrolled at the Skip Barber Racing School, but Paul Jr. was deemed to be hopeless. Despite this setback, Paul Sr. bought his son an old Formula Ford. In 1979, he took part in a few Formula Ford races, and made the SCCA National Championship Runoffs.

His career really took off in 1980, when he became part of JLP Racing’s driver line-up. His first race was at Coca-Cola 400 at Lime Rock. Co-driving alongside his father in a Porsche 935 , they won the second heat, and subsequently the race overall. Junior had won the first IMSA race he entered. He repeated this feat by winning the Road America Pabst 500 three months later. With three second places, he would finish fourth in the final IMSA GTP standings.

The 1981 season would be quite interesting for the father and son team. The Porsche team faced a new challenge in the shape of the Lola T600. The Chevrolet powered prototype, with its better handling, driven by Englishman Brian Redman, quickly dominated the IMSA Championship. Such was its domination that John Paul Sr. decided to purchase the first customer Lola T600. During the season, it become clear that only Junior could challenge for race victories, so Senior became JLP Racing’s team manager, while Junior did the driving. Senior then only co-drove in the endurance races. Despite having the Lola, the Pauls won a rain-shortened race at Pocono in their Porsche 935 JLP-3. Using the same 935, Junior would go on to win the Daytona finale.


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