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IRL: McGehee, Schmidt, Schroeder nominated for F2000 honors

12 February 2000

Posted by Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Indy Racing drivers Robby McGehee and Jeret Schroeder and former Indy Racing standout Sam Schmidt were nominated for the U.S. F2000 Hall of Fame class for 2000.

McGehee jumped from the U.S. F2000 series to the Indy Racing League last May and earned Bank One Rookie of the Year honors in his Indy Racing debut, the Indianapolis 500. He finished runner-up in the points for league rookie of the year and now drives for Treadway Racing.

Schroeder, 1995 U.S. F2000 national champion, drove in the Indianapolis 500 last year and now has a full-time ride in the Northern Light Indy Racing Series with Tri Star Motorsports, partially owned by 1996-97 Indy Racing League champion Tony Stewart.

Schmidt finished fourth in the 1996 U.S. F2000 championship and then paved the way for many other drivers by jumping to the Indy Racing League in 1997. He finished a career-best fifth in the Indy Racing League point standings in 1999 but suffered paralysis from the neck down in a testing accident in January 2000.

Other nominees are Alex Barron, Mike Borkowski, Steve Challis and Memo Gidley. The 2000 Hall of Fame class will be announced after the first round of the U.S. F2000 season March 19 at Phoenix International Raceway.

1999 Indy Racing League champion Greg Ray and 1998 Indianapolis 500 Bank One Rookie of the Year Steve Knapp were in the inaugural Hall class last year.

Text provided by: IRL

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