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INDY500, IRL: Big Field Ready for Greatest Spectacle in Racing

16 April 1999

INDIANAPOLIS - Past Indianapolis 500 champions Eddie Cheever Jr., Arie Luyendyk and Buddy Lazier lead the list of drivers who will fill 84 cars in an attempt to qualify for the 83rd Indianapolis 500 on May 30, Pep Boys Indy Racing League officials announced April 14.

Forty-six entries were received for the 33 spots in this year's Greatest Spectacle in Racing. The car count of 84 is up from last year, when 75 cars were entered.

Opening Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is scheduled for May 15, with Pole Day set for May 22. The field will be set on Bubble Day, May 23. Carburetion Day is May 27, with the 200-lap race starting at noon (EDT) May 30.

Cheever, from Orlando, Fla., earned the crowning achievement of his distinguished motorsports career by winning last year at Indianapolis. He will drive primary and backup Team Cheever-The Children's Beverage Group-Dallara Dallara/Infiniti/Goodyear cars.

Luyendyk, from Scottsdale, Ariz., will drive in his final Indianapolis 500 in primary and backup Sprint PCS-Meijer G Force/Aurora/Firestone cars fielded by Treadway Racing. Luyendyk, winner in 1990 and 1997, will retire from open-wheel racing after this event.

Lazier, from Vail, Colo., will drive his primary and backup Delta Faucet-Coors Light-Tae-Bo-Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear cars fielded by Hemelgarn Racing. He won in 1996, finished fourth in 1997 and was runner-up to Cheever last year.

Seven Indianapolis 500 rookies are entered in the field: Mike Borkowski (PDM Racing), Wim Eyckmans (Team Cheever), John Hollansworth Jr. (TeamXtreme Racing), Jaques Lazier (DR/Lazier Racing), Robby McGehee (Conti Racing), Jeret Schroeder (Cobb Racing) and Dave Steele (Panther Racing).

A.J. Foyt Enterprises and Hemelgarn Racing each entered six cars, more than any other team. Driving for Foyt will be defending Pep Boys Indy Racing League champion Kenny Brack, defending Indianapolis 500 PPG Pole Winner Billy Boat and a driver to be named. Lazier, Johnny Unser and a driver to be named will race for Hemelgarn.

Other notable entries are current league points leader Scott Goodyear and 1996-97 league champion Tony Stewart. Also entered are the last three Bank One Rookie of the Year Award winners, Steve Knapp (1998), Jeff Ward (1997) and Stewart (1996).

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