Ross Bentley

{{Infobox racing driver

| name = Ross Bentley

| image = Ross bentley July2011.jpg

| caption = Bentley with DirtFish Rally School in July 2011

| nationality = Canadian

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|11|4}}

| birth_place = Vancouver, British Columbia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| retired =

| related to =

| last series = Rolex Sports Car Series

| years active = 2000–2005, 2008–2010

| teams = Prototype Technology Group, Doran Racing, TRV Motorsport, Miracle Motorsports, Park Place Racing, Team Seattle, Essex Racing, The Racers Group, Farnbacher Loles Racing, Bullet Racing

| starts = 20

| wins = 1

| poles = 2

| best finish = 7th

| year = 2003

| prev series = American Le Mans Series
United States Road Racing Championship

| prev series years = 1999, 2002
1998–1999

| titles = United States Road Racing Championship GT3

| title years = 1998

| awards =

| award years =

| module =

{{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes

| Total_Champ_Races = 25

| Years_In_Champ = 6

| Years = 1990–1995

| Champ_Car_Team = Spirit of Vancouver, Dale Coyne Racing

| Best_Champ_Pos = 30th (1992)

| First_Champ_Race = 1990 Molson Indy Vancouver (Vancouver)

| Last_Champ_Race = 1994 Slick 50 200 (Loudon)

| First_Champ_Win =

| Last_Champ_Win =

| Champ_Wins = 0

| Champ_Podiums = 0

| Champ_Poles = 0

}}

Ross Bentley (born November 4, 1956) is a Canadian performance coach, racing driver, author, and speaker. His performance coaching spans executive/business coaching to sports (athletes and teams in a variety of sports, with a specialty in motorsports).

Racing career

Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Bentley grew up in a racing household (father was a race mechanic, brother a mechanic and driver) and began driving himself at the age of four. He won 11 amateur racing championships during his early career.

In 1990, he debuted in CART with Spirit of Vancouver, a program that was formed to provide a car for a Vancouverite at the inaugural Molson Indy Vancouver.{{cite news|last=Harrison|first=Don|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78783553/|title=Bentley finally has ride in the big time|newspaper=The Province|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 29, 1990|access-date=June 1, 2021}} Bentley returned to the race the following year with Spirit of Vancouver; the effort received support such as pit crew and car from Dale Coyne Racing.{{cite news|last=Beamish|first=Mike|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78783692/|title=Bentley's backers buy local driver a ride|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 28, 1991|access-date=June 1, 2021}}{{cite news|last=Harrison|first=Don|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784090/|title=Bentley driving towards promising Indy future|newspaper=The Province|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 28, 1991|access-date=June 1, 2021}}

Bentley increased his CART schedule in 1992 with Coyne to include additional races outside of Vancouver, and would run seven races.{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1992/R/|title=Ross Bentley – 1992 CART Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=June 1, 2021}} That year's Vancouver event saw four Canadian drivers including Bentley, who finished 14th while managing a back injury.{{cite news|last=MacIntyre|first=Iain|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784164/|title=Four Canadians entered|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 27, 1992|access-date=June 1, 2021}}{{cite news|last=Luba|first=Frank|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784121/|title=Another Toronto win for Michael Andretti|newspaper=The Province|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 20, 1991|access-date=June 1, 2021}} He continued racing for Coyne in 1993. During the buildup to the Indianapolis 500, Bentley was hospitalized and suffered burns on his hands and neck in a practice crash that caused a fuel regulator to split and pour methanol fuel into the cockpit.{{cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Ian|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784348/|title=Bentley ready to take a whirl at Indy|newspaper=Regina Leader-Post|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 20, 1993|access-date=June 1, 2021}} Bentley continued driving for Coyne in 1994, when the team brought on Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton as a co-owner, but Payton Coyne Racing struggled with performance due to outdated equipment.{{cite news|last=Beamish|first=Mike|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784401/|title=NFL great Payton knows what it takes to win races|newspaper=Vancouver Sun|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 30, 1995|access-date=June 1, 2021}}

A lack of sponsorship forced him out of IndyCar in 1995, prompting him to compete in sports car racing. He competed in the World Sportscar Championship before returning to CART and Payton Coyne at Vancouver, but he failed to make the race after setting the slowest time in qualifying.{{cite news|last=Harrison|first=Don|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784471/|title=Bentley back on Indy track|newspaper=The Province|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 30, 1995|access-date=June 1, 2021}}{{cite news|last=Kerr|first=Grant|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78784505/|title=Villeneuve picks up his IndyCar pace|agency=The Canadian Press|newspaper=Calgary Herald|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 3, 1995|access-date=June 1, 2021}}

He continued his professional career in endurance racing. Bentley won the 1998 United States Road Racing Championship in the GT3 class and the 2003 24 Hours of Daytona in the SRPII Class.

Off the track

Bentley worked as a driving instructor at his Performance Advanced Driving School and a columnist for racing clubs in the 1980s.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78783486/|title=Big O Shows Its Spirit!|newspaper=The Richmond Review|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 10, 1991|access-date=June 1, 2021}}

He currently owns a consulting business, Bentley Performance Systems, which focuses on improving the performance of individuals, teams and organizations through coaching, workshops and the development of custom-designed programs.

In 1998, Bentley published the first in a series of racing technique and strategy books called Speed Secrets. To date, he has nine books published under the Speed Secrets banner, including Inner Speed Secrets with Ronn Langford and The Complete Driver with Bruce Cleland. He also co-wrote with Bob Bondurant on Race Kart Driving.

In 2017, Bentley released a new title, Performance Pilot (written with professional aviator Phil Wilkes) detailing aviation-specific procedures, techniques, and strategies to help pilots improve their flying performance.

Bentley currently lives with his wife and daughter in Issaquah, Washington, US.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

American open–wheel racing results

(key)

=PPG Indycar Series=

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Team ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! Rank ! Points ! Ref
1990 ! Spirit of Vancouver \| PHX \| LBH \| INDY \| MIL \| DET \| POR \| CLE \| MEA \| TOR \| MCH \| DEN \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| VAN 18 \| MDO \| ROA \| NAZ \| LAG \| \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 40th \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 0 !{{cite web\|title=Ross Bentley – 1990 CART Results\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1990/R/\|work=Racing-Reference\|access-date=December 21, 2022}}
1991 ! Dale Coyne Racing \| SRF \| LBH \| PHX \| INDY \| MIL \| DET \| POR \| CLE \| MEA \| TOR \| MCH \| DEN \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| VAN 13 \| MDO \| ROA \| NAZ \| LAG \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 34th \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 0 !{{cite web\|title=Ross Bentley – 1991 CART Results\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1991/R/\|work=Racing-Reference\|access-date=December 21, 2022}}
1992 ! Dale Coyne Racing \|style="background:#CFEAFF;"\| SRF 11 \| PHX \| LBH \| INDY \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| DET 20 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| POR 17 \| MIL \| NHA \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| TOR 14 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| MCH 23 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| CLE 18 \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| ROA DNQ \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| VAN 14 \| MDO \| NAZ \| LAG \| \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 30th \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 2 !
1993 ! Dale Coyne Racing \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| SRF 17 \|style="background:#CFEAFF;"\| PHX 12 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| LBH 15 \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| INDY DNQ \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| MIL 14 \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| DET DNQ \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| POR 15 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| CLE 16 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| TOR 25 \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| MCH 16 \| NHA \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| ROA 17 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| VAN 17 \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| MDO DNQ \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| NAZ 22 \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| LAG DNQ \| \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 32nd \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 1 !{{cite web\|title=Ross Bentley – 1993 CART Results\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1993/R/\|work=Racing-Reference\|access-date=December 21, 2022}}
1994 ! Payton Coyne Racing \| SRF \| PHX \| LBH \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| INDY DNQ \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| MIL DNQ \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| DET DNQ \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| POR 22 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| CLE 29 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| TOR 19 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| MCH 19 \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| MDO DNQ \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| NHA 22 \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| VAN DNQ \|style="background:#FFFFFF;"\| ROA DNS \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| NAZ DNQ \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| LAG DNQ \| \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 46th \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 0 !{{cite web\|title=Ross Bentley – 1994 CART Results\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1994/R/\|work=Racing-Reference\|access-date=December 21, 2022}}
1995 ! Payton Coyne Racing \| MIA \| SRF \| PHX \| LBH \| NAZ \| INDY \| MIL \| DET \| POR \| ROA \| TOR \| CLE \| MCH \| MDO \| NHA \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| VAN DNQ \| LAG ! NC ! - !{{cite web\|title=Ross Bentley – 1995 CART Results\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1995/R/\|work=Racing-Reference\|access-date=December 21, 2022}}
colspan="22" \|{{center\|{{small\|Source:{{cite web\|title=Ross Bentley\|url=https://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/BentleyRoss.htm\|publisher=Champ Car Stats\|access-date=December 21, 2022}}}}}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

! Year

! Team

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! 15

! 16

! 17

! Rank

! Points

! Ref

1990

! Spirit of Vancouver

| PHX

| LBH

| INDY

| MIL

| DET

| POR

| CLE

| MEA

| TOR

| MCH

| DEN

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| VAN
18

| MDO

| ROA

| NAZ

| LAG

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 40th

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 0

!{{cite web|title=Ross Bentley – 1990 CART Results|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1990/R/|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

1991

! Dale Coyne Racing

| SRF

| LBH

| PHX

| INDY

| MIL

| DET

| POR

| CLE

| MEA

| TOR

| MCH

| DEN

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| VAN
13

| MDO

| ROA

| NAZ

| LAG

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 34th

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 0

!{{cite web|title=Ross Bentley – 1991 CART Results|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1991/R/|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

1992

! Dale Coyne Racing

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SRF
11

| PHX

| LBH

| INDY

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DET
20

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| POR
17

| MIL

| NHA

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| TOR
14

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MCH
23

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CLE
18

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ROA
DNQ

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| VAN
14

| MDO

| NAZ

| LAG

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 30th

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 2

1993

! Dale Coyne Racing

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SRF
17

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| PHX
12

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| LBH
15

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY
DNQ

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MIL
14

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DET
DNQ

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| POR
15

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CLE
16

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TOR
25

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MCH
16

| NHA

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ROA
17

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| VAN
17

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MDO
DNQ

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| NAZ
22

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| LAG
DNQ

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 32nd

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 1

!{{cite web|title=Ross Bentley – 1993 CART Results|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1993/R/|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

1994

! Payton Coyne Racing

| SRF

| PHX

| LBH

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY
DNQ

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL
DNQ

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DET
DNQ

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| POR
22

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CLE
29

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TOR
19

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MCH
19

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MDO
DNQ

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NHA
22

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| VAN
DNQ

|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| ROA
DNS

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| NAZ
DNQ

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| LAG
DNQ

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 46th

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 0

!{{cite web|title=Ross Bentley – 1994 CART Results|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1994/R/|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

1995

! Payton Coyne Racing

| MIA

| SRF

| PHX

| LBH

| NAZ

| INDY

| MIL

| DET

| POR

| ROA

| TOR

| CLE

| MCH

| MDO

| NHA

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| VAN
DNQ

| LAG

! NC

! -

!{{cite web|title=Ross Bentley – 1995 CART Results|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/bentlro02/1995/R/|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

colspan="22" |{{center|{{small|Source:{{cite web|title=Ross Bentley|url=https://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/BentleyRoss.htm|publisher=Champ Car Stats|access-date=December 21, 2022}}}}}}

Bibliography

Performance Pilot: Skills, techniques, and strategies to maximize your flying performance, Ross Bentley and Phil Wilkes (2017)
The Lost Art of High-Performance Driving, Ross Bentley (2017)
Ultimate Speed Secrets: The Racer's Bible, Ross Bentley (2011)
Speed Secrets 7: Winning Autocross Techniques, Ross Bentley (2009)
Speed Secrets 6: The Perfect Driver, Ross Bentley (2007)
Speed Secrets 5: The Complete Driver, Ross Bentley and Bruce Cleland (2006)
Speed Secrets 4: Engineering the Driver, Ross Bentley (2005)
Speed Secrets 3: More Professional Driving Techniques, Ross Bentley (2003)
Bob Bondurant on Race Kart Driving, Bob Bondurant and Ross Bentley (2002)
Speed Secrets 2: Inner Speed Secrets: Strategies to Maximize Your Racing Performance, Ross Bentley and Ronn Langford (2000)
Speed Secrets: Professional Race Driving Techniques, Ross Bentley (1998)