Robby McGehee (born July 20, 1973) is an American former race car driver. He competed in the Indy Racing League and won the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award in 1999 after finishing fifth. He then raced for veteran owner Fred Treadway the next few seasons. By 2002, Treadway's team had closed and McGehee bounced around several teams and last raced in the Indianapolis 500 for PDM Racing in 2004.
McGehee got started in racing in 1994 when he went to Skip Barber Racing School with his mother. McGehee finished second in the Formula 2000 series Road to Indy Oval Crown series, including wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1998.
The 1999 VisionAire 500K at Charlotte was the first IndyCar race he qualified for, starting thirteenth. The race however, was cancelled after 79 laps due to spectator fatalities and struck from the record. McGehee was running ninth when the race was stopped. Later that month, the 1999 Indianapolis 500 would be his first official start in the IRL. He finished fifth in that race. Later that week, Robby presented his Rookie of the Year trophy to team mechanic Steve Fried, who was severely injured in a pit lane accident during the race, while he was in the hospital.Steve Fried Medical Update , Motorsport.com, June 4, 1999
In 2004, McGehee was to have a fully sponsored effort, but the deal fell through weeks before the race. He was able to get backing from a St. Louis business (his hometown) and eventually Burger King. In order to qualify, he had to sweat out a possible qualification effort by Tony Stewart that never came to pass.
Racing record
American open–wheel racing results (key)
IndyCar Series Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Rank Points Ref 1999 Conti RacingWDWPHXCLTINDYTXSPPIATLDOVPP2LVSTX2 16th 156 2000 Treadway RacingWDWPHXLVSINDYTXSPPIATLKTYTX2 12th 174 2001 Cahill RacingPHXHMSATLINDYTXSPPIRIRKANNSHKTYSTLCHITX2 16th 196 2002 Cahill RacingHMSPHXFONNZRINDYTXS 21st 142 CURB/Agajanian/Beck MotorsportsPPIRIRKANNSHMISKTY Treadway RacingSTLCHI Red Bull Cheever RacingTX2 2003 Panther RacingHMSPHXMOTINDYTXSPPIRIRKANNSHMISSTLKTYNZRCHIFONTX2 35th 5 2004 PDM RacingHMSPHXMOTINDYTXSRIRKANNSHMILMISKTYPPINZRCHIFONTX2 32nd 12
Indianapolis 500 Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team 1999 Dallara Oldsmobile 27 5 Conti Racing 2000 G-Force Oldsmobile 12 21 Treadway Racing 2001 Dallara Oldsmobile 14 11 Cahill Racing 2002 Dallara Chevrolet DNQ Cahill Racing 2003 Dallara Chevrolet 31 25 Panther Racing 2004 Dallara Chevrolet 33 22 PDM Racing
References
External links http://rmracing.homestead.com/ Ball State Daily News Profile of Robby McGehee