Chris Windom Bio
Christopher R. Windom, born on December 24, 1990, is an American professional racing driver from Canton, Illinois. He is best known for his accomplishments in United States Auto Club (USAC) competition, where he became only the seventh driver to complete the prestigious USAC Triple Crown. That distinction requires winning national titles in sprint cars, Silver Crown, and national midget cars, a feat Windom accomplished over the course of his career.
Beyond open-wheel dirt racing, Windom has also made appearances in stock car series, including the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NASCAR Cup Series. His career has spanned ovals of every shape and surface, from dirt tracks across the Midwest to high-profile speedways like Indianapolis and Bristol.
Early Life and Background
Christopher R. Windom was born on December 24, 1990, in Canton, Illinois, a small city located in Fulton County in the central part of the state. The region has a long tradition of dirt-track racing, and Windom grew up surrounded by a motorsports culture that produced generations of talented open-wheel drivers. His early years were shaped by the local short tracks that dot the Illinois countryside.
As a young racer, Windom began climbing through the developmental ladder of open-wheel competition. His earliest national-level accomplishment came in 2006, when he won the USSA Mel Kenyon Midget Series championship, signaling that he was a driver to watch on the dirt ovals of the Midwest.
Path to NASCAR
Windom’s reputation was built almost entirely on dirt, and his route to NASCAR came through stock car opportunities that arose later in his career. Between 2011 and 2015, he made seven starts in the ARCA Menards Series, gaining experience on paved ovals while continuing his primary focus on USAC competition. In 2017, he expanded into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with MB Motorsports, running three events that year, before adding another Truck start with DGR-Crosley in 2018. His best finish in the series came at Eldora Speedway, where he placed fourteenth on the famed dirt half-mile.
In 2021, Windom made his NASCAR Cup Series debut with Rick Ware Racing in the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race, finishing thirty-third after an engine failure. Later that same year he entered the Corn Belt 150 at Knoxville Raceway in the No. 02 for Young’s Motorsports, substituting for Michael Annett. These opportunities marked his transition from a USAC specialist into a versatile driver capable of competing across multiple stock car disciplines.
Chris Windom Career
Early Career (2006-2011)
Windom’s professional career began in earnest in 2006, when he captured the USSA Mel Kenyon Midget Series championship. The victory established him as a young prospect on the national midget scene and laid the foundation for the success that followed.
By 2011, Windom had graduated to USAC’s premier sprint car ranks. That year he won the Indiana Sprint Week title, one of the most prestigious summer touring series for sprint cars in the country. The same season, he also won the Little 500 at Anderson Speedway, a marquee event on the pavement sprint car calendar, showing that he could excel on both dirt and asphalt.
USAC Silver Crown and Sprint Car Breakthrough (2016-2018)
In 2016, Windom added the USAC Silver Crown Championship to his resume, scoring the first leg of what would become his Triple Crown. Silver Crown cars are among the heaviest and most powerful open-wheel machines in American short-track racing, and the title confirmed his versatility behind the wheel of multiple chassis types.
The following year, 2017, was one of the most significant of Windom’s career. He won the USAC National Sprint Car Championship, the most prestigious sprint car title in the country. He also added a second Eastern Storm championship that season and won the Little 500 for a second time in 2015, cementing his place among the top short-track drivers in the United States.
Windom’s breakthrough extended into 2018, when he claimed a second Indiana Sprint Week title and a second consecutive Eastern Storm championship. That same year, on March 27, it was announced that he would make his Indy Lights debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, driving for Belardi Auto Racing with support from Jonathan Byrd’s Racing. The opportunity, however, ended in disappointment when Windom crashed during a morning test session on May 21 and the damage forced him to withdraw from the Freedom 100.
USAC Midget Championship and Indy Lights Return (2019-2020)
On April 16, 2019, it was announced that Windom would attempt his Indy Lights debut once again in the Freedom 100, returning to Belardi Auto Racing with Jonathan Byrd’s Racing. The day before the race, Windom was involved in a massive crash during the Hoosier Hundred, but he still decided to start the Freedom 100. On the opening lap, his car struck the spinning David Malukas and climbed atop the SAFER barrier. Neither driver was injured, but the crash ended his day.
In 2020, Windom completed the third and final leg of the USAC Triple Crown by winning the National Midget Car championship. The title made him the seventh driver in history to capture national championships in USAC sprint cars, Silver Crown, and national midgets, securing his legacy as one of the most accomplished short-track drivers of his generation.
Driving Style and Strengths
Windom is widely regarded as a smooth and technically precise driver, particularly on dirt ovals. His strengths include race-long pace on slick tracks, the ability to save his equipment over long feature distances, and consistency across a variety of chassis. Teammates and competitors often point to his calm demeanor in the cockpit as one of the keys to his late-race success.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among the highlights of Windom’s career are his two Little 500 victories at Anderson Speedway in 2011 and 2015, his pair of Indiana Sprint Week titles, and his history-making completion of the USAC Triple Crown in 2020. His NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race in 2021 also stands out as a milestone moment that reflected his journey from short tracks to stock cars.
Chris Windom Career Wins
Chris Windom has built a decorated resume across USAC’s three premier open-wheel divisions. His championship haul includes the 2016 USAC Silver Crown title, the 2017 USAC National Sprint Car championship, and the 2020 National Midget championship, the combination that makes him one of only seven drivers to complete the USAC Triple Crown.
USAC National Sprint Car Highlights
Windom captured the 2017 USAC National Sprint Car Championship, the premier sprint car title in the United States. He followed that success with a second Indiana Sprint Week championship in 2018 and back-to-back Eastern Storm titles in 2017 and 2018, establishing himself as one of the most consistent sprint car competitors of his era.
Other Wins and Performances
In addition to his national championships, Windom is a two-time winner of the Little 500 at Anderson Speedway, taking the prestigious pavement event in 2011 and 2015. He also won the USSA Mel Kenyon Midget Series championship in 2006, the earliest national-level title of his career.
2025 Season Performance
As of 2025, Chris Windom continues to be a familiar presence on the USAC circuit and at selected stock car events. His primary focus remains open-wheel dirt competition, where his experience and his Triple Crown pedigree make him a perennial threat at every national tour stop.
Beyond his dirt commitments, Windom has continued to take on select NASCAR opportunities, building on his earlier appearances in the Craftsman Truck Series and his 2021 Cup Series debut. Those starts reinforced his reputation as a versatile driver willing to race anything from a Silver Crown car to a stock car at the highest national level.
Looking ahead, Windom remains a respected veteran on the short-track scene. Whether he is chasing another USAC championship or taking on new challenges in stock car racing, his 2025 schedule is expected to reflect the same blend of dirt-track excellence and selective pavement opportunities that has defined his career.