Ryan Hunter-Reay Bio: Family, Controversies, Crash, Charity & Net Worth
Ryan Hunter-Reay is a professional American racing driver competing full-time in the IndyCar Series for ED Carpenter Racing.
Ray started his career after winning six national Karting Championships in the World Karting Association. He got into the Skip Barber Karting Scholarship for racing in the Skip Barber Formula Dodge Series 1999 through those victories.
He participated in the Series and won the Series with the prize money of $250,000. Later, he used this money to compete in the Barber Dodge Pro Series in 2000.
In that very Series, with no sponsors, Ryan started in 9th place and finished in 8th place. His best finish is in 4th place at Lime Rock Park.
Ryan Hunter-Reay returned in 2001 for the same Series and won the first race in the Series at the season’s third race.
Similarly, in 2002, Hunter-Reay started his Toyota Atlantic Championship, where he drove Medlock Ames Winery for Hylton Motorsports. Hunter-Reay started in 6th place and retired halfway through the race, finishing in 23rd place.
The following year, he started his Champ career, which lasted until 2005 and raced 43 races over three years.
His best finish was 9th position in 2004, and in that very year, he had his last win to this Championship. Ryan Hunter won in the 2004 Time Warner Cable Road Runner 250 in Milwaukee track.
In Ryan Hunter-Reay’s IndyCar Series, he played 248 races over 16 years, with his best finish (No. 1) in 2012.
Similarly, he has participated in multiple Series in the following years, for instance, Royal Grand -Am Sports Car, A1 Grand Prix, Race of Champions, IMSA Tudor United SportsCar Championships, and many more.
Ryan Hunter-Reay Family
Ryan Christopher Hunter-Reay was born to his parents, Nicholas Hunter-Reay and Lydia Hunter-Reay, on December 17, 1980, in Dallas, Texas, United States.
As per the information on the internet, he completed his education at Cardinal Gibbons High School.
Ryan married ex-Champ Car World Series pit reporter and off-road racing driver Beccy Gordon on July 3, 2011.
Who is Beccy Gordon?
Beccy is an American off-road racer, pit reporter, and model. She was born in the off-road Racing Gordon family.
Her great-grandfather Huntley raced IndyCars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Similarly, her father, Bajabob, entered the off-road racing scene in 1977, and her mother, Marlene, pre-ran the Baja 500 when she was seven months pregnant with Beccy.
Beccy herself also raced in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in 2008.
She is not only an off-road racer but also a softball player and is the youngest to be named to the US Softball Team to date.
Also, she was a swimsuit model for Roxy/Quiksilver for six years and represented clients like Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secret, and Speedo.
Beccy currently is a representative of NASCAR and Phoenix International Raceway.
Moreover, being a working woman, she has impressively managed her work and family life.
Father Hunter-Reay’s Priority Is His Three Sons
Hunter-Reay and his wife, Beccy, welcomed three sons from their marriage. Their first child, Ryden, was born on December 28, 2012.
Similarly, their second son, Rocsen, in March 2015, and their third son, Rhodes, on September 14, 2016.
All three sons share their father’s love of racing and water sports.
Moreover, Hunter-Reay has a 42-foot Yellowfin boat, which has a Quad Mercury Verado 350s engine, and occasionally makes his trips to sea with the family.
Indianapolis 500 champ balances his fatherhood with his racing life.
When he was asked about parenting, he explained, “Kids can wear on you, especially with three of them; it’s non-stop chaos, all of them being so young and all of them being boys.”
He added, “So it’s just constant, at times, all three of them want to do something different, and they’re very opinionated about that. It’s tough. But it makes you a better parent. I think it gives you a better perspective on what matters and how you can make them better people.”
Hunter-Reay also prioritizes his sons before anything. However, he finds parenting a challenging task.
Indianapolis 500 Champ’s Controversies
Ryan Hunter-Reay won the controversial race in the 2015 IndyCar Series. The race ended with a win for him, but Ryan’s win did not come without controversy.
However, he wasn’t the one involved in a controversy; it was ED Carpenter and Sage Karam, who got into a heated argument.
“You’re going to hurt somebody, or you’re going to hurt yourself,” Carpenter told Karam immediately following the race.
Another controversy started with the possibility of Hunter-Reay replacing Alex Palou in the IndyCar Series in 2022.
Later, an arbitrator solved Palau’s controversy, and he didn’t leave Indy. When Hunter-Reay was asked about the controversy, he said that he would never want Palou to be removed just so he could return to IndyCar.
Moreover, another controversy involved not only Ryan but also his team. In September 2023, Hunter-Reay and his team were penalized for their unapproved engine change.
IndyCar officials announced a six-position starting grid penalty for the No. 20 Chevrolet at the World Wide Technology Raceway.
Ryan Hunter-Reay Crash
Hunter-Reay faced a severe qualifying crash in the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Runway in 2017.
Ryan Hunter collided with the Turn 3 wall, where his No. 28 spiraled outside of the wall.
Emergency personnel were rushed to the wreck site and helped Hunteexit out of the car. The 43 years old racer was then taken to the Lehigh Valley hospital for further evaluation.
There are other crashes of Hunter-Reay as well. He got wrecked off the course during the IndyCar Road Racing America Qualifying race in 2023.
An Emotional Rollercoaster
The professional American racer’s life has been full of ups and downs. Starting off, when his third son was born, Ryan Hunter-Reay was on an emotional rollercoaster ride.
On the day of the birth, his father and mother-in-law, Robert and Sharon, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in Orange, Calif.
The Orange County’s report says that Sharon was strangled, and Robert died of injuries from a self-inflicted gunshot.
The IndyCar racer coped with the situation well but strictly asked his employer for privacy.
Similarly, Ryan Hunter-Reay lost his mother to cancer in 2009. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in July 2008, and after continuous chemotherapy and several treatments, she died at 55.
Shortly after her death, Ryan Hunter founded a non-profit organization called Racing For Cancer.
Curious about Ryan Hunter-Reay’s Charity?
Ryan Hunter-Reay has a non-profitable association, ‘Racing for Cancer.’
Racing for Cancer (R4C) is an organization formed to unite motorsports fans worldwide to help those struggling with cancer and to promote early detection and prevention initiatives that support the global fight against cancer.
Over time, the association has already raised $4 million on the front lines of the fight against Cancer.
One of the biggest contributors to this foundation is Ryan’s sponsor, AutoNation, which matches every dollar Racing For Cancer raises.
Moreover, Racing for Cancer also donated $2.5 million to establish a medical facility dedicated to Colon cancer treatment and information in 2014.
To early detection and prevention of cancer, R4C helps by donating the required sum to help cancer patients recover and live healthy lives.
As per Instagram, Ryan Hunter-Reay conducts and participates in The Big Dog Tackles Battle for Cancer Tournament, a one-day family fishing day with a severe competitive edge of challenging games.
his significant titles And Awards
Ryan Hunter’s titles and awards prove why he is called a legend on the track.
Also, he has secured several titles, including the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series Champion and Indianapolis 500 Champion Series 2014.
Similarly, he also has tons of awards to his name. Some of them are the Barber Dodge Pro Series Rookie of The Year (2000), WorldCom Rising Star Award (2002), IndyCar Series Rookie of The Year, Indianapolis 500 Rookie of The Year (2007), and Best Diver ESPY Award (2008,2013 and 2014).
Still active in his racing career, Ryan will surely add more accolades to his cabinet in the coming years.
Ryan Hunter-Reay’s Net Worth
Ryan Hunter is expected to have a net worth of around $5 million in 2024.
Additionally, the American professional racer has won several awards and titles, which contributes to his net worth.
Similarly, he has some significant sponsors that offer him lucrative contracts.
Some of his biggest sponsors are Arai Helmet, Puma, Omp Racing, and a few others.
In May 2023, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (DRR) announced that Root Insurance sponsored Hunter-Reay in his IndyCar 500 race, an Ohio-based car insurance company using smartphone technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ryan Hunter-Reay’s hobby?
Ryan Hunter-Reay is an avid scuba driver, surfer, and sport fisherman. His hobby and interest is in water sports. Therefore, we can find him more on beaches when not at the race track.
Is Ryan a dog lover?
Yes, Ryan Hunter is an avid dog lover. He had two golden retrievers, Captain and Charlie. Charlie is no longer with him as she passed away due to Cancer. But recently, he welcomed a new golden retriever, which he has named “Lucky.”
Is Ryan Hunter-Reay a Hometown Fan?
Yes, he is a great fan. The Texas-born racer enjoys watching the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Heat games.
