Official Website of Wade Cunningham World Champion

01-Jun-08
Cunningham back in Brian Stewart Racing car this weekend
Former series champion Wade Cunningham was back in the #33 Brian Stewart Racing car for another one-off drive at the sixth round of this year's Firestone Indy Lights championship at Milwaukee over the weekend.

25-May-08
Cunningham 3rd at Indy
Former race and series winner Wade Cunningham (Royal Spa/Brian Stewart Racing) played a key role in the Firestone Indy Lights support race at the Indy 500 meeting in the United States this morning, starting and finishing third.

Another year, another opportunity. Wade was given the chance to drive the #33 car for top Canadian team Brian Stewart Racing. With no pre season testing Cunningham became a model for consistency and speed. He finished the year with 13 top 5 finishes in 14 starts, and every race inside the top 10. Wade wrapped up the title in style by clinching the race win at California Speedway.

For 2003 Wade was racing in the World's premiere category, Formula A. Under the guidance of World Champion Terry Fullerton Cunningham steadily improved to become the World's best.

In October 2003 where in unequivocal fashion, Wade lead from lap 5 of the 35km final and claimed the World's most prestigious kart race - the CIK-FIA World Karting Championships. In doing so he not only became New Zealand's first and only World Karting Champion, but he became New Zealand's second World Champion in a legitimate FIA World Championship. The first was Denny Hulme - 1967.

Cunningham beat many of motorsports top drivers. The class of 2003 is a who's who of karting - 1998 / 2000 / 2004 World Champion Davide Fore, 2001 World Champion, 2004 F3000 Champion and now Red Bull F1 driver Tonio Liuzzi, 2000 World Champion Reuben Carrapatoso, World Cup winner and F1 driver for Jordan Giorgio Pantano, British FF Festival winner Jan Heylen and Japanese F3 Champion driver Ronnie Quintarelli.

In the early 2005 off-season, before a deal had been inked for Wade to compete in the Indy Lights Series with Brian Stewart Racing, he competed in the newly formed New Zealand based Toyota Racing Series. Approached to drive the Wynn's Oil, Midas backed Tatuus car powered by Manukau Toyota Wade dominated the second round at Teretonga Raceway Park to pole and lead the first race flag to flag.

Wade's debut year in formula car racing was in the Cooper Tires Zetec Championship (F2000), with no pre season testing Cunningham climbed to pole position at the opening round at the 12 Hours of Sebring. He went on to claim another four consecutive poles before officials cancelled one due to 'tire irregularities'... '04 yielded 7 podiums, fifth place in the championship and the circuit's Rising Star Award, an industry accolade for a driver who shows the determination to become a future champion.

2006 was a break out year for Wade in the stronger and more competitive Indy Lights Series. A three fold increase in prizemoney and the introduction of more road course races brought increased competition. A black flag penalty and an emergency appendectomy left Wade in 18th position and 100 points behind the lead after he missed two races. Fighting race by race Wade ended the year by giving Brian Stewart Racing it's second Entrants title, although he missed out on the driver's title himself. He led all drivers with 4 poles, 3 wins and most laps led (over 50% of all laps despite only competing in 10 of 12 events), finishing 3rd overall.

After a long off season it was announced Wade would return to the Indy Lights Series this year in a deal which will see him run for a team aligned to top IndyCar Series outfit Andretti Green Racing. This year he planned to move up to the IndyCar Series, but with little movement in the driver ranks in that category he has brokered a deal with Andretti Green Racing and its affiliate AFS Racing to return to the IPS. Andretti Green Racing is one of the top IRL teams having won back-to-back titles in 2004/05.

For 2008 it was hoped that Wade would be competing in the newly unified IndyCar Series. While still in talks with several teams Wade accepted an offer to drive for Brian Stewart Racing, the team for whom he won back to back titles in 2005 - 2006 to compete in the season opener at Homestead Miami. It is expected he will compete in more events in 2008.

1. Bobby Wilson
2. Jeff Simmons
3. Rafael Matos
4. Andrew Prendeville
5. J.R. Hildebrand
6. James Davison
7. Pablo Donoso
8. Arie Lyendyk Jr.
9. Logan Gomez
10. Sean Guthrie

12. Wade Cunningham