Birthdate: Oct. 31, 1967, Vail, Colo. Residence: Vail, Colo. Ht./Wt.: 6-1, 180 Marital Status: Single IRL Races: 6 1996 IRL Rank: 14 1996 Prize Money: $1,446,854 Buddy Lazier Indianapolis "500" Record (Passed Driver's Test 1990) Speed Speed or Year Car Rank Qual. S F Laps Led Reason Out ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1991 Vail/Hemelgarn 15 218.692 23 33 1 Accident Turn 1 1992 Leader Card Lola 17 222.688 24 14 139 Engine 1995 Glidden/Quaker State 21 226.017 23 27 45 Fuel System 1996 Delta Faucet/Montana 9 231.468 5 1 200 43 147.956 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 4 Races 385 43
Lazier, winner of the 1996 Indy 500, was born October 31, 1967, in Vail Colorado. He rode a 125cc into the world of motorsports, capturing the Super Motocross Series championship title in 1985. He also ran in B.F. Goodrich Pro Formula Ford Series that year-scoring seven top-6 finishes. Before competing in the PPG Cup in 1990, he scored podium finishes in the SCCA Formula Vee Series and the Canadian-American Thundercar Series. In 1988, he won the Valvoline/Machinists American Indy Car Series-with six wins, two seconds and a fifth.
His first Indy appearance (1989) came to a crashing halt on the final qualification day. After a few more failed attempts, a 33rd and a 14th place finish in subsequent races, he won the prestigious championship race. On that memorable day in 1996, he took the final lead by passing Davy Jones on the front straight-away on lap 193, crossing the finish line.695 of a second before Jones.
Lazier has run mostly part-time PPG Cup schedules since 1990. He earned his best finish of seventh, at Michigan in 1991. He joined the IRL Series in 1996, where he won the pole at the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World and set a track record with a speed of 181.388 mph.
1996-97 IRL Season Results Event FP SP Laps Reason Out IRL PTS Prize Money ------------------------------------------------------------------- True Value 200 19 4 66 Accident 16 $34,000 Las Vegas 500K 24 4 35 Handling 11 $32,000 Indy 200 5 11 149 Running 30 $45,550 Phoenix 200 21 13 31 Engine 14 $34,000 -------------------------------------------------------------------
