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Indy Lights: Racing community gets head start on New Year's Eve celebrations

30 December 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

While the world is prepping for this weekend's Millennium New Year's Eve bash, the Indy Lights community got a head start on celebrating this season with two different parties earlier in December.

A special season-ending celebration was held at Dorricott-Mears Racing, in Bakersfield, California on Saturday, Dec. 4 where the team's outstanding season was given long-overdue recognition. The night was capped by the official presentation of several championship awards to Oriol Servia including the PPG Indy Lights Cup and an original painting by Jim Swintal. The artwork, depicting Servia's pole-winning qualifying lap at Detroit this past August, was presented by Dayton Tire Motorsports Manager Joe Barbieri who represented all Indy Lights sponsors at the event. Other notable attendees included Dayton Tire Engineer Keith Shrieve and Senior Chaplain Hunter Floyd and Indy Lights Chaplain Bob Pirtle of CART Ministries.

Casey Mears was presented with several awards including a trophy for second place in the championship and the $10,000 Bosch Platinum+4 Speedway Challenge for earning the most points in the year's six oval track events. Mears also accepted, on behalf of the United States, the Indy Lights Nation's Cup, which the U.S. captured for the first time. Mears, Geoff Boss, Cory Witherill and Andy Boss all contributed points as the U.S. topped nine other countries to win the prestigious award.

Philipp Peter was onhand to accept his trophy for third place in the championship while Bob Dorricott Sr. was presented with the Champion Team Owner Trophy. Team Crew Chief John Martin Jr. and Servia's Chief Mechanic Andrew Nagy were jointly presented with the Top Team Player Award as the personnel selected by the team that played the most significant role in the championship-winning effort. Servia's group was also acknowledged as the winners of the Fast Crew Award which went to the entry that was able to move its personnel, equipment and race car in and out of the pits the fastest before and after all on-track sessions throughout the season.

While the Dorricott-Mears party was taking place in California, a celebration of another kind was taking place that same night a few hundred miles away in Las Vegas. PacWest Lights Team Manager Paul "Ziggy" Harcus and the former Nicki Dager were being married at the Tropicana Hotel. Several members of the team attended the wedding where the celebration lasted well into the morning.

"Never in my life have I seen so many people spend so much money to go to a free party," Harcus said. "That's my team! A great time was had by all."

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.