Indy 200 at Walt Disney World FAST FACTS
12 January 1998
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If 1996-97 IRL Series Champion Tony Stewart leads 96 laps of the Indy 200, he will be the first IRL competitor to have lead 1,000 laps of IRL competition. Stewart currently leads the all-time laps lead list with 904.
Several new teams will debut at the Indy 200. Among them is Panther Racing, which features sponsor Pennzoil and driver Scott Goodyear. The team is co-owned primarily by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh, Indianapolis television producer Terry Lingner and Indianapolis businessman Gary Pedigo. Other new teams include Kelley Racing, owned by Tom Kelley of Fort Wayne, Ind., and ISM Racing, which will field a car for Jeff Ward. Kelley Racing's drivers for 1998 include Mark Dismore and Scott Sharp. Sharp drove for A.J. Foyt in 1997.
Davey Hamilton will drive for Nienhouse Motorsports on the 1998 IRL circuit. Hamilton finished a close second to Tony Stewart in the 1996-97 IRL championship. Nienhouse Motorsports is, technically speaking, another new team on the circuit. Rick Galles recently sold his team to Chicago businessman Bob Nienhouse. Galles will continue to run the team out of his Albuquerque, N.M., shop, and his son Jamie will be team manager.
Look for A.J. Foyt's 1998 driver Billy Boat to be a major contender throughout the season. Boat, a Phoenix, Ariz., resident, earned a full-time ride with Foyt's team based on a number of strong performances
Billy Boat At Indy, 1997
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Notable modifications have taken place on the IRL cars for 1998, particularly in the airbox and cockpit areas, to enhance driver safety. The airbox has been raised by two inches, giving the driver more protection in the head area. Additional crushable material has been added to the side pods and padding in the seats and head rests will help absorb energy in the event of a crash as well. Modifications to the bell housing, gearbox and attenuator for enhanced safety continue as well.
In addition, a vertical fin has been added to the engine cowl to provide a more visible place for the car number. This addition has been named the "fan fin," as it will allow for easier identification of the cars from the grandstands.
Despite the many changes at other IRL teams, Team Menard, the 1996-97 season champions with driver Tony Stewart, will start the new year with basically the same personnel as last year. Stewart and teammate Robbie Buhl drive cars No. 1 and 3, respectively, with G-Force chassis, Aurora Indy power and Firestone tires. Stewart won his first IRL race last June at the Samsonite 200 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Buhl captured his first IRL victory last August at the Pennzoil 200 at New Hampshire Int'l Speedway.
WHAT: Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway Presented by Aurora
1998 Indy Racing League Series event no. 1
WHERE: Walt Disney World Speedway, Lake Buena Vista,
Fla. One-mile oval
Located just inside the main gate of Walt Disney World
WHEN: Saturday, January 24, 1998, 12:30 p.m. EST
DISTANCE: 200 Laps, 200 Miles
POSTED AWARDS: $1.1 million
CARS: Dallara, G-Force and Riley & Scott chassis,
Oldsmobile Aurora V8 and
Nissan Infiniti Indy V8 engines
TICKETS & GENERAL INFORMATION: (407) 939-8252 (WDWS);
(407) 839-3900 (Ticketmaster)
TV: Speedvision, Friday, January 23, Noon EST (Live)
Indy Racing League Indy 200
qualifying with commentators Gary Lee, Derek Daly and Calvin Fish
ABC Sports, Saturday, January 24, 12:30 p.m. EST (Live) Indy 200 at Walt
Disney World Speedway Presented by
Aurora with commentators Paul Page, Tom Sneva, Jack Arute and Gary
Gerould
RADIO: IMS Radio Network, Saturday, January 24, 12:30
p.m. EST (Live) Indy 200 at Walt Disney
World Speedway Presented by Aurora with commentators Bob Jenkins, Gary
Lee, Vince Welch, Mark Jaynes and Bob Lamey
SCHEDULE of EVENTS:
Wednesday, January 21
Noon The 200 Drive for Kids, Charity Golf Outing -
Osprey Ridge
Benefiting the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women
and Children
Thursday, January 22
9 a.m. Track opens to public
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Indy Racing League practice
1- 2 p.m. US F2000 practice
2:15 - 3:15 p.m. IRL practice
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. US F2000 Single Car qualifying (Top 20 positions)
8 p.m. IRL Indy 200 qualifying draw
Downtown Disney Pleasure Island
Friday, January 23
8 a.m. Track opens to public
9 - 10:40 a.m. IRL practice
11 - 11:30 a.m. US F2000 qualifying race (20 laps for last 16 positions)
Noon - 2 p.m. IRL single car qualifying
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. US F2000 race (50 laps)
4 - 4:30 p.m. IRL final practice
4:45 - 5:45 p.m. IRL Autograph Session
Infield Garage Area
Saturday, January 24
8 a.m. Track opens to public
11:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies and Driver introductions
12:40 p.m. Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway
Presented by Aurora (200 laps)
3 p.m. Joie Chitwood's Chevy Thunder Show
9 p.m. Victory Party - Downtown Disney Pleasure Island
IRL OFFICIAL TRACK RECORDS:
Qualifying:
Buddy Lazier, 19.847 sec., 181.388 mph (using old engine/chassis formula)
Tony Stewart, 21.685 sec., 166.013 mph (with new IRL engine/chassis
formula)
Race:
Buzz Calkins, 1 hour, 33 minutes, 30.748 sec., avg. speed 128.325 mph
TRACK FACTS:Walt Disney World Speedway (WDWS) is an oval speedway with turns banked from 7 to 10 degrees. The front straight is 910 feet long, while the mid-straight is 1,023 feet and the back straight is 572 feet. WDWS opened in 1996 by hosting the first-ever Indy Racing League event, the inaugural Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway presented by Aurora, on January 27. The speedway is located adjacent to the main entrance of Disney's Magic Kingdom, with temporary seating for 45,000 spectators. In addition to the Indy 200 IRL event, WDWS stages the Chevy Trucks Challenge, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event, a US F2000 race, and new for 1998, USAC Silver Crown Series competition.
Editors Note: The images displayed in this article (plus many more) can be viewed in the Visions Of Speed Art Gallery and The Racing Image Galleries from The Callahan Racing Page.