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
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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
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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
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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
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