Oconomowoc, Wis. - Today, Pabst Racing announced the signing of 20-year-old Hunter McElrea, who will be joining teammate Colin Kaminsky in the move to the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship presented by Cooper Tires.
McElrea will be driving the #18 Pabst Racing entry sponsored by Giltrap Group, Miles Advisory Partners, Doric NZ, and Bell Racing USA.
The American-born, Australia-bred Kiwi got his start driving cars in 2015, with Formula Ford in New Zealand. He moved to the Australian Formula Ford Championship for 2017, where he finished fourth in the series championship. He returned to the Australian Formula Ford Championship again in 2018, this time winning the Championship and the coveted ticket to the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200k Scholarship Shootout.
At the end of 2018, with his ticket in hand, McElrea won the competitive Scholarship Shootout. This award enabled him to compete in the 2019 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship with Pabst Racing, where he finished second overall in the driver’s championship, and led the team to its third consecutive team championship with four wins, five poles, and 12 podiums.
During the October 2019 Chris Griffis Memorial Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, McElrea drove the new Indy Pro 2000 car for the first time and posted the fastest lap of the two-day test. He is eager to put his skills and experience to the test in this new venture for 2020.
“I am thrilled to be on the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 grid, and step up into the middle step of the Road to Indy,” McElrea said. “After getting my first taste of an Indy Pro 2000 car at the Chris Griffis Test last year, I was hooked. I am very grateful for the opportunity that Pabst Racing has given me, along with my backers, sponsors, and Team HM members for getting me on the grid. I cannot wait to get back into the car!”
Coming off a successful 2019 season, McElrea is seeking additional partners to ensure that he can continue his momentum throughout the 2020 season and beyond.
2020 will be the first year Pabst Racing has drivers in both Indy Pro 2000 and USF2000. Team owner Augie Pabst is excited to make the move with both McElrea and Kaminsky, who had great chemistry last season.
“We’re extremely happy to have Hunter move up to Indy Pro 2000 with us for 2020,” said Pabst. “His pace in testing has been impressive, and it’s obvious how well he’s acclimated to the Tatuus PM-18. I can’t wait to see our cars and drivers on track this weekend!”
The Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires Spring Training (two-day test) takes place this weekend in Florida at the Homestead-Miami Speedway Road Course.