INDY 500: Infiniti-Powered Buhl Challenges For Indy 500 Victory
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
May 27, 2001
Indianapolis, Ind. (May 27, 2001) -- Infiniti driver Robbie Buhl was a serious contender for the Indianapolis 500 victory, but spun-out during his attempt to pass eventual winner Helio Castroneves for the lead on lap 166 of the 200-lap race.
Buhl, who qualified ninth, was one of the quickest cars of the day in the No. 24 Team Purex/Dreyer & Reinbold Infiniti, running most of his race in the top ten. He was in second place when the race was stopped on lap 155 due to rain. When the race restarted 17 minutes later, Buhl started to place serious pressure on race leader Helio Castroneves. On lap 166, he attempted to pass Castroneves for the lead, but the car got loose and he spun out. Avoiding any serious damage to the car, Buhl was able to finish the race in 16th place.
Eddie Cheever Jr., who started 25th, ran as high as 10th in the No. 51 Excite@Home Infiniti, but was sidelined after 108 laps due to electrical problems.
Scott Goodyear's day ended on lap eight when Sarah Fisher spun in front of him, causing him to crash. Goodyear was taken to Methodist Hospital and is in good condition with a fractured lower back.
Next on the schedule, the Indy Racing Northern Light Series visits Texas Motor Speedway on June 9 for the Casino Magic 500 night race.
QUOTES
Robbie Buhl, No. 24 Team Purex/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G Force-Infiniti: "I am frustrated. The Purex Dreyer & Reinbold crew gave me a car that could win. The Infiniti power was doing just what it has been doing in practice. Everything was spot on. The one question we had with the motor was that in the short time we've had it, we haven't had a lot of long runs. But the reliability of the engine today was fantastic. When I spun out there, I didn't spin trying to hold on, I spun trying to go for the lead. I don't have any regrets for that. That's why we were there, to get in the lead and win the Indy 500. I think once we got in front of him (Helio Castroneves) we would have stayed in front of him. At the time when that happened there was a car right in front of Castroneves, so I dropped a gear and this was going to be my run. I just got a little loose. Fortunately we didn't do too much damage to the car, and we were able to finish. This car and the Infiniti engine had a shot at winning the Indy 500 today. For sure."
Eddie Cheever Jr., No. 51 Excite@Home Dallara-Infiniti: "It's very frustrating. It has not been a good month for us, much less a good race. We're not sure what our problem was but it was something electrical. We did a lot of work and the car was good. It's very disappointing because we were running well and everyone has worked a lot of long nights for a long time. You have to remember that this Infiniti Indy 35A is just three months old. The guys on the team and at Infiniti have put a lot of effort into this. We just have to pick up the pieces and head to Texas. I am very sorry that Scott got caught up in that accident at the beginning. I think he would have had a great race. But this is racing, and you have to take the good with the bad. Right now we just have a big chunk of the bad."
Scott Goodyear, No. 52 Thermos Grill2Go Cheever Indy Racing Dallara-Infiniti: "I was very pleased with how the No. 52 Thermos Grill2Go Infiniti was running. The car was sliding a little bit through the turns at the beginning, so I was just waiting for the tire temperatures to come up. Unfortunately, when the No. 15 car spun in front of me, I had nowhere to go except into the wall. It's a shame because everyone on the Thermos Grill2Go Infiniti team has done a tremendous job all month. I was very confident that we would have been there at the end of the race."
Text provided by Heather Handley
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