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Indianapolis 500 Preview
Posted: Tuesday May 25, 1999 05:03 PM
Date: May 30, 1999 Site: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Race: No. 4 of 11 in the IRL season TV: ABC, Noon EDT Laps: 200 Track length: 2.5 miles Race length: 500 miles Banking: 9 degrees Qualifying record: Arie Luyendyk, 236.986 mph, 1996 Pole record: Scott Brayton, 233.718 mph, 1996 Race record: Arie Luyendyk, 185.981 mph, 1990
DRIVERS TO WATCHBilly Boat -- Captured his first career pole here last year, but was forced out due to mechanical problems and placed 23rd. Is currently sixth in the point standings after two top-10 Scores. Fourth was a best showing in Phoenix. Qualified third for Sunday's race. Kenny Brack -- Defending IRL champion has had a poor start this season. Results of 22nd and 24th, both due to accidents, places him outside the top 20. Started from the outside third spot of the front row last year and ran to a respectable sixth-place finish. This year he qualified eighth to start in the middle of Row 3. Eddie Cheever -- A hard-luck driver for much of his career, turned it around and enjoyed much success by winning last year's Indianapolis 500. Crew members from all race teams lined up to salute him on the drive to victory lane. Led six times for 77 laps to win by 3.1 seconds over 1996 champion Buddy Lazier. Will start 16th on Sunday. Started this year with a bang by winning at Walt Disney World. Is the only owner/driver on the circuit. Is third in the points battle with 63. Scott Goodyear -- Will he finally do it this year, can he claim that unfinished order of business. If he does, he will do it from the ninth position of the grid. After a close runner-up score in 1997, last season a clutch problem ended his day early and placed 24th. In 1995 he appeared to be a sure winner but a black flag for passing the pace car on lap 191 restart ended his bid for victory. The scoring was stopped on the car after lap 195. Furthermore, he finished second in the closest Indy 500 ever in 1992. The current IRL points leader (93) looks to be the early favorite following strong results in the first two races. Runner-up in the Indy 200 and a victory in the MCI 200. Davey Hamilton -- Improved last year to a fourth-place finish from a sixth position the previous season at Indianapolis. Was runner-up in the overall standings in the last two seasons -- to Tony Stewart in 1997 and Kenny Brack in 1998. Had nine top-10s in 11 races last season, but ended without Victory. Managed to get the middle of row 4 to start 11th. Buddy Lazier -- A slow start this year with finishes of 10th and 18th in the first two races. Usually performs well at Indianapolis. The 1996 champion will start 22nd. Had scored fourth in 1997 and second last season. His 32 points accumulated places him 11th in the standings. Arie Luyendyk -- Announced he will retire after the running of the 83rd Indianapolis 500, and will at least start it in style. Won the pole for the third time at the famed track. Will compete in car owned by Fred Treadway. Is the only driver to win the Indy 500 in both CART and IRL series. Is one of only 15 drivers to have won the race more than Once. Won from the pole in 1997. Has led 125 laps in 14 Starts. The Flying Dutchman holds four track records, highlighted by fastest qualifying mark of 237.498 mph set in 1996. Scott Sharp -- One of the candidates for the title. Finishes of fourth and eighth places him on track for the championship. Has 61 points, good for fourth in the standings. Was 16th in 1998, while the year before, he suffered a concussion in practice which put him out for two races. Has position six in the starting grid. Tony Stewart -- 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. He is supported by NASCAR team owner 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 -- After two races completed this year, ranks second in the driver points with 75 (the VisionAire 500 was not complete due to fatal accidents in the stands). Finishes of third at Orlando and second in Arizona. Ran 13th in last year's big race. Was Indy 500 Rookie of the Year in 1997 with his third place finish. Qualified 14th in the middle spot of row 5. 1998 Top Finishers
1. Eddie Cheever Jr. (51), Dallara-Aurora
Average Speed: 145.115 miles per hour
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