Arie Luyendyk to retire
Two-time Indy 500 winner to try one more Indy run in '99
Posted: Friday November 20, 1998 06:55 PM
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Luyendyk, who still holds the record for the fastest race at Indianapolis, said he wants to spend more time with his family AP |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Arie Luyendyk says he will try for a third
Indianapolis 500 win before stepping out of the open-wheel cockpit
for good next year.
The 45-year-old driver, a native of the Netherlands and a
longtime resident of the United States, announced Friday that he
will drive only that one more race in May before retiring from Indy
car competition.
Luyendyk went through a frustrating 1998 season during which he
was often uncompetitive and didn't win until the last race, in Las
Vegas.
Prior to that victory, his fourth in the Indy Racing League,
Luyendyk indicated many times he was considering retirement,
although he was uncertain if he would simply retire or cut back on
his schedule. Luyendyk, who still holds the record of the fastest race at
Indianapolis, said he wants to spend more time with his family.
"When you are committed to a team as a driver for an entire
season, you are committed every day of the year," he said. "The
work doesn't start with practice on Friday and end with the race on
Sunday. There is the travel, the testing and the appearances. Even
when I'm at home, I'm working out, busy on the phone and thinking
about the business of racing."
Luyendyk will again drive at Indy for Fred Treadway. There was
no immediate word from Treadway about replacing Luyendyk for the
other 10 races in the IRL series. Luyendyk said the timing is right for his decision, saying he wanted to help his 17-year-old son, Arie Jr., with his racing.
"I've been thinking about this for quite some time," he said. "I know
there has been some speculation about my plans and, rather than
have people guess, I wanted to be honest with everyone, especially
the fans."
Treadway said he and Luyendyk knew the day would come when he
would step out of the car.
"Regrettably, that day is here," the owner said. "However, he
will continue to be an asset to our team, working with our drivers
and sponsors."
The retirement of Luyendyk will leave the 3-year-old IRL with a
handful of young stars, but without a real marquee attraction.
Luyendyk was easily the biggest name to remain with the new series
when the established teams of CART chose to boycott the IRL.
"I have worked with the IRL quite a bit to help promote the
series and I've kind of become an ambassador of the IRL in a
certain way," Luyendyk said in an interview in September. "But I
don't feel like I'm responsible, that I should keep on racing until
the IRL is firmly established."
During his career, Luyendyk drove in 166 Indy car races and won
seven times. He also was part of the winning teams in the 1989 12
Hours of Sebring and 1998 24 Hours of Daytona sports car endurance
races, and said he might continue to race in selected sports car
events after the 1999 Indy 500.
Luyendyk debuted at Indianapolis in 1985, and finished seventh
to earn rookie of the year honors. He started third in the 1990
race, led 37 laps and set the race record of 185.981 mph, which is
still among the fastest 500-mile events ever run.
He also started and finished first at Indy in 1997 to become one
of only 15 drivers to have won the Memorial Day Weekend classic
more than once in the 82 years it has been run.
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