Scott Pruett
A master of speed in every form, he conquered championships on both twisting road courses and high-banked ovals.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American racing driver·Birthday: March 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Scott Pruett's name is synonymous with endurance and versatility in American motorsport. His career is a masterclass in adapting elite skill across different racing disciplines. He first made his mark in the 1980s, dominating the IMSA GTO and Trans-Am series with a ruthless consistency that yielded multiple championships. This success opened the door to open-wheel competition in CART, where he proved his mettle against the best drivers of the era. After a challenging stint in NASCAR, Pruett found his true calling as a sports car racing titan. He became the cornerstone of the Grand-Am series, piloting Daytona Prototypes to a record five driver championships and a staggering number of endurance race victories, including multiple wins at the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona. His calm demeanor and technical precision made him the ultimate co-driver and team leader, cementing a legacy not just as a winner, but as a complete racing professional.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Scott was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Scott Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Scott's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won five Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series championships, a record for the series.
- Secured three Trans-Am Series championships and two IMSA GTO titles in the 1980s.
- Earned multiple victories in major endurance races, including five wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
- Competed at the top level of CART open-wheel racing during the 1990s.
Did You Know?
He survived a serious crash during a CART test at Michigan International Speedway in 1990 that broke both his legs.
Pruett is an accomplished off-road racer, having won the SCORE International Baja 1000.
He comes from a racing family; his father raced midgets and his son also became a professional driver.
He served as a stunt driver for the 2003 film "The Italian Job."
“The race is never over until the checkered flag falls; you have to be relentless.”
