Robbie Buhl earned his first Indy Racing League
triumph in 1997 at Loudon, N.H. Ran second at Pikes
Peak in 1998. Won Indy Lights title in 1992, Barber
Saab championship in 1989. Co-drove to GTS victory
in 24 Hours of Daytona in 1993. Qualified for last three
Indy 500s.
Buhl returned to the IRL in 1998 with the team that
won the IRL championship and a first-row starting spot at Indy in '97, Team
Menard. Buhl could have easily be a top driver for any other team, but he
seemed comfortable running in the shadow of IRL star Tony Stewart.
The highlight of Buhl's 1996-97 season came at the Pennzoil 200 in Loudon,
N.H. In his first race back after a nasty testing crash at Pikes Peak International
Raceway, Buhl held off Vincenzo Sospiri at the checkered flag for a win in the
closest finish in IRL history -- .064 seconds. Buhl started the season with Beck
Motorsports before moving to Team Menard for the remainder of the season. He
ran strong in the Indianapolis 500 before an untimely pit stop put him one lap
down; he finished in eighth. He also ran strong at Las Vegas, finishing third. For
the season he finished in 13th with 170 points.
Buhl began racing Formula Fords in England in 1984 and drove in the Sports
Renault and Formula 2000 series in 1985-86. He won the Barber Saab Pro Series
title in 1989, setting records for wins (7) and poles (6). He finished fourth in the
American Racing Series in 1990 and won the Indy Lights series championship in
1992.
Buhl started racing Indy cars in 1993. He passed his Indy 500 rookie test in 1993
but crashed twice and did not qualify. He returned to Indy Lights where he set
track records at Detroit, Milwaukee and New Hampshire in 1995.
In 1996, Buhl joined Greg Beck for a venture in the new Indy Racing League. He
qualified 23rd for the Indy 500 and finished ninth. He ended up third in the
abbreviated first IRL season.
Sources: Star/News and SpeedNet staff reports.
