INDY RACING: Cheever continues testing at Indy; Looks for second win

    INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2001 - Eddie Cheever Jr.
continued testing Oct. 31 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in
preparation for the 86th Indianapolis 500, doing further work on the
car's electronic systems.
    "We continued to work on the Magneti Marelli ECU and we did a
bunch of full tank running," said Cheever. "We're getting ready for our
simulation tomorrow."
    No speeds were available.
    Cheever will run a 500-mile simulation in his #51 Cheever Indy
Racing Dallara/Infiniti Firestone on Thursday. Today the team planned to
do a "Carburetion Day" test for the team, but that was cut short due to
an electrical problem. Coors Carb Day is traditionally the two-hour
final practice before Race Day at Indianapolis.
    "Good thing the race didn't start today because we wouldn't have
made it," Cheever said.
The 86th Indianapolis 500 will take place May 26, 2002.
    Cheever, the 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner, seeks to become the
16th driver to win the Indianapolis 500 more than once. The last driver
to score his second win was Arie Luyendyk in 1997. Cheever also could
become the first person to score two wins as an owner-driver. A.J. Foyt
won as an owner-driver in 1977, but was entered by Bignotti-Bowes Racing
when he won in 1961 and Ansted-Thompson Racing for his victories in 1964
and 1967.
    "I think the second one would mean more," Cheever said. "(In
1998) We were a new company, and we needed something big that would put
us on the map. It was very hard to compete against the Menard's, the
Kelley's and the Foyt's. They were a lot better financed than we were,
so we were like a band of pirates trying to storm the bay. We had all
these big teams around us and were lucky to break through.
    "My career the last 10 years has focused on the Indianapolis
500," Cheever said. "To win it again would be great."
Thursday's test will be the eighth time since the completion of the
Indianapolis 500 in May that Cheever Indy Racing will test at
Indianapolis, more than any other team.
Cheever indicated the team also plans to test at California Speedway in
Fontana, Calif., and Phoenix International Raceway later in the year.
Each of those tests most likely will include testing drivers for a
second Cheever Indy Racing car for the 2002 Indy Racing League season,
Cheever said.