"Yesterday when we did four or five warmup laps to get ready for today, I wasn't all hte way through Turn 2 yet and I looked down the straight toward Turn 3 and I got on the radio and I said to the guys, 'You know something, it's really nice to be back.'

"We've had very limited testing, we've only put about 30, maybe 35 laps on it so far and I think we're going to do a total of 50 laps. We're just trying to find out some things about the car and make sure the systems are alright so when we come back we don't have any problems on opening week." April 18, 1997 after test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Toronto native has been racing since age nine. He won national and North American karting championships between 1969 and 1976.

By 1980 he'd entered the Formula Ford circuit, winning a Canadian Formula Ford championship. He continued capturing three consecutive Canadian Formula Ford titles.

Goodyear's first season in Indy cars came in 1987 when he started seven Indy Car races for Gohr Racing. In 1988 he returned to Rothmans Porsche Turbo Cup Series, winning three of eight races and championship. He resumed Indy car racing in 1989 with two starts, Toronto and Road America.

He also competed in three IMSA GTO races, driving for factory Audi Sport team; drove at LeMans in the Porsche Turbo Cup Invitational; and drove an IMSA GTP Corvette with Jacques Villeneuve in 1989.

Driving for Mackenzie Financial in 1990 he earned nine top-10 finishes in 16 events; was Voted Most Improved Driver by his Indy Car peers; finished 10th in his first Indy 500, then the highest finish for a Canadian; scored a career best finish of seventh at inaugural Vancouver event; and finished 13th in points.

With Shierson Racing the following year he recorded 10 point-paying finishes and started 12th at Indy, but finished 27th with engine problems.

Walker Racing got a new driver in 1992 as Goodyear joined the team. He climbed the podium for his first career Indy car victory, at the Michigan 500, and Walker Racing's first Indy car win.

Goodyear finished second, to Al Unser Jr., after starting last, in the closest Indianapolis 500 in history -- by 0.043 sec. He co-drove to second-place finish in Daytona 24-Hour race in a Jaguar XJR-12D.

His first career pole position came at Phoenix in 1993. He also got his second the same year at Vancouver. Earning 10 top-10 finishes in 16 races his best finish came at Nazareth with a second place. He finished ninth in points.

1994 brought his second career victory at Michigan. The following year he competed in three Indy Car events, Indianapolis, Mid-Ohio and Vancouver. He sat in the front row at Indy, third, with a qualifying speed of 230.759 mph. Leading for 42 laps he won the Fastest Lap Award.

Last season Goodyear competed on the Championship Auto Racing Team circuit with Walker Racing, but spent most of the season recovering from back injuries sustained during a qualifying accident at Brazil in March.

Indy Car Victories: 1992: Michigan 500; 1994: Michigan 500

Source: Speednet

High Resolution Scott Goodyear Drawing

Scott Goodyear Road Course (Canada)

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