Conquest Racing

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Auto racing team

title: "Conquest Racing" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["indycar-series-teams", "champ-car-teams", "indy-lights-teams", "american-auto-racing-teams", "atlantic-championship-teams", "american-le-mans-series-teams", "ferrari-in-motorsport", "weathertech-sportscar-championship-teams", "imsa-vp-racing-sportscar-challenge-teams", "gt-world-challenge-america-teams", "intercontinental-gt-challenge-teams", "gt4-america-series-teams", "gt-america-series-teams"] description: "Auto racing team" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquest_Racing" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Auto racing team ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox motor racing team"]

FieldValue
nameUSA Conquest Racing
logoConquestRacingLogo.jpg
founded1997
baseIndianapolis, Indiana, United States
principal{{plainlist
current seriesIMSA SportsCar Championship
Ferrari Challenge North America
former seriesIndyCar Series
Atlantic Championship
Champ Car World Series
current driversIMSA SportsCar Championship:
34.
ESP Albert Costa
USA Manny Franco
MON Cédric Sbirrazzuoli
ITA Alessandro Balzan
35.
BRA Daniel Serra
ESP Albert Costa
ITA Giacomo Altoè
foundersÉric Bachelart (owner)
::

| name = USA Conquest Racing | logo =ConquestRacingLogo.jpg | founded = 1997 | base = Indianapolis, Indiana, United States | principal = {{plainlist|

Conquest Racing is an auto racing team based in Indianapolis, United States that currently competes in the Ferrari Challenge North America as well as the GTD Pro and GTD classes of the IMSA SportsCar Championship. They previously competed in the IndyCar Series, the Atlantic Championship, the Champ Car World Series, and the GT World Challenge America.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/BernoldiIndy2008.jpg" caption="Conquest's Enrique Bernoldi practices for the [[2008 Indianapolis 500]]."] ::

It is owned by former series competitor Éric Bachelart. The team ran in Indy Lights competition in the late 1990s with Felipe Giaffone, who brought sponsorship from Hollywood cigarettes and Mi-Jack sponsored brothers Chris and Jamie Menninga. The team jumped to the Indy Racing League in 2002 with Laurent Rédon; the Frenchman won rookie of the year honors but was not retained when the team jumped ship to Champ Car in 2003, as he wanted to come back to France for his family.

The team ran Mario Haberfeld in an unloved Reynard chassis and shared information and resources with Emerson Fittipaldi's team, that ran future Formula One driver Tiago Monteiro. In 2004 the team expanded to two cars, fielding Justin Wilson in a Lola with several others in a Reynard. Wilson signed with RuSPORT for 2005 and Conquest ran teenagers Nelson Philippe and Andrew Ranger, each 18 years old when the season started.

While Philippe left for 2006, the team retained Ranger dependent on his Canadian sponsorship and signed 2005 Champ Car Atlantic champion Charles Zwolsman to the second car. There were rumors Darren Manning would replace Ranger early in the season but this was put to rest with his on-track performances and more money coming into the team. Internet betting web site Goldenpalace.com signed on as Zwolsman's sponsor at the second race in Houston.

The team branched into the Atlantic ranks in 2006 with drivers Graham Rahal and Al Unser III.

After the 2006 season, Mike Lanigan pulled his company's support from the race team due to a lack of funding. In a Speedtv.com article, Bachelart was about to shut down his team when his sponsor called with a deal for the 2007 season. But on February 6, 2007 a New York-based company, later confirmed to be vodka company 42 Below, gave them sponsorship with former A1 Grand Prix driver Matt Halliday. However, after poor performances in Vegas, Long Beach, and Houston, Halliday was released in favor of Jan Heylen. Jan Heylen drove the next 9 races for Conquest Racing and his best finish was a 2nd place at the Bavaria Grand Prix of Holland. On October 3 it was announced that Jan Heylen would be replaced for the rest of the season by the returning Nelson Philippe.

In late December 2007 the team announced the signing of new marketing partner, Opes Prime Group Ltd, an Australian-based financial services provider. Following the unification of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League, Conquest was the first Champ Car team to confirm their participation in the IRL IndyCar Series, with driver Franck Perera named to drive one of the team's two cars. The other driver entry has been confirmed as Enrique Bernoldi will be driving for Conquest Racing during the 2008 IRL Championship.

However, on the eve of the opening race of the 2008 IndyCar Season, on 28 March 2008, Opes Prime was placed in receivership, and left the team shortly after. Sangari stepped up to sponsor both cars after Ares also left the team. After the Long Beach Grand Prix, Perera was replaced in the #34 car by Jaime Camara to complete a fully Brazilian lineup. Alex Tagliani replaced Bernoldi in the last three races of the season due to an injury.

Tagliani ran for the team part-time in 2009, including the Toronto Grand Prix that saw Tagliani lead a majority of the race before being eliminated in a late race crash. Conquest Racing entered a second car for the 2009 Indianapolis 500 with Bruno Junqueira the driver of the number 36. Junqueira qualified for the 500, while Tagliani did not, which resulted in Tagliani taking over the 36 car for the 500.

Nelson Philippe returned to the team late in 2009 after Tagliani and Conquest parted ways. The season was cut short for Phillipe and Conquest after a horrifying accident with Will Power at Infineon Raceway.

Mario Romancini was announced as the driver of the Conquest Racing number 34 for the entire IndyCar Series 2010 schedule. Bertrand Baguette began running for the team in a second car at Barber, bringing Belgian sponsorship. The team placed both cars in the Indianapolis 500 where Romancini finished 13th and Baguette ended up in 22nd after losing a mirror early in the race. Conquest Racing planned to continue running both drivers for the remainder of the season but replaced Romancini with Francesco Dracone at Mid-Ohio and Infineon due to Romancini's lack of sponsorship.

For 2011, the team ran only one car, the 34, with Colombian driver Sebastián Saavedra.

In 2012, the team decided to leave the IndyCar series and enter the American Le Mans Series with a Morgan-Nissan LMP2 prototype. The team took its first victory at the 2012 Grand Prix of Mosport.

No more actively involved in motorsport since 2013 season, Conquest Racing comes back in IMSA Prototype Challenge for the 2019 season in LMP3 category.

Racing record

::data[format=table]

YearCarDriversRacesWinsPolesFast lapsPointsD.C.Indy Racing League Results2002CART/Champ Car World Series Results20032004200520062007IndyCar Series Results2008200920102011
Dallara-InfinitiFRA Laurent Redon1500022912th
Reynard-CosworthBRA Mario Haberfeld180017112th
Lola/Reynard-CosworthGBR Justin Wilson1400018811th
BRA Alex Sperafico80004719th
FRA Nelson Philippe60008916th
Lola-CosworthCanada Andrew Ranger1300014010th
FRA Nelson Philippe1300011713th
Lola-CosworthCanada Andrew Ranger1400020010th
Netherlands Charles Zwolsman Jr.1400016113th
Panoz-CosworthNew Zealand Matt Halliday30001821st
BEL Jan Heylen900010416th
FRA Nelson Philippe20002819th
Dallara-Honda
Panoz-Cosworth2FRA Franck Perera310007129th
BRA Enrique Bernoldi1500022022nd
Dallara-HondaBRA Jaime Camara1500017423rd
Canada Alex Tagliani30005632nd
Dallara-HondaCanada Alex Tagliani700011422nd
BRA Bruno Junqueira00000NA
FRA Nelson Philippe010001635th
Japan Kosuke Matsuura10001336th
Dallara-HondaBRA Mario Romancini1100014924th
BEL Bertrand Baguette1500021322nd
ITA Francesco Dracone20002437th
RSA Tomas Scheckter210008929th
USA Roger Yasukawa10001240th
COL Sebastián Saavedra110002933rd
Dallara-HondaCOL Sebastián Saavedra1400017825th
BRA João Paulo de Oliveira10001044th
GBR Dillon Battistini10001046th
GBR Pippa Mann110003238th
::

1Driver competed for Conquest in addition to another team that season.

2Only used for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Complete IRL IndyCar Series results

(key) ::data[format=table]

YearChassisEngineDriversNo.1234567891011121314151617181920022008200920102011
HMSPHXFONNAZINDYTXSPPIRRIRKANNSHMCHKTYGATCHITXS
Dallara IR-02Infiniti VRH35ADE V8FRA Laurent Redon341514315221571522161120222510
HMSSTPMOTLBHKANINDYMILTXSIOWRIRWGLNSHMDOEDMKTYSNMDETCHISRF
Panoz DP01Cosworth XFE V8tFrance Franck Perera346
Dallara IR-05Honda HI7R V81420
Brazil Jaime Camara213124242014182114231624251819
Canada Alex Tagliani3622124
Brazil Enrique Bernoldi185251516231726212026162221
Panoz DP01Cosworth XFE V8t4
STPLBHKANINDYMILTXSIOWRIRWGLTOREDMKTYMDOSNMCHIMOTHMS
Dallara IR-05Honda HI7R V8FRA Nelson Philippe34DNS
JPN Kosuke Matsuura17
CAN Alex Tagliani1010DNQ14913
3611
BRA Bruno JunqueiraWth
SAOSTPALALBHKANINDYTXSIOWWGLTOREDMMDOSNMCHIKTYMOTHMS
Dallara IR-05Honda HI7R V8BRA Mario Romancini341713222322131716222224
ITA Francesco Dracone22
3620
BEL Bertrand Baguette342312102515
3620242022221718161411
RSA Tomas Scheckter2814
USA Roger Yasukawa20
COL Sebastián Saavedra16
STPALALBHSAOINDYTXSMILIOWTOREDMMDONHASNMBALMOTKTYLSV
Dallara IR-05Honda HI7R V8COL Sebastián Saavedra3413261411DNQ28292320251627151413C
BRA João Paulo de Oliveira26
GBR Dillon Battistini28
GBR Pippa Mann3620
::
  1. Run to Champ Car specifications.
  2. Non-points-paying, exhibition race.
  3. The final race at Las Vegas was canceled due to Dan Wheldon's death.

Complete CART / Champ Car World Series results

(key) ::data[format=table]

YearChassisEngineDriversNo.12345678910111213141516171820032004200520062007
STPMTYLBHBRHLAUMILLAGPORCLETORVANROAMDOMTLDENMIAMXCSFR
Reynard 02iFord XFE V8tBrazil Mario Haberfeld34416991475815197810111051214
LBHMTYMILPORCLETORVANROADENMTLLAGLSVSFRMXC
Reynard 02iFord XFE V8tBrazil Alex Sperafico141716151613101717
France Nelson Philippe13
Lola B02/00171691016
UK Justin Wilson34665181214771418884
Reynard 02i11
LBHMTYMILPORCLETOREDMSJODENMTLLSVSRFMXC
Lola B02/00Ford XFE V8tCanada Andrew Ranger271721678111816101114109
France Nelson Philippe341812*1212131091591516147
LBHHOUMTYMILPORCLETOREDMSJODENMTLROASRFMXC
Lola B02/00Ford XFE V8tCanada Andrew Ranger276677911107131415858
Netherlands Charles Zwolsman Jr.341215129121591091087711
LSVLBHHOUPORCLEMTTTOREDMSJOROAZOLASNSFRMXC
Panoz DP01Cosworth XFE V8tBelgium Jan Heylen34151416131096132
France Nelson Philippe612
New Zealand Matt Halliday42161514
::

References

References

  1. Gilain, Eliane. (2024-05-17). "Conquest Racing Returns to Laguna Seca for Second Round of Ferrari Challenge".
  2. (May 22, 2024). "21 Cars For IMSA Detroit Sports Car Classic".
  3. Dagys, John. (2023-09-07). "Conquest Set for IMSA Return in Ferrari GTD Entry for Franco – Sportscar365".
  4. (September 22, 2022). "Conquest Racing GT3 Debut In Sebring, Preparations Underway For Full-Time 2023 Effort".
  5. link. (2007-09-28 , PaddockTalk.com, February 6, 2007)
  6. link. (2008-02-26 , IndyCar.com, February 25, 2008)
  7. Lyndal McFarland and Andrew Harrison. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120675508194073743?mod=googlenews_wsj 'Irregularities' At Opes Prime Trigger Probe], ''Wall Street Journal'', March 28, 2008
  8. Marie-Lyse Tremblay. (January 2, 2019). "L'équipe Conquest Racing inscrite en IMSA LMP3 pour la saison 2019, avec le Canadien Aaron Povoledo".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

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