Arie Luyendyk captured the '98 Indy Racing League season finale and then announced the '99 Indy 500 would be his last drive. The two-time Indy winner scored his first triumph in 1990 and edged teammate Scott Goodyear by .057 of a second in '97. Won pole at Indy in '93 and owns one and four-lap IMS records.

Luyendyk is one of the elite in the IRL for several reasons. First, no IRL driver has more experience or success in Indy cars than he does. Next, he has two Indianapolis 500 victories in his pocket. Finally, his top-flight team (Treadway Racing) is now a one-car effort -- with plenty of time and money from Sprint PCS, Radio Shack and Qualcomm to put him consistently up front.

Luyendyk survived a roller coaster 1996-97 season. He was the only repeat winner in the 10-race season, but finished in sixth place in the championship after early exits at Orlando, Phoenix, Pikes Peak, Charlotte and Las Vegas. The high point of the season came at Indianapolis, where the Flyin' Dutchman won from the pole position, his second Indy 500 win (1990). Luyendyk backed it up with a win at Texas in June, but not until he protested the original results to league officials and in victory lane, where Boat's car owner A.J. Foyt slapped him to the ground. From that point, Luyendyk had a good finish only at New Hampshire (3rd).

Luyendyk began his racing career in the European Formula Vee Series in 1972. He won the Super Vee championship in 1984.

Luyendyk's first Indy 500 start came in 1985. He finished seventh and earned Rookie of the Year honors. He crashed out of the 1986 race but still finished 15th. In 1987 a suspension problem relegated him to 18th after a seventh-place start, but he persevered in '88 and finished 10th after starting sixth. His 1989 race was cut short by engine problems; he finished 15th.

It was 1990 that was Luyendyk's breakthrough year. He placed the Domino's Pizza Hot One on the outside pole starting position. On Lap 168 he took the lead from Bobby Rahal and never looked back. He still holds the all-time race record at 185.981 mph. It was the first of three Indy-car victories before joining the IRL.

In 1991 Luyendyk finished third, one lap down. The next year saw him crash while running near the lead; he finished 15th. In 1993 he qualified on the pole with a great late-day run; he finished a close second to Emerson Fittipaldi in an unusually competitive race.

Luyendyk came with an underfunded effort to Indy in 1994, starting eighth and finishing 18th. The next year was better; he ran for Team Menard, putting the car in the middle of the front row. He barely finished on the lead lap, in seventh place.

Luyendyk set the one- and four-lap records at IMS in 1996 -- a record that will stand for a long time. After 1996, non-turbocharged cars were used at IMS, making his qualifying average of 236.986 mph unreachable in the near future. However, he finished the race in 16th after a warm-up-lane tangle with Eliseo Salazer.

Sources: Star/News and SpeedNet staff reports.