IRL: No Points or Prize Money to be Awarded for Cancelled Event at Charlotte
8 May 1999
League to cover team, driver expensesINDIANAPOLIS - The Pep Boys Indy Racing League will issue no points or official prize money to the teams and drivers that competed in the canceled VisionAire 500 on May 1 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, League Executive Director Leo Mehl announced today.
The League will pay a specified amount to each owner and driver to help cover expenses incurred for the event.
Each owner will receive an expense check of $17,500 per entry. In addition, the entry fee of $5,000 will either be refunded or canceled for each owner's entry.
Each driver will receive an expense check for $2,500. League officials are also discussing an adjustment to the contractual sanction fee with Lowe's Motor Speedway..
The VisionAire 500 was canceled after 79 of 208 laps due to three spectator fatalities and eight spectator injuries caused by debris that entered the Turn 4 grandstands during an on-track accident on Lap 59.
Since the event was incomplete and canceled as per League Rule 1.1, no winner is designated.
Pep Boys Indy Racing League and Lowe's Motor Speedway officials are continuing their investigation of the accident and plan to reveal their findings next week.
Lowe's Motor Speedway is refunding all ticket money or, upon fan request, donating the money to a trust fund established for the victims' families.
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