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Indianapolis 500 Driver Profiles
The following are driver profiles for the 83rd Indianapolis 500 scheduled for May 30 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
Billy Boat
Chassis: Dallara Engine: Aurora Tires: Goodyear
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 14 9
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 23 4
Boat hopes for better luck this year after being forced out
last year due to mechanical problems and struggled to 23rd
place. Won the pole in 1998 and qualified third this year.
Boat is sixth in the point standings after two top-10 results,
with his best showing a fourth-place finish at Phoenix.
Kenny Black
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 5 22
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 21 24
The defending IRL champion has had a poor start this season with accidents pushed him to finishes of 22nd and 24th. Ran well in qualifying for an eighth-place start in the middle of Row 3. Last year started third and drove to a sixth-place finish.
Eddie Cheever
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 13 1
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 18 17
Cheever turned years of frustration into a lifetime of glory
last year by winning last year's Indy 500. The win was popular
with fans and fellow racers. He won by a more than three
seconds over Buddy Lazier. Started the season off with
a bang by winning at Walt Disney World. The only owner/driver
on the circuit and one of the few in racing. Led for 21 laps
at Phoenix until he entangled in an accident with Lazier and
finished 17th. Will start race from the 16th position in row 6.
Is third in the points battle with 63.
Mark Dismore
Chassis: Dallara Engine: Aurora Tires: Goodyear
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 10 6
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 2 7
A former go-karting champion, Dismore started the year
strong with good runs at both races in Florida and Arizona.
Did not complete the race in 1998 after an accident took
him out. Qualified a strong fifth and along with teammate
Scott Sharp (sixth) is in position to do well on Sunday.
Scott Goodyear
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 4 2
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 3 1
The current points leader is the hottest driver in the series
at the moment. Has an 18-point lead over Jeff Ward after two
races, a win and a runner-up. Has come close twice before at
Indy without winning, including the closest finish ever in
1992. Qualified ninth after running among top 10 fastest
drivers in practice. The victory in Phoenix over Ward by
almost five seconds, was the first of his IRL career.
Davey Hamilton
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 20 8
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 27 27
Had good runs in the Indianapolis 500 the last two years.
Improved the sixth-place finish in 1997 to fourth last
year. Is winless in IRL, but somehow found way to finish
runner-up in the overall standings in the last two seasons.
Will start from the 11th spot in the middle of row 4.
Buddy Lazier
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 8 10
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 15 18
Has been hampered by poor results in his first two outings.
Was leading the ill-fated race at Charlotte when it was
stopped. Lazier won the 1996 Indy 500 while still recovering
from a back injury following a crash. Tends to perform well
here, shown by last year's runner-up score to Eddie Cheever.
Was also fourth two years ago. Although ran in the top 10 in
practice, only qualified 22nd.
Arie Luyendyk
Chassis: G-Force Engine: Aurora Tires: Firestone
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World - -
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix - -
Will start his final IRL race from the pole after pushing
his G Force-Aurora to the limit to earn the top spot with
a four-lap average of 225.179 mph. It is his third front
position start at Indianapolis. Has earned $5,207,421 in
14 starts at Indy. Is a two-time winner of the premier race,
one from the pole in 1997. His first win was in 1990. Has
led 125 laps at the track and owns four major records,
including the one-lap and four-lap qualifying marks. He has
been named most popular driver for two consecutive years.
Three of his seven career wins came in the IRL series.
Retires after 166 races.
Greg Ray
Chassis: Dallara Engine: Aurora Tires: Firestone
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 2 21
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 1 21
Ray hopes he can last a little longer in the Indy 500 than
he has in the first two events of the season. Had mechanical
problems at Walt Disney World and was knocked out in Phoenix
with an accident. Established himself as the favorite to win
the pole, being the only driver to eclipse the 227 mph mark
and as the fastest in practice most week. Could not overtake
Arie Luyendyk in qualifying and will start second with a
speed of 225.073. Placed 18th in last year's race after
developing gear box problems.
Scott Sharp
Chassis: Dallara Engine: Aurora Tires: Goodyear
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 1 4
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 6 8
Top candidate for the IRL title and has been consistent after
the first two races. Started from the pole in Florida and
placed fourth, followed by a sixth spot start in Phoenix and
an eighth position score. Qualified sixth here on Saturday,
to start from the outside of row 2. Has 61 points, placing
him fourth in the standings. Suffered concussion during 1997
practice and did not participate.
Tony Stewart
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World - -
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix - -
The 1996-97 IRL champion, who has been competing full time on
the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit this year, will run the Indy 500
as a one time arrangement. Is supported by NASCAR team owner
and former NFL coach Joe Gibbs and sponsor Home Depot; will
attempt to become the first driver in history to complete
all 1,100 miles of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600
on the same day; he will fly to Charlotte for Sunday evening's
600-mile race; ran well in practice leading up to qualifying,
but only grabbed position 24; dropped out of last year's race
early with a blown engine and finished last.
Jeff Ward
1999 Event Summary
Start Finish
Indy 200 at Walt Disney World 6 3
Dura-Lube 200 at Phoenix 5 2
Ranks second with 75 points in the standings after a runner-up
and a third place score in the first two races. Is one of the
favorites to capture this year's Memorial Day title. The former
AMA MotoCross champion, was 13th in last year's race. Placed
third in the Indy 500 in 1997 and was named Rookie of the Year
as he worked his way up from 27th starting position. Qualified
14th in the middle spot of row 5.
© Copyright 1999 washingtonpost.com |
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