Stewart Opens Defense of IRL Title With Victory at Indy 200
24 January 1998
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Stewart stalked Dismore for 26 laps before driving his Menard/Glidden G Force/Aurora under Dismore in Turn 1 of lap 196 on the 1-mile tri-oval. Dismore inherited the lead on lap 169 of the 200-lap event when leader Buddy Lazier and Stewart pitted for fuel and tires. Dismore gambled, hoping he could stretch his fuel mileage until the end of the race.
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"Our car was really good in turn one and two, so I just worked on timing to try and get him," Stewart said. "I just kept looking for lapped cars and thinking this might be the one. I could write a book about all the close calls I had today."
Stewart, who earned $121,250, led five times for 132 laps. But it appeared that Lazier might have the superior car when he passed Stewart on lap 132. Lazier led by nearly a second on lap 165 when he crashed in turn one.
"I was just coming up on a lapped car, and it took the air off the wing," Lazier said. "I got halfway out, then I put the fuel back on, and I couldn't catch it."
Four cars were on the lead lap at the finish, and 15 of the 28 starters were running. Defending event champion Eddie Cheever Jr. finished 24th after an engine fire eliminated him after 48 laps. Cheever was unhurt.
The next Pep Boys Indy Racing League event is March 22 at Phoenix International Raceway.
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