IRL: Time is ripe for Cheever to put Infiniti In the Win Column
26 August 1999
Colorado Springs, Colorado - At the June Pep Boys Indy Racing League race at Pikes Peak International Raceway, Eddie Cheever was well on his way to bringing Infiniti their first win, when a fuel pick-up problem, combined with a questionable yellow, led to the team's fourth place finish. Three months later, Eddie Cheever vows that he won't let this weekend's race slip through the hands of his #51 The Children's Beverage Group/Team Cheever Infiniti/Goodyear/Dallara team and the Infiniti engineers."I thought for sure that we were going to win that race," said the former Indy 500 winner of June's fourth place result. "Infiniti seems to instinctually understand what is required in high altitudes and I believe this is the race track that best suits the Infiniti Indy engine to date.."
"I've always felt that we have the best package to win and I believe that now more than ever as we've improved both our engine and tire programs," continued Cheever. "Goodyear and Infiniti have really made an extra effort over the past few races and with these two elements in place and no mistakes on our side, our formula should be magical."
With the 1-mile paved tri-oval superspeedway located 5,357 feet above sea level, Sunday's open wheel oval contest will not only be about points and pit strategy, but also about competing in rarified air.
"Pikes Peak is very quick, very smooth and very flat and the field should be a little bit faster than in June by one or two tenths," spoke Cheever of Sunday's 200-lap race. "However, the altitude will still play havoc. You really lose a little bit everywhere in a rarified environment like this.... engine, aerodynamics, the driver....that doesn't leave you with much left to win a race if you don't have a strategy to combat it all."
In one of the closest Championship Title races in recent memory, Cheever is still holding his own in sixth place, just 35 short points from Leader Scott Goodyear. Team Cheever is fifth overall.
"As we saw in Dover, one win and you can jump to the top of the heap," spoke Cheever of the Championship race, "We have no choice but to go for a win at every race. I truly believe that we have one of the best shots for victory at Colorado. "
The Colorado Indy 200 presented by Deloitte & Touche will be televised at 4pm EDT on Sunday, August 29th on FOX Sports Net. The PPG Pole Qualifier will be televised live on Speedvision on Saturday, August 28th at 2:30pm EDT.
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