Mike Groff

Template:Short description Template:BLP sources Template:Infobox racing driver Template:Infobox racing driver Michael Dennis Groff (born November 16, 1961, in Van Nuys, California) is a former race car driver who competed in CART and the IRL IndyCar Series and was the 1989 Indy Lights champion. His younger brother Robbie was also a CART and IRL driver from 1994 to 1998.

Racing career

Formula Super Vee and Indy Lights

Groff made his professional debut in 1984 competing in the Valvoline/Robert Bosche Formula Super Vee series. He finished third in the series in 1985 and second in 1986. In 1986 he also made his American Racing Series debut (later renamed Indy Lights). Driving for a family team, he captured wins at the Milwaukee Mile and Road America and finished third in points. In 1987 he won at Nazareth Speedway and finished fifth in points. In 1988 he only competed in three Indy Lights races for three different teams, but finished second at Nazareth. In 1989 he competed full-time for Leading Edge Racing and captured four wins on his way to the championship.

CART Champ Car

Groff attempted to make his CART Champ Car debut in the 1990 Indianapolis 500 for Euromotorsport but failed to qualify. He made his debut three weeks later at the Detroit Grand Prix with the same team and completed the season with them. In 12 starts he had a best finish of seventh at Nazareth and finished 17th in points.

In 1991 Groff initially returned to Euromotorsport but switched to A. J. Foyt Enterprises for the final five races of the season. his best finish was eighth (three times) and he finished 16th in points. He also competed in his first Indianapolis 500.

Groff entered 1992 without a full-time ride. He qualified a second car for Walker Racing in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 but when regular driver Scott Goodyear failed to qualify, he replaced Groff. Groff made six starts that season for Euromotorsport (2 races), Walker (1 race), and Foyt (3 races) and finished 23rd in points.

In 1993 Groff joined Rahal-Hogan Racing for a limited race schedule. Groff made six starts in 1993 for Rahal-Hogan with a best finish of ninth at Portland International Raceway. He finished 23rd in points.

1994 saw Groff return to Rahal-Hogan full-time. The team had since abandoned their bespoke chassis but were the first team to experiment with Honda's new CART engine package. The team struggled with the package throughout the season and had to purchase Ilmor-powered cars from Team Penske to make the 1994 Indianapolis 500. Groff only finished 20th in points. Rahal managed a slightly more respectable tenth.

In 1995, Groff was left without a ride. During the third day of qualifications for the 1995 Indianapolis 500, he was tabbed by Chip Ganassi Racing to drive the back-up car for Bryan Herta, who had crashed and was not cleared to drive during the weekend. As Herta risked being bumped from the field, Groff was tasked with qualifying the car if such a situation had happened. To prepare for the situation, Groff did start an official qualifying attempt, which was aborted after two laps. However, Herta was not bumped, and Groff did not drive at all during Bump Day.

IRL IndyCar

In 1996 Groff joined the new IRL IndyCar Series with Foyt Enterprises. Groff finished sixth in the series' first race and third at the second race at Phoenix International Raceway. He then was hired by Walker to race in the CART race at Nazareth where he finished 14th and qualified 11th for the 1996 Indy 500 but was sidelined by a fire after 122 laps, also driving for Walker (which was one of the few teams to participate in both CART and the IRL in 1996). Groff finished sixth in the 1996 IRL championship.

For the 1996-1997 Indy Racing League season Groff joined Byrd/Cunningham and captured 3 straight top-five finishes to start the season including a third at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a second at Walt Disney World Speedway (the first with the series new naturally aspirated cars). He finished 12th in the 1997 Indianapolis 500 and finished fourteenth in the championship. Groff returned to Byrd-Cunningham Racing in 1998. After finishes of 7th, 15th, and 15th to start the season, he was replaced at the Texas Motor Speedway race by John Paul Jr. He was out of a ride for the rest of the season.

Groff attempted to qualify for the 1999 Indianapolis 500 for Team Xtreme Racing but failed to make the field. It would be his last IndyCar appearance.

Racing record

American open–wheel racing results

(key)

Indy Lights

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Rank	Points
1986	Groff Motorsport	PHX1 12Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIL 1Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MEA 12Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	TOR 2Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POC 2Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MDO 13Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	ROA 1Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LS 7Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	PHX2 7Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIA			5th	89
1987	Patrick Racing	PHX 4Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIL 3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MEA 10Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	CLE 12Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	TOR 2Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POC 10Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MDO 3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	NAZ 1Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LS 5Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIA 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".			3rd	96
1988	Agapiou Racing	PHX	MIL	POR	CLE	TOR	MEA 15Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POC	MDO	ROA 5Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".				13th	26
1988	Leading Edge Motorsport										NAZ 2Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LS	MIA	13th	26
1989	Leading Edge Motorsport	PHX 1Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LBH 9Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIL 1Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	DET 4Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POR 5Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MEA 1Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	TOR 7Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POC 13Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MDO 2Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	ROA 4Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	NAZ 1Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LS 2Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	1st	163

CART

Year	Team	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Rank	Points	Ref
1990	Euromotorsport	Lola T89/00	Cosworth DFS V8 t	PHX	LBH	INDY DNQScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIL	DET 15Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POR 23Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	CLE 9Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MEA 26Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".										17th	17	^[1]
1990	Euromotorsport	Lola T90/00	Cosworth DFS V8 t									TOR 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIS 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	DEN 14Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	VAN 22Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MDO 10Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	ROA 17Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	NAZ 7Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LS 15Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".		17th	17	^[1]
1991	Euromotorsport	Lola T91/00	Cosworth DFS V8 t	SRF 8Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LBH 23Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	PHX 16Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	INDY 24Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIL 18Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	DET 22Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POR 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	CLE 10Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MEA 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".									16th	22	^[2]
1991	A. J. Foyt Enterprises	Lola T91/00	Chevrolet 265A V8 t										TOR 8Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIS	DEN DNSScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	VAN	MDO 20Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	ROA 8Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	NAZ	LS 15Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	16th	22	^[2]
1992	Walker Racing	Lola T91/00	Chevrolet 265A V8 t	SRF	PHX	LBH	INDY WthScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	DET DNSScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POR						ROA 24Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	VAN					25th	5	^[3]
	Euromotorsport		Cosworth DFS V8 t							MIL 14Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	NHA 13Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	TOR	MIS	CLE
	A. J. Foyt Enterprises		Chevrolet 265A V8 t														MDO 15Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
	A. J. Foyt Enterprises	Lola T92/00	Chevrolet 265A V8 t															NAZ 16Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LS 8Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1993	Rahal-Hogan Racing	Rahal-Hogan RH-001	Chevrolet 265C V8 t	SRF	PHX	LBH	INDY	MIL 19Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	DET 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POR 9Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	CLE	TOR	MIS	NHA 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".							23rd	8	^[4]
1993	Rahal-Hogan Racing	Lola T93/00	Chevrolet 265C V8 t												ROA 18Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	VAN	MDO 22Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	NAZ	LS		23rd	8	^[4]
1994	Rahal-Hogan Racing	Lola T93/00	Honda HRX V8 t	SRF 8Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".																	20th	17	^[5]
		Lola T94/00	Honda HRX V8 t		PHX 6Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LBH 27Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".		MIL 19Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	DET 27Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	POR 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	CLE 19Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	TOR 22Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MIS 27Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	MDO 26Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	NHA 25Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	VAN 14Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	ROA 20Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	NAZ 11Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LS 15Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
		Penske PC-22	Ilmor 265C V8 t				INDY 31Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1995	Chip Ganassi Racing	Reynard 95i	Ford XB V8 t	MIA	SRF	PHX	LBH	NAZ	INDY QL^†	MIL	DET	POR	ROA	TOR	CLE	MIS	MDO	NHA	VAN	LS	NC	-	^[6]
1996	Walker Racing	Reynard 96i	Ford XD V8 t	MIA	RIO	SRF	LBH	NAZ 14Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	500	MIL	DET	POR	CLE	TOR	MIS	MDO	ROA	VAN	LS		34th	0	^[7]
^† – Made an aborted qualifying attempt in Bryan Herta's back up car, as Herta was not cleared to drive after a crash and was in risk of being bumped.

Indy Racing League

Year	Team	Chassis	No.	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Rank	Points	Ref
1996	A. J. Foyt Enterprises	Lola T95/00	11	Ford XB V8 t	WDW 6Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".											6th	228	^[8]
	A. J. Foyt Enterprises	Lola T95/00	41			PHX 3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
	Walker Racing	Reynard 95i	60				INDY 20Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1996-97	Byrd-Cunningham Racing	Reynard 95i	10		NHM 4Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LVS 3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".										14th	169	^[9]
		G-Force GF01		Infiniti VRH35ADE V8			WDW 2Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	PHX 6Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	INDY 12Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	TXS DNSScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	PPI		NH2 DNSScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	LV2
		G-Force GF01		Oldsmobile Aurora V8								CLT 14Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1998		G-Force GF01B		Oldsmobile Aurora V8	WDW 7Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	PHX 15Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	INDY 15Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	TXS	NHM	DOV	CLT	PPIR	ATL	TX2	LVS	30th	56	^[10]
1999	Team Xtreme	Dallara IR9	46	Infiniti VRH35ADE V8	WDW	PHX	CLT	INDY DNQScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	TXS	PPI	ATL	DOV	PP2	LVS	TX2	NC	-	^[11]

Indianapolis 500

Year	Chassis	Engine	Start	Finish	Tean
1990	Lola T89/00	Cosworth DFS V8 t	DNQ		Euromotorsport
1991	Lola T91/00	Cosworth DFS V8 t	18	24	Euromotorsport
1992	Lola T91/00	Chevrolet 265A V8 t	Raced by S. Goodyear		Walker Racing
1993	Rahal-Hogan RH-001	Chevrolet 265C V8 t	No Attempt		Rahal-Hogan Racing
1994	Penske PC-22	Ilmor 265C V8 t	31	31	Rahal-Hogan Racing
1995	Reynard 95i	Ford XB V8 t	Raced by Bryan Herta		Chip Ganassi Racing
1996	Reynard 95i	Ford XB V8 t	11	20	Walker Racing
1997	G-Force GF01	Infiniti VRH35ADE V8	18	12	Byrd-Cunningham Racing
1998	G-Force GF01B	Oldsmobile Aurora V8	32	15	Byrd-Cunningham Racing
1999	Dallara IR9	Infiniti VRH35ADE V8	DNQ		Team Xtreme

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:DriverDB driver

Template:S-sports Template:S-end Template:Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Template:Walker Racing Template:A. J. Foyt Racing Template:Byrd Racing Template:EuroInternational

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Mike Groff

Contents

Racing career

Formula Super Vee and Indy Lights

CART Champ Car

IRL IndyCar

Racing record

American open–wheel racing results

Indy Lights

CART

Indy Racing League

Indianapolis 500

References

External links

Navigation menu

Mike Groff

Racing career

Formula Super Vee and Indy Lights

CART Champ Car

IRL IndyCar

Racing record

American open–wheel racing results

Indy Lights

CART

Indy Racing League

Indianapolis 500

References

External links

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