Birthdate: January 10, 1958, Phoenix, Ariz. Residence: Aspen, Colo. Ht./Wt.: 6-0, 170 Marital Status: Single Children: Estelle, Eddie III IRL Races: 5 1996 IRL Rank: 16 1996 Prize Money: $281,353 Eddie Cheever, Jr. Indianapolis "500" Record (Passed Driver's Test 1990) Car Speed Qual Laps Laps Speed or Year Name Rank Speed SP FP Comp Led Reason Out --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1990 Target Stores 15 217.926 14 8 193 -- Flagged 1991 Target/Scotch Video 20 218.122 10 31 17 -- Electrical 1992 Target/Scotch Video 2 229.639 2 4 200 9 Running (134.374) 1993 Glidden/Menard 31 217.599 33 16 197 -- Flagged 1994 Quaker State 15 223.163 11 8 197 -- Flagged 1995 Foyt Copenhagen 19 226.314 14 31 0 -- Accident Turn 1 1996 Quaker State Menards Special 7 231.781 4 11 189 -- Running ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 7 Races 993 9
Cheever was born January 10, 1958, in Aspen, Colorado. He drove his first race at Pista d'Oro in Rome, when he was 13 years old. At age 15, he won the International 100cc European and Italian Go-Kart championships. A year later, he finished second in the World Karting Championships. In 1974, he drove Formula Fords for the first time. In 1978, he made his Formula One debut in South Africa. He continued driving F-1s until 1989. During his eleven year span driving F-1s, his career-best finish of second, came in Detroit in 1982, driving for Ligier and in Canada in 1983, driving for Renault. His best season came while driving for Renault in 1983-when he finished the series in sixth place.
In 1986, Cheever made his debut in the PPG Cup, driving for the Arciero time in Miami. A crash on the third lap ended his day. In 1990, he ran a full circuit with the series, winning a Rookie of the Year award and finishing ninth in series points. He continued racing in the PPG Cup until 1995, winning his career- best finish of second, at Phoenix, in 1992. He tied his rookie season point standings in 1991, earning his career-best finish of ninth once again.
Cheever passed the Indianapolis "500" driver's test in 1990. He qualified for his first "500" with a speed of 217.926 mph. He was flagged after completing 193 laps in eighth place. So far, his career best finish at the Indy came in 1992. He chased the leader, Michael Andretti, until the halfway point, before slipping into a fourth place finish. In 1996, he ran 22 of the fastest 50 laps in the entire race. In addition, he set an all time, race record lap of 236,103 mph on his 78th lap. When the 1996/1997 IRL season began, Cheever was a first-time driver and owner. He earned his first victory in an Indy-style car at Orlando, collecting $170,000 for the victory.
1996-97 IRL Season Results Event FP SP Laps Reason Out IRL PTS Prize Money ------------------------------------------------------------------- True Value 200 15 8 166 Running 20 $38,000 Las Vegas 500K 25 27 27 Accident 10 $32,000 Indy 200 1 5 149 Running 35 $170,000 Phoenix 200 12 7 120 Over Heating 23 $45,050 -------------------------------------------------------------------
