View source for Hap Sharp

{{Short description|American racing driver (1928{{ndash}}1993)}}
{{Infobox F1 driver
| name = Hap Sharp
| nationality = {{flagicon|USA}} American
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1928|01|01}} 
| birth_place   = [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]], United States
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1993|05|07|1928|01|01}}
| death_place   = {{nowrap|[[San Martín de los Andes]], [[Argentina]]}}
| Years = {{F1|1961}}–{{F1|1964}}
| Team(s) = private [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]], non-works [[Team Lotus|Lotus]] and [[Brabham]]
| Races = 6
| Championships = 0
| Wins = 0
| Podiums = 0
| Points = 0 
| Poles = 0
| Fastest laps = 0
| First race = [[1961 United States Grand Prix]]
| First win =
| Last win =
| Last race = [[1964 Mexican Grand Prix]]
}}
[[File:1967-05-14 Targa Florio Collesano Chaparral 2F Hill+Sharp.jpg|thumb|The [[Chaparral 2F]] Sharp shared with [[Phil Hill]] at the [[1967 Targa Florio]]]]
'''James '''"'''Hap'''"''' Sharp''' (January 1, 1928 – May 7, 1993) was an American [[auto racing|race car]] driver who drove in six [[Formula One]] [[List of Formula One Grands Prix|Grands Prix]]. He was most famous however, for being a co-owner and driver of the revolutionary [[Chaparral Cars|Chaparral]] [[sports racing cars]] built by [[Jim Hall (racing driver)|Jim Hall]] and Sharp in [[Midland, Texas|Midland]], Texas. In 1962 Jim Hall and Hap Sharp formed Chaparral Cars, Inc. and immediately began the design and construction of Chaparral 2, a [[mid-engine design|mid-engined]] car with an aerospace inspired [[semimonocoque|semi-monocoque]] fiberglass chassis.

==Racing career==

Sharp's record while driving for Chaparral:<ref>[http://www.chaparralcars.com/legacy.php The Official Chaparral website]</ref>

===1962===
*Road America 500, Hall and Sharp 1st - Chaparral 1

===1964===
*USRRC Kent, Sharp 2nd - Chaparral 2
*USRRC Greenwood, Sharp fastest lap - Chaparral 2
*USRRC Mid-Ohio, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2
*Nassau Speed Week, Sharp/Penske 1st - Chaparral 2

===1965===
*Sebring, Hall/Sharp fastest lap and 1st - Chaparral 2
*USRRC Riverside, Sharp fastest lap and 2nd - Chaparral 2
*Bridgehampton, Sharp 2nd - Chaparral 2
*USRRC Watkins Glen, Sharp 2nd - Chaparral 2
*FIA Mt. Tremblant, Canada, Sharp 3rd - Chaparral 2
*USRRC Kent, Sharp fastest lap and 2nd - Chaparral 2
*USRRC Continental Divide, CO, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2
*USRRC Mid-Ohio, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2
*Road America 500 Hall/Sharp/Hissom 1st, Hall/Sharp/Jennigs 2nd - Chaparral 2
*Bridgehampton, Sharp fastest lap and 1st - Chaparral 2
*Kent WA, Sharp 2nd - Chaparral 2C
*Laguna Seca, Sharp fastest lap and 2nd - Chaparral 2
*Riverside, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2
*Las Vegas, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2
*Nassau, Sharp 1st - Chaparral 2 (fitted with two position flipper type spoiler per the Chaparral 2C)

Sharp retired from driving after the 1965 season, with two exceptions. Sharp drove a Chaparral 2E in the 1966 Nassau Trophy race, and substituted for Mike Spence (F1 commitment) driving the Chaparral 2F in the 1967 Targa Florio.

==Personal life==
His nickname "Hap" came from "Happy New Year", in connection with his date of birth. He committed suicide in 1993 after being diagnosed with [[cancer]].

== Complete Formula One World Championship results ==
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]])
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! WDC
! Points
|-
| [[1961 Formula One season|1961]]
! 'Hap' Sharp
! [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] T53
! [[Coventry Climax|Climax]] [[Inline-four engine|Straight-4]]
| [[1961 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1961 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1961 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1961 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1961 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1961 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1961 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1961 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br>{{small|10}}
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| [[1962 Formula One season|1962]]
! 'Hap' Sharp
! [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] T53
! [[Coventry Climax|Climax]] [[Inline-four engine|Straight-4]]
| [[1962 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1962 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1962 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1962 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1962 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1962 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1962 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1962 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br>{{small|11}}
| [[1962 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| [[1963 Formula One season|1963]]
! [[Reg Parnell Racing]]
! [[Team Lotus|Lotus]] [[Lotus 24|24]]
! [[British Racing Motors|BRM]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
| [[1963 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1963 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1963 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1963 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1963 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1963 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1963 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1963 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br>{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1963 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]<br>{{small|7}}
| [[1963 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]
! NC
! 0
|-
| [[1964 Formula One season|1964]]
! [[Rob Walker Racing Team]]
! [[Brabham]] [[Brabham BT11|BT11]]
! [[British Racing Motors|BRM]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
| [[1964 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1964 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1964 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1964 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1964 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1964 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1964 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]
| [[1964 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1964 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br>{{small|NC}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1964 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]<br>{{small|13}}
! NC
! 0
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.chaparralcars.com/ Chaparral Cars website]
* [https://www.pinterest.com/coreycjordan/chaparral-racing-cars/ Chaparral Racing Cars on Pinterest]

{{Formula One drivers from the United States}}
{{12 Hours of Sebring winners|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharp, Hap}}
[[Category:American Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:1993 deaths]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Tulsa, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Reg Parnell Racing Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Rob Walker Racing Team Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers]]
[[Category:12 Hours of Sebring drivers]]
[[Category:Suicides in Argentina]]