Before focusing his business skills as a team owner Haas won numerous races as a driver between 1953 and the early 1960s. During those years, he raced sports cars such as Ferraris, Porsches, Elvas, Oscas, Stranguellinis and Jaguars. His experience as a driver fueled his interest in the business side of the sport.
Since giving up racing, Haas-owned and managed teams have won 15 championships and mant poles and races iin CART Champ Car, Formula One, NASCAR, Can-Am, Formula 5000, Formula Ford, Supper Vee and Sports 2000 competition.
The consistent on-track success of Haas' racing teams has attracted a long list of superstar drivers to his team including Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Jackie Stewart and Alan Jones; five-time Le Mans winner Jacky Lckx; Brian Redman; Patrick Tambay; Roberto Moreno; David Hobbs; three-time NASCAR Champion Darrell Waltrip; and NASCAR drivers Todd Bodine, Joe Nemechek, Jimmy Spencer, John Andretti, Jeremy Mayfield, Geoff Brabham and Robby Gordon.
In addition to Haas' success on the track, he is one of the most respected executives in racing. He is a director of Road America, the world-class racing facility at Elkhart Lake, Wis. In 2003, he retired from the board of directors for the publicly held company known as Championship Auto Racing Teams, a position he held for six years (1998-2003). He also served as a member of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Board of Directors for 12 years until 1996 and was a chairman of that board for four years (1993-1996). The SCCA is one of the world's largest amateur racing organizations. He also served on the Board of Directors for the subsidiary organization, SCCA Pro Racing, from 1993-2001. He is the only person to ever simultaneously hold top positions on two major racing governing bodies. In 2007 Haas was inducted in the SCCA Hall of Fame. |
