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INDY 500: Coors Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge Grows to Include 12 Teams

2 May 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
INDIANAPOLIS - Twelve Indy Racing Northern Light Series teams will participate in the Coors Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge on May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, up from eight teams in the past.

The winning team in the annual contest during Coors Carburetion Day will earn $42,500, with $5,000 of that total donated to a charity designated by the winners. The runner-up team will earn $12,500 from the total event purse of $80,000.

The contest is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. (EST).

In each round of the Challenge, teams will change all four tires on the car while making a simulated fuel hose connection to the fuel tank for at least five seconds. The faster team in each pairing will advance until the top two teams meet in the final.

Pairings will be determined by a blind draw. The four teams that draw positions 1-4 will receive a first-round bye. The eight remaining teams will compete in Round 1.

Nine teams already have earned a spot in the Challenge due to winning the Coors Light Pit Performance Award - recording the fastest pit stop of the race - at the seven 1999 Indy Racing Northern Light Series events after the Indianapolis 500 and the three events so far this season. The teams:

  • Team Menard (Car #1, driver Greg Ray)
  • Panther Racing (Car #4, driver Scott Goodyear)
  • Treadway Racing (Car #5, driver Robby McGehee)
  • Kelley Racing (Car #8, driver Scott Sharp)
  • A.J. Foyt Enterprises (Car #14, driver Jeff Ward)
  • Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (Car #24, driver Robbie Buhl)
  • Kelley Racing (Car #28, driver Mark Dismore)
  • Team Cheever (Car #51, driver Eddie Cheever Jr.)
  • Team Pelfrey (Car #81, driver Billy Boat)

The three remaining spots will be filled during the 84th Indianapolis 500. One spot will go to the fastest first-day qualifier for the Indianapolis 500 who already hasnt earned a spot in the Challenge. The final two spots will be earned by the teams posting the two fastest times during pit stop competition trials May 16.

Galles Racing won the Coors Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge last year. It was the sixth victory for Galles, tying Team Penske for the most victories in the 23-year history of the contest.

Text provided By Paul Kelly

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