Birthdate: May 2, 1971, Denver, Colo. Residence: Denver, Colo. Ht./Wt.: 6-0, 165 Marital Status: Single IRL Races: 7 1996 IRL Rank: 1 (Tied with Scott Sharp) 1996 Prize Money: $376,553 Buzz Calkins Indianapolis "500" Record (Passed Driver's Test 1996) Car Speed Qual Laps Laps Speed or Year Name Rank Speed SP FP Comp Led Reason Out --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1996 Bradley Food/Hoosier Lottery 14 229.013 9 17 144 -- Engine --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 1 Race 144
Calkins was born May 2, 1971, in Denver, Colorado. He began his professional racing career competing in motocross and go-kart events, winning two runner-up positions in 1986: in the Yamaha 100cc Junior Class and Colorado IKAC go-karts. The next year, he won the championship battle in the Colorado IKAC go-karts. In 1989, he stepped up to Formula Fords, finishing as runner-up in the Rocky Mountain Division SCCA's Formula Ford Championship.
By 1990, he moved up to championship status: in the SCCA Formula Ford Rocky Mountain Division; he set records at Elkhart Lake, Heartland Park and Texas World Speedway. In 1993, he joined the Indy Lights Series. Beginning with a best finish of fourth at Milwaukee his rookie year, he worked his way up to a sixth place finish in series points by 1995. In 1996, he captured the Inaugural Indy 200 at Walt Disney World in the IRL. He finished his first season with IRL in the number one position, sharing the series championship with Scott Sharp (each capped the season with 246 points).
1996-97 IRL Season Results Event FP SP Laps Reason Out IRL PTS Prize Money ------------------------------------------------------------------- True Value 200 2 10 200 Running 33 $87,250 Las Vegas 500K 6 16 197 Running 29 $47,500 Indy 200 11 3 144 Engine 24 $54,200 Phoenix 200 8 22 187 Running 27 $52,100 -------------------------------------------------------------------
