Josele Garza

Who is Josele Garza?

Josele Garza is a Mexican professional race car driver. He started seven Indianapolis 500 races. Garza was the 1981 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after rolling off sixth and finishing 23rd at the age of 19. At 19 years, two months, and nine days, Garza is the second youngest driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and wasn't surpassed until 2003 by A.J. Foyt IV. USAC rules at the time required drivers to be 21 years of age, but Garza's racing license listed him as being 22 years old. Garza claims he does not know how the error occurred but he did not notify officials of the error. He finished 10th in the 1984 Indianapolis 500. He led 13 Indy 500 laps.

Garza was winless in 88 CART races.

In 1986, he tested Brabham Formula One car, during free practice the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix. After he finished his carerr in CART, he tested with Minardi in F1 during 1987-88 but never got the required sponsorship to be awarded a race seat and he never made his debut in F1. He came back to Mexico and later he became a team owner in Mexican F2 and F3000 and sometimes raced when his drivers were not up to standard, or absent for some reason.