NorthernLight IRL: Simon enters second car; Eyskmans returning to Indy to drive
1 April 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
INDIANAPOLIS- Dick Simon Racing filed a second entry for the 84th Indianapolis 500, as Wim Eyckmans will be a teammate to Stephan Gregoire at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing on May 28.
Eyckmans, from Belgium, will drive the #77 Dick Simon Racing-Beaulieu of America-Millennium Gate-EGP G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone. The team also has entered a backup car for Eyckmans. John Martin is chief mechanic, and Emmanuel Lupe is team manager.
Dick Simon Racing filed its first entry Feb. 24. Gregoire, the teams regular driver in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series, will drive the #7 Mexmil-Tokheim-Viking Air Tools-Dick Simon Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone car.
Eyckmans, 27, qualified 29th and finished 23rd as a rookie last May at Indianapolis, driving for Team Cheever as a teammate to 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr. Eyckmans completed 113 laps before a timing chain broke, ending his race.
Eyckmans has extensive open-wheel experience, including starts in F3000 and Indy Lights.
Practice starts May 13 for the Indianapolis 500, with Pole Day May 20. The entry deadline is midnight April 12. All entrants will compete for one of the 33 starting spots in the worlds most prestigious auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The posted purse for last years event was $9,047,150, an all-time motorsports record.
Text provided by Paul Kelly
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