Aaron Justus

Aaron Justus (born October 23, 1973, in Pittsfield, Illinois)[1] is a former American racing driver. Justus won the USF2000 championship in the year 2000 and continued into the Atlantic Championship. Currently Justus is an entrepreneur with his own graphics design company.

Aaron Justus
NationalityUnited States American
Born (1973-10-23) October 23, 1973 (age 50)
Pittsfield, Illinois
Retired2003
Atlantic Championship
Years active2002-2003
TeamsPerformance Development & Racing
RuSPORT
Starts15
Wins0
Poles0
Best finish5th in 2003
Previous series
1996-2000
1995
USF2000
USAC Formula Russell
Championship titles
2000USF2000

Career

Justus started his karting career in 1981 at the age of eight. In 1985, the young driver won the IKF Grand National Championship in the Junior I class. He won another Grand National Championship in 1988 in the Junior III class.[2]

In 1995, Justus started his formula racing career in the United States Auto Club sanctioned Formula Russell Championship winning the series. For 1996, Justus was one of 25 drivers selected for the Team Green Academy.[3] After catching the eye of Atlantic Championship and CART team owner John Della Penna the plan was to replace Richie Hearn in the Atlantics race seat. However money was a factor and the budget did not come together.[4] In 1996, Justus started four USF2000 races. His best result was in the streets of St. Petersburg where he finished fifth. Funding his racing efforts with graphics design work Justus did not race in 1997. In 1998, Justus had one single USF2000 outing, at the 1998 Colorado Grand Prix. Justus finished his Van Diemen chassis in third place for the first race, behind David Besnard and Sam Hornish Jr.[5]

The sole 1998 outing impressed Gerald Forsythe who brought Justus in at Cape Motorsports for the 1999 season. Justus won the third round of the season at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Later in the season, Justus also won the second race at Road Atlanta. Despite missing the last four races of the season, Justus finished tenth in the season standings. He returned with the team for 2000 for a full-time outing. In 2000, Justus dominated the series. Justus claimed eight pole positions in thirteen races. The young driver won five of the races and claimed the championship.[6]

After a sabbatical Justus returned for 2002 for three races in the Atlantic Championship with Performance Development & Racing. His best finish was a seventh place at the Denver street circuit. For 2003, Justus joined RuSPORT for a full-time effort alongside A. J. Allmendinger. Despite failing to win a race, Justus scored four podium finishes. Justus finished fifth in the series standings.[7] At the end of the season Justus retired from competitive autosport to run his graphics design company Manifest Group.[8]

Racing record

American Open-Wheel racing results

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

USF2000 National Championship

YearEntrant1234567891011121314PosPoints
1996WDW
27
STP
5
PIR
25
DSC1
11
MOSIRPRIRWGI1WGI2MDONHSLVSN.C.N.C.
1998WDWPIRHMS1HMS2WGIWGIMDO1MINCHA1CHA2MDO2ATLPPI
3
PPI
6
N.C.N.C.
1999Cape MotorsportsPIR
7
CHA1
28
CHA2
1
MOS
2
MOS
14
MDO
26
ATLROA1
22
ROA2
1
CTR
5
MDOPPISEB1SEB210th132
2000Cape MotorsportsPIR
1
MOS1
5
MOS2
2
IRP1
1
ROA1
1
ROA1
6
TRR
2
MOS3
3
WGI1
22
WGI2
1
IRP2
1
ATL1
4
ATL2
3
1st293

Atlantic Championship

YearTeam123456789101112RankPoints
2002Performance Development & RacingMTYLBHMILLSPORCHITORCLETRRROA
8
MTL
23
DEN
7
21st17
2003RuSPORTMTY
5
LBH
2
MIL
5
LS
4
POR
5
CLE
13
TOR
2
TRR
14
MDO
3
MTL
3
DEN
13
MIA
7
5th123

References