NorthernLight IRL: Infiniti sits on front row of Casino Magic 500 starting lineup
10 June 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
FORT WORTH, Tex. -- Infiniti newcomer, Robbie Buhl, will start the Casino Magic 500 from the front row tomorrow, while Eddie Cheever Jr. will start from fifth place in his Infiniti. The starting grid was determined by Indy Racing Northern Light championship point standings, since rain washed out the scheduled qualifying session. The front-row effort marks Infiniti's best Indy Racing start, surpassing Cheever's fifth- place qualifying effort at this race last year.
Before the rain fell at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway, 17 drivers posted qualifying speeds. Since the entire field did not have a chance to qualify, the times were disregarded and the starting grid was determined by points. Robbie Buhl, who is currently second in the point standings, was 12th fastest of the 17 drivers with a 209.043 mph average speed in the No. 24 Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G Force-Infiniti. In the No. 51 Excite@Home Infiniti, fifth-place points holder Eddie Cheever was 13th fastest with a 209.035 mph speed.
The 208-lap Casino Magic 500 at Texas Motor Speedway will be broadcast live, June 10, on ESPN at 8 p.m. (EDT).
QUOTES
Robbie Buhl, No. 24 Team Purex/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G Force-Infiniti: "This is never the way you want to do it. Things come around full circle in racing. I have been on the other side of this situation when we didn't have any points at the Orlando race earlier this year. (Buhl started 22nd when a rain-out caused the Orlando starting grid to be determined by points. He eventually won the race.) If you look at the history of the Indy Racing series, especially this season, you will see that if you have a good team and you're working a good pit strategy it doesn't matter where you start--you've got a shot to win. The race is always a different story. (About Infiniti engine) The switchover to the Infiniti engine has been seamless. We are using the car that Steve Knapp finished the Indy 500 with, so it was already setup with the Infiniti motor. We have had no glitches, electronically or anything like that. It has been a smooth transition. We are just putting a fresh race motor in the car and hopefully we will get out to shake it down before the race. It's hard to say what's going to happen with this weather."
Eddie Cheever Jr., No. 51 Excite@Home Dallara-Infiniti: "The No. 51 Excite@Home Infiniti is good and it's easy to go flat all the way around. The bump in turn four isn't a problem. Actually, I'm glad it's there--it makes it more interesting. We seem to be good in traffic. It always plays a key in the race. I think you will see 210's (mph laps) and 212's (during the race)"
Frank Honsowetz, Infiniti Motorsports Manager: "Team Cheever and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing have worked hard all season to earn their standings in the top-five of the championship points, so in that respect they deserve to be starting in the top five. Of course, we would have preferred to earn our first front-row start on our own merits, but we can't control the weather. Eddie and Robbie are both strong racers and have shown they can run up front whether they start in the front or the rear of the pack. It's the race that counts, and we are looking forward to being in the position to win the first race with the Infiniti engine tomorrow."
STARTING LINEUP, TOP TEN
1. Buddy Lazier, #91 Dallara-Oldsmobile
*2. Robbie Buhl, #24 G Force-Infiniti
3. Scott Goodyear, #4 Dallara-Oldsmobile
4. Eliseo Salazar, #11 G Force-Oldsmobile
*5. Eddie Cheever Jr., #51 Dallara-Infiniti
6. Mark Dismore, #28 Dallara-Oldsmobile
7. Jeff Ward, #14 G Force-Oldsmobile
8. Donnie Beechler, #98 Dallara-Oldsmobile
9. Al Unser Jr., #3 G Force-Oldsmobile
10. Jeret Schroeder, Dallara-Oldsmobile
Text provided by Heather Handley
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