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IRL: Ray Claims Pikes Peak's Radisson 200 by .120-Second Over Schmidt

28 June 1999

FOUNTAIN, Colo., - Greg Ray claimed his first Pep Boys Indy Racing League victory by beating Sam Schmidt by .120 of a second to win the Radisson 200 on Sunday at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

"After I saw the checkered flag I wanted to stop and cry," said Ray. "This is a great series. These cars are fun and I love to drive ovals. We gritted our teeth in the past and ran without money. But it's great to see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

Ray, from Plano, Texas, and Schmidt battled throughout the entire event as the lead changed hands between the pair six times. Ray took the lead from Schmidt for the last time on Lap 178 on the 1-mile tri-oval in the Glidden-Menards Dallara/Aurora/Firestone.

"When Sam and I were out there, we were clearly faster than everyone," Ray said. "But there were times when Sam was in the lead that he disappeared, and sometimes I was able to pull ahead. With 15 laps to go, I was just cruising with Cheever and Lazier. All of the sudden there was Sam again."

Ray, who also won the PPG Pole award, earned $146,300 for the victory. His average speed was 134.111 mph, and he led four times for 109 laps. It was also the fifth Pep Boys Indy Racing League win for Team Menard.

Davey Hamilton recorded his best finish of the season, claiming third after starting ninth in the Galles Racing Spinal Conquest Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. Hamilton made a strong run to the finish after stalling during his last pit stop on Lap 167.

1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr. finished fourth in The Children's Beverage Group-Team Cheever Dallara/Infiniti/Goodyear, which is his best finish since switching to Infiniti power.

Buddy Lazier finished fifth in the Delta Faucet-Coors Light-Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. Lazier battled back after losing a lap when the yellow came out while pitting to finish on the led lap.

Ray moved from eighth to third in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League points.

Defending event and series champion Kenny Brack finished seventh in the A.J. Foyt PowerTeam Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear. He lost a lap during a pit stop on Lap 87 when the PowerTeam crew was forced to use a manual jack after an air jack malfunction.

Scott Goodyear remains on top of the Pep Boys Indy Racing League points after fighting an ill-handling car to finish 12th in the Pennzoil Panther G Force/Aurora/Goodyear.

The next Pep Boys Indy Racing League event is the Kobalt Mechanics Tools 500 presented by MCI WorldCom on July 17 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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