R. C. Enerson

Richard Clayton Enerson (born March 6, 1997) is an American professional racing driver. He is the son of former Indy Lights team owner Neil Enerson, who owned Team E Racing.

R. C. Enerson
Nationality	American
Born	Richard Clayton Enerson (1997-03-06) March 6, 1997 (age 26) New Port Richey, Florida, United States
IndyCar Series career
6 races run over 4 years
Team(s)	No. 50 (Abel Motorsports)
Best finish	28th (2016)
First race	2016 Honda Indy 200 (Mid-Ohio)
Last race	2023 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 0 0
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish	39th (2021)
First race	2021 Go Bowling at The Glen (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
Previous series
2015-2016 2013-2014	Indy Lights U.S. F2000 National Championship

Racing career

 

Enerson (No. 317) competing in the 2010 Rotax Max Challenge Junior race

 

Enerson's NASCAR Cup car at Watkins Glen in 2021

After participating in karting and Skip Barber regional racing, Enerson made his professional debut in the 2012 U.S. F2000 National Championship in National Class. He finished in third place with four class victories. He returned to the series in 2013 driving for ZSports/Team E and finished 9th in the championship with 2 podium finishes at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Enerson switched to his family's own team for the 2014 U.S. F2000 Winterfest and won the championship, capturing two wins and two other podium finishes in the six races. In the 2014 U.S. F2000 National Championship, Enerson finished second in the championship by only 9 points behind champion Florian Latorre. Enerson won five races, the most of any driver that season, including a sweep of both races at Barber Motorsports Park.

Enerson moved two steps up the Mazda Road to Indy in 2015, competing in the Indy Lights series with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.^[1] Enerson took his first Indy Lights victory with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after four podiums in the 2015 season.

Enerson started 2016 competing in Indy Lights again, but following the Freedom 100, he dropped out of the series to pursue a seat in the IndyCar Series. This paid off later in the season, when Dale Coyne Racing signed him to drive at Mid-Ohio, then later extended his contract to include Watkins Glen and Sonoma.

Enerson drove the No. 31 car of Carlin Racing at the 2019 Honda 200 in the NTT IndyCar Series.^[2]

It was announced on August 3, 2020 that Enerson would compete in his first NASCAR race, driving in the Xfinity Series race at Road America in the No. 07 for SS-Green Light Racing.^[3]

Enerson and his father Neil Enerson purchased 2 complete Dallara DW12 Indycar chassis. A deal was struck with IndyCar newcomers Top Gun Racing to loan the chassis, as well as additional equipment, to the team so that Enerson could be entered in the series. On May 10, 2021, Enerson took part in a test session with Top Gun Racing at World Wide Technology Raceway.^[4] On May 12, IndyCar confirmed that Enerson and Top Gun Racing will attempt to qualify for the 2021 Indianapolis 500.^[5] After taking part in the last row shootout, Enerson failed to qualify for the 2021 Indianapolis 500.

Enerson and his father were later embroiled in a legal dispute with Top Gun Racing for the return of the 2 chassis and the equipment loaned earlier in the season. This was finally resolved in May 2022.^[6] Following this, Enerson and his father announced that plans were underway to enter the 2023 IndyCar Series. In mid-April it was announced that Enerson had reached an agreement with Abel Motorsports to field his entry into the 2023 Indianapolis 500.^[7]

Motorsports career results

American open–wheel racing

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

U.S. F2000 National Championship

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Rank	Points
2013	ZSports Team E Racing	SEB 30	SEB 18	STP 8	STP 12	LOR DNS	TOR 5	TOR 20	MDO 2	MDO 4	MDO 3	LAG 12	LAG 10	HOU 20	HOU 9	9th	143
2014	Team E	STP 2	STP 1	BAR 1	BAR 1	IMS 7	IMS 10	LOR 16	TOR 3	TOR 17	MDO 1	MDO 8	MDO 3	SNM 1	SNM 2	2nd	301

Indy Lights

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Rank	Points
2015	Schmidt Peterson Motorsports	STP 9	STP 13	LBH 4	ALA 3	ALA 7	IMS 5	IMS 2	INDY 4	TOR 8	TOR 5	MIL 2	IOW 3	MDO 1	MDO 4	LAG 6	LAG 6			4th	295
2016	Schmidt Peterson Motorsports	STP 5	STP 12	PHX 3	ALA 6	ALA 4	IMS 8	IMS 15	INDY 11	RDA	RDA	IOW	TOR	TOR	MDO	MDO	WGL	LAG	LAG	14th	111

IndyCar Series

Year	Team	Chassis	No.	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Rank	Points	Ref
2016	Dale Coyne Racing	Dallara DW12	19	Honda	STP	PHX	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY	DET	DET	RDA	IOW	TOR	MDO 19	POC	TXS	WGL 9	SNM 19		28th	55	^[8]
2019	Carlin		31	Chevrolet	STP	COA	ALA	LBH	IMS	INDY	DET	DET	TXS	RDA	TOR	IOW	MDO 17	POC	GTW	POR	LAG	35th	13	^[9]
2021	Top Gun Racing		75		ALA	STP	TXS	TXS	IMS	INDY DNQ	DET	DET	ROA	MDO	NSH	IMS 28	GTW	POR	LAG	LBH		43rd	5	^[10]
2023	Abel Motorsports		50		STP	TXS	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY 32	DET	ROA	MDO	TOR	IOW	IOW	NSH	IMS	GTW	POR	LAG	36th	5	^[11]

Indianapolis 500

Year	Chassis	Engine	Start	Finish	Team
2021	Dallara	Chevrolet	DNQ		Top Gun Racing
2023	Dallara	Chevrolet	28	32	Abel Motorsports

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	NCSC	Pts	Ref
2021	Rick Ware Racing	15	Chevy	DAY	DAY	HOM	LVS	PHO	ATL	BRI	MAR	RCH	TAL	KAN	DAR	DOV	COA	CLT	SON	NSH	POC	POC	ROA	ATL	NHA	GLN 34	IND	MCH	DAY	DAR	RCH	BRI	LVS	TAL	CLT	TEX	KAN	MAR	PHO	39th	3	^[12]

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	NXSC	Pts	Ref
2020	SS-Green Light Racing	07	Chevy	DAY	LVS	CAL	PHO	DAR	CLT	BRI	ATL	HOM	HOM	TAL	POC	IND	KEN	KEN	KAN	TEX	ROA 20	DAY	DOV	DOV	DAY	DAR	RCH	RCH	BRI	LVS	TAL	CLT	KAN	TEX	MAR	PHO	61st	18	^[13]

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Year	Entrant	Class	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Rank	Points
2017	PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports	P	Ligier JS P217	Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8	DAY 9	SEB	LBH	COA	DET	WGL	MOS	ELK	LGA	PET	36th	22

References

1. DeZinno, Tony. RC Enerson confirmed for Indy Lights with Schmidt Peterson, NBC Sports, December 19, 2014, Retrieved 2014-12-28
2. "RC Enerson to drive for Carlin this weekend at Mid-Ohio". July 23, 2019.
3. Nguyen, Justin (August 3, 2020). "Xfinity Newcomers RC Enerson, Jesse Iwuji Among Ringers for Road America". The Checkered Flag.
4. Pruett, Marshall (May 10, 2021). "Top Gun Racing makes test debut ahead of Indy 500 entry". Racer.com. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
5. "NINE WINNERS AMONG DEEP FIELD FOR 105TH INDIANAPOLIS 500". IndyCar. May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
6. Pruett, Marshall (May 20, 2022). "Enersons working on 2023 Indycar plan". racer.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
7. "Enerson To Drive Abel Motorsports' Entry in Indy 500". IndyCar.com.
8. "R. C. Enerson – 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
9. "R. C. Enerson – 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
10. "R. C. Enerson – 2021 NTT IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
11. "R. C. Enerson – 2023 NTT IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
12. "R. C. Enerson – 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
13. "R. C. Enerson – 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 9, 2020.

External links

• Official website
• R. C. Enerson driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• R. C. Enerson career summary at DriverDB.com