IROC: Top five in the hunt for 2000 True Value IROC Championship
18 July 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Tinton Falls, NJ- When the True Value International Race of Champions stages its final race of this year's series on August 4 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, all twelve drivers will be racing for the coveted victory at Indy. Mathematically, five of the twelve are also in contention for the 2000 True Value IROC championship including NASCAR Winston Cup drivers Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, and Indy Racing Northern Light series representative, Eddie Cheever, Jr.
The 1999 titlist, Dale Earnhardt is the current points leader followed by four-time IROC champion Mark Martin. Martin has won both True Value IROC at Indy events since the series started running its final race at the famed Brickyard in 1998.
Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte are hungry for their first Indy win. A victory, accompanied by a championship, would be especially sweet for Rushville, Indiana native, Stewart who first competed in the 1998 IROC as the inaugural Indy Racing League champion of 1996-'97. Bobby Labonte garnered his first True Value IROC win this past April in round two at Talladega Superspeedway. Stewart, and NASCAR teammate, Labonte enter into the finale tied in the points battle for third. Stewart is listed third, and Labonte fourth, as a result of Stewart's higher finishing position in the most recent event at Michigan.
Rounding out the hunt for the 2000 True Value IROC crown is the 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner, Eddie Cheever, Jr., who stunned the stock car competition this past June with a dominate win in round three competition at Michigan Speedway. Cheever, Jr., in his second year of competition, would like to be the first open-wheeler to coup a True Value IROC crown since Al Unser Jr., the championship in 1988.
Also competing in the 2000 series is the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup champion, Dale Jarrett along with fellow NASCAR drivers Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Rusty Wallace and 1999 NASCAR Busch Grand National series champion, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. The Indy Racing Northern Light Series is also represented by Mark Dismore and the 1999 series champion, Greg Ray.
ABC Sports will broadcast the True Value IROC at Indy finale on Saturday, August 5, at 4:30 p.m. immediately following the NASCAR Brickyard 400 coverage.
Text provided by IROC
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