Dennis Firestone


Dennis Firestone is a former CART driver who raced from 1979 to 1987. He was the 1980 CART Rookie of the Year in finishing 12th in season points, his best season. His best finish in a CART race was a pair of 5th places that season. He made five starts at the Indianapolis 500 with a best finish of 10th in 1981. An accident at Indianapolis in 1987 resulted in a broken neck and ended his racing career.
Since his driving days, Firestone has run a California trucking company, and participates in vintage racing events.

American Open Wheel racing results

SCCA National Championship Runoffs

YearTrackCarEngineClassFinishStartStatus
1973Road AtlantaTitanFordFormula Ford249Retired
1974Road AtlantaADF Mk. 2FordFormula Ford45Running
1976Road AtlantaCrosslé 30FFordFormula Ford13Running
1976Road AtlantaMarchCosworthFormula B89Running
1977Road AtlantaCrosslé 32FFordFormula Ford317Running
1979Road AtlantaCrossléFordFormula Ford2112Retired
1981Road AtlantaCrosslé 50FFordFormula Ford2Running
1982Road AtlantaCrosslé 50FFordFormula Ford6Running

Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results

YearEntrant12345678910PosPoints
1978Crosslé Cars PacificPIR1
5
TRE1
24
MOS
3
MIL1
22
TEX
6
MIL2
1
OMS1
24
OMS2
1
TRE2
16
PIR2
2
2nd894
1979TEX1
1
IRP
2
MIL1
1
POC
2
TEX2
2
MIL2
1
MIN1
1
MIN2
1
1st1480

American Super Vee Championship

  • 1978 – 17th
  • 1979 – 9th
  • 1980 – 16th

    USAC Gold Crown Championship

  • 1981–82 – 24th
  • 1983–84 – 15th

    PPG Indycar Series

YearTeam1234567891011121314151617RankPointsRef
1979AMS OilPHX
ATL
ATL
INDY
TRE
TRE
MCH
MCH
WGL
TRE
ONT
31
MCH
ATL
PHX
NC0
1980Scientific DrillingONT
INDY
16
MIL
POC
30
MDO
MCH
14
WGL
MIL
ONT
6
MCH
DNS
MEX
5
PHX
5
12th743
1981Rhoades RacingPHX
MIL
ATL
18
ATL
MCH
RIV
MIL
MCH
WGL
MEX
PHX
44th1
1982BVC RacingPHX
20
ATL
MIL
CLE
MCH
MIL
POC
RIV
ROA
MCH
PHX
44th1
1983Simpson SportsATL
INDY
24
MIL
CLE
MCH
ROA
POC
RIV
MDO
MCH
CPL
LAG
PHX
NC0
1984Hoosier TransportationLBH
PHX
INDY
12
MIL
POR
MEA
CLE
39th1
1984Pace ElectronicsMCH
DNQ
ROA
17
POC
26
MDO
SAN
16
MCH
PHX
LAG
DNQ
CPL
21
39th1
1985Pace RacingLBH
22
INDY
DNQ
MIL
20
POR
18
MEA
DNQ
CLE
21
MCH
11
ROA
20
POC
9
MDO
17
SAN
14
MCH
DNS
LAG
23
PHX
MIA
33rd6
1986Pace RacingPHX
LBH
INDY
Wth1
MIL
POR
MEA
CLE
TOR
MCH
17
POC
28
MDO
SAN
14
MCH
14
ROA
LAG
PHX
17
MIA
40th0
1987Raynor Garage DoorLBH
21
PHX
7
INDY
DNQ
MIL
POR
MEA
CLE
TOR
MCH
POC
ROA
MDO
NAZ
LAG
MIA
31st6

Indy 500 results

YearChassisEngineStartFinish
1980PenskeCosworth24th16th
1981WildcatCosworth28th10th
1982EagleMilodon21st27th
1983MarchCosworth33rd24th
1984MarchCosworth32nd12th
1985MarchCosworthFailed to QualifyDNQ
1986LolaCosworthWithdrew*N/A
1987LolaCosworthPractice CrashDNQ

  • Firestone qualified for the 1986 race, but was forced to withdraw from the field after a serious crash totalled the car during the final Carburetion Day practice.