The son of experienced sports car team owner, restorer and team manager, Kevin Jeannette - Gunnar first drove a race car at aged 15 at a test session at Morosso Park in Florida. Gunnar made his racing debut in 1999 in historic sportscar racing at Road Atlanta.
Jeannette competed at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Sebring 12 Hour and 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000 - at 18 he was the youngest ever to finish the French classic.
He finished second in GT at Le Mans in 2001 and became a factory test driver for Panoz the following year - competing at Sebring, Le Mans and Petit Le Mans with the team.
He drove for JML Team Panoz on a full-time basis in 2003, starring at Le Mans to finish fifth overall and third in LMP1 with a brilliant final stint in the car.
Last season, Gunnar drove the new Panoz Esperante GT car in ALMS competition as well as contesting several Rolex Sports Car Series events.
| NAME: |
| Gunnar Jeannette |
| AGE: |
| 22 |
| BIRTHDATE: |
| May 5, 1982 |
| BIRTHPLACE: |
| West Palm Beach, FL |
| RESIDENCE: |
| Atlanta, GA; West Palm, FLA, Planes, airports, hotels |
| HEIGHT: |
| 6'0 |
| WEIGHT: |
| 170 lbs. |
| MARITAL STATUS: |
| Single |
| FAVORITE FOOD: |
| Pasta |
| FAVORITE DRINK: |
| Champagne (On the Podium of course) |
| ROAD CAR: |
| Any Rental |
| FIRST RACE: |
| HSR at Road Atlanta in 1999 Interscope Porsche 935 |
| FAVORITE TV SHOW: |
| South Park |
| FAVORITE MOVIE: |
| Top Gun and Napoleon Dynamite...duh! |
| FAVORITE BOOK: |
| Currently State of Fear, Michael Crichton |
| FAVORITE ACTOR: |
| Paul Newman |
| FAVORITE ACTRESS: |
| Elisha Cuthbert |
| FAVORITE MUSIC: |
| Anything LOUD |
| FAVORITE WEB SITE: |
| www.big-boys.com |
| FAVORITE OTHER SPORTS: |
| Female Collegiate Mud Wrestling |
| BOYHOOD RACING IDOL: |
| Derek Bell, Brian Redman, & John Paul Jr. |
| BEST HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECT: |
| Homeroom |
| MOST RESPECTED RIVAL: |
| Jan Magnussen/Scott Maxwell |
| HOW DO YOU STAY FIT: |
| Cycling, Climbing, Yoga, Karting, & Video Games |
| FAVORITE TRACK: |
| Watkins Glen |
| LEAST FAVORITE TRACK: |
| Don't have any...each one presents a different challenge |
| FAVORITE CORNER: |
| The Right hander before Indianapolis in LeMans |
| BEST RACE WATCHED: |
| 2002 ALMS Washington DC |
| BEST RACE CONTESTED: |
| 2003 LeMans 24 Hours |
| BEST CAR DRIVEN: |
| 2005 Ford Mustang R |
| WORST CAR DRIVEN: |
| Honestly can't think of one |
| FAVORITE ROAD CAR: |
| Early '60s VW Microbus |
| FIRST EVER ROAD CAR: |
| 1970 VW Karmann Ghia |
| WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD: |
| My Mother (Thats why I'm so good!) |
| DO YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE HABITS THAT YOU USUALLY DO: |
| I always put my left glove on first |
| WHO DESIGNED YOUR HELMET AND WHAT DOES IT REPRESENT: |
| My father, it was made to look like nothing else out there. |
| IF YOU WERE NOT A RACING DRIVER, WHAT CAREER WOULD YOU HAVE PURSUED: |
| Fighter Pilot |
| IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY FOUR PEOPLE (DEAD OR ALIVE) TO DINNER, WHO WOULD THEY BE: |
| John Belushi, Jesus Christ, Larry Holt, & Marilyn Monroe |
| IF HOLLYWOOD MADE A MOVIE ABOUT YOU, WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO PLAY YOUR PART: |
| Me (I'm looking to get into Hollywood anyways) |
| BEST MOMENT IN RACING: |
| Finishing 3rd in LMP900 5th overall in LeMans 2003 |
| WORST MOMENT IN RACING: |
| Anything that makes you question your abilities |
| WORST CRASH: |
| Brake Failure in the Panoz LMP 2002 turn 6 Road Atlanta...it was a big one! |
| IF YOU COULD MAKE ONE CHANGE TO ROAD RULES, WHAT WOULD THAT BE: |
| Make it harder to get a license |
| DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIONS: |
| Nope |
| HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF BEFORE A RACE: |
| Think happy thoughts |
| FAVORITE PRE-RACE MEAL: |
| Something with good carbs & protein |
