Michael Valiante

Michael Valiante (born November 11, 1979, in New Westminster, British Columbia) is a Canadian racing driver.

Formula racing

Valiante began racing in karting where his success earned him a full-season scholarship in the Skip Barber 2.0 Series. In his first season, Valiante was both series champion and rookie of the year. Following this success he moved on the Barber Dodge Pro Series and then to the Toyota Atlantic Championship.

Driving for the Lynx Racing team in 2001, Valiante was able to finish eighth in the series championship despite competing in only five events. His performance impressed Lynx enough to sign him for two more seasons. 2002 was Valiante's best year in the series. He won three races and led the points going into the final round in Denver, only to struggle in the race and lose the championship to Jon Fogarty. Valiante led the series early in 2003. However, his championship hopes were dashed when he missed the fourth round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca due to an illness. He went on to finish third in the championship and again scored three victories.

Valiante was set to make his debut in Champ Car at California Speedway in 2003, but the race was cancelled due to wildfires in the area. It was not until a year later that he made his first Champ Car start in Mexico City. His second start came at Portland in 2005 as a one-off drive for Dale Coyne Racing. He was not able to secure a full-time ride in the series due to his lack of financial backing.

Sports car racing

In 2006, Valiante competed full-time with Finlay motorsports in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, where he and co-driver Rob Finlay finished ninth in the final standings. In 2008 he switched to SunTrust Racing to partner Max Angelelli in a DP class Dallara Pontiac, winning at Sonoma.

The Canadian joined Michael Shank Racing for the 2009 Rolex Sports Car Series. Driving a Riley Ford with John Pew as co-driver, he collected two podiums and resulted seventh in the DP drivers standings. In 2010 he partnered Brian Frisselle at the Shank team. With a best result of third, he finished ninth in the standings.

In 2012 he alternated between the Rolex Sports Car Series and American Le Mans Series. He started five Rolex races, winning at Mid-Ohio with teammate Richard Westbrook. In ALMS he competed in five rounds with JDX Racing in the GTC class, collecting three third-place finishes.

The driver returned to Michael Shank Racing for the 2013 Rolex Sports Car Series, having John Pew has teammate during most races. He collected two second-place finishes and resulted 15th in the DP standings.

In 2014, Valiante moved to Spirit of Daytona to race at the merged United SportsCar Championship.[1] in the Spirit of Daytona Corvette Daytona Prototype with Richard Westbrook and Mike Rockenfeller.

Motorsports career results

American open-wheel racing results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Barber Dodge Pro Series

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
1999 United States
SEB
3
United States
NAZ
15
United States
LRP
8
United States
POR
22
United States
CLE
2
United States
ROA
United States
DET
18
United States
MDO
4
United States
GRA
5
United States
LS
19
United States
HMS
7
United States
WGI
8
10th 79
2000 United States
SEB
2
United States
MIA
11
United States
NAZ
4
United States
LRP
18
United States
DET
26
United States
CLE
10
United States
MDO
9
United States
ROA
7
Canada
VAN
17
United States
LS
6
United States
RAT
1
United States
HMS
6
6th 97

Atlantic Championship

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
2001 Lynx Racing United States
LBH
4
United States
NAZ
United States
MIL
Canada
MTL
2
United States
CLE
Canada
TOR
6
United States
CHI
Canada
TRR
4
United States
ROA
Canada
VAN
2
United States
HOU
United States
LS
9th 64
2002 Lynx Racing Mexico
MTY
4
United States
LBH
1
United States
MIL
7
United States
LS
5
United States
POR
9
United States
CHI
3
Canada
TOR
1
United States
CLE
4
Canada
TRR
1
United States
ROA
4
Canada
MTL
7
United States
DEN
12
2nd 150
2003 Lynx Racing Mexico
MTY
1
United States
LBH
4
United States
MIL
11
United States
LS
Wth
United States
POR
3
United States
CLE
4
Canada
TOR
4
Canada
TRR
3
United States
MDO
1
Canada
MTL
4
United States
DEN
2
United States
MIA
1
3rd 161

Champ Car

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points
2004 Walker Racing United States
LBH
Mexico
MTY
United States
MIL
United States
POR
United States
CLE
Canada
TOR
Canada
VAN
United States
ROA
United States
DEN
Canada
MTL
United States
LS
United States
LVS
Australia
SRF
Mexico
MXC
14
23rd 7
2005 Dale Coyne Racing United States
LBH
Mexico
MTY
United States
MIL
United States
POR
11
United States
CLE
Canada
TOR
Canada
EDM
United States
SJO
United States
DEN
Canada
MTL
United States
LVS
Australia
SRF
Mexico
MXC
25th 10

24 Hours of Daytona results

Year Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2005 United States Ten Motorsports United States Memo Gidley
United States Michael McDowell
United States Jonathan Bomarito
Riley Mk. XI-BMW DP 465 42nd
DNF
19th
DNF
2006 United States Finlay Motorsports United States Rob Finlay
United States Bryan Herta
United States Buddy Rice
Crawford DP03-Ford DP 684 11th 9th
2007 United States Finlay Motorsports United States Rob Finlay
United States Bobby Labonte
United States Michael McDowell
Crawford DP03-Ford DP 627 10th
DNF
10th
DNF
2008 United States SunTrust Racing South Africa Wayne Taylor
United States Ricky Taylor
Italy Max Angelelli
Riley Mk. XI-Pontiac DP 687 5th 5th
2009 United States Michael Shank Racing United Kingdom Ian James
United States A. J. Allmendinger
United States John Pew
Riley Mk. XX-Ford DP 153 47th
DNF
19th
DNF
2010 United States Michael Shank Racing United States A. J. Allmendinger
United States Brian Frisselle
United States Mark Patterson
Riley Mk. XI-Ford DP 707 7th
DNF
7th
DNF
2011 United States Michael Shank Racing United States John Pew
Brazil Oswaldo Negri
Belgium Marc Goossens
Riley Mk. XX-Ford DP 706 10th 10th
2012 United States Starworks Motorsport United States Marco Andretti
United States Ryan Hunter-Reay
United States Scott Mayer
Riley Mk. XX-Ford DP 736 10th 10th
2013 United States Michael Shank Racing Canada Chris Cumming
Venezuela Jorge Goncalvez
Colombia Gustavo Yacamán
Riley Mk. XXVI-Ford DP 508 41st
DNF
13th
DNF
2014 United States Spirit of Daytona Racing United Kingdom Richard Westbrook
Germany Mike Rockenfeller
Coyote Corvette DP P 693 4th 4th
2015 United States VisitFlorida.com Racing United Kingdom Richard Westbrook
Germany Mike Rockenfeller
Coyote Corvette DP P 734 3rd 3rd

See also

List of Canadians in Champ Car

External links

References

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