Biography
Indy Lights Series (2010 – 2005)
796 laps led, 25 races led, 9 poles, 8 wins
Working hard towards a ride at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 2010′s Indianapolis 500 Wade did not pursue a seaon long program. Unable to land a competitive seat he accepted a late offer to return to Sam Schmidt Motorsports where he captured his second consecutive and 3rd victory of the Firestone Freedom 100 driving with SSM and IZOD. He teamed with that winning combination for the season finale in Miami and finished 3rd having sat out the rest of the season.
Not content to sit on the sidelines like he had for most of 2008, Wade returned to the Indy Lights category again to prove himself as a driver who would fight for his place in the IndyCar field. When he did, Wade became to first driver in Indy Lights history to stand in Victory Circle during the Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a second time (also becoming the first driver to win two pole positions) and ended the year in 4th position, the highest ranked driver for his team, Sam Schmidt Motorsports. He also won at Kentucky Speedway and trailed only the Champion in wins (2), poles (2), races led and laps led (184).
For 2008 it was hoped that Wade would be competing in the newly unified IndyCar Series. When there was no availability for a seat in IndyCar Wade accepted an offer to drive for Brian Stewart Racing, the team for whom he had immediate success and where he won back to back titles in 2005 - 2006 to compete in the season opener at Homestead Miami. He went on to fill that seat until Indianapolis after giving the team its best finish of the season (3rd). He also drove for Alliance Motorsport at Mid Ohio and gave the team their highest finish in the teams short history when he finished 2nd.
After a long off season it was announced Wade would return to the Indy Lights Series for 2007 in a deal which saw him run for a team aligned to top IndyCar Series outfit Andretti Green Racing. Giving AFS Racing its first two pole positions in the team’s history (both road course and oval) Wade went on to finish 3rd in the Championship, second only in races led and laps led to Alex Lloyd.
2006 was a break out year for Wade in the stronger and more competitive Indy Lights Series. A threefold increase in prize money and the introduction of more road course races brought increased competition. A black flag penalty and an emergency appendectomy left Wade in 18th position and 100 points behind the lead after he missed two races. Fighting race by race Wade ended the year by giving Brian Stewart Racing it’s second consecutive Entrants title and the teams first victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he won the Freedom 100, although he missed out on the driver’s title himself. He led all drivers with 4 poles, 3 wins and most laps led (over 50% of all laps despite competing in only 10 of 12 events), finishing 3rd overall.
In 2005 Wade was given the chance to drive the #33 car for Canadian team Brian Stewart Racing. With no pre season testing Cunningham became a model for consistency and speed. He finished the year with 13 top 5 finishes in 14 starts, and every race inside the top 10. Wade wrapped up the title in style by clinching the race win at California Speedway.
Formula Ford 2000 (2004)
Wade’s debut year in formula car racing was in the Cooper Tires Zetec Championship (F2000), with no pre season testing Cunningham climbed to pole position at the opening round at the 12 Hours of Sebring. He went on to claim another four consecutive poles before officials cancelled one due to ‘tire irregularities’… ’04 yielded 7 podiums, fifth place in the championship and the circuit’s Rising Star Award, an industry accolade for a driver who shows the determination to become a future champion.
Karting (2003 – 1995)
For 2003 Wade was racing in the World’s premiere category, Formula A. Under the guidance of World Champion Terry Fullerton Cunningham steadily improved to become the World’s best.
In October 2003 in unequivocal fashion Wade led from lap 5 of the 35km final and claimed the World’s most prestigious kart race - the CIK-FIA World Karting Championships. In doing so he not only became New Zealand’s first and only World Karting Champion, but he became New Zealand’s second World Champion in a legitimate FIA World Championship. The first was Denny Hulme - 1967.
Cunningham beat many of motorsports top drivers. The class of 2003 was a who’s who of karting - 1998 / 2000 / 2004 World Champion Davide Fore, 2001 World Champion, 2004 F3000 Champion and now F1 driver Tonio Liuzzi, 2000 World Champion Reuben Carrapatoso, World Cup winner and former F1 driver for Jordan Giorgio Pantano, British FF Festival winner Jan Heylen and Japanese F3 Champion driver Ronnie Quintarelli.
